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“You have been singing about my goodness. Do you really understand goodness as it refers to Me? Every part of the motivation for Me to act is driven by My goodness – it is impossible for Me to do evil. It is impossible for Me even to think evil thoughts. Every thought and every act that flows from that is focused on good. How does that affect you? It means you can have every sense of security in My love, in My relationship with you. The difficulties and the evil that may impinge on you do not arise out of My goodness – though I may and do allow some of that it is so that it will highlight my goodness in contrast. So today appreciate My goodness, enjoy it and know that in everything I am for you and if I am for you who can be against you?”

The second part of 1 Samuel ch 2, comes at a great shock. In ch 1 and the first part of ch 2 we are introduced to this lovely, sweet devout woman, begging and believing God for an offspring. She follows the answer to her prayer with a beautiful psalm. and then we we follow her as she fulfils her vow to place Samuel in God’s service.

Then we are confronted by the two evil sons of Eli. It seems that this story serves two purposes. Firstly it links us with and reminds us of what the state that Israel was in at that time Cf Judges 21:25: “In those days Israel had no king, everyone did as he saw fit”. Secondly by using a huge contrast the writer brings the devotion of Hannah and Samuel to the fore.

Look at what is said about the two, Hophni and Phinehas. 2:12 “Eli’s sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the Lord”. 2:17, “They were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt”. (and of course they were thereby treating the Lord with contempt.) 2:25 “His sons , however, did not listen to their fathers rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death”.

Notice in the next paragraph that Eli is complicit in his son’s evil ways: “Why do you honour your sons more than me?” The Lord reveals His anger and sadness at how the priesthood had sank since it was instituted and He pronounces a curse of lives cut short on the priestly house.

So here at the beginning of this book we see that God plans a new beginning against the background of this wickedness. 2:35 “I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do what is in My mind……He will minister before my anointed one always”. At first thought one thinks He is speaking of Samuel. And so He probably is. However the faint picture looms on the horizon of a priest who also would be a king. As I read this I was taken back to 2:25 b “If a man sins against the Lord who will intercede for him?”

So here in this book we see how God is steering history onto His path again. The evil is going to be dealt with. However there is still a lot of water that must flow into the sea,

I was struck in this piece again at the major influence parents have on their children. On the one hand we have Hannah who through her devoting was able to guide Samuel in the direction God wanted him to go. One is reminded of Paul’s words to Timothy: “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and I am persuaded now lives in you also” 2 Tim 1:5.

On the other hand we have Eli who clearly was not able to influence and discipline his two sons. In the process they were taking him down as well.

This passage reminded me again of how important it is to remain faithful to God’s calling. The difference between Hannah and Eli clearly seems to have been their own personal devotion to our Lord. We cannot be reminded of this too often. God bless for the next week.

“Being known and loved by Him.”

“The deepest form of intimacy is to be known and loved by somebody. That is what I am doing with you – it is not about knowing about Me it is getting to know Me personally on a daily basis. Equally I know everything about you because I created you to be like you are – but I created you with a purpose – That you should seek Me and in that moment I will be found of you. I will open up to you in a way you could never have experienced if I did not invite you into my daily presence. So Ian, let us continue to build this intimacy as I make myself known to you and you have the opportunity to respond by faith. Believing trusting and loving Me. It goes against your nature so you need daily to use the bridge Jesus built on the cross. So come, let us walk together into the day to face whatever meets us.

We come now to Hannah’s song in ch 2 of 1 Samuel. As we read it we can see echoes of Mary’s song in Luke 1. Both act as a sort of prologue to what God is going to be doing in the future. Both authors are barren when they were touched by God. Their offspring were therefore a supernatural product who would be important as history unfolded.

Hannah reminds us that this part of history which is going to be unfolding is all about God. It is His story even though we said last time that there are three main figures which appear in this book. Can you remember who they are? There is Samuel the last judge, but also a prophet of the Lord Almighty. Then there is Saul the people’s choice of a king which would the Israelites believed made them to be like the people around them, with an imposing king to rule them. Then there is God’s choice of a king. David who would be the youngest, not imposing in stature, someone whom God could use to demonstrate that it was still He that was ruling.

So Hannah starts by praising God, by mentioning His power and His victory and deliverance over her enemies. I take it her enemies were the enemies of the people as well, although there is the other wife who was mistreating her. She places God on a rock pedistal, to remind of His steadfastness and remembers His Holiness. His complete otherness.

Even as she speaks she is reminded of her finiteness and filled with care that her words should be few and there be no arrogance. She understands that God knows everything about us intimately and weighs all actions. This is a true picture of humility and we are reminded of the importance of this trait. Remember 1 Peter 5:6; “Humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

The next vv stand as a prediction of one of the main themes of this book. God is interested in those who recognize their need. Those who feel they have everything and don’t perceive any need actually continue to seek more. They never have enough. This is a hugely important fact in our interaction with the Lord. So much of our growth as Christians is aimed at us realizing our need. Remember Paul in 2 Corinthians: When I am weak then I am strong”. So we hear Hannah “It is not by strength that one prevails”. The whole focus is on God and His omnipotence and control of the destiny of the world.

Finally there is a surprising turn. When we read it we don’t see the the massive implications which arise from the statement in the last vs., because we are not in the context of that period. Remember up to that time there had been no King, because God was Israel’s king. Now Hannah sees a king in the future and even further down the line the king is not just a king but the anointed king. Remember that the word Christ means “Anointed one”. Yes all the kings of Israel were “anointed” when they were formally appointed. But the very fact that she mentions the anointing shows a far deeper prediction.

There is more in this song so why don’t you go through it prayerfully, asking the Lord to apply it to your heart.

This then acts as a sort of prologue for the book, as I have said and we will now proceed to unravel the actual happenings of that important transitional period.

There was much food for thought for me as I went through this passage. Important was a reminder again of how God seeks to keep us weak and dependent on Him. Of course there is also a vivid reminder of the attributes of God, His omnipotence, holiness, victory over His enemies, His provision etc. In the background one can’t help mentioning the repeated reference to enemies. This life is an acute reminder that we are part of a cosmic battle. Thank the Lord Jesus won the victory on the cross. However we are still part of what remains.

May the Lord bless you this coming week.

“ Amazing Grace, my chains fell off”; “My Shepherd and my king yet my friend”; “the Lord is by my side – when I look back I will see my lord who died for me, the Lord is by my side”. Encouraging and challenging words in these beautiful songs, a wonderful reminder that my time here in the early morning is taken up expressing my relationship with the living God – what a privilege!

“It is good that you see all these relationship concepts in the light of the first one. My Grace is amazing and should continue to amaze you every day. You should never get tired of being overawed that I, the king of the universe have reached out to you and billions like you of finite expressions of My creation. Yet to Me each one of you is totally precious in your own unique way and my joy is filled when you respond and enjoy Me, wandering between awe and the sense of calm assurance of My love for you. True joy is only experienced as you take that in and make it part of your moment by moment default thinking.”

1Samuel; There was an opinion column in Die Burger this week, written by a well-known Christian philosopher and theologian, one of the lecturers at the seminary in Stellenbosch. The theme of his message was that, looking back in history there have been a number of what could be described as amazing coincidences. He mentions several on which history pivoted from time to time. His suggestion, not expressed too boldly was that there was a Higher Hand” guiding these moments. However at the end of his column he makes a very strong statement that he refuses to believe we are all marionettes being driven to behave in a certain way.

This view of the enigma of God’s guidance, which many people struggle with shows a huge underestimation of God’s ability to create people for a purpose, to give them a “free will” to make decisions and act as they would like and yet to use all the different building blocks of society and history to accomplish His precise purposes. Even those, acting under their own free will and behaving contrary to the greater plan, are fully used by God to continue accomplishing His purpose. It is way beyond our normal ability to grasp and understand how He uses umpteen factors and people to fulfil His amazing, unfolding plan. Yet we can observe it and be hugely encouraged as we see how all the people and events unfold and interact to achieve exactly what He wants.

This is no more apparent than in this book of 1 Samuel. Up to now the Israelites have been led by leaders who acted under the guidance of God. Moses, Joshua etc. His bigger plan was for there to be a king, who would foreshadow the future Messiah. Yet the people wanted a king, not of His choosing, but like the other nations around them. This results in a whole chapter of God’s story deviating via Saul who God then gives them, before David, God’s truly chosen king comes on the scene. Many times it would appear that God’s plan had failed, yet there was never any doubt of the ultimate outcome. This should not puzzle us or lead us to doubt, but rather fill us with awe as we realize how much greater God’s wisdom and power is than we could ever imagine.

As we come now to the first chapter, a few thoughts. Eli, the priest is unknown with a low profile. He had two sons who we find to be wicked disgrace later. As you read this first chapter, what story does it remind you of? Another girl who was a virgin and has a miraculous conception and writes a similar poem to the one in Ch 2? There are several instances where God uses this type of scenario to herald a supernatural turn of events. Think of Sarah and Rebekah.

Although it was allowed, it is clear that the presence of two wives was really not ideal. The emphasis of the story though is on the miraculous birth of the young boy Samuel (meaning “heard of God”.) We read in Psalm 73 of David “fulfilling his vows” and here we have an intense example of that. Hard to imagine after all the prayers and the response to that with a lovely boy, that Hannah would go through with her vow, giving this precious answer to her prayers back to God. The stage is set for the next move of God.

What has really struck me as this passage unfolds is the way that God is using these various people and events to push His plan forward. I had several messages on my birthday reaffirming the fact that God has a plan for each one of us and that He is not finished with me yet.

I also questioned myself as to how I interact with God in my prayers. How serious am I? What can I learn from Hannah’s prayer and her later response to God’s answer?

Next week we will unpack some of Hannah’s song. One commentator has suggested that it is ta table of contents for 1 and 2 Samuel. In the mean time, God bless you all.

After a restless night with many thoughts chasing each other through my head, I wake up to analyzing symptoms, trying to make plans etc – then a little later, as I sit down at my desk I start singing, “my Redeemer lives!” and the whole day starts taking on a new colour.

“ Yes I do indeed live – not in a far away abstract way – but in a very intimate, personal way. I live to complete the work I have been doing from the beginning. But remember by calling Me your Redeemer you are acknowledging that I have bought you with My blood – you belong to Me and as My treasured possession these things you fret about should be brought to My feet so that I can take up the battle on your behalf. ‘Not by might nor by power – but by my Spirit says the Lord’. So focus your mind and thoughts away from yourself and fill your mind and heart with Me instead.”

Last week I said I was going to start reading through 1 Samuel. Before we plunge into the detail of the book, let us stand back and just get everything in perspective. This book comes after the book of Judges and Ruth. Israel had entered the Promised land, described in Joshua. Unfortunately he had not completely removed all the pagan tribes, as God had intended. There followed a period, reported in Judges where there was no over-all ruler and various figures, often only local, were active as ‘judges’. The book ends with a sad statement which prepares us for Samuel: Judges 21:5. “In those days Israel had no king, everyone did as he saw fit”. The book of Ruth is strategically placed next and ends with a genealogy which in turn ends with the words: “Obed the father of Jesse and Jesse the father of David”.

This prepares us for the next great step in God’s plan. The coming and anointing of David, the king after God’s own heart who would prefigure Jesus. But the transition and appearance of David is accomplished only through a series of very human struggles. The two other figures which feature prominently are Samuel, the prophet, priest and last judge. and Saul, the one that the people choose initially as their king. The book ends with Saul’s death, setting up the story of David in 2 Samuel.

This process of moving from Judges and prophets leading Israel to a king must be seen against the background that God had intended there to be a king, but one of His choosing (Deut 17:14,15). The people however wanted a king, “like all the other peoples around“. So God gave them Saul who caused a lot of pain. Like Romans 1 where Paul writes that God gives people over to their sin as a way of judgement if the persist in it.

The great theme in the background of this book is the same as through the whole bible. God uses the small, weak, unlikely, to accomplish His purposes. This is to show that it is He who is doing it, not the the strength and wisdom of the people. There are places in this book where the Lord acts on His own without even using anyone, like when the ark is stolen and put in Dagon’s temple.

Remember also as you start reading this magnificent book that the whole OT prefigures and points forward to Jesus, As we progress we can continue to learn how to listen to His voice and apply this Old Testament text to ourselves correctly. Hold the text lightly, like you would a bird and let God lead you to understand what His message is for you.

In pondering the overall picture of the book there were several thoughts that came to my mind that are powerful lessons for us.

Firstly we are reminded of the magnificent plan of God. He is going to see His plan accomplished. However because of the disobedience of many folk the plan often seems to be derailing. However God always brings it back on line to accomplish His purposes. This is a powerful lesson for each one of us. As much as God has a greater plan, He also has a plan for each one of us eg Ephesians 1:11. That plan can be taken in various directions due to circumstances and sin but ultimately He will achieve what He intended.

Secondly there is this theme of God using the small and insignificant to accomplish His purposes. It is not the tall handsome apparently powerful Saul which is the hero, but small, youngest sibling, not particularly attractive David that is ultimately the forerunner of Jesus. We need to learn this lesson. I need to learn this lesson. It is God through His Spirit that accomplishes. What a relief!

There are other lessons, but let us stop here. They will come out as we proceed. So, unless I say otherwise, let us take a chapter a week. Read it and consider it carefully within its context and allow Jesus to speak to you from it. God bless.

In my feeble frame I remember who you are – Jesus Name above all names.

“ It is good to pause and let Me remind you of who I am. I have so many facets to My personality and My character. But one thing stands out, My Name is above all names: blessed Redeemer, glorious Lord, bright morning Star, Lamb of God, your friend and yet your King. In all these names is wrapped up one overwhelming fact – My grace and My love towards you and My whole creation. That is the attribute which holds sway in every relationship I have. Yes many are under My judgement but My grace and love are there always waiting for them to turn to Me and seek Me. May you and your readers each experience intimately My grace and love – so that it may continually transform them.“

As I read Psalm 116 a while ago, the opening verse grabbed my attention, that is why I decided to revisit it. It is not that I didn’t believe God hears my cry for mercy at all times. But that fact sometimes becomes dimmed when we experience a season in which God does not seem to be hearing our cries. When He allows us to go through tests and trials. So such a clear reminder is a great boost to my faith. As I re-read the psalm I recognized a key verse which stands out showing the effect of knowing that God hears us. I wonder if you can see which verse that is.

The author of the psalm has clearly been going through some severe trials. Even facing death. He was almost overcome by trouble and sorrow v 2. It brought him to his knees and all he could do was to “call on the Name of the Lord”. v 4 It is interesting that in many places in the bible we find this description of our interaction with God. It is a a cry which we are told is all that is necessary for our salvation. It is a heartfelt cry which places our full trust in a God who hears and responds. Even in our darkest moments when we have no other words we can “call on the name of the Lord.

In this case we are told the author did this because he remembered that: “the Lord is gracious and righteous; full of compassion. ….protecting the simplehearted when they are in need of salvation. vv 5,6.

Then comes the key verse which I mentioned earlier. Because of what he has written up to now. Calling on a Lord whom he believes hears and saves – his soul is at rest (v 7). His soul is at rest because he is reminded that the Lord has always been good to him. And the one fact that brings him to this state of rest is mentioned in v 10 “I believed”.

Now there is a continuing conundrum. He called on the Lord when he was faced with a situation which affected his very life and God rescued him. Now what about all the times when saints call on the name of the Lord and they are not rescued? Well there is a sense in which every one of us is going to reach a point like that. God may and does choose to intervene in the troubles and struggles we have in life. Yet at the end there is a beautiful statement which the psalmist mentions in v 15: “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints”. It is the most precious moment in every saint’s life, the moment when we leave this world and come into the presence of our Lord and Saviour.

The psalm ends, as do many of the psalms with a resounding praise to the Lord. One thing grabbed my attention there too though. In vv 14 and again in v 18, he repeats the same promise: “I will fulfill all my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people”. I wondered at this statement for a while. Then it occurred to me how often Christians, maybe you or I have promised God something if He would only answer your desperate pleas. It is perhaps easy to forget these promises when the relief comes with the answered prayer. Here the psalmist is affirming that whatever promises he made in the time of his distress, he would undertake to fulfil them publicly before the whole congregation. One has to be careful here that we do not find ourselves bargaining with God.

The psalm ends with a resounding “Praise the Lord”. Let that be our ongoing attitude during this coming week.

Next week I have decided to start reading 1 Samuel. I feel it is about time to go back into the historical narrative of God’s Word and see how He speaks to us from there. May God bless you as you join me there.

“ You call me friend. I have indeed promised that all those who obey me and follow me will be called my friend. I have said that a master does not reveal his way to his servant, but I have revealed everything My Father has show Me to you. Now what does that friendship mean to you today? Friendship comes from both sides – and it involves seeking the best for the other one. So while I am your friend I am doing that, but in return I expect you to be doing the same for Me. And as we care for each other we will grow closer and closer to one another. So come closer here to me now and let us celebrate this friendship today and forever more.”

I have chosen to look at Psalm 73 in greater depth as God spoke to me through it recently.

I like the Passion translation of the opening vv: 1. “No-one can deny it-God is really good to Israel and to those with pure hearts. But I nearly missed seeing it for myself. 2. Here is my story: I came so close to missing the way”.

He the launches into the net 10 vv of looking at the way of the wicked, who seem to prosper no matter how they regard and treat God. He finds himself frustrated by the fact that he has tried to live a pure life, yet seems to have been punished every morning (v13,14).

Now as I pondered this section, I could say that I have no envy for the wealthy and prosperous as such. However I do look at the enormous corruption and evil in our country and see that those who perpetrate it seem to be able to thumb their noses at the law and therefore God Himself who stands behind the law. So I could relate to the Psalmist’s (Asaph) frustration that they get away with all this evil without God seeming to take any notice, in fact even helping them to prosper.

So the rest of the psalm swings into action so that I and any reader can get the perspective that Asaph was able to get when he did certain things. So what did he do?

“He entered the sanctuary of the Lord”. In other words he went into the presence of the Lord where he could relate to Him. This is the key vs of this psalm. It is easy to see and understand, however do I put this into action?

So the first and may I say the continuous step to getting the right perspective on life around us is to draw close to God and ask Him to show you what is really happening behind the scenes in the bigger picture.

Asaph recognizes 3 three things in the next vv.

1. These people who reject God are already under judgement and their day will come when God completes that vv 18-20.

2. He sees that he has been like a brute beast when he envied these people. Senseless and ignorant. Severe words of condemnation on himself for underestimating God and His ways.

3. Then from vs 23 he comes to a realization of the value of staying “near to God”.(v28) fully understanding that God is the most precious gift he can imagine v 25. God holds him and guides him, strengthens him and is his refuge. It is these last vv that should be the focus of our meditation and prayer as all these things are true for each one of us as well.

This psalm is so real for us in SA today. It is so easy to take our eyes off all that God means to us and His wonderful gifts and focus on all the evil around us, being perpetrated without any apparent consequences and almost feel that God does not really care. This psalm should wake up the realization of how deeply God does really care.

Next week I will look at psalm 116 and in the mean time may God bless each one of you.

“You have been singing –’ I belong to Jesus, I am not my own’. This is the most precious thought – you are not a free, unattached spirit roaming through the universe or the world. You are Mine and belong to Me and therefore I take the responsibility to care for you as My precious possession. Emily looks to you and feels secure because she knows deep down that she belongs to you. But what she does not know is that on your own you are unreliable. You can only give her as much security as you have in Me which is certain. So take into this day the comforting knowledge and feeling that you are Mine and I am yours and we belong together.”

I was led to read Jude this week because of a vague sense of similarity to 2 Corinthians and I have not read it is for some time. So here goes: The key statement pointing to the purpose of he letter lies in vs 3 “I felt I had to write to you to contend for the faith”.

But what does he mean by this? Contending brings to my mind physical combat or confrontation. However as we move into the letter we see that there have been “certain men” who have infiltrated the church secretly. These false teachers have led the people away from the true gospel, especially twisting the understanding of God’s grace. It is contending for true gospel which he has in mind.

I think the words in vs 4 ring down through the ages and that thought is very prevalent today. Many would presume on the grace of God. In their minds, Jesus has died for their sins and set them free. But their idea of freedom is not freedom from the law or sin it is an idea that they are now free to live a life which has no constraints. Jude says, “they have changed the grace of God into a license for immorality”. vs 4.

Jude then launches into a reminder of several instances of God’s judgement in the past as he focuses on the destiny of these men. Notably he starts with the judgement of the Israelites who died in the desert after being saved from slavery in Egypt. Ostensibly saved, yet falling back into their old way of life. He specifically mentions Sodom and Gomorrah because of the nature of their sexual sin and the complete judgement after that.

He then almost seems to be carried away with his sense of indignation and condemnation of these people, using some of the most fruity language in the next 8 vv. He comes to a climax in v 14 “See the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of His holy ones to judge everyone and convict all the ungodly for all the ungodly acts they have done in an ungodly way…..” The ultimate description of ungodliness is perhaps the statement in v 16 “they follow their own evil desires”

At this point in the letter I almost felt he was going to write these people off, yet there is a distinct change here in vs 17. In vv 17 – 19 he reminds the readers that they should not be surprised by all this because the Apostles had warned of this type of behaviour which would come as the gospel era unfolded.

Just as a side note. he speaks of “in the last times scoffers will follow their own ungodly desires”. We need to remember the description “in the last times” does not describe only the period just before Jesus returns, it describes the whole gospel era. The gospel era was regularly referred to as “the last times”, the end times or the last days, for instance.

Now comes the surprise “but”. Instead of writing them off, Jude first warns the readers to not get distracted in their Christian walk and then in vs 22 he shows his attitude towards these people, whom he has described earlier in the most fruity terms, He tells the readers to be merciful and do everything they can to snatch them from the fire and save them. Show mercy, mixed with fear. They should hate all their actions (their very clothing stained by corrupt flesh”) but still love them as God’s creation.

Then he ends with the well-known doxology which reminds us that it is God who keeps us through Jesus from the same fate. To help us to stay in the faith and keep contending for it.

This letter has reminded me again of the need to be careful with my faith. There are many forces and temptations out there that seek to drag us away. Deep down inside us is still a core of sin which is often just ready to believe some of the nonsense out there.

In the forefront is the battle to understand and apply God’s grace. On the one hand there is the temptation to believe that because of His incalculable grace we can behave as we would like. His forgiveness has won us this. On the other hand there is a lack of appreciation of the true value of His grace which leads to a life of trying to please God by doing all sorts of things, like keeping the law. So that one can win some extra points for winning God’s love and His saving grace.

As we were warned by Paul in the letter to the Corinthians and here again, one of Satan’s main attacks on us as Christians and God’s holy church, is through false teaching. Especially today with the mass of information being poured out there are many who are seeking to twist the gospel, starting with something only small which escalates to a complete break-down of the faith and effectiveness of the church. Much food for thought as we look back into the past and see his has been happening from the very beginning.

So friends, I am going to read a few Psalms in the next few weeks till I decide which book to tackle next. May God bless you all.

“You have been singing that I am your treasure. I indeed want to be your treasure. Emily always said you must not call her your treasure because a treasure is something you bury. So words can have a completely different meaning if the context or experience is changed. But I indeed want to be your Treasure forever more because that concept of a treasure is something worth way more than anything you can imagine. That is how I want you to view me as worth way more than you can conceive. Glittering and beautiful – the center-point of your consciousness and your love. So – yes I want to be your Treasure if you will make me that.”

As we come to the end of 2 Corinthians, we can see Paul’s real purpose in writing this letter. It seems that his main purpose was to re-establish his relationship with this church. A church in which a number of the members had wandered away from the central gospel message. There were also those who were in open conflict with Paul. In ch 12:20, we can see a list of all the things that Paul is aware of that have been happening there.

Paul has spent a lot of time defending his position of true Apostleship. This was not an ego-trip. It was necessary that the Corinthians should understand who he was and the authority that position carried with it. 12:11 ff. But behind that defence, his real concern is for the congregation, the people themselves. vv 14 ff

In ch 13 we can see that he is determined that his reconciliation with them should not mean that he accepted their faults. He required a definite repentance and change of attitude from those who are guilty. The readers should not mistake his declaration of his weakness to mean that he was really weak, because though he is weak he has Christ’s full strength, power and authority behind him. 13:1-4. The Christian faith is full of enigmas. The very basis of our faith, our King and Saviour came as a helpless babe and was crucified in apparent weakness, yet in reality He is the Creator and Ruler of the whole universe and sustains it with His almighty power.

At the end of the letter we come to an extremely important section from 13:5 ff. We know from what we have read so far that, there were many things happening in the Corinthian Church which are hard to reconcile with true Christianity. This happens still today in many Christian churches. Members sometimes behave in ways that are really hard to reconcile with true Christianity. The question sometimes is how do you deal with this? On the one hand if they are true Christians they need to be persuaded of the need to repent, ask forgiveness and start afresh. If they are not real Christians asking them to repent is like throwing the law at them and saying, “here live according to this”.

We all know that trying to live your life according to the law without the benefit of salvation and regeneration is totally impossible and counterproductive. The non-Christian needs to have the gospel explained to them again and again until they accept it and their hearts are truly changed. Then it is time to talk about their future obedience.

At the end of his letter Paul comes to the point where he challenges the Corinthian congregation to, “examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves”.

This is a very real reminder of the huge importance that we cannot live as Christians if we are not. In so many churches people today are admonished and warned to live more upright and law-abiding lives without it being made clear that this is impossible without understanding the gospel of Jesus.

It is also a challenge which we should make to ourselves regularly. You should not be embarrassed to examine yourself and see if you are in the faith, if you are living the gospel. At the same time it is important that we assess whether those we speak to, family, friends or whomever, are really in the faith. This is not the same as judging them. It is an appraisal which enables you to know how to approach them, either as a Christian or as an unbeliever. but to determine what you should be presenting to them. The law and repentance or the gospel and repentance.

To sum up Paul’s letter, what has Jesus said to me from it? Several issues come to mind. Paul’s emphasis on compassion and how we should pass on our experiences to others.

The huge defence by Paul of His apostleship has been a great encouragement to me about the authority of scripture.

Then the constant glimmering of the gospel in the background has reminded me again of the importance of keeping that central in our thinking and speaking.

And of course, several gems like, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 4:16 ff

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”.12:9.

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” 4:7

“And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again”. 5:15.

“If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 5:17

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death” 7:11.

There are more but why don’t you share your favourite on the blog site with the rest of us.

Next week I plan to read Jude and then will decide where to go after that. May God bless you all.

“Peace – be still – experience my peace as I surround you with my love. Set aside the tumult of noise which the world is clamouring and be still. Let the only noise that you hear be the sound of My grace as it comes crashing in waves over you. Waves of joy, waves of forgiveness, waves of love, waves of a new power to love and to live in the victory I have won for you and My kingdom. Pause at the beginning of this new day and consider My grace which is so much more than just an attitude I have towards you – consider and experience it. Open your mind and I will help you as you seek to know this incomparable never-ending gift I flood you and the world with.”

How often have you been frustrated with things that are happening in your life? Of the way things are working out in the lives of your children or close friends? How often have you been frustrated by ill-health or some other challenge which has affected your quality of life? Have you stopped and considered that these very frustrations may actually have been “given you” in the words of Paul in Corinthians 12:7? That there has been a purpose behind this frustrating experience?

We come in today’s reading to the climax of Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. This represents, in the words of Scott Haferman, “the theological substructure of the whole letter”. It summarizes the message that Paul has been trying to bring across from the first chapter.

Let us start by picking up the context from last time again. Paul has been warding off the attacks by the false apostles which have arisen in Corinth. He has been confronting and challenging them on several fronts. They have especially been boasting about their prowess and speaking ability and comparing it to Paul’s lack of super speech and his frail appearance. They have pointed out his many bad experiences are a sign that he has no power and therefore cannot be a true Apostle.

From 11:16 Paul picks up the intensity of his argument by turning to an almost sarcastic revelation of all the bad experiences he has been having, as an Apostle. He is actually boasting in these experiences. Seventeen verses devoted to the hardships he has experienced. Just as you start wondering if he is crazy wanting to boast about these things we come to a verse which actually reveals the point he is trying to make. 11:30 “If I must boast I will boast of the things that show my weakness” Four times in the next 12 vv (1: 5; v 9; v9 again; v 10) he repeats this intention he has of boasting about his weakness. But in 12; 9,10 he reveals exactly why he can and feels he must boast in his weakness. Can you see why?

Can you see why this is actually the very core of the gospel message? As I have often said before and will go on repeating. If your life is chugging along OK and your relationships are fairly good and your Christianity involves nothing more than going through the motions of Church, bible study, prayer etc, then you actually don’t need the power of Jesus which is released in you and for you through the gospel. You look no different to every one else and have no witness to the world. In fact it becomes easy to join the chorus of the world complaining about all the “inconveniences” that everyone experiences.

But God wants more for you and your relationship with Him. God wants us to be humbly dependent on Him, recognizing that He is the Provider of all we have. He wants us to appreciate Him, and how could we appreciate Him more than when we experience His power and guidance when we are struggling with health or other problems? So Paul has come to he conclusion which God wants all of us to come to, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness”.

I’ll never forget my first experience of the truth of this passage when in 1983 I dragged myself out of bed with severe flu while my partner was away on leave, so that I could deal with a farm emergency. As I drove, barely able to make out the road ahead, I kept repeating, “my grace is sufficient for you” and it was. In this year during the 9 months of my experience with Long Covid, this was my repeated mantra, when I felt I could not go on any longer, “My grace is sufficient for you”, then I could pick myself up in His grace and go on. And you know what? His grace was always sufficient. More than sufficient.

That is the deep overriding message of 2 Corinthians. So we can say, with Paul, “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, insults, hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak then I am strong”. 12:12.

Just a remark or two to add to this, Firstly Paul says that he was given a messenger from Satan. Who gave it? Well God, in His loving mercy, but He used Satan to implement the message. He was given this message for his ultimate benefit. Mmmm makes you think.

Secondly there is the seemingly strange statement where Paul says he prayed and pleaded with the Lord to take it away three times. I have often wondered why the only prayed 3 times, if it was so serious. Without going into detail, it seems the use of he expression 3 times should not be taken literally. It symbolizes a continual devotion to pleading and the number 3 symbolizes completeness. he prayed often and he prayed enough. So the problem wasn’t with his prayer or lack of it, it was a question of God saying “wait” or “no”. And in the mean time my grace will sustain you.

Friends, grace is so much more than God’s attitude of giving us what we don’t deserve. It involves every aspect of our relationship with Him. By His grace he sustains us at every level. By grace he changes our lives, constantly intervening in multiple ways. No wonder Newton’s hymn is so popular. God’s grace is truly amazing. I personally just want to get to know and understand it personally in a greater and deeper way. Unfortunately there is no better place to experience it than when we are suffering. However, it infuses every aspect of our lives and if we will only be sensitive to it we will be more and more aware of it.

Blessed week for all of you immersed in God’s amazing and all-pervading grace.

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Even as you are singing, “Come let us worship”, it is actually I that am calling you to come. Yes I have taken the initiative from the very beginning, from the moment I crafted you together in your mother’s womb – through the whole path of your life, your relationships and eventually welcoming you into a relationship with Me . “Come” is still My invitation to you – you have to do nothing except stand up and follow Me – all you have to do is set aside all those other loves you have in your life and focus your eyes and your heart and desire on Me. So yes – come, call all together to follow me and worship together. That is what gives Me the greatest pleasure.

On to chapter 11 of 2 Corinthians. Paul opens the chapter with an affirmation of his love for the Corinthians and I love the way he uses the marriage picture to symbolize the church’s relationship with Christ, vs 2. Then as he is going to take the ones whom he calls false apostles on, he first lays down the ground rule ie the basic gospel message in vs 4. “Jesus Christ and Him crucified”. He has been affirming this gospel message from the very beginning of the first letter and does not hesitate to lay it down again here as a sort of gauntlet to the false apostles. “Here measure yourselves and your message against this”.

Then Paul takes on these people who have been attacking him. We can only surmise what they were exactly saying from what Paul says, but it seems something like this:

Paul was not an accomplished speaker. This would have been the measure of the many Greek debaters of themselves who loved to speak and debate about every sort of philosophy. They often would do this in the market places.

He needed to work to feed himself. The fact that he was not being paid by the church showed them that he was inferior.

All his suffering and hardship showed them that he had no supernatural power, which would have set him apart, in their eyes as a real apostle.

From Paul’s reply we can pick up the following characteristics of the false apostles:

They were claiming to be super (hyper-) apostles. vs 5. Paul takes up the theme of boasting which obviously points to the way they were presenting themselves. Their “gospel” message placed them in the center, not Jesus.

,They claimed a superior ability to speak in public and carry on the public debates. vs 6

They did not need to work to support themselves.

Paul depicts them as “masquerading as angels of the light” vs 13. This is a very serious and practical charge, because that is exactly how Satan does his work in the church. He plants people in the church who are charming and friendly and yet carry out Satan’s plans to destroy the church from the inside.

From vs 16 Paul replies to these accusations of boasting, taking on his most sarcastic tone. Even calling himself “a fool”, as he boasts of his weakness. This reply goes on into chapter 12 as he reels off all his “qualifications” to be able to boast about. Maybe we will look at this next week, while today we ponder on what we have just read in the first half of ch 11.

So as we read all this about false apostles, how is Jesus speaking to us now in 2023 from this. Especially since most of us are not in that sort of position in the church. Well, I think that it is very important that every Christian has the responsibility of weighing the teachers and teaching they are receiving. Not being taken in by outside appearances or for that matter academic qualifications. Whole swathes of the church today are being side-tracked by false teachers and false teaching and the pew members simply accepting what is told them without thinking it through. The basis of one’s assessment of any leader or teacher is, does he preach Christ and Him crucified? Is this the main mission of the church you attend?

We need to be aware of the many wiles of Satan as he seeks to divide and undermine God’s church. It is only through the vigilance of each member that these plans are thwarted.

In addition to this we are again reminded of what went into the production of the scriptures that we can so easily take for granted. It should also bolster our trust and belief in the words on the bible’s pages which lead us into the very presence of God Himself and His Son Jesus.

May God bless you all till next week.