So grace might reign

But then Law came in, [only] to expand and increase the trespass [making it more apparent and exciting opposition]. But where sin increased and abounded, grace (God's unmerited favour) has surpassed it and increased the more and superabounded, So that [just] as sin has reigned in death, [so] grace (His unearned and undeserved favour) might reign also through righteousness (right standing with God) which issues in eternal life through Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) our Lord. Romans 5:20-21 AMP

Law versus Grace. Jesus is all about grace. Grace is what enables us to be in right-standing with our Heavenly Father.

I am currently reading 'The Pilgrim's progress' by John Bunyan, and came across his excellent allegory of the cleansing of sin, using the cleaning of dust. I thought I would share it with you today. 

The Dusty Parlor

Then he took him by the hand and led him into a very large parlor that was full of dust because never swept; the which after he had reviewed it a little while, the Interpreter called for a man to sweep. Now, when he began to sweep, the dust began so abundantly to fly about, that Christian had almost therewith been choked. Then said the Interpreter to a damsel that stood by:

INTERPRETER: Bring hither water, and sprinkle the room. When she had done, it was swept and cleansed with pleasure.

CHRISTIAN: What means this?

INTERPRETER: This parlor is the heart of a man that was never sanctified by the sweet grace of the Gospel. The dust is his original sin and inward corruptions that have defiled the whole man. He that began to sweep at first is the law; but she that brought water and did sprinkle it is the Gospel. 

Now whereas thou sawest that as soon as the first began to sweep, the dust did so fly about that the room could not by him be cleansed, but that thou wast almost choked therewith; this is to show thee that the law, instead of cleansing the heart (by its working) from sin, doth revive (Romans 7:9), put strength into (1 Corinthians 15:56) and increase it in the soul (Romans 5:20), even as it doth discover and forbid it, for it doth not give power to subdue.

Again, as thou sawest the damsel sprinkle the room with water, upon which it was cleansed with pleasure, this is to show thee that when the Gospel comes in the sweet and precious influences thereof to the heart, then, I say, even as thou sawest the damsel lay the dust by sprinkling the floor with water, so is sin vanquished and subdued, and the soul made clean, through the faith of it, and consequently fit for the King of glory to inhabit (John 15:3; Ephesians 5:26; Acts 15:9; Romans 16:25-26; John 15:13).

The Pilgrim's Progress, p41-43

God has given us Jesus so we can once again have right-standing with Him, our heavenly father. We don't have to struggle and strive to be perfect. Jesus is perfect. Jesus stands before God on our behalf. Jesus is our Mediator. 

You've come to Jesus, who presents us with a new covenant, a fresh charter from God. He is the Mediator of this covenant. The murder of Jesus, unlike Abel's - a homicide that cried out for vengeance - became a proclamation of grace. 

Hebrews 12:24 The Message

Question for today, have you accepted God's grace in your life? Have you invited Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Saviour, so you can experience God's amazing grace, His unmerited favour for you? If not, consider praying this prayer, (taken from The Everyday Life Bible)

Father,

You loved the world so much that You gave Your only begotten Son to die for our sins so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

Your word says we are saved by grace through faith as a gift from You. There is nothing we can do to earn salvation.

I believe and confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is Your Son, the Saviour of the world. I believe He died on the cross for me and bore all of my sins, paying the price for them.

I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead and that He is alive today.

I am a sinner and I am sorry for my sins and I ask You to forgive me. By faith I receive Jesus Christ now as my Lord and Saviour. I believe that I am saved and will spend eternity with You! Thank You, Father. I am so grateful! In Jesus' name, amen.

If you have chosen to pray this prayer, congratulations, it is a decision you will never regret.

The next steps to grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ are to:

1. Get a bible and start reading it every day. I can highly recommend The Message bible (by Eugene H. Peterson) and The Everyday Life bible (by Faith Words, containing the Amplified Old Testament and the Amplified New Testament), with Notes and Commentary by Joyce Meyer).

2. Chat with Jesus Christ everyday. Remember to listen as well as talk.

3. Find a local church you can go to each week, that has Jesus teaching . It is great if they have regular small group meetings during the week too, so you can be encouraged by other Christians, and be an encourager too.

Keep on asking

Keep on asking and it will be given to you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 AMP

Keep on asking. Yes, we can be very persistent with our asking when we really want something. But is that 'something' what God really wants for us? Is that 'something' something our Sovereign God knows will be the best for us in the long run? 

If we are asking, and have been asking for a long time I believe there are some questions we need to consider, such as:

1. Does what we are asking for align with God's word?

2. What is God wanting us to learn whilst we are waiting for the answer to come?

3. Are we asking reverently?

The Message bible has this to say, 

Don't be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Don't reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you're only being cute and inviting sacrilege. Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn't a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. Matthew 7:6-7 The Message.

When we come before God and petition Him, we are not at the department store with our shopping list. We are going into the throne room of the creator of the universe. Thankfully that throne is one of grace.

Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favour to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it]. Hebrews 4:16 AMP

Jesus, by His sacrifice on the cross, has made a way for us to go directly to the throne. 

Therefore, brethren, since we have full freedom and confidence to enter into the [Holy of] Holies [by the power and virtue] in the blood of Jesus, by this fresh (new) and living way which He initiated and dedicated and opened for us through the separating curtain (veil of the Holy of Holies), that is, through His flesh. Hebrews 10:19-20 AMP

We need to ensure we are coming with the right attitude, which comes back to these scriptures from the psalms about having a clean heart before God.

Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23,24 AMP

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 AMP

Question for today, is there something you are asking for, but the answer doesn't seem to have manifested yet? Ask God to search your heart regarding what you are asking for, does it line up with His word? Ask the Holy Spirit to counsel you regarding this circumstance, what is it that God is wanting you to learn in it? Finally as it says in Hebrews,

And since we have [such] a great and wonderful and noble Priest [Who rules] over the house of God, let us all come forward and draw near with true (honest and sincere) hearts in unqualified assurance and absolute conviction engendered by faith (by that learning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), having our hearts sprinkled and purified from a guilty (evil) conscience and our bodies cleansed with pure water. So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish and confess and our acknowledgement of it, for He Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word. Hebrews 10:21-23 AMP

Hindered from seeing the Truth

And blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) is he who takes no offense at Me and finds no cause for stumbling in or through Me and is not hindered from seeing the Truth. Matthew 11:6 AMP

Let's start with a question today, is there anyone hindering you from seeing the Truth? Sometimes it can be other people who are hindering us from following Jesus with our whole heart. Paul posed this question to the Galatians.

You were running the race nobly. Who has interfered in (hindered and stopped you from) your heeding and following the Truth? Galatians 5:7 AMP

Sometimes it can be our own selfish nature that hinders us from seeking after Jesus. Our fears can lead us try control people and situations. Our preoccupation with being in control hinders our ability to seek God's plan or view of the circumstance.  God always has a plan and it is always good. He has to be our focus.

Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God's action in them find that God's Spirit is in them - living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us into the open, into a spacious, free life.  Romans 3:5-6 The Message

Let's be people who give our entire attention to God, so He can lead us into a spacious, free life. Question for today, are you being hindered from seeing the Truth, either by external or internal means? Why not take time today to sit at the feet of Jesus and ask Him to show you the cause of the hindering, and to give you a strategy for removing it.

But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells - even though you still experience all the limitations of sin - you yourself experience life on God's terms. It stands to reason, doesn't it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he'll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, being you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from the dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ's! Romans 8:10-11 The Message

Jesus is ...

Yesterday morning as I was walking around Manly in Sydney I couldn't help but notice this banner hanging outside St Matthew's Anglican Church on the Corso. It asks us to fill in the unfinished sentence, 'Jesus is ________'.  The associated website is jesus-is.org.au

There are so many ways to finish this sentence! How would you finish it? One word I would use is 'life', as that has definitely been my experience of Jesus. Since I accepted Him as my Lord and Saviour almost 18 years ago I have begun to know 'life' is such a different way, a life full of purpose, grace, forgiveness and love. I am more than happy to boast about all Jesus has done in my life.

"For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Can't you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do - submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life!" Galatians 6:14-15 The Message

The life that Jesus gives us is not just for now, here on earth, but it is for eternity. 

In order that everyone who believes in Him [who cleaves to Him, trusts Him, and relies on Him] may not perish, but have eternal life and [actually] live forever! John 3:15 AMP

I don't know of anyone or anywhere else who/that is offering eternal life to us. Only Jesus. To me Jesus is life, here and now and forever. Thank you Jesus that you gave your life for me, so I could be in relationship with my Heavenly Father and have a totally new free life.

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Colossians 2:13-15 NIV

Question for today, how would you finish the sentence, 'Jesus is ___________' ?

Change your mind for the better

From that time Jesus began to preach, crying out, Repent (change your mind for the better, heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17 AMP

Over the last few weeks I have been going through my earlier blog posts and grouping them into themes. As I was re-reading them it struck me that there were a lot of posts about learning how to live for God's purposes; pressing into God in the tough times, trusting that He will get you through; understanding the grace that God has gifted to us through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus. These are areas that God has been taking me on a personal journey, teaching me and giving me more understanding.  And I know there is so much more for me to learn!

During this 'review process' the Holy Spirit prompted me to think about repentance and forgiveness. These are two areas that I have 'head knowledge' about, and some understanding. But if I am to be honest, in my daily communications with God, while I am consistent in praising God, thanking God in all circumstances and petitioning Him, I am not consistent in daily repenting and asking for forgiveness for my sins. 

Not a day goes by when I don't think, say or do something wrong. Every day I need to be acknowledging that I am a sinner and it is through Jesus sacrifice that I now have right-standing with God. 

But the tax collector, [merely] standing at a distance, would not even life up his eyes to heaven, but kept striking his breast, saying, O God, be favourable (be gracious, be merciful) to me, the especially wicked sinner that I am! I tell you, this man went down to his home justified (forgiven and made upright and in rightstanding with God), rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted. Luke 18:13-14 AMP

Is my lack of acknowledgement of my sin an issue of pride? Yes! Praying these scriptures daily, asking God to help me with my heart attitude, and listening for His response, is a great place to start my journey of daily repentance.

Search me [thoroughly] O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me to the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23,24 AMP

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 AMP

I know there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus, and His forgiveness is daily available for me. I know that transformation it is a life-long process. I know that God wants to help me with this process.

And now [brethen], I commit you to God [I deposit you in His charge, entrusting you to His protection and care]. And I commend you to the Word of His grace [to the commands and counsels and promises of His unmerited favour]. It is able to build you up and to give you [your rightful] inheritance among all God's set-apart ones (those consecrated, purified, and transformed of soul). Acts 20:32 AMP

However, it is my responsibility to take time to ask God to check my mind and heart attitude, repent and ask God to help me to change.

Question for today, when did you last ask God to search you thoroughly and know your heart? Perhaps today is a good day to start a daily mind and heart review with God. Remember, God is your Heavenly Father and He loves you unconditionally.

So repent, (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19 AMP

Staying alert and in top condition

You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally. I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 The Message

This scripture tells us that 'All good athletes train hard'. In the context of those of us choosing to life live as a Christian, what does 'train hard' mean? How do we do to 'stay alert and keep in tip top condition' ?

For me, step one in 'training hard' is setting aside time each day to be in God's presence, listening and talking with Him.

'Seek, inquire of and for the Lord and crave Him and His strength (His might and inflexibility to temptation); seek and required His face and His presence [continually] evermore.' Psalm 105:4 AMP

Seeking His presence is normally the first thing I do each day I get up. The house is quiet, except for worship music. Thankfulness is on my lips as I consider all Jesus has done for me, and all God has done, is doing in the lives of our family. I thank Him in expectancy of what He will do and claim His promises for our family.

Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will]. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 AMP

Next I move into His word, hungry for what God is going to teach and encourage me with that day. Expecting that He will always give me exactly what I need, as He already knows what is going to happen in my day. He has gone before me. , God knows what I will need to have in my heart to get through the day and stay on His path.

How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I had every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:103-105 AMP

My steps have held closely to Your paths [to the tracks of the One Who has gone on before]; my feet have not slipped. Psalm 17:5 AMP

Once strengthened and encouraged by God's word, the petitioning begins. Petitioning for myself, our family, friends, school, church, and more. 

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. Philippians 4:6 AMP

Even though it seems 'in the natural' that some of these requests have yet to be answered, I continue to petition, encouraged by the answers that have come. I choose to believe that God is good and He is faithful. 

Finally in this time of initial daily communication with God, I surrender my day to Him. I lay down my plans and thoughts about the day, and give complete control to Him. Sometimes though in the day I try to take control back, and that's when things really go wrong! It is much better to stay with His plan!

After 'training hard' for the day by sitting in God's presence, I have the peace and confidence to keep running the race for the gold eternally. In essence,

I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency]. Philippians 4:13 AMP

Question for today, what are you doing to 'stay alert and in top condition' in your Christian walk? What steps are you taking to run hard for the finish line? Do you need to make any adjustments to your training plan? Ask God to show you how you can best run for the gold eternal. 

A pit of tumult

I waited patiently and expectantly for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up out of a horrible pit [a pit of tumult and of destruction], and out of the miry clay (froth and slime), and set my feet upon a rock, steadying my steps and establishing my goings. And He has put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many shall see and fear (revere and worship) and put their trust and confident reliance in the Lord. Psalm 40:1-3 AMP

Praise God that He has indeed steadied my steps and established my goings over the past few days. He has drawn me up from the pit of tumult my mind was descending into. He inclined to me and heard my cry.

The experience of the past week has again reminded me that I am nothing without Jesus. I cannot 'do' my life effectively  for Him, without Him. 

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. John 15:8 NLT

I need to be constantly in His presence, waiting patiently and expectantly. I need to be immersing myself in His word and having His truth imprinted on my heart, just as I am imprinted on His heart.

To him Who [earnestly] remembered us in our low estate and imprinted us [on His heart], for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever; ... O give thanks to the God of heaven, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! Psalm 136:23,26 AMP

Thank you God for your mercy and loving-kindness that endure forever. Thank you that by Your grace I am able to function effectively and live out your purpose for my life.

But by the grace (unmerited favour and blessing) of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not [found to be] for nothing (fruitless and without effect). 1 Cor 15:10a AMP

Question for today, are you waiting patiently and expectantly for the Lord to bring you out of a pit of tumult and destruction? Are there things going on in your life that you don't understand and just want to disappear? Ask God to steady you and establish your steps. Acknowledge that you are nothing without Jesus and the grace that he so willingly has made available to us. Give thanks to God for His mercy and loving-kindness, that will sustain you through this trial. Give thanks for the fruit He is developing at this time both in your character and in your sphere of influence. Give thanks that, by you choosing to set your feet upon The Rock and singing a song of praise to God,  Many shall see and fear (revere and worship) and put their trust and confident reliance in the Lord. Psalm 40:3 AMP