Category: Bible Study

My thoughts and findings from my personal study and seeking.

Father?

Galatians 3
26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as were baptised into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

  • ⁠Paul is writing to people who were once labelled: Jew, Greek, Gentile, Male, Female, Slave, Free… But now they are made ONE IN CHRIST JESUS!! (Ephesians 2:11-22) They are ALL Abraham’s seed!! All God’s children of faith! Not divided, not joined but made ONE! In John 17 Jesus does not pray for a bloodline but a faithline. All have been adopted! All are brought into the family! All have the privilege to call God FATHER! It is only faith that can begin to understand and appreciate the application this. All of us sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Not “Christians”, not “Jews”, not “gentiles” but ONE in Christ! Hallelujah! What a faithful, consistent, unchanging Gospel!

Galatians 4
4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

  • We have here a beautiful picture of the trinity: GOD THE FATHER, sent THE SPIRIT of HIS SON into our hearts!! Oh, let’s give that some thought! The Spirit of HIS Son whom He sent to bear His wrath in MY place because of MY SIN so that I/we can call Him FATHER!! Oh praise His mighty name!! Truly this is the Glory of God! This is the Gospel! This is God’s GLORY!! The Father has sent the Spirit of His Son into OUR hearts so that we might call Him Father! Hallelujah!
  • HIS Spirit cries out to HIS Father. Do we recognise that cry in our hearts? The cry of HIS life? The cry of a child in love with their father?
  • Consider here the parable of the prodigal. To be His slave in God’s Kingdom would be blessed enough!! But we are HIS SONS!

Luke 15
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,
19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’
20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;
24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

  • We are so undeserving, but we are so incredibly blessed!! Daily! It is right to feel unworthy, but it is sin to not accept The Father’s invitation!
  • May we have the faith to live as His child. Not as a slave to law, not as fatherless and undisciplined, but as SONS OF GOD!
  • ”If you go to God only by obedience, you are more slave than child.” The servant serves in the master’s household, but the child enjoys the Father’s embrace. The servant may please his master, but the child is the delight of His Father! The master provides for His servants, but He lovingly longs for and blesses His children! It is right fear God and to come before Him with reverence and humility but you will find that you pray very different when He is your Father as opposed to your Master.
  • Consider the joy of a child, the confidence of a child, the love, trust and admiration of a child. Consider also the dependence of a child, the obedience of a child, the beauty of a wise son. The Spirit of The Son Cries out FATHER!! It is His desire that we call upon Him! Call upon your Father for help, for HIS Life, for HIS Wisdom and blessing. Cry out to The Father to establish you in His Word and in His testimony! Enjoy Him!! Enjoy His love, His abundance and His presence!!

Fellowship In Christ

John 17
21 That they all may be one, just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.
22 I have given to them the glory and honour which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are one:
23 I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and plainly recognise that You sent Me and that You have loved them even as You have loved Me.

  • That they may be ONE! Jesus’ prayer to His Father is that we might be ONE. One people in Christ, One with The Father and One with each other. It is His heart’s cry and His purpose that we might be ONE! Hallelujah! What a blessed Hope! Oh how little we comprehend the love and longing of The Lord toward us! That we might have the invitation and opportunity to be ONE with God! Oh praise The Lord! Hallelujah!
  • Jesus does not pray that His people would be in agreement with each other, or united by a cause, but that we would be ONE, a bond far deeper than mere agreement. Jesus here is not praying that His people would all be of one denomination, wearing the same uniform, singing the same songs and standing in agreement with everything that YOU believe! NO! Man, limited in his revelation and understanding, can never produce life that is One with God! The flesh loves to esteem and elevate itself above other ‘lesser’ things. The flesh loves to protect and defend itself, assuming and justifying its own righteousness, and finding pride in attaining standards. No, the body of Christ will never be united by a man’s teaching or tradition. Fellowship is not in academic learning, it is in Christ! Fellowship is not in subscription, it is in Christ! A truth so simple it cuts through all pride of flesh yet the deep mystery of The Gospel!
  • It is the person of Jesus Christ ONLY AND ALWAYS! HIS LIFE! HIS SPIRIT! As each individual abides in HIM they are ONE! Abiding in HIS love, HIS humility, HIS loving kindness and tender mercies, HIS preferring of others, HIS lifting others up, HIS servant heart, HIS righteousness… As we each abide in HIM we abide close with each other.

1 John 1
3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
…
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

  • It is as we walk in HIS Light that we fellowship. Our fellowship with each other is with The Father and His Son Jesus Christ! As we walk in HIS Light as HE is in The Light it is then that we have fellowship together. It is there that we are ONE! Too often these days men “fellowship” over pet topics rather than Christ. They look for others to walk in agreement with their preferred doctrine rather than to know if they are in Christ and therefore ONE. Man is always seeking to identity himself with this one or that one but fails to simply be identified with Christ alone! In all circumstances, in all trials, in all conflicts, confusions and arguments identify yourself with Christ! May He be identified/seen in us, in our conversation and in our conduct. How does Jesus treat the brother you disregard or despise? Know for sure that if you cannot be ONE with you brother then you cannot be ONE with Christ!
  • Consider sitting at The Lord’s communion table, enjoying the incredible wonder and blessing of His voice and presence and His sweet fellowship. Now imagine the brother that you are careful to separate yourself from enters the room, is lovingly welcomed, embraced and joins you at the Father’s table. Oh, give that some thought. What complaint will you give to the all knowing Father? What will your conversation be then?
  • We will always find that we disagree on interpretations, revelations and understandings, but those things are not where we unite! Jesus is that Light! He is The Way, The Truth and The Life! Whatever your doctrine or theology or understanding of eschatology… get to Jesus! Abide in HIM! Long for HIM, hunger and thirst for HIM, yield and surrender to HIM. In Him WE ALL live and move and have our being! Our joining together as ONE body is only as we are IN HIM!

1 Thessalonians 4
9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.

  • God’s Spirit within His people is teaching them to love. Can we consider ourselves good students? Can we acknowledge and confess the divisions in our own hearts and seek The Lord to free us from such pride and selfishness? We can be so quick to spot lack and disappointment in others and not see them with the heart of Christ.
  • Oh may we learn what The Lord is teaching us. May our hearts be as His heart with loving longing for His people, serving with humility and interceding with all His heart and soul that we might be ONE!

For I care not what church you belong to,
If on Calvary’s ground you will stand,
And if you love The Lord just like I do,
Then brother please give me your hand.

Light In The Night

1 John 1
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

  • God is LIGHT and there is no darkness at all IN HIM! Jesus calls us to abide in HIM, to abide in His light and to walk with Him in that Light. We have that invitation and we have that opportunity. Whether we walk in light or darkness is entirely up to us!
  • God’s children will never walk in the darkness of ignorance, fear or confusion. God’s children walk in His Light as He is in the Light! They walk WITH HIM! They walk on the water during the storms of life, looking unto Jesus, rejoicing evermore, giving thanks in all things and enduring all things by faith in His love. Those who walk in darkness walk in unbelief, lust, fear, pride and rebellion.
  • God’s Word tells us that seasons of difficulty are ordained, tribulations are promised and we should count it all joy to be counted worthy to suffer for Christ’s name. In this world we will be surrounded by darkness… But God’s children will walk in HIS Light! Hallelujah!

Psalm 108
1 O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
2 Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn.

  • The psalmist here is singing of being in the night. Though darkness surrounds him on all sides, it is not dark in his spirit. He has chosen, by faith, to walk in the light! He will choose to look to The Lord, He will choose to praise!
  • I love this line “I will awaken the dawn” as it is a powerful truth that should greatly encourage us! The writer of the psalm knows that as he praises The Lord the daylight will begin to come! Just as Paul and Silas praised in the prison cell (Acts 16:25), they had no thought of an earthquake and loosed chains but they knew that Salvation was ahead of them! They awoke the dawn! Hallelujah! May we have such faith to rejoice, praise and trust so that we shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance. As we abide in His Light and praise Him by faith the Light will become all the brighter around us! Abide in the Light of The Lord and praise Him for His Salvation! Don’t allow your heart to be troubled, don’t be discouraged by the worldly, fleshly things that surround you but determine with grateful rejoicing that you shall yet praise Him for the help of His presence!

Isaiah 60
1 Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.
2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.
3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.
…
19 “The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the LORD will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory.
20 Your sun shall no longer go down, Nor shall your moon withdraw itself; For the LORD will be your everlasting light, And the days of your mourning shall be ended.

  • This is a beautiful picture of The Gospel message. Isaiah is telling God’s people that their light has come! Jesus Christ, The everlasting, eternal Light of the world, has come but it is we His people that are to arise and shine! Our light has come and we are commanded to let His Light shine out through us! We are to be moons reflecting outward the glorious Light of the Son!
  • Born Again believers, redeemed citizens of heaven, joint heirs with Christ… Arise and let your light shine!! Abide in The Light and let HIS Light shine through you! Let HIS Life live through you! Oh may we truly be lower lights in this dark world pointing people to the rejoicing joy, the songs of thankful praise and the abundant Life and Light of Jesus Christ!

Named Christian

Acts 11
26 … And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

  • The disciples never claimed the title of Christian. To do such a thing would have been considered irreverent and arrogant and most unlike Christ! The label was placed upon those who truly lived like they were following Jesus example. It was not self claimed but self evident!
  • The church today has reduced the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a mere ticket, purchased at the price of an emotional decision, with no repentance and no commitment. The label of “Christian” is claimed when it should only be earned! We claim the title “Christian” without thought, conviction or cost. The word Christian has been twisted to mean so much that it means nothing! Fellowship has been replaced by community, praise neglected for performance whilst repentance and transformation have been scrapped with a lust for attendance and tithe. So much is labelled “Christian” but it is lifeless, empty, unsatisfying, man glorifying flesh! Call it “Christian” if you like but The Word of God does not call it Godly!

Revelation 3
1 … you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

  • God in His Word gives no promise or blessing to the “Christian”. Promises of blessing to God’s people are always made with specification or condition. 
  • The world’s culture of entitlement, pride and rebellion seem to have influenced the church. We claim a label then demand the blessing, treating Jesus like some ticket for heaven that we can stash in our back pocket. This is arrogance and blasphemy. It has the name of Christ but it is utterly dead! There is no life because there is no Christ!

John 3
3 … unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

2 Corinthians 5
17 … if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

  • Only those who are Born Again of The Spirit of God can see and enter the Kingdom of God; Only those who have repented and called upon the name of The Lord; Only those who believe in their heart that Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead and that His Spirit has been sent into our hearts. His sheep are those who know Him and hear His voice, His disciples are those who continue in His word, His people are those who are circumcised of heart and separated from the world.
  • Beware of merely claiming a label and assuming a blessing. There will be many on the day of judgement to whom He will say  ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:22-23)
  • I am growing ever more careful about any label that man may use. I do not want to be known by the label of my theology, denomination or church building. Let me simply be known as a believer in and disciple/servant/follower of Jesus! I do not want His testimony to be associated with the nonsense and blasphemy that claims His name. Oh Lord may You blow away the chaff and separate your sheep. May You cause the trumpet sound to be clear, establish Your testimony in Your people and expose the flesh that claims Your name! Glorify Yourself once again and cause the nations and to fear and reverence the Almighty, Living, Creator God in His people.

Matthew 7
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
14 Because narrow is the gate and narrow is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

  • The gate is narrow as a man must forsake everything to fit through it! Forsake all sin, all worldliness, all flesh…
  • The way is as narrow as a man’s shoulders as it is directly behind Christ, walking in HIS WAY, HIS footsteps!! THERE IS NO OTHER WAY!!

The Beauty of Holiness

Psalm 29
2 … worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

  • The beauty of Holiness is Jesus Christ! He is the fulfilment of The Law! He the Altogether Lovely One. HIS Life fulfils The Law, HIS Life abhors sin, HIS Life loves, serves, obeys, surrenders and trusts The Father! It is HIS Life within the believers who are clothed with HIS righteousness that worships The Lord in the beauty of holiness.

Psalm 93:5
“…Holiness adorns Your house, O LORD, forever.”

  • Holiness adorns those with whom He dwells, those who are His living temples. People altogether set apart unto Him, circumcised of heart, abhorring evil and loving His Word, allowing HIS Life and HIS Love to flow through them. Holiness is utterly dependant and completely yielded to The Father, filled with His Holy Spirit and so naturally produces HIS fruit!
  • Holiness is rooted in Christ’s humility. It is a life of faith naturally producing works/fruits of faith. It is Christ within, living through, who is demonstrated in the way that the believer lives. Holiness is the fruit of His life, it can be mimicked by legalism but the beauty of holiness is Christ only and always!

Revelation 4
8 …and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

  • I cannot try to convey or explain the Holiness of God but it is amazing to meditate on. The word holy, at its root, means set apart. Truly our God is altogether set apart from creation! He is altogether above and beyond anything man can grasp or imagine! He is altogether Sovereign over all things, He is Light, He is Truth, He is without spot or blemish, He is The One True Living God! 
  • This is holiness and we are to worship The Lord in the beauty of that holiness. Jesus only is the beauty of holiness! How absurd it is to think that we could produce any kind of beauty through self effort in the flesh! However, “through faith”, through faithful obedience God’s Word and faithfully abiding in Him, The Spirit of God through our flesh produces the fruit, the beauty of Christ’s Holiness, HIS Life, His Heart, His Testimony! Hallelujah!
  • Legalism tries to mimic holiness but is rooted in pride and the elevation of flesh. It works hard to maintain standards addressing the appearance of the outward man. It focuses on the letter and on the keeping of laws in self and corporately in others. It is strife, contention, prejudice and pride. There is a great temptation to teach the law, it often produces quick results, but it does not produce Life. It is flesh breeding flesh and will only produce death!
  • Legalism is pride in the flesh and pride, like bad body odour, can sometimes be hard to detect in ourselves but surely stinks to others! Here are some considerations to help identify/discern our hearts.
  • May our lives be marked by HIS holiness, by HIS love that fulfils the law, not the flesh which strives to keep it. May we be vessels for the outflowing of HIS LIFE and the fruit of HIS SPIRIT! May we tend to our own root and trust The Holy Spirit to produce HIS Fruit in us and others. It is HIS LIFE so serve The Lord in the beauty of submission to HIS Life! 

Galatians 2
18 For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God.
20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”