Eager to maintain

“......eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace...” 

Ephesians 4:2

HELPS WORD STUDY -  “eager”

Cognate: 4704 spoudázō – properly, be swift (go fast, speedy); (figuratively) move speedily, showing full diligence (fully applying oneself); "do your best" (concentrate on, give priority to).  See 4710 (spoudē).

1. 4704/spoudazō ("act with full diligence") conveys fervency ("speedy commitment") to accomplish all God assigns through faith

2. spoudazō) means being "eager to do something, with the implication of readiness to expend energy and effort – 'to be eager, eagerness, devotion'" "to do something with intense effort and motivation".

2 Pet 3:14: "Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be speedily diligent (4704/spoudázō) to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless" (NASB).

4704/spoudazō ("act with zeal") is accomplishing what God deems "best" and doing so quickly which speedily elevates the better over the good ("mediocre").

Reflection: 4704/spoudázō ("carefully attend to duty") shows intense desire to do "our utmost for His highest."  

To keep Paul’s letter in context, he has just put forth the prayer for the church to be strengthen with might through the Holy Spirit infused into our inner being SO THAT Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. Infused with strength, rooted and grounded in love, filled with the fullness of God, Paul exhorts the church to ‘a walk worthy of our calling, being found eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit’.

Do you see how prayer from chapter three leads into this ability to maintain unity? Unity flows from a heart filled with love and honour.  Paul goes on in chapter four to remind us there is just one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one God AND CHRIST IS NOT DIVIDED.  May I remind all of us, that Jesus himself said a kingdom divided cannot stand.  Without the love and honour, we tend to bite and devour.  

We must be diligent on our part individually to eagerly maintain, be diligent to preserve, the place of unity in our midst.  Paul wrote, it is with humility, gentleness, patience, in love, that we are capable of holding unity in the bond of peace.  Where I value my opinion, my judgments above another’s, I must be careful not to allow my heart to shift from Jesus’ place of Lordship and despise another.   

Graciousness flows from standing in the grace of God and as we are strengthened with dunamis: miracle working power, (which is miraculous when I don’t want to obey) through the Holy Spirit I allow His fruit to manifest through my life.  We will never maintain a place of unity if we continually focus on, and hold to our differences and dismiss others.

These are days of great distractions, highlighted by the wiles and deception of the evil one. We  could be drawn away from looking at the one who is to hold our heart and gaze.  May we, as His church be filled with such a spirit of wisdom and understanding that we are not drawn away into narratives that bring UNRIGHTEOUS divisions holding fast to the head able to walk in a manner worthy of our calling.  

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.  For there is only one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

A MATTER OF FAITH

Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.

Philippians 4:4

I want to use as the basis of this “good word” the notes taken from the Helps Word Studies and integrate my thoughts throughout.  I’ve italicized the remarks from Helps to differentiate my thoughts.  As well, I’ve added a link at the end to a limited offer that Discovery Bible (creators of Helps word Study) is offering).  This does not benefit me, but I thought some of you may enjoy the resource.  

On to our thought for the day ~

From Helps Word Study - ‘Rejoice’

5463 xaírō (from the root xar-, "favorably disposed, leaning towards" and cognate with 5485/xáris, "grace") – properly, to delight in God's grace ("rejoice") – literally, to experience God's grace (favor), be conscious (glad) for His grace.

The Apostle Paul writes from Romans, ‘it is by faith we access this grace in which we stand and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that...but we rejoice in our sufferings..’ I think as you study this out, you will find, like myself, that a lack of rejoicing frustrates the grace that could be ours.  Every situation we face comes down to a matter of faith.  He who comes to God MUST BELIEVE.  Jesus, in Mark chapter nine rebukes the disciples, the crowd, and a father over the unbelief calling them a ‘faithless generation’.  The correction Jesus brought into that circumstance was ‘If you can believe!  All things are possible to Him who believes...’  

We find from Romans 5 this grace must be accessed by faith and by faith we must ‘stand’ in it.  Paul went on to write in this same chapter ~ where sin abounds grace does much more abound.  Can you see why Paul exhorts ‘not to receive the grace in vain’?  We all must, like Paul, face the hardship and endure the sufferings to experience grace; for His grace is sufficient.  When I am weak, then is He strong.  Rejoicing leans into the grace and as you follow the exhortation in this portion of Philippians, it is the rejoicing, the leaning into grace, that brings the dismembered, separated, anxious thoughts back into His wholeness (peace). What is prayer, but our communication and realignment to the thoughts and will of our Father.  Rejoicing puts us in remembrance of Him, His ways and His will.  

5463/xairō ("glad by grace") has a direct "etymological connection with xaris (grace)" (DNTT, 2, 356).  S. Zodhiates (Dict, 1467) likewise comments that 5479/xará ("joy") and 5485/xáris ("grace") are cognates of 5463/xaírō ("to rejoice") – i.e. all share the same root and therefore the same core (fundamental) meaning.

1. 5463/xairō ("rejoice") is also cognate with 2168/euxaristéō ("give thanks for grace").  Both literally mean "grateful."  ("Grateful" is an old English term, derived from the even older term, "grace-ful" – which literally means "fullness of grace.")

3.  The core-idea of "rejoice" (5463/xaírō, "grateful") in its NT sense is "personally knowing God's grace at work."  5463/xaírō ("glad for God's grace") conveys rejoicing because knowing Him – affirming the Lord's grace is working out His eternal purpose regardless of circumstances.

Phil 4:4: "Continuously rejoice (5463/xaírō) always!  Again I will say, continuously rejoice (5463/xaírō)!"

1 Thes 5:16,17: "16Continuously rejoice (5463/xaírō) always!  [3842/pántote, i.e. "no matter what comes next"].  17Continuously pray! – without ceasing (letting up)."

"Happiness" requires things going "our way."  Rejoicing (5463/xaírō, "grace gladness") is simply being conscious of Christ's triumph and His unbounding grace.  Accordingly, biblical rejoicing (5463/xaírō) is circumstance-independent – a continuous "defiant, 'nevertheless'" (K. Barth, The Epistle to the Philippians, 1962, 120; cf. Phil 2:17, 4:4).

1. Wanting more than we should brings discontentment, which overlooks rejoicing (5463/xaírō, "grace gladness").  True rejoicing however affirms the "slice" (scene) of life God has apportioned – embracing His way out (of the difficult circumstances).  This strategy is defined only by the Lord's impartation of faith which brings His victory – regardless of the earthly outcome (cf. 1 Jn 5:4, Gk text).

Working it out . .The four terms derived from the xar- ("divine favor") enable the believer to always live in God's victory – who has already won the day!

5479/xara/"joy" ("conscious of God's grace") is the basis of 5463/xaírō ("delighted through grace").  The joy of knowing God's grace includes giving thanks (2168/euxaristéō) for it.  All four terms form one essential semantic-unit, as all share the same root idea (xar-, i.e. God's favor, grace).

5463 (xairō) is the activity of acknowledging God's grace; 2168/euxaristéō ("giving thanks") is more reflective, looking back at what God's grace has done "good"; 5479/xará ("joy") is simply being "conscious of God's grace."

All these definitions bring new understanding and thoughts to the idea of joy and rejoicing.  They bring a whole new meaning to “do all things without murmuring and complaining”. Don’t you think the fussing we do frustrates the grace that could be ours, or could the Father see it as despising  the Spirit of grace?  Count the number of times Paul has used these words throughout this book. It was the murmurs and complainers that God overthrew in the wilderness. If the “joy” of the Lord is our strength we so need to get this beyond, I know, and let it be our very nature to do!   

At the beginning of 2020 we had an exhortation by the spirit of God to “guard thankfulness”.  As we have progressed through this year, we had found many opportunities to guard that instruction.  As we live in the world, we find much darkness and chaos, and I continually find myself searching the scriptures daily to know how to live in the midst of all the fear, confusion, unrest, mental anxieties, doubt and unbelief and, I believe, a personal discipline of ‘rejoicing’ is key.  We can’t always change what goes on around us, but we can control what is happening within us.  

The promised link:

https://thediscoverybible.com/landing-pages/thanksgiving-2020/

Do Good

“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”  

Galatians 6:10

Helps Word Studies “opportunity”

2540 kairós – time viewed as opportunity.  2540/kairós ("opportune time") derives from kara ("head") which refers to things "coming to a head" (to take full-advantage).  "2540 (kairos) is the suitable time, the right moment (e.g. Soph., El. 1292), a favorable moment" (DNTT, 3, 833). Kairos expresses time in terms of its eternal potential – qualitatively, rather than quantitatively (as with 5550/xrónos).  Indeed, every scene of life then is a "karios moment" (eternal opportunity) because the Lord has arranged all of them (Eph 1:11; Ps 118:24, Heb text).

I like the phrase HELPS use “expressing time in terms of its eternal potential”.  If we view our moments eternally how much more would we live with open hearts that extend open hands.  

To see our brother in need and close our heart to him... how does the love of God abide in Him?  The Kairos is lost and the moment which has been given for eternity, gone. 

Eph 5:16: "Making the most of your time (2540/kairós), because the days are evil" (NASB).

Because we do live in the midst of evil, we have so many kairos moments to make the most of.  Our exhortation from Galatians today is to do good to all.  Here in Victoria, you can not be out on the streets without coming into contact with our vast homeless population.  A closed heart refuses to see.  Where we refuse to see, we cannot sow for eternity.  Luke’s story of Jesus going to Zacchaeus’ house, tells us Jesus came to seek and to save what was lost.  The word ‘seek’ is highlighted in my mind today.  How often do we go live with that awareness?  Seeking that opportunity which may be ripe for sowing? 

We are to consider our life here and now as seed, unless a seed falls into the ground and dies, it remains just a single seed.    We spend and are spent for the benefit of others.  This is why Paul said, let us not grow weary in well doing, while you have the opportunity do good!  To grow weary is an evil we can not afford.  I’m continually reminded in these days of the question the Lord poses to Jeremiah in chapter twelve, if you’ve run with the footmen and they’ve wearied you, how then can you contend with the horses? And if in the land of peace, wherein you trusted, they wearied you! Then how will you do in the swelling of Jordan?

If doing good is a burden to us now, and helping others wearies us, how could we ever endure true hardships and times of trouble, that will eventually present the greatest needs of mankind, ever.

Col 4:5: "Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity (2540/kairós)" (NASB).

David and I have always lived with the awareness that if we see it- it is our kairos moment.  Not to be passed off to another, not to be ignored, but to hold the wisdom of God in ourselves, to meet it righteously.  The man laid daily at the temple, in the book of Acts, begging alms, is met by Peter and John.  He asks for money, Peter and John, have none but give him what they do have, “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth! Rise up and walk.”  We always have the name to use and bring life to another.

“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”  

Representing Jesus

But if you can do anything have compassion on us and help us.

Mark 9:23

Most will be familiar with this story from Marks’s Gospel.  The disciples have found themselves with a Father and son who they have been unable to help.  Jesus comes down from the ‘mount of transfiguration’ to a crowd surrounding this scene.  This father is desperately seeking deliverance for his son and the nine disciples are unable to cast out the demon, so as he meets Jesus, he seems both hopeful and unsure..

We see this expressed in the words, but... and if....

My thought today revolves around the awesome responsibility we have been given to accurately and faithfully represent Jesus.  

These disciples were not born again, not baptized with the Holy Spirit, but given the authority to preach, heal, and cast out devils in the name of Jesus (representing Jesus). This always gives me pause to consider my personal activities and judge my work extending the Kingdom as a Spirit filled believer.   

My thought doesn’t focus on the unbelief of the father, or of Jesus saying “if you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes”, or even the crowd as the “faithless and perverse generation” but rather the inability of the nine to do the assigned works.

Privately, Jesus addresses their question of why they could not cast him out.  It wasn’t for their lack of obedience, rather a need for growth and development of spiritual capacity which could only be developed through prayer and fasting ~

‘This kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting’.

When John’s disciples asked Jesus the reason of His disciples lack of prayer and fasting, Jesus answered basically, this isn’t the time or season for fasting. 

Jesus answered, “how can the guest of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast.”  Mt. 9:16

With greater works assigned to the church and the command from Mark 16, how much more today, should his disciples exercise a discipline of prayer and fasting?.  The flesh and its desires must be kept in subjection in order for faith to dominate. There must be a real sense of dependence on God of which prayer is the continual expression.  

I don’t want to be found lacking, unable to righteously express Him in any facet of need I may meet, when I preach Jesus, the need for my dependence upon God grows daily in this hour.

JUDGMENT

Justice is turned back and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannnot enter.  Truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. 15) The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.   16) He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm  brought  him salvation and his righteousness upheld him. 17) He put on righteousness as a breastplate and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak. 18) According to their deeds, so he will repay wrath to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies; to the coastlands, he will render repayment. 19) So they shall fear the name of the Lord from the west and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come like a rushing stream which the wind of the Lord drives.  20) And a redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from their transgressions, declares the Lord.      

Isaiah 59:14....

I’d like to consider with you these verses with Jesus in view. Isaiah prophesied for approximately 50 years under the reign of four Judean kings to a people whose sin had separated them from God and brought judgment.

While we live in what is commonly considered among dispensationalist, the age of grace, there is a fixed day coming where “God will judge the world in righteousness by a Man whom he has destined and appointed for that task, and He has made this credible and given conviction and assurance and evidence to everyone by raising him from the dead”, Acts 17:31AMPC

I believe these are days the Holy Spirit is pressing upon the church a greater alignment to become a bride without spot, wrinkle or blemish, looking and waiting for the return of Jesus. I believe these are days where, like John the Baptist, there is a cry coming forth to prepare the way for the return of the Lord through a message of repentance. I believe we have been in a season of great pruning where we are seeing the long suffering of God giving space for repentance and now I’m beginning to hear and sense words regarding judgment. 

Judgment begins at the house of God. 

For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?  1 Peter 4:1

Now I want to remind you although you once fully knew it, that Jesus,who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day - Jude 5,6

I’m surely thankful there is a place of communion with the Lord, that if we will exercise righteous judgment upon our own life, mind, words, actions, and heart, we will not be judged with the world but find the place of forgiveness and cleansing by the blood of Jesus.  Jesus himself said you are cleansed by the word I have spoken, meaning once again, this word that we feed upon will continually wash our mind and heart to walk in ways that are pleasing to him as we deny ourselves to follow Him.  

I believe, as we see Jesus from these verses in Isaiah, so we are seeing the gathering of His church, “He put on righteousness as a breastplate and a helmet of salvation on his head, he put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.”

Living from the zeal of the Lord consuming the church, a passion for righteousness will find us like Phinehas, who turned back the wrath of God from the people of Israel in that he was “jealous with my jealousy” and stayed the plague. Keeping ourselves in the love of God, will find us exercising mercy with fear, upon those who doubt, compassion, in hopes of the goodness of God leading them to repentance, others pulled from the fire, we will offer His salvation, while holding fast to hating the effects of sin. 

His church will value purity above the pleasures of sin, distinction marked by personal consecration and by his love all men will know we are his disciples.   

Now unto him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. 

In these last days

• Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.....” Hebrews 1:1-2 ESV

  Facing a generation wrestling with the validity of the Bible, we must be diligent to hold ourselves accountable to the standard of the word as never before.  With “truth” being tagged relative, it becomes easy to dismiss what potentially challenges ones personal beliefs.  

  John 1:1 (ESV): In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [14] And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us....

  We learn from scriptures that you cannot separate Jesus the man from Jesus the word. Both are the truth.  

  John 14:6. “I am the way, the truth .......”

  John 17:17 “....your word is truth..”

  John 8:31–32 “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

   “HE HAS SPOKEN TO US BY HIS SON” 

  As Christians, we believe Jesus was and is “the truth” presented to the world by the Father and stewarded by His church.   I’ve been so strongly impressed  by the Holy Spirit in these past months with  “attend to my word”, Strong impression - “do not let it depart from your eyes”.

  We can be so inundated with information from so many sources these days that if we do not take care to wash our minds with the word, our minds become polluted with the world.  

    The number one way God speaks to us today is through this word that has been written, that we might feed upon it daily allowing the Holy Spirit to illuminate our hearts and minds. The Holy Spirit reveals Jesus through this written word.  They are one, united in thought and purpose and instructions.

  Hebrews 4:12 (ESV): the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 

  “HE HAS SPOKEN TO US BY HIS SON”

  Jesus called his disciples friends, and as such, told them all things the Father had showed him.  These things have been written down so that you and I might believe.  Sometimes I find myself wanting some kind of “proof” and I remind myself Jesus said it was an evil and adulterous generation that demanded signs.  This was the way the Children of Israel tested God in the wilderness...their refusal to believe what God had spoken.  

  His word was spoken, that it might be written, so we could believe.  

  To maintain the integrity of the church, believers must be abiding in the word.  Preachers must preach the word, so believers are impacted by the truth that the Holy Spirit can bear witness to.  

  The church is built on the revelation of Jesus being the Christ. In these last days, God has spoken to us by His son.  Jesus, the word made flesh, is the revealed will and truth of God.  His church is a pillar and buttress of the truth.  

Count it all Joy

“I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my Name”

Acts 9:16

Acts 9 records Paul, following his encounter with the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus, being three days without sight, fasting, and having a vision of a man named Ananias coming to him, laying his hands on him and regaining his sight.

At the same time we learn this man, Ananias, is having a vision too. The Lord instructs Ananias to go to Paul, assuring Ananias Paul is chosen and will carry the name of Jesus to the Gentiles, Kings and Jews and “showing Him how much he must suffer for my Names sake”.

I think most of us would love to have a supernatural encounter with the Lord Jesus, yet I dare say, we don’t take the time to consider the cost involved in them...

 “how much we will suffer for the sake of my name”.   

I know when I gave my life to the Lord, this was the furtherest thing from my consideration.  We all have these great words and wonderful promises but somehow, in between the start and finish, we miss the processing of being tested and shaped through suffering obedience.  

Jesus was a man of sorrow acquainted with grief. Paul knew a life of suffering and persecution and we too are told that these very things await the disciple of Christ.  If we truly want to serve the Lord and extend His Kingdom, we must be aware we too will suffer.

Phil 1:29: "For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake" 

2 Thes 1:5: "This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.”

Let’s look at this word suffer from the Helps word study.

3958 pásxō (a primitive verb) – properly, to feel heavy emotion, especially suffering; affected by experiencing deep, penetrating feeling – literally "sensible" (i.e. "sensed-experience"); "the feeling of the mind, emotion, passion" (J. Thayer).

[3958/pasxō ("experiencing strong feeling") is the root of: 3804/páthēma ("passions, sufferings"), 3805/pathētós ("suffering") and 3806/páthos ("strong feeling, passion").

 Christ suffered once for sins, but we know that his body the church still undergoes continual “suffering” and hardships which Paul says he rejoices in the opportunity to fill up what may be lacking. 

Colossians 1:24 I rejoice at what I am suffering for your sake, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s affections for the sake of his body which is the church. 

I don’t know that I’m always willing to engage in the emotional anguish that comes with relationships and service in ministry much less rejoice in it.  Yet James tells us without this place of counting it all joy there is no growth in us, no fruit through us and the Kingdom is not extended by our work. 

This is certainly a day to reevaluate opportunities and choices so that we do not fail to bring up what is lacking.  Charles Spurgeon said, "I am certain that I never did grow in grace one-half so much anywhere as I have upon the bed of pain.l

In conclusion there are things I’m sure the Lord is quite willing to reveal, I guess the real question would be my willingness to hear or see them ~

1 Pet 3:13-16: "Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?  14But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed.  and do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behaviour in Christ will be put to shame.”

Boetheo

Boetheo 

997 boēthéō(from 995/boē, "intense exclamation" and theō, "run") – properly, run to meet an urgent distress-call (cry for help); deliver help by quickly responding to an urgent need (intense distress).

997/boētheō ("supply urgently needed help") means to give immediate aid – in time for a pressing need, i.e. "to run, on a call to help" (TDNT, 1:628).    HELPS WORD STUDY 

I LOVE THIS WORD!  I found this words definition years ago when David and I were facing a huge financial need to close on the purchase of our home. I was mediating on Hebrews 13:5/6 from the Amplified Classic - 

Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God]Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not,[I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]

So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?

This verse brought such comfort and rest to my heart and mind. I was able to commit the circumstance to God and just walk out the events with my eyes on him.  The end is a Glory to God story.  The morning of our closing date we were still lacking $7000 plus. I won’t lie, the war raged in my head, but I held on to the this word - Boetheo.  Fifteen minutes before we had to walk into the notary office, we get a phone call. Help arrived and we had all we needed. 

As we celebrate our Canadian thanksgiving, let’s call to mind all the times God Has been our very present help in our time of need and be purposeful to give Him thanks.  

“GOD IS our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear,......”

Psalm 46:1-2

EPHESIANS

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.....

Ephesians 1:3

Paul’s letter to the Saints in Ephesus begins with praise and acknowledgement of grace and peace (verse two) being some of the very spiritual blessings he mentions in verse three.  

We should note here, we have nothing in our lives as believers that has not come to us by the goodness of God.

  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17

Paul writes ALL spiritual blessings come from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The awareness that Paul makes mention of our Father as God demands we hold this reality of His nature and character.  God, the one who is everlasting, eternal, without beginning and without end.  When we say Almighty God, we recognize and acknowledge the power and ability of our God.  The one who is the creator of all things. The one who declares nothing is impossible to Him.  We hold Him in reverential awe.

When we consider grace comes from him, is it any wonder Paul wrote, our God is able to make HIS grace abound to us so that we having all sufficiency, in all things, at all times, are able to abound to every good work. 

Paul then acknowledges, Almighty God is our Father! The one whom all family in heaven and on earth derives it’s name and nature.  Paul is highlighting another perspective in our relationship. Family!  Right Fatherhood!  Our Father, who has freely given us all things because of His great love, while we were yet sinners, chose and adopted us, made us accepted, holy and without blame before him. We cry Abba Father, for His lovingkindness, His goodness, and watchful care over us.  

I’ll remind you that this word grace: 5485/xáris ("grace, divine favor") is the basis of every blessing as the Lord ever extends Himself to us and comes unlimitedly to us through Christ.

It was interesting to note that verses three through fourteen in Ephesians one are just one long verse.  While many translations offer sentences, the original Greek contains one continuous statement of Paul’s praise and acknowledgement.

When Paul begins with “Blessed” in verse three, I want you to see what he is actually saying ~

HELPS WORD STUDIES on BLESSED  ~

eulogētós (the root of the English terms, "eulogize, eulogy," see 2127/eulogéō) – properly, "speak well of"; to celebrate by praising.

2128/eulogētos ("blessed") is only used of God the Father and Christ (God the Son), i.e. how the Godhead is worthy of all our commitment (worship).  Only God is inherently praiseworthy, deserving every "good acknowledgment"!

   "To bless" someone is different than praising them.  A blesser gives something away (a part of themselves) to confer benefit through a personal commitment.  In contrast, praise means to acknowledge (give recognition)

1. In sum, "blessing God" means consecrating ourselves to the Lord in true commitment, "offering ourselves up" because God is worthy of all our surrender ("sweet abandon") – i.e. "giving ourselves away."

The position we hold "IN Christ'' provides us with such a rich and vast treasure of spiritual realities this natural mind can not begin to comprehend, thus Paul’s prayer for “the spirit of wisdom and revelation” to understand and know Him who we have been divinely placed into.  

“In Christ” is the position every believer must live from.  It is in the first fourteen verses of chapter one, we find that IN CHRIST  we have been

• BLESSED

• CHOSEN

• SANCTIFIED

• ADOPTED

• ACCEPTED

• REDEEMED

• FORGIVEN 

• ENLIGHTENED

• GIVEN AND INHERITANCE

• SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

No wonder Paul writes “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”.  The awareness of this treasure can’t help but cause us to fall upon our faces and yield to the glories of His grace that are seen in Christ.  

My prayer is the one who holds all wisdom will impart to each of us a greater revelation of our place and provision in Christ for the purpose of righteous living here and fulfilling all His will.  

LORDSHIP of jesus

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

Matthew 7:21 KJV

LORD ~ 2962 kýrios – properly, a person exercising absolute ownership rights; lord (Lord).

[In the papyri, 2962 (kýrios) likewise denotes an owner (master) exercising full rights.]

2962 (kyrios) is used supremely of Christ the Lord, the sovereign over all creation who is the Creator (cf. Jn 1:3; Col 1:16,17).  2962/kýrios ("Lord") in the NT is also applied to the triune God (Yahweh).

The Gospels use 2962 (kýrios) of the tri-personal Godhead, and for Christ in particular – the God-man, supremely manifesting the Godhead.  See Mt 1:20,22; 2:13; cf. also Mt 3:3; 7:21; 8:2. 
Helps Word Studies. 

I don’t know that we have all come to terms with the concept and demand of lordship.  David uses the phrase “cultural christianity” to express the idea of theory without the personal fellowship with Lord God Almighty, our Heavenly Father, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the HOLY Spirit. We find a good explanation of this from Paul’s writings to Timothy regarding the difficulties facing the church in the last days.  Paul’s summation..... 

“They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly”.

 2 Timothy 3:5 NLT

“They profess to know God, but they deny him, by their works...” Titus 1:16 ESV

Salvation is unto the one who “shall confess with their mouth the ‘Lord’ Jesus”.  It is those who call upon the name of the “Lord” that are saved. Having been set free from sin we have become servants to God, we now have the fruit of our lives displaying holiness, with the end being everlasting life.  

If we can come to terms with these huge thoughts today  ~

You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“...Every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour”

1 Thessalonians 4:3

..we just might begin to see some worldly things lose their allure and pull. 

It doesn’t help to live in a culture that continually feeds and encourages the development of self.  Every social institution promotes the right to be uniquely YOU and actively works to sell you ways of becoming a better you.  It is certainly right to be uniquely you BECAUSE in GOD, we are each fearfully and wonderfully made, created individually to fit His purpose.   

The guarantee of adapting to the world to find our expression of self, is the temptation it brings to not submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.   

The Christian identity is found only IN CHRIST.  It is in the conforming to HIM as we grow in the knowledge of HIM, continually beholding him, that brings transformation of all parts of our being, spirit, soul and body.

The world, it’s practices and beliefs, grows darker daily and a love for the world simply holds the appetites and desires found within all worldly systems.  BUT as Christians we are not “of the world”, in it, but not of it.  It’s not how close we can live to the edge without falling in, it’s how close will I live in communion with Him, that I might be “as He is”, now in this world.  

Jesus’ prayer for his disciples from John chapter seventeen ~

“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one.  They are not of the world just as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them in the truth.  Your word is truth.”

May we always live with the awareness that the assurance we have before the Father in these last days, is our ability to acknowledge our complete surrender to His rule and reign as our sovereign, affirming that allegiance daily.  

In these lAst days.

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our Fathers by the prophets,  in these last days he has spoken to us by his son, whom he has appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.  He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.  

Hebrews 1:1-3

The advantage of age is wisdom (hopefully).  Wisdom that realizes you don’t know everything and there is always much more to learn.  I can’t think of this being more true than in my own personal relationship with my Heavenly Father, His son, Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit.  

In the introduction to the book of Hebrews we find an expression of the Father and Son, that while we may know what the words say, the question we must ask is ~ how have these truths shaped me; spirit (heart), soul (thinking, choices) and body (disciplines)?  What personal revelation do I hold from these words that have conformed me to Him. 

“He has in these last days spoken to us by His son”

The word became flesh and dwelt among us....

The words I speak, they are spirit and life...

“Appointed heir of all things”

As the heir of all things, he has inherited me. 

Radiance of His glory, Express image of the father. 

As The sun gives off its benefits, so through Jesus we see the splendour of the Father. 

The world created by God through Jesus (spoken word)

And God said....

Jesus upholds the universe by the word of his power. 

His word holds all things in order, establishing their boundaries.  By refusing any portion of this word, our lives default into chaos and confusion.  

Jesus said eternal life was the fruit of knowing him and the Father and this must be our one daily pursuit; an ever increasing knowledge which transforms and conforms our lives. 

Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.     

From G. H. Lang’s Epistle to the Hebrews, Lang writes, “It is upon the Person, offices, glories and supremeness of the Son that the writer now enlarges.  The uplifted Son is God’s centre of attraction for all creation...”

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. 

John 12:32

To yield to that attraction is to be withdrawn from all that is not of God.  This is salvation. To see Him as exalted is to overcome the world....to see him as the man in heaven is to have the heart detached from the earth and attached to heaven as its native, its eternal realm.  Christ is Gods Saviour for us, His supply for every need, His reservoir of every blessing.  All is in Him, nothing is apart from Him.  To Him, the Writer (of Hebrews) points.  Really to know Him will deliver the reader from every danger, and therefore he (the writer of Hebrews) expatiates upon the glories of the Son of God.”

It is these glories that we must come to know, to allow them entrance and preeminence in every sphere of our being so that we too might become a partaker of His divine nature, for we are to be found IN HIM, growing up in every way into HIM.

John wrote in his first epistle,

“Beloved, now are we children of God, and what we shall be has not yet been manifested; we know that if it is manifested we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”  Darby’s  translation 

This thought is two fold; the press to become, is now limited to our perceptions and knowledge and then, when He is revealed, we see him as He actually is.” 

Paul on the road to Damascus had no frame of reference for the Jesus He was to encounter. Was he Jesus the son of man, or was He Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Father.  The answer could be either, but the presentation, the revelation, in the moment was designed and suited for Paul’s need. While Paul didn’t then hold a full knowledge he held enough to move him forward, seeking and separated. 

Even so, our knowledge of Him and consequently our behaviour is shaped by what we know.  To fulfill our destiny this side of heaven demands an ever increasing knowledge.  As we feed upon the word, we must be mindful of always allowing Him to shape the reality of those words, knowing that we are limited by our own personal perceptions and knowledge. He holds an ever increasing revelation of Himself for those who pursue Him. 

As I consider these few verses from Hebrews, I’m aware of what I do know, but I want to see what it is that is beyond my current knowledge and understanding, to be able to come up higher and see Him as He is. 

May our hearts continually hunger to see and hear all He desires to reveal to us in these last days through His son.   

GRACE TO YOU

“.......Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven Spirits who are before His Throne and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth ......”

Revelation 1:4-5

The Apostle John is writing to the seven churches in Asia from the isle of Patmos.  I am struck by his opening greeting, as he decrees grace and peace to each church.  I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed through the epistles how much this phrase, ‘grace and peace’ is used in the openings or closings.

HELPS WORD STUDIES notes ~

1. Next to "life" (2222/zōē), GRACE: 5485 (xáris) is perhaps the broadest (most inclusive) theological term used in relation to God in Scripture.  5485/xáris ("grace, divine favor") is the basis of every blessing as the Lord ever extends Himself to us.  God's grace comes to us unlimitedly  through Christ – "the way, the truth and the life" (Jn 14:6, Gk text).

I believe grace and peace must have been a foundational revelation that the early church was built upon.  

Here in Revelation, John reminds us just who these precious gifts come from and when he wrote 2 JOHN he added that they always come to us in truth and love. From Revelation, John describes our Heavenly Father as the one who is, reminding us that our Father is ever present.  God dwells in now.  Everything with God is a right now moment. As the one who was, John highlights, He was with us in the every moment of our past and as the one who is to come, He will be with us in the present moment in our future.  In other words, we are never, ever, without God’s help.   

Psalm  46:1.  God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

AMPLIFIED Hebrews 13:5-6 “.....for He [God] ]Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! ]Assuredly not!] 6. So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?”

God comes with His grace and peace. There are also seven spirits before the throne who release grace and peace.  Isaiah chapter eleven lists these Seven spirits and if we focused on those we would see how each one is powerful in its own right and would yield grace and peace when those specifics are needed. It is the Spirit Himself who strengthens us with might in the inner man and causes us to be strong in grace.  Then finally, John writes, grace and peace  come to us from Jesus Christ.

I guess my overwhelming thought in and with these powerful assurances, is why do we so often stumble in the midst of our crisis?  

I’d like to share with you the definition of GRACE from the Helps Word Studies ~

Xaris (another feminine noun from xar-, "favor, disposed to, inclined, favorable toward, leaning toward to share benefit") – properly, grace.  5485 (xaris) is preeminently used of the Lord's favor, freely extended to give Himself away to people (because He "ever leans toward them").

Key quotes

• R. Trench, "Aristotle, defining 5485 (xáris), lays the whole stress on this very point, that it is conferred freely, with no expectation of return, and finding its only motive in the bounty and free-heartedness of the giver (Rhetoric. 2.7). . . . 5485 (xaris) is unearned and unmerited..”

Grace is the presence of God coming to us in the fullness of all He is, leaning towards us to share His unlimited benefits.  Moses understood this when he prayed in Exodus chapter 33....

                    “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.”

How much better would we be if our day started with this same cry, with His assurance given to us as it was to Moses.  

“My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.

As I write this, my heart is strengthened and assured, we have no situation in life that we are not able to face and overcome because of His grace.  His very presence is ever leaning towards us with all He is.  WE HAVE HELP and all things are possible with God. 

Patient endurance

  I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 

Revelation 1:9

TRIBULATION - 2347 thlípsis – properly, pressure (what constricts, rubs together in a narrow place that "hems in"); tribulation, focusing on internal pressure that causes one to feel confined (restricted, "without options")./thlipsis brings the challenge of also coping with the internal pressure caused by the tribulation, especially feeling there is "no way of escape" because "hemmed in." HELPS WORD STUDIES

Two thoughts I’d liked to address from this verse are “partner in tribulation” and “patient endurance”.  

I’m finding these are days that are demanding “patient endurance” with a greater dependency on the Holy Spirit work to produce His wisdom and His fruit in and through our lives. 

I find it interesting that John writes about the partnership he has with others who are “in tribulation” and reminds them first, that this is common in “the kingdom” they share.   

The kingdom of God suffers violence .... thus the need to endure hardness as good soldiers of Christ Jesus.

Through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom, strengthened and encouraged as disciples, to enter in through faith...Acts 14:22.  Not seeing, yet believing, we consider the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed in us.  We continue to hope for the unseen, and wait for it with patience....(Romans 5.19-25)

The Apostle John reminds us that he too was a partner in tribulations that we all experience in life and from Jesus ~

“.....in me you may have peace, in the world you will have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome the world”.  John 16:33

The proper response to the tribulation is patient endurance, not an effort to avoid.  While we would all love to never suffer hardships and pain, there are things we never learn or develop in our lives without the conflict of pressure.  

Ellicott’s commentary notes that this patience brings experience because it is in Jesus.   It is not patience that is looking and waiting for Jesus. It is not the patience of Jesus but patience that draws its life and energy of endurance from Him.  

The apostle Paul wrote in Php 4:  ~ 

     11Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content :12  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need :13  I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Literally ~ infuses strength into my inner man”. 

Romans 5:3 Paul’s reminds us “but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance” and we are exhorted from Romans 12:12. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 

If Jesus had to learn obedience from the things he suffered don’t you image there are things that we too will learn and develop while going through our own particular adversities? 

I love Johns greeting to the churches in Revelation 1:4 where he writes ~

“ Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of Kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priest to his God and father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold he is coming with the clouds…”

A good reminder to live with the awareness of our need for patient endurance through these days.  

I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE

 I am the Way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.

John 14:6

Have you ever wondered how Jesus came to these I AM revelations? I sure did.  Commentaries are divided about when Jesus held an understanding of his Divinity.  Some are adamant that he was born man, yet fully God, omniscient from birth.  Others discuss, and my personal belief, is that Jesus discovered himself, just like we do……. though he were a son, learning obedience, choosing to suffer the limitations of humanity in order to be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, with the need to discover himself through the prophetic words and personal encounters with God. 

We know In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [John 1.1]; and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, [John 1:14].  No one has ever seen God; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared Him [John 1:18].

Jesus from some point lived with wisdom and revelation about His identity and purpose from his place of deep and intimate union with His Father.....

And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me?  Did you not know that I must be in my Fathers house?    Luke 2:49

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man”.  Luke 2:52

....and knew His life was ordained to be the way for mankind to be reunited with God as a Heavenly Father.  The highlighting factor of today’s verse, is that no man can come to Father without believing this specific revelation about Jesus Christ......

 I AM the way, the truth and the life. 

God’s goodness is seen in His provision as He gives Jesus as THE way back into relationship with HIm.  Did you notice Jesus isn’t A way, A truth, A life?  ‘A’  would indicate multiple paths  to each of these things.  He declares that He is THE ONLY WAY to any of these spheres. Mankind continues to seek many paths but God made only one.  It is in yielded surrender to God’s Way, receiving His Truth that His Life begins working in an individual. 

Jesus is The Truth.  As the reality of God in the earth, we beheld truth in its purity.  That’s why His life is the light of men.   There is nothing obscure about God.  There is no darkness in HIM,  no variableness, no shadows. It is impossible for God to lie and because God is pure, unadulterated truth His words are THE truth.  He came that we might know HIS truth and by believing THE truth be made free.

There are many truths in the world today but, again, Jesus is THE truth that every other word and reality must be measured from.  All things are held by the “word of his power”.  

“The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge;  the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.  For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the father who sent me has himself given me a commandment - what to say and what to speak.   And I know that his commandment is eternal life.  What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”   John 12:48-50

And finally, as we saw last week, he is THE life, that every man longs for, seeks after and finds in Jesus Christ.  

No man comes to the FATHER except through HIS way, HIS truth and HIS life...found in Jesus Christ. 

I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE

Jesus said to her,  “I am the resurrection and the life.  The one who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.  Do you believe this?”  

John 11:25-26 ESV

Probably the greatest promise we have from Jesus is the one assurance we have about life. This life as God has it, is both eternal life and quality of life here and now.  Jesus said the thief comes to steal kill and destroy, but I am come that you might have life (Zoe) and have it more abundantly.

 zōē – life (physical and spiritual).  All human life (2222/zōē), and all creation, is derived.  None is "self-standing," all comes from (is sustained by) God's self-existent life.  The Lord intimately shares His gift of life with people – creating each in His image which endows them with the capacity to know His eternal life.”  Helps Word Studies

Once again we have the revelation that all God life begins and ends in Jesus Christ. In the beginning of Johns Gospel we learn that Jesus as life is the light of mankind.  It requires his life and light to dispel every place of darkness. Zoe is the Greek word for life. God’s life (2222/zōē) is inextinguishable, indestructible, and inexhaustible and through it creates and sustains all things (Jn 1:3).

Life always and only belongs to the Lord. He gives life and breath to all.  We derive life from God but only He possesses life in Himself.  Life that is without beginning or end (Jn 1:1-4; Rev 1:8) And The Lord shares His life . . . "abundantly"  (literally "all-around").

Jn 10:10: "The thief does not come, except to steal and kill and destroy.  I came so that they [believers] could constantly have (experience) life (2222/zōē), and could continuously have (experience) it all-around ('encircling,' 4053/perissós)." Helps Word Studies

Jesus as the resurrection and the life comes to impart this God life, Zoe, by delivering mankind from his sin nature.  

Jn 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (zōē)" (NASB).

Jn 5:26: "For just as the Father has life zōē) in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life (zōē) in Himself" (NASB).

Jn 14:6: "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life (zōē); no one comes to the Father but through Me'" (NASB).

 For as by a man came death, be a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive. 1 Corinthians 15:21-22

 The very foundation of our Christian faith is Jesus Christ crucified, dead, buried and raised again by the power of God.  This resurrection life is imparted into the believer as he receives Jesus as lord and believes that God has raised Him from the dead.  The believing one passes from a state of spiritual death, which is separation from God, into newness of Life through his believing and the life he now lives is lived by faith in the Son of God.  

“Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”  Romans 10:9

As the Resurrection and the Life Jesus imparts new beginnings and new life into those who believe on Him.  

Therefore If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new and all things are of God.... 2 Corinthians 5:17-18KJV

“We were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”  Romans 6:4-5

Jesus is still the resurrection and the life.  The one who believes on him, though he die, shall live and everyone who lives and believes in Jesus shall never die.  

Do you believe this?”  

I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD

I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.

John 10:14

COVID has given us all opportunity to re-evaluate our personal relationship with the Father. Many of us find ourselves re-aligning our lives. We are experiencing new and greater depths of God as He continues to reveal Himself as the I AM that I AM. This time of personal communion and intimacy and perhaps, refocused awareness of His Majesty, is preparing HIS church for her greatest hour to be His manifest glory in the midst of the darkness. 

From John 10, Jesus, in declaring himself as the good shepherd, once again, manages  to brings a divide into the minds and hearts of the people.  Jesus said, “the words I speak are spirit and truth” and just like then, his words can not be grasped with a natural understanding.  His words must impact our heart before they reshape our thinking.  Natural man first “hears” and sifts through by reason. However, it can only be by faith that understanding can come.  We must be willing to embrace the words of Jesus as truth before they transform our minds and life.  

I think the revelation of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is one of the most intimate insights of the Fathers care for His children. His unfailing love and faithfulness to the people He chose continues in the provision of Christ as a Good Shepherd.

He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes. Isaiah 40:11

1 Peter reveals Jesus as the Chief Shepherd (over every grace gifted one) and Overseer of our Souls. Called the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, Jesus must hold the awareness first hand of what it means to be a sheep, and then one who provides a righteous care for those sheep He is given. 

For the Lamb in the Center of the throne will be their shepherd. He will “lead us us to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”  Rev. 7:17

As The Good Shepherd, Jesus would have had understanding from scripture about what “good” actually meant.  Jeremiah declared the Good Shepherd as one who holds the very heart of God and feeds his sheep with knowledge and understanding. 

“And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD…”

These promise from God, that He would raise up shepherds over them to tend them, so that they would no longer be afraid nor dismayed, nor go missing, must have given definition to Jesus’ walk. 

Just as Psalm 23 must have provided insight and instruction for Jesus, we see event after event in the Gospels fulfill these scriptures, naturally and spiritually.  With the Spirit of the Lord abiding upon Him, Jesus begins his care with proclamations that bring His abundant life.  His works were and are still performed from a heart of compassion, as he heals, feeds, delivers and gathers multitudes.

All these scriptures reveal the heart of a Father towards His people by the provision He gives us in the Lord Jesus as that Good Shepherd.

I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own and my own know me. 

John 10:14

COVID has given us all opportunity to re-evaluate our personal relationship with the Father. Many of us find ourselves re-aligning our lives. We are experiencing new and greater depths of God as He continues to reveal Himself as the I AM that I AM. This time of personal communion and intimacy and perhaps, refocused awareness of His Majesty, is preparing HIS church for her greatest hour to be His manifest glory in the midst of the darkness. 

From John 10, Jesus, in declaring himself as the good shepherd, once again, manages  to brings a divide into the minds and hearts of the people.  Jesus said, “the words I speak are spirit and truth” and just like then, his words can not be grasped with a natural understanding.  His words must impact our heart before they reshape our thinking.  Natural man first “hears” and sifts through by reason. However, it can only be by faith that understanding can come.  We must be willing to embrace the words of Jesus as truth before they transform our minds and life.  

I think the revelation of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is one of the most intimate insights of the Fathers care for His children. His unfailing love and faithfulness to the people He chose continues in the provision of Christ as a Good Shepherd.

He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes. Isaiah 40:11

1 Peter reveals Jesus as the Chief Shepherd (over every grace gifted one) and Overseer of our Souls. Called the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, Jesus must hold the awareness first hand of what it means to be a sheep, and then one who provides a righteous care for those sheep He is given. 

Rev. 7:17 For the Lamb in the Center of the throne will be their shepherd. He will “lead us us to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” 

As The Good Shepherd, Jesus would have had understanding from scripture about what “good” actually meant.  Jeremiah declared the Good Shepherd as one who holds the very heart of God and feeds his sheep with knowledge and understanding. 

“And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD…”

These promise from God, that He would raise up shepherds over them to tend them, so that they would no longer be afraid nor dismayed, nor go missing, must have given definition to Jesus’ walk. 

Just as Psalm 23 must have provided insight and instruction for Jesus, we see event after event in the Gospels fulfill these scriptures, naturally and spiritually.  With the Spirit of the Lord abiding upon Him, Jesus begins his care with proclamations that bring His abundant life.  His works were and are still performed from a heart of compassion, as he heals, feeds, delivers and gathers multitudes.

All these scriptures reveal the heart of a Father towards His people by the provision He gives us in the Lord Jesus as that Good Shepherd.

I AM The Door

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." -John 10:9

God has put eternity into our hearts that we might seek to know Him.  We all have a spiritual void we are trying to fill and Jesus is the ONLY answer.  

There is only one way into this place we call the Family of God. We all want a loving Father.  We all long for security, value and acceptance and God in His infinite love and wisdom has made the way for every individual to find and accept His provision.

“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved,”

Jesus declared Eternal life comes from knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.  He who has received the son has received the Father.  If you have not received Jesus as the Fathers gift, the door that He has set for us to enter through, we will not find entrance to God as Father.  

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

Eternal life speaks to two things- a quality of life as well as length of life. It doesn’t matter whether you believe it or not, it’s better for you if you do, but just because we leave a physical body does not mean we are gone.  We live forever as a spirit, absent of our natural body.  We are either unified with God as our Heavenly Father or condemned to darkness awaiting judgment with the devil who will be dammed, with His family, for all eternity. 

There is no other way to enter into the place of communion and fellowship with God other than through the door He has set. 

Jesus said I am the door, If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved.

We can never lose sight of the reality that Jesus is THE gift that the Father has given to us.  And “if he has freely given us Jesus how will He not with Him, through and by Him, freely give us all things”. There is no other name given under Heaven whereby men can be saved. No man comes to the Father except through the son, Jesus. 

"I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." -John 10:9

I am the Light of the World

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."  John 8:12 

From the beginning of creation we find two forces at work on this earth.  Genesis tells us the earth was with out form and void.  The Hebrew word paints this picture of something that has been destroyed lying in chaos. Many scholars think this is what happened when Lucifier was cast out of heaven.  Genesis 1:2 begins the scenario with God stepping in to redeem the destruction and His very first act is to send light into the darkness.  The Book of James calls God the “Father of Lights”.

The parallel from the New Testament in John chapter one shows us once again, the redemptive work of our Heavenly Father creating a gift of salvation and deliverance for mankind. The Father of Lights gives us the gift of life and light through His son Jesus Christ. 

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.  

Jesus is the true light, who gives light to every one.  The light of the gospel reveals the glory of Christ who is the image of God.  Darkness works to blind minds so they will not see and believe.  But God who said, Let light shine out of darkness has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  Our vision is not diminished or distorted. The Psalms remind us; “The entrance of thy word giveth light…” 119:130 and “it is you who lights my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness. Ps. 18:28.

Once we were dark, but now we are light in the Lord, created as children of the Light who have been called out of darkness into His marvellous light. As we look for a revealing, a greater understanding of the knowledge of him, we find that as light there is no darkness in Him. This is what makes Him pure and without blemish.  James tells us God has no shadows, no variations.  As partakers of His divine nature and having become children of the light, we are to abide in the light to shine the light, walk as children of light exposing the works of darkness.  For when it is visible, it is the light that continues to illuminate the darkness. 

Just as God from the beginning of creation separated the light from the darkness and Jesus came to expose the darkness, we too must work the works of Him who sent us while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. There will be a day when our time here on the earth to do His work, illuminating and shining, will be over.  

From the book of Revelation, the New Jerusalem is illuminated by His very presence.  We will no longer need a sun for His face is like the sun shining in full strength. May we allow the light of His presence, as we behold Him, to so permeate our being that our light is the pure and true reflection of Him. 

I am the Light of the Word

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."  John 8:12 

From the beginning of creation we find two forces at work on this earth.  Genesis tells us the earth was with out form and void.  The Hebrew word paints this picture of something that has been destroyed lying in chaos. Many scholars think this is what happened when Lucifier was cast out of heaven.  Genesis 1:2 begins the scenario with God stepping in to redeem the destruction and His very first act is to send light into the darkness.  The Book of James calls God the “Father of Lights”.

The parallel from the New Testament in John chapter one shows us once again, the redemptive work of our Heavenly Father creating a gift of salvation and deliverance for mankind. The Father of Lights gives us the gift of life and light through His son Jesus Christ. 

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.  

Jesus is the true light, who gives light to every one.  The light of the gospel reveals the glory of Christ who is the image of God.  Darkness works to blind minds so they will not see and believe.  But God who said, Let light shine out of darkness has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  Our vision is not diminished or distorted. The Psalms remind us; “The entrance of thy word giveth light…” 119:130 and “it is you who lights my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness. Ps. 18:28.

Once we were dark, but now we are light in the Lord, created as children of the Light who have been called out of darkness into His marvellous light. As we look for a revealing, a greater understanding of the knowledge of him, we find that as light there is no darkness in Him. This is what makes Him pure and without blemish.  James tells us God has no shadows, no variations.  As partakers of His divine nature and having become children of the light, we are to abide in the light to shine the light, walk as children of light exposing the works of darkness.  For when it is visible, it is the light that continues to illuminate the darkness. 

Just as God from the beginning of creation separated the light from the darkness and Jesus came to expose the darkness, we too must work the works of Him who sent us while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. There will be a day when our time here on the earth to do His work, illuminating and shining, will be over.  

From the book of Revelation, the New Jerusalem is illuminated by His very presence.  We will no longer need a sun for His face is like the sun shining in full strength. May we allow the light of His presence, as we behold Him, to so permeate our being that our light is the pure and true reflection of Him. 

I AM the Bread of Life.

Jesus said to them, I am the Bread of Life, whoever comes to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.   John 6:35

As ‘I AM’ revealed himself to Abraham as THE Reward, the one who brought Him out to give Him a land to possess, we see Jesus as the Word made flesh, demonstrating and declaring, I AM the bread of life. 

Not only did Jesus naturally take little and multiply to feed the five thousand, we find the next day these people seeking Jesus again….”not because you saw signs but because you ate your fill of the loaves”.   

In this moment of supernatural display the crowd recognizes “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world” but only seek him because “they ate their fill of the loaves”.  Jesus is NOT offended by this and takes the opportunity to reveal Himself in a greater dimension, I AM the Bread of Life.  

Jesus then sets a standard, 

Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.  John 6:27 

How much of our relationship with the Godhead centres around our personal basic needs?  While meeting all our needs is His desire, our relationship is designed to be so much, much more.  Knowing Him as a provider is the invitation to discover Him as the provision.  It’s the appetizer if you will before a full course meal that is destined for each of us.  It’s the holding of the supplier who himself holds the supply.  

 The crowd is looking for a way to secure a natural never ending bread supply.  I have to ask myself, where do I do the same thing?  What do I want more than enough for so I don’t have to trust for a daily supply?  

It is in the midst of these moments that Jesus reveals Himself as ‘I AM’ the Bread of Life.

I am the living bread that came down from heaven.  If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.  And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.  Whoever feeds on His flesh and drinks His blood has eternal life and finds the place of abiding with Him.  For His flesh is true food. 

We understand feeding upon Him isn’t a physical act, rather a spiritual one.  Jesus explained to those who were offended at this teaching; it is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh is no help at all. The words Jesus spoke were spirit and life.  

This is where we start from………

Man shall not live on bread alone, 

but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.   

Every answer I need in life is found in His truth “I AM the Bread of Life.”  Jesus is the provision for life and is life more abundantly, since he is Living Bread. He desires for us to feed daily.  

Jesus said,  Do not be anxious about your life!  We don’t work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life.  We strive to know HIM.  Our fellowship and relationship with Him is our exceeding great Reward.  

But Who do you say I am?

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15 He *said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

Matthew 16:13–18

In the midst of every crisis, the question I’m answering is, “But who do I say Jesus is?”

Just as the disciples had to come to know and believe, we also must follow in the same footsteps.  John’s Gospel says these things were written so that we could believe.  Jesus said if you have seen me, you have seen the Father and He said the Holy Spirit would be given to us, to reveal Jesus to us.  

We know that Jesus is revealed to us through the Word as the Holy Spirit breaths on it and births within us a “revelation”.  We hold this AH HA moment seeing something we have never seen before.   This revelation grows and becomes ours as we engage with His Presence.   As we keep our eyes upon Him, we feed upon the truths we have been given.    

It is through beholding The Truth that we are transformed into His image by the Spirit, from faith to faith and glory to glory.  A greater revelation leads to a greater glory.  Jesus said to know him, to know the Father, was eternal life.  To be filled with the Spirit of wisdom and revelation IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM was the Apostle Paul’s prayer.  

1 John 3:2 (ESV): ...but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.. not as we think He is but as He is in truth and purity. 

I love His Presence and my relationship with Him is not complete without a foundation of who I see Him to be from His word. This is why it is paramount for us as ministers to make sure people never lose their love for His truth and know that they must, not only build into their lives time with Him in His Presence, but for themselves, READ THEIR BIBLES! 

The bottom line is this - if I know Him as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, I hold a revelation that builds His church that Hell will not conquer.  Oh, Hell will challenge us, but if it is truly a “revelation” that I hold; something I have beheld and learned and believed, it becomes the bedrock of my unshakeable foundation. 

From the Gospel of John we have scriptures that reveal Jesus as the I AM.  I would like to walk through these various scriptures over the next few “Good Word’s” and see what the Holy Spirit reveals to us all, hopefully in a greater measure than we currently hold. 

Again, a greater revelation yields a greater glory and we all desire to see Jesus in the fullness of His glory that we might know Him in ALL of His FULLNESS.  

So let’s look to the next Good Word with Jesus declaring from John chapter six, I am the Bread of Life….