Christian Faith Perspectives

I used to do annual business calls to Tawonga, a town situated in the Kiewa Valley. My motel stopover had a view of Mount Bogong, which is the highest mountain in Victoria.
To remember looking at that snow-capped mountain is always a special image in my mind. There is something awe inspiring to gaze up and see a mountain so high and close.

Supremacy is state or condition of being superior to all others in authority, power, or status, For example, the supremacy of a king.

We hear a lot of emphasis today about discovering ourselves; by positive thinking, and other concepts which focus on successful living. All valuable, but the best development of ourselves is to realise that we primarily belong to God. Our submission to that higher authority is the key to releasing our full potential.

Consider the apostle, Paul of Tarsus: Prior to conversion he was self-righteous, self-centred and a persecutor of Christians. But one day this man is confronted by the risen Christ. He falls to the ground and is temporarily blinded. Jesus then says to him, “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do”. Here was a man once self-willed, but now he was no longer giving the orders! He had met the King, who is all powerful!

We are told to make Jesus LORD. He is of course, but the term can lose its meaning through overuse. Rather, let us see God’s supremacy and allow Jesus to be the one calling the shots!

Ref. Jeremiah 10:23, Acts 9:6. NIV.

The agnostic feels that it is pointless trying to discover God for he cannot be proved by human reason. Such a person holds the view that any ultimate reality (such as God) is unknown and probably unknowable. Ref. Merriam-Webster.

Yet, God has revealed himself to mankind at the level of human reason and sense knowledge. His Son was manifest in human form, “The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us…” God was actually walking on planet earth!

If we are having trouble believing in God because we cannot prove His existence, it is helpful to realise that Jesus is still in human form. He ascended to heaven, but he is there with the same human body he took to the cross. It was this reality Jesus wanted to prove to his doubting disciples, asking them to touch him and realize that he was not a ghost. Then, he took a bit of fish, and ate it in front of them. How incredible is that?

We are flesh and blood people living in the realm of sense knowledge. Jesus lived as a man, experiencing our humanity and he also took his body into heaven. So, when we call upon him, we are not touching some mystical spirit but a LIVING PERSON!

Doubting, wavering faith can be replaced with the knowledge that Jesus is a real person and above all, HE IS BELIEVABLE!

Ref. John 1:14, Luke 24:38-43. NIV.

We are all preoccupied with keeping life’s schedules. Time frames rule our lives, appointments, deadlines, family commitments. Then I hear you saying, ” I just want time to live my life my way”. The question must then be asked, whose time frame are we keeping? Those close to us are often quick to tell us what to do and when! But our lives are not for other people to control!

I have found that the best course for making right decisions and their timing is not to rush. God is certainly not in a hurry and has a perfect timeline for action. In our enthusiasm, it is so easy to run ahead and find we have left God behind. But when we do things at the right time, everything seems to fall into place.

The golden rule then, is to let God take control of our time even taking control of what we do. This does not take the place of our personal decision making, but GOD IS INCLUDED!

Jesus of Nazareth never allowed himself to be rushed into things, he was always conscious of the right timing. He always lived his life in harmony with the Holy Spirit’s direction.

God has a perfect time schedule for our lives, even though it may require patience. BUT GOD DOES THINGS, RIGHT ON TIME!

Ref. Proverbs 3:5-6. NIV.

Jesus of Nazareth upset the Jewish establishment of his day because he claimed that God was his Father, that he was in fact equal with God and even existed before Abraham. He referred to himself as ‘I AM’ being the name of God. This name was YHWH and translated means, “I am what I am”. God is the self-existent one, the source of all life. Jesus was in fact saying that he was that too; that he was actually one with God, in total unity!

Now the incredible thing is this, Jesus wants us to experience this union with God. As Christians our goal is to stay in a place of unity with Christ. Yet as we live our lives, there can be a struggle to maintain this one-on-one relationship with Jesus. I believe there is a key to this problem. There is the Hebrew word chashaq, it means to cling or figuratively love or delight in someone. It is used to express God’s love and affection, but the emphasis is the joining of himself to us. This word even has a root origin in the saddling of a horse, which of course is how you attach yourself to the animal. God is actually bonding or binding himself to us for the journey of a life together. It is the initiative of God to reach out to the world with his love; we didn’t love him first! This is the clincher which solves the problem of staying close to Jesús. His proactive love is the constant which keeps us joined together! It is the touch of the master’s hand upon us, keeping us ONE!

Ref. John 17:20-23 NIV.

The wispy strands of cirrus clouds are at high altitudes, they are strewn across the sky by strong winds. These clouds which are composed of ice crystals will be seen during fair weather but can be indicators of a change on the way. Clouds are fascinating and their observation helps in the prediction of weather patterns. Our meteorological experts give us weather forecasts with a high level of accuracy, they are actually looking into the future! This to me is similar to FAITH which sees things before they actually happen.

Faith is the activity which can bring a future event into the present. Faith gives substance to things hoped for and has the ability to bring future desires into a present experience. Even in the experience of salvation this is true. We desire, want, and hope to receive forgiveness. As we confess our faith in Christ there is an immediate result. Faith reaches into the future and translates it into a personal reality. Faith in a sense has the ability to harness time! The question can be asked, WHAT DO WE WANT FROM THE FUTURE?

There is a graphic incident in the Bible where the prophet Elijah prays for rain. It was not raining, there was no cloud in the sky! But he heard the sound of rain, he had looked into the future and by faith he saw the rain. He got his servant to check the sky, but not a cloud was in sight! Several times he sent him back to check, but on the seventh time a small cloud appeared. The clouds began to increase and heavy rain was soon falling.

Looking into the future is like a blank canvas. In our minds eye we can paint the thing we desire, the circumstances we want to happen. FUTURE FAITH CREATES REALITY!

Ref. 1 Kings 18:41-45, Mark 11:24. NIV.

There is a knock on the door! It is a delivery contractor, and quickly checking your name, gets your signature then hands you a parcel. Inside is the most immaculate new suit which fits you perfectly, and so professionally tailored too! and no bill to pay!
In your new outfit you look so chic! and you guy, so cool in blue!

When pastoring in Tasmania I was given a new suit by a couple who attended the church. No doubt my own suit was looking a bit worn, but I always remember the incident and what this generous gift meant to me at the time. Now, I do try to look my best, but others saw it differently; I needed something new! The fact that it was free was extra special!

When we receive the Lord Jesus Christ, we receive a most unique garment, it is called a robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). It fits perfectly, the brand name is “GOD’ and the material is ‘HOLY’. Most wonderful of all, this garment is FREE!! Outside of Christ our garments of so-called righteousness look in God’s sight, so worn, and even compared to filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). When we are in Christ, God sees us clothed with His gift of righteousness. Whilst we use figures of speech to illustrate spiritual truth, the reality is this, God has literally changed us within! It is an inner spiritual transformation.

When your faith goes through times of testing or periods of doubt, remember that you have been powerfully and inwardly changed by the Spirit of God. So let us see ourselves as God sees us! He really likes what he sees… so why shouldn’t we? Learning to love yourself is a valuable method of thinking positively about ourselves. Personally then, my faith is strengthened when I remember to see myself as God see me, the NEW PERSON!

Ref. Zeph. 3:17, John 3:3-8. NIV.

Can it be that simple? Is FAITH all that is required? The answer is yes! But there is that feeling that we must still try and be good enough for God to accept us; hoping that our good deeds will outweigh the not so good. People are unsure about Heaven and whether they will be worthy, so we try to be as good as we can. We may endeavour to keep the Ten Commandments or our own personal code of behaviour. But we quickly become totally disillusioned at our efforts to be perfect. Those New Year resolutions are proof enough of our human failures. So, we can draw up a list of all our good works or we can be honest and simply admit we have all failed the righteousness test.

There is a verse in the Bible which has always been a brain teaser to me. It is when Abram was promised by God that he would have a child and become the father of a nation of people. Up to this point Sarai his wife had borne him no children, but Abram BELIEVED God’s promise. Now this is the amazing thing, on the basis of Abram’s simple faith, God credits him with righteousness!

When we understand what this verse is saying, it becomes like a flashing neon sign! I can stop hoping and trying to be good enough; instead, just believe and let God make me righteous in Christ.

It all makes sense now, God was using Abram all those years ago, to proclaim a salvation which is by faith. A Gospel announcement so many years before Jesus was born, crucified and raised from the dead.

Ref. Gen. 15:6, Eccles. 7:20, Romans 10:9-10, Gal. 3:6-9. NIV

Is there such a thing as divine protection? The Bible gives us strong assurance that God’s protection is available, but it is not automatic. Like most things in life, certain conditions have to be met in order to get the desired result. Take worldwide infections for instance, when certain precautions need to be taken to ensure one’s safety from those diseases. Vaccinations become mandatory and various isolation and mask rules are introduced for the community’s safety and protection.

God’s protection actually revolves around one word, and that word is BLOOD. The Bible gives us a dramatic account of how blood protected the community of Israel from a plague which caused the death of people and even livestock. To be protected each family had to have a lamb sacrifice. Some of the blood had to be put on the doorframes of their houses. The blood then became a sign which God would see and consequently cause the plague to pass over that household so giving total protection.

As Christians we put our faith in Jesus who became our sacrificial lamb when he died on the cross. Our belief in him, is to personally apply as it were, the sign of his shed blood. God sees our faith in his Son and fulfils his promise of protection.

Our responsibility is to appropriate or activate this promise of divine protection. It could be, asking God to protect us as we travel in our cars, perhaps on a long holiday or even a business trip. It could be an overseas plane trip flying over long stretches of ocean. I recall when living in Tasmania, doing regular flights over Bass Strait to the mainland. Sometimes there would be the nagging fear of not having a safe flight. But if I mentally focused on my faith in Christ the reality of protection gave me peace of mind.

Ref. Exodus 12:21-23, Psalm3:3,

Small wheels, big wheels! We accept them as just another aspect of life, but how vital they are to our modern existence. We drive our cars, the machinery of life goes on; different wheels, turning, turning! It could be those giant observation Ferris wheels, or it could be the ever so small gear wheels of a watch. But the one thing needed, is an axle or spindle on which these wheels can turn. In the fields of physics, these central parts or pivot points are called fulcrums. Yet this word fulcrum can also refer to a person or something that plays a central role in a situation or activity. Consider some figurative definitions of a fulcrum,
…. the main thing or person needed to support something or to make it work or happen. – Cambridge Dictionary.
…. A person around whom all activity revolves. – Your Dictionary.

Making Jesus central, gives us the ability to live positive and productive lives! AMAZING THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

This was God’s plan, to bring us back into fellowship with himself; to be personally our God and for us to be personally his people. A melding of our mind and heart with God’s mind and heart. This combining or blending of our lives with God is brought about by the Lord Jesus. It means we can actually enjoy the same identical relationship and life that Jesus enjoys with his God and Father!

Ref. Jer.31:33, John 20:17. NIV.

The unusual object in this photo is used to put an official seal on important documents. I recall using one of these when in Local Government employment. Melted red wax would be applied to an important document, then the metal seal would be pressed down on the wax to leave an impression of the official Council Seal. The document now sealed and with accompanying signatures was considered to be genuine and binding.

A covenant is a similar strong agreement or legal contract. It is between two or more parties. These days, electronic sealing has largely superseded the manual method, but the principle is still the same in that the origin and integrity of the document is guaranteed.

It is not strange then, that God would also have a method of sealing or making his promise of peace permanent. God has done this by making a covenant in the blood of his Son. Remember those words of Jesus, at the Last Supper or Passover meal with his disciples, “… This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you…” Luke 22:20. NIV.

Our still continuing use of agreements or covenants is steeped in antiquity. The word COVENANT has a root meaning ‘to cut’. Tribal chiefs for example could cut a covenant with each other, thus promising mutual protection. it was a binding agreement! It involved drops of blood from each party being mixed in a cup of wine which would then be mutually shared, thus making them blood brothers.
In fact, it is documented that Henry Stanley in his search for David Livingstone cut covenant with African chieftains to ensure his own safety and protection.

As Christians we can sometimes have doubts about God’s peace. Does God always accept and love me? Is God always committed to my welfare and best interests? The answer is a big, affirmative YES!! This is what a covenant is all about, it is strong and permanent. The peace Jesus gives is based on the forgiveness of sins, it ensures we are always justified in God’s sight. He indeed becomes, “…The Lord Our Righteousness.” Jeremiah 23:6. NIV.

GOD’S COVENANT OF PEACE IS AN ETERNAL REALITY!

Ref. Isaiah 42:6, 54:10, Matthew 26:28. NIV.