The Life and Times of Me

30th May 2012

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Made for War

In the Beginning, God created the Earth. He was over joyed with his creation and he loved it. However, one fateful event would turn God’s Garden into a war zone. A barren no mans land where mankind would fight for his place in Heaven.

Christians know it as ‘The Fall’, Lucifer, one of Gods most trusted and loved agents, fell from Grace. Taking with him a third of the Angels in Heaven (See Revelation 12), but all the Angels of Heaven would not be enough. Lucifer saw Gods most prized possession, and wanted to steal it. Taking on the guise of a serpent he tempted Adam and Eve to follow him on his descent. In that one fateful moment, mankind was doomed.

Seeing his greatest love sullied and corrupted by Lucifer broke God’s heart. He was forced to expel them from Heaven and force them into exile. But God never gave up hope that Mankind could return to him. He laid plans to bring heaven to earth. 

God chose a nation. One people who he could mold, shape and craft. An example to the rest of mankind. The Israelite people were born from a single man, dragged out of slavery and placed in a land which God had promised them. He had fought for them, performed miraculous activities. Including stopping the sun and parting a sea. All to bring the nation to a standard where it would bring people back to God.

But Lucifer’s seed was planted deep and no matter what God did, it wasn’t enough. The Israelite’s continued to sin. Finally God played his end game. He physically took on flesh and stepped into our world. He showed us how to live as he wanted man to. He lived the sacrificial life and showed many the way to return to God.

When he left the earth, he did more than give us homework. He paved the way, opening the gates of heaven for us to return once more. Only one thing stood in the way.

Lucifer

God had taken away the sting of death, we need no longer be bound by our actions. God took the weight and punishment of sin for us all. Clearing the slate. On the back foot, Lucifer now has to accuse and use shame to bring us back down.

We need to resist the attacks of the enemy, and we can do that because God has given us spiritual armour. Ephesians 6 tells us about how we need to dress up for battle with the Armour of God, but we don’t fight and against flesh and blood enemies. But instead against the evils of the world. Against injustice, against poverty. But we also fight against the devil and his minions. 

For this part, I have no biblical evidence and so is purely my opinion. But I believe that our actions have an effect. Not just on the earth, but in the Cosmos. When we pray for healing, Lucifer’s forces are pushed back. When we preach the Word of God, the enemy retreats. It can’t stand against God. But we need to issue the attack. Otherwise we are constantly on the defense. When we show kindness and compassion, we make a difference. Not only to the communities around us, but to God. We take the fight to the enemy.

Whether you like it or not, if you are a follower of Jesus. You are a soldier. When you gave your life to God, you were signing up to take part in the greatest battle that would ever occur. A battle that would change the world and decide the the fate of Mankind.  

18th May 2012

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Council or Crowd, Persecution or Opportunity

Over the past week I have had a small part of the Bible resonating in my heart and mind. In a normal week, I’ll read and digest a relatively large amount of scripture, so when a passage sticks, generally it means something significant. 

The passage can be found in Acts 4 and its the account of Peter and John standing before the Jewish council following the healing of a lame man. I want to explain a few of the minor details that really stood out to me, as well as try and come to terms with what this could mean for a Christian in today’s society.

The Passage I read and which sticks was this. 

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!  If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.  Jesus is

 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” 

Before we look at this passage directly, I want to look at the context. According to  Acts 3, Peter has just healed a lame man. Crippled from birth, this man stood no chance by society. Until that is, this one fateful day. Peter steps up, the man expecting money receives no such thing.

“Gold and Silver I have not, but i give to you what I have. In the name of Jesus, stand up and walk” 

The Lame man receives so much more than money, his life is transformed. There is something more significant about this. In the Old Testament, there are no accounts of healings of the blind, the deaf the lame or even of deliverance from possession. And in fact, by the book of Malachi (the last book in the OT), these sort of healings have become closely linked with the ‘Day of the Lord’. Suddenly a man from Nazareth appears and starts healing the blind, the deaf and the dumb. He was no normal teacher. later on this man hangs on the cross and dies. Many Jewish followers begin to question some of the fundamentals. This man who has just died can’t of been our messiah, he has died. But then we see His followers casting out demons and healing. Perhaps ‘The Day of the Lord’ has not yet come.

Soon after this, Peter and John get mobbed by the people exclaiming their surprise and praising God and the ex-lepper is skipping and dancing around them (almost has a Monty Python feel to it!) One of my favourite moments in this account happens next. Peter see’s the opportunity, and begins to speak to the crowd. He could easily have simply accepted the praise of the people and continued on his way. But instead, he goes for an even bigger fish, and because of that the total number of believers raises to 5000. 

Fast track a bit further forward and we see Peter, boldly proclaiming Jesus before the council and Sanhedrin. This Revelation follows.

These are not normal people.

The council were amazed to see the boldness of these ordinary people. Their normal scare mongering tactics had not worked, and they were wondering how, these un educated men who had received no special training, were standing here. Then they understood. The leader of the council stands up and says, “I’ve got a dog and his name is BINGO” (Ok, well maybe he didn’t, but you weren’t there…) These men had been with Jesus.

The rock in these men’s lives was being seen in their actions. Jesus was shining through these men’s lives. And so it is today. What we feed ourselves, what we base our lives around. Will be reflected in us.

If we base ourselves on living for the weekend, on drinking and partying. Then our lives will reflect that, but if we ground ourselves in God, in his scriptures and in what he wants for our lives, then our actions will be reflective to that. And it will be as if Jesus himself was walking around your school, your town or your family.