Author: ianfrancoisdt

Thank you for the cross, thank you for the nail pierced hands, the Darling of heaven crucified – worthy is the Lamb.

”Let that picture of the cross remain indelibly imprinted on your mind – so that it may influence every part of your life, every part of your thinking, every decision you make. There never has been a more remarkable and history-changing event than Myself – clothed In humanity, giving it all to the many, many beloved who I have and will still create, so that we can all join in the glorious kingdom of the new Heavens and the new Earth.

Romans ch 8 is written as a “chiastic”. It opens with a specific thought moves to another, then completes this second thought and finally finishes with the first thought. Something like double brackets. So today we read Romans 8:28 – 30, which completes the teaching about suffering as a cause for the reader to feel separated from God, the second bracket to the suffering teaching. Next week we will see the closing of the bracket about sin causing us to feel separated from God and then a summary refuting the whole idea of being separated from God.

Today’s passage is such a well-known passage that it is worth spending a whole session on it. Roman’s 8:28 is often easily quoted even by non-Christians. However it is often, subtly misquoted, even by our own brethren. It is a comforting thought that “in all things God works for the good”. That is where many stop however, claiming that as an assurance that everything is going to work out “allright” in the end. But there is much more to this idea as it should be read in it’s entirety.

There are two questions that need to be answered: 1. Who is this promise aimed at? And 2. What is the purpose of God’s “work”?

So we see that the promise is for “those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” This clearly defines the limits of this promise. It is not aimed at any and everyone who finds themselves in difficulties or suffering, because it is the initial statement of the bigger purpose of God’s work in the life of the believer, the one who has been adopted as a “Child of God”.

The rest of the paragraph describes God’s purpose then. The purpose that He is using suffering to complete. We have already seen in 5:3 that the purpose of suffering is to promote hope. Hope is the confident expectation and desire to see and experience of the glory that will be revealed in us. Then in 8:18, where Paul introduces his teaching on suffering there is the important statement that the way to deal with suffering is get our thinking into perspective, seeing the huge promise of glory one day as much greater than the pain of present suffering.

So what does the present paragraph then emphasize? It shows the process God is using to prepare the believer for the glory, which Paul mentioned before. Here is a useful illustration of this process that God is busy with. Imagine God is building each believer into a beautiful building, which will only be completed when we are with the Lord one day. Each phase is carefully planned to ultimately reveal this “perfectly glorious” building. But to build the building God, like any good builder, needs scaffolding to reach the building as it rises. The onlooker at that stage cannot see the building because the scaffolding is in the way. In our lives the scaffolding represents the suffering and difficulties we experience. They so often cloud our vision that we don’t see past them where the glorious building is being built. The way to cope with suffering then is to look past the scaffolding and remind ourselves of the glorious final product we will receive one day.

To God this process of preparing us for glory is far more important than our comfort and ease in this life. Seeing our whole lives in this perspective helps us to fit ourselves into God’s bigger purpose for each one of us. We will see further on that God is always “for us” and therefore will never hurt or harm us intentionally, but always seeks to complete us for His and our glory, eventually.

May He bless you as you think through this valuable teaching.

How marvellous, how wonderful is my Saviour’s love for me.

”My love’s depth, height, length and breadth have never been fully tested. It is so much larger than the whole of what can be seen and experienced by mankind. Every word, every act every relationship I have is governed by my love which covers everything. So much is happening in the world that seems to deny that. But even the worst things are curbed and governed by my love – which I demonstrated by sending my Son to die on the cross as the way of redemption and restoration. So allow my love to surround you all and keep you till you come to be with me.”

As we continue to look at the effect of suffering on the believer and God’s remedy, we come to another dimension. The work of God’s Spirit to help us deal with suffering. Please read Romans 8:26, 27.

We have been looking at how suffering can make us feel, separated from God. Paul has focused so far on two things. Suffering is both universal and then there is also the expectation that the Christian will suffer in some way as part of His/her relationship with Jesus and His suffering.

The second point is that overall the way to deal with suffering is to see it in the perspective of the big picture. The glory that awaits us far outweighs the present pain of suffering and suffering is therefore a positive force that. God uses to expand our hope and get our focus in the right area.

But there is an additional practical help, which we see in the reading today. Jesus called the Spirit who He would send to take over His ministry on earth the “Paraclete”. That means the “One who comes by your side to comfort you” often just known as the Comforter. But how does He do that?

In two ways. Firstly the Greek word in vs 26 translated as “helps” in the NIV is sunantilambino. It is a difficult word to translate to give its full meaning, but it means much more than helps. It describes something like the action of drawing two parties together who have been separated. This is so meaningful, since it recognises that God is aware of the tendency that suffering has in separating us from Him and His love. So this is the first act that the Spirit is doing for each one of us on our behalf when we are facing suffering to act by drawing us back to God and restoring our relationship with Him

The second act is what we all understand when we read these verses, that when we are so overwhelmed by suffering that we don’t know what to pray or how, the Spirit takes over on our behalf and speaks the right words to the Father. Words of intercession and love. What many readers may miss is the sense of vs 27. What Paul is saying is that this act of intercession is so meaningful because the Spirit knows the very depths of our thoughts and emotions, so we don’t have to describe or explain them to Him before He can intercede. And He aligns His prayers on our behalf with the will of the Father making them most effective.

So in our universal experience of suffering we have this immense comfort that the very “Comforter” is actively engaged in coming alongside us and drawing even closed the deeper our suffering goes, helping us in ways we often can not imagine. The big challenge is to believe this and entrust ourselves to His work on our behalf.

God bless till next week.

Be still and know that I am God – when the oceans rise and kingdoms fall, be still and know that I am God.

”Sometimes all may seem like chaos around you, no pattern, no clear way ahead – that is the moment to be still and focus on Me. Remembering that I created all and I am in control of all. Learn to surrender your fear, your pain, your frustration and start trusting in Me and My plan for you, and my ability to carry out that plan. All this is done against the backdrop of My covenantal love, mercy and grace. I am your God and I am for you. So heed the words in the psalm – be still and know that I am God.”

Please read Romans 8:17 – 25. We pick up Paul’s teaching on suffering as the second main reason we may feel separated from the love of God. Last time I showed how Paul emphasized the need to get our thinking right in the face of suffering. To see suffering against the light of the glory which is waiting for us when the suffering is over.

Having dealt with the universality of suffering we return now to look at the importance of this hope I just mentioned. Way back in Ch 5 Paul has already raised this matter which he puts down as if the very purpose of suffering is to strengthen our hope: “And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character ; and character hope”

Back to ch 8:22 ff. Against the backdrop of suffering (groaning), we Christians (those who have the first fruits of the Spirit) wait eagerly for the our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But earlier hadn’t he said we are already adopted? So you see the reality is that we are adopted now already but we do not fully experience it. It is only once we die and are finally redeemed that we will fully experience the value of our adoption.

So that is our hope. Our focus is not to be on the here and now, because we are not nearly experiencing the full benefits of our salvation yet. So Paul reminds us that all these benefits are still coming and though we cannot see them they are to be our focus and reality, especially when we are suffering.

And what does that call for? Patience. Suffering is the one area where God is most active in growing our faith and from that perseverance and patience. God is not concerned in our ease but in our growth and this is one area which is most important in making us more Christian. Nevertheless, remember all this is being taught against the very intimate picture of our relationship with God in vv 16,17.

Paul is trying to drive this thought home before he focuses on the next help God gives and that is the help of His Spirit, which we will look at next week. God bless you all till then.

As he approaches the question of suffering we see how Paul first draws attention to our relationship with our Father God. From the security of that intimate relationship we are in a position to deal with the question of suffering.

”Not only are you invited into an intimate relationship with Me, but you have as a Brother, Priest and King, One who has experienced the full depths of rejection and suffering. Who is able to understand, teach and comfort each one of you as you face the inevitable times you will suffer, so that the suffering does not separate you from My love but should actually draw you closer to Me.”

As we start this important subject of suffering let us move slowly and carefully to get the maximum benefit from Paul’s teaching. Please Read Romans 8:16-25.

The context then is Paul’s discussion on what can make us feel separated from God’s love. The first important subject has been sin and the desire to be saved by the law. The second is the question of suffering. Suffering can have devastating effects on our perception of whether God truly loves us or not, however for many it has the effect of drawing us much closer to Him. As I said earlier he launches his discussion from the position of reminding us, as God’s children of the intimate relationship we have with Him.

The opening statement in vs 18 is extremely important, as it sets the basis on which we must view suffering. Paul is telling us that we need to get our thinking right before we dig into the details. So all suffering needs to be seen through a lens which tells us this is only temporary and cannot be compared to the glory that we are going to experience one day. All the thinking and teaching and experience of suffering takes on a different colour seen against the background of the incredible glory which is to come. We have to practice reminding ourselves of this reality, since suffering is so real and ever present while the glory remains an often considered distant hope. We need to keep telling ourselves that it IS real and based on the eternal unchangeable promises of God.

The next thing Paul wants to remind us of is that suffering is universal. We have already seen in vs 17 that there is a specific suffering which Christians experience because of our relationship with Christ. But we must understand the universality of suffering. He reminds us of the result of God’s curse in Eden and uses picturesque language describing the frustration and vanity creation is experiencing. He likens this to the pains of childbirth vs22. As we look around us we can see everywhere how this is being played out. So we too (vs 23) are not exempted from this bondage to decay. It affects us as much as it affects creation, which we are just actually a part of. Notice he uses the word groaning which is just shorthand for suffering.

Way back in vs 19 he pictures the creation as waiting eagerly to welcome the sons of God, who will then be revealed. So, in a mystical way creation is being prepared to welcome us when we go to be in God’s glory.

So that is the reality that we must embrace. He is going to tell us more about how to deal with our suffering, but the first step is to get our thinking right. He will go on to emphasise the importance of hope, but that is just building on what we have seen today. See you all next week.

Worthy is the lamb, the Darling of Heaven crucified! The Lion of Judah on a cross. To God be the glory!

”Draw close to Me to see the wounds on My face and limbs, to see the blood running out of them, all for you, for each one of you so that you can draw close to Me – the barrier of sin, represented by the imperative veil in the temple, torn from top to bottom. Draw near that you may appreciate the relationship opportunity I have created and notice – relationship means contribution from both sides. So experience this huge blessing I have given you through the shedding of the blood of the “Darling of Heaven” when He was crucified.

Paul is continuing to unravel the battle every Christian experiences with the sinful nature, which can lead one to feeling separated from God, described in 7:25b. He has come to the argument via the discussion about the law and he is going to give us a timely reminder of the fact that we as Christians are not involved with religion but rather the expression of a real, vibrant relationship with our Creator through His Son Jesus. The law represents religion of any form, where one is called upon to perform and act according to certain prescribed ways to please a God who is waiting to act in judgement upon those who fall short.

Read Roman’s 8:12-17. Having described how we are set free from the burden of the law through Jesus’ sacrifice to be able to serve through the work of the Spirit, Paul reminds us that we cannot just “let go and let God”, but we rather have an obligation to actively serve through the power of the Holy Spirit.

He then adds an additional layer to his teaching by moving and from vs 15 to describe the effect of the work of the Spirit. Those who are led by the Spirit have the huge privilege of being brought into a close family relationship with the Creator God Himself. Flowing from this relationship he draws the logical result that we are therefore also heirs, co-heirs with Christ of all God has given Him. We are treated like full family members, just as true adoption gives the full privileges of being family to the adoptee.

Then comes the link to the next section, which is also a timely reminder. If we are to be regarded as a true brother/sister of Christ, it will be demonstrated by the fact that we will also share in His sufferings. It is an inevitable part of Christianity that the real sign of a true relationship with Christ is that we will also in some way share in His sufferings. In many parts of the world this is far more apparent than in our affluent Western society.

This statement then also leads Paul into the discussion of the other great reason that we may feel separated from God and that is suffering, which the next section of the chapter deals with.

As you read this I trust that each one of you experiences and practices this dynamic relationship with our Father God rather than trying to serve Him by obeying the law. God bless till next week.

How deep the fathers love for us – for me. Can I ever fully comprehend that love demonstrated so graphically on the cross?

”That Is a lifelong journey of discovery together with all the Saints to grasp how wide, how long, and how high and how deep my love is through My son Jesus and to know this love that passes all understanding. You may have flashes of revelation from time to time but you only really grow in understanding incrementally as you walk with Me and experience My love applied to you daily in all walks of life. The ultimate revelation remains far above and beyond every saint until you come to be with Me. But what you do know and understand should be changing you and motivating you every day.”

We have come now to one of the great chapters in the bible.(Ch 8). I am sure you have all turned there from time to time. What is the big picture? Paul has been sharing the role of the law and how it affects the believer, ending ch 7 with the picture of the great battle every saint experiences. This battle can cause us to feel that we are still under condemnation. In chapter 8 he answers that but also introduces the other great factor which can make us feel separated from God and that is “suffering”.

In today’s reading he introduces the role of the Spirit in the battle of 7:25, but the Spirit is equally involved in the other battle, that of suffering. Please read 8:5 – 11. He introduces the Spirit’s role by describing the difference between those who are “unsaved”, described here as those who live according to the sinful nature and those who are “saved” described here as those who live in accordance with the Spirit. Placing the clear distiction which is basic to the Christian faith, which he reiterates in 9b if the Spirit lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. Do you have the Spirit living in you?

The role of the Spirit in the battle to live the Christian life is fundamental and to illustrate this he compares the two classes of people. In fact standing back there are only two classes of people in the whole world. Those who are controlled by the Spirit and those who are controlled by the sinful nature.

He describes the one who lives according to the sinful nature, their minds are set on what that nature desires. Their mind is in fact death. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so, it is hostile to God, it cannot please God, such a one does not belong to Christ. You look at such people, often very nice people yet that is the description of who they truly are.

On the other hand there are those who live in accordance with the Spirit, they have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The Spirit gives life and peace. vs 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit. Is alive because of righteousness (which you have received through Christ) and the ultimate goal is eternal life (with Jesus), a resurrected body, and all this through the work of the Spirit.

So we can see that the work of the Spirit is integral in this “battle” within us. We have no chance of succeeding in living the Christian life without the help of the Spirit. Therefore it is so important to understand that when those who are living according to the desires of the sinful nature experience condemnation, it is real, because they are still under condemnation. So the promise of no condemnation is expressly applicable only to those who have received the Spirit.

Can you see how important the role of the Spirit is? But remember, receiving the Spirit is just part of the package when we become justified by faith through trusting in the work of Jesus on the cross. You don’t have to do something extra to receive Him. Can I ask all of you out there “Are you sure you have received the Spirit?”

Victory in the battle does not happen automatically, we have an obligation… And we will look at that next week. God bless you all.

This morning I just peacefully sit, like Mary, at Jesus the Master’s feet, to hear what He has to say.

”You have chosen the better way. All the feverish activity, both physical and mental has no value unless it spings from your relationship with Me which starts each day with worship, recognising Me for who I am, flowing to thanksgiving and then becoming quiet to hear what I would say to you. So, yes, listen to my voice and especially as it is written in My Word. However without the presence of the Spirit all that activity will simply be that and will fall short of actually making contact with Me and hearing Me speak to you.”

Please read Romans 7:24-8:3. Having dealt with the role of the law extensively in ch 7, Paul now comes to the great statement in 8:1. “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Why does he say that at this stage? Well the whole problem, especially with the Jew, is that living a life of trying to follow the law, will leave every person, as they fall short of complete obedience, feeling they are condemned, or lost. However Paul has reached a stage in his argument, in 7:24, where he calls out the great news that Jesus rescues those who recognise their need and come to Him for salvation.

So what is the problem? That lies in the second part of Romans 7:25. Although we have been rescued, we are nevertheless still involved in a battle. A battle between the saved mind and the reality of our sinful flesh. This battle can often feel as if we are failing and still under condemnation. It is to deal with this that Paul now turns to Ch 8. We will take his argument piece by piece.

We should be freed from any suggestion that we are under condemnation, because we can’t meet its righteous requirements: The righteous requirements of the law have been fully met in us ie those who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. V 4. This is what Jesus has accomplished through becoming a sin offering for us vs 3 – that took care of the requirements of the law for salvation or as a means to become “righteous”. That is what he means when he says because through Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

Paul is trying to get us to understand that, in this battle we should not allow our feelings to tell us that we are condemned when we struggle and perhaps fail in the battle, described in 7:25b we must get our minds and thinking right as we focus on the facts. Paul will build on this in ch 8.

So what does this mean for us in practice? The Christian still lives in a broken and sinful world and although we have been saved spiritually. Nevertheless we still have this natural tendency to follow our own way and the Spirit helps us fight against that. So when we feel we have failed again and maybe even question whether we are really saved, we are to remind ourselves of the fact that Jesus’ death on the cross took care of any possible need to be obedient to the law as a way to be saved.

Two warnings: this does not mean we can go out and live without restraint. We now live by the Spirit who guides us in the way we should be interpreting the law cf Matthew ch 5, and applying it in our lives. But when we fail Jesus’ death has taken care of that. – therefore no condemnation should be felt.

Secondly, Paul repeats almost an aside, that what is being taught here is for those “who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit”. It is only once one has received the Spirit when they became Christian that this teaching applies.

I hope you all had a blessed Easter, see you all again next week.

This the power of the cross, Christ became sin for us.

”There was enormous power released in the world on that first Easter. The power released because My Son died on the cross becoming sin for you – so that your sins could be forgiven and the way opened up to Me. The huge black cloud of sin was towering over the world and it took all that power to neutralise it. It is so easy to say the words, but the actual process, the deed, the transaction. It was huge – remember this, as you participate in the memory of that first Easter. Appreciate every drop of blood, every pang of agony, every shaft of pain – all for you, you personally.”

Please read Romans 7:7-25. As we carry on from last week, remember Paul’s 5 steps in his argument about the law and its relation to us, having declared that the Christian has died to the law as any means of his salvation. 7:4. Last week we dealt with the questions in 7-11, Is the law in itself sin?and in v 13 Did that which is good become death to me? Today we will deal with the last 3 questions which lead Paul to cry out “who will rescue me from this body of death?”

Vv 13 -23 “The law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin”. This is proved by the fact that no matter how much we try to obey the law – we always end up doing the exact opposite of what the law requires. This is the great battle of the non-Christian. Paul is writing in the first person, but not speaking about himself. He is addressing the universal problem of those who are as yet unsaved.

Vv 24, 25 This battle brings me to be conscious of the desperate situation that I am in! Is there someone out there who can rescue me? And the wonderful answer: Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord! There is indeed Someone who can save us and after the way Paul has written this chapter we should all value Jesus’ work on the cross so much more this Easter.

V 25b There is more.The Christian now, is involved in a raging battle within. The spiritual part of me longs in its mind to obey the law, but there is still our sinful nature which is active and keeps dragging us back towards sin. Paul will now continue to unpack this thought. In ch 8.

Everyone of us, if you are a real Christian will be aware of this battle. This passage explains it very nicely.

May God draw close to you all this Easter and help you to appreciate anew all the events we will celebrate.

The love of God, so rich and pure, so measureless and strong – oh to know that love in a greater and greater measure.

”As beautiful as My love is, as measureless as it is, I have been driven by it to bring about My whole creation. Every every act, every object, every person who is part of my creation is there because of My love. My love initiated it, and that is why you can be assured I will never abandon it. That I will never abandon anyone who seeks My love. I promote this continuing search . However there are those who persist in their sin and continually turn their back on Me, I may choose to abandon them and allow them to go on the way they have chosen. But as for you, My love binds you to me stronger than the strongest steel and softer than the softest velvet.”

As we continue in Romans 7, we are reminded that last week we saw that the Christian has died completely to the law as a means of salvation. The question then is, “is that the end of the law and our relationship to it?” The remaining part of the chapter answers that in rather a roundabout way, but we are clearly not finished with the law. Please read the remaining part of ch 7, although we will only deal with 7:7-13 today.

Paul unfolds his argument from 7:6 on in 5 steps:

1.Is the law in itself sin Vv 7-11.

2. Is what is good then become death to me? v 13

3. The law is spiritual but we are unspiritual. v 14-23

4. My desperate situation and its solution. vv24,25

5. The ongoing problem v 25b and ff

So then vv 7-11 “is the law in itself sin? Since we need to die completely to it. The answer is quite clear. The role of the law in anybody’s life is to make us aware of our sinfulness. The law does not make us sin, but makes us aware of when we are sinning and therefore leading to God’s condemnation which leads ultimately to our spiritual death. This passage does not describe Paul’s battle, although he uses the first person, but rather the universal problem everyone has. The final conclusion is in vs 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.

vs 13 Did that which is good then, become death to me. This follows the thought that the law makes us aware of spiritual death because we cannot keep it. Paul is asking, “is it the law which brings condemnation and subsequent death?” The answer of course is that it is not the law that brings condemnation, but rather our inability to keep it and God’s judgement and condemnation which follow. Knowing the law just helps us to understand how serious sin (ie the breaking of the law) is since it leads to death (spiritual death). It generates a sense of the seriousness of sin, something which is absolutely necessary for one to want to seek some relief. The answer to which this chapter builds up to.

Next week the last 3 steps of Paul and a summary of His argument. I hope you are all slowly seeing past all Paul’s flowery arguments to understand His real message.And that this will ultimately help us all to be reminded again of how serious sin is and therefore how wonderful Jesus’ death and resurrection on our behalf is.

God bless you all till next week.

“When I think of God, his Son not sparing, sent him to die, I scarce can take it in. That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin.”

” The world will never know the pain I felt to send my Son to die an awful death. And I feel that pain for all those in the world who are suffering because of Him. Yet it was the only way to heal the awful rift that had come about through Adam’s rebellion. To bring about a complete healing, a complete reconciliation. Believe this, speak about it to yourself, speak about it to others, let it give colour and energy to every aspect of your life. Now I can call billions my true sons and daughters, as the new kingdom gradually appears”.

As we come now to ch 7 of Romans Paul returns to speak about the law. he has touched on the subject several times but now gives a more detailed statement of the role of the law among the Jews in the congregation he was writing to.

Please read. Romans 7:1-6. The law played a much greater role in the Jewish community then than it can be conceived now. Blaiklock calls it the “cement of the nation”. As Paul now addresses the subject he is making some astounding claims. This chapter is often misunderstood let us try and grasp the basics in it.

He opens the chapter by pointing out that he is specifically addressing those Jews who “know the law”. Remember the letter is going to a very diverse church. The first little illustration is quite clear. Death brings any covenant agreement to an end. Not just partially but completely. And there has been a death in every true Christian as he/she participates in Christ’s death

By this Paul is not saying that the law will play no role in the future. The death to the law is a complete severance of the idea that salvation can somehow come by obeying the law. The centre of the Christian is now no longer the law, but Christ Himself.

vs 6 Is pivotal. The whole motivation of the Christian is now no longer the desire to obey the law, as the good Jews did, but there is a new source of motivation, The Spirit. The Christian, whether they had been Jew or Gentile had a new life to live. A life which was motivated, led and empowered by the Spirit.This idea, which might seem “old hat” to us, was completely revolutionary at that time.

Does that mean that the law has no role to play from then on? That is what the rest of the chapter addresses. We will work through it bite by bite, but in the meantime, why not read the rest of the chapter and try and understand it in this context for next week.

Although the law may not play as prominent role today it is nevertheless regarded as the basic behavioural tool for the Christian and for many outside the Christian faith. I think many of us obey parts of the law and subconsciously believe they are contributing to the way God sees us, especially in relation to salvation. It is hard, when you have been brought up otherwise to believe 6:23. Many refuse to believe that the punishment for sin is eternal death and then many of them and others who do believe it, find it hard to believe salvation is a free gif.

God bless till next week.