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10 May, 2012
Confidence in Gods plan for his Bride
Hebrews 13:8 says “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever” Certainly God is the great I AM. He is not a transient God who changes on a whim or who cannot be found. He is indeed a God of continuity who can be trusted and relied upon. What God has done, He is doing, and whatever He is doing, He shall continue to do.
All through the Old Testament, whatever God set out to accomplish was done with finality. No change in economies or political climates could stop God from making His people glorious and holy in His sight. Even though they complained and struggled with their faith and obedience at times, God gave them every piece of territory he promised to them. Why then do we worry at times about recession, changes in world leadership and the ungodliness of the world around us? Can they stop God from presenting to this world a church which is glorious, spotless and full of the power of God. The philosophies of this world, humanism, atheism, the trend of human rights over human responsibilities and the myriad of other humanistic ideas has not hindered God’s express plan for revealing His Son through the Church. If all the powers of satan could not prevent the birth nor hinder the revelation of Jesus, then no political power or ideology nor any demonic religious dogma can prevent God’s program of purifying to himself a people who can be presented to His Son as a perfect Bride and to the world as Church full of the glory of God.
The example we see of Jesus perfect life, flowing with kingdom peace, joy, power and grace, was never meant to end when Jesus died. God’s intent has always been that this very same life be duplicated the world over. While it is true that none of us are “the son of God” and none of us can sacrifice our lives for all humanity as Jesus did, we are however “sons of God” empowered to display His glory. Often we don’t feel that way, but Paul was “confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it in us” God never starts something He cannot complete. Even though we may feel inadequate, frail, weak and vulnerable, we have an all powerful God at work behind the scenes.
God birthed His Church in power, It functioned in that power for almost 2 centuries before political and religious spirits began to influence and control her. Yet Gods intent would not be thwarted. Over the centuries He has continued to strengthen, develop, transform restore and revive her, and we have confidence that He will continue to do so. Part of that restoration was the revelation given through Martin Luther “the just shall live by faith” The doctrine that it is not by works of righteousness but by God’s grace alone that men stand justified before God. We have been completely pardoned from the penalty of sin. God chose to place all the punishment for sin upon His son at Calvary for our sake, so that we might share in the righteousness of God. What an amazing transaction! Simultaneously our sin was imputed to Jesus while His righteousness was imputed to us in return. Once again men could approach God with confidence for the guilt of sin was adequately handled by God so all that is required by men is their acceptance by faith of this gift. What other reason could we need to shout of the goodness, mercy and grace of God towards us. The way has been made open for all time for us to boldly come into the presence of God.
Ps 100:4 tells us the appropriate way in is by faith and through thanksgiving. “I will enter his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise” Let us ever be a people full of gratitude and expectation of the continuing restoration of glory upon His Church.
God bless, Tony
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7 April, 2012
EASTER: The reality of an Apostolic Heart
Easter and Christmas are perhaps the only two times of the year where people can go to a church and not be labeled “religious”. While there is some confusion and much debate amongst some Christians and denominations as to the commercialisation and the Biblical justification for Easter, it still remains as the most important date in the Christian calendar.
Easter this year wonderfully coincides with the Jewish Passover. The memorial feast celebrated by Jews in thanks to God for his protection and their Exodus from slavery out of Egypt. On that night every family took the blood of a spotless lamb and sprinkled it over the doorposts and lintel of their house. All those who were inside, covered by the protection of the blood were kept safe as the angel of death came upon the land as the final plague of judgment.
That event and the ensuing feast typifies for us Jesus sacrifice. While Christmas signifies his birth, Easter reveals the purpose. Jesus came to redeem mankind, to restore all that was lost and stolen. Through his death the penalty of sin was paid in full. Through his resurrection new life and eternal hope were given. The world has seen many great moral and religious teachers come and go. But none could lay claim to conquering sin and death. The highest teachings of morality, given with the purest of motives fall short of empowering the listener to actually do anything about really changing their spiritual state. Yet that is exactly what faith in Jesus does over and over again. Easter is more than holidays and chocolates. It is a celebration of life, one life given as a sacrifice for all, and true LIFE given TO ALL because of the resurrection. God sent Jesus, Jesus willingly came. Easter is a reminder to us all of our mandate and mission. To go into the world and touch it with the love that we have received. That’s what it means to have an Apostolic heart.
Apostolic Adventures
Psalm 68:5 says God is “a father to the fatherless” and he “sets the lonely in families” There is a special place in God’s heart for orphans, He cares for them and desires to see us do the same. Those who have had the misfortune of losing or who have been totally abandoned by their parents are vulnerable to exploitation. Our mandate is to destroy the works of the devil, to pour out the same love and compassion that Jesus showed, lifting the downtrodden and bringing hope where there seems none. We have been called “to all nations” and as a church are looking for effective ways we can reach nations.
This month Michael & Lauren will be relocating to Cambodia to Phnom Penh to help establish a small orphanage, our desire is to see that opportunity develop into a school and a church plant. Sunday 8th will be their last Sunday with us until later in the year. The first few months will be spent establishing themselves in this new community. From there the orphanage proper will begin. In time they will need sponsors to help provide support for the children. If you feel you can help them financially at any time please see Tony. At this stage all donations and cheques should be made to “Freedom Life “ and marked on the back “for Cambodia”
God bless, Tony
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6 March, 2012
CONFIDENCE FOR A SPIRIT FILLED LIFE
The philosophy that pervades our society today is the falsehood that we are all mere products of our culture, and therefore we have no control over what shapes us or what determines our future. While it is true that we are all indeed influenced and even conditioned by our culture, it is not true to say that we must be bound or controlled by that system. When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we step into His plan for our life and His plans are always good, they are always for our benefit, and they always lead to growth and life. That destiny however, is not one that is forced upon us but is one that we choose. God did not make us robots that react automatically to the push of a button, he created us with a free will with the power of choice. As disciples of Jesus we make a choice to submit our will to His.
Paul says in Romans 8: we are to walk in newness of life, that is to live in the reality that we are now new creations in Christ Jesus. Our spirit’s have been reborn, we have been cleansed of our sin, made righteous, given a hope and a future, redeemed for eternity. We have been given the Holy Spirit who now lives within us, wanting to guide, teach and empower us to live a new life. We are to walk in the spirit.
“Walking in the spirit” is a letting go of the control of our life to the will of God. It’s developing a listening spiritual ear to the Holy Spirit’s voice within and responding to that voice. It’s living with eternity in mind. It’s living with the Bible as our handbook. It is living with the same attitude as Jesus. It’s living with the glorious presence of God surrounding us every day. It’s living a life that glorifies and honours God. A life that is set apart for Him, not squeezed and conformed to the values of this world, but living with Kingdom values of purity and love.
The problem with religion is that it tries to get us to do these things by dogged self effort, religious programs and sadly, by guilt manipulation. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:7 “we walk by faith, not by sight” We live this amazing Christian life not as some religious program, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in the promises of God, faith in His Word, faith in the finished work of the Cross, faith in the faithfulness of a loving caring Father who wants to presence himself with us. Hebrews 10:19 tells us we should have confidence to enter God’s presence, confidence to live in His realms of glory, that confidence requires a step of faith, it requires us to walk, not according to how we may feel, but according to what God has declared over us. We have been qualified and empowered to live this life through Jesus, lets live it!
God bless, Tony
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February 2012
GROWING IN CONFIDENCE
Acts 17:26 From one man he made every nation of men. That they should inhabit the whole
earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being.’.
We each could have been born at any other time in history, in days of rampant persecution, in a war torn land, in abject poverty, perhaps in a village riddled with plague and disease. We could have been born in an age where it was illegal to own a bible, where you had to financially pay a priest to have your sins forgiven! But God chose us to be born at this time in history, and has drawn us together from every corner of the globe to be assembled and built as a spiritual army and as a loving bride. The church… the demonstration of God’s love and power on the earth.
Ephesians 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ. God never makes mistakes. He chose us as his own, it was a good choice.
Psalm 139:16-17 Fyour eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts. God knew our every weakness, he knew our insecurities and the areas that we would fail, yet he chose us anyway! God has a plan and purpose for each of our lives, there are times we can’t see that plan, it can become obscured and blurred by the everyday mundane-ness of life, but it is a great and glorious plan. Paul says in Ephesians 2:20 we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. This truth should give us great confidence to face every challenge ahead, knowing
that God himself has chosen us and prepared great things for us.
Jesus chose twelve men, they were gathered from different walks of life, fishermen, doctors, tax collectors, men with different educational and social backgrounds, they certainly did not appear to be the “cream of the crop” or the “elite” of Israel, yet Jesus took them and fashioned a group of men, his disciples, who would “turn the world upside down” They did so because they believed in the man they followed. They dared to believe that he had made a good choice by choosing them. They dared to believe that the promise of the Holy Spirit that they received would enable them to effectively live as “competent ministers of the New Covenant”
They simply believed and trusted in who Jesus said they were, who we become is largely determined by three things.
1. An event in history 2000 years ago.
2. Who God says we are and his promises to us.
3. Our faith to believe. LET’S BELIEVE.
God bless, Tony
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January 2012
THE YEAR OF THE LORDS FAVOUR
Psalm 112:4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. Psalm 5:12 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
2011 heralded a tumultuous year on the world stage. Governments and dictators were overthrown, Europe suffered yet another financial melt down, cities were rocked by tsunamis and earthquakes, fires and floods. There were those predicting the end of the world, that great calamity would come as God began sending judgment upon the earth. Many Christians were even caught up in this wave of pessimism. Yet for those who have an understanding of the New Covenant we know the wrath of God for sin has already been poured out 2000 years ago. As Jesus hung upon a rough wooden cross, all the punishment for mankind’s rebellion was meted out upon his human frame. For those who have received the forgiveness of God through their faith in Jesus Christ there is no fear of punishment, only the great truth and delight of God’s abundant blessing and favour. The promise of God is clear to all those who believe, “He will surround them with favour” What a comforting thought, to be completely surrounded by the favour of God, a supernatural Holy force field that goes before us, that is always guarding from every direction.
What is the favour of God? It’s simply when everything else is shouting failure, God declares success. It goes everywhere you go, it’s designed to open doors and provide opportunities that no man can. It brings protection, provision and blessing when it seems impossible. Many know ‘of’ the favour of God, but sadly too few actually tap into it, they never experience the manifestation of God’s favour. How do we then tap into the vast reserve of heaven. Job 22:28 in the amplified Bible says “You shall also decide and decree a thing, and it shall be established for you; and the light [of God’s favor] shall shine upon your ways. To decree something requires a sound, it’s a declaration we make according to the Word of God. Many people fail to live in favour because they fail to make a demand upon the promises of God for them. To decree a promise in faith is to make a demand. The Bible is quite clear, God will always honour His Word. You want to live in His favour in 2012? Then I want to encourage you, don’t stop believing and declaring His Word over your life. It’s the key to living in favour.
God bless, Tony
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