In heaven

 

Now Christ has gone into heaven,

He is seated in the place of honour at the right hand of God,

and all the angels and powers are bowing before Him.

1 Peter 3:22

 

Heaven seems a far off place. To some it may seem like 'pie in the sky'. But wait – is the universe limited because I can't comprehend it all?  Is heaven impossible because we are limited and finite? I take the words of Jesus Christ seriously – He taught that God the Father is in heaven.

After Jesus died and rose again, the angels stood on the mountain called Olivet with these words:

"This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will return...." Acts 1

Another witness was Stephen:

"I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honour at God's right hand."  Acts 7

God the Lord in heaven, creator of all, judge of all,  has given Jesus the highest place of honour and power. -  Messiah, Lord, Saviour, King of kings.

For thousands of years people have risen up to claim great fame, power and honour, but they are gone. For example, the pyramids stand witness to the wealth and power of the Pharaohs. But the mummified bodies tell us of their ultimate weakness and eternal poverty. Only Jesus Christ the Lord has risen from death, never to die again. He alone has the official right and moral right to sit at God's right hand!

For those who love Him, this brings peace, hope and joy.

For those who reject Him, tomorrow is uncertain, the prospect of judgement is sure. Without Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour,  a person is without God and without hope.

 

Soon all the angels, all powers, all authorities and all humanity will bow before the Lord Jesus Christ.

As the scriptures record:

"At the Name of Jesus, every knee should bow......   every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."

Philippians 2:10

 

Better to bow the knee now, while mercy and grace are available.

Forgiveness

 Are sins really so bad that they need to be forgiven?  Ask the judge sitting in the courtroom. Does fraud really need to be punished? Most people respond – "Yes"

Peter the apostle of Jesus Christ, spoke to the Roman soldier Cornelius about Jesus being the 'Lord of all people'. He said Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil. Towards the end of his message, Peter said that the Lord Jesus ordered the Apostles to preach   : "that Jesus is ordained of God to be the judge of all – the living and the dead." Acts 10:42

So in the day of final judgement, what is Jesus the Judge going to assess? This chapter –Acts 10- reveals that He sees all, knows all,  the good and the bad. Cornelius was commended for his good works, but still needed forgiveness. Like us all, he was born into Adam's family, with the inclination to do wrong, to choose self before God. In the sight of men he was good living, but in the sight of God he had not measured up to God's standard. That is why he needed to have his sins forgiven before judgement day. Peter  did not tell him to keep on doing good so as to out weigh the bad – no,  no. Peter said all his sins could be forgiven, cleared, pardoned through the Name  of the Lord Jesus Christ! And not just for Cornelius! Peter said:

" Everyone who believes in Him (Jesus Christ the Lord), will have their sins forgiven through His Name"   Acts 10:43

Why was Peter so sure about forgiveness with a holy God?

Peter had seen Jesus die. Then he saw and heard Jesus alive again. The risen Lord Jesus gave the Apostles this commission:

"I was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and rise again from the dead on the third day. With My authority take this message of repentance to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem. There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me."     (Luke 24:46)

So on judgement day the first question is ' have we believed in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour?' Second question is 'What about our sins?'

I encourage you to read the prophet Isaiah chapter 53, and there discover how it is possible for a just judge to forgive the sins of the guilty person.

Oh how blessed are those can say:

"We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"   (Romans 5:1)

A debt paid

 

When we were utterly helpless,

Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 

Bible -Romans 5:6

Helplessness is not something we enjoy. Yet in life it is a moment when we discover the kindness of others. I was quite helpless when I was electrocuted – locked onto the electric current, unable to move or speak. Only through the wise action of my wife in turning the power off, am I alive today.

Most psychology systems seek to use self help. But God has a different approach. Jesus said we need to become as little children, not immature, but childlike in trust and dependence on Him. It was special to me when my children accepted my word, especially in moments of danger. They trusted my wisdom to make things work out for their good.

            So it is vital that we accept God's word. God speaking through Jesus and His apostles is trustworthy. He knows our helplessness better than we do. He has a twofold solution to our greatest needs. From His perspective, sin is very offensive and warrants judgement (like in a court case). He sees the debt of sin and has paid that debt in the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. Secondly He sees the problem of unconquerable bad habits. To the repentant person, He grants freely the Holy Spirit to change hate to love , despair and depression to joy, from fear to peace, from impatience to patience, from greed to generosity, from vindictiveness to self control. God's way is to change people  from the inside to outside. Then society will change as the people change. For all who feel their need (helplessness), God has promised transformation.

"Despite all these things, victory is ours through Christ Jesus who loved us."  Romans 8:37

Perhaps you don't have a Bible to check what I am referring to – I have some to give away and your request is welcome.

johnmckee@internode.on.net

Love that changes us from the inside

 

God so loved the world that He gave His only Son

So that everyone who believes in Him

will not perish

but have eternal life

John 3:16

In a world of confusion and violence, people need the love of God. So many forget God. Others are against God. Yet God still loves all of humanity.

God's love does not give us what we want. Rather, He is wise enough to give us freely what we need. More than food and clothes, we need inner peace and hope for the future.

            Our lack of peace is due to our disconnect from God. Our uncertainty about the future is because we are short-sighted, trusting in our own strength,  or the achievements of other people.

God's promise of peace is achieved through Jesus Christ the Lord. Millions of people have confessed their sins as the cause of angst with God. God by Jesus Christ His Son (once crucified and now alive again), gives forgiveness, acceptance, reconciliation, fatherly love.

God's purposes for those who believe Him, are not only for our lifetime, but beyond this life. It is the purpose of God for all to have a family relationship with Him forever – Eternal life!

Be warned of danger.

Be wise, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son,  today.

 

johnmckee@internode.on.net

 God so loved the world

that He gave His only Son

so that everyone who believes in HIM

will not perish 

but have eternal life 

                                                                        John 3:16

Prayer by Bill Mills

 

Evangelism

 

What a delight to find teenagers willing to work for the Lord Jesus

Young people's question 3.   

What can I do to serve the Lord?

The Lord Jesus said to some young people – "follow Me". One day they went with Him to the meeting place and there He did the Bible reading. Another day He was out in the community helping, healing, teaching. Then He led them to a lonely place where just one man needed freedom from demons. He gave them a clue to effective service – "I am meek and lowly in heart"

Young people often find it harder 'being a Christian" than "doing something for Christ". Zeal is good and often leads to experiences that develop maturity. So I seek to encourage teenagers to reach out for Jesus Christ our Lord. Some discover they can evangelise, others are better at encouraging.

Someone will ask: "Do I need to go to Bible school?" That can be helpful, but not essential. "Should I to work in some existing evangelism structure or church system?" That can be helpful but not always.  Paul the Apostle had a team. Phillip  was often alone.  George Muller involved many. Robert Chapman went alone.

As we choose to follow the master, He may lead us in unusual ways. Ours is to be ready unto every good work as Peter said:

"Worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way." (1Peter 3:10)NLT

With gratitude to the Lord and others, I will tell you of my younger experiences. At age 17, away from home training  in Sydney, I helped at Sunday Schools in Migrant hostels, gave out Gospel leaflets in George Street, sat with the homeless men in the parks and invited them to the gospel meetings, purchased a printing press with my brother to print Gospel leaflets, visited a young man in the mental hospital who became a friend for life......  In my twenties I assisted in open air preaching, Sunday Schools indoors and in the parks, manufactured and distributed Bible plaques  at agricultural shows and markets.......... to God be the glory.

Oh so much opportunity there is for those willing to take up the cross and follow Jesus.

Young man, young woman in Christ, let me encourage you to live selflessly for Jesus Christ and for others, and let the Lord lead you.

Acts 20:24  " My life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus' - Paul

If you need ideas, write to me johnmckee@internode.on.net