Christian Faith Perspectives

There is so much fascination with discovery… our world, the solar system and the universe. As astronomers explore deep space and reveal hidden things we marvel at what they find. As scientists discover new things about our earth, we are amazed that there are still new things to understand. An example is the large ‘ocean’ of water trapped inside rocks and hidden in the earth’s mantle.

We live in a time when there is literally an explosion of knowledge. There are television ‘Discovery’ channels and the search engines of the worldwide web which supply us with instant information. In the same manner, information about the Bible and associated theological subjects is available at the touch of our keyboards. Just type a word and a flow of knowledge instantly begins.

But despite all this Bible knowledge at our finger tips there is still that element of understanding which is beyond us. I am reminded of those school years when our lecturer would try to explain some principle. But then understanding would dawn and clarity of thinking would take the place of what puzzled us.

God has given us the perfect teacher of truth in the person of the Holy Spirit. As we grow and devlop as Christians there are things we puzzle over, spiritual principles we don’t fully understand. It is the role of this Counselor to give our minds that spirit of revelation which makes the obscure become clear.

In his earthly ministry Jesus of Nazereth was the classic perfect teacher as he instructed his disciples. He is of course no longer here in person but the Spirit of Truth is now available to give us all the spiritual understading we need.

Ref. John 14:25-26 NIV.

Our lives are constantly challenged to finish what we have started. It may be a simple jigsaw puzzle which is not finished till the last piece is in place. But there is still a personal sense of satisfaction that we have completed the design.

There are so many other examples of things which need to be finished… it could be a course of study or a personal project we are working on. The challenge to finish the task remains and we must stick at it and see it through to the end.

I recall an incident from my childhood about a house being built. We would pass this house regularly… it was at the frame stage with no cladding. As the months passed nothing further happened to the house, it simply stayed at the frame stage for what ever reason. Eventually the timber began to grey and warp due to continued exposure to the weather month after month. Years later I passed this build again, surprisingly there was a completed house to see… finally finished!

It is good to know that when God planned our salvation He completed the job. Under the old order or first covenant there had to be an annual shedding of animal blood which the high priest would offer for the sins of the people. Unfortunately our salvation could never be achieved by this method. It required the single once for all offering provided by Jesus when he died on the cross.

Our salvation is now complete under this new covenant, totally cleansing our conscience from the guilt of sin. Yet there can still be that nagging thought there is something more we have to do to gain God’s approval and favour. No, the work is completed! Jesus has offered one sacrifice for all time!
– OUR SALVATION IS COMPLETED –

Ref. Hebrews 9:12, 10:9-10. NIV.

We have all walked the boulevard of broken dreams. Past events play on our minds and we dream again…. if only!! We cannot alter the past, and we cannot rewrite the events of our lives. But tomorrow is a day of fresh beginnings.

When things have not worked out the way we would have wanted, it is easy to become negative and feel a sense of failure. But I like to think of our Heavenly Father being a God of the ‘second chance’ . Indeed, this is what forgiveness is all about; the sins of the past are so dealt with, that they are blotted out… God does not remember them. The removal of our sin enables a fresh start.

If we take this principle and apply it to ‘broken dreams’ it means God wants us to be set free from the emotional baggage of those negative memories. Was it a marriage that didn’t work out? Was it that fabulous career you once had.? Instead of negatively dwelling on the past we need a point of release. It is to have the guilt load of past mistakes and failures completely lifted from us.

To be free from those broken dreams is to be free to move forward with an emotionally clean slate. It is the point where we can again start writing our personal success story. There is a sense in which we can unburden our shattered dreams before God. He will forget them… so should we!

Ref. Hebrews 10:17 NIV.

The heavenly perspective on the affairs of our lives is important and brings to mind part of the Lord’s Prayer “… your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. …”

Trying to determine what is God’s will in our lives can be quite a puzzle. How can I know the right course to take? Is God giving me a greenlight? To proceed in God’s will is to have peace of mind. But to proceed in the wrong direction is to have no peace but a feeling of unease. How then, can I find God’s will?

People resort to Astrology for personal guidance, hoping horoscope readings will give them direction. The Bible tells us that God detests divination and other occult activities. Some familiar modern-day terms are seances and Ouija.

Is there an alternative means of personal guidance? The simple answer is YES!
But the imperative is to understand that God our Heavenly Father is all-knowing and is a God whose eye sees everything. So, it doesn’t matter what our situation is, God knows all about the circumstances. We are not alone… God sees us!

It is important for us not to put a limit on the guidance of God or use other means to hopefully get direction. By bringing God into the equation, we are opening ourselves to His perspective and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

God is the highest authority, and we need not search in any other direction. If we would simply submit to that totality of knowledge and power, we will never be contused or misdirected. The God who sees all will guide us perfectly.

Ref. Deut. 18:9-13, Is. 46:9-10, Heb. 4:13. NIV.

1!

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” The oft quoted saying which is from a Chinese proverb is so applicable to achieving life’s goals. Sometimes the pathway ahead can seem so long and we question whether we can finish should we begin. The challenge is not so much the journey but the courage to step into the unknown and take that vital and crucial first step.

From a Christian perspective the journey of living a life of faith begins with that first step of personally receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. That initial decision we took is not a one-step experience, but just the beginning. That first step is quite pointless unless we take another step and keep walking until we finish. Our faith will be challenged from, time to time, but this is part of God’s refining process.

Every journey takes time and may be long. There may be pauses in our travel and there will be many and varied experiences along the way. The road may be level and straight or it may be winding and steep. The pathway God has for each of us is so different, but it has the same destination… a heavenly city!

The important thing is to remember we must keep travelling to the destination. There may be set backs and difficulties, but God’s strength in Christ will help each of us to finish our journey of faith, a faith more precious than gold!

Ref. 1 Peter 1:3-9 NIV.

‘Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?’

We have all admired ourselves in the mirror… yet mirrors do play a big part in our lives. The vanity mirrors in our homes are always in use. Then there are the rear vision mirrors in our cars which get constant use while driving and are so essential to safety.

Mirrors also can be a lot of fun too, such as a maze of mirrors in a Fun Park. We laugh at the different distorted images of ourselves. But seriously, the mirror plays a big part in confirming how we look. It’s so important to look just right before a special event or date; we need to always look our very best.

In Christian living the image we see of ourselves in the mirror is very important! But like everyone else we can look at ourselves in the mirror and then look away and forget who we are. To maintain a positive self-image is vitally important for successful living.

What we see in the mirror as a believer in Christ is very important. We are a new creation in Christ, the old has gone the new has come. As we look in the mirror nothing has outwardly changed, but within we are a different person. We think and speak differently because we are different! We must not walk away from the mirror forgetting who we are, but rather…. REMEMBERING WHO WE ARE!

Ref. 2 Corinthians 5:17, James 1:23-24 NIV.

There is a sense in which we are chained or inseparably linked to the Lord Jesus Christ. If we understand this spiritual connection we have with him, it will sustain us in times of doubt and testing of our faith. But it also can be the catalyst of truth which will enable us to live victorious Christian lives each day.

I am reminded of those safety chains that are part of a trailer’s attachment equipment. There is the ball joint connection then a safety chain to hold the trailer in the event of a mishap. It is always important to keep the safety chain connected. We are fortunate as Christians that God’s ‘spiritual safety chain’ is always in place. We belong to Jesus, and nothing can separate us.

What is God’s ‘spiritual safety chain’? It is…THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST & HIS ASCENSION INTO GOD’S PRESENCE. This may seem very basic Christian teaching, but the key is understanding our participation in that event.

It was GOD’S POWER that raised Christ from the dead and then seated him at his right hand in heaven. At the precise moment we personally receive Jesus Christ into our lives God links us with His Son. The result is this… we are placed in God’s presence immediately because Jesus is already seated there.

What we feel is irrelevant, but what we believe is crucial. You and I have been carried into heaven in the greatest rescue mission ever performed. God’s power has inseparably raised us with Christ. if you are IN CHRIST, you are IN HEAVEN and in God’s presence. This is not a future event but a reality for the Now!

Ref. Ephesians 2:6 NIV.

Medical science has researched the connection between stress and the human heart. In fact, people can die of a broken heart caused by the death of a partner. Atrial fibrillation (a form of irregular heartbeat) can be a risk for up to 12 months after a bereavement. Anyone who has lost a loved one can relate to this. It can be a time of emotional stress affecting the healthy function of the heart.

Of course, stress can be attributed to many other factors.; one example being involvement in a natural disaster. The human heart is a precious organ that needs protection. The health of our spiritual heart can also affect the health of that pumping station we call the human heart. It is of interest that the Greek word used for our spiritual heart in the New Testament is ‘Kardia’, from which we also get medical terms like ‘cardiology’, ‘cardiac arrest’ and ‘echocardiogram’.

The Lord Jesus is the best heart surgeon I know. He came to heal broken hearted people and has that special ability to put hearts back together. We find many references in the Bible to God’s ability to heal the heart. God wants to repair our failed spiritual heart! He does this by putting the law of love back. The result is peace starting to control our hearts instead of fear and worry.

Ref. Isaiah 61:1, Jer. 31:33, Romans 5:5. NIV.