This miracle I’m going to tell you about, illustrated to me how amazingly God is outside time as we know it! He was compassionate and merciful in revealing to my husband and I, we had a neighbor who needed prayer and care, which included being driven to do shopping, when he could no longer drive.
The neighbour attracted my attention by showing me what a healing God had done over sixty years ago!
Continue reading “The Miracles”
Albert Einstein spoke of the greatest power on earth.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. 6Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. 7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be restrained; where there is knowledge, it will be dismissed. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when the perfect comes, the partial passes away.
11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside childish ways. 12Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.
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Luke 17:20-21 KJV
https://biblehub.com/commentaries/luke/17-21.htm
20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
‘…Is within you…”- This is capable of two interpretations.
There are those among us that believe that the arrival of the Kingdom of God, was heralded by the ministry of Jesus, via John, as option 2 above.
My own personal understanding is as option 1 above.
Whichever option we choose is up to us and I would not engage in an academic discussion as to which understanding is correct.
Being fully immersed at baptism in a Pentecostal denomination, I had followed option two. After a few years I left denominational fellowship and decided to, “go it on my own.” I spent eighteen years in the mission field before I had personal clarity about the Kingdom of God ‘within me’. This clarity worked for me and has done since that time.
Never before has the love of God been so realistic to me.(a useful note here; I started to search for God at the age of twelve years.)
Not only in a spiritual sense, but in a strong practical sense, on a day-to-day basis do I enjoy the thrill of God’s presence. I don’t preach or teach anymore, and I don’t know if I ever will again. If I did, I could only say, “God is within me, He is my inner being.”
I have come to the place of loving my fellow humans more than ever before and offer them assistance whenever, wherever and however possible. My prayer is that as His loves flows forth from me, others will desire that which has been given me so freely (Zech.8:23.)
My spiritual life is now very deep within me and I refer to the Protagonist of my life as ‘Father Coach’. I hope this expression won’t offend the more conventional among us. I call Him this because, He coaches me day and night, through work and play.
My use of words like Father, Him, He, are more in the secrecy of my heart, because I do not believe that one who is indescribable and whose works are far beyond the scope of my understanding can be caught up in the issues of sexism.
Whether you believe ‘in’ or ‘among’, ‘Father’ or ‘Mother’, ‘Him’ or ‘Her’; have peace, love your fellow humans; try not to judge anyone, enjoy and be grateful for the life you have been given.
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See my other site; www.sirpeterjames.com
Please feel free to send in questions and comments. Comments at bottom of each article and here for contact.
All rights reserved sirpeterjamesdotcom©2020-01-20
If you feel this article has value, please send this link to others, Writings are meant for people, not for dormant files in our computers and very often when we share them, it results in positive changes in the lives of individuals and communities.
One way to describe the character of God is this:
God is omnipotent (all powerful), but also omniscient (knows all things) and omnipresent (is everywhere at all times). God operates out of twelve dimensions. We humans see only three dimensions. For example: take a match box and hold it between your thumb and forefinger. Without moving it, how may sides can you see, only three. This is what is referred to as three dimensional.
Now, taking the same matchbox, God sees six sides outside, not just three; but at the same time He sees from the inside out; another six sides. This is called twelve dimensional. In addition to this He is the very source of all good things.
Continue reading “Who Creates Disaster?”
God Helps Those Who Help Themselves……….
How many times, were you told these words, when you were a young person growing up and discovering all the wonderful things in life?
Words from parents, family, friends, teachers, perhaps, some suggesting that these were the words of Jesus and at the very least – from the bible.
But, this of course, is not the case; the expression is simply a case of ancient Greek folklore and is not specifically stated in the scriptures
Continue reading “God Helps Those Who Help Themselves”
Some may be blessed enough to have a very kind and compassionate boss. Some on the other hand, may not be so blessed. Which category do you fall into?
Most people today are supposed to submit to one kind of authority or another, whether that be in a country (Government), at work (Manager) or perhaps at school/college (Student leaders/Deans). At the very least, we are all accountable to somebody near to us. Owners of companies are accountable to their employees. Husbands and Wives are accountable to each other. Presidents are accountable to their political party and the citizens of the country. All the way along in our social society, there is authority and accountability.
Scripture tells us that God appointed all who are in positions of authority… “those which exist are established by God”. This is a very interesting scripture. The scripture is followed with a warning….” Therefore, whoever resists
authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves” (Romans 13:1-7).
Paul goes on to say that the purpose of God appointing authority over us, is to teach obedience. To teach us to follow in His ways. To teach us to become more like God. In another scripture, In Phil.2:12-13, Paul tells us to …. “work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure”, showing us that our path to the Lord is a daily process of change. God uses authority around us for the purpose of ‘growing’ us towards Him.
So, let’s look at this in a more practical way.
The boss, who’s my boss, has been appointed into a position of authority over me by God for a season of time, however long or short that may be. When my boss issues an instruction to me, how do I react? Do I:
If the Lord will help us to understand His word, then we will see that there is only one way to complete the task…as unto the Lord. When we rebel against our boss, we are not only rebelling against him/her, we are rebelling against God’s appointed authority over us.
The same goes for the country that we live in. “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Luke 20:25). Jesus tells us that we should obey the Government which is in authority over us. Worldly wisdom tells us that the crime is in getting caught disobeying. If nobody catches us disobeying, then we have got away with the infringement. However, God sees.
Jesus did not say that we should obey the government only if we agree with them…no – He said obey them. If any authority appointed by God does not obey God e.g. Does not govern the country correctly, or manage a company fairly, then God will judge them, and they will be answerable to HIM. Obviously if the government or other authority issue laws contrary to God’s word, then we cannot obey.
If we are not paying our taxes, obeying traffic laws or unfairly treating people, then we are rebelling against the authority God has placed above us. It may be easy for us to deceive the taxman in our assessments – but God sees. We are not disobeying the Government, but God alone.
If we are taking part in a social club of some sort, sport or recreation, the clubs have rules. It is very easy for us to ‘alter or bend’ the rules to suit us. It is simple to hide from the club management and get away with our wrong – but God sees.
In the book of Philippians, we see that Jesus, when He came to this earth, had to empty himself of His Godly deity 
and become a man in every respect (except He was sinless). Hebrews chapter 5:8 tells us that Jesus had to learn obedience – that is astounding!
When Jesus came to the earth, he came as a man in order that we would have an example to follow (1Peter 2:21-22). Therefore, if Jesus had to learn obedience, then so should we. In many previous articles, we have agreed that in our own strength, we cannot obey. We have to allow God, through His Holy Spirit in us, to teach and guide us daily.
Remember: Today when you receive an instruction, it is God who has allowed that instruction to come to you, through a vessel you may or may not see eye to eye with. Obey because God asks you, not because mankind tells you.
From: “…time with the Master…”
“…time with the Master…” is an on-going series of teachings, about lifestyle in the Church and is published bi-monthly.
If you feel this article has value, please send this link to others, Writings are meant for people, not for dormant files in our computers and very often when we share them, it results in positive changes in the lives of individuals and communities.
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“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.”
Is. 43:18-19
“So, don’t worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will bring its own worries.
Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
Matt. 6.34.
All time is an illusion. Today becomes tomorrow. Tomorrow becomes today. So, it has been since the creation of the universe.
Reality is, that all time is always now and now is all we have, not yesterday, not tomorrow.
If I allow myself to drift into thinking backward, there is a good chance I will create a sense of shame or guilt in myself.
If I think forward, then I have potential to feel fearful, anxious.
The safe place is always now. Because in this moment called now, I am equipped to deal with issues of shame, guilt, fear and anxiety, which, had the truth be known, are all illusionary emotions anyway.
In this safe place, I am equipped with weapons to deal with my true enemy – my ‘self’.
My self uses thoughts as weapons. Thoughts of shame, guilt, fear and anxiety.
The first reaction I have had, when I awake from a nightmare, is a great sense of relief. Relief, that I was only in a dream state and the lion about to attack me was only illusionary. For a while, I sit still, sweating, with heart beating, trying to recover from how real the illusion was.
Every day, in each moment, triggers bring back past shame and guilt – bring fear and anxiety for tomorrow.
Religion teaches that in such moments, I should cry out to God. Why?
Why cry out, when the Spirit of the living God resides, full time, within me; keeping me safe, advising me with wise counsel, loving me?
In all His thirty-three years, Jesus never cried out to His Father for help – he simply used the mighty power of His Father’s Spirit within Him to accomplish!
With one exception; on the cross of his crucifixion he cried out to God,
“Eloi, Eloi, lama, sabacthani?” ‘Daddy, where are you, I feel so alone’ (My translation.)
In dying, the Spirit of His Father had to leave Him.
The Spirit of the living God is within you now, so live with it in this moment called now.
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“Jesus came to die for my sins” – we have heard the expression many times – so many times, that I think it has begun to sound a bit like a ‘stuck record’. After hearing these words so many times, they seem to have lost their power. They don’t seem to cut as deeply into our hearts as they perhaps once did. Do the words still pierce deep into our souls and do we really appreciate what an amazing gift we have been given?
Before the foundation of time, a very serious board meeting was convened. The board consisted of the triune Godhead – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. At this meeting God’s plan for mankind was discussed. God wanted to bring His Peace and Joy into all the world and the heavens. However, the Godhead saw that rebellion against God would set in. The heavenly beings – Angels – would rebel against God’s authority and the earthly beings – Mankind – would disobey God’s instructions.
What a relief that the Godhead not only had a solution to the situation, but they knew before the foundation of time, that rebellion was going to occur! There was a time in my life when I thought that God was sitting on His throne in the heavens dealing with problems on the earth daily as they occurred. Can you imagine God looking at a certain situation in a country and saying, “Oops…? I didn’t see that coming!”. That would be a pretty scary situation for us to be in. No – God knew before the foundation of time, ALL that HAS occurred on the earth – ALL that IS occurring on the earth – and ALL that WILL occur on the earth. This applies to our personal lives as well.
It was decided at the meeting that Jesus’ death on the cross would be the restitution or sacrifice for this rebellion. Those who wanted to be restored back to God, would have a way back through the Son. For this to happen, Jesus would have to come to the earth as a man. Let’s just think about this statement for a while…Jesus had to become a man.
The Godhead’s plan began to unfold. Satan rebelled against God in the heavenlies, and Adam disobeyed God in the garden of Eden. Jesus, the Son of God, in order to enter the world as a man, had to empty himself of his deity and everything associated with His power in God. It is relatively easy for mankind to be humbled and begin to be obedient to God, because as mankind, we have much less to lose. How much greater for Jesus to remove all the Godly power within Himself?
Jesus became a man in every respect, except that He never sinned. Not only did He become a man, but He became the lowest of all men. A servant to those around Him – a target to those who hated Him – a sacrifice for those he didn’t even know. The lowliest of all, and never once did He complain or react badly in the situations, He found Himself in.
At any point during His life on earth, Jesus could have succumbed to the temptations around Him. He could have fallen into sin, being a man in all respects. Even if He had fallen into sin, He could have gone back to heaven as part of the Godhead because He is inherently the Son of God. However, He would not have received Glory and Lordship from God on His return. This would mean that at His second coming, He could not be honoured and glorified by all.
As a man, Jesus resisted all temptation. Through Him, God gave us an example to follow. Never could it be said that Jesus did not sin because He is the Son of God. No – He was a man – emptied of God and humbled as a human. Therefore, ALL the world has an opportunity to be reconciled back to God through Jesus – not only rich or poor, educated or uneducated, culture or no culture, but ALL who seek Him. At the second coming of Jesus, the scripture tells us that EVERY KNEE will bow, and EVERY TONGUE will confess “Jesus is Lord”, also the “Kingdoms of this world will be the Kingdoms of our Lord”. God bestowed Lordship upon Jesus because He resisted temptation and sin.
It would be good for us to dwell on this truth and allow God, through the power of His Spirit, to reveal to us the totality of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. Emptying Himself of His Father’s deity to become the lowest of all humankind. This is surely a good reason to honor and worship Him all through our day. Hallelujah!
Hopefully when we next hear the phrase, “Jesus came to die for my sins”, we will recall the depth of its meaning and really appreciate how much love the Father has for us.
From: “…time with the Master…”
“…time with the Master…” is an on-going series of teachings, about lifestyle in the Church and is published bi-monthly.
If you feel this article has value, please send this link to others, Writings are meant for people, not for dormant files in our computers and very often when we share them, it results in positive changes in the lives of individuals and communities.
Please feel free to send in questions (see ‘Contact’) and comments (hit ‘Comments’
button).
From the depths of despair, O LORD,
I call for your help.
Hear my cry, O Lord.
Pay attention to my prayer.
LORD, if you kept a record of our sins,
who, O Lord, could ever survive?
But you offer forgiveness,
that we might learn to fear you.
I am counting on the LORD;
yes, I am counting on him.
I have put my hope in his word.
I long for the Lord
more than sentries long for the dawn,
yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.
O Israel, hope in the LORD;
for with the LORD there is unfailing love.
His redemption overflows.
He himself will redeem Israel
from every kind of sin.
How often have you cried out to God in the misery of your circumstances. How often have you sought an answer to the problems you have faced, the fears that you could not face?
The authorship of this Psalm is anonymous, but it echoes a cry like many that King David wrote.
David, the warrior King, beloved of all Israel, cried out to God more often than he rejoiced. In moments of fear, failure, guilt, frustration, loneliness, he cried out to God. Almost every emotion you and I have experienced in our lives, David experienced.
‘De Profundis…” out of the depths of our pain we cry, because our eyes are seeing ourselves only and do not have the time and perception to understand why we have found ourselves in our predicament.
Although God in His compassion, laments with us, His reason differs from ours. We lament because of ourselves, our emotion; God, because, we lack understanding that He longs for us to have.
The psalmist points to the problem – sin. (sin is probably the most misunderstood word in the bible) The state of ‘sin’ is no more than being apart from God – doing our own thing, to use a contemporary expression.
The intense hope of the Psalmist is seeing the dawn of redemption, the dawn of the Son of Man, God incarnate – Jesus.
The Psalmist’s hope was reserved for another dawn; the dawn reserved for you and me. A hope free from all the cares and anxieties of this life.
Out of the depths of this dawn is the greatest treasure of all.
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If you feel this article has value, please send this link to others, Writings are meant for people, not for dormant files in our computers and very often when we share them, it results in positive changes in the lives of individuals and communities.
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We are naturally self-centred and therefore it is not easy for us to accept negative things that other people say about us. When we do not agree, the built-in instinct to defend ourselves, criticise situations and blame others, raises its head.
This is true of us in our general lifestyle – our daily work place and at home. It seems the closer to ‘home’ (family members) we are, the more sensitive and explosive our reaction can get.
Why is this happening to us?
Pride, when born out of the Adam nature, causes us to react in a negative way when we are offended. Once offended, our reaction is either anger, retaliation, withdrawal or feelings of guilt.
One of the natural characteristics that we are born with, pride, comes to us from the fallen nature of Adam. It is interesting that Adam was created in the Image and Likeness of God. This image and likeness showed the true nature of God reflecting in Adam. He could not only see God, but could fellowship directly with Him. Adam’s way of thinking was based in God’s nature.
When they disobeyed God, Adam and Eve lost their Image and likeness of God. The self-centred ‘Adamic’ nature was then transferred down the line of humankind to us today. All the human cultures we know today were born out of this fallen nature, which is not restricted to certain races – ALL of humanity have received it.
That is why we tend to react in a negative way when things don’t go according to the way we want them to.
If we have people in our midst that always appear to be irritating us, we need to either continue with the relationship and endure the misery (for however long), or we need to confront the situation and ask God to help us deal with it.
Let us look at the example of a person or persons who we don’t seem to get on with. The closer that person is to our heart, the stronger the irritation to us. For those who are not close to us, we may tend just to brush them aside or at least not have contact with them for the majority of our day. Those we love are closer to us and it is not so easy to merely brush the situation ‘under the carpet’, so to speak.
Let us think about this ….
If the person who is the source of our irritation were physically ill with a terminal sickness, how would we react to them? Perhaps if they were not close to us, we may still tend to push them one side. However, if they were close family members, surely we would find ourselves caring for them. Doing whatever we can to make their lives that bit more comfortable.
Why is it then when these people, so close to us, have emotional characteristics we do not agree with, we seem to take offense? It appears the last thing we want to do is to ‘nurse’ them through the emotional illness, as we would do with a physical illness.
If we love a person, we want to see them physically healthy. Surely, it stands to reason therefore, that we would want 
to see them emotionally healthy?
Is the prideful Adamic nature in us preventing us from nursing our loved ones’ emotional character? If this emotional imperfection were terminal in that person, would we turn our backs on them?
Let us seek the Lord and ask Him to help us begin to live out of the new (Godlike) nature within us and not the old Adam nature. As God’s nature in us grows and strengthens, we will show more Godly fruit in our lives and have more compassion in circumstances. Patience is earned, not given to us by God. He gives us grace (unmerited favour) to overcome.
From: “time with the Master…”
“…time with the Master…” is an on-going series of teachings, about lifestyle in the Church and is published bi-monthly.
If you feel this article has value, please send this link to others, Writings are meant for people, not for dormant files in our computers and very often when we share them, it results in positive changes in the lives of individuals and communities.
Please feel free to send in questions (see ‘Contact’) and comments (hit ‘Comments’
button).
Ad Crucem Christi - The Cross of Christ 