He Cares for You

 You may feel wounded and torn. Sometimes you don't know clearly why you feel down, but there is someone who sees and knows, and he is for you, not against you.

One of the best loved passages in the Bible is the Shepherd Psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Ps 23:1–3 NIV84

How often are your feelings torn and confused, and you don’t clearly understand why. But God understands, and he wants to heal the wounds in your heart.

He wants to guide you in the way that is best for you, but if you feel confused, and you are wandering in a fog of discouragement, you can’t see clearly which way to go.

When you go through dark places, you can’t see the light. How can you know which way to go when you can’t see clearly?

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4 NIV84

The Middle Eastern shepherds had a rod, or a club, to ward off wild animals, and a staff to lift up sheep which were stuck and couldn’t get up by themselves.

When you can’t see the way forward, trust the Good Shepherd of your soul.

God sent His eternal Son to be the Good Shepherd for your soul.

Before he became a king and a prophet, David was a shepherd himself. He was a humble farmworker, but he knew God as his Shepherd.

“The LORD is my Shepherd.”

When Jesus preached to the Jews, He said boldly, that He was the Good Shepherd, the Lord and God of David.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. John 10:14–15 NIV84

When you are wounded and upset, and you can’t see clearly, ask Jesus to pour out His healing Holy Spirit in your wounds.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Psalm 23:5 NIV84

When the sheep had cuts and scratches, the shepherd would rub soothing oil into the wounds. 

Rest in the presence of God and ask Him to anoint your head with the healing and calming presence of His loving Spirit. Invite Him to pour His oil into your cuts and wounds.

If you trust Jesus with your life, you can be sure His loving care and mercy will never be taken away.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever. Psalm 23:6 NKJV

Roller Coaster Ride

A few years ago I was a guest preacher in a small fellowship in Germany. I was in my guest room when this old pop song floated through my mind.

Everyday, it's a gettin' closer
Goin' faster than a roller coaster
Love like yours will surely come my way
A-hey a-hey hey … (Buddy Holly)

I felt this was a message from the Holy Spirit, and I shared this in the Sunday morning meeting. The pastor responded very positively. He said a visiting preacher five years before had shared a prophecy about a roller coaster experience which we should be expecting.

I was praying this morning at home in Perth. We are in the middle of a three-day lock down because of an unexpected Coronavirus case.

When I asked God for inspiration, this message about the roller coaster came back.

The message I believe God wanted to share is, “Hold on tight!”

As the return of Jesus Christ draws nearer, things will not stabilise or slow down.

Habakkuk chapter two presents a grim picture of a world in chaos and corruption, but in the middle of this horrible chapter, there is a verse which is often quoted out of context.

For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea. Habakkuk 2:14 NKJV

It is usually quoted out of context because the context is the opposite of glory.

I believe that God is telling us, that in the middle of the horror of terrorism, human trafficking, pandemics and moral chaos, precisely at this time, we should expect God to manifest His glory on this planet in a way that has never been seen before.

So the message from God is, “Hold on tight!”

We are on a wild ride, and it will not settle down. We must not expect normality, but we can hold on tightly to the loving presence of God.

Seek His presence and expect miracles every day. God is still God, and He has not stopped being good and kind.

When I read my bible I see the greatest miracles in the times of the greatest stress. We are in just such a time today.

God has not changed.

You can be a Missionary

 Maybe you are not a leader in the church, but you want to establish something for God in your school or office, or in your neighbourhood.

God raised up wonderfully gifted leaders in the Bible.

We think of Peter, Paul and John, outstanding apostles who were able to discern God's thoughts and establish new missions. They were trailblazers for Jesus.

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Ephesians 4:11 NLT

 But not all missionaries and trailblazers were official church leaders.

Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews.

However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus.

The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord. Acts 11:19–21 NLT

We will know these pioneers in heaven, but in the meantime we don't know their names.

Maybe you can have a barbecue in your garden. You can invite your non-Christian neighbours, but also two or three Christian friends who are strong in faith. Then you can pray for your neighbours.

Once I talked to some friends who wanted to learn about the Bible. They had talked to Jehovah’s Witnesses and were interested in doing a Jehovah’s Witness Bible study. 

I immediately invited them to come to my house instead, and my wife and I spontaneously started our own bible study group.

I heard a wonderful testimony from a Christian woman who was active in a charismatic church.

One of the pastors, who was very prophetically gifted, organised a meeting, so that Christians would learn through practical experience to perceive God's thoughts and then pass them on.

Is that biblical? It is.

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. 1 Cor 14:1 NIV84

“ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Acts 2:17 NIV84

When are we to prophesy? In the last days, in the end times. When did the end times begin? 2000 years ago. Have the end times come to an end? Really?

Who is allowed to prophesy? "Your sons and daughters." So women can prophesy too? According to the Bible, yes. And in assemblies with men? In Acts chapter 2, clearly yes.

The woman in this true story had a friend over. She wanted to attend the meeting where they learned to share God's thoughts, that is, prophesy.

Her friend did not believe in God, but she was curious and wanted to come along.

The preacher told the Christians to pair off. The curious unbelieving woman wanted to join in.

Then the preacher told everyone to pray and receive a revelation or message from God for their partner and share it. A strange thought came to the unbelieving woman, and she passed it on. The Christian woman was deeply blessed because only God could know what she heard.

The unbelieving woman was amazed, and she became a believer.

Is this biblical? In the Old Testament, a donkey spoke a true prophecy.

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, Ephesians 3:20 NIV84

God Hears when Women Cry

A young woman employed in the Australian parliament was raped by a male colleague, but it was treated as a political problem by the ruling party and hushed up.

A few weeks ago, this courageous woman protested publicly. This unleashed a "Me Too" movement in the Australian political world.

This week we have seen a new scandal. I was so outraged that I had great difficulty praying about it without anger and resentment.

At last I made an effort to pray for justice without anger. Then I had the clear impression that God was answering me.

"I have heard the cry of the women."

Then I said to the Lord. "But many of these protesting women are not Christians. They are not praying in Jesus' name."

Then the Lord spoke clearly in my mind.

"When the Hebrew slaves cried out in Egypt, you think they were all holy and righteous."

Then the LORD told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. Exodus 3:7 NLT

And do you think all these angry women are unbelieving feminists? Not at all.

I know Christian women who have been victims of brutal bullying in supposedly pious churches.

One of the most prominent preachers in Germany is Gaby Wentland. She rescues women from human trafficking and prostitution. She is also a political activist against human trafficking.

I heard her say, "There is more prayer in brothels than in the churches in Germany."

"I have heard the cry of the women."

God speaks clearly in our hearts when we ask for justice with all our hearts.

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. Matthew 5:6 NLT

Most English translations do not speak of “Justice” but “Righteousness”.

In Hebrew, NT Greek, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and German, the word in Matthew 5:6 means Both Righteousness AND Justice.

Danger of Legalism

 There are Christians who sincerely strive to remove all sin from their lives.

There are other Christians who are not overly concerned about sin.

• There are Christians who consider sex before marriage normal.

• There are Christians who are hooked on pornography.

• There are Christians who are lazy in their jobs and often tell lies.

Who is right? Surely the zealous saints must be on the right track,

But it's not only the careless sinners who cause problems for God. Some who strive to live without any sin are true saints, such as the apostle Paul or John Wesley.

But there is also a great danger in perfectionism. 

Those who think they can live completely without sin do not understand God and do not understand themselves.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8–9 ESV

Those who truly love Jesus are on the path of holiness and love, but we have not reached our final destination. We are all on a journey.

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, Philippians 3:12–13 NLT

Paul sometimes had to correct careless sinners in the church, but he did not look down on anyone. He knew that he himself was on a journey.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 ESV

• Jesus is the way. We are on a journey.

• Jesus is the truth. We are all on a learning curve

• Jesus is the life. Only his life is flawless.

Perfectionism often leads to legalism. Heavenly perfection is impossible here on earth. 

If we do not understand this, we can focus on our outward behaviour, where we can at least appear to be perfect, but God is not so easily fooled. He looks at our secret thoughts.

Jesus had no stomach for such a religious attitude.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 

You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. Matthew 23:25–26 ESV

I know a church where the leaders controlled people with strict rules.

A young man was not allowed to sit with his girlfriend until they were married.

A young man was converted in this church, but six months after that he was expelled from membership because he was still smoking cigarettes.

In terms of discipline in the church, Paul is our role model.

A man in Corinth had to be expelled from the church because he was in a sexual relationship with his stepmother and refused to stop.

On the other hand, there were some men in the church who were seeing prostitutes. Paul criticised them sharply, but they were not to be cast out. Hopefully they would repent.

We are all on the way. The main thing is to allow Jesus to purify us inwardly and lead us in His way.

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Revelation 3:20 NLT

Holy Spirit and Sin

 Some Bible verses seem to imply that we can be completely free from sin, and should be sinless.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 

Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Romans 6:1–2 NKJV

Sin poisons your life. We must never complacently tolerate sin.

But the Bible also warns us that we will never completely reach the goal of sinlessness.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8–9 NKJV

The apostle Paul experienced a painful inner struggle against sin and guilt.

O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:24–25 NKJV

As the Apostle John wrote (above), we will never be 100% without all sin, but if we focus on our faults and sins, we will live a miserable life.

An empty glass is not completely empty, just as a good life is not completely sinless. An empty glass is full of air.

How can you get rid of the air? If you pour water or coffee into the glass, the air must come out.

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16 NKJV

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. Galatians 5:16 NLT

You can never obey God through virtuous effort. It is impossible.

You can only fully please God by living in a close personal relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,

singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. Ephesians 5:18–19 NLT

Paul says we need to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit and live in loving fellowship with God and other Christians.

In this way we will live in God's light, and God's light reveals sin and casts out darkness.

God helps His Children to Succeed

I love success. It feels good. God does not want his children to fail. God wants to help you progress in your work with your talents.

Jesus told of a rich man who entrusted three of his servants each with a considerable sum of money. They were to invest the money productively. They were to act wisely and diligently.

When the rich man returned from a long journey, the first two servants had invested with great success.

The first servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!’ 

“ ‘Well done!’ the king exclaimed. ‘You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.’ Luke 19:16–17 NLT

“The next servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made five times the original amount.’ Luke 19:18 NLT

But the third was frightened and did not want to take any chances.

“But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, ‘Master, I hid your money and kept it safe.

I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn’t yours and harvesting crops you didn’t plant.’ Luke 19:20–21 NLT

The rich man was angry and the anxious servant was fired.

Many say that Jesus accomplished everything on the cross and there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation.

This is certainly true. But a wise preacher once said:

Jesus didn't accomplish everything so that you could accomplish nothing. (Bill Johnson)

Success is good, but not always good.

If you use your talents to build a big pornography company, like Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy, you will burn in hell unless you repent and receive God's forgiveness.

If you use your spiritual gifts to build a big church and get rich, but the members look to you instead of reaching out to the world as followers of Jesus, you go to heaven when you die, but not as a faith hero.

Success is good if your success is the work of God in you, through you and with you.

I love success. It feels good. God doesn't want his children to fail. God wants to help you progress in your work with your talents.

If your work is his work and your success is His success, you will be really successful.