God's Mysteries

 Are you a child of God? Are you a beloved son or daughter of the great Creator?
Or are you a lost orphan in a confusing world? Are you not sure where you will end up after you die?

God has a secret that he wants to share with you. It is well known and by no means hidden, but it is a secret because it is only revealed to those who want to love God with childlike trust.

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—

these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 1 Cor 2:9–10 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn 3:16 NIV

If you respond to the sacrificial death of the Son of God is given a whole new spiritual life, with the ability to perceive and receive the spiritual gifts of God.

Does this world need saving? Environmental activists warn us that our planet is perishing. We are like children who soil our own bed.

God will restore this planet in the end.

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. Rev 21:1 NIV

But God doesn't just want to restore his creation. He has a plan to save you and me, to give us an imperishable future.

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Jn 5:24 NIV

The key to God's new world is faith, but what is faith?

You may have been taught Biblical doctrines as a child, but faith is not just agreeing with facts. It is personally trusting in God and experiencing God’s presence in your life.

Father God did not send his eternal Son into this world just to start a religion.

When Jesus was 30 years old, he began to proclaim the love of the heavenly Father, but not just to preach, but to save people from impossible problems.

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 NLT

Yes, there is a devil. The cruel horrors in this world do not come from God. We have an enemy, an invisible enemy, who makes us sick, who wants to deceive us so that we blame God for our sickness.
But then sceptical thoughts arise. This is too radical, too extreme. It's too good to be true?

Where do these thoughts come from? Perhaps from the no longer Christian world, but perhaps from the religious Christian tradition, from a watered-down version of the gospel.

Are you perhaps not sure what to believe? Why don't you ask God himself? He is not deaf and not dumb.

“Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.

For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Mt 7:7–8 NRSV

‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ Jer 33:3 NIV

Knowing About God or Knowing God

 Nothing is as dead as knowledge without life experience.

What kind of teacher would you rather have? In some countries, there are English teachers with excellent knowledge of English grammar and vocabulary, but they speak English very poorly.

There are many Japanese who learnt English at school, but they can hardly speak English.

There are also some theologians who do not believe in God, and others who believe in God theoretically but they have no meaningful experience in prayer.

The Apostle Paul was one of the most prominent Bible experts among the Jews of his time. He was very religious, but he did not know God until he met Jesus in person.

As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. Acts 9:3–5 NIV

There are some Christians who believe in Christian doctrines but they have no personal connection to God.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Mt 7:21 NRSV

How did the first Christians do the will of the Father?

There are many today who believe that the Christian religion can save them if they live a reasonably virtuous and Christian life, Jesus taught otherwise.

In the New Testament, Jesus demanded trust and personal devotion, and he never changed.

Many of the first believers after Jesus' ascension did not see Jesus, but they did see the apostles and other disciples being endowed with spiritual gifts and shining with God's glory at the first Pentecost.

In the New Testament, it was normal to experience God's presence.

In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, 1 Pet 1:6 NRSV

Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, 1 Pet 1:8 NRSV

The priest cannot save you. The pope cannot save you. Your pastor cannot save you.

The Ten Commandments cannot save you. Your virtue cannot save you.

If you agree with all the doctrines of your free church, Protestant church or Catholic Church, your agreement with correct theology cannot save you.

If you zealously crusade for biblical truth and morality, that will not save you. Progressive activism will not save you. Conservative culture war will not save you.

Do you know Jesus personally? What role does Jesus play in your daily life?

How often do you experience God's presence? His tangible love?

Do you experience the Holy Spirit as your companion and personal guide?

The apostle John described the Christian life as fellowship with God and other Christians.

We declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 Jn 1:3 NRSV

Jesus did not allow himself to be tortured for hours on the cross just to found a religion.

Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. Rev 3:20 NRSV

Experiencing Friendship of God

 What is important in your life?

On your deathbed will you regret that you didn't spend enough time watching TV?
Or not enough time at the office?

What is important to you?

Is your family important? Do you pray for your family? Do you spend time with your children?
Do you cultivate a beautiful friendship in your marriage?

If you are a Christian, Jesus wants to have a beautiful friendship with you.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. Rev 3:20 NIV

Jesus simply loves you. For many Christians, this is nothing more than a statement of faith.

There are Christians who feel guilty because they only pray for a few minutes and don't read the Bible much.

Other Christians are religiously dutiful people who pray often and are diligent Bible readers.

But when you talk to God, do you expect an answer? But when you talk to God, do you expect an answer? I don't just mean that God will hear your prayers and help you, although that is also wonderful.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; Jn 10:27 NASB95

After his ascension, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to fill all Christians with the Holy Spirit so that we can live in close, friendly fellowship with God.

It is good to believe this, but it is useless if you only believe it as a statement of faith.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Cor 13:14 NIV

God wants to have fellowship with you. God wants you to experience and feel His presence and love.

Many Christians hold on to biblical beliefs, but they are afraid of spiritual experiences. But that was never God's intention for you.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 Jn 4:18 NIV

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Ps 34:8 NIV

‘Taste’ means that we are allowed to experience and enjoy God's love.

God sent his Son to suffer a terrible death on the cross.

Why? To take your punishment upon himself.

Why? Just to found a world religion?

Jesus wants to invite you to experience something much better than a world religion.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Mt 11:28 NASB95

What does ‘refresh’ mean? To refresh, to comfort, to touch you with a love you can feel.

Does God have Strong Emotions?

 Some men make fun of women because they have strange mood swings on certain days. Women make fun of men because they are grumpy or moody when they are hungry or sexually frustrated.

God is not moody like us. God is not ruled by emotions and is not driven to and fro by hormones.

In the first centuries of the Christian era, many educated Greeks converted to Jesus. They tried to explain biblical revelation with the logical thinking of Greek philosophy.

In the Bible we see that God's character is perfect and flawless.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. Jas 1:17 NIV

If God is unchanging, he should not feel strong emotions. Those who react emotionally to experiences change as a result. So goes this philosophical train of thought.

But everywhere in the Bible we find that God reacts to people with joy, sorrow, tender love or anger.

The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zep 3:17 NKJV

God is not moody like us. He is not driven back and forth by his feelings. He remains unwavering in his character, which is unchanging, but God is love.

Without strong feelings, love is merely a theological concept. God is not made up of theological ideas.

God is not an abstract idea. God loves you. His love is an eternally blazing fire.