New Creation Library

New Creation Library:

FOR INFORMATION:

Over the years the New Creation Teaching Ministry helped many people.
Geoffrey Bingham has now gone home to the Lord.
His materials - hundreds of books and songs are still available for free.

Grace is the Theme of his ministry.
New Creation Library is now accessible here:

newcreationt.wordpress.com

A 500mb Zip File can be downloaded, and many PDF books are there to read.

Blessings in the Risen Christ,
Trevor Faggotter

The flower fades (Tulip ...and Roses)

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever (Isaiah 40:8)

The Ascended Jesus—the once crucified Christ, together with the Father, pours out the Holy Spirit upon all flesh (Acts 2). The gift of the Holy Spirit, is necessary, in order to hear and receive the gospel, the wonderful Word of God’s redeeming grace in Christ. Christ himself, by the Spirit, imparts the gospel to our hearts so that, through faith, our minds are profoundly changed, and we come to know God as Father, and ourselves as new creatures 'in' the Son, forgiven and redeemed for genuine life.

Try as they may, even the very best theologians have weakness and deficiencies, and so does their teaching.  The gospel cannot be reduced to a formula, or put into a nutshell. It can however be imparted to the very simplest person (even in the womb—as with John the prophetic cousin of Jesus), and to the most intelligent mind and even the most complex of human beings, by the Holy Spirit’s power.

For many years, in an attempt to help people in their faith and understanding, five important elements of the gospel, have been set forth in Calvinist teaching in the following manner, under the heading of TULIP.

T     Total Depravity

U     Unconditional Grace

L     Limited Atonement

I      Irresistible Grace

P     Perseverance of the Saints

Without going into the detail, the system had weaknesses, though it was and is fiercely defended.

The whole system really needed qualification and renewal, through gracious conversation. It has rightly come in for some criticism. It is the work of human beings and is not a tradition that should be elevated to the high standing of Holy Scripture, for example.

The flower fades.

The TULIP has faded. In recent times, someone has joyfully chosen to renew the beauty of this rather lonely tulip, by bringing in a bunch of freshly picked ROSES.

I set it forth briefly for your help, (as I found it set forth by another):

R           Radical Depravity           

O           Overcoming Grace

S            Sovereign Election

E            Eternal Life

S            Singular Redemption

I am grateful to Kenneth Keathley for his explanation, here below:

What are the tenets of ROSES, in contrast to TULIP?

Radical depravity: The old term, total depravity, gives the impression that fallen humanity always is as bad as it possibly can be.  The new term, radical depravity, more correctly emphasizes that every aspect of our being is affected by the Fall and renders us incapable of saving ourselves. 

Overcoming grace: The old term, irresistible grace, seems to imply that God saves a person against his will.  The new term, overcoming grace, highlights that it is God’s persistent beckoning that overcomes our wicked obstinacy. 

Sovereign election: Often the term unconditional election is presented in such as way as to give the impression that those who die without receiving Christ did so because God never desired their salvation in the first place.  The replacement label, sovereign election, affirms that God desires the salvation of all, yet accentuates that our salvation is not based on us choosing God, but on God choosing us.

Eternal life: The old term, perseverance of the saints, leads to the notion that a believer’s assurance is based on his ability to persevere rather than on the fact he is declared righteous in Christ.  The purpose of the new term, eternal life, is to stress that believers enjoy a transformed life that is preserved and we are given a faith which will remain. 

Singular redemption:  A particularly unfortunate concept, limited atonement, teaches that Christ died only for the elect and gives the impression that there is something lacking in the Atonement.  The new term, singular redemption, emphasizes that Christ died sufficiently for every person, but efficiently only for those who believe.

Kenneth's post is found at:

http://www.theologyforthechurch.com/1/post/2010/04/roses-vs-tulip.html

Thanks Kenneth. 

As has been said: "The best theology is doxology."

Praise the Lord for the freshness of a new day.

Cheers,

Trevor

Writings of George Robert Iles

It is 3 years since Uniting Church Minister, Robert Iles died of cancer. He proclaimed Christ Jesus, crucified and risen, as the central theme of life and service, with good humour, joy, serious nobility and tenacity.

On Thursday 8th November, 2012, I attended the Inaugural 'George Robert Iles Memorial Lecture', held at the Burnside Uniting Church. (Thanks to Owen Davis and others for coming up with the idea). The Lecture was given by Professor Brian Edgar, entitled 'A Tale of Two Cities'. Brian's own Blog can be found at Brian Edgar The subtitle tells what the lecture was about: 'Understanding the Relationship between Christ and Culture'. In this lecture he described 8 ways of conceiving of the church's role in society: 1. Aliens in a foreign land 2. Examples of an alternative community 3. Rulers of Christendom 4. Residents of two cities 5. Reformers of society 6. Workers in all spheres of life 7. Citizens of a pluralistic society 8. Friends of the world The fact is that all 8 ways of participation within the world have some validity, and can be useful in thinking through how best to respond and function in the array of situations within life today. Thanks Brian, it was an excellent Word. At the same time, Callum Iles, Robert's son, released the new Blog which is to host some of Robert's writings. Rob was/is a funny man, and always spoke with theological depth and biblical insight, in his weekly preaching. These writings are to be found at: The Writings of George Rober Iles Keep Thinking, Christologically! Trevor.

The Gospel in a Few Minutes

Is it possible to share the gospel in a few minutes?

I have seen a few recordings on You Tube, of the Gospel in a few minutes, by people who are noble and reliable.
As I am considering these forthright and genuine proclamation talks—I am thankful for them. But as yet, I am undecided about what they really convey. Is it the gospel? Can it ever be? Is it a snapshot of the gospel? Is it a truncated gospel?

I a reminded of Karl Barth's saying that 'no one ever heard the gospel from the lips of another person' — meaning that it is Christ Jesus himself who preaches to a person, and reveals himself to them. 'Faith comes by hearing', and hearing by the 'preaching of Christ'. (Romans 10).

That is, the Ascended Jesus preaching to a human heart, through 'the words' (the agency) of a person like me, or you.

I am also reminded of Geoffrey Bingham's comment that "John 3:16 is not the gospel in a nutshell! Only a nut would think that!"

So, I ask again, is it possible to share the gospel in a few minutes?

On the one had, there is a Word to speak, all the time, that bears witness to Jesus Crucified and Risen, and the grace of God, we know in him, by the Spirit. So lets speak of the good things we know.

However, what of this gospel, can it be summarised or located or identified?

I recall that C. H. Dodd tried to summarise all the elements of the "kerygma", the early Christian preaching. Others have discussed this, and found that, yes, there are common elements, in speeches and content, but, the 'magic words' - as such are unable to be isolated, (pinned down) amidst all of the unique relational talks with real people in real settings, Jews, Gentiles, unbelievers, and believers, pretenders and listeners.

So we note that:

A. Jesus, the centre of the gospel, came 'when the time had fully come' (Galatians 4:4).
B. And yet the gospel was declared to Abraham 'beforehand' (Galatians 3:8).
C. And it is stated, that there is 'an eternal gospel' (Revelation 14:6).

To gather these thoughts. I am thinking that the gospel, in a few minutes, would need to include some setting forth of:

1. Creation, its plan and purpose to Edenise the world
—and the tragic, irrational entrance of sin
2. Abraham and the Promise—God's Covenant of grace
3. Christ Jesus and the significance of his life, death, resurrection and current reign

I think that number 1 and 2 are often neglected a bit, so we have ...a baby without a cradle!

So, rather than just be critical, I might even have a try one Sunday, to pack "the gospel" into about 5 minutes—ready for uploading along with others of genuine heart and noble purpose, yet another attempt to unfold the gospel... on You Tube! Praying of course, that in it all, Jesus himself speaks!
Cheers. Trevor.

Enjoyment

You really need to read Koheleth. Go to Ecclesiastes in the Bible, here is a sample:

18 ¶ This is what I have seen to be good: it is fitting to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of the life God gives us; for this is our lot.
19 Likewise all to whom God gives wealth and possessions and whom he enables to enjoy them, and to accept their lot and find enjoyment in their toil--this is the gift of God.
20 For they will scarcely brood over the days of their lives, because God keeps them occupied with the joy of their hearts.

(Ecclesiastes 5:18-20)

Music and the Gospel

MUSIC AND THE GOSPEL

The following quote is from P. T. Forsyth [numbers added]:
(1) There is at once a compelling grasp and a pervasive idea in great music, which lifts us, if we seek something more than mere amusement, into the vision which sees all things as working together for glory, good, and God.
(2) Music is a universal speech, not only in the sense of coming home to almost all hearts. In that sense it is true only of simple and homely music. But great music is universal in a deeper sense than the simple, as Christianity itself is. Its nature and destiny is universal. It sweeps over us with a wave of emotion, which is humane, universal, and submersive of our own petty egoism.
(3) It exists to purify and organise the selfish emotions, not simply to soothe them, excite them, or indulge them. It lifts us into a world of things which includes our little aches and joys, laps them in a diviner air, and resolves them into the tides and pulses of an eternal life.
(4) It raises us to our place, if but for an hour, in the universal order of things, and makes our years seem but moments in the eternal process. It is not then our personal welfare we think of, or our private enjoyment.
(5) Music, like Scripture and Nature, is of no private interpretation. We feel then that our passions and affections, however real, are but rills and streams in an infinite world of love, sympathy, and consummation. (Forsyth, Christ On Parnassus, p. 209-210).
(6) ‘…we have in a piece of great music the world’s order in miniature.’ (P. T. Forsyth, Christ on Parnassus, p. 212)

Adelaide Berean Community Church

Our congregation - NWCC - is linked with the ABORIGINAL BEREAN COMMUNITY CHURCH. They are an Aboriginal Congregation, primarily. Formerly an AEF - Aboriginal Evangelical Fellowship congregation. Their name is taken from Acts 17:10-11.

"The brethren at once sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and they, on their arrival, went to the synagogue of the Jews. The Jews at Berea were of a nobler disposition than those in Thessalonica, for they very readily received the Message, and day after day searched the Scriptures to see whether it was as Paul stated."

This congregation is of a noble disposition!

It is great to meet with them.
And you know what?

We are one in Christ, reconciled. What a great practical beginning to living as a reconciled people (after all that has happened in Australia, in these last 200 years).

A work of grace, is a work of grace - given by God, established in Calvary, wrought through forgiveness. Formed by the Spirit of God. Grace: Black and White - One in Christ.

"Why I Write" - Extracts from Andrew Lansdown

Andrew Lansdown is one of Australia's very gifted poets, and writers:
From his article: 'Why I Write', the following are his eleven reasons:

1. Writing is a means of discovery. ...the work becomes something different from and more than I had imagined at the outset.
2. Writing is a means of clarification.
3. Writing is a means of paying attention and attributing worth.
4. Writing is a means of expressing praise and gratitude.
5. Writing is a means of keeping record.
6. Writing is a means of expressing interest and love.
7. Writing is a means of protest and protection.
8. Writing is a means of communication.
9. Writing is a means of exploring and enjoying language.
10. Writing is a means of achievement and satisfaction.
11. Writing is a means of satisfying a compulsion.

(These 11 are just the headlines. And good headlines at that. The details appear in his book: Andrew Lansdown, 'Abiding Things', Studio, 1996, p. 86-88.)

I too like writing, but have been busy writing theological teaching papers, of late, and have neglected a little enjoyable scribble, of thoughts, and insights. Have a try at writing! You may get a nice surprise!

Shallow View of Evil

Our society has a shallow view of evil.
We know about Terrorists.
But we miss the human condition, and the present outworking of the curse on creation.
And we deny, or miss, or ignore, or laugh at - the action, in destruction, of 'the evil one'.

N.T. Wright says:

Firstly, we ignore evil when it doesn’t hit us in the face.
Second, we are surprised by evil when it does.
Third, we react in immature and dangerous ways as a result.

Let's come to terms with a more nuanced view!

Charlie Wilson's War

My wife won some free tickets to see the movie "Charlie Wilson's War". Unfortunately we sat a bit too far towards the back, where the theatre got a tad hot, and I was quite uncomfortable - and sleepy. However, Tom Hanks played his roll well - a drinking, womanising, low morals, mover and shaker American congressman - the usual.

Charlie was a bit of a hero - in the way he gave short shrift to the fundamentalist 'Christian' who could no longer have his nativity scene in a public place... "... take it to the Baptist church a mile down the street - 'everybody lives!')

*** Note: Everyone laughs at the Yanks, because they think they are so, so wrong, and humanitarianism ideals are so, so, right). Post-modern mindset people naively think: "we can do it, if only more people, were without 'Christian' or other God-morals and god-values"].

Charlie Wilson managed to "win the war", by utilising his contacts, and his sharp political manoeuvring. A true story according to the intro. I fell asleep a couple of times - the start was a bit slow. But I think this is how it went (could have a detail or two wrong - sorry but):

Now, Charlie needfully socialised with the Moslem nations, Pakistan, Egypt and so on - and even Israel lent a hand. Funny socialising occasions! They chipped in billions to get the Communist Russians out of Afghanistan. They purchased and supplied these extra-fancy bazooka type anti-aircraft guns, so that the poor Afghan people, could drop the destuctive, horrifyingly good Russian helicopters out of the sky. They did it. And the Russians lost a real battle to invade, for the first time in a long while. (And it stopped that domino effect, for other nations... etc.)

The emotional, moving, part was when Charlie - the US congressman - agreed to sit down in the dirt and really feel the plight and pain, of the maimed kids, innocent victims of war.
The Russians, you see, were just carelessly slaughtering women, kids and men, from the safety of their unreachable sky transport. The innocent victims picked up bombs and were maimed. Sad. Very sad. Anyway, Charlie fixed it.

The Russians retreated. Communism (... now in decline, ) being defeated here, ... precipitated the eventual fall of the Berlin Wall! Ah Charlie!)

And the reason Charlie bothered to help the Afghanistan people?
Because he was asked to sit with the suffering ones? He was moved.
So were we. It appeals to our poor view of our own will, ... that we could somehow do it right, if we had the chance..
Yes, in it all, the 'dumb' Americans were managed to be portrayed as such.
Then came the twist.

The Afghans wanted money for a new school!
"No, was the reply - Why? - coz no one give a toss about them!"
Irony. Blame back on the dumb USA - again! (Always a good scapegoat for all other nations!)

Amidst all this was the yarn - wise advice of a Zen Master - a spiritual man: "We'll see".
The yarn:
A boy was bought a horse? Good hey? Reply: "We'll see".
He fell off and was paralysed? Bad hey? Reply: "We'll see".
War broke out in Vietnam and he did not have to go? Good hey? Reply: "We'll see".

As with the yarn, so with the politics and hopes in humanity for the Charlie Wilson's of the world to do more good...
Reply: "We'll see".

Now, for the few conclusions, I am drawing..
You see... one bloke left the movie thinking ... that was good, but...
Now we've got a bloody religious war (in Afghanistan).
Underlying message ... if only it was all left to sensible, left, liberal minded people, we could fix it.
Underlying message of movie ...shallow. Politics can fix some things, But mostly it comes down to "We'll see".
No conclusion. No hope. No destiny. Just more of the same. Up. Down. Defeat. Triumph. Politics - good. Politics - not so good. And one big "We'll see".

I say 'no'. I say, 'there is a cross'. There is a theodicy. There is a Sovereign hand. History, in itself is not our hope. Christ is. And he is. And he will. And he has. And he does. Reconciliation. That is the plan, the outworking of the cross. Redemption is the action, working up our futile answers. And "We'll see" is a futile conclusion - if that is all there is.

Not - "we'll see", but our God reigns, from the place of deepest suffering, to the place of greatest triumph. Christ is Risen.
It is his war! And he is Victor. And we are the objects of his grace. All races. Wow!

Into the sea

(1) Crossing the Red Sea, was quite a moment, for the people of God.

"The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left" (Exodus 14:22).

Have you entered "the sea", the chaos, the impossible place to be?
Do you have faith? Do you trust God? Are you led by His Word, and Spirit?

Those who are called, and are resolved to follow the Lord, and to find in him, saving grace, know that the only place to be, is "into the sea", when this is the will of the Lord. His will is to reveal his saving power, to the nations - that all might put their trust in him.

To die, to enter "the sea", is a once only event for us all.
Facing death, as a person, who has already trusted the Lord, is a good place to be.
It is dry land. It is secure. It is leading into the promised land.

Baptism, rightly understood is the entry into 'the sea'. Baptism, is at once the funeral day, and the day of salvation.
Enter the waters of death, with in, and by the work of Christ, and you will know the security of venturing forth, on dry land.

"All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea" (1 Corinthians 10:2).

(2) Living beyond the Red Sea is also quite 'a moment'; a calling - a holy calling, and a place of grace, and of judgments, within the salvation which has come. For, the new life comes with warnings, not to become idolaters - do 'not put Christ to the test'. 23,000 Israelites fell in a single day, for their sexual immorality. God was not pleased with most of them. "Dear friends, flee from the worship of idols.I speak as to sensible people. Judge for yourselves what I say" (1 Corinthians 10:15)

Much is to be learned from Israel, and her failings. Much. Cheers!

Thanks!

"HEY THANKS!"
O Give Thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. O give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; (Psalm 136:1-3)

My parents taught me, when I was still a small child, to say: 'thank you!'

Giving thanks is a simple matter. It is a very simple word to say. It is a simple attitude to take - thankfulness. However, the refusal to give thanks lies at the the heart of the human problem; and so the way in which we live within the creation, and among other people.

Of the first couple - the man and woman - we learn that 'though they know God, they did not honour him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened (Romans 1:21).

The problem of 'not giving thanks' is a refusal to acknowledge dependency upon God; it is a sign of a lack of humility; it is a sign of pride; it is a symptom of losing the sense of life coming out of love, from God, and as gift.

On one occasion, Jesus healed 10 lepers. Guess how many came back to give thanks?

Answer: 1.

"And he was a Samaritan"

Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, were are they? Was none of then found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Get up and go your way; your faith has made you well." [see Luke 17:17-19].

The sort of faith that makes you well, is thankful faith. One can be healed, but remain faithless, and even - strangely enough - unthankful.

Jesus came into the world, to recreate human hearts, in the image and likeness of God - to redeem our hearts and our lives - renewing thankfulness - and giving us a true, better, more vital perspective, and outlook on life. Thanks does not come naturally to sinful human beings; indeed it is against the sinful nature; however it is also part of what it means to be human; so as we know, many non-Christians can express thankfulness. And that is good. But to express thankfulness to our Maker, involves a new orientation, towards the one unto whom all thanks and honour is due.

Thanks arises when we experience the renewal of life, and the forgiveness of our unthankfulness, and of all our anti-God, lack of true appreciation for all that God - the Father - is, in and through Christ and the Spirit. He redeems us, even while we are ungrateful enemies. As Father, he reworks our hearts, in the furnace, and new mould of the cross - until we see the stunning truth. The truth we see in Jesus, suffering for all, (without any appreciation of what he is doing), is the truth of God the very generous, very kind, very -in-control giver: 'O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!'

'Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you' (1Thessalonians 5:18).
.... now that is a most extraordinary verse. Is God, really that much in control?

Hope

Hope.

God is Light. God is Love.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all (1John 1:5)

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them (1John 4:16b).

There are two basic insights into the character and action of God, which form the basis of the entire life of faith – in Jesus Christ.
1. God is Light
2. God is Love

If we could grasp these two simple, yet profound theological insights - and live in them, life would be different.

All creation comes into being and flows from God’s love, as he says: ‘Let there be light!’ All of God’s redemption takes place as the action of gracious love, whenever the light of Christ shines in the darkness of a sinful human race. Evil and sin - sometimes called ‘darkness’ - are an intrusion. God’s light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not overcome it.

The Darkness of evil will ultimately all be destroyed. It has been overcome. The fruit of True Love will remain. Love Builds Up.

Central to all of this is the deed of Jesus’ cross, where Light and Love combine to judge evil, and transform the whole creation. Our trouble as human beings begins and ends with our refusal to truly love, and to genuinely walk in the light. We need grace and forgiveness, and all the benefits of the gospel, if ever we are to change. Self-effort will never do. But your grace O Lord abounds!

O Father, Son and Spirit, God of Light and Love, you cleanse us from all our darkness, fill our souls with Your Light and Love, and cause us to share the glory of Christ- all through the ministry of Jesus Christ. Open our lives Lord to the wonder of your gift – “grace, heaped upon grace”. Cause our walk of faith, to be a joyful one, in the light. Strengthen us to engage in the battle, where darkness seemingly abounds.

Belonging To God

“I must stay at your house today” (Jesus to Zacchaeus) - Luke 19:5
He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha cum” which means, “Little girl, get up!” (Jesus to Jairus daughter) – Mark 6:41

The call of Jesus upon our lives can be heard at any age. Baby John (the Baptiser) leaped for joy while he was still in his mother’s womb. Even before his birth he was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:15, 44). The same Holy Spirit moves in us today.

The disciples of Jesus often misunderstood what he was about. On one occasion they spoke sternly to the parents who were bringing little children to Jesus in order that he might touch them. What were the disciples thinking? The Kingdom of God belonged to these little children, but the adult disciples were preventing them from drawing near.

What was, and is, Jesus on about? Serious religion? Adults only? Difficult theology?

The story of Zacchaeus up in a tree, and being called by Jesus, is a favourite with children, all over the world. Similarly, the story of a dying 12-year-old girl – Jairus daughter - being restored to health by Jesus often deeply stirs the hearts of young children.

Be assured, that as the Living Jesus is proclaimed, he is himself speaking to the hearts of children, youth and adults. What a sad indictment, when church activity becomes suitable for adults only. Conversely, how lovely is youthfulness, blessed in Jesus Christ!

O Father, stir us anew to appreciate the simple yet profound working of the Spirit of Jesus in every person, in every secret heart.

Take; eat; this is my body!

While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” (Matthew 26:26)

There was a man in England, by the name of John Wesley; he was rescued from a house fire; and subsequently recognised that he had been saved–and so described himself in biblical terms as:
“…a brand plucked from the fire?” (Zechariah 3:2).

It was said of John Wesley that everywhere he went there was either a riot, or a revival. People either came gladly to Christ, or reacted strongly to his message and got quite angry.

He knew that the message he spoke was important to every person, for: “the power of the Cross reaches into every nook and cranny of history and of creational living” (Geoff Bingham).

What was it that happened in the cross of Christ?
What was it that God did there that changed all things?
Christ Jesus bore our sins in his own body on the cross.
The godly man, died for - the ungodly – us!
While we were still his enemies, Christ died for us.
O what love, that he should become sin for us!
O what love that he should release us from the grip of guilt!
O what love that he should defeat Satan and all evil powers!
O what love that he shoud reconcile us to God and each other!
O what love to suffer such extreme horror, to win forgiveness!
He suffered, not for his own sins, but poured out blood for mine.
For you and for me, he cried out: “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?”
He was utterly forsaken – that we might be saved, fully included.
Bread broken, and wine poured out, tells of his life’s work for all.

O Jesus, come, by your Holy Spirit, into my life, so that I may know the Father’s love as you do, and live in true freedom. Amen.

The Absolute Evil: Guilt

"Guilt alone is the absolute evil, the absolutely terrible and unbearable, the simply irrevocable loss. Compared to guilt all else that may be terrible in the world is very slight indeed. If one weighs guilt against all other suffering in the world, unhappy love which makes life a hell, life-long hard labour in the mines of Siberia, continuous suffering from cancer without any hope but the prospect of a painful death, softening of the brain leading to madness, epilepsy with increasing stupefaction - the guilt will easily outweigh all the other evils in the scale. And if on the other hand we think of all that the world offers by way of good things, then all the riches, power and happiness of the world cannot balance and replace the damage caused by one guilty act".

These words are taken from a book, by Karl Heim (Jesus the World’s Perfecter)

The Word of the Cross

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1Corinthians 1:18)

The Scriptures are the Written Word. Christ is the Living Word. The Word of the Cross - is the Preached Word.

You will have noticed that not every preached message is about the cross of Jesus Christ. But you may not have realised that the cross of Jesus Christ, is, rightly understood, about every sermon. It is indeed about, central to, and therefore, in some way, related to, every matter in heaven and on earth, from start to finish. Or as Buzz Light Year once said: ‘to infinity, and beyond!’

It is an amazing thing to realise that “the power of the Cross reaches into every nook and cranny of history and of creational living” (Geoff Bingham).

Have we underestimated the power of the cross? Yes.

In every case, in every life, in every situation, we have not fully counted on the power of the cross. It is God’s central deed in history, to heal and redeem, to judge and to reconcile, to save and to damn. The Cross is the Father’s mighty deed to plan, the Son’s delight and joy to embrace, and the Holy Spirit’s task to assist with, to open up, to shine upon, to draw people into, and to minister effectively to every person, and circumstance in all creation. God has acted in love and grace. We must respond to the Word of the cross; we must have faith; we must receive the blessing of God, the grace which flows from the cross. Have you?

Prayer: O Living God! O Active Christ! O Spirit of truth, reveal this grace to me, in me. In Jesus name, Amen.

Battle for the Mind

"Man [male-female] is obviously made for thinking.
Therein lies all his dignity and his merit; and his whole duty is to think as he ought.
Now the order of thought is to begin with ourselves, and with our author and our end". (Blaise Pascal)

There is a battle going on for our minds. I guess you knew that.
'Do not eat the bread of a miser, Nor desire his delicacies; For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you'. (Proverbs 23:6-7 NKJV)

“As he thinks in his heart, so is he.” It is important to take some control of your thinking process. Runaway thinking can end up anywhere. We very easily begin thinking in patterns of unbelief – just conforming to this world. It is dead-end thinking - since Christ is Risen! Thinking is a titanic battle. But, it is always “in grace”.

Knowing and trusting God means having a new mindset. The evil world system – “selfish self-preservation” – is actually passing away. No longer distrustful of God, no longer bitter at the world, and no longer facing a bleak future, we are to live in joyful hope, amidst all the difficulties. We are to “put to death whatever in you is earthly”, not to put on a goody moral appearance, but because there is now a new way of thinking and living, namely - “in Christ”.

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. … Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry)… … You have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self…… Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness …love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
(Colossians 3:1-3, 5, 9, 14)

O Father, thank you for a new mindset – full of hope in Christ; we pray that your grace, will ever sustain us in this battle.