Christian Faith Perspectives

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.

It doesn’t matter what we believe the quality of determination is still the essential ingredient for a successful life. It is the personal attribute which takes an individual through to the conclusion of a task or personal goal. To give up is to surrender yourself to failure and mediocrity; it is a compromise which settles for the easy road. To hang in there and finish the course is determination.

When we think of mountain climbers whose goal is to reach the summit, we know the ingredient of determination is vital. It may involve considerable preparation such as setting up base camps, supplies and equipment. But the desire to reach a goal requires application and not giving up when the going gets tough. Nothing of value will be achieved without total commitment.

The Christian life is not a singular experience we may have had at some point in the past. It is a journey of faith which continues till we cross the finish line. It could be likened to a race which is not so much about winning but completing. I recall those school cross country runs where we would follow a paper trail that would take us through paddocks and over creeks. Covered in mud we would arrive back at school exhausted but knowing we had completed the run.

There will be times in our Christian lives when we feel like giving up. In those moments of spiritual weariness when the journey seems too hard, we don’t have to give up. We may, need to pause and regather our strength. God wants us to be determined to finish, but not without His help. The guarantee is this… our strength will be renewed as we wait on God and yes, we will FINISH!

Ref. Isa. 40:31, Heb. 12:1-2 NIV.

There is something awe inspiring about a blazing fire! it could be a bonfire celebrating some event or just those glowing coals and curling flames of an open fire at home or out camping. Fire can also destroy forests and property and tragically, human life too.

We learn at an early age to respect fire, but it is still fascinating to watch. Fire is so alive with energy. I recall as a youngster seeing a large building on fire and been spellbound as I watched flames reaching skyward. But all our experiences of fire pale into insignificance when we think of the heat and power that is generated in a nuclear reactor core.

In the Christian context of fire, I find it encouraging to remember that the Holy Spirit is not only symbolized by fire but is in fact fire. We touch on something here which seems too hard for our finite minds to comprehend. However, when we think of the intensity of the sun, we grasp a little of what God’s presence would be like. When the disciple John had a vision of Christ, the eyes of the Lord were like blazing fire, his feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace and his face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. Rev. 1:14-16 NIV.

When the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost there was a sound of a very strong wind, and tongues of fire came to rest on each of those present. A dynamic and instant change began to take place, and it was manifested by them beginning to talk in inspired languages. It was in fact, Jesus anointing his disciples with the Holy Ghost and fire.

God wants us to be anointed with the Holy Ghost so we can live our Christian lives in the power of that fire… the Spirit of Christ!

Ref. Luke 3:16, Acts 2:3-4 NIV.

Do you remember the old-fashioned way of tracking your route to a destination on a road map. Somewhat cumbersome by their size but nevertheless indispensable to keeping us heading in the right direction. Today we can use satnav which uses satellite navigation that directs us as we drive. So simple, just follow the route displayed on the screen and listen to voice commands.

We can get over concerned about God’s will when most of the time we need to just get on with life, working diligently in our chosen profession. I’m reminded of the words…”By the pathway of duty, Flows the river of God’s grace” (Chorus) Sidney E. Cox.

But God does have a spiritual ‘roadmap’ for our lives, and which includes specific purposes for us to fulfil. Our responsibility is to ensure we are open to God’s directions and His Spirit’s leading.

Ref. Prov. 3:5-6 NIV.