During the local Church’s Wednesday prayer meeting, rescheduled due to Monday having been a Church business meeting, I was ministered to on various levels. And how it passes home the imperative need for fellowship within the body.
Earlier in the day, I had chatted to a gentleman from Sudan who was waiting outside a solicitors, probably for legal assistance with an asylum case. He was a pleasant man, and extremely courteous. His name was Abraham, and subscribed to the Islamic religion.
I spoke quite freely with him, concerning the privilege of his name, and attempted to convey the significance of Genesis Ch22 and how the Cross is the doorway into eternity, John Ch 3 v16.
I did feel that the words spoken carried more than just my own persuasions and passions, not just due to them being the words of God, but through the Spirit. And despite the fact that this man has been loaded with barriers through what he has been taught, I have confidence that God is able to use our brief encounter as a seed of true faith. And the great truth of Abraham is concerning the image of God, and it’s redemption through a promised Son, a bond for the unity of God and man.
During the prayer meeting we prayed for many situations that are in real need of the transforming and redemptive nature of Jesus. Families facing crisis and breakup due to the absence of the Immanuel.
The meeting ended with the song ‘Faithful one, so unchanging’, and an exhortation upon the words ‘I call out to you again and again’, with reference to the situations prayed over.
As we sang this song, my thoughts flashed from Abel and Seth (giggle from a tickle), Enoch and Noah etc. The revelation of the Father through being given a Son. To Genesis Ch 22 and the Lord calling out to Abraham. In fact, all true faith starts from the heart of God, and is not the product of mans construct.
The temple, probably was build upon the very place Abraham offered his Son. The terrain upon which the women who was caught in the very act of adultery, was also there! Therefore, God speaks through this that he is able to redeem his image upon the earth, despite the breach being utterly contrary to his intended design.
Thoughts flashed through previous revelations concerning the mount of transfiguration and the Dead Sea, where Father speaks. And the place of crossing Jordan, being a cross to the ascent to the Temple Mount of Jerusalem – Redeemed Land.
On one side the law stood and looked across at 120 years old, at the rock upon which all the patriarchs rested: ‘One’ provided sacrifice. Upon the other a women helped gather 120 to an upper room awaiting the promise of the Immanuel, the bosom of the Father.
I was greatly encouraged by these thoughts, as it retained the awareness that God is sovereign over all things, even the minor events of getting your mums car washed on Lodge lane and needing to draw money out from an ATM to pay for it, parking next to a law firm.
It also encouraged me greatly on Friday night, having considered the content of previous posts (Proverbs Ch2) combing with time in Galatians Friday morning.
Galatians Ch 5 & 1:
On Thursday morning I read Galatians Ch 5, and while much of it ministered, I simply want to draw attention to a simple observation in the English translation of verses 19 & 22.
V19: Now the ‘works’ of the flesh are evident!
Right here we have, Cain! And the sweat of mans brow.
We know that God doesn’t tempt any man to sin, and Paul expounds on the purpose for why the law was given in Romans Ch 7, so that Sin may appear exceedingly sinful.
Right here we also have the reason why Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. Works founded upon any other rock, than the blessed ‘one’ of revelation by the Father, can not transform a man or women from the lower regions of sins separation.
V22: But the ‘fruit’ of the Spirit is love, Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Works and Fruit. One is the product of separation and the other is authentic growth in response to lights call: Follow me, John Ch 8 v12.
Galatians Ch 1 v1: Paul an apostle not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.
V2 and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia.
Reading verse one, you could be mistaken when you consider Stephen and Barnabas and all the saints who had prayed for Paul and aided him after his conversion. But when we focus on his personal Damascus Road the fact is that his apostleship and his salvation rested upon Jesus Christ alone. And that is a foundational truth for each and every believer, Paul may have been called as an Apostle and his entrance in, may have been more dramatic, but the same quality of divine and personal love has stooped down and stood up for each one of us.
‘Who raised Him from the dead’!
This is a defining and unique statement concerning the Christian faith, the resurrection.
It contains the whole gospel narrative. And it separates the Christian faith from this worlds philosophies and other religions, and sets it apart as being life giving and transformative. It sets it apart as a remedy, to be a foundation upon which love can build. An inclusive body which all can be added to and contribute to the common good of all.
The statement contains all the DNA required for the healing of the nations – the true tree of life accessible to all who would respond to his call.
Jesus scripture attests is the same ‘Yesterday, Today and Forever’.
Yesterday: the lamb Adam and Eve clothed with. The Lamb Abel offered; Seth, Enoch, Noah and Abraham – the line of faith.
Today: Jesus his ministry on earth. How he received people and how he communed with the women of Samaria and choose to tell the three parables in Luke Ch15.
This follows the principle and pattern of scripture: In type, in Jesus demonstrated and revealed, continued in his disciples.
Forever: v2 ‘And all the brothers who are with me’. This has echoes of ‘Saul, Saul why persecutes thou me’. That statement is spoken by a victorious and risen Lord concerning his life in the recipients of his grace.
Therefore, all three tenses; past, present and future attest the truth that Jesus never changes. That which Saul persecutest was grace and faith, the victory procured by the ‘One’ who died and rose again.
Therefore, how could Paul not write with such clarity concerning the Grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Raised Him from the Cross.
That which Jesus suffered at Calvary was not just a side effect of sin. It was the absorption of the ‘works’ of the flesh (Saul why persecutest thou me) into the grave.
Therefore, the ministry of no condemnation must be the ministry that perpetually liberates the sons of God into life in the Spirit.
The Father allowed Him to suffer at the cross to demonstrate the ministry of reconciliation, of the lamb of God.
It was not man who cried and called in the garden ‘Where are you’? The fruits of the Spirit are authentic characteristics of Gods nature, they can not be ‘worked’ at, we partake of them only when we live through Jesus Christ.
Adam – ‘where are you’? Was a call from the heart of God. Therefore, the fruits of the Spirit come from the gardener who gave himself for the fertilization and resurrection of the seed that is life.
And the life Jesus lived was full obedience to his Father, fulfilling the law and commandments. This seed was raised to life, having removed the handwriting of trespasses against us. The stone being rolled away from the tomb.
This is the life, available to us through Jesus Christ. A life in the flesh consistent with the fruits of the Spirit.
‘Who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age’
‘According to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever;
Amen’.
Note:
It may not have been drawn out in what has been typed but to me the latter visits to this blog this week have been a source of real encouragement, having penned in my note book the framework above, including; Yesterday, Today and Forever.
That which God says is not good is not good. And that which God says is very good, is very good. The image of God is a plural revelation of both masculine and feminine.
I needed the visits and greatly valued them, as encouragements in knowing the God whose fruit is always love.
And he loved her.
The line of faith is the restoration of the call and purpose of God, that the Church may bear fruit and multiply ‘through’ Him who has loved us and saved us from sin, Amen.
(Hymn: With Praise and thanksgiving).
I have a birthday celebration, of a friend I used to share accomadtion with, this afternoon so wont be able to make morning service.
I have been blessed this week and from Tuesday and rest of week had a confidence of time spent in passages of scripture, to type up notes, as being quickened.
I have struggled to get them typed up, but hope to do so during the week.
eternalrays 