The Never Ending Love of Jesus

• Have you been trying hard to do what God has called you to do?

• Have you sacrificed your time and strength for the people you help?

• Have you prayed with a sincere heart for the people God has given you to care for?

Yet you feel dry inside. The heavenly music that used to encourage you no longer stirs your heart as before. You no longer feel the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit as at other times.

You are fighting an ongoing  battle with problems in your family, in your job, with your health or your finances.

One or two problems would already be a challenge, but in so many areas of life you don't see a clear path, but messes on every side.

As if that wasn't enough, you see a world around you that is overwhelmed by crisis after crisis.  

And you see this not only in the daily news, but also in the high prices at the petrol station, in the supermarket and in the never ending pandemic.  

Sometimes you feel so weighed down that your fresh enthusiasm for God is compromised, though you never give up in your dedication and caring for others.

Jesus sees your daily struggle and his compassion is still a blazing fire. Jesus loves you and his grace is new every morning.

Jesus has a word for you today.

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”
The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. La 3:22–25 NRSV

The Future will be Different

 We are in a kind of no man's land, a waiting time.

We are waiting, but we don't know what lies ahead. The future will be different from the past, but we don't know what will come and when it will come. We have promises from God. We may expect revival, but what will revival look like in the unknown future?

The revivals of the past often appeared unexpectedly. We read history, but we know the world of yesterday is never coming back.

We are like Abraham in the Bible who set out on a pilgrimage not knowing where God would lead him. Abraham went from his homeland to a completely different destination. We stay where we are, but the world is changing around us.

Abraham and Sarah had to trust God for their unknown future, just like we do today. 

Abraham really had to trust God because he was 75 years old when God promised to give him a son. He had to wait about 25 more years until Isaac was born.

He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. Rom 4:19 NRSV

We often get tired of waiting and with many trials. I am sure that Abraham and Sarah were sometimes tired and discouraged.

But God wants to encourage us. He gives us his word and his loving promises.

He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless.
 
Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted;

but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isa 40:29–31 NRSV

We are in an unprecedented global crisis. In such times can expect God's miraculous intervention. Millions are sick and yet millions are cowed in the shadow of death. So many are dying.

The Second World War was also a terrible crisis. Millions died and but millions were sick, injured and traumatised.

Shortly after the war, God was at work with great mercy. Great revivals appeared in different countries. Evangelists appeared in America and thousands of seriously ill people experienced miraculous healings.

In Solingen in Germany, a German evangelist emerged who exercised amazing healing gifts. 

Hermann Zaiss was a very gifted German evangelist at the end of the war. Already in 1945 thousands and thousands from all regions of Germany and also from other countries came to his meetings. Many seriously ill people were miraculously healed, but these were not the greatest miracles.  

There was a young soldier in the British occupation force. He burned with a terrible hatred against the German people. His commander was a Canadian officer who regarded this young man with Christian compassion because his uncontrollable bitterness was poisoning his own soul.

This young man was not a monster. As a Jewish child from Germany, he had found refuge in England, but his entire family was murdered by the Nazis.

The Canadian officer brought the traumatised young soldier to the meeting to hear the German evangelist.

Also in the audience was another badly injured man. He was a hard-core Nazi from the Waffen-SS, a devoted disciple of the Führer.

In the last days of the war, he was hit by the explosion of an artillery shell. When he awoke from a coma, he saw a black American nurse smiling at him with Christian Mercy. He no longer understood the world. One of his legs had been torn apart and he was permanently crippled.

The bewildered SS officer and the bitter young Jew listened to the sermon, saw the healings and felt the presence of God with His love and mercy. Then their hearts became warm and soft. They converted to Jesus and testified of their experience.

Then the most amazing miracle of all occurred. They became firm friends.

In dark times we can expect amazing miracles.

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
God's love never changes. God is love. 1 Cor 13:7 NLT

Complete Gender Equality before God

 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” Ro 8:15 NRSV

If as an adult man or woman you are obliged to always fulfil the expectations of your parents, your spouse or your pastor, you are enslaved, because you are not free to follow the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In the Roman Empire, sons and daughters were by no means equal. The son was the heir of the father. The wife always had to obey her father or husband.

In Romans 8, Paul says all believers are adopted as children and heirs of God. In Roman law, an adopted son became the heir of the adopting father, equal in status with a natural born son.

Only sons were heirs, not daughters

In Romans and Galatians, Paul taught that as Christians we are all have the status of adopted sons and heirs, not only men but also women. It means that she is equal with the brothers in the faith. 

This is not only an indication of the value of her soul, but also a clear teaching that she is equal in everything, because in Roman law, sonship was primarily a legal status.

and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. Ro 8:17 NRSV

Being an heir does not only mean being loved and valued, but also having the legal standing of an heir, which means complete gender equality in every sense of the word.

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,

so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 

Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
 
Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. Ga 4:4–7 NASB95

Doctrines of gender based Christian hierarchy are mainly based on dubiously interpreted proof texts, verses taken out of context.

Church: Caring or self destructing?

 Two years ago I needed urgent surgery to clean out a blocked carotid artery. It was a matter of life and death.

There are health freaks who don't fancy medication or surgery. Some thrive on a healthy diet, regular relaxation and exercise. Nevertheless, even healthy people are sometimes attacked by life-threatening diseases.

You don't need surgery until you need surgery.

But imagine having a family doctor who has one solution for every problem, surgery!

Many of his patients would die.

Once I was in a church where almost every sermon was judgemental and intimidating. 

Anyone who had problems was to receive intensive pastoral care with two pastors. One absolutely had to obey the directions of these pastors.

Anyone who expressed a different opinion from the pastor was excommunicated. The pastors claimed to be holy men of God. What they said was supposedly from God Himself.

We sometimes need a surgeon. We also sometimes need evangelists and guest preachers who speak strongly of holiness and obedience. When many Christians are involved in pornography, sometimes we need a warning.

The word pastor means shepherd. But pastors and elders need to be like good family doctors who encourage and help. A good shepherd does not punish his sheep with harsh blows.

A preacher or leader who rules with intimidation has no right to exercise authority.

Paul founded the church in Corinth, but later self-appointed authoritarian preachers emerged who bullied the believers. Paul said that such preachers should not be obeyed.

You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face. 2 Corinthians 11:20 NLT

Are we then to despise all authority and all leadership, as some headstrong Christians do?

Paul taught mutual submission.

Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:21 NRSV

Christians should respect and take pastors seriously, but pastors must also respect and take all Christians seriously.

What did Jesus say about this?

“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers.
And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.
Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ.
The greatest among you will be your servant. Matthew 23:8–11 NIV84

Churches are often corrupted by arrogant leadership, but strife, rebellion and stubbornness are not the answer. When leaders rule with intimidation and bullying, you may leave. Just leave if you can.

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
By their fruit you will recognise them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Matthew 7:15–16 NIV84

Jesus warns not only against heretics with unbiblical doctrines, but also against preachers who rule without love and humility, even if their doctrine is correct.

Christian communities need order and respect, but where there is bullying and strife, the Body of Christ becomes like a sick person with an autoimmune disease. The body consumes itself.

As Christians and as congregations we are called to reach out to hurting and needy people, both inside the church and in the world outside. 

When our love grows cold and we just strive to build and maintain our ministries or congregations, we are in danger of developing spiritual autoimmune disease.

Political Partisanship is Dangerous

 Are you a socialist? Careful. The devil is also a socialist.

Are you a conservative? Watch out! The devil is also conservative.

Are you an idealist who wants to save the environment, who believes in a new world order. The devil also marches in your movement.

Are you a nationalist who wants to save your nation through resistance. The devil also belongs to your party.

The devil manipulates us without ceasing. He stirs up dogmatism and contention everywhere.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 

idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions… Galatians 5:19–20 NIV84

What do I see in political parties? Enmity, strife, ... discord, factionalism.

If we look too closely at the schemes of the devil in this world, we will be tempted to join in any religious or political movement. Then we become spiritually blinded so that we can no longer clearly perceive the truth of Jesus and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Many years ago my father was invited to join an anti Communist association. My father had no sympathy for communism, but he refused. Why? My father did not want to define himself by what he opposed.

I firmly believe in a government which encourages business enterprise and also actively cares for poor, sick or disadvantaged people.

Some politicians favour the strong but neglect the weak. Others want to care for the weak, but discourage enterprise. 

I am looking for leadership which is fair and balanced. I am often disappointed by what I see.

When we passionately fight for an ideology, our patriotism or idealism can become a false god without our realising it.

idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions. Galatians 5:20 NIV84

We see these unfortunate tendencies everywhere, unfortunately among many devout Christians.

Where do you fix your eyes, on the schemes of the Antichrist on earth, or on Jesus?

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:1–2 NIV84

We have an election coming next month in Australia. I am finding it extremely difficult to practise what I preach at this time. 

It is so difficult to pray for national leaders when you see serious faults and corruption on both sides.

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 NIV84

Voting is a trial if you live truth, justice and mercy. I usually find I must vote for the lesser evil. That can be a difficult decision.

God is our Help in Trouble

 We are threatened on every side. We see the world around us spinning out of control. We want to understand the situation better, but who can we trust? We see fear and anger on the internet.

Many hope for protection from vaccinations and other health measures. Others fight desperately against compulsory vaccination.

 But what is often lurking in the back of our minds? Fear and anger.

But Covid is not the only problem. When we are infected by fear and anger, we often become extremely stressed.

• No wonder when we experience depression, bullying and loneliness.

• No wonder when the people around us do not think clearly or communicate lovingly.

• No wonder when friendly discussions become difficult.

• No wonder when we find ourselves in heated debates, even with good friends and our partners.

We are all in a very trying time. Most of us are insecure.

You may feel secure in your faith, and then life hits you hard.
Recently, two very good friends of mine have died.

What is happening in your family, in your church, in your job or in your circle of friends?

Illness, death, unemployment, burnout, arguments, bullying?

No one can cope with this crisis on their own.

I have been weary and emotionally drained lately.

I desperately need help from a loving almighty God.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 

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. 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23 ESV

God's Future Plan for Israel

The Jews, in spite of everything, remain God's chosen people.

What does it mean that God has two peoples, the Jews and the Christians?
What does Jesus say?

“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.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. John 3:16–18 NIV84

Jesus died on the cross to forgive all people and give them eternal life. But this gift is not unconditional. Each person must believe in Jesus and be willing to embrace a new life with God.

It is not enough to agree with the Bible's teachings. Nor is it enough to strive to live a virtuous life.

You and I are invited to experience a supernatural personal relationship with the eternal Son of God.

We are invited to be inwardly transformed by his Holy Spirit in communion with God himself.

It makes no difference whether you are Jewish or not. It is only a matter of trusting God through his Son, who is also the promised Messiah of the Jews.

Some then ask if the Jews as a people still have a role in God's plan.
Most Jews in Israel today do not believe in Jesus as the Messiah. According to Jesus, they should not expect a heavenly home without faith in God's Son.

Are we still to recognise the modern Jewish nation as God's work and God's nation?
Has God Himself restored the Jewish nation in Israel in our time? And why?
Does this Jewish nation have a role in Bible prophecy?

In Revelation we find a mysterious prophecy that has not yet been fulfilled.

Revelation 7:3–8 NIV84
(A mighty angel said) “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000,
from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,
from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,
from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

What do we learn from this text regarding God's future plans? It is puzzling. Many Bible teachers like to explain a simple theological system. Bible passages that do not fit into this system are ignored or superficially explained away.

We will not understand many prophetic Bible passages accurately in this life until they are fulfilled, but we must not therefore lightly throw them overboard.

Paul taught that the time will come when a whole Jewish nation will be visibly visited by Jesus and all the Jews who then see Jesus will repent, believe and be saved.

And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. Romans 11:26 NIV84

Here it is not only Israel that is being spoken of, but the descendants of Jacob, that is, the Jews. Is Paul speaking here of all the Jews who converted to Jesus in all generations?

No.

Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day, or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labour than she gives birth to her children. Isaiah 66:8 NIV84

In Isaiah and in other prophetic writings in the Old Testament, we see many Bible passages that tell of a future Jewish nation in Israel where the Messiah will rule Israel and the whole world.

There are theologians who understand these passages as symbolic, who teach that God is speaking of the Church.

I see no reason not to understand these prophecies literally. That is, clear prophecies of a future Jewish nation after the return of the Messiah.

In this matter, Luther and Calvin misled the Christian world.