Christian Faith Perspectives

There’s something wonderfully unfettered about a bird in flight. It seems to own the air as it flies at will. Ascending, and diving at incredible speed, it is their realm, it is their freedom!

There is a spiritual freedom that is ours in Jesus Christ where we can soar and discover the realm of the Holy Spirit. Like those hot air balloons we can ascend and be carried by God’s wind.

Yet, we may not fully appropriate the spiritual freedom Jesus has made available. We can be like the hot air balloon, inflated and ready to go, but still held earth bound by anchor ropes.

Believe it or not, the very thing that can hinder or stop us from being totally free is the Law of Commandments. Yet it is that very Law that Jesus dealt with on the cross. The Law was introduced by God not to save us but to convict us as sinners!

Unfortunately we will never be good enough by keeping God”s book of rules. Try as we might we fall short! Then why does God still give us the Gift of the Holy Spirit? Because we have believed that Jesus took our failure so justifying us before God.

As we let go of those ropes of self effort the Spirit of God will lift us into that realm of total freedom and spiritual power.

Ref. Galatians 3:14 NIV.

Whatever the time of year we know that the cycle of seasons will continue. They are a valuable reminder of God’s faithfulness in times of doubt and uncertainty. God wants to encourage us, by letting us know, that like the seasons things will change.

Autumn for instance is a time of transition, richly coloured leaves fall, trees once laden become skeletons and we feel those chill winds announcing a coming winter. The crunch of morning frosts and early snow are reminders that things will become dormant for a while. But springtime comes, bulbs burst forth and the new growth points to a coming summer of warmth and harvest.

Life is a bit like that, those times when nothing seems to be happening. Even as Christians, the door we want to open seems firmly shut. In such circumstance it is so easy to lose faith or at least wonder why it seems that God is not listening or has no interest in the timetable of our lives. When nothing seems to be happening it is for a reason, the next event will be on cue.

We are so often told to keep faith, to keep believing and that is fine, but it can be very difficult when God seemingly gives no response. There is what I call, REVERSE FAITHFULNESS by God… his faith toward us is constant. Like the seasons which never cease His faithful love toward us will never change.

Ref. Gen. 8:22, Psalm 33:22 NIV.

What has darts in common with faith? Well quite a lot really, do you recall playing darts? The aim of course is to hit that red bullseye in the middle and score 50. However, the double and treble rings are handy for getting a good score when you target the high numbered segments. One thing is certain though, you have to concentrate and take aim when throwing the dart.

Faith is not a random thing, just hoping that maybe we might just get lucky. Christian faith must be specific if we expect to get good results. Aim at nothing and there’s a good chance we will hit nothing! Faith which can focus on the target will get results.

So, what are faith seeds? They are seeds that will determine the result. Buy a packet of carrot seeds for instance… plant them and you get carrots! Faith seeds then, are the actual things we expect to receive, be it health. or other needs. It is important to know what we want so we can focus and be clear in our prayers.

If we can see our need and describe it before God, the result of that seed thought when planted will be ours to receive!

Ref. Matthew 21:22. NIV.

One of the hallmarks of Christian liturgy is the benediction spoken at the end of a service: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace”.

What we are more familiar with are the expressions that God is light, and that Jesus is the light of the world. But the meaning of God described as light is more than just a figure of speech.

Consider for a moment the light of the sun, so bright that we cannot look directly at it without eye protection. Then there is the flash of a nuclear explosion. It is documented that the light enabled people watching to see the bones in their hands.

When Saul of Tarsus was confronted by Jesus Christ it was light that flashed around him. When Jesus was transfigured, his clothes became bright as a flash of lightening. The light that emanates from God and his Son is real. Jesus is the LIGHT! As we let his light shine on our lives dynamic changes will occur.

Ref. John 8:12, Acts 9:3. NIV.

There is always something special about flowers as they open up to display their distinctive colours and characteristics. Bulbs lie dormant in the ground, then burst forth with springtime colour. Be it fruit bearing shrubs and trees or so many other types of vegetables and grain plants, it’s all proof of a life producing planet. And how dull it would be if the earth was desolate and devoid of life.

Sometimes as human beings we can exhibit a lack of life. We may all have experienced the ‘burn out’ syndrome. It’s a time when motivation seems to allude us, there is a lack of inspiration and enthusiasm in our lives. It is a state of inertia when there is a tendency to do nothing, where our life has become static. Psychologists today assist in overcoming this with therapies.

We speak of the NEW LIFE we are supposed to have in Christ. Indeed, that is the meaning behind Christian Baptism. In a full immersion baptism, we have the symbolism of the person rising up out of the water in newness of life ready to start moving forward with a new motivation for living. However, it can become a meaningless historical event in our lives with no relevance to the now!

On the other hand, our Baptism into Christ can be a powerful reminder to rediscover his energy and inspiration in our lives. Maybe too, it could be of assistance in helping with psychological inertia The old life was just self, but the new life available to us can be empowered by the Spirit of Jesus. Eternal life is not just a future experience but is also available for the active NOW!

Ref. Romans 6:4 NIV.

What about a new car? When you take it out for the first time, it seems so responsive, the engine hums, and the interior is extra plush and comfortable. In life we are constantly changing old for new. The old requires constant repair; eventually we change… it is time for something new! A decision we make with no regrets.

In our lives we are frequently getting something new to replace the old. Not just cars, it could be furniture, household appliances and of course our clothes. Every time the feeling is the same; we feel so good as we get the new. It looks good and we enjoy!

It reminds me of the spiritual side of our lives which also needs newness. We explore therapies which we hope will increase our ability to be a better person. But Jesus spoke of the futility of trying to repair clothing by sewing new cloth on to old… it doesn’t work! The inner fabric of our nature needs to be changed.

God has given us an incredible new gift to replace the old. It is RIGHTEOUSNESS, the most powerful transformation a human being can have. When God remakes us in Christ, he is exchanging the old model for a new one. Forgiven yes, but a real structural change takes place as we actually receive the nature of God.

Ref. Matthew 9:16, Romans 1:17, 2Cor. 5:17. NIV.

You may well ask, what is the connection of a loaf of bread and recognizing Jesus? Yet it was the simplicity of seeing Jesus breaking a loaf of bread which triggered recognition in the eyes of two disciples. They were walking to Emmaus when a stranger joined them. They talked to the stranger about the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth and the fact that he was thought to be still alive. The stranger then started to explain the Scriptures which related to the suffering of Christ and his resurrection; but they didn’t know that it was really Jesus who was talking to them.

As they approached the village of Emmaus, Jesus indicated he was going further, but they urged him to stay with them for it was late. He agreed and soon they were enjoying a meal together. But it was at this point that something dramatic happened. This man then broke some bread, said a prayer and gave them portions. Suddenly they knew!… it was none other than Jesus himself!

I find it fascinating how Jesus played hard to get. He wasn’t going to say who he was, he wanted them to come to the point of recognition. Jesus agreed to stay but only after they strongly persuaded him. These disciples knew their emotions had been touched but they still needed to discover his true identity.

We all remember those times when we see someone who looks familiar. Then suddenly something clicks, and we recognize them. For these two travellers it was a climactic moment, they now knew Jesus was alive and that he was, the BREAD OF LIFE!

Ref. Luke 24:13-35. John 6:35. NIV.

Peace means the absence of warfare, where hostilities have ceased. But what does this word capitulation mean? It’s certainly not found in the Bible; or maybe it is expressed differently.

To capitulate is to surrender in times of warfare. The conquered forces have to submit to the particular terms of their surrender. These terms are often written down and have to be signed. The Latin words, caput and capitulum mean “head” and “headings” and relate to details in the official agreement drawn up when someone formally surrenders.

In life we wrestle with truth; we even battle with God as we try to understand the meaning of life. There is a mental warfare within! We want to accept the truth of a divine being, yet at the same time we are unwilling to accept the reality of a creator God.

I can still clearly recall my personal battle as I struggled with questions and doubts about Jesus Christ. But there was a point of capitulation where I stopped fighting and surrendered. The immediate result was to experience peace! Peace with God!

Ref. Romans 5:1 NIV.

So often we look at flowers in isolation, admiring their singular beauty and characteristics. Yet it is impressive to see flowers together. For instance, a mass of daisies on a bush makes quite a visual impact. Togetherness is seen in nature and is a vital part of our human existence. We all have a need of friendship through social contact with others. Even shopping or attending an event we are satisfying that need as we interact with other people.

Come with me for a moment… I am a young boy holidaying on the farm of relatives in Western Victoria. I clearly remember how I would anticipate waking up early to help with milking the cows. It was a dark cold morning as I headed down the passage to the kitchen. As I opened the door the warmth and smell of food cooking on the wood stove greeted my senses. But extra special was to see the others as they greeted me at the table. I felt so good as we ate breakfast together and another day on the farm was beginning.

Whilst we all need time alone to enjoy our own individuality, there is also the personal fulfilment which friendship brings. We can all be wary of friendship due to negative experiences, and so we isolate ourselves. We don’t want others getting too close, can we trust them? Are they genuine? Are their motives sincere?

In a Christian context we can be assured of God’s friendship toward us. The Lord Jesus calls us friends if we receive him into our lives. His friendship is not to control us or destroy our unique individuality. He is fond of us and wants a mutual relationship. Let us take a risk then, and also reach out to others in friendship.

So often in life we are confronted with seemingly impossible situations. It could be a new responsibility which we feel is beyond us, maybe a physical condition or simply a set of personal circumstances which are more than we can handle.
But remember, the impossible to us is possible with God.

When I read about the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth I find it interesting that he did not confine his ministry just to those people who believed he was the Son of God. The possibility thinking that Jesus spoke of, was available to everyone.

Jesus broke the boundaries of impossibility in people’s lives before they believed. In fact, he laid no prior condition on his listeners. If they could believe they would receive! Whether they decided to believe on him later was their personal choice.

This was precisely the experience of a blind man that Jesus healed. He sensed that Jesus was a man from God because his sight was restored but still had not come to a point of personal faith. Later though, Jesus met him again and told him who he was. His response was “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

Surely this is unconditional love in its purest form! That Jesus will respond to our need regardless of what we believe about him.

Ref. Mark 9:23, John 9:38. NIV.