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Philippians 4:4-7
On Sunday in the morning service, someone brought a word from Philippians 4. In the service someone else had been pondering on these same scriptures and they emailed me what they had got out of these scriptures.
I thought it was excellent how they had worked through the verses so here is the email. See what you think as you ponder these scriptures.
Email - - - - - - - - - -
You could have blown me over with a feather on Sunday morning when somebody came forward with Philippians 4:4-7.
It is the exact scripture I have had all week. God is soooooo awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!
However, I need to add to it and feel led to add the following :
God promises peace in this passage, however there are conditions that need to be met. There are actions that we have to take in order to experience that peace and win over worry.
1. v.4 says "Rejoice in the Lord always" we are told twice in this passage to rejoice - to practice joy, to take delight in and be glad" But the pursuit of joy is a matter of choice. We have to come to the source of our joy - Jesus. We must choose to rejoice in the midst of every circumstance, good or bad.
2. v.5 says "let your gentleness be evident to all". Gentleness means humility, softness and tenderness. How we treat people affects our peace. Many of us have lives filled with worry because we have relationships filled with conflict. When we are not gentle conflict is the result. Worry and anxiety thrive in this atmosphere. Gentleness is love in action.
3. v5 says "the Lord is near'. We have to be aware of His presence. The most powerful weapon against worry is scripture and prayer (1 Peter5:7 says "Give all your worries to Him because He cares about you".
4. v6 says "Do not be anxious about anything". we have to choose to trust. God has never asked us to do anything that He doesn't empower us to do. Worry and anxiousness is a control issue and the opposite is to Trust. We must choose to Trust.
5. v6 says "but in everything, by prayer and petition present your requests to God" Petition is to plea.
6. v6 further says "but in everything... with thanksgiving" Praise pleases God and praise leads to obedience (1 Thes 5:16-18) and enhances our awareness of His presence. Praise produces Trust.
Paul says this kind of peace is beyond our understanding, it is beyond our ability to comprehend. This peace is a supernatural gift from God. When we have met the conditions God stations peace at the doorway of our hearts and minds We can claim the promises and exchange our worries for God's gift of peace.
I thought it was excellent how they had worked through the verses so here is the email. See what you think as you ponder these scriptures.
Email - - - - - - - - - -
You could have blown me over with a feather on Sunday morning when somebody came forward with Philippians 4:4-7.
It is the exact scripture I have had all week. God is soooooo awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!
However, I need to add to it and feel led to add the following :
God promises peace in this passage, however there are conditions that need to be met. There are actions that we have to take in order to experience that peace and win over worry.
1. v.4 says "Rejoice in the Lord always" we are told twice in this passage to rejoice - to practice joy, to take delight in and be glad" But the pursuit of joy is a matter of choice. We have to come to the source of our joy - Jesus. We must choose to rejoice in the midst of every circumstance, good or bad.
2. v.5 says "let your gentleness be evident to all". Gentleness means humility, softness and tenderness. How we treat people affects our peace. Many of us have lives filled with worry because we have relationships filled with conflict. When we are not gentle conflict is the result. Worry and anxiety thrive in this atmosphere. Gentleness is love in action.
3. v5 says "the Lord is near'. We have to be aware of His presence. The most powerful weapon against worry is scripture and prayer (1 Peter5:7 says "Give all your worries to Him because He cares about you".
4. v6 says "Do not be anxious about anything". we have to choose to trust. God has never asked us to do anything that He doesn't empower us to do. Worry and anxiousness is a control issue and the opposite is to Trust. We must choose to Trust.
5. v6 says "but in everything, by prayer and petition present your requests to God" Petition is to plea.
6. v6 further says "but in everything... with thanksgiving" Praise pleases God and praise leads to obedience (1 Thes 5:16-18) and enhances our awareness of His presence. Praise produces Trust.
Paul says this kind of peace is beyond our understanding, it is beyond our ability to comprehend. This peace is a supernatural gift from God. When we have met the conditions God stations peace at the doorway of our hearts and minds We can claim the promises and exchange our worries for God's gift of peace.
I fear nobody
This morning driving past some of those Newspaper Posters that they put on lamp posts, I saw an interesting headline "Malema - I fear nobody". On seeing this headline, my mind jumped to the verse in Psalms (111:10) "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom". Now before everyone gets their knickers in a knot, I am fully aware that this "fear" spoken of in scripture is better translated from the Hebrew word "yirah" as "reverence".
However, scripture also exhorts us not to fear man. Whether Malema had this in mind when he made that comment, I am not sure (you judge for yourself), but he is not my point. His comment cast my mind back to scripture where it tells us to "fear the Lord".
This reverence for things Godly and for God Himself, in my mind, is on the wane. Many have lost that reverence for the Great King because so many other kings are raising themselves above the Great King, the Lord of all. I love that scripture in Deut. 10:14 "The highest heavens and the earth and everything in it all belong to the LORD your God".
OK, whose confused as to whether God is King or Lord of all. It says everything belongs to God. I suppose Malema's statement could have been, "I fear nobody except God". How is your reverence for God ?
1Chr. 29:11
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.
However, scripture also exhorts us not to fear man. Whether Malema had this in mind when he made that comment, I am not sure (you judge for yourself), but he is not my point. His comment cast my mind back to scripture where it tells us to "fear the Lord".
This reverence for things Godly and for God Himself, in my mind, is on the wane. Many have lost that reverence for the Great King because so many other kings are raising themselves above the Great King, the Lord of all. I love that scripture in Deut. 10:14 "The highest heavens and the earth and everything in it all belong to the LORD your God".
OK, whose confused as to whether God is King or Lord of all. It says everything belongs to God. I suppose Malema's statement could have been, "I fear nobody except God". How is your reverence for God ?
1Chr. 29:11
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.
The mystery
I was driving to the Church Office this morning and listening to the radio about stem cell research. One guy phoned in and said that we should not be considering the "religious view" because most of religion was a mystery anyway, and therefore we should rather be looking at a scientific and ethical viewpoint.
He did confirm that he was an atheist and so automatically wrote off any "religious viewpoint". The question asked on the radio show was whether stem cell research should be allowed or not.
BUT, that was not what piqued my interest, it was the atheist's comment about religion being a mystery and therefore it made it irrelevant.
Not so, I say.
Just because some things may seem a mystery to us, it doesn't mean we should write it off.
I could give countless natural examples of mysteries in our world (our earth, oceans, skies, cells, minerals. . .the list goes on) that scientists, let alone you and me, still do not understand. . . dare I say, they are a mystery to us. This doesn't mean we write any of it off.
Why then should that apply to our faith. Or is that just an excuse to ignore God, or worst still, denounce His very being.
Some things are a mystery in our faith BUT that does not mean we give up. Why is it we battle to live with mystery about some things. This urgency to understand everything is nonsensical. We will always find something that's a mystery, the key is not to let it distract you or dissuade you from your faith in Jesus Christ.
C'mon. Let loose, just let some things be a mystery. Someday you may find an answer and maybe you won't. The question is: can you let it slide or not.
Use a concordance or Bible program and look up the word "mystery". Read all the verses, most of them are in the New Testament. What do you think ?
God Bless
Brad
He did confirm that he was an atheist and so automatically wrote off any "religious viewpoint". The question asked on the radio show was whether stem cell research should be allowed or not.
BUT, that was not what piqued my interest, it was the atheist's comment about religion being a mystery and therefore it made it irrelevant.
Not so, I say.
Just because some things may seem a mystery to us, it doesn't mean we should write it off.
I could give countless natural examples of mysteries in our world (our earth, oceans, skies, cells, minerals. . .the list goes on) that scientists, let alone you and me, still do not understand. . . dare I say, they are a mystery to us. This doesn't mean we write any of it off.
Why then should that apply to our faith. Or is that just an excuse to ignore God, or worst still, denounce His very being.
Some things are a mystery in our faith BUT that does not mean we give up. Why is it we battle to live with mystery about some things. This urgency to understand everything is nonsensical. We will always find something that's a mystery, the key is not to let it distract you or dissuade you from your faith in Jesus Christ.
C'mon. Let loose, just let some things be a mystery. Someday you may find an answer and maybe you won't. The question is: can you let it slide or not.
Use a concordance or Bible program and look up the word "mystery". Read all the verses, most of them are in the New Testament. What do you think ?
God Bless
Brad
We have found the Messiah
Here is the transcript of my sermon :
We have found the Messiah (PDF Format)
The audio can be downloaded from the Highway Website Click here.
We have found the Messiah (PDF Format)
The audio can be downloaded from the Highway Website Click here.
The last few Sermons
This last week I have had a few people ask for the transcripts of my last 2 Sunday sermons. Last Sunday I mentioned that I would put the sermon transcript on the web as I had many scripture references for this last sermon especially and instead of people trying to copy down all the references, it would be easier to put my transcript on the web for download.
So here they are :
Sunday 21st December : Christ in the Old Testament (PDF format)
Sunday 11th January : The Cross of Jesus Christ (PDF format)
They are in PDF format so you will need Acrobat Reader or the like.
God Bless
So here they are :
Sunday 21st December : Christ in the Old Testament (PDF format)
Sunday 11th January : The Cross of Jesus Christ (PDF format)
They are in PDF format so you will need Acrobat Reader or the like.
God Bless
The Shack No. 5
Hi All, this is going to be my last blog entry on The Shack. Tomorrow I'll move onto something else.
My parting words on The Shack have to do with God's view of sin. In the book Mack asks "God" about sin and "God" says "I don't need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment, devouring from the inside. It's not my purpose to punish it; it's my joy to cure it". (page 120)
All well and good, unfortunately the concept that God does not punish sin is completely erroneous. If God does not punish sin, then Jesus died for nothing. Jesus sacrificed His life because of our sin, in order that God's wrath against sin be satisfied.
Many times we read in the Scriptures where sin "provoked" God to anger. Throughout the Scriptures we see God punishing His own people, Israel, for their sin. The whole sacrificial system of the temple was to "make right" before God for sin. If God does not punish sin, then why did the High Priest go through the day of Atonement, for the people's sin.
Yes, that was Old Testament, however to think that God suddenly didn't punish sin in the New Testament times is missing the very point of why Jesus came and became the "Saviour" of all.
"God" then says "...it's my joy to cure it", talking about sin. I think we need to be careful when talking of curing sin. One could fall into the trap, thinking that by believing in God we would not sin anymore. This is a crazy thought. God does not cure sin, God provided a way for us, in our sinful nature, to come into His presence without incurring His wrath. That way is Jesus Christ.
These few blog entries have been brief and I have tried to highlight some of the points I have issue with in the book. I want to re-iterate my words in the first blog. If you read The Shack, read with discerning eyes. The book is emotive and has captured many people's hearts in it's portrayal of a man dealing with hurt and why it seemed God allowed his daughter to be killed.
These emotions are powerful and the questions seem without answer. The one thing that the book does portray very well is that God is a personal God, He cares about you and me, and knows us intimately. God loves us deeply and wants fellowship with you and I.
I trust that you have enjoyed the blog and we'll speak again.
God Bless.
My parting words on The Shack have to do with God's view of sin. In the book Mack asks "God" about sin and "God" says "I don't need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment, devouring from the inside. It's not my purpose to punish it; it's my joy to cure it". (page 120)
All well and good, unfortunately the concept that God does not punish sin is completely erroneous. If God does not punish sin, then Jesus died for nothing. Jesus sacrificed His life because of our sin, in order that God's wrath against sin be satisfied.
Many times we read in the Scriptures where sin "provoked" God to anger. Throughout the Scriptures we see God punishing His own people, Israel, for their sin. The whole sacrificial system of the temple was to "make right" before God for sin. If God does not punish sin, then why did the High Priest go through the day of Atonement, for the people's sin.
Yes, that was Old Testament, however to think that God suddenly didn't punish sin in the New Testament times is missing the very point of why Jesus came and became the "Saviour" of all.
"God" then says "...it's my joy to cure it", talking about sin. I think we need to be careful when talking of curing sin. One could fall into the trap, thinking that by believing in God we would not sin anymore. This is a crazy thought. God does not cure sin, God provided a way for us, in our sinful nature, to come into His presence without incurring His wrath. That way is Jesus Christ.
These few blog entries have been brief and I have tried to highlight some of the points I have issue with in the book. I want to re-iterate my words in the first blog. If you read The Shack, read with discerning eyes. The book is emotive and has captured many people's hearts in it's portrayal of a man dealing with hurt and why it seemed God allowed his daughter to be killed.
These emotions are powerful and the questions seem without answer. The one thing that the book does portray very well is that God is a personal God, He cares about you and me, and knows us intimately. God loves us deeply and wants fellowship with you and I.
I trust that you have enjoyed the blog and we'll speak again.
God Bless.
The Shack No. 4
Today I would like to talk about the roles and "heirarchy" of the Trinity, something the Shack muddles. In various places during the story of Mack spending time with the Trinity at the shack, references are made to the relationship between God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
In scripture we find that each member of the Trinity has clearly defined functions and all work together in perfect harmony. We see the Trinity working in creation, God the Father speaks and the universe is brought into being, the Son carrying out the work of creation and the Holy Spirit manifesting God's presence over it.
Again we see the Trinity working in the redemption of mankind. God the Father sends His Son, the Son is obedient to the Father in the work of this redemption (the cross and resurrection), and then the Holy Spirit is sent by the Son to apply this redemption to God's children.
There is very much a hierarchy in the Trinity. Jesus said "I do the will of the Father" and later on when referring to the Holy Spirit said , "I will send Him to you". In reading the scriptures we see a definite pattern of the Father taking the lead and exercising a degree of authority over His Son, Jesus.
Scripture clearly expresses that both authority and submission are biblical in nature. There are so many references all over the Old and New Testament. While there is submission and authority, scripture also maintains each have equality in worth and essence. This view of submission and authority in the Trinity is not just lacking in the Shack, but is expressly contradicted.
When Mack is talking to Sarayu (the persona of the Holy Spirit) she says of the Trinity :
"Mack, we have no concept of final authority among us, only unity. We are in a circle of relationship, not a chain of command...Hierarchy would make no sense among us". Then Mack replies "But every human institution that I can think of, from political to business, even down to marriage, is governed by this kind of thinking".
Papa (persona of God) responds "Such a waste".
1 Corinthians 11:3 "But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ".
John 6:38 Jesus says "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me".
John 8:28 Jesus says "I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me."
For the Shack to portray God as saying "Hierarchy makes no sense to us" is misguided and completely the opposite of what God tells us in His Word. The concept of final authority is clearly God's in scripture whereas the Shack says "we have no concept of final authority among us".
When Mack refers to authority and hierarchy in marriage and "God" responds "such a waste" is again contrary to the Word of God. All in all, the Shack has muddled and is contrary to what the Word of God says about authority, hierarchy and it's outworking in the Trinity and here on earth.
Speak to you soon.
Brad
In scripture we find that each member of the Trinity has clearly defined functions and all work together in perfect harmony. We see the Trinity working in creation, God the Father speaks and the universe is brought into being, the Son carrying out the work of creation and the Holy Spirit manifesting God's presence over it.
Again we see the Trinity working in the redemption of mankind. God the Father sends His Son, the Son is obedient to the Father in the work of this redemption (the cross and resurrection), and then the Holy Spirit is sent by the Son to apply this redemption to God's children.
There is very much a hierarchy in the Trinity. Jesus said "I do the will of the Father" and later on when referring to the Holy Spirit said , "I will send Him to you". In reading the scriptures we see a definite pattern of the Father taking the lead and exercising a degree of authority over His Son, Jesus.
Scripture clearly expresses that both authority and submission are biblical in nature. There are so many references all over the Old and New Testament. While there is submission and authority, scripture also maintains each have equality in worth and essence. This view of submission and authority in the Trinity is not just lacking in the Shack, but is expressly contradicted.
When Mack is talking to Sarayu (the persona of the Holy Spirit) she says of the Trinity :
"Mack, we have no concept of final authority among us, only unity. We are in a circle of relationship, not a chain of command...Hierarchy would make no sense among us". Then Mack replies "But every human institution that I can think of, from political to business, even down to marriage, is governed by this kind of thinking".
Papa (persona of God) responds "Such a waste".
1 Corinthians 11:3 "But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ".
John 6:38 Jesus says "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me".
John 8:28 Jesus says "I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me."
For the Shack to portray God as saying "Hierarchy makes no sense to us" is misguided and completely the opposite of what God tells us in His Word. The concept of final authority is clearly God's in scripture whereas the Shack says "we have no concept of final authority among us".
When Mack refers to authority and hierarchy in marriage and "God" responds "such a waste" is again contrary to the Word of God. All in all, the Shack has muddled and is contrary to what the Word of God says about authority, hierarchy and it's outworking in the Trinity and here on earth.
Speak to you soon.
Brad
The Shack No. 3
The very first introduction we have to God is a portrayal of God the Father as a woman called "Papa", that alone could be confusing. Before all the ladies give me a tough time, just listen, I have no problem with representations of woman, I have a problem with "God, the Father", being represented as a woman. If you had to take the representation of God as a mother you are beginning to walk down a slippery road into paganism, goddess worship and cultic worship.
If we see God as a mother we would be praying like this :
Salutations to the Divine Mother who exists in all beings in the form of intelligence, mercy and beauty, salutations, O Sweet Mother, the consort of Lord Siva. O Mother Parvati! Thou art Lakshmi, Thou art Sarasvati. Thou art Kali, Durga and Kundalini Shakti.
(This is a prayer from an Eastern religion).
God, the Father, occurs about 75 times in scripture, not once is God, the mother, mentioned in any form. This is important that we see God for who He is, for who scripture reveals God to be.
Jesus refers to "God, the Father" 8 times in the Gospel according to John, yet in the Shack (page88) says "Isn't she great", referring to God. This does not line up with scripture, in fact, it is the direct opposite of what scripture says. Further on (page93), Papa (God) says to Mack "If I choose to appear to you as a man or a woman, it's because I love you". Again this does not line up with scripture.
A few lines later she goes on saying "...and this weekend is not about reinforcing your religious stereotypes". The implication is that God, the Father is a stereotype. Throughout the book you will find these "digs" at established doctrine. In my opinion...not very helpful.
We'll talk again tomorrow.
Brad
If we see God as a mother we would be praying like this :
Salutations to the Divine Mother who exists in all beings in the form of intelligence, mercy and beauty, salutations, O Sweet Mother, the consort of Lord Siva. O Mother Parvati! Thou art Lakshmi, Thou art Sarasvati. Thou art Kali, Durga and Kundalini Shakti.
(This is a prayer from an Eastern religion).
God, the Father, occurs about 75 times in scripture, not once is God, the mother, mentioned in any form. This is important that we see God for who He is, for who scripture reveals God to be.
Jesus refers to "God, the Father" 8 times in the Gospel according to John, yet in the Shack (page88) says "Isn't she great", referring to God. This does not line up with scripture, in fact, it is the direct opposite of what scripture says. Further on (page93), Papa (God) says to Mack "If I choose to appear to you as a man or a woman, it's because I love you". Again this does not line up with scripture.
A few lines later she goes on saying "...and this weekend is not about reinforcing your religious stereotypes". The implication is that God, the Father is a stereotype. Throughout the book you will find these "digs" at established doctrine. In my opinion...not very helpful.
We'll talk again tomorrow.
Brad
The Shack No. 2
Lets get straight in to looking at some of the issues of the book. The reader (about a third of the way in) is presented with the Trinity. Here is my first major problem, the way the Trinity is presented in the Shack. The Trinity is one of the foundations of the Christian faith and when you mess with it you mess deeply with the Christian faith.
I intend to spend a fair amount of time on this topic of the Trinity because it really is misrepresented in the Shack and I would even venture to say, the way the Trinity is portrayed in the Shack is heretical.
The correct view and understanding of the Trinity gives us an understanding of who God is. I have read many reviews from people who have read the Shack who say that the Shack has helped them understand, some for the first time, the true nature of the Trinity.
But the question to ask is : Does the Shack teach what the Bible teaches about the Trinity ?
In the Shack, God the Father is represented as "Papa", an african-american woman; Jesus is a man of middle-eastern descent and the Holy Spirit is portrayed as an asian woman named "Sarayu".
The Bible is clear that God must not and cannot be portrayed as an image, and forbids us from doing so. It is not possible to make the creator a part of his creation. Jesus says in John 4:24 "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The book's portrayal of Jesus is based on some fact (human form, middle eastern) however the Shack's portrayal of God and of the Holy Spirit is expressly forbidden by scripture. The Apostle Paul puts it in a nutshell.
Writing to the Romans in Romans 1:22-23 :
"Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles." Paul says that God's wrath would be poured out upon these people who did this (vs 18). I believe it is foolishness and unwise to portray God as He has been portrayed in the Shack, I find no support whatsoever from scripture and shouldn't scripture be our final authority in these matters.
In my next blog I will discuss this further, speak to you tomorrow.
God Bless
I intend to spend a fair amount of time on this topic of the Trinity because it really is misrepresented in the Shack and I would even venture to say, the way the Trinity is portrayed in the Shack is heretical.
The correct view and understanding of the Trinity gives us an understanding of who God is. I have read many reviews from people who have read the Shack who say that the Shack has helped them understand, some for the first time, the true nature of the Trinity.
But the question to ask is : Does the Shack teach what the Bible teaches about the Trinity ?
In the Shack, God the Father is represented as "Papa", an african-american woman; Jesus is a man of middle-eastern descent and the Holy Spirit is portrayed as an asian woman named "Sarayu".
The Bible is clear that God must not and cannot be portrayed as an image, and forbids us from doing so. It is not possible to make the creator a part of his creation. Jesus says in John 4:24 "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The book's portrayal of Jesus is based on some fact (human form, middle eastern) however the Shack's portrayal of God and of the Holy Spirit is expressly forbidden by scripture. The Apostle Paul puts it in a nutshell.
Writing to the Romans in Romans 1:22-23 :
"Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles." Paul says that God's wrath would be poured out upon these people who did this (vs 18). I believe it is foolishness and unwise to portray God as He has been portrayed in the Shack, I find no support whatsoever from scripture and shouldn't scripture be our final authority in these matters.
In my next blog I will discuss this further, speak to you tomorrow.
God Bless
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