Christian Faith Perspectives

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.



At the end of the Second World War, people gathered together to celebrate victories in Europe and the Pacific. My father had taken me with him to see the victory celebrations outside Flinders Street Station in Melbourne. Perched on my father’s shoulders I can still remember the scene so well. There was a great crowd of people dancing on the roadway, so happy that the long years of conflict had come to an end; peace could be enjoyed again!

PEACE essentially means freedom from conflict. But the Hebrew language gives us the word SHALOM which has a much deeper meaning. It is a word still used in Israel today as a greeting. It is saying to a person, “be full of wellbeing” or “health and prosperity be upon you”. This precious Hebrew word appears frequently in the Old Testament and has the idea of making something whole, restoring it to completeness. It involves the whole person.

The words of Jesus now have much more significance, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you… ” John 14:27 NIV.
So now I understand, what the Bible means when it tells me Jesus has made peace through his sacrifice. The punishment he took on my behalf enables me to experience peace. This is a new relationship where God can now restore all those blessings we forfeited because of sin. Peace BRIDGES the gap of separation.

The depth of meaning behind GOD’S PEACE is like seeing the top of an iceberg, there is so much more! When we are at peace with God through Jesus we are back in harmony, we are now joined together with the Father and his Son in perfect unity. The PEACE that Jesus gives is like an open door to all of God’s goodness!

Ref. Isaiah 53:5, Romans 5:1-2. NIV.

A Faith that Overcomes!

Fear is an incredibly debilitating emotion which can have profound effects on our ability to live normal productive lives. Fear also induces stress which has a negative influence on our physical bodies, affecting the heart and the immune system.

Today, we also have the reality of climate change causing mankind to feel vulnerable and fearful of the future. Not to mention the ever-present fear of global disease and war.

We can tell people not to be fearful, but that doesn’t help, it even seems to compound the situation. We need a valid reason for not being controlled by fear and certainly an emotion which can take its place. That, in one word is LOVE! This is the affection and kindness God has for us. A similar Greek word is Agape, which means the fatherly love of God. Love can dissolve all our fears!

I like the way Jesus Christ meets our fear problems head-on! Whilst a healthy fear of God is normal, having fears or phobias of things is totally different. Jesus reminds us to have faith in him and not be fearful or troubled over our personal circumstances. GOD IS ALWAYS BIGGER THAN THE SITUATION! Such was the case when a storm made the disciples fearful their boat would be swamped and sink. Jesus who was sleeping in the boat at the time, took control and the raging sea became calm!

The Lord Jesus had an unbroken relationship with his heavenly Father. He was at peace with God, fear was not a consideration! Through personal faith in Christ our broken relationship with God can be healed. Having peace with God we too can now live in the security of his LOVE! There is no longer room for any fear!

Ref. Isaiah 53:5, Mark 4:35-41, Romans 5:1-2, 1 John 4:15-18. NIV.

We live in a world full of words! The media constantly feeds us with a torrent of opinions and commentary on local and world events. There is an endless supply of books written on every conceivable subject. Keynote speakers at countless conferences expound their views. Conversations are had to discuss new ideas, and words flow back and forth, exploring, discovering, concluding!

Words obviously require speakers and listeners. Similarly, authors need readers. Communication can be negative or positive; either way, words are influential! Indeed, life and death are in the power of the tongue! Words have so much potential; they can build up or they can destroy. Whether by print or audio we now have this incredible information highway of the World Wide Web. All of us are soaking up knowledge and communicating. Our devices are in constant use, be it our desk top computer, laptop, iPad, or mobile phone.

But well before the days of the IT revolution, when all we had was a radio, there was one other fascinating bit of technology, the CRYSTAL SET! It needed no power and consisted simply of a tuning coil, headphones and cat’s whisker (quartz crystal). The antenna captured energy from the radio waves coming from a nearby radio station. Then a little twiddling of the cat’s whisker gadget and hey presto the radio broadcast could be heard. Like myself as a youngster, many would remember the mystery and excitement of headphones on and listening to a favourite program in bed at night. A simple device but it was one of the earliest forms of radio that enabled the receiving of radio waves.

Putting this subject of communication in a spiritual perspective, it seems not unreasonable that God can also talk to us, and we can talk to him. Recently, a Bible passage got my attention, ‘ Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips.’ Hosea 14:2 NIV. The opening clause ‘TAKE WORDS WITH YOU’ really made me curious, what did it mean? We can meditate, pray, repeat a liturgy, sing a hymn, but this is somehow different! This is not some casual word spoken to God, but a very personal set of words spoken with total conviction. We know what we want to say, so we bundle the words up as it were, and TAKE them with us. They are words personally prepared for God to hear!

Taking such heartfelt words to God is to have a conversation with him; we are making a connection of eternal consequence. Our words are like unstoppable ripples that travel in space time and reach their destination. Whether it is that initial confession of faith in Christ or our ongoing prayers, the words we speak are incredibly powerful!

Ref. Prov.18:21, Hosea 14:2. NIV.

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