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Planting, watering

“It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Paul, in this chapter, is dealing with factions developing within the Corinthian church. The enemy was dividing the people with their loyalties. One was devoted to Paul and another to a man called Apollos. I am grateful for this message because Paul reminds us that it is God who gives growth to the seed. We can, so easily, become distracted and make idols of people, only to have them torn down before our eyes. I listen to many preachers and they are all different, but all good. They each have a different flavour. However, I find my time, alone, in the word with the Lord the best, because He is the best! He brings me revelation...
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Calling out

“For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬ The first to call upon the name of the Lord was the thief on the cross. For him to do this he would have had a revelation that Jesus was who He said He was, the Son of God. He said, “Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom!” And Jesus replied, “today you will be with me in paradise!” (Luke 23:42,43). The thief was not a godly person, had not sat at Jesus’ feet, was not a disciple, he saw and believed. There will be many unchurched in heaven. Beside all the aborted babies who grow up there, there will be many who have such a conversion at death, then the rest of us. The heart of God the Father is that none be lost, He is forever reaching out. Let us be likewise! Amen! https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=dhU-Omwg2rU&si=DkrRiAotVGT148sR
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The new birth

“Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭2‬:‭38‬ ‭NLT‬‬ What Peter said is basically what is needed to be a Christian. I am not a Christian because I was raised by parents who took me to church; by living in a Christian country, but by actually having an encounter with the Lord. I still remember the night He came and showed me my sins, I was grievously aware of them and repented and asked for forgiveness. He then told me, “go to Anne!” Annie was a Christian friend who knew Jesus like I did not, she had a personal relationship with Him. I went and she opened my eyes to the scriptures. we prayed together and i knew had become a new being. i resisted baptism as I had been baptised as an infant, however, watching others be baptised and the change it brought, I joyfully joined in. A few weeks later I was baptis...
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The light

“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”  John‬ ‭8‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Jesus was teaching in the temple at the Feast of Tabernacles. One of the things celebrated at this feast was the light that God led the people in the wilderness by. The chandeliers in the women’s court would be lit all night and the people would dance. When Jesus said He was the light of the world, He identifies himself with the light that led the people of Israel. Whilst the light of the chandileers was temporary He was offering permanence. He used the words, ‘  I am’. God was know as the ‘great I am’. Jesus was giving His opponents fuel for their fire. For us who come to Him, He is our light when we are surrounded by darkness. Yesterday, I troubled my mind about a planned trip to Denmark for a friends wedding. I thrashed about doing my sums wanting to be wise. When the pe...
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Workers

“He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Matthew‬ ‭9‬:‭37‬-‭38‬ ‭NLT‬‬ There are many Christians but few of them are workers. I can also fail to see the harvest right in front of me at times. I can be distracted by fellowship with other saints. This happens on Sundays when I go to church, lunch afterwards and then coffee and sweets at my place, along with a game or two (this happens now and then, especially when one friend who lives further away from the city comes to church). Several of my friends and I like to play a card game called 5 Crowns, or another called Skippbo. We chat about the week and the future wedding in Denmark we will attend. It is usually my only chance to see these friends, unless they also attend our weekly Bible study and then they are busy chatting to others. As I reflect on the people in the harvest I interacted with yesterday I w...
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The Good News

“For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.”  Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Back in 1974, I turned 21. For my birthday my husband to be gave me a Bible with this verse underlined. In 1974 we were all on fire and wanting to share the gospel of Christ. It is still a potent verse today.  Why did Paul write this verse? In verse 14 he wrote: ‘I am obligated both to Greeks and babarians. Who were Babarians? Not the Romans, but rather the people of Spain and Asia Minor. Again why did he write verse 16? Why would he be ashamed of the gospel? A crucified Jew being God seemed strange to Roman ears. The Romans despised the Jews. Those crucified were the lowest of low in society.  Onky the Holy Spirit could make any testimony powerful, and this He did. The book of Romans is a powerful letter about the truth of the gospel. Peopel are saved by faith. Faith is not the cause of salvation,...
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A new heart

“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭36‬:‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Whilst this prophetic word was spoken to Israel, and speaks of a time in the mellennium, when Jesus will return to earth, it also applies to an encounter with Him now. A new heart is exactly what He gave me, a heart to love and obey Him. In the born again experience this transformation takes place just as soon as I confessed my sin, asked forgiveness for my sin and asked Jesus to come and live in my heart. His Holy Spirit came in and now resides there. This transformation was an act of grace on His part and faith on mine. Jesus loves us so much He had already paid the price for our freedom from sin and the gift of eternal life. I can trust in this! I can , by faith, live out of that new heart. It loves Jesus and it loves others. Amen!
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