Thursday, August 31, 2023

EmmDev 2023-08-31 [God says you are...] Lovely

Lovely

Today's thought comes from Daniel's vision of the End Times and the Final Judgement.
These are challenging verses, reminding us of the stakes of eternity.
At first glance there are two groups of people: those who receive eternal life and those who don't.
But a closer look indicates that there is a third group, a subset of those who receive eternal life, who will shine like stars...

At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people--everyone whose name is found written in the book--will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel12:1-3)

Who are the ones that shine like the brightness of the heavens and like the stars?
Those who are wise and who lead others to righteousness.

What does it mean to be wise? Is it experience? Is it learning the fundamentals of relationships and life that are, on the one hand, really obvious and simple, and on the other hand, often ignored for the sake of utility and comfort? Is it taking "the way less traveled?" What is wisdom? It's all of the aforementioned, but it's more: The writer of Proverbs nailed it when he said: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom."

Wise people live close to God and love Him and love what He loves. He loves people, He loves His creation, He loves order, He loves unity, He loves peace, He loves beauty and we can go on. Wise people love what God loves and live accordingly.

What does leading others to righteousness look like? I think it is summarised by what St Francis and then Mother Theresa said: "Preach the gospel at all times and use words if necessary...!" Star-bright lives are lives that are an example of the love of Christ and the holiness of God. Heavenly bright lives speak the message of God with love and grace so that lives around them are lifted up and transformed.

When we live like this we are LOVELY!

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

EmmDev 2023-08-30 [God says you are...] Special

Special

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship [masterpieces], created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians2:8-10)

We are very special to God.
- He created us and saved us through His Son
- He stirred up faith in our hearts by the Holy Spirit
- He drew us back to Him

And we can't boast - we didn't earn salvation
- we couldn't do a thing about our brokenness.
But God loved us so much that He sent His Son to save us.

But our specialness doesn't end there...
Paul tells us that we are God's "poiema" (A Greek word which means "workmanship", "handiwork", "craftsmanship" or "masterpiece"). He is the artist, the potter, the poet and the composer. We are the canvas, the clay, the poem and the song. He is at work in us and is using us to bring about good in the world.

And the specialness continues! God doesn't work alone, He chooses to include us, broken as we are, in His work in the world. He has a destiny for us. A life of good works, prepared for us. We are God's junior colleagues, we are co-participants in His mission, we are co-conspirators in His revolution of love.

When we look at the life of ministry and opportunities that He's given me and you, we should not be like like some who say "I have to do this..." but rather we should embrace our specialness and say: "Oh wow! I get to do this."

So, fellow masterpieces, have an awesome day and know that you are special!

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

EmmDev 2023-08-29 [God says you are...] Unique

Unique

This short series was inspired by the poster you see here.

One of my mentors in ministry is Prof Malan Nel who is a Dutch Reformed Minister and emeritus lecturer at Pretoria University and founder of the Center for Contextual Ministry. In his course, Building the Local Church, he taught us that one of the first priorities for a pastor must be to remind Congregations of who they are in Christ.

In these seven devotions we'll touch just the tip of that wonderful iceberg...

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be. (Psalms139:13-16)

Our son, Caleb, arrived two days past his due date. They were the longest days in his mom's life! A wise voice in our circle of family gently said: "God is still casting off..."

Psalm 139 is a much beloved Psalm.
It reflects on the intimate connection between God and each individual He has created.

The Psalm starts with the Psalmist talking about God's knowledge of him and God's presence in his life. Then he reflects on the idea that each of us is uniquely knit together in the womb and that God plans our days and writes them in His book.

What does this mean?
1. We are not accidents.
2. We are uniquely formed and God is intimately involved in who we are.
3. He has a purpose for us.

When Caleb was a youngster, his favourite jersey was one that was hand-knitted by my Aunty Sandy, who with beautiful skill and a heart full of love, knitted his name and a beautiful pattern into the jersey.
Compared to a mass-produced, one-of-many, off-the-shelf commercial jerseys?
NO CONTEST.

You are unique. Lovingly knit together. Your life has purpose.

Friday, August 25, 2023

EmmDev 2023-08-25 [Under Construction: God is working in me] Indomitable

Indomitable

This has been a challenging series for me.
There is incredible beauty, hope and potential in the core-premise: God is working in me.
But so often we take this great truth for granted and we don't live in full and beautiful relationship with the God who chooses to live and work in us.
I can only hope that looking at this one idea over and over again has alerted us to the wonder of His love and that we haven't been numbed by the repetition.

Paul captured the contrast:
God's incredible power: Light in the Darkness.
Our frailty and tendency to take things for granted: Clay Pots

Read our final passage in this important series:

For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. (2Corinthians4:5-11)

Beautiful isn't it?

Just two thoughts:
1. When the clay pot is cracked, the light shines through the cracks. God works in me, even in my brokenness.
2. When God is at work in us, trouble may come, but we will overcome.

We are indomitable!
--------------------------------------------------------
I hope you have found this series helpful.
We've considered 13 promises of God's working in us and we've contemplated the wonderful implications of that. Please look back at the previous devotions and let the truth come home:
God is at work in you!

With much love,
God bless,
Theo

Thursday, August 24, 2023

EmmDev 2023-08-24 [Under Construction: God is working in me] Overcomers

Overcomers

Sometimes the world bullies us.
We see the chaos and the darkness all around us.
Maybe we have a string of bad experiences: our home gets broken into, a colleague stabs us in the back, one of our children gets bullied and we turn on the radio and tv only to be confronted with relentless bad news.

It's in these moments that we can become anxious, cynical or bitter.

John writes to a church beset by persecution, false teaching and strife.
He has a simple but profound comfort for them:

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1John4:4)

...greater is HE who is in you... than he (in the smallest letters possible) that is in the world.

At times of trouble or strife we would do well to turn our eyes, ears and all our other receptors inward.
Who is in us through the Holy Spirit?
- Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords
- The Father, the God of all compassion and God of all Comfort
- The Spirit - Comforter, Counsellor and Guide

Again...
- Jesus, the crucified, the one who was bruised for our transgressions
- The Father who numbers the hairs on our heads and writes our names on His palms
- The Spirit who is the still, small voice.

One last time...
- Jesus, the Risen One who invites us to touch His wounds and know His love
- The Father who welcomes prodigal children
- The Spirit who draws us back home...

Are you tired, worn down, exhausted by brokenness all around?
Look IN - You are not alone.

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

EmmDev 2023-08-23 [Under Construction: God is working in me] Immeasurably More

Immeasurably More

Ephesians is a beautiful letter. I call it the "Grand Canyon" of the faith.
There are many spectacular moments:

The incredible eleven verse but one sentence prayer about our blessings in Christ in ch.1
The amazing gospel overview in ch.2
The stunning picture of the church in ch.4
The challenging picture of Christian living in ch.5
The recognition of the spiritual war we are in and the armour of God in ch.6

But, in my mind, the most spectacular moment is in ch.3 when Paul prays that God would help us understand the love of God!

Think about it: God's love is so amazing and awesome that we are unable to grasp it. And so Paul prays that God's Spirit will help us grasp how wide, long, high and deep is the love of God.

But that's not even the best moment! Here's how Paul ends that prayer:

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more
than all we ask or imagine,
according to His power that is at work within us,
to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
(Ephesians3:30-21)

Here are the core-truths:

1. God's power is working in us.
2. He is able to do immeasurably more than all we can
- ask
- or (even) imagine
3. All the glory goes to Him!

One of the things I have been struggling with as I have been writing these devotions is that the sheer number of passages that talk about God's working in me is incredible. I almost feel guilty when I find yet another promise and send it to you, because, sometimes, when we repeat an amazing truth too many times, it becomes commonplace and we take it for granted.

I also worry that, in spite of these incredible promises, Christians often live defeated and lacklustre lives. I wondered whether I needed to be more practical, talking about how to "unleash God's power working in us." The problem I have is that I don't find any recipes and there's also the danger that we will rush straight to the results ("How can I move mountains?") when we need to be in awe and wonder around the God who works in us.

So today's passage helps me...
It reminds me of the high-wide-deep-long love of God.
And that His power is not impersonal like Popeye's Spinach or Asterix's Magic Potion
- it's in the love relationship we have with Him.

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

EmmDev 2023-08-22 [Under Construction: God is working in me] Transformed Lives

Transformed Lives

Paul was very happy with the church in Thessalonica...

They had not had it easy... Shortly after Paul had formed a church community in the city, the local Jews started a riot and Paul was forced to flee for his life. The trouble-makers were so intense that they even followed Paul to the next town and started riots there.

The fledgling church in Thessalonica, however, continued to grow and flourish in spite of the suffering and persecution they experienced. Paul compliments them saying "...you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia--your faith in God has become known everywhere."

What an incredible testimony!
What a witness!
How was this possible that a brand new group of believers could be so transformed?
Paul supplies the answer in 2:13

And we also thank God continually because,
when you received the word of God,
which you heard from us,
you accepted it not as a human word,
but as it actually is, the word of God,
which is indeed at work in you who believe. (1Thessalonians2:13)

Do you want God's message to ring out from you into the world all around you?
The good news is that because of the active power of God's Word, this can happen!

But what is God's Word?
For the Thessalonians it was the Old Testament and the preached gospel as Paul proclaimed it to them. Today we are fortunate to have the Old and New Testament, we have the gospel proclaimed to us and the Word preached from the pulpit and in the books we read and the songs we sing.

Let me be clear: not all preaching is the word of God, and neither are all books we read or the songs we sing. But when sermons, books and songs draw from Biblical Truth which is the Gospel message of the Son of God who came to earth to die in our place and send His Spirit into our hearts, then we are on track. The best place for us to find God's Word is in the Bible which is the ultimate source of God's Word and God's Truth.

Like the film in an old camera, when we "expose" our hearts to God's Truth, an image will be formed in us and we will be transformed.

Friday, August 18, 2023

EmmDev 2023-08-18 [Under Construction: God is working in me] "Paradoxical Synergy"

"Paradoxical Synergy"

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews13:20-21)

Today we are at our ninth scriptural assurance that God is at work in us.
There's the subtle danger that we may think "Oh OK, more of the same..."

But let's not fall into that trap...
Read the passage again... (Yes, do it now!)
Did you read it slowly and thoughtfully? (Umm maybe try it again?)

Look at what He does:
- Equips us with everything good to do His will.
- Works in us whatever is pleasing to Him.

How?
- Through Jesus Christ (who came, died in our place and rose from the dead)

Who is promising this?
- The God of PEACE who resurrected JESUS who is our Great Shepherd

At our elders meeting we were discussing this "paradoxical synergy":
God works in us: He doesn't invade us, but He allows us to work with Him.
The energy is His, the brokenness is mine
The grace is His, the failure is mine
The goodness is His, the trust needs to be mine
The initiative is His and the response (aided by the Spirit) is mine
The results are because of Him and the glory is His too.

What is the "bottom line"?
God loves us so much that He will work in us to help us do His work and become like Jesus.
Sometimes we try too hard to do it ourselves.
We need to marvel at the mystery of "paradoxical synergy" and get out of the way!

Thursday, August 17, 2023

EmmDev 2023-08-17 [Under Construction: God is working in me] Wet Paint

Wet Paint

...confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians1:6)

We spoke yesterday about God's resurrection power at work in us, transforming our lives...

The good news is that:
- The paint is still wet
- The clay is still soft
- The instrument is still being tuned
And the Master Artist is still working on us...

We are not left to struggle through life on our own. We are not stuck with a "final version" of our talents and character and left to fend for ourselves - trying to get to heaven by keeping our painting clean and our frame shiny. Instead, our talents and characters are a starting point and God is on an upgrade path with us!

We are works-in-progress, we have "L-Plates" in our rear windows. And the best way to travel when we have Learner Plates is to have our Driving Coach in the car with us...

God promises that He is at work in us. Through the powerful working of the Holy Spirit in us and our communion with Him in prayer, Bible Study and Fellowship, we are being guided along a road that brings us closer to Him and makes us more and more like Jesus!

And all of heaven is determined to get us to the destination.

So: There's good work going on in you and God is making it happen!

Look at what Paul writes later in Philippians:
"for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." (2:13)

Thank You Lord that You are working on us!

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

EmmDev 2023-08-16 [Under Construction: God is working in me] When erring is human...

When erring is human...

We often quote the phrase "To err is human".
Paul was painfully aware of human brokenness. In Romans 7 he talked about wanting to do good but doing evil instead: "The good I want to do, I don't and the evil I don't want, I do." He goes on to plead "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?"

Thankfully Paul answers his own question in Romans 8. In this glorious chapter he talks, not only of how Christ forgives our failure and our past, but how the Holy Spirit will help us overcome our broken sinful nature so that we can get to a point where we will err no more...

Here's the promise:

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (Romans8:9-11)

What beautiful and amazing good news!

You see, we were dead at two levels:
Physically dead because the wages of our sin meant that we would die for our guilt
Spiritually dead because
- We had hearts of stone instead of flesh (See Ezekiel 36:26)
- Our consciences were seared (1Tim4:2)
- Our hearts and desires were darkened (Rom1:21ff)
- Our minds became depraved (Rom1:28-32)

What does the Spirit do? He resurrects our hearts, consciences, desires and minds. He shines His holy light into the darkness and restores the image of God in us.

And, says Paul, if God can resurrect us spiritually, then physical resurrection is a no-brainer!

What beautiful and amazing good news!

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

EmmDev 2023-08-15 [Under Construction: God is working in me] Competence

Competence

The Corinthian Church had been infiltrated by false teachers who competed with one another, causing the congregation to develop a bit of a "personality cult" where they focused on the achievements and reputations of the preachers who visited them. Paul addresses the matter when he talks about who some of them said: "I follow Paul" while another said "I follow Peter" while the some, pretending to be pious, said "I follow Christ". They had developed the idea of "super apostles" and visiting preachers would ask for letters of recommendation which flattered the church members' egos, but made the competition culture even more toxic.

And so, having confronted the recommendation letter issue, Paul talks about competence:

"Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God." He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
(2Corinthians3:5-6)

What a leveller! Paul says it straight: We are not competent in ourselves.
God doesn't call me for my verbal skills, my theological knowledge or my dashing good looks.
Our competence comes from His call. Our competence lies in what God is doing in us!

He qualifies us by forgiving our sin.
He authorises us by calling us.
We are not competent by our training, our track record or our CV.
He equips us, not through the letter of the law, but by the Spirit.

What does that last phrase mean?
The letter of the law was the law of Moses.
It was legalism. It was salvation by works. It was us trying to save ourselves.
It was us, trying to be competent.
But the letter kills... A new covenant is needed...

The Spirit gives life. Through faith generated by the Spirit, I have access to the forgiveness obtained by Christ and through the connection of the Spirit I can abide in Christ, the Vine, and I can bear fruit...

So my boast is that I am INcompetent - not competent on my own - but competent IN Him.

Today I hope that's your boast too...

Friday, August 11, 2023

EmmDev 2023-08-11 [Under Construction: God is working in me] All, All, All and Every vs Scarcity Mentality

All, All, All and Every vs Scarcity Mentality

"Scarcity Mentality" is a mindset that easily consumes us.
It usually starts with us believing that we don't have enough time.
Then we begin to believe that we don't have enough money.
We believe that others are holding out on us.
That we don't have enough.
Eventually we believe that we aren't enough.

Corinth was a congregation torn by division and immorality and it seems they have stingy hearts because Paul has to talk to them for three chapters about generosity towards Christians in need.

Paul combats their scarcity mentality by saying this:

And God is able to make all grace abound to you,
so that
in all things
at all times,
having all that you need,
you will abound in every good work. (2Corinthians9:8)

What a wonderful promise:
GRACE is a free gift - it's paid for by Christ's blood.
We can't earn it and it is all sufficient.
God's "Abundance/Generosity Mentality" meant that He would give us His Son.
Jesus' "Abundance/Generosity Mentality" meant that He would lay down His Life.
The Holy Spirit's "Abundance/Generosity Mentality" meant He would enter our lives!

When we discover and embrace God's "abundance mentality" we will realise that in Him we will have What we need, When we need it for all we need in order to abound in doing Good Work.

It starts with realising the graciousness of our God...

Paul sincerely believed that the broken Corinthian Church could flourish.
Why? Because He believed in the boundless grace of God.

Wednesday, August 9, 2023

EmmDev 2023-08-09 [Treasure Cupboard] Women's Day 2023

Women's Day 2023

So God created humankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them. (Genesis1:27)

Most of the Ancient World communities were patriarchal.
And, from the outset, the brokenness of this world has led to the neglect, abuse and objectification of women.

The Bible is often accused of promoting patriarchy, but when one reads carefully, there are a key threads and developing themes that show how Judaism and Christianity were pointing the way to lead to a better and more wholesome appreciation of women.

Right in our text from chapter one of Genesis we get the bottom line:
Men and Women are created by God and each reflect His nature.
Although Genesis 2 talks about the how (Adam is made from clay and breathed into and Eve is made from a rib from Adam,) Genesis 1 talks about the nature and value of men and women as equal parts of humanity and twice repeats how both are in the image of God. (Ironically those who emphasise that Eve was made from Adam's rib, conveniently forget that all human beings are formed and put together inside women!)

Today, on Women's day we celebrate our women:

They are courageous like Esther, Ruth, Mary, Deborah and numerous others
They are faithful like Ruth, Hannah, the women at the cross and Jesus burial and grave
They are church builders like Lydia, Priscilla, Dorcas, Damaris. Paul greets nine women in Romans 11 - this in a culture where women were almost never named.
They are delighted in and loved by their husbands: Sarah, Rachel, Ruth, Hannah, Mary.
They are celebrated for their hard work and diligence (Prov.31)
In the intimate poetry of Song of Songs, Beloved Woman is given an equal voice and equal delight in the gift of love. This remarkable book gives a voice to women instead of objectifying them.
If we believe that God is Sovereign Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient and that He created out of nothing, then, in a sense, He made space within Himself to form the universe, and in that sense, mothers through child-bearing, reflect the sacrifice and love of God.
They are nurturers who form and shape children as mothers and teachers. The book of Kings unusually, given the culture of the day, often mentions who the mothers of the kings are, whether the kings are evil or good, reminding us also that women have great responsibility.
And I could go on...

It's sad that we need to have a special day to honour and celebrate women. In our broken world, gender-based violence, abuse, the objectification and suppression of women is still a woeful reality. It is my hope that we will come to a place where every day, we celebrate our moms, wives, daughters, sisters and every single women in our lives as co-created and wonderfully reflective of the nature of God.

Happy Women's Day to all the wonderful, amazing and incredible women in our lives!

EmmDev 2023-08-09 [Treasure Cupboard] Women's Day 2023

Women's Day 2023

So God created humankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them. (Genesis1:27)

Most of the Ancient World communities were patriarchal.
And from the outset the brokenness of this world has led to the neglect, abuse and objectification of women.

Today, on Women's day we celebrate our women:

They are courageous like Esther, Ruth, Mary, Deborah and numerous others
They are faithful like Ruth, Hannah, the women at the cross and Jesus burial and grave
They are church builders like Lydia, Priscilla, Dorcas, Damaris. Paul greets nine women in Romans 11 - this in a culture where women were almost never named.
They are delighted in and loved by their husbands: Sarah, Rachel, Ruth, Hannah, Mary.
They are celebrated for their hard work and diligence (Prov.31)
In the intimate poetry of Song of Songs, Beloved Woman is given an equal voice and equal delight in the gift of love. This remarkable book gives a voice to women instead objectifying them.
If we believe that God is Sovereign and Omniscient and created out of nothing, then, in a sense, He made space within Himself to form the universe, and in that sense, mothers through child-bearing, reflect the sacrifice and love of God.
They are nurturers who form and shape children as mothers and teachers. The book of Kings unusually, given the culture of the day, often mentions who the mothers of the kings are, whether the kings are evil or good, reminding us also that women have great responsibility.
And I could go on...

Happy Women's Day to all the wonderful, amazing and incredible women in our lives!

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

EmmDev 2023-08-08 [Under Construction: God is working in me] Carts and Horses

Carts and Horses

So far we have looked at promises of God working in us from Jesus and Paul. Now it is Peter's turn...

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2Peter1:3-8)

We all know the analogy of putting the cart before the horse...

Many of us have heard and even underlined the section about adding goodness, knowledge, self-control, etc to our faith. But we should never read verses 5-8 without verses 3-4. Verse 5-8 are the "cart." They are the outcome and response to the "horse" in verses 3-4.

The horse is that God's power gives us EVERYTHING we need of life and godliness (piety).
Read the above sentence again! WOW!

But Peter goes further. Combined with the promises of God (which we find in Scripture) Peter suggests that we can participate in the divine nature (become like Jesus).

However, God chooses for us to be His co-workers and junior partners. We can co-operate with or frustrate His work in us. There is a danger of becoming ineffective and unproductive in our walk with Christ. And so, with the powerful work of God being the "horse", we hitch the cart of our lives to it and goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love can follow.

But don't put the cart in front of the horse!
We don't earn our salvation - we bear the fruit of it.
You can't do the work of adding all these qualities on your own.
You need the forgiveness of Christ. the indwelling work of the Spirit and the promises of God the Father as your horse.

This is good good good news!

Friday, August 4, 2023

EmmDev 2023-08-04 [Under Construction: God is working in me] Struggle?

Struggle?

It was about 1998 and my friend Kevin took me to an event at Hatfield Church, where Floyd McClung, author of "The Father Heart of God" and missionary with YWAM was speaking. He displayed a photo of a big vine on the city walls in Jerusalem and described the evening that Jesus walked from the upper room to to the Garden of Gethsemane. In the flickering torchlight it is very feasible that Jesus paused at a vine like this and spoke the words written in the passage below:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If anyone remains in me and I in them, they will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John15:1-3)

Having read these words, Floyd McClung asked a simple question:
"Have you seen a branch struggling to bear fruit?"

You see, I can try hard to be patient.
I can work really hard at being kind.
I can spend hours doing relaxation exercises to find peace.
And sometimes, when I am missing the Key Ingredient, this hard work and huge effort can become frantic, desperate and, worst of all, fruitless.

So, what is the "Key Ingredient"?
The Key Ingredient is connection to the Vine.
Relationship with Jesus.
Remaining in Him.

If we are in relationship with Jesus, living our lives in His presence, abiding in His love and allowing His Holy Spirit (the powerful energy we talked about two days ago) to work in us, we will bear fruit. Apart from Him we can do nothing!

Now don't hear me wrong. I'm not advocating that we waft along in an ethereal mystical relationship with Jesus and expect everything to be done for us. Our reading from Colossians two days ago made it clear: When God's energy works in me, I become energised and energetic.

A branch obtains nutrient and dna from the vine, but its cells replicate and mutate, the branch is working, but the energy and impetus comes from the vine.

The closer I get to Jesus, the greater my motivation and the greater my energy. The difference is that the loneliness and desperation that often accompanies "self-help" is gone. I work hard. I fast and exercise and practise discipline, but I am assured that I am loved, I am assured that I am not alone, I know that I am forgiven when I fail and I have hope.

He is at work in me!

Thursday, August 3, 2023

EmmDev 2023-08-03 [Under Construction: God is working in me] Not calculation but out-working

Not calculation but out-working

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (Philippians2:12-13)

I think it is one of the idiosyncrasies of South African English (more than other dialects of English) that we talk about "working out our sums" or we say "I can't work out the problem."

So, at first glance, our verse for today may imply "continue to calculate/puzzle over/solve your salvation with fear and trembling..."

The Greek word Paul uses for "work out" is "katergazesthe" (bless you!) and it implies production from something that is already there. A steam train has water and coal inside and this can produce motion. A car has petrol in the tank and, using that fuel, the car can move. A battery has chemicals inside that can produce current and this provides light, sound or whatever other electronic service we require.

The core truth of this passage is the end part: (my translation)
"It is GOD (the Holy Spirit) who works inside you so that you have the power to make decisions and take action in line with His plans and purposes."

Flowing out of that are three important truths:

Our lives must be inside-out. If there is no petrol in the tank or charge in the battery then there can't be an outcome. We should not be focused on the outward activities if we are empty on the inside.
We should not waste the opportunity. In matric physics we were taught that the "charge" between the positive and negative poles of a battery was called the "potential difference". I really like that! We need to allow the power of the Holy Spirit to "out-work" in our lives. This is the potential we have to make a difference! It's no good being fully charged or tank-full if we never switch on the circuit or the engine. It's no good having a full head of steam if we're not going to leave the station. We need to allow the Spirit to work in us!
We do this in fear and trembling. Not because our salvation has not been obtained BUT because it already has through the incredible sacrifice of Jesus on the cross! AND we are loved so much that, in spite of our failure and brokenness, God puts His Spirit in us. He helps us to will and act to His purpose. We tremble with awe and wonder at the magnitude of God's care: He not only saves us, but He gives us His Spirit to help us live out that salvation.

What a truth! What a comfort!

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

EmmDev 2023-08-02 [Under Construction: God is working in me] Powerful Energy

Powerful Energy

I apologise most sincerely for the longer than anticipated gap in the EmmDevs - I do hope to do a bit better in the second part of the year. I hope you are well and are hanging in there in these wintery and loadshedded months!

We're going to start a series that I am quite excited about:

"Under Construction: God is working in me!"

Christianity is not a DIY or pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootlaces religion.

Sadly, the most quoted verse that ISN'T in the Bible is:
"God helps those who help themselves"!

Over the next few days we're going to look at the numerous Biblical Assurances that God does NOT leave us to struggle on our own, but is powerfully at work in us!

Powerful Energy

The Colossian church was threatened by twin heresies:
- Jewish Legalism on the one hand
- Gnostic Philosophy on the other.

Jewish legalism promoted salvation by good deeds and rituals. Gnosticism taught that you had to master secret knowledge.

Paul, having painted a picture of the Supreme and Saving Christ in the first part of chapter one, brings it all to a crescendo with our text for today....

We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
To this end I labour, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. (Colossians1:28-29)

First he paints a picture of an energetic church and an energised Paul:
They are BUSY! Proclaiming, Admonishing, Teaching and transforming lives that can be presented perfect in Christ.
And Paul tells us of his labour and struggle.

BUT then he tells us of his power source.
His energy does not come from his own commitment, courage or dedication.
He is empowered (INpowered) by the Power of God, the Energy of Christ, the precious Holy Spirit.

Such good good good good news!
We'll explore this more over the next few days!