Fiery Trials

Posted on by korgrocker

“Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.”
1 Peter 4:12-13 NLT

We Western pilgrims can’t personally identify with the “fiery trials” Peter was writing about. Those early believers courageously stood up for their faith, withstanding all types and severities of persecution; some even experienced long and drawn out deaths. The first martyr was Stephen. He accused the Jewish leaders of disobeying God’s law, and we pick up the narrative in Acts 7:56, “And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honour at God’s right hand!” Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died”. A sad end for a Godly man, but an end that brought glory to God. Stephen was not the only martyr by a long way. Those early believers in Peter’s generation were stoned, torn apart by animals in the public games, crucified, beheaded and so on. They were ostracised in their communities, prosecuted for trumped-up misdemeanours and generally suffered greatly for believing in the same God that we do today.

However, in other parts of the world today, “fiery trials” are still being experienced by Christians. Believers in Asian and African countries particularly are suffering greatly. Pakistani Christians are being violently attacked; I have just read about an Iranian pastor who has been sentenced to a long prison sentence in Iran’s notorious Evi prison; in fact, according to Open Doors UK, 5,621 Christians were murdered for their faith last year, and that’s only the deaths that they have been able to discover.

One thing we pilgrims will have realised is that being a Christian does not make life any easier. In fact, it will probably make it harder. Jesus, in His long John 17 prayer said to His disciples, “I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do” (John 17:14-16).

Peter wrote that believers shouldn’t be surprised when they are persecuted. In fact, he encourages them with the thought that the persecution, the “fiery trials”, that they are experiencing makes them “partners with Christ in his suffering”. Matthew 16:24-25, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it”. In fact, if we are finding that the life of a believer is hassle free, then perhaps we should question our commitment. Following Jesus is not an easy life choice, because it involves setting aside our own personal selfish desires, and instead choosing to live life the Jesus way. Jesus asked the question, “ … what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (Matthew 16:26). But we know that with God on our side, we are assured that whatever trials we are facing into, if we persevere we will come out the other side unscathed, and closer to God than ever before. He loves us, His children. And He will never leave us to fend on our own. Every prayer that we utter has four people present, God, the Father, Jesus, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. And us of course. An invincible combination I think we must agree.

Dear Heavenly Father. We pray that You will strengthen us to live faithfully for You, right to the end. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Spiritual Gifts

Posted on by korgrocker

“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.”
1 Peter 4:10-11 NLT

We often associate spiritual gifts with something supernatural, like prophecy or healing. But there is a “great variety of spiritual gifts”, according to Peter. He gave two examples here in his  letter – speaking and helping. But there are many more, of course, and they are to be used for serving “one another”. Peter encourages his readers by telling them that by exercising their spiritual gifts, they “will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ”. But the important message from Peter is that each one of us has a spiritual gift. It was true when he wrote to the believers in what is now Turkey, and it is just as true today. And we know from other Scripture passages that we may have more than one spiritual gift.

So if that is the case, we pilgrims are obliged to determine what our spiritual gift is and then use it for God’s glory and the benefit of our fellow believers. We will, of course, have natural giftings, and will make good use of these generally in our lives. So to use my wife as an example, she has a gift of needlecraft and is always producing one garment or another, often with complex patterns, for the benefit of the family. But when she uses her gift for others, using it well, with the Holy Spirit helping the process, then it will become a spiritual gift. What potentially might have been a naturally lengthy and difficult process somehow becomes easier and more joyful when the Holy Spirit is involved in the process.

In 1 Corinthians 12, the Apostle Paul wrote in some detail about the spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:4, “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all”. In verse 7 of this chapter he wrote much the same as Peter did, “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other”. And Paul finished this section with “It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have” (1 Corinthians 12 :11).

So how do we know what spiritual gift we have? There are various helps around that can focus our thinking and come up with an answer, but most times we can find our gifts through prayer, encouragement from those around us, who observe us functioning in our spiritual gift, and by asking the Gift-giver, the Holy Spirit Himself. We must of course avoid the temptation of seeing someone else moving in their gifting, and decide that we want to have that gift as well. I remember a young church member who decided that they had a gift of worship leading. So they learnt a few guitar chords and asked the pastor if they could lead worship one Sunday. But, sadly for them, the gift just wasn’t there and they ended up frustrated and demoralised. Thankfully, the pastor was able to lovingly and sensitively help them find out what their true gift really was. 

We must remember that the spiritual gifts are not for our benefit but for the benefit of others and for the glory of God. And Peter ended his thoughts excitedly exclaiming, “All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.” A good place to finish, giving glory to God.

Dear Father. Thank You for the gifts You have given us. Each one fits exactly with the person You want us to be. So all we can do is give You all the glory. Amen.

A Multitude of Sins

Posted on by korgrocker

“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.”
1 Peter 4:8-9 NLT

Peter exhorts his readers to “show deep love for each other”. This wasn’t a sentimental love, but a love based on actions rather than thoughts and emotions. And Peter writes that this love “covers a multitude of sins”. One thing that this world lacks is the agape love, the deep love, that characterises Christians everywhere. The ways of the world are focused on the “what’s in it for me” syndrome, with little loving thoughts for others, but Peter explained that this “deep love” is most important, and indeed it is because without it our fellowships would disintegrate. 

Peter envisages his readers are in fellowship groups where this love brings forgiveness, covering over any sin that is present. Sins perhaps committed against each other, like angry outbursts, or petty theft. Gossip or the like. And the “deep love” present between the believers will motivate them to reach out to each other, and not reply in kind in a worldly way. However, we notice that before there can be forgiveness there has to be repentance. The words of Jesus from Luke 17:3-4, “So watch yourselves! “If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive””. Peter probably remembered the time when he asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone. Matthew 18:21-22, “Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!” We should remember that God has forgiven us many times over for our sins. The least we can do is to extend that grace to those who sin against us.

Peter continue to encourage his readers with the exhortation to be hospitable. In Hebrews 13:2 we read, “Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realising it!” In my own experience, there have been times when my wife and I have invited a visitor to our church back for Sunday lunch, but during the drive home we have fretted over whether or not the roast joint would be big enough. And amazingly, prayer during the carving worked wonders! Why do we worry with such a loving Heavenly Father who knows just what we need? But do we know anyone who needs a meal? Or who needs a bed for the night? In Peter’s society that might have been a common occurrence, but is less so today. Nevertheless, we always need to be prepared. 

Jesus said in Revelation 3:20, “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends“. This is a verse often used in an evangelistic way, but in the context of Revelation 3, Jesus was speaking to Christians. Perhaps one day there will be a knock at our door, with Jesus waiting to come in. We may not recognise Him (remember the disciples on the Emmaus Road?) but we always need to be ready to be hospitable to strangers.

Dear Lord. You do indeed knock at the doors of our hearts, when we neglect Your and Your ways. Please forgive us, we pray. Amen.

The End of the World

Posted on by korgrocker

“The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.”
1 Peter 4:7 NLT

This is a sobering verse, with a theme that Peter repeated in 2 Peter 3:10, “But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment“. Will the earth as we know it end soon? The answer is that we really don’t know what “soon” means. To us humans “soon” means in the next few hours or days. But certainly no longer. But as we know, God lives without our time system. Instead He will do what He has promised to do at just the right time.

There is an expectation in the Bible that one day the world as we know it will cease to exist. This is because one day God’s grace will be replaced by His judgement. We live in a moral universe and the sin and evil that is endemic in our societies will have to be accounted for. There are a series of events that the Apostle John wrote down, and which form the book of Revelation, the last book in the Bible. If you wish to find out more what these are, please read my devotional book “The End Times” (author Adrian Clark), available on Amazon. But we’ll pick up the narrative in Revelation 20. 

The devil will be chained and incarcerated, and the saints, including those whom were martyred for their faith, will rule and reign with Christ on earth for a thousand years. John’s vision included the explanation that these dead people were brought back to life as the first resurrection; the resurrection of everyone else was not to happen until after the thousand years were up. Satan was then released from his prison and he made a last attempt to conquer God and His people. But to no avail – he and his armies were defeated by fire from Heaven, and he ended up in the “fiery lake of burning sulphur”, a place of eternal torment (Revelation 20:10), joining his proteges, the beast and the false prophet. 

Revelation 20 ends with the events we call the Great White Throne judgement. We read in John’s account, “I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books … And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:13,15). But when we turn the page, we find an amazing event – the new Heaven and Earth. But more on that in my book.

Peter exhorts his readers to “be earnest and disciplined in your prayers”. But he doesn’t say what those prayers should consist of. Knowing what is to come must, by its very essence, focus the minds of us pilgrims. We must keep short accounts with God, ensuring forgiveness for the sins we might commit. We must, with clarity of thought, examine ourselves. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith”. David, the Psalmist, wrote the prayer, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 139:23-24). We must pray appropriately, knowing that “the end of the world is coming soon”. 

Dear Father God. We can never thank You enough for Your grace. All we can do is to fall on our knees before You in worship. Amen.

The Judge

Posted on by korgrocker

“But remember that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead. That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead—so although they were destined to die like all people, they now live forever with God in the Spirit.”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We start with the “they”. These are the people who were guilty of slandering their “former friends” just because they believed the Good News about Jesus. These “former friends” were living a life of debauchery, blissfully unaware that one day “they will have to face God“. But we pilgrims know, of course, that it is not just these particular individuals who were at risk. Everyone one day will give an account of their lives to God. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 14:11-12, “For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’” Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.” Jesus, replying to an accusation that He was casting our demons by power from the devil, said, “And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you”” (Matthew 12:36-37). Another verse of truth from Paul, “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Peter wrote a strange thing, in that he said the Gospel “was preached to those who are now dead”. In those days Jesus was expected to return before the current generation had passed away, so perhaps Peter was clarifying the salvation status for those who had apparently died prematurely. In our days we still expect the imminent return of Jesus, but God’s timing is exact and the Second Coming won’t happen until the right time. In the meantime we pilgrims march on in obedience to Jesus, sharing the Gospel with those around us. But for all I know this blog may never be read, because its publication will have been overtaken by Divine events.

So the question to be answered is where we all stand before God. We can be counted in the “former friends” group, which will probably make up the majority, or we are one of those who heard the Good News, believing it and applying it to our own lives. There are no other categories of people. No third group made up of people who consider that they have lived a good life, and therefore believe that they are worthy enough, through their own efforts, to enter Heaven. As Paul wrote, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23).

Peter wrote “that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead“. We know that this is the case from what the Spirit revealed to the Apostle John, and as he recorded it in Revelation 20. A “great white throne” appeared with “One sitting on it” (Revelation 20:11), an event so terrible that even the earth and sky “fled from His presence”. But there was no hiding place for anything in creation on that terrible day. We read what is to happen in Revelation 20:12, “I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books.” And there was only one possible verdict – guilty – except for those whose names were recorded in a Book containing the names of all the repentant believers in Jesus. Revelation 20:15, “And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Thankfully, believers will not have to face that awful event, and we pilgrims share our stories of God’s saving grace with those around us, in the hope, the expectation even, that the Holy Spirit will bring salvation to all those He has called.

Dear Father God. We pray for our family and friends, that they also will desire to see their names written in Your Book of Life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
‭‭

Former Friends

Posted on by korgrocker

“You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols. Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you.”
1 Peter 4:3-4 NLT

Friendships develop wherever people meet. At school, college or university. In the workplace. In the gym or at a sporting event. An endless list, but there is something implicit within humans that naturally makes friendships. A common factor is often the lifestyle or interests of the people who meet. I can remember making friends with a lad at school who had similar interests to me. We took apart an old valve portable radio to see if we could repair it. We failed, unfortunately, but forged a friendship in the process. We human beings are relational people and it is very rare to find someone who can be fully satisfied with just their own company. 

Peter wrote that friendships made while enjoying a mutual debauched lifestyle would not survive if one of the friends became a Christian. Straight away, the bonds that previously sustained the relationship would cease to exist, because the believing friend would stop doing the things that previously held them together. A friendship founded on a shaky foundation of course, and one that could not survive for long if the mutual focus was removed. In Peter’s letter, “godless people” were enjoying wild living that was inherently sinful. They enjoyed a hedonistic leisure time, seeking enjoyment by sinful means. Peter was writing to believers who were once part of this lifestyle and who were now being slandered by their “former friends”. I’m sure many of us pilgrims who became believers in adulthood, know exactly how they would have felt. 

The Christian faith is counter-cultural and those who are not believers resent what being a Christian means. Worldly people know of course what is right and what is wrong. There is enough of God within them through their consciences to discern the difference. So when they find someone they know, who was perhaps quite close to them, and who has decided to turn their back on their mutual lifestyles of parties and drinking, of “immorality and lust”, and other sinful ways, they resent them. Their believing friend becomes a former friend because what had united them has been removed.

Jesus had friends. We can read about them in John 15. It’s in that wonderful chapter where Jesus describes Himself as the True Vine. He expresses His love for His disciples, a love that isn’t natural in form and content, but it is the same love which Jesus’s Father loves Him with. John 15:9, “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love“. And verse 12 continues, “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you“. Then, in John 15:14-15 we read, “You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me“. 

We can only aspire to be friends with Jesus if we are prepared to do what he has asked us to do, which is to love our friends as Jesus has loved us. I’m sure we agree that if our former friends, those who are still living a sinful lifestyle, are slandering us, it will be difficult to love them as Jesus loves us. But that is the mark of a Christian. To love the unlovely. To love our enemies. To have compassion on those heading for a lost eternity. In our own strength we have no chance of fulfilling this commandment. But with God’s help it is very possible. When slandered by the Jewish authorities, Jesus didn’t respond. Instead, He even prayed for the men who were hammering the nails into His hands and feet. That’s love.

Dear Father God. Please help us to befriend those who cause us harm. By so doing we do Your will. Amen.

Chasing Desires

Posted on by korgrocker

“So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.”
1 Peter 4:1-3 NLT

In his writings, Peter paints a picture of a restlessness driven by sinful desires. He writes about anxiety, evil, immorality, lust, feasting, drunkenness “and their terrible worship of idols”. We can just imagine a painter or sculptor of old representing such scenarios though his artistic medium. But Peter acknowledges that “godless people” enjoy doing these things. There is something about “sin” that is attractive and appealing, and is very hard to give up. Good people today might point out that these were symptoms of Peter’s generation and that they don’t apply to them. But as any street pastor will say, High Streets late on a Saturday night will find people enjoying alcohol-fuelled revelry. “Feasting and drunkenness and wild parties” were not just features of Peter’s society.

Peter reminds his readers that they have finished with sin. Rather, they must be “anxious to do the will of God”. Of course they are, because it is not possible to follow God’s ways and the ways of the world. Putting it bluntly, one way leads to eternal life and the other to eternal death. There couldn’t be a starker choice between two extremes. Jesus taught much about life in His Kingdom being so different to life in the kingdom of the world. The dichotomy between them is illustrated in His teaching about money, which is a worldly commodity. We read in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money“. 

The key word Jesus used was “enslaved“. In a conversation with some of His followers, “Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin” (John 8:34). In Galatians 5:1, Paul wrote, “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law“. He repeated what Jesus said in John 8:36, “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free“. I have included the words of the old Bob Dylan song in blogs before, but the words of the chorus are profound.
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

By default, people gravitate to being sinful. Their fleshly desires prevail over that other small voice within, and “the evil things that godless people enjoy” are the result. And they end up enslaved to a lifestyle that is against what God desires. But all that changes when we meet Jesus. Suddenly, all the sinful desires we have are exposed by His light and we realise what they are. The Holy Spirit exposes our sinful lives and helps us realise that God’s way is the only way. We become “anxious to do the will of God” and start to apply and enjoy the freedom we gained when we repented of our sins and believed in Jesus.

Living God’s way is a lifetime task. One that He helps us with, but one in which we can so easily get caught out when our old sinful nature emerges into His light. In Ephesians 4:21-24, Paul wrote, “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy“. The theologians call this process sanctification. We are being made holy by following God’s ways. And one day we will be truly perfect, set free from our sinful lives for all eternity.

Dear Father God. We don’t want to chase after sin, but so often we get caught out. Please help us day by day, as we journey through the sinful minefields of life. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen.

Being Ready to Suffer

Posted on by korgrocker

“Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh [and died for us], arm yourselves [like warriors] with the same purpose [being willing to suffer for doing what is right and pleasing God], because whoever has suffered in the flesh [being like-minded with Christ] is done with [intentional] sin [having stopped pleasing the world],”
1 Peter 4:1 AMP

“Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.”
1 Peter 4:1-2 MSG

We pilgrims chose a hard way when we became believers in Jesus. You see, He suffered much in His short life because He did what was right. Isn’t that strange? We expect bad people to suffer for doing bad things, but a good person suffering for doing good things is a paradox that leaves us wondering. To take an example, Jesus was in the synagogue one sabbath and noticed a man with a deformed hand. Any deformity in those days was serious because there was no social or medical safety net to counter the deficiency. But the Pharisees were hypersensitive about any form of what they considered to be “work” on the Sabbath, even if that “work” was a good deed. They knew Jesus was a healer, and they looked closely to see what He would do. We read in Mark 3 what Jesus did next. “Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” Then he turned to his critics and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” But they wouldn’t answer him” (Mark 3:3-4). Reading on, “He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus” (Mark 3:5-6).‭‭‭‭ That’s suffering for doing good. Jesus wasn’t afraid to be counter-cultural in His generation, calling our hypocrisy and doing the good works His Father required. But He suffered for it.

In 1 Peter 4:1, the Apostle Peter wrote that we pilgrims, Christians everywhere, should be prepared to follow in Christ’s footsteps, and in the process also not be afraid to call out the hypocrisy or evil of the day, both inside and outside the church. One good example is about the practice of abortion. God values life highly and we know from Psalm 139 that life starts at the point of conception. If Jesus was around in the flesh today, would He not be calling out this evil practice, with love and compassion for the sinner of course? Should we be doing likewise even if it means suffering in some way? Sadly, Christians generally desire a quiet life, and prefer to go with the flow when it comes to confronting evil deeds in society.

Equally sadly, there are practices going on in the church that go against Biblical teaching. The acceptance of secular societal practices around sexuality and gender has become accepted in most Western Christian denominations. Calling them out will lead to suffering, both within the church and within the society in which we live. But I’m sure that Jesus would have dealt very severely with such problems, should they have been an issue in His local synagogue. 

Peter wrote that we should be “willing to suffer for doing what is right and pleasing God“. That is a big ask but one we pilgrims have to face into with courage and Bible-infused conviction. We will never be able to change the society around us by sitting back and hunkering down, waiting for the day when we can transition to Heaven. Counter-culturally we will reach out to the disadvantaged around us, doing good deeds as needed. But we too will stand up for what is right in societies intent on doing wrong. We will not be popular for doing so. We will be reviled and abused. But God will be pleased, and that’s all that matters.

Dear Father God. Please help us to courageously make a stand for You and Your Kingdom as You lead and guide us through the moral and ethical minefields in our societies. Please help us to become involved in issues You want to address, even if it will mean suffering in some way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Christ in Heaven

Posted on by korgrocker

“Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honour next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.”
1 Peter 3:22 NLT

After the resurrection of Jesus, He spent time with His disciples for a few weeks and then there came that day when they all went to the Mount of Olives, one of their favourite places. The disciples asked Jesus when He would free Israel and restore His Kingdom – we can read the account of what happened in Acts 1. But after His final words we read from the Acts 1 account, “After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”” (Acts 1:9-11). We of course do not know where exactly in the Heavens Jesus went to, but from Peter’s words in 1 Peter 3:22 we know that God the Father is there, together with “all the angels and authorities and powers“. We note that Jesus didn’t rise into Heaven as a spirit, but bodily as His disciples watched Him. So we can draw the conclusion that he is still in that body now, but without all the limitations that an earth-bound body has.

In Matthew 26:64 we read, “Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven””. There are other Scriptures too that record Jesus’ place seated at the right hand of God. And then there is the amazing record of a conversation between Father and Son as recorded by David in His prophecy in Psalm 110:1, “The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honour at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet””. However, there is one Scripture that records Jesus standing next to His Father, which we read in Acts 7:56, “And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honour at God’s right hand!”” I can just imagine Jesus getting to His feet and cheering Stephen on as he finally called the Jewish leaders to account for their dreadful involvement in Jesus’s death and the other crimes Stephen accused them of. 

So Jesus may be in Heaven but He is still with us through His Spirit. He told His disciples that after He had returned to Heaven ” … I will send you the Advocate —the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me” (John 15:26). We read in Acts 2 the spectacular event that happened ten days after Jesus’ ascension. “Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability” (Acts 2:2-4). Nowhere in the Bible can I find a reference that documents the Holy Spirit’s return to Heaven, so we must assume He is still with us.

In Acts 1:11, we read that one day Jesus will return to this planet. We can read some specifics in Revelation 19 and Zechariah 14. But we don’t know when this will be. But with His Spirit within us, we are in a truly favoured time. Jesus Himself may be in Heaven, but He is still with us, day by day, hour by hour, as we continue our pilgrimage through our earth-bound lives.

Dear Father God. Not for us a dead religion with a god who died. We worship the living God, who is still with us today. Thank You. Amen.

The Resurrection

Posted on by korgrocker

“So he went and preached to the spirits in prison— those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 3:19-21 NLT

To a Christian, the “resurrection of Jesus Christ” must be another of the most significant events in human history. Of course, many will dispute this, but in the context of eternity, few could argue otherwise. It is the foundation stone, the Cornerstone even, to the believer’s faith. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:13-14, “For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless”. Without the resurrection our “faith is useless”. 

Nearly two thousand years ago, Jesus, the Son of God, was crucified. A man innocent of any crime except that He dared to challenge the spiritual authority of the Jewish leaders. John wrote, “He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him” (John 1:10-11). It is astonishing that His life ended up in the way it did. But this was all part of God’s plan. He looked down from eternity at the world’s events and selected a time when His plan would come to fruition. Paul wrote in Romans 5:6, “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners”.

So why is the resurrection so important to the faith of a believer? This act of God demonstrates that He is capable of raising a dead person, and not only that, giving Him a resurrected body with special powers. Because of that we can have confidence that through our faith in Him, we too will have a resurrected body one day. God’s power over life and death is absolute.

We should note that the evidence for the resurrection of Christ is indisputable. Paul wrote, “I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). There have been reports of sceptical lawyers who have examined the evidence for the death and resurrection of Jesus, and have concluded that there is sufficient proof to stand in a court of law. 

Jesus knew what would happen to Him. He said to Martha just after Lazarus had died, “ … I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying” (John 11:25). Because we pilgrims believe in Him we too will live with Him after we die. The Apostle John wrote about the significance of Christ’s life. “And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life” (1 John 5:11-12).‭‭ Paul wrote that death has been conquered and the new bodies we will one day receive will never die. “Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55).

‭‭We pilgrims are a favoured and God-valued people. We have stumbled on a priceless treasure, one without limit. One that can extend to all. Why won’t unbelievers become believers, grasping this priceless offer with both hands? Probably because they take the short term view, valuing a sinful life over the consequences of believing in Jesus. The devil blinds their eyes and silences the inner whisper that leads them to Christ. But their intransigence won’t stop us reaching out to them anyway. Jesus died and rose again for everyone, not just us.

Dear Lord. We pray today for our loved ones, that they too will come to know Your wonderful love and grace. Please help them we pray. Amen.