Month: February 2025

Saturate your life in joy, regardless of how things look. Is my reading from Philippians.

Yes Ian, joy in Me is the highest benefit of being able to see Me for who I am and to trust Me no matter what seems to be facing you. Continually reminding yourself of the value and benefit of rejoicing in Me will turn your life into a paean of praise and worship. so that you will be able to live the supernatural gospel life. The life which, no matter the circumstances benefits you and makes you into a credible witness of My love and Providence. It permeates your body and soul and makes you into a beautiful member of My kingdom. You can only do that through My supernatural power and love and grace.

Today we will complete the section from Ch 12:20 to 36. Last time I asked you to see if you could spot the central vs in this section. I am sure you could see Jesus’s words in vs 27, “For this very reason I came to this hour.” This gives us a clear indication of the main purpose of Jesus’s mission on earth. For this very reason refers back to His death which He had described as “a kernel of wheat falling to the ground”, back in vs 24. it was this very act which would bring the ultimate glory to the Father’s name.

What were His feelings about this hour as He calls it, the hour when He would face death on a cruel cross, taking the sins of the whole world on His shoulders? Maybe surprisingly He admits that His heart is troubled that He had actually contemplated asking the Father to save Him from this hour.

I want you all to see this conflict that He was facing and His very humanity indicating that He was feeling the pressure of what was to come. I think maybe every one of us may tend to think that because He was/is God in human form that this tremendous trial was actually not such a big deal because of His divinity.

In Hebrews 2:14-18 the writer makes it clear how how completely human He was and therefore His sufferings were as bad as ours may be and because He faced these Himself He is able to understand and minister to us. I myself tend to think of His prayer in the garden of Gethsemany as a momentary weakness, but this among other passages shows that He was anticipating the coming ordeal with dread long before that and was ever so much like we may have when faced by a difficult and painful prospect. He IS therefore able to really minister to us with complete compassion. What a wonderful reassurance.

Of course He would have His Father’s grace during the ordeal, just as we have when we are faced with suffering, but even that was ultimately taken away from Him when He called out “My God my God why have you forsaken me?”

It is also interesting that He then goes on to highlight the question of judgement in vs 30. The focus is firstly on the battle with the “Prince of this world” who is about to be defeated. It shows how important that this action is in the bigger scheme of things that He highlights this first when He speaks of judgement. And then against that backdrop He again reminds the reader that it a death upon a cross which would be the means to that victory (Notice this is a repetition of the statement in John 3:14) which was the ultimate goal which would deal with God’s judgement. Judgement is a huge issue and it is only as we understand that that we can fully appreciate the value of His death which enables us to escape that.

It is clear that the crowd and even His disciples didn’t have a clue what all this meant, but later would look back and realize He was preparing them all along for the coming ordeal.

So looking at this passage there is a huge sense of assurance that Jesus does understand exactly how you feel at all times. I have experienced that sense of comfort continually over the last three weeks and longer. But it is also a reminder that we are called to somehow suffer with Christ as we live here Romans 8:17 as we live our lives as co-heirs of Christ. So we should not be surprised when we face these things. However we have the wonderful assurance that Paul gives in 2 Cor 12:9 that His grace will always be sufficient for us no matter what we may face.

So let me finish off by once again thanking all you for the incredible support you have shown me over this time while Em finally has gone to be with her Lord. Your support was a palpable manifestation of God’s love for me through you. See you all next week.

The “holy moment” I mentioned last week extended as my lovely Emily’s body fought to stay alive. On Sunday morning after a brief quiet time I went to the room to see how Em was doing and was immediately aware by her breathing that the end was very near. I was able then to sit with her and read Psalm 23 and others and then play her some songs from You Tube. The first song which came up was “Softly and tenderly I call unto you …Oh sinner come home” As I played that I heard the Lord calling “Emily come home”. Over and over He was calling her. Then followed “How great thou art”. As that beautiful hymn reached its climax “When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation and take me home , what joy shall fill my heart,” she took her last breath and I could say goodbye. Goodbye to 65 years of her being the prime person in my life, who gave me so much and made such a difference to my life. To God be all the glory.

The brief word God gave me before I went to sit with her was, “ Yes indeed her place is ready here by My side with countless millions of other believers who have arrived before her and My Spirit is very present and real around you and your family as you deal with all the worldly details. Remember My plan is there and will be worked out– just rest in it”.

Now to John’s Gospel again. The central vs in the passage which comes next is….I wonder if you can see it? So please read John 12:20-36 and pick up that central. Vs. We are not going to look at the whole passage today however, just vv 20-26.

The story picks up in vs 20, with some Greeks becoming part of it. They were obviously Jewish believers as they came to the feast to worship. But what is the significance of their appearance? It seems John wants us to get a peek again and a reminder of the fact that Jesus’s ministry was going to extent further than the nation of Israel.

At this stage John uses this as an opportunity for Jesus to make the great announcement – “The hour has come” but the hour for what? The hour for Him, “the Son of Man” to be glorified. What a way to describe the awful process that was awaiting Him in the next few days. But He goes on immediately to explain what that means. How this cruel process was going to lead to Him and His Father being glorified. He uses a universal principle from agriculture – for a plant to grow the seed had first to die.

So how does this explain His death and glorification? On his own He could only reach a few people. By saying this He was predicting that He was going to introduce a whole new era, His death heralded the fact that the “seed” was going to produce a plant which would grow and grow to fill the world. That plant was the coming Kingdom which would be the means of glorifying Himself and His Father.

But this is a universal principle which He goes on to explain affects every person on earth. So what does it mean to you personally? He makes this clear in vv 25,26. This principle is so important in the life of every believer. Effectively each one of us, at our new birth has died to our old selves. Died to the right to run our lives as we wish and turned to follow Him. That is, indeed the test of real Christianity: Have you died to your old self and turned in a real way to follow Jesus? You see that death heralds the plant of righteousness which grows up in the place where the seed died. That righteousness demonstrates in visible fruit in the believer’s life.

So what we read here is a very important universal principle of Christianity. A real Christian will produce fruit. The fruit of righteousness, the fruit of the Spirit. Matt 7:16 it is by their fruit you will know them. And ultimately the reward? Vs 26 My Father will honour them. So let me ask you again “what does that principle mean to you personally today?” Only you and the Lord know the real answer to that.

Friends I am going to end this now.It just leaves me to thank each one of you for the incredible support you have shown me not only in the last week but over that last 15 years. If I have done something right, please understand that it is merely the fruit of my relationship with my dear Lord being expressed and not because of something special in me. I am posting an invitation to Em’s memorial service. Please come and let me know you intend to come. If you are from outside the Village you will need an access code which I will send you when you accept and indicate you need it.

God bless and hope to see you on Tuesday.

The past few days I have been experiencing a most precious moment. While my dear Emily has been slipping quietly away, to cross the Jordan, I have experienced what I can only describe as a holy moment. The house has been filled with the Lord’s Presence. I have been at complete peace no fear or anxiety or distress. I have seen death many times but this time has been like a really spiritual moment. What a privilege it is to nestle in the arms of Jesus and lay my head on his shoulder while this cosmic process is happening. Thank you Lord.

” My dear child this Presence of mine is there for every one of my dear children as I shepherd and bear them over the river Jordan as it’s waters are dammed up so that you can cross over and fully experience the reception that awaits you as you enter into my perfect kingdom, into my very Presence. This is indeed a cosmic moment which awaits every believer, where the light is always bright the flowers always bloom and where there are no more tears or pain or separation”.

The opening verse in our passage today (John 12:12-19) launches the final week of Jesus’s “normal” life on earth. The amount of space and detail in these final chapters indicates the importance of this time in the whole unfolding of Jesus’s life and mission.

It opens with two Old Testament references, which show the reader how the events have always been part of God’s greater plan. It is worth going back to read the original passages to see the context. First Psalm 118:26,27. This describes the festal atmosphere. But note the verse preceding, “Oh Lord save us….” Note also the statement in verse 27, “the Lord is God”. The next verse in our passage focusses now on the kingship of this figure.

The enigma of this passage then joins the many enigmas of our Christian message. The “king” is riding on a donkey. He is not a worldly conquering king riding on a white steed, but a servant king on a lowly donkey. (Zech 9:9). Despite this He is described as “having salvation”, which means He actually represents salvation. I suppose these enigmas are one reason why many people find it hard to believe and trust in Jesus. But it is so necessary because it reflects the way each member of the kingdom’s lives should look like. If you want to follow Jesus you must deny yourself and take up your cross and, if necessary come riding on a donkey.

Notice in verse 16, even the disciples didn’t understand this till after His resurrection. The crowd who had gathered however were not phased. They celebrated and danced and cast their palm branches, completely dazzled by Jesus’s miracles, especially the raising of Lazarus from the dead. The jealousy of the Pharisees was aroused even more by this acclaim and it contributed to the intensifying of their determination to get rid of Jesus and even poor Lazarus if they could.

The text ends with the statement that many people were “going over to Jesus and putting their faith in Him”. This faith is however more a description of their actions rather than a heartfelt belief and trust in Him, because not to long after this these very people will be shouting “crucify, crucify” for this same Jesus.

So what has Jesus been saying to me from this text? Firstly a great reminder of who Jesus is, but especially what He really was like. Then the challenge to be like Him in my life. Following His example of humility and service and putting aside my own agenda.

There is also a warning that the number of people who seem to follow does not necessarily mean they have real faith or are really committed. Real faith is shown by actions and their way of life, not by a crowd generated enthusiasm .

Thank you for all the many prayers and love which have been shown to me, especially the last few days. Please continue to hold Em and I up in the coming days. Only the Lord knows how things will unfold. But I do know He holds these days in His hands in love, since He has already demonstrated that by sending His Son to die on the cross for me and every one of us.

As I let the music wash over me and feel the presence of the Lord all around, I mumble “Lord, I love you with all my heart”. Then the thought comes to me, do I? Can I?

“ I hear your words and I read the desires of your heart. You want to love me completely, yet there is this doubt in your mind that you really do. Maybe there are other things, other people who take up part of your heart. However my eye is on your desire, my heart is meeting with your heart because you are feeling and expressing the desire to love me completely. Of course there will be other things in your life, but If you are loving them more than me I am helping you to change that. Remember change it slow. Seed that is sown takes a long time till it grows into a tree. Yet the important thing is that you have loved and have expressed the desire to love me completely. You will never be able to love me like I love you but your desire is the only seed I need to grow that plant into a tree and that is what I am doing”.

From ch 12 John’s gospel takes a new course. The words in 12:1 should prepare us for that as well as the significance: “6 days before Passover”. The timing of Jesus’s passion was critical to explain the significance of His death as “the Lamb of God”. (1:29)

As you read today’s passage,John 12:1-11, I want you to close your eyes and imagine the amazing fragrance that is being released by the loving act of Mary as she anoints Jesus’s feet. Let that fragrance rise up and envelope you as you take in the way it envelopes the whole story as it unfolds from here. Let yourself be buried in it as you appreciate the beauty and fragrance of what Jesus was about to do, the fragrance that surrounds His very person and reflects His beauty.

Jesus interprets it as a prophecy of the fragrant anointing of His body for His burial. (12:7) Reminding us that His death is going to be the central theme of the following chapters.

It is so important that we keep in mind that any “Jesus” that is taught and propagated that does not include His death and resurrection, is not the “real Jesus”. Even as we see in vs 11 that there were many Jews who were “Going over to Jesus and putting their faith in Him”. At that stage the “complete Jesus” had not yet been revealed, so their “faith” was more like an admiration for Him or the miracles He had done and His wise teaching.

I listen attentively to the way Jesus is represented by various people and He is so often characterised by His incredible compassion, as we saw in the previous chapter and His general love and desire for the best for us. Often I hear phrases like, ”I have been set free”. and I wonder whether that person really understands what that means. The fact of the matter is that our greatest problem is the fact that we are sinners headed for judgement and need to be rescued from that. Our walk with God starts therefore with an understanding of the seriousness of this separation and judgement and many are unwilling to admit their state of sinfulness and need for rescue and therefore manufacture a Jesus who suits their perceived needs. Our Father God, however saw our state as being so serious that He gave His one and only Son to DIE on our behalf, taking that punishment from us upon Himself.

That is why this message is central to the whole of the gospel and to Jesus’s life. And should be the central point of our faith in Him.

As I conclude, I loved the picture and smelled the redolent waves of the pure nard and it opened a new vista to the beauty and value of my Lord Jesus. It is quite in order to allow your senses the freedom to smell, taste, feel and see things in the scriptures, to enable them to be more real. Remember the psalmist’s words: “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”

I leave that with you for the week,. Blessings till next time we meet.