Words Of Jesus

They are foundational to our faith. They give us an insight into the mission heart and mind of our Saviour. They are often controversial in nature and full of personal challenge. Yes, the words of Jesus!

In select Bibles they are in red, but seldom read. It's surprising to realize how little the Church focusses on the words of Jesus nowadays, opting to give priority to the experiential content of the Psalms, or the exhortative passages of the Apostle Paul or the like.

With this in mind, our weekly Bible discussion group have just commenced working through the words of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels and Revelation. The conversation and comments that arise week by week are both informative and inspiring ~ proving that the words of Jesus are still as effective now as they were then.

If you get an opportunity read them for yourself, ponder them...and then allow them to transform you!

Matthew 10:32 (NKJV) ~ "...whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven."

Reflection on Praise

Today has been a continuous expression of praise to God ranging from vibrant, melodious strains of a visiting gospel choir, to personal participation in a reflective ecumenical communion service, to the soul-inspiring talents of a group of Christ-motivated young musicians and the proven personal testimony of life-long, faithful followers.

At Rowville this morning, Brian Hogg mentioned that "praise is not worship; it is the completion of worship". This got me thinking and searching some thoughts based on the subject of praise.

C S Lewis, in his book Reflections on the Psalms, says that "all enjoyment spontaneously flows into praise". It's true that spouses praise their beloved, readers praise their favorite book, food-lovers their dish of choice, etc. We love to praise the things we enjoy because praise is not just the expression of that joy, but also the completion of it.

As people of faith, our praise for God needs to overflow out of our joy in God. To praise Him is to enjoy God to the fullest. Surely, it is in fully enjoying God that we glorify Him the best. Living lives of praise, then, means being saturated with joy in God.

Praise Him with melody; praise Him with song

Tell of His holiness, all the day long

Give Him all majesty earth can afford

Praise Him with melody; praise ye the LORD!

Friendships

The wise King Solomon once deducted that "a sweet friendship refreshes the soul". How right he was! After a rather challenging week, it was refreshing for us to touch base with one of our close friends and spend some quality time together.

Friendship offers us the opportunity to share on a deeper level than the common daily 'surface contacts' we make. Close friendships provide us with a comfortable environment in which to be open and upfront, enabling us to engage in ways that promote personal growth.

How much more rewarding, then, when close friends share a common faith in Jesus Christ! We're truly blessed when we interact on the spiritual level of God-friendships.

2 Corinthians 13:14 (MSG) ~ "The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you."

An Exciting Opportunity

I was thrilled to receive news yesterday of my appointment to the Melbourne Staff Songsters as a member of the gospel choir's tenor section.

Having been an MSS member from 1989-1993, I am very aware of both the personal privilege and ministry responsibility of this additional appointment, and am determined to give of my personal best in this new, exciting endeavour.

I'm looking forward with anticipation to taking an active part in the MSS's vocal evangelism and am expecting a great personal blessing of fellowship in the process.

Isaiah 12:5 (MSG) ~ "Sing praise-songs to God. He's done it all! Let the whole earth know what he's done!"

A Royal Laugh

I was sent this picture titled "UK Credit Crunch" and found it quite amusing. It's a lighter side to the gravity of the stockmarket crisis, and it cracks me up everytime I view it.


Ecclesiastes 10:19 (MSG) ~ "Laughter and bread go together, and wine gives sparkle to life — but it's money that makes the world go around."

A Powerful Assurance

While chatting with a few nursing home residents this morning, the conversation topic turned to the global financial crisis the world is facing. In response to our discussion, one of the Salvo residents piped up, "Cap, I lived through the 30s Depression, and I said it then and I say it now: 'Take the world, but give me Jesus. He alone can satisfy...'!"

The comment, though unpredictable, was full of Christian optimism and made us all smile in agreement. The resident's personal experience spoke loud and clear about her own priorities and the important role that faith and hope continue to play in her own journey.

Never underestimate the power of personal assurance!

Song 6, verse 2 ~ Albert Ernest Dalziel
Forbid that man's achievements should cause our faith to wane
Or seek in human wisdom our spirit to sustain
Lord, surely thou art shaping all things to thy design
And born of this conviction is faith to match our time.

A Timely Word For The World

As the world is experiencing the uncertainties of the global financial crisis, here's a timely word from God's Word that we considered in our chapel service today.

Romans 8:18 ~ “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."

Paul goes on the mention God's 'gift of hope'. Likewise, the Bible points us to a hope that is greater than the world we live in. We are reminded that we need to live life with an eternal perspective. If we are in Christ, we have been infused with an eternal sense of hopefulness.

Romans 8:24-25 ~ "For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”

Faith in Christ keeps us from settling for the things of this world, and Christian hope helps us turn our eyes away from our own pain to focus on God's glory.

Hallelujah, we have the hope of future glory now!