Looking upward

 

My meditation this morning

Psalm 50:23  “Giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honours God”

Thanks to God, to others is a Christian distinctive. Many of the cultures around us do not have a word or concept of “thank you”.

We have so much to thank the Lord God for, and instead of living on the horizontal plane, thanksgiving turns our eyes heavenward where nothing spoils our hope, our home.

        “always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” Ephesians 5:21

Promises

 

Peace by Promises

Jesus can still the storm, but often He chooses instead, to go through the storm with us.

Compare the Bible records – Mark 6:39 to Acts 27

One is the power of His person stilling the storm.

2^nd  is the promise of His presence through the storm.

Most of us would rather the storm be stilled. But the will of God is not always so. If we are surrendered to God, He is often achieving something through us which involves storms e.g. Mark 14:34. Many Christians take the easy path by self interest being first, but for those walking with the Lord, a cross to bear, a storm to endure, a loss, a disappointment, a misunderstanding  is inevitable.

     So how can I have peace in the storm?

Many have promoted the idea that ‘that if I do the right thing then God will look after me and make life a success.’ (Deuteronomy 28).

I too thought so, until an experience sent me to the Bible where I discovered being faithful to the Lord, to truth, to righteousness would incur storms, trouble etc. Hebrews 11 records many godly, faithful people who endured storms.

         How did they not blame God? How did they maintain faith?  They accepted the promises of God as real, relevant and finally rewarding.

So today we are intended to endure tribulations, persecutions, weakness and death by clinging to the promises of out LORD, or more precisely , by clinging to the Sovereign LORD Himself!

Even to become “more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Romans 8:37)

 

Act 27:26 Paul said in the middle of the storm “I believe God, that it will be just as He said”

2 Peter 1 reminds us of great and precious promises to enable us to live above the world of decadence and despair.

 

Media and medicine want us to “feel good”  - so we often judge God by how we feel . This is a deception. Paul put it better.  “though our outward man (body) perish, the inward man (spirit) is renewed day by day.

Sometimes I take mineral tablets to calm my mind (PPMP) and medicine to heal my wounds. But the greater essential is to spend time alone with the Lord , appropriating His promises, the promise of eternal life, and to rest in His abiding presence.

 

If we could see beyond today as God can see

If all the clouds should roll away, the shadows flee,

O’er present griefs we would not fret

Each sorrow we would soon forget

For many joys are waiting yet

For you , for me.

.

.

If we could see, if we could know, we often say

But God in love a veil doth throw across our way

We cannot see what lies before

And so we cling to HIM the more

He leads us till this life is o’re

Him we will trust  and  obey.

Focus

 

“Forgetting the past, looking forward to what is ahead.” Philippians 3:13

Again: : “Forgetting the things which are behind, reaching forth unto those things which are before” KJV

Our past is not to define us (Paul’s time of persecuting the Christians could have haunted him).

By the kindness and grace of God, the past can be forgiven ( as we confess the wrong and let it go).

 The God of hope promises to take care of tomorrow (Matthew 6,7), and better still, He promises to all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, eternal life beyond death’s door.( John 10)

So we need to focus on the future.  I admit the present world system is rather depressing, but it is altogether uplifting when the LORD in given control in our lives. His promises are sure. His purposes are good.

He alone can rightly say “Trust ME”.

Heart devotion

 

The penetrating teaching of Jesus Christ the Lord:

“These people honour me with their lips

   But their heart is far away

  Their worship is a farce

       For they replace God’s commands with their own man made teaching.”    Bible – Mark 7:6

 

Wisdom says:  “Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.”    Proverbs 4:23

 

The Holy Spirit says:   “ That Christ may dwell in your heart by faith” or again  “ That Christ may be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in HIM.”  Ephesians 3

 

Way beyond religious beliefs and observances is this holy possibility – the Lord Jesus Christ abiding in our hearts. This is the part of our being where we decide (will),  we love (affection), our motives, the spring of worship (devotion) !

 

 

Please read the significant Bible verse John 14:20 – 26.  Knowing Christ is far more than national religion, church adherence, creeds and rituals. HE has promised to personally live with those who truely love HIM.

 

For the students – trace the recurring mention of the ‘heart’ in Deuteronomy and then the New Testament.

My Heart

 https://ashfieldpresbyterian.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/My-Heart-Christs-Home.pdf

A most beautiful illustration of Ephesians 3:17 and Revelation 3:20

Christ dwelling in our hearts

2025

 

A word for the new year:

--- a voice is heard from heaven (Revelation 2):

“I know………….” It is the voice of the Him who knows all about the year past, and the year to come. Such is His character that we can trust HIM to judge righteously and guide graciously.

“I will………”   It is the voice of power, one who can keep His promises and do a work in and for us to the glory of God the Father.

 

For those who hear His voice, there is only one thing required :

“If anyone hear My voice and open the door, I will come in…………”  (Revelation 3:20)

 

Prayer for 2025

‘Lord  I open the door and Your presence is welcome’

Rejoicing

 

The special Bible verse for me this morning:

Written of Jesus Christ our Lord  -  

“ You love HIM even though you have never seen HIM. You trust HIM and even now you rejoice with glorious and inexpressible joy.

Your reward for trusting HIM will be the salvation of your souls.” 

1 Peter 1:8

A call to repent

 

A message from the Lord to the King via Jeremiah:

“Be fair minded and just. Do what is right! Help those who have been robbed; recue them from their oppressors. 

Quit you evil deeds!  Do not mistreat foreigners, orphans and widows.  Stop murdering the innocent.”

A timely message for our leaders, for us all.

(Jeremiah 22:3)

Hope beyond today

 

An unusual verse from Isaiah 49:4

“My work all seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose at all. Yet I leave it all in the Lord’s hand; I will trust God for my reward.”

In this Messianic section, we are caused to ponder the three and half years that Jesus served among the people. And at the end it all seemed to be a failure. He died very much alone. It was resurrection that changed the story.

Is there someone reading this who feels the same pain? You have served God as best you are able, and the results are discouraging.

I know many who have yielded all for Christ and seemingly “failed”!

Read this verse in your own Bible. Then that remember the Lord God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ operates on the long range view and ‘everyone shall have praise of God’. In the day when the heavenly account keeper opens the books, then we’ll understand!

The fruit of living in the Holy Spirit

 

Lesson for today.

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience,

kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

 gentleness, self-control.

--These are the outcomes  (fruit) of what we believe:

God loves all the people of the world – so we love.

God is good and worthy of praise – so we are joyful

God is in control -  so we have peace trusting Him

God waits patiently for all to turn to Him – so we are patient with others.

God is kind , even giving His Son – so we are selflessly kind

God is good with no ulterior motive or sinister intent.

God is faithful , keeping His promises – so should we.

God is gentle, even with the rebellious – so we ought to react with mercy.

God needs no self control. He has no inappropriate impulse. But we do!

Waiting

 

Morning meditation:

Isaiah 29:18   “But the LORD still waits for you to come to Him, so He can show you His love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God.      Blessed are those who wait for Him to help them.”

Isaiah uses the word ‘wait’ many times. 

The LORD waits. A real person who wants to connect. He wants to show love and compassion. He operates on faithful terms  - we turn to Him in admission of our wandering ways, He restores our souls. The filial relationship enables us to walk in fruitful ways .

Then the verse ends -  we wait on Him as dependant, obedient children. Then we are empowered to know Him and walk in His sunshine.

The chapter goes on to describe that sunshine:

He will be gracious

He will respond instantly

He will be with you

You will hear His voice

The Lord will bless you.

2023/2024

 

As  the year 2023 comes to a close, we do well to reflect on the past and think about the future.

The questions worth considering:

1        What special blessings have we enjoyed from the Lord in the last year?

2        Did we leave a good example for others to follow?

3        Was there a lesson to be learned?

4        How much storing up treasure in heaven happened?

5        Did we spend enough time worshiping the Lord in private?

6        Were we in control or was the Lord Jesus in control?

7        What was the ratio of prayer time/screen time/pleasure

8        Was any one impacted by the evangelism we did?

9        Who was the most important person in our life in 2023?

And how about 2024?

Planning? Budgeting?  Well, yes I am writing up my diary with birthdays  and phone numbers. But a certain poem is most helpful:

 

God holds the key of all unknown and I am glad

If other hands should hold the key

Or if He trusted it to me , I might be sad.

 

The very dimness of my sight makes me secure

For groping in my misty way

I feel HIS hand, I hear HIM say

‘My help is sure, My help is sure’

 

I cannot read His future plans but this I know

I have the smiling of HIS face

And all the refuge of HIS grace

While here below.

May all my readers be blessed with a deeper knowledge of Jesus Christ as Lord.

Going God's way

 

Living by the power of the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 5:15

So be careful how you live, not as fools, but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don't be drunk with wine. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. Then you will sing Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making music to the Lord in your hearts.

And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

johnmckee@internode.on.net

Church or Christian

 

Playing church or living as a Christian

History reveals so many people, whose Christianity is little more than going to church! In the Old Testament, gathering for festivals was normal. When the Lord Jesus came, the relationship with God as Father became much more important.  He said that prayer done in secret was better. Worship was to change from time and place to worship in spirit and in truth – anywhere anytime. (John 4) Discipleship, He taught, was not about attending services or meetings, rather the 24/7 commitment to the LORD Jesus Himself – Himself, His teaching, His directives. (take up the cross and follow Him- Mark 8)

Paul understood the need for Christians to support each other. Yet he did not see meetings or church services as an end in themselves. He along with John and Peter, saw love for others as the outworking of understanding the teaching of the Lord Jesus. Love that was practical in giving and care. Love that was forgiving. Love that went beyond ourselves to seek and to save the lost.

Some stress the corporate idea of church. Revelation 1—3  presents the Lord Jesus as the head over the churches, and that churches are people whose hearts must be tuned to HIMSELF in first love (priority love).

How good it is to be counted into the Church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven!  It is a very big family, a big flock for whom Christ died. In love to Him, let us love one another and spread His name as He said – to all the world.

Prayer by Bill Mills

 

A new year

 
Looking Ahead
The word of the Lord to my soul this morning was:
"Strangers and pilgrims in the earth"  Hebrews 11
Along with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in company with Samuel, David, Isaiah and Daniel,  we are pilgrims passing through to a better land with our eyes fixed on things above (Colossians 3), looking unto Jesus (Hebrews 12). He has promised to bring us to the heavenly Jerusalem where thousands of angels join in joyful assembly. (Heb 12.22) Many will count it strange that we are not living for the profit and pleasure of the present. Indeed we are different if we take our instructions from an unseen, living God.   So much of our human culture has descended to less than animal behaviour. We with Abraham and Jesus, are to be  light and salt in a world destined for judgement.
So  chapter twelve  ends -  "Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Let us offer to God acceptable worship with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire."
 
In a world so brilliantly created by God, in a world so spoiled by man -  let us live for Christ. Let us look up waiting for Christ.  Let us yearn for the day when He will be revealed as King  of kings and Lord of Lords.
Hebrews 13  -  faith responds :  "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear.....for Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever"
 
2020 has many lesson to teach us, and for the world in general 2021 is uncertain. Let  the word of the Lord bring hope midst despair and the love of Christ enable us to reach out to others.

 

For some of the lessons of 2020 write to  johnmckee@internode.on.net

Question: How does God keep us alive?

 

How does God keep us alive?

What a wonderful machine the human body is! Well it is not a machine but rather an organism. So wonderful that you can feed it carrots and this is converted into superfast electrical signals to store information (vast amounts of it) in a guey thing called brain, which in turn controls the hands to put more food into the mouth. Then the stomach asks for minerals and fibre and sugar and vitamins. Some how along with the intestinal tube, it sorts out the useful elements and discharges the waste. Of course transporting the vital molecules to the various working parts is done automatically through the blood stream so that the body cells grow, no, multiply by dividing!  This amazing cluster of dust molecules is able to see, hear, speak, sing, think, decide, love or hate etc etc etc .

Maybe there is something more than a well organized cluster of dust .

Anyway God seemed to invent something very special, but at the same time something rather frail. If the food fails, or water fails, or any vital component fails, the whole castle crumbles to dust!

Since God invented such a wonderful organism, we do well to care for it well. But beyond all that muscle, nerves, blood and bones, beyond that is mind and feeling, spirit and soul, personality and purpose. It is more important to care for this part of our being than the body. We need to feed our minds with good things, our souls on healthy attitudes, and let God direct our purposes.

 

Jesus said : "I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly."  John 10

How does God keep us alive? He oversees our wellbeing but leaves many of the choices up to us.

Read   Jude 21

Hope in God the LORD

I found this chapter so brilliant as an expression of God at work, I felt the need to quote it all. It's first interpretation is for the chosen nation, but the truth of it includes all who trust in  the Living God.

Isaiah 26 New Living Translation (NLT)

 In that day, everyone in the land of Judah will sing this song:
Our city is strong!
    We are surrounded by the walls of God’s salvation.
2 Open the gates to all who are righteous;
    allow the faithful to enter.
3 You will keep in perfect peace
    all who trust in you,
    all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
4 Trust in the LORD always,
    for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock.
5 He humbles the proud
    and brings down the arrogant city.
    He brings it down to the dust.
6 The poor and oppressed trample it underfoot,
    and the needy walk all over it.
7 But for those who are righteous,
    the way is not steep and rough.
You are a God who does what is right,
    and you smooth out the path ahead of them.
8 LORD, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws;
    our heart’s desire is to glorify your name.
9 In the night I search for you;
    in the morning[a] I earnestly seek you.
For only when you come to judge the earth
    will people learn what is right.
10 Your kindness to the wicked
    does not make them do good.
Although others do right, the wicked keep doing wrong
    and take no notice of the LORD’s majesty.
11 O LORD, they pay no attention to your upraised fist.
    Show them your eagerness to defend your people.
Then they will be ashamed.
    Let your fire consume your enemies.
12 LORD, you will grant us peace;
    all we have accomplished is really from you.
13 O LORD our God, others have ruled us,
    but you alone are the one we worship.
14 Those we served before are dead and gone.
    Their departed spirits will never return!
You attacked them and destroyed them,
    and they are long forgotten.
15 O LORD, you have made our nation great;
    yes, you have made us great.
You have extended our borders,
    and we give you the glory!
16 LORD, in distress we searched for you.
    We prayed beneath the burden of your discipline.
17 Just as a pregnant woman
    writhes and cries out in pain as she gives birth,
    so were we in your presence, LORD.
18 We, too, writhe in agony,
    but nothing comes of our suffering.
We have not given salvation to the earth,
    nor brought life into the world.
19 But those who die in the LORD will live;
    their bodies will rise again!
Those who sleep in the earth
    will rise up and sing for joy!
For your life-giving light will fall like dew
    on your people in the place of the dead!
20 Go home, my people,
    and lock your doors!
Hide yourselves for a little while
    until the LORD’s anger has passed.
21 Look! The LORD is coming from heaven
    to punish the people of the earth for their sins.
The earth will no longer hide those who have been killed.
    They will be brought out for all to see.

Hopeless or hopefilled

Hope – what constitutes real hope

Hope is much more than wishful thinking. Hope is a beam of light, into the future based on substantial evidence. We live in the present, hopefully learning from the past. Tomorrow is God’s realm. Some things are routine, like the rising of the sun, but more than ever, tomorrow has become uncertain (year 2020) – financially, politically, health wise, socially, religiously – everything is in upheaval. Calls are being made for a strong worldwide leader to lift the world out of this mess.

Where do we find real hope?    -  in the promises of God.

Just as the rainbow is God’s promise that there will not be another worldwide flood, so the coming and promises of the Lord Jesus Christ give the assurance that beyond days of ‘great tribulation’ lies the hope of peace and prosperity.

Just as the promise of the coming of a suffering Messiah has been fulfilled, so the promise of the coming of a triumphant Messiah will be fulfilled.

Just as faith in the unseen God enabled multitudes to overcome in the past, so faith in the living God through Christ, will enable multitudes of the redeemed to overcome, tomorrow.

Someone has said that the world will never be the same again. – well that is likely true and the world without God needs to be ‘shaken’.

Just as the patriarchs looked beyond their changing circumstances, so we need to focus on the heavenly city where God rules. (remember that Satan is the prince of this world system).

With an eternal perspective to share with our families and friends, we have hope that can lift the hopeless to the eternal values – love , joy and peace in the present, and in the Fathers house.

To summarize: Our hope lies in a person – Jesus Christ the Lord. He said “ Don’t  be afraid, I am the first and the last, I am the living one who died. Behold I am alive forevermore and I hold the keys of death and hell.”  (Revelation 1.17)

God holds the key of all unknown,

And I am glad

If other hands should hold the key

Or if He trusted it to me

I might be sad.

I may not read His future plans

But this I know

I have the smiling of His face

And all the refuge of His grace

While here below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xs5HXsBABA

To know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour – this is true hope now and forever.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound in hope.   Romans 15.13

John McKee

Fear/faith

Droughts, bushfires, viruses, recession – life has become fearful.

Does God care?  Yes He does care, and for those who seek Him in prayer, who trust Him in faith, the fear is changed to trust.

The more important question is – do we care about God?

      How much time do we spend listening to God?

      How much of our heart affection is for God?

      What do we do when tempted to do evil – go God’s way?

      Is it true that we love him? and obey Him?

He showed His love to us by sending His Son Jesus to call us back to God. He shows us His love today by hearing our humble cry and giving us better than we deserve. 

Sometimes the difficulties of life are helpful in turning our attention back to the Lord our God. We are inclined to pride, selfish indulgence and independence. Going our own way only leads down. How can we blame God for not caring if we have chosen to live without Him?

Today the Lord Jesus is still calling, “ Come to me you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, I will give you rest.” Take time to read this yourself in the Bible – Matthew 11.28

He came from heaven to save you, He died to purchase your forgiveness with God, He lives today to keep you unto the days of eternity.

Do you fear the future or do you have faith in the Lord who is in charge of the future?

johnmckee@internode.on.net