The Time of Perfection

Posted on by korgrocker

“Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.”
1 Corinthians 13:8-10 NLT

Prophecy, tongues and knowledge are spiritual gifts that will be eclipsed by love, which Paul said would last forever. The three spiritual gifts he listed will become useless one day, “when the time of perfection comes”. But if we unpack what Paul meant, we find that what he wrote was really common sense. We know that even in our enlightened Charismatic and Pentecostal churches, the spiritual gifts are woefully inadequate in providing a complete view of God, His character, His plans, His thoughts, and His Kingdom. Although the most gifted Old Testament prophets delivered prophecies that were full of hints and glimpses of what was to come, some remarkably close to the mark (see Psalm 22, for example), they were only a part of what eventually happened. And then we know that Jesus Himself was unable to reveal the timing of an event that His disciples were keen to discover – when the world will end. We read in Matthew 24:3, 36 “Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?” … “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows”. Of course, I’m sure that when Jesus returned to Heaven, He would have found out what was planned, but, as a human being, even the God-man, such a revelation was kept from Him. 

It is sad that some movements and denominations, even individual churches, believe that perfection came with the canonisation of the Bible in the fourth century AD, and they therefore believe that all the spiritual gifts that Paul wrote about have no further use now. So in their church services, there will be no manifestations of the Holy Spirit gifts, lowering their expectations of what God can do. But there is much that the Holy Spirit does in the life of a believer, because He is the Power Source that drives us and helps us, as we walk on in this life. I often ponder about Ephesians 3:20, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think”. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father” (John 14:12). Was all this power just for the first-century church? I don’t think so. Jesus went on to say in the following verse, “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father”. What happens today is imperfect, but we don’t give up aspiring to receive the Holy Spirit gifts, as we await the coming of the Perfect. 

“Come Lord Jesus”

There can only be one such Time, and that is the return of Jesus to this world. Ultimately, this Time is described in Revelation 21:1-2, 6 , “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband”, … “And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life”. Jesus will return to this world one day; we don’t know when, but we do know the manner of His return and where it will happen. Acts 1:11, ““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!””. So if we had a video of Jesus rising into the clouds on the day of His Ascension, a replay in reverse would show us His return. Revelation 1:7 continues the theme, “Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him— even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen!”

In the new Heaven and the new earth, Perfection will be with us, forever. And so we pray, echoing the last recorded words of Jesus in Revelation 22:20, “He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!”

Dear Lord Jesus. We echo the words of John, when he wrote, “Come Lord Jesus!” We honour You, the Perfect, today. Amen.



‭‭

Eating and Drinking

Posted on by korgrocker

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other. If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won’t bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive.”
1 Corinthians 11:33-34 NLT

Eating and drinking are two activities necessary to sustain human life. Without consuming water, a human being will die after a few days. A lack of food will cause a person’s body to extract the nutrients it needs from its own tissues, but there comes a point when those reserves run out. Both of these thoughts are rather gruesome but well-known by anyone living in certain deprived countries. Here in the privileged West, we open the fridge door or turn on a tap, and we find our basic needs are met. In the Corinthian church, what started as an introduction to the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper turned into a one-sided fellowship meal, where each family brought its own food and proceeded to eat it in front of those who had nothing—no sense of unity, no sense of sharing and preferring one another in the true Christian way. So, Paul brought in a chapter of correction, teaching the right way to share the Lord’s Supper and pointing out their errors. Paul finished this chapter with “I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive”, indicating that there must have been other issues connected to the Lord’s Supper, but not important enough to include in his letter. How could the Corinthians have got things so wrong? Thankfully, Paul was on hand to bring in the correction needed. 

But there is also a need for spiritual food and drink, and the same principles apply. Our souls need to be fed, and if deprived of spiritual food, they will wither and die. What is this food? We find it in the Bible, which is a treasure trove of unlimited spiritual resources. We find more through prayer and worship. Through fellowship with other believers. In fact, we feed our souls by spending time in God’s Kingdom. The early Israelites were fed for forty years with a constant supply of manna. This was a superfood containing all the nutrients necessary for human life. But there is a manna that came through Jesus and which is still with us today. It is available in unlimited quantities and is free for all to eat. If we read John 6:35, we find out the Source of this soul-superfood, “Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty”. Jesus continued, “Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh”. This was teaching that most of the people of His day failed to understand, because Jesus wasn’t talking about cannibalism, but about Him being spiritual food for those who believe in Him. Earlier in John 6, we read about the feeding of the five thousand, about how a young boy’s packed lunch of five barley loaves and two fish was multiplied to not only feed everyone but to ensure that they were full (John 6:12). Such was the magnitude of this miracle that the people wanted to make Jesus King. They understood the physical benefit of a miraculous food supply, but they failed to realise that Jesus was showing them the spiritual meaning, that His supply of bread was unlimited, and by eating it, their souls would become full.

There are many people today who are going about their daily lives depressed and without hope. Their souls are running on empty, and they have no resources that will feed them. They wake up in the morning, perhaps hoping that their circumstances will change in the day ahead, but return to their beds in the evening still unfulfilled. These are the people we pilgrims must introduce to Jesus. We are like the four lepers we can read about in 2 Kings 7. These lepers were starving, as were the Israelites, because of the Aramean siege of Samaria. They decided to visit the enemy camp to see if they could find mercy there and perhaps a crust or two of bread. But when they arrived, they found an empty camp and a plentiful supply of food and wine. After gorging themselves, we read in 2 Kings 7:9, “Finally, they said to each other, “This is not right. This is a day of good news, and we aren’t sharing it with anyone! If we wait until morning, some calamity will certainly fall upon us. Come on, let’s go back and tell the people at the palace””. As we pilgrims enter our day, we must remember that we have found “good news”and our souls have been filled by God’s spiritual manna. We must find an opportunity to tell the people around us where they, too, can find the food they need to nourish their souls. 

Dear Father God. We must never keep the Good News about Jesus to ourselves. Please fill us today with a fresh supply of Your Spirit, so that we can be equipped to share the hope that we have with the hopeless. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Role Models and Red Lines

Posted on by korgrocker

“I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved. And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”
1 Corinthians 10:33 – 11:1 NLT

Do we pilgrims have any “red lines” in our lives? Is there anything about what we do, how we spend our time, and govern our thoughts, that is non-negotiable and something that we would not be prepared to abandon? Paul had his faith in Christ and all that that entailed. His “red lines” included his desire to share the Good News about Jesus with everyone he met, his life of prayer and devotion to God, and his pastoral care for the churches he founded. He was not distracted by family needs, particularly by marriage, as we read three or four chapters before in our verses today. Paul was a driven man, totally devoted to his “red lines”, which didn’t even stop when he was imprisoned. His life was structured yet flexible enough to adapt to any situation or circumstance that he encountered. He wrote to the Philippians, “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13). 

At the start of our new chapter in 1 Corinthians 11, Paul encouraged the Corinthians to imitate him because he was a Christ-imitator. This might have been difficult for some in Corinth, because different preachers there had their own followers. In 1 Corinthians 3:4-5,  Paul wrote, “When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world? After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us”. But Paul wasn’t looking for people to follow him, or perhaps even to behave like him. He exhorted the Corinthians to imitate his devotional life and his works of service. Not everyone could preach like Paul. Not everyone had his theological training, refined and powered by a miraculous and personal encounter with Jesus. However, they could establish the structures and principles that would guide them on their journey to Heaven. And regarding the last verse of 1 Corinthians 10, we read about Paul’s desire to introduce everyone he could to God’s saving grace. “I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved”.

Paul developed the same thoughts in Philippians 2, something that we pilgrims would do well to read and re-read. Regarding our relationships with others, this is what he wrote in verses 3-4, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too”. And then he followed it with, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had”. We, too, must imitate Christ in all that we do.

So, back to our “red lines”. Most people need to install some form of structure in their lives as they go about their daily business. There is an observation that I often hear from retired people, in that they never know what day of the week it is. The structure afforded by employment has gone, and unless they put something else in place, the days will merge into a featureless mist of wasted time and opportunities. We pilgrims would be well-advised to spend time in days that otherwise will drift away from us by reading our Bibles and praying to our wonderful Heavenly Father. For me, this is a “red line” so important that, if circumstances prevent me from having a “Quiet Time”, my day loses its lustre. There is something significant about turning our thoughts to the Heavenly realm in prayer and meditation at the start of a day, and asking for a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit to empower me for the day ahead. And then I personally try to supplement my morning devotions with a prayer walk when I can bring other issues before God, and look for opportunities to introduce people to Jesus. Another “red line” for me is attending church on Sundays, as well as prayer meetings and Bible studies if available, and if my circumstances allow. But we are all different, and we must all ask God for His guidance and help to establish some spiritual “red lines” in our lives, remembering that there is no condemnation for any of God’s children.

Dear Heavenly Father. There is no substitute for spending time with You, and we are so sorry for the wasted days when our humanity gets in the way. Please help us establish good habits in our busy days, when we can structure our lives around You and Your Word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Milk or Solid Food

Posted on by korgrocker

“Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world?”
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 NLT

In the first verse of 1 Corinthians 3, Paul delivered a mild rebuke to the Corinthian church. We know from the previous chapters in this Epistle that Paul didn’t doubt that the congregation were saved believers in Christ. He wrote, “I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Corinthians 1:4). So their salvation wasn’t the issue. But sadly, the believers there were still living in their old worldly ways. They probably attended the Sunday services, behaving as Christians do, singing the hymns, praying the prayers, full of piety and outwardly spiritual, but behaving as they always did, full of worldliness, for the rest of the week. As a new Christian attending my first church business meeting, I was severely shaken by the behaviour of one or two people who had strong feelings about the pastor’s remuneration. All of a sudden, what had been a calm and Godly meeting descended into worldliness with anger, resentment, and even swearing. People whom I had looked up to in the Sunday services were shown in a different light. Paul’s rebuke to worldly Christians in Corinth wasn’t just for a single church. It has emerged in every generation, in every church ever since. We look around our churches and see the outworking of God’s grace flowing so freely, but how we live in the light of that grace on a Monday morning can be something different altogether.

Paul continued to use the analogies of milk and solid food. Babies start their lives being fed with milk, which is a liquid food containing all the nutrients in a readily digestible form by the delicate stomachs of newborn children. But there is a spiritual equivalent. A church I once attended had a Gospel service each Sunday evening, and visiting evangelists supplemented our own preachers in delivering the message of Christ, and Him crucified, to the congregation present. I can remember a child once asking me after one of these meetings if people had to seek salvation and pray the sinner’s prayer every week, referring to one or two individuals who always responded to the altar call after the Gospel message. Sadly, the people concerned needed a weekly dose of the Gospel to feed their souls, spiritual milk still on their menus. Was it that these people had not truly come to a place where they believed in Jesus? Was it because they had not yet received the Holy Spirit? Possibly not, but instead they continued to live in the flesh, meaning that they were living for self and their bodily appetites instead of living in the power God had given to them in the Holy Spirit. The writer to the Hebrews said, “You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right” (Hebrews 5:12-13). 

So what is the “spiritual milk” desired by the believers in Corinth? As the verse in Hebrews records, it is “the basic things about God’s Word”. So the leaders in the Corinthian church had to teach over and over the basics of being saved, how to pray, reading the Bible, and following that with how to apply what they had learnt in their daily lives. Paul writes extensively about this in Ephesians 4. We read, “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” (Ephesians 4:21-24). Paul continued in the next verse, “So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbours the truth, for we are all parts of the same body”. And then verses 28-30, “If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good, hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption”. A good start for any new Christians is to read Ephesians 4 over and over again, until the “milk” it contains becomes a part of their inner beings.

We pilgrims know that we have to feed our souls. Every time I recite the Lord’s Prayer, I thank God for “our daily bread”, thanking Him for the food in my stomach as well as the food in my soul. It is easy to focus on the first but neglect the second. Our human bodies have a built-in mechanism to demand that any pangs of hunger be satisfied, but not so often with our souls. So we build into our daily schedules a routine that we call our “Quiet Time”, where we come into God’s presence with prayer and the reading of His Word. It is in His Word that we find the “solid food” our souls desire. But occasionally we know that sometimes a glass of “milk” can help to bring us back on track when our soul is violated by our sins. God’s grace and His willingness to forgive us for our sins are timeless while we still breathe, but one day our souls will ascend into God’s presence. What do we want Him to see? Something malnourished, still dependent on spiritual milk, or souls built up by a diet of “solid food”? The choice is ours.

Dear Heavenly Father. We thank You for Your grace and love. We look forward to that day when we will share in the Heavenly banquet that Jesus is preparing for us. On our knees today, we confess our sins of worldliness and pray that You will lead us to the spiritual pastures where we can find the solid food we need. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God’s Secret Plan (2)

Posted on by korgrocker

“When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.”
1 Corinthians 2:1-2 NLT

Yesterday we considered the analogy of a door fronting an absolute priceless treasure trove, the key being the Message of the Cross. Behind the door we find treasure, not gold and diamonds, but spiritual treasure, of much more value, and that treasure is described in the Bible. Every time we open the Book, we find truths about God and His ways, and nuggets of incredible value pass right into our souls, equipping and empowering us for a life to be lived God’s way in His Kingdom. 

So in a sense, to write about “God’s secret plan” is to write about the Bible and all that is contained therein. The spiritual treasure there is tailor made for each one of us and we embark of a journey of salvation day by day as we read all about God. But there are some generalities that apply to each one of us, and Paul helpfully set them out with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in his epistle to the Christians in Ephesus. We start with Ephesians 1:3, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ“. This verse sums up the content of the “secret plan” and it exposes just how generous God is by His providing “every spiritual blessing”. He holds back nothing, and through the Holy Spirit within us we are potentially invincible in all we do. If we can just get our minds around Ephesian 3:20 for a moment. “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think“. We hold within us all the spiritual resources we will ever need and we are only limited by our faith and opportunity. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” (John 14:12-14). What did Jesus mean by that? If we rush out into the street with an expectation that we will suddenly see the new car we have asked for, we will probably be disappointed. Even though God has supplied the power, the secret lies in asking “in [Jesus’] name”. It is only when we know His will that we can apply the power. Also, the key lies in “every spiritual blessing”. Even though God is interested in our natural world – after all He created it – it is in the realm of the spirit that His work will mainly be done, and in the hearts and minds of His followers. 

Of course, Jesus did many miraculous works when He walked the highways and byways of Palestine. What did He do? He raised the dead, healed the sick, casted out demons, fed multitudes, and walked on water. But these were signs of His power granted to Him and used in accordance with His Father’s will. He spent long hours in communion with His Father in prayer and fellowship, and received direction for the day and days ahead. We see the same power at work in the incident when Peter and John healed the crippled man begging at the gate of the Temple. The evidence can be found in Acts 3:6, “But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”” How was this possible? We see another key in Acts 3:13, “For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him“. The very act of healing the crippled man brought glory to Jesus, and everything that we do in His name will do the same. But we stay close to Jesus step by step, and He will lead and guide us to the times when He needs us to apply the power that God has provided for us, the “spiritual blessings” Paul wrote about. A man called Ananias appears in Acts 9, tasked with the laying on of hands so that Saul, soon to be renamed Paul, would have his sight restored. After some dialogue with the Lord, Ananias obediently went to the place where Saul was staying and we read, “So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptised” (Acts 9:17-18). Are we pilgrims in a place like Ananias, ready and equipped to do the Lord’s bidding?

In our own lives we have the resources we need to become more like Jesus. Romans 8:29, “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters“. What a privileged and awesome responsibility we have, to be a brother or sister of Jesus. In our own strength we have no chance in achieving the level of perfection God demands. Instead, God has supplied for us the “spiritual blessings” that we need to achieve the holiness we require, and it is through His patience and grace that we have the necessary time. If we ask in Jesus’ name for this to happen, there is no doubt that He will answer our prayer. Peter wrote, quoting Leviticus, “For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy”” (1 Peter 1:16). And as we go about our daily lives, we ask one question – is what I am doing bringing glory to God? 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God“. 

So we have opened the pages of the Book, and have found some treasure, “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms”. And we can see how the contents of “God’s secret plan” is unlike the treasure we find on earth, the silver and gold and precious stones. God’s treasure, as he planned right from the beginning, has a transformative effect and impact on the lives of ordinary human beings. When we cross the Great Divide, any earthly goods will be left behind, but God’s treasure will last for all eternity. Jesus gave us a warning in Matthew 6:19-21, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be”. So the question for us pilgrims is about where we have stored our treasure. God has provided it as part of His secret plan. All we have to do is open our hands and grasp it with all our hearts, and by doing so, step by step, we become more like Jesus, our elder brother.

Dear Heavenly Father. You are the God who gives and gives and keeps on giving. We praise You today with grateful hearts. Amen.

The Lord’s Promises

Posted on by korgrocker

“The Lord’s promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over. Therefore, Lord, we know you will protect the oppressed, preserving them forever from this lying generation, even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land.”
Psalm 12:6-8 NLT

The refining process is a technology that has been around for thousands of years and in David’s day the silversmiths knew how to refine the semi-precious metal, silver, to increase its purity. A furnace was involved and the silver was melted, impurities skimmed off, a process repeated again and again, as the silver gained purity. We can just imagine David watching this process happen and immediately thinking of an analogy of the Lord’s promises. Of course, God’s promises are never in need of refining because they were, and are, totally pure and totally perfect. There are no imperfections included in any of God’s promises. 

A Google search will uncover a Bible absolutely full of the promises of God. In the context of Psalm 12, the verse about the purity of God’s promises precedes David’s assurance that the Lord “will protect the oppressed”. In Psalm 145:20 we read, “The Lord protects all those who love him, but he destroys the wicked“, a promise that will come to fruition sooner or later. In Psalm 1:4-5 we read, “But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly”. We have the separation of the Godly, those who love God, and the wicked, who reject anything to do with God. A stark dichotomy that will finally be resolved at the end of the age. There is a parable taught by Jesus in Matthew 13, and in it we find this verse, “That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous” (Matthew 13:49). If Jesus said it, then it will happen, and that’s a promise!

It can be said that the very act of becoming a believer in Jesus is the start of a refining process. In Isaiah 48:10 we read, “I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering”. The furnace that is life is hot and sometimes painful, including much suffering, but it is a necessary part of our journey to Heaven because there will be no impurities in Heaven. Peter wrote, “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honour on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world” (1 Peter 1:6-7). Nothing has changed, folks. 

The Lord has written down for us His true and perfect promises, all contained in His Word, the Bible. Bibles such as those distributed by the Gideons contain helpful pages that list God’s promises in response to common human conditions. But anyone can open God’s Book and find the answer to their questions and dilemmas. However, God’s answers to life’s questions cannot be found hanging in the air. We have to search the Scriptures and find Hid promises, and that can only be done if we read the Bible. And having read it, we need to read it again. And again. And we find that, amazingly, every time we read a passage of Scripture, the Holy Spirit will reveal to us something new. Something fresh. Something precious from God Himself.

Dear God. We thank You for Your Word, the Bible. Guide us in Your ways as we discover more and more about You, we pray. Amen.

Jesus, the Great I Am

Posted on by korgrocker

In John’s Gospel, Jesus made seven “I am” statements, all true statements declaring who He was. To recap, here is the list.

In John 6:35 we read, “Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.””
John 8:12, “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.””
John 10:7, “so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.”“
John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.”
John 11:25, “Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.””
John 14:6, “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.””
John 15:1, “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.”

There are also a couple of occasions where Jesus referred to Himself with God’s name “I AM”.
John 4:26, “Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!””
John 18:5a, ““Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied. “I Am He,” Jesus said. …””

Jesus used ordinary objects and situations that the people would relate to. Things like bread, light, sheep, a gate or door, death, and a grapevine. And He wove the ordinary into spiritual statements that pointed to Himself, and statements that described life in God’s Kingdom. There could be no doubt as to who Jesus was and what His mission was all about. The problem for most of the Jews was that they seemed to have little appreciation or understanding that they could enjoy being part of God’s Kingdom during their natural lives by believing in Jesus. They also had to contend with the hostility of the Jewish leaders, who considered that Jesus was a blasphemer and a fraud. With all the miracles and signs that Jesus performed, that underpinned His teaching, it is a wonder that the people of His day, including the leaders, didn’t all wholeheartedly embrace Him and all He taught. But that is a sign of sin, because people generally love to sin is all its guises. And sin is incompatible with the Kingdom of God because there will be no sinners in Heaven. Various passages of Scripture in the Bible make it clear who will not be suitable candidates for living with God. For example, we have Revelation 21:8a, “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars …”. Altogether, theologians believe that there are 120 separate sins listed in Scripture. To believe in Jesus and follow Him demands a life of repentance, as God’s people pursue holiness to be like Him. Our Holy Spirit inspired consciences will guide us into the truth Jesus taught about.

But the opportunity to believe in Jesus didn’t end with His death. In fact that was when the opportunity really started. The Bible is a legacy of spiritual truth that has continued Jesus’ ministry for the last two thousand years.  The life contained within its pages propagates the work and power of the Holy Spirit, as He lives within us. 

Dear God. We thank You for Your Word, the Bible, and for all it contains, the words of truth and life, Amen.

Know the Scriptures

Posted on by korgrocker

“They replied, “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.” Jesus replied, “It is written in your own Scriptures that God said to certain leaders of the people, ‘I say, you are gods!’ And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people who received God’s message were called ‘gods,’ why do you call it blasphemy when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’? After all, the Father set me apart and sent me into the world.”
John 10:33-36 NLT

More clear speech from Jesus. Faced with a situation where the people around Him wanted to kill Him because He claimed to be the Son of God, a blasphemous claim in their eyes, Jesus pointed out what was written in Scripture. Jesus quoted a verse from Psalm 82 – “I say, ‘You are gods; you are all children of the Most High” (Psalm 82:6).  But the Psalmist, under the power of the Holy Spirit, then wrote, “But you will die like mere mortals and fall like every other ruler”. Of course, these references to “gods” were not assigning the recipients some form of divinity, but God was pointing out through the Psalmist that anyone who has some degree of control over another, such as a judge or someone in a position of authority such as an employer or civil servant, has a power that is godly (note the small “g”). And God then included a warning that such “gods” will themselves be accountable for their actions. Such judges were perhaps referred to by Paul in Romans 13:1, “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God”. Jesus was saying if those who hold a divinely appointed position can be considered “gods,” how much more can the One whom God has chosen and sent be the Son of God.

The Scriptures, what we believers refer to as the Old and New Testaments, are a rich and limitless source of information, all of which was inspired by the Holy Spirit through over 40 authors and over a period of 1500 years or so. The more we pilgrims read the Bible, the more we find out about God, and what we don’t know about Him. We can read a passage of Scripture one day, and then find more from it at a subsequent reading. Such a divinely inspired book is unique and it connects us to our Heavenly Father, inspiring us, and touching our spirits with His love and grace. Sadly, many theologians over the years have interpreted the Scriptures in certain ways and have veered away from God’s original intentions. This is how cults have developed, and some have even changed the Scriptures to suit their beliefs. 

But we pilgrims are committed to the Bible and all it contains. We take seriously the warning at the end of Revelation, “And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19). Instead, we agree whole-heartedly with Peter’s words in his first epistle, “Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment” (1 Peter 2:2). The “pure spiritual milk” constitutes God’s complete, special revelation, encapsulated in what we now know as the Bible. So we pilgrims read the Bible and re-read it, feeding our souls on God’s Word. There we will find peace, purity and food for our souls. There is no other religion in the world that has a God who died for us so that we can have eternal life. All the other religions expect works to take place, so that our place in eternity is earned. We pilgrims are saved purely by grace. There is no other way into God’s presence.

Dear Father God. Only You have opened a door into Your presence. Other religions fail to find it, no matter what they claim. So we fall on our knees before You today, in grateful worship. Amen.

The Words of Eternal Life

Posted on by korgrocker

“At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.””
John 6:66-69 NLT

In our fellowships and churches there can sometimes be a parting of ways between a member of the congregation and the leadership. It can be due to a simple administrative problem such as who does what, or someone falls out with another person,  or it could be over a doctrinal issue or some form of Biblical interpretation. Regarding the latter I know of a church where a member left because they disagreed with the Biblical stance over matters of sex and marriage. But all these situations may or may not be valid and I’m sure most divisions within the Christian real estate are avoidable, should there be a will to work out a solution.

However, in Jesus’ case, the disciples left Him because they could not accept His teaching. These men and women were having difficulty in accepting that Jesus was the Son of God, and that what He taught about His body and blood was true. Jesus said, “For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up” (John 6:44), implying that Father God sent Jesus to this world, and in the process He was going to attract people to support His Son. So perhaps the disciples who left Jesus were not the ones needed at that time. This is perhaps a contentious thought, because we know that the Gospel is available to all, but after there had been an exodus of disciples, Jesus turned to the twelve disciples He had chosen, and asked if they were going to leave too. But Peter responded with a timeless statement, “You have the words that give eternal life”. After all that had happened, the difficult (to them) teaching, the divinity claim, the consequent murmuring and complaining, and the mass exodus of Jesus’ followers, the Twelve disciples, later to become the Apostles, stood firm in their allegiance to Jesus. What would I have done, is a question I ask myself. But we note that not all the disciples other than the Twelve deserted Jesus – just “many” of them. There were still some who remain faithful. Men and women on the periphery doing what many do today, quietly getting on with a life of service to God, below the radar of public notice. People who have accepted Jesus, who believe in Him and His teaching, and who are doing their best to apply it in their own lives. 

Peter, speaking as the Twelve’s representative, stated two truths that must have gladdened Jesus’ heart. Peter said that the Disciples recognised Jesus’ divinity, and that they believed in Him. Because of that, the Disciples knew that Jesus was speaking words that, for those like them that believed them, will lead to a life spent with God.

We pilgrims too have declared that Jesus is the Son of God, that we believe in Him and we follow His teaching. The “words of eternal life” were not just for that generation but timelessly apply over the millennia right up until today and beyond. Paul wrote in Romans 10:9-10, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved”. The early disciples who left Jesus failed to make the declaration and ended up in a spiritual wilderness, but we pilgrims are in a privileged position, being of those who have declared and believed. 

Today we once again declare that Jesus is Lord and that he has the Words we need to hear for our future. And we tell others about our wonderful Saviour, that they too will have the same opportunity we have had.

Yes, Lord Jesus. We proclaim and declare that only Your have the words that will lead to eternal life. We give You all the glory today. Amen.

Too Hard to Understand

Posted on by korgrocker

“So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. … Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?” … At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.”
John 6:53-54, 60, 66 NLT

On the way to the synagogue in Capernaum Jesus had made many disciples. These were men (and presumably women) who believed in what He said. They saw His miraculous signs. They heard His wonderful words of grace. They heard Him expound the Scriptures in a way they liked. But then they heard Jesus say things that they struggled to understand. So they ended up leaving Him and they “turned away”. A tragedy for them because they missed the only opportunity of receiving Jesus’ promise of eternal life. There may have been too many problems for these early disciples. Firstly, the concept of eating and drinking Jesus’ body and blood from a physical perspective blinded their minds to the spiritual meaning behind His words. Secondly, they perhaps did understand what Jesus was meaning, but the consequent commitment and implication for how they should now live their lives was too great a sacrifice. 

There are always people who are unable to understand, or don’t want to understand, what Biblical teaching says. One day a person might hear a sermon on anger, taking as its text Jesus’ teaching on anger – “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell” (Matthew 5:21-22). A naturally angry person might decide that to change their approach to other people who upsets them is too big an ask and they decide they can’t follow teaching like this. So they either rationalise it and continue as they did before, or they leave and find a church where Biblical teaching is less challenging. And they conveniently forget these verses from Matthew. It is easy to follow a Gospel that we agree with and won’t mean we have to change our lives.

The more liberal of Christians will have a relaxed and dismissive approach to some parts of the Bible. For example in Matthew 5:27-28, Jesus said some hard words about adultery. “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.“ Of course, this is a very sensitive subject, but it emphasised a principle that Jesus expounded – it is not what we appear to do but what is going on inside of us. So people, particularly men, who may struggle to change their behaviour in this area, may instead choose to disagree or ignore what Jesus said. As pilgrims, do we approach the Bible with reverence and in the knowledge that it is the Word of God and the final arbiter of truth, or do we just take from it the bits that we agree with and ignore the rest, even making up excuses, or changing the meaning, for the contentious verses?

So many of the early disciples in Jesus’ day started to follow Him until His teaching became too difficult for them to follow. I wonder what they did then? But for us pilgrims, we have decided to follow Jesus, come what may. There is no turning back.

Dear Father God. There is indeed no way that we pilgrims will turn our backs on the very One who gave His all for us. We are so grateful. Amen.