Cause for worship

 

“Let us be thankful and please God by worshipping Him with holy fear and awe”    Hebrews 12

 

When God shakes the earth and heaven, it will be to remove the dross and establish the eternal.

      What should I do in the days granted to me?

             Worship Him in spirit, soul and body!

 

As I begin to understand God in reference to eternity, I worship with holy awe.

-      He is eternal, knowing all things, seeing all people.

-       He is sovereign over all things with good providence

-        He is judge of all, bringing all persons to account

-          He is gracious, having acted to redeem all people

 

As I begin to understand myself and my world, I worship with holy fear.

-      I am finite, limited in understanding and knowledge

-       I belong to a rebellious family in Adam

-        I deserve eternal damnation because of my sin

-          I can be right with God through Jesus Christ His Son

 

O the wonder of it all, that God so great has put in place salvation for all who will accept Jesus as God’s Son, the Saviour for all. He then places the believer in His Eternal kingdom, as heirs with Christ forever.

 

May God’s grace be with you all.

The call to Christian living

 

A Bible verse for today:

“Try to live in peace with everyone and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.”  Hebrews 12:14

 At such a time as this, how shall we react to the chaos around us?

 

This command starts out so gentle – and so it was that the Lord Jesus was meek and lowly – not proud and forceful.

Then the call of God is to repent of sin and godless ways – and so it was that the holy life of the Lord Jesus and His care for others became the ridicule of the servants of satan.

Finally, the truth of eternity is applied – the unholy will be forever separated from God – His love, His favour, His illumination. And so it was when the Lord Jesus opened His mouth, words of grace flowed to those seeking the LORD, but also words of truth that caused unbelievers to know clearly  that hell was for real.

 

Lord God Almighty, keep me focused on HIM, to be like HIM in purity, love and truth speaking.

Evangelism

 

Evangelism encouragement

I am encouraged in recent times by the increased interest in evangelism.

To Timothy Paul wrote :- “do the work of an evangelist” . I discern that Timothy was a teacher with limited courage, but he was exhorted to step out of his comfort zone and make known the Gospel to those who needed it most. 2 Timothy 1-4

      Interestingly, it is Christian women who have stepped up, to reach out in Toowoomba. Women from a prayer group now operate a monthly market stall giving away many Bibles etc. People from many, many nations attend for their fruit and vegetables. After Six hours of evangelism they are encouraged.

Others make blankets for the babies of migrant mothers.

Others visit the people in their homes, helping with English and citizenship, and looking for opportunities to speak the truth about Jesus the Saviour and Lord.

Others teach Religious instruction at state schools

But the question remains – Where are the men?

Seems as though many hide behind the facade of church and church programs. A few venture to teach RI. It is not hard to put Gospel leaflets in letterboxes, to post a Gospel verse on face book, to give a Bible to the many who are seeking them. Opportunities still exist to connect with the community at markets. And of course, the Bible way  - using hospitality to befriend and share the Gospel by life and conversation.

  But all this is in vain if the motivation is missing:

-      To love as God loves   John 3:16

-      To be constrained as public ambassadors by the love of Christ    2 Corinthians 5

 

There are plenty of other reasons why we should obey the Lord’s command – the need of the lost, the command to go, the unifying value of evangelism, the impact on the community conscience, the restraint upon other religions  etc

Isaiah had it right – “ Here am I send me”  Isaiah 6,

“Present your bodies a living sacrifice” Romans 12:1

johnmckee@internode.on.net

First Love to Christ

 

The priority of ‘First love’

All the Bible study, all the Christian service, all the sanctity of holy living is in vain without ‘First love.’  It is a  love above all others for Jesus Christ the Lord – first in time, first in priority, first in every way.

         The greatest commandment “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all your heart……………….”  This command takes on greater meaning since God the Father has been revealed in His Son.

    Now we love Him because He first loved us, and the song of heaven is – “unto Him who loved us and has redeemed us to God by thy blood”  (Revelation 5)

This priority of love for Christ, puts all other loves into perspective.

The poet put it well:-

 

         Lord Jesus I love Thee

         I know thou art mine

         My Rock and my Fortress

         My Surety Divine

 

My gracious redeemer

         My song shall be now

         Tis Thou who art worthy

         Lord Jesus tis Thou

 

Anything more important than Him is an idol!

 

To know Him ( through the Bible  and the experiences of life) is to love  Him (pure , worshiping love), with all our heart.

-        1  Worship

o   2  Adoration

§  Surrender

·      Service

Reference  :   Revelation chapter 2

Faith

 

A verse for today

‘It is impossible to please God without faith.

Anyone who wants to come to Him, must believe there is a God and that He rewards those who sincerely seek HIM.’

Hebrews 11

Faith always has an object – faith in the unseen living Lord God, faith in the once crucified , now risen Lord Jesus.

Life abundant

 

“That Christ might dwell in your hearts by faith…. Filled with all the fulness of life and power that comes from God…To live for the glory of God”

  ( Bible Ephesians 3)

Positive :-  God has planned and enabled the best for all

Negative :- Living independent of the LORD God is idolatry.

 

    There’s a way back to God from the dark paths of sin

     There’s a door that is open and all may go in

       At Calvary’s cross is where you begin

         When you come as a sinner to Jesus.

 

“Behold I stand at the door and knock

If anyone hears My voice and open the door , I will come in……..”

 (Revelation 3.20)

 

“Today if you will hear His voice , harden not your heart”

( 2 Corinthians)

My reading this morning

 

“As it is destined that each person must die, and after that comes judgement, so also Christ died once as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, but not to deal with our sins again.  This time He will come to bring salvation to all those who are eagerly waiting for HIM.”  (Hebrews 9:27)

      

     ‘ Even so come Lord Jesus’