THIS LITTLE CHILD 

"This Little Child" is a powerful song written and sung by American Christian music artist/missionary , Scott Wesley Brown, and featured on his 1981 album "SWB." The song, as you probably already realize, is about the child, Jesus and His impact on humanity as He grew to become a man, and fulfilled His purpose as the Saviour of the world. The lyrics to this song are:

Who would of thought

That long ago, and very far away

A little child would be born

And in a manger laid

And who would have thought 

This little child

Was born the King of kings

The son of just a carpenter

But for whom the angels sing

And who would have thought

That as He grew

And with other children played

This child with whom 

They laughed and sang

Would die for them some day

And who would have thought 

This little child

Could make a blind man see

Feed the hungry, make rich the poor

And set the sinner free

Oh, who would have thought

This little child

Was who the prophets said

Would take away the sins of man

And rise up from the dead

Oh, I believe and I will always sing

This little child is the King

Oh, I believe and I will always sing

This little child

He is the King of kings

Many years have come and gone

Yet this world remains the same

Empires have been built and fallen

Only time has made a change

Nation against nation

Brother against brother

Men so filled with hatred

Killing one another

And over half the world is starving

While our banner of decency is torn

Debating over disarmament

Killing children before they're born

And fools who march to win the right

To justify their sin

Oh, every nation that has fallen

Has fallen from within

Yet, in the midst of this darkness

There is light, a hope that burns

This little child

The King of kings

Someday will return

And I believe and I will always sing

This little child is the King

And I believe and I will always sing

This little child

He is the King of kings

And who would have thought this little child

Is who the prophets said

Will return to judge this world

The living and the dead

Oh, can't you see

That long ago, so very far away

This little child our only hope

Was born a King that day

In Philippians 2:5-8, the apostle Paul, speaking to all who identify as being Christians, true followers of Christ:

Let this mind be in you all.

which was also in Christ Jesus,

who, being in the form of God,

did not consider equality with God something to be grasped;

But He emptied Himself, 

taking upon Himself the form of a servant,

and was made in the likeness of men.

And being found in the form of a man,

He humbled Himself 

and became obedient to death,

even death on a cross.

The CHRISTMAS season is here once again, when we remember with great joy, the birth of the baby Jesus in a dirty stable in the town of Bethlehem, not far from Jerusalem - where He was laid in a manger, an animal feeding trough filled with hay.

Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit together make up what is known as the Trinity, the One true God who has always existed - this same Jesus willingly became one of us, born into this world, taking on a human body, and in so doing, emptied Himself of some of His divine attributes and privileges while confined in time and space during His thirty three years living amongst us in bodily form.

The Greek word kenosis describing the self-emptying in the above passage in Philippians 2 makes it clear that Jesus as the God-man could not be everywhere present, all-knowing and all-powerful in Himself. The Bible says that He fully relied on the power of the Holy Spirit within Him, and only did those things told to Him by the Father.

Of Jesus, the apostle Paul states in Colossians 1:

By Him all things were created that are in heaven and in earth, visible and invisible, whether they are thrones or dominions, or principalities or powers. All things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things and by Him, all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the Church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all fullness should dwell, and to reconcile all things to Himself by Him, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him I say - whether they are things on earth or things in heaven.

And you, who were formerly alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless, and above reproach in his sight.

Isaiah says that: All our righteousnesses before God are as filthy rags. Romans 3:23  states that: All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

The Greek word for sin hamartia means "to miss the mark." One way of picturing this is that of someone shooting arrows at a target. No matter how hard one tries to hit the target, the arrows all fall short. Once, the Bible says, we were a people without God, and without hope in the world.

Once we were not a people, but are now the people of God (speaking of those who have committed their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ).

Speaking of Jesus, the Word of God says that: He became sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

We who were far away from the covenants and promises of God have been brought near by the blood of Jesus.

At CHRISTMAS, we remember God sending His Son to earth to be born in a humble stable. Today we honor and worship Him as the crucified, and risen Lord of Glory, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of God, who, as the Bible says, ever lives to make intercession for us.

TIME FOR CESSATIONISTS 

TO CEASE AND DESIST

Part Two

I finished the first part of this blog theme by stating that Pastor John MacArthur, Senior Pastor of Grace Community Church in Los Angeles, California since 1966, President of the Reformed theological seminary, Masters Seminary and Masters University- highly respected as a pastor and author, having written or edited well over one hundred and fifty books, in many respects has a theology that many across the body of Christ would agree with.

In relation to the Person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Godhead, there are also many aspects that most evangelicals as well as Pentecostals and Charismatics would agree with him about. For example, in the Doctrinal Statement of Masters College, concerning the Holy Spirit:

                The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity, coequal, and coeternal with the Father and the Son

                The Holy Spirit is not merely a force or a power but a distinct divine person who thinks, wills, speaks and can be grieved

                We teach that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to execute the divine will with relation to all mankind. We recognize His sovereign activity in creation, the incarnation (the embodiment of God the Son in human flesh as Jesus Christ), the written revelation and the work of salvation.

                We teach that the work of the Holy Spirit in this age began at Pentecost when He was sent by the Father and the Son as promised by Christ to initiate and complete the building of the Body of Christ, which is the church. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin and righteousness and judgment, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ and transforms believers  into the image of Christ

                We teach that the Holy Spirit is the supernatural agent in regeneration, indwelling believers, also sanctifies them, instructs them, empowers them for service and seals them unto the day of redemption

                We teach that the Holy Spirit is the divine Teacher, who guided the apostles and prophets into all truth as they wrote God's special revelation, the Bible. Every believer possesses the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit from the moment of salvation and it is the duty of all those born of the Spirit to be filled with the Spirit

                We believe that the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to the church unto its edification.

All of the above statements are supported with Biblical references, which are able to be viewed on the Masters Seminary website. Just Google Masters Seminary. Click on the heading: Why TMS, then click on Doctrinal Statement.

It is the last statement concerning the ministry of the Holy Spirit that sets off alarm bells to MANY OF those who rightly divide the Word of God as Biblical truth to the church of Jesus Christ. John MacArthur and Masters Seminary hold to this belief:

                We teach that God, the Holy Spirit is sovereign in bestowing all His gifts for the perfecting of the saints today (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Ephesians 4:7-12) - SO FAR SO GOOD - AND THAT SPEAKING IN TONGUES AND THE WORKING OF SIGN MIRACLES IN THE BEGINNING DAYS OF THE CHURCH HAVE NOW CEASED (1 Cor. 13:8-10; Ephesians 2:20), HAVING FULFILLED THEIR PURPOSE OF POINTING TO AND AUTHENTICATING THE APOSTLES AS REVEALERS OF DIVINE TRUTH (2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:1-4). THE MIRACULOUS GIFTS WERE NEVER INTENDED TO BE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE LIVES OF BELIEVERS(e.g., 1 Timothy 5:23)

REALLY!!! I MEAN - REALLY!!!

One of the main texts that John MacArthur and other cessationists use to justify their position that the gifts of the Holy Spirit given in 1 Corinthians 12, as well as the so-called ascension-gift ministries of apostles and prophets given to the church by Jesus in Ephesians 4:11-13 have ceased is that when the canon of Scripture -the Bible was complete and all the early apostles had all died, that there was no more need for Christians to seek revelation from God outside the Word of God, and that the sign gifts of healing and miracles were no longer needed to authenticate God's truth.

They also justify their position by quoting 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

They believe that the statement: when that which is perfect has come to mean the completion of the canon of Scripture, the Bible as we know it today. This is very poor exegesis (exegesis= critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially Scripture). Paul did not mean that. He meant that when Jesus comes back for His church, then we will have a full revelation of God- as it says in 1 Corinthians 13:11,12 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. We certainly do not yet see God face to face.

It is very sad that those of the Cessationist camp see the restoration of Holy-Spirit endowed supernatural gifts such as those listed in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, and manifestations of God's Spirit being poured out in these days with Christians having dreams and visions, and NOW WORDS of Prophecy - as aberrations of the true expression of the Word of God.

In fact, since the beginning of the twentieth century, we have seen God restoring Pentecostal power and revelation gifts to the church, and in recent decades, other aspects of divine order coming back into leadership of the church, with the ministry offices of prophet and in more recent years, that of apostle being restored to the church.

I heard one of the leading Cessationist teachers, Steve Lawson, say in an online video: No one hears a word today! (from the Holy Spirit). REALLY!!!😲 He meant that if it is not in the Bible, it cannot be from God.

Another man said: No one has the gift of healing today!! Again, REALLY!! The pages of history of the church since the start of the last century are filled with the healing and miracle ministries of outstanding men AND women of God whose lives  and ministries have attested to the present-day manifestation of God's sign giftings being displayed for His glory, and because of His great love and compassion for people. People such as Maria Woodworth-Etter, Aimee Semple-Macpherson, Smith Wigglesworth, A.A. Allen, Oral Roberts, Kathryn Kuhlman, F.F.  Bosworth, and in more recent years, Australian healing ministries such as the late John Mellor and Mark Hemans. All of these servants of the Lord Jesus Christ had healings and outstanding miracles following the preaching of the Word of God, the Word of faith in God. Truly, the Bible is totally correct in saying about Jesus: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

The Spirit of God is moving today in Revival power! While darkness and evil are increasing in the world, God is on the move, bringing hope, healing and honor to the Living God, as the name of Jesus is being lifted up like a banner of righteousness for all to behold His glory. 

Jesus said in John 14:12 "Most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these will he [or she] do, because I go to My Father." He did not say that these greater works would be done by the first apostles only. No, this was an encouragement to ALL BELIEVERS in Jesus for all time.

Also in the Great Commission as stated in Mark 16:15 And He said to them [the eleven remaining apostles], "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

It is high time for Cessationists to cease and desist from promulgating their false doctrines relating to the operation of the Holy Spirit in the church today, and also in relation to other aberrant teachings such as that women should not preach or teach.

As Jesus said to those Jews who believed in Him, in John 8:32 "If you continue in My Word, then you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free."

TIME FOR CESSATIONISTS 

TO CEASE AND DESIST 

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4

But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

            And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,

            That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;

            Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

            Your young men shall see visions,

            Your old men shall dream dreams.

                   And on My menservants and on My

            maidservants

            I will pour out My Spirit in those days;

            And they shall prophesy.

            And it shall come to pass 

            That whoever calls on the name of the 

            LORD

            Shall 

            be saved. Acts 2:16-18, 21.

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant.

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

1 Corinthians 12:1, 4-11, 27-31 NKJV

One day last week, I listened to a well-known Christian broadcaster here in Australia on a short radio segment highlighting notable Christians who have gone before. On this particular day, she spoke about Dr. John MacArthur, Senior Pastor of Grace Community Church in California. She stated that he has been pastor of this church since 1966 - indeed a truly amazing testimony to his longevity in ministry. He is now in his early eighties. She stated that he has written or edited well over 150 books. She further stated that MacArthur produced the MacArthur Study Bible, stating that she had one and it is her favourite study Bible, and it has sold over a million copies. That is also an amazing achievement. No doubt, many hundreds of hours went into the compiling of the study notes and theological comments on particular verses and passages throughout the Bible.

She further stated that he spent forty-three years expounding the New Testament to his church - book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, line by line and word by word. Again, an indication of the thoroughness and the seriousness with which he considers the importance of the truth of the Word of God. Indeed John MacArthur is a strong proponent of expositional teaching of the Scriptures. He was President of Masters College and also founded Masters Seminary in 1986 to train young men for pastoral ministry. 

She went on to say it would be safe to say that John MacArthur is one of the best Bible expositors alive on planet Earth today. The motto of his ministry is: Releasing God's Truth One Verse At A Time.

It is certainly true that many evangelical, Pentecostal and Charismatic leaders respect the veracity of much of his theology and cannot fault his teaching on subjects such as: The Word of God contained in the sixty-six books of the Bible were wholly inspired by the Holy Spirit, God-breathed, and that every word in the original texts was inerrant - without error, the sufficiency of Christ for salvation, the ministry of angels, and the pre-tribulation catching away of the saints to meet the Lord in the air, known as the Rapture. There are some areas of disagreement, such as Election and Eternal Security, key positions of the Reformed Church movement.

BUT, when it comes to the present day operation and gifting of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church - and the make-up of ministry giftings to the church for the equipping of believers for the work of the ministry, and areas such as women in ministry: THAT'S WHERE MACARTHUR'S AND OTHERS OF HIS PERSUASION FIND THEIR THEOLOGY GOING PEAR-SHAPED! 

More: SOON!

NO COMPROMISE

So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west,

And His glory from the rising of the sun;

When the enemy comes in like a flood,

"The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.

The Redeemer will come to Zion,

and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,"

Says the LORD.

"As for Me," says the LORD, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants," says the LORD, 'from this time and forevermore."

Arise, shine; 

For your light has come!

And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you,

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.

The Gentiles shall come to your light,

And kings to the brightness of your rising.

Lift up your eyes all around, and see:

They all gather together, they come to you;

Your sons shall come from afar,

And your daughters shall be nursed at your side.

Then you shall see and become radiant,

And your heart shall swell with joy;

Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,

The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you. Isaiah 59:19-60:5

We are living in times when there is a "line being drawn in the sand" as it were for Christians and the Christian Church. The enemy is coming in like a flood across the earth, as satan knows his time is short - that Jesus is coming back for His bride, the Church, the Body of Christ, and those Messianic Jews who have embraced Jesus Christ in truth, as their longed for Messiah. We are told in Scripture prophetically that at a certain point in time, following a seven-year period of the outpouring of God's wrath on the earth in what is called the Great Tribulation, Jesus Christ will return to rule and reign from Jerusalem as King of kings and Lord of lords for a one thousand year period. More about these future events at another time!

As we approach these end-times, it is very clear that satan is working overtime to do exactly as Jesus said he would, in John 10:10 "The thief [satan] comes to steal, kill and destroy....." human lives by any means at his disposal. We are seeing increasingly a well-orchestrated attack on human life, from the womb to the grave. Abortion, the deliberate murder of babies during, and now up to full-term with a significant number of failed late term abortions (seeing healthy babies delivered) resulting in healthy newborns being left for hours to die is rampant, with probably hundreds of millions of babies being disposed of in the past fifty years - worldwide.

My wife, Tessa made an interesting observation the other day concerning the fact, that here in Australia, a significant number of failed late term aborted babies have been left in cold metal trays, sometimes for a number of hours - to die. Why, she posed, if they are going to kill them, don't they give them an injection to kill them quickly, instead of just leaving them to suffer food and warmth deprivation.

Euthanasia, which once was seen as barbaric and against the best ethos upholding the Hippocratic Oath of the medical profession here in Australia, has been legalised in every jurisdiction of the nation, with the Australian Capital Territory today enacting the most liberal of Euthanasia laws, even allowing teenagers to be afforded state-sanctioned suicide for conditions even such as severe depression in an otherwise healthy individual.

By way of interest, the Hippocratic Oath in Australia states the following:

I will maintain the utmost respect for human life; I will not use my medical knowledge to violate human rights and civil liberties, even under threat; I make these promises solemnly, freely and upon my honour.

Interesting that the name Hippocrates and the word "hypocrite." are so similar.

Then there is whole area of the Rainbow Brigade, with all the demonically 'inspired" inroads these warped distortions of gender and sexuality are pervading society, and sadly impacting negatively children and youth, creating confusion and loss of their God-designed identity.

WE NEED A REVIVAL - A TRUE HOLY GHOST AWAKENING

Most Christians, if they have been around for a while will know the injunction given in 2 Chronicles 7:14 in the Old Testament at the dedication of Solomon's temple:

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

The enemy is coming in like a flood. Persecution against Christians is increasing rapidly around the world. It is clear that persecution against Christians in Western nations is also on the rise, with legislation before parliaments to try to restrict Christian witness, and to seek to silence the Christian voice.

This is not a time for Christians, true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ to compromise their testimony and the Word of the Living God, in order to seem relevant in a society that is descending into deeper darkness and depravity.

This is a time for Christians to be bold, to be strong in the Lord, fully clothed in the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). The Bible tells us that the fear of the Lord is  the beginning of wisdom. It also says that the fear of the Lord is to hate evil.

As true Christians, we must love the sinner, but hate the sin. The Bible tells us that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Standing boldly for Biblical truth without compromise may not win you the first prize in a popularity contest. We have to be prepared even to be alienated from other family members and friends, and even some fellow Christians, if we live a life of no compromise. As Paul the apostle states in 2Timothy 3:12 All who desire to live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution/.

When a grown child tells you that they are severing communication with you because: They don't like the "bigoted" posts you have on Facebook,

                They think you hate gays (because you may have expressed that you do                 not agree with the homosexual lifestyle and Rainbow brigade agenda)

                That you love Israel (God has promised to bless those who bless Israel)

                and so on - you have to make a clear choice. Do you cave in to pressure                 to seek to please those who are offended by your no compromise stand                     for  Righteousness - or do you stand boldly for Godly Truth and                                 Righteousness, and COUNT THE COST and move on with the Lord to                     honor and glorify Him with every ounce of your being.

Matthew 10:24-39 has some sobering words from Jesus for Christians who would live uncompromisingly for Him:

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn

a man against his father,

a daughter against her mother, 

a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law -

a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.

Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.

Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for My sake will find it.

In the context of these verses, Jesus is clearly stating that above all else, we need to have Him first place in our lives for our love and devotion. He is not saying we are to literally hate or dishonour our parents or children, but that if we have to make a choice about who we please in our life choices, He should ALWAYS take first place. Jesus is the Prince of Peace prophesied by Isaiah in the Old Testament, and He did not come to bring a literal sword, but the Word of God is metaphorically referred to as the sword of the Spirit, which will divide truth from error.

Children of God, it is time to AWAKE OUT OF SPIRITUAL SLUMBER, to take up the sword of the Spirit, to take a bold stand for Truth and Righteousness holding to the Word of God which will stand forever, and to ARISE AND SHINE bright for Jesus!

BUT WAIT......THERE'S MORE!!

That the character and nature of the God of the Bible is unchanging - that He is a God who can be fully trusted to perform His Word, is made clear by a large number of statements in the Bible - the original texts being wholly inspired by the Holy Spirit. 

    Verses such as the following attest to the Lord God's faithfulness to be true to His stated character:

Praise the LORD who has given rest to His people Israel, just as He promised.  Not one word has failed of all the wonderful promises He gave through His servant Moses 1 Kings 8:56

God is not a man that He should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent; has He said, and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken, and it not come to pass. Behold, I have received a commandment to bless, and I cannot reverse it. Numbers 23:19,20

Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, "My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all My purpose," calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. Isaiah 46:9-11

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and fear. For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28,29

As our Unchangeable Lord, the Living God can be fully trusted to be faithful to perform His Word. He is not a capricious God, who is unpredictable in His moods and temperament. He is a TOTALLY GOOD GOD!

The Bible says in Romans 2:4 Do you despise the riches of His goodness, not knowing that goodness [or kindness] of God leads you to repentance?

Psalm 34:8 says Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;

Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Psalm !00:5 For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.

James 1:17 tells us: Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Our God is the God of Light. In Him, there is no darkness at all.

God is LOVE personified, as expressed in John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

Although the nature and character of God is unchangeable - in His plans and His purposes for His people - concerning the nation of Israel and for the Christian Church, the body of Christ - CHANGE is ordained by God.

For the follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, CHANGE IS NOT OPTIONAL.  It is a requirement of every disciple of the Lord. Change commences at the point of conversion. As Paul the apostle states in 1 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ [or becomes a Christian], he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

As we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts and lives by the regeneration of the Word of God, renewing our minds and bringing us into alignment with God's will and purposes for us, we are being changed, as it says in 2 Corinthians 3:17,18 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [or freedom]. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

God does not want us to live lives that are "same old-same old," just going through the motions of living day after day, month after month, year after year. THERE IS ALWAYS MORE!

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 2:9 Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

                                                         Nor have entered into the heart of man

                                                         The things which God has prepared 

                                                          for those who love Him.

Daniel 11:32b says: Those who know their God shall be strong and will carry out great exploits.

God is calling the church of Jesus Christ to ARISE AND SHINE for the glory of God to a world that is increasingly descending into deep darkness.

Over the past two millenia since the church was birthed on the Day of Pentecost, there have been many "revivals" - times when the Spirit of the Living God has moved in ways in nations and in communities that have seen the name of Jesus exalted and truths of the Word of God being highlighted, to be catalysts for times of renewal and spiritual refreshing.

It is encouraging to realise that, even in the Dark Ages, when the church was mostly made up of a priestcraft, who were steeped in religious tradition, without life and without Holy Spirit power, there were pockets of real Holy-Spirit inspired life, where Jesus was exalted as Saviour and Lord. 

Over the past five hundred years, what are known as Jesus' five-fold "ascension-gift ministries", as stated in Ephesians 3:11-14, have been restored to the Christian church, commencing with the ministry of pastor in the Protestant Reformation in the 1500's, followed by the evangelist ministry being restored in the 1700's with notable people such as John and Charles Wesley, and George Whitefield. in the 60's and 70's in the last century, the ministry of Teacher was restored to the church with the Charismatic Movement, and in the past thirty to forty years, the ministries of first, Prophet and in more recent years, that of Apostle have been being restored to the church. 

    The apostle Peter in Acts 3:19-21 calls on people to: Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ......whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

In the last one hundred and twenty years, there have been a number of significant revivals in different parts of the world, kicking off with the Welsh Revival in 1904-1905. In less than six months, over 100,000 people got saved and the entire nation was radically transformed. This released momentum which saw the Asuza Street Revival in Los Angeles from 1906, which birthed a number of Pentecostal church movements.

The Hebrides Islands saw a significant revival on the island of Lewis in 1949, in answer to intercessory prayer initiated by two sisters in their eighties, who were burdened for the churches, especially as there was not a single young person in the churches. Healing ministries in the twentieth century saw multitudes of people healed miraculously by the power of God. Increasingly the gifts of the Holy Spirit have been manifested in the church and in communities outside the four walls of church buildings by those Christians, filled with the Holy Spirit, who have been motivated by love for the lost and have been willing to step out in boldness and take God at His Word, when Jesus said: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in  Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater than these shall he do, because I go to the Father." John 14:12

TO BE CONTINUED

 

LIFTING MY VOICE: WHEN SCI FIBECOMES REALITY In 1970, Hal Li...

LIFTING MY VOICE:  WHEN SCI FIBECOMES REALITY        In 1970, Hal Li...:  WHEN SCI FI BECOMES REALITY          In 1970, Hal Lindsey published a book called " The Late Great Planet Earth " through Zonderv...

 WHEN SCI FI

BECOMES REALITY

    

    In 1970, Hal Lindsey published a book called "The Late Great Planet Earth" through Zondervan Press. The New York Times declared it to be the bestselling nonfiction book of the 1970's. It was adapted into a 1978 film narrated by Orson Welles. It has been described as a treatment of literalist, premillenial, dispensational eschatology. In other words, it deals with the literal Biblical prophetic events leading up to, and including what is referred to as the Rapture of the church, the Great Tribulation, and the Second Coming of Christ to establish His thousand year (millenial) reign on Earth - as prophesied in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.

As a young Christian, I also recall that a musical album was produced by Cam Floria and the Continental Singers, called "It's Getting Late (For The Planet Earth)." I had a copy of this album at the time, although listening online recently to a couple of the songs, it sounds a little dated and even "corny" now.

As a young Christian in the seventies, I also remember meeting Barry Smith, a New Zealand evangelist, who, with his Samoan wife and children travelled to many parts of Australia, New Zealand and Pacific islands presenting the Gospel of salvation in Jesus, majoring on preaching concerning end-time prophetic events as mentioned above in Hal Lindsey's book.

Barry Smith was, at the heart of his ministry, an evangelist, whose motivation in presenting last days scenario teaching was to lead people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, that they would have full assurance of salvation for eternity. His ministry was not without controversy, as he talked about the coming one world government, and even suggested particular people of interest to watch closely - as possible candidates for the Antichrist, whom the Bible states will lead the world, aided by one the Bible calls the false prophet (Revelation 13:11-18). He named Henry Kissinger as a person of interest, although he did say very clearly in his meetings: "If anyone goes away from this meeting, and says Barry Smith stated that Henry Kissinger is the Antichrist, I will be very angry."

    Well, as we now know, Kissinger died in November last year at the age of 100, so he is definitely out of the picture.

LEFT BEHIND

If you thought the volume of sales for "The Late Great Planet Earth" was impressive, a 16 book series in the 90's under the title: "Left Behind," starting with the first book in 1995, written by Baptist pastor Tim La Haye, and aided by bestselling author, Jerry Jenkins, had sales of nearly eighty million worldwide. These books were fictional but captured in print, what Tim La Haye believed to be  real life possibilities as the Bible prophecies of the end-times played out, beginning with the Rapture, or the "catching away" of all those who had put their trust in Jesus Christ for salvation.

For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 New Living Translation

The last six volumes in the "Left Behind" series debuted as Number One on all the major publishing lists including "The New York Times," "USA Today," "Publishers Weekly," and the "Wall Street Journal."

Several "Left Behind" films have also been produced, inspired by these books.

When I was first introduced to this end-times teaching in the seventies as a young believer in Christ, as much as I wanted to believe that these events would play out, according to the accounts in Scripture, the possibility of there being a one world government led by one man whom the Bible refers to as the Antichrist seemed to me to be unimaginable. Every nation appeared to have proud national autonomy, with their own distinctive leadership - some democratic, others autocratic - many with governments and leaders elected by the populous, others ruled with an iron fist by despotic dictators. I just could not imagine the possibility really of all nations agreeing to be ruled by one world leader!

Yet, that is exactly what the Bible portrays will happen! 

For many Bible-believing Christians, the last four years since the world was forever changed by the global health crisis triggered by the COVID 19 virus, has brought into much clearer focus the reality that we are on track to see a one world government led by a world leader. The response to the Covid pandemic was, in many ways, played out in similar ways throughout the nations, with enforced lockdowns, mandated Covid "jabs" as the vaccinations were dubbed - with boosters upon boosters required with often, no, or at least very little preventive benefit - and even worse, significant numbers of adverse reactions, and premature deaths.

There are those who scoff at the alarm being raised concerning adverse effects of the "jabs," but increasingly, authorities in at least some countries, are seeking to investigate honestly the statistics of those who have thus suffered.

Then there is the specter of the climate change narrative, with carefully convincingly choreographed comment from the United Nations body, the IPCC - International Panel for Climate Change. Dire predictions of global warming and disastrous effects on the environment forecast, continually bombard our senses and sensibilities with carbon dioxide "pollution" being the prince of environmental demons.

As has been stated, Australia, where we live produces something in the order of just 1% of global CO2 emissions. However, the pressure is unending to convert from fossil fuel energy (coal and gas - both of which our Creator God provided for our use) to "clean, green" energy - solar and wind power etc.

There is increasing pressure for all countries to conform to dictates from bodies such as the United Nations. Much has been said about the UN's 2030 Agenda.

Also, we must not forget to highlight the nation of Israel - a central player in all that the Bible lays out as being end-time events. It might seem like science-fiction to non-Christians, and even to the majority of Jewish people who have not recognised Jesus Christ as their Messiah - that one day, Jesus will return to rule and reign over all the earth from the city of Jerusalem as King Of Kings and Lord Of Lords, as the Bible states in Revelation 17:14 and 19:16.

TO BE CONTINUED

WHEN SCI-FI 

BECOMES REALITY

    One of the best known and loved pioneers of contemporary Christian music from the late 60's and into the 70's was Larry Norman. He produced 100 albums up until his untimely death from coronary heart disease at the age of 60 in 2008.

Some of his best known albums are: "Upon This Rock," "Only Visiting This Planet." and "In Another Land."

Larry Norman was saved at the age of five and started singing at the age of nine. He took the Gospel to the streets of San Francisco during the Jesus Revolution in the late 60's-70's, and many of his songs had raw unsanitised lyrics that offended many traditional religious Christians, but spoke to the young contemporary youth where they were at. One example of this is to be found in the song: "Why Don't You Look Into Jesus?"

Sipping whiskey from a paper cup

You drown your sorrows till you can't stand up

Take a look at what you've done to yourself

Why don't you put the bottle back on the shelf

Yellow fingers from your cigarettes

Your hands are shaking while your body sweats

Why don't you look into Jesus, He's got the answer.

You got gonorrhea on Valentine's Day

You're still looking for the perfect lay

You think rock and roll will set you free

Oh, you'll be dead before you're thirty-three

Shooting junk till you're half insane

Broken needle in your purple vein

Why don't you look into Jesus, He's got the answer

Work all night, sleep all day

You take your money, throw it all away

You say you're going to be a superstar

But you've never hung around enough to find out who

you really are

Think back to when you were a child

Your soul was free, your heart ran wild

Each day was different, and life was a thrill

You knew tomorrow would be better still

Things have changed, you're much older now

If you're unhappy, and you don't know how

Why don't you look into Jesus, He's got the answer.

Oh yes, He does, I know He does because He gave it to me,

He showed it to me, He is, He knows, He is, you got,

He is the answer.

The Jesus Revolution or the Jesus Movement saw multiplied tens of thousands of young people in America, Canada, Britain, Australia and New Zealand - particularly, embracing the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Word of God, the Bible - bringing salvation from sin, healings and deliverance from demonic oppression, many turning from the hippie and counter-culture drug-fuelled lifestyles, which in the end offered no solutions to their quest for truth and enlightenment.

Jesus, as they so wonderfully found to be true, personally, was Who He said He was and is: The Way, The Truth and The Life. (John 14:6) These multitudes of young people discovered that their commitment to Jesus was not just another esoteric high, but this was reality. This was what they had been desperately searching for to find true purpose in life, and true peace and joy. John Lennon wrote and sang the song "Give Peace A Chance," but sadly his inspiration for the song fell short of the reality that true and lasting world peace will only come through the rule and reign of the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ.

I well remember the exciting days in the early 70's, when as a young Christian myself in fellowship at a Pentecostal church on the Gold Coast, that at one time, a group of, from memory, around seven young men from the surfing scene, were wonderfully saved at the same time and brought a fresh dimension of fervent desire in the church to grow in their knowledge of the Lord, and to see their friends and families also come to the saving knowledge of Jesus. Long-haired, barefoot, tee-shirts and shorts, they began to come. There was no room for stuffy religiosity. They had come to know that Jesus is the REAL DEAL.  For most of them, there was no turning back! One of my best friends in the church at the time was a young man named Tom Rawls. Tom had, I think, been in the drug scene in his late teens. He was wonderfully "born again" as the Bible states in John's Gospel, chapter 3. He was delivered from demonic oppression as well, and he was on a quest to really know and love Jesus, and to make Him known to as many as he could share his new found love, peace and joy with. He was totally committed to fanning into flame his enthusiastic evangelistic fervor to reach the lost for Jesus. Tom, after several years, headed off to Bible College in Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales for three years. From there, he went to Melbourne for a time to gain further ministry experience at a thriving church. Following that time, he pioneered a church in Alice Springs, spent some years as a missionary pastor in Bangkok, Thailand, and eventually with his English wife, pioneered what is now a thriving Pentecostal church in Norwich, East Anglia in the UK. 

    Tom's desire to share the Good News of Jesus and the Gospel put me to shame at times. I well remember several times, when driving up or down the Gold Coast Highway with Tom as a passenger when we would pass a hitchhiker on the side of the road. Tom would yell: "Stop the car. We could witness to this guy." I am a little ashamed to say that, at those times, I think I just kept driving.

I have not really begun to address the title theme of this blog. Keep watching this space. More to come soon!

    

THANK YOU JESUS  

OUR ETERNAL DEBT PAID

As I am writing this, it is Easter Saturday for 2024, and once again, Christians around the world are remembering with gratitude the inestimable gift of God in sending His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to earth to live as "one of us," in a human body for thirty three years, having divested Himself of His Godly attributes of omniscience (all-knowing), omnipresence (being limited to one place at any given time), and omnipotence (all-powerful), expressed in the Greek word kenosis or 'self-emptying.'

Jesus was the God-man. Although limited to a human body, he was still divine - being fully man and fully God, as the second Person of the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).

One of my very favourite worship songs in recent times is one that our church pastor introduced to the church probably about a year ago now, It is called: "Thank You Jesus For The Blood," and the singer is popular American worship leader/ songwriter, Charity Gayle, who with her husband, Ryan Kennedy and musicians David Gentiles and Steven Musso - all from Buffalo, New York state collaborated to write this Holy-Spirit anointed song:

I was a wretch, I remember who I was

I was lost, I was blind, I was running out of time

Sin separated, the breach was far too wide

But from the far side of the chasm

You held me in your sight

So you made a way, Across the great divide

Left behind Heaven's throne

To build it here inside

And there at the cross, You paid the debt I owed

Broke my chains, freed my soul

For the first time I had hope

Thank you Jesus for the blood applied

Thank you Jesus, it has washed me white

Thank you Jesus, You have saved my life

Brought me from the darkness into glorious light

You took my place, Laid inside my tomb of sin

You were buried for three days

But then You walked right out again

And now death has no sting, And life has no end

For I have been transformed

By the blood of the Lamb

Thank You Jesus for the blood applied

Thank You Jesus, it has washed me white

Thank You Jesus, You have saved my life

Brought me from the darkness into glorious light

There is nothing stronger

Than the wonder working power of the blood

That calls us sons and daughters

We are ransomed by our Father 

Through the blood, the blood

Glory to His name, Glory to His name

There to my heart was the blood applied

Glory to His name.

This song encapsulates the message of Easter. The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23 that: All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. In other words, our sin nature inherited from the first man, Adam has separated us from fellowship and relationship with our Creator God.

The apostle Paul again expands on this in Romans 6:23 where he says:

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:7-11 tell us the Good News that:

Now most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might be willing to die for a person who is especially good.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, He will certainly save us from God's condemnation.

For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of His Son while we were still His enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of His Son.

So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends with God.

Under the Old Covenant, it was necessary for the children of Israel to continually make blood sacrifices of animals for the remission or forgiveness of sins. Indeed, Hebrews 9:22 tells us that:.....without the shedding of blood, there is no remission, or forgiveness of sins.

When Jesus, the sinless Son of God died on the cross at Calvary a little over 2,000 years ago, He paid the price required by our Holy God once and for all for the sins of everyone who would live from that time forward. HOWEVER, it does require a response from the individual of repentance from sin, and acknowledgement that Christ died for his or her sins, and an invitation from the person to the Lord Jesus Christ to become their Saviour and Lord with a willingness to commit to following Him.

Hundreds of millions of people around the world from many and varied ethnic, and socio-economic and cultural backgrounds have experienced the life-transforming power of the resurrected Christ in not only saving them from the eternal consequences of sin and rebellion towards God, but whose lives have also been healed from physical and mental illnesses and delivered from life-destroying bondages such as drug addiction, pornography and alcoholism. Truly, the Word of God can be fully trusted, when as Jesus stated in John 8:31,32. "If you continue in My Word, then are you My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." The truth of God's Word in you indeed shall be a liberating force.

I pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Now He is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else - not only in this world but also in the world to come.

Christ's bodily resurrection is a well-documented historical fact. It has been stated that there is more proof for the resurrection of Jesus Christ than for any other fact or incident of Roman history.

HE'S ALIVE!! This Easter, in 2024, you who are reading this could make the most important decision of your life - to commit your life to Jesus Christ, and to invite Him to become your Saviour and Lord. Your life will never be the same again!

You don't have to say fancy prayers using long theological words. The most important thing is that what you pray is from the heart.

You could pray something like this:

Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I am a sinner, and that my sin has separated me from knowing You. I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sin, in my place, and that He rose again from the dead. Please forgive me of my sin, and i ask You to become my Saviour and Lord of my life. Amen.

As you begin your new life as a Christian, I encourage you to:

Start reading the Bible, and read some every day. Start with the Gospel of Mark or John in the New Testament.

Spend time praying to the Lord in your own words from your heart - and listen for Him to answer.

Find a Bible-believing church and start attending regularly, so that you can be taught the Word of God, and be built up and encouraged as you fellowship with other Christians

Tell someone of your decision to follow Christ. Your personal testimony is powerful and may lead those you share with to want to know Jesus too, as they see the transformation in your life.

God Bless! Jesus is the best friend you will ever have!