HISTORICAL VALIDITY OF JESUS CHRIST

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JESUS’ HISTORICAL VALIDITY

Does HISTORY really validate the New Testament Gospels to be true about Jesus: His first coming, His crucifixion, His resurrection, His coming again?

Non-Christian ancient sources confirm details of Christ’s death and some of His resurrection. Dr. Gary Habermas catalogued over 3,400 sources, many of whom are sceptical, or even critical of Christians, adding to their veracity. Here are seven of the three thousand four hundred: 1. Josephus 37-100 AD, 2. Suetonius 70-160 AD, 3. Pliny the Younger 61-113 AD, 4. Tacitus 56-120 AD, 5. Mara Bar-Serapion 72 AD, 6. Lucian 125-180 AD, 7. Babylonian Talmud. They all confirm key points of the gospel: 

1. Jesus died by crucifixion; 2. He was buried; 3. His death caused the disciples to despair and lose hope; 4. The tomb was empty three days later. 5. Hundreds of people saw the resurrected Jesus.

After Jesus’ resurrection, all of His disciples saw Him and had many experiences with Him, “for over 40 days” (Acts 1:3) – eating with Jesus in different places, and lastly watching Jesus ascend off the earth – “as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9).

Rome’s most prominent Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus (37-100 AD) wrote about the resurrection of Jesus. He also recorded Jesus’ 12 apostles and many of Jesus’ disciples (1 Cor. 15:1-9) all went to their deaths, most as martyrs for continually claiming Jesus’ resurrection (1 John 1:1-4). Some people have died for what was a lie – but no one, much less hundreds, will die for what they ALL KNOW is a lie! The apostles and Jesus’ disciples all preached Jesus’ resurrection up to the time of their deaths.

Today – anyone can find out if Jesus is alive! Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, to indwell the spirit of everyone who repents of their sins against God and accepts Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. The Holy Spirit is their counsellor, teacher, and comforter.

“The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.” Proverbs 20:27

The spirit of a person was always meant to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The lamp of the Lord cannot function without the oil of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will convict us of sin. It is His job to make us like Jesus to enable us to be Jesus’ ambassadors on the earth.

“However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:9-11 

Thousands of Christians have been martyred for not denying their loyalty to Jesus Christ and many more will do so before His return. Jesus has warned us beforehand that prior to His return there will be a time of great tribulation for Christians.

There need be no question, historically or personally, about the resurrection of Jesus. If someone is willing to receive Him as their own personal Lord and Saviour they will receive the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit who will testify to the reality of Jesus and God the Father.   

The detail on the historical sources of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection was sourced from material provided by Jim McCotter – jimsbookstore.com

TESTIMONY OF THE AUTHOR OF ARAB SPRING CHRISTIAN WINTER

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How to Build a Faith That Will Withstand Any Persecution

I will close this book with a few words of hopeful wisdom to help you in case you are terrified of the future and wonder if you will be able to withstand the difficult days ahead. I do not claim in any way that I have a monopoly on how to build a solid Christian life, or some special secret to achieve rapid maturity, an oxymoron in itself. It would be impossible for you to have the same huge host of people build into your life that have built into mine. I’m very sorry for those of you who have had few, if any, people pour into your life by spending time with you, praying with and for you, and guiding your growth as a Christian. I have been hugely blessed in this regard. Because of that godly input over many years and forty-plus years of walking with the Lord, I have a few ideas on how to build an unshakeable faith. People often ask me if I have doubted my faith while serving the Lord abroad in overwhelmingly Muslim communities. My answer is always “No. Being the only Christian for miles around actually builds my faith stronger.” That is because I continually see the vivid contrast between the reality of Christianity and the Holy Spirit within us, and the deadness of religion, even one that calls for extremely high commitment. As I’ve said many times before in print and in person, ONLY the Holy Spirit can change a life, no one else. That’s the primary, on-the-ground difference between Christianity and every other faith out there. The longer you are among those other faiths, even as you find elements worthy of admiration in them, you will understand that none of them actually change the heart.

So let’s take a brief look at a few steps you can consider to build a faith that will remain true and strong, even if Islamists order you to forsake it. ​1. ​Get Into a Small Group(s). There is absolutely no need to build a strong faith through your own effort, gutting out daily Bible reading, going to church whenever you can, and trying to pray for longer and longer amounts of time each day. The modern, Western thought that we can walk with Jesus but not follow any “organized religion” is wrongheaded. This type of Lone Ranger Christianity is nowhere to be found in God’s Word. It is a Western, individualistic interpretation of a faith that grew out of small groups, as we see all over the Book of Acts. I am saying clearly that you cannot grow the type of faith you will need in the End Times by watching sermons on television or online and staying in your own home with no regular contact with other Christians. The Church will never stand strong if it’s built on survivalists who move as far away from others as they can and practice an isolationist Christianity. You should not want to dive into body life simply because it is commanded. You should do it because it is enjoyable and a necessary part of your growth. We all need that sharpening from one another, as Proverbs 27:17 says, As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

The author of the book Arab Spring Christian Winter – Islam Unleashed on the Church and the World, Ralph Stice has spent many years living, working, and ministering in Muslim countries. His time in Turkey (seat of the former Ottoman Empire) has led him to the same conclusion as Joel Richardson author of The Mid East Beast – The Scriptural Case for an Islamic Antichrist.

GOD’S LOVE FOR US

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God’s love for us should be the motivation that drives our life. Paul was able to say that the love of Christ controlled him, and other believers, and he gave us the reason why it did.

“For the love of Christ controls us because we have concluded this: that one has died for all … and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Let me add the other major reason: Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the Holy Spirit to indwell our Spirit to be our counsellor, teacher, and comforter. The Holy Spirit produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, kindness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22). He also provides all nine gifts of the Spirit for ministry.

“God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” Hebrews 2:4

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

If you do not know the truth about God’s love for you, then you are missing a single most powerful force that has driven every man and woman of God who has ever walked this planet. When you realize how much God loves you, you will never lack for motivation to serve him with all your heart.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this, the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him.” 1 John 4:7-9

Note what Paul prays that our Heavenly Father will provide for us: that the Holy Spirit will enable us to comprehend the breadth, length, height, and depth of the love of Christ so that we are filled with the fullness of God.

“He (Heavenly Father) may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have the strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.“

Paul understood this when he prayed this prayer for all the believers. Then they would be filled up to all the fullness of God so that the Spirit would work in them to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that they had ever asked or imagined. Of all the doctrines described in God’s Word, if you miss the doctrine of love, you have missed God.

You can download the ebook “With all my love, GOD” from Jim McCotters website http://www.jimsbookstore.com

DO NOT GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OR QUELL HIS WORK IN YOUR LIFE

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For through him (Jesus) we (Jew and gentile) both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” Ephesians 2:18

We regain access to our Heavenly Father through Jesus coming to earth and becoming man so He could pay the debt for our rebellion. He died in our place so that we might have eternal life. I hope you realize the enormity of what Jesus has accomplished on your behalf. Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit to indwell every believer’s spirit.

“The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.” Proverbs 20:27

It is important to note from this Scripture that our spirit is the lamp of the Lord. Like any lamp, it requires oil, which for us is the Holy Spirit, to function correctly. When Adam and Eve sinned, death was the penalty. Spiritual death occurred immediately when the Holy Spirit departed their spirits, and physical death followed 900 years later. It was only after God’s first judgment of mankind (the worldwide flood of Noah’s day) that God limited man’s lifespan to 120 years.

Considering the enormous price Jesus paid in order for our Heavenly Father to restore our relationship with Him by sending the Holy Spirit to indwell every believer’s spirit to be our counselor, teacher, and comforter, surely we must treat Him with all the respect and honour He deserves.

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30

When non-Christians reject Jesus, it simply puts another nail in their coffin and brings them one step closer to judgment, punishment, and the second death in the Lake of Fire. The Lord would have saved their soul, but time and time again they refused to repent. In so doing, “they exchanged the truth of God for a lie” (Romans 1:25).

“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8

But Christians are equally guilty of sin because we too grieve the one Person who can enable us to believe the Gospel, love God, follow Christ, and serve others with godly compassion. Without the Holy Spirit, none of those things would be possible. We would be helpless and hopeless, lost, dazed, and confused. We would have no clue how to be forgiven of our sins or how to please the Lord.

Thankfully, “God made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:5). So now what? Well, one thing is very clear. We were not saved so that we could go on deliberately sinning against the Lord. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” Romans 6:1-2

Christians face a variety of temptations regarding the use of our bodies, the meditation of our hearts, and the words we choose to utter. Since the Holy Spirit lives within every believer, it is essential that we diligently seek to please the Spirit rather than give into the desires of our sinful nature.

For example, Scripture instructs us: “flee from sexual immorality”. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body” 1 Corinthians 6:18-20

If you want to mess up everything in your walk with Christ, then engage in sexual immorality. Have sex outside of marriage. Fill your mind with sexual images and lustful thoughts. Give into temptation rather than resisting it. And commit the one sin that is against your own body, which is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Obviously, this is the opposite of what God calls us to do as followers of Christ.

Scripture also warns believers to be careful with the thoughts and attitudes that they choose to entertain. Paul wrote:

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” Ephesians 4:29-32

When we violate any of these instructions for holy living, we grieve the Holy Spirit. Our mind comes under attack and the joy of the Lord greatly diminishes in our heart. We lose our peace. We become impatient and self-centered. We hold grudges, and we speak poorly about others. 

All of these attitudes and behaviors flow from our sinful nature, (Romans 7:18) and all of them grieve the Holy Spirit. He is always pure, perfect, and gentle. When we push Him away with our sins, our life of discipleship gets put on hold. We backslide, even if only for a matter of minutes until we confess our sins to God and turn away from them. 

And of course, sometimes our sinful attitudes persist much longer than a few minutes. Is it any wonder that everyone who seeks to follow Christ finds our calling as believers so incredibly challenging? Sadly, some who begin the journey with Jesus do not fully repent of their sin and acknowledge Him as Lord. They invariably give up and once again pursue deliberate sin. Unbelief is the biggest sin because it prevents a person from being saved, redeemed, forgiven, born again, and justified. The Holy Spirit only indwells those who are trusting the Savior to forgive their sins, which in turn produces a heart that longs to do God’s will.

Everything gets messed up when non-Christians reject Christ, and when believers give in to sinful desires and temptation. So, what is the solution for followers of Christ?

“Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other so you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” Galatians 5:16-18

Grieving the Holy Spirit messes up everything, whereas confessing our sins to the Lord and seeking to do His will is the path to peace and righteous living. If you love God then you will be willing to be led by the Holy Spirit. So, are you a follower of Christ and have the Holy Spirit to guide your every step? If not, would you like to be? If you would then listen to this presentation by Ray Comfort.

DO YOU CARE ABOUT GOD?

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Watch Ray Comfort of Living Waters minister the Gospel to this young man. He had no concept of what God had done to secure His salvation and thereby eternal life. Watch the change as the truth slowly dawns on Him. This is evidence of how the Holy Spirit works in our lives to transform us. Only God could bring about the change we see in this young man.

CULTIVATING GOD’S PRESENCE

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I have found a new book: Cultivating God’s Presence: Renewing Ancient Practices for Today’s Church by Richard J Roberts which has been helpful in the way I look at how I relate to God. But, and there is a big but, Roberts makes no mention of the fact that Jesus made it possible for our heavenly Father to send the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit to indwell our Spirit to enable believers to live the Christian life. There is no way we can live a holy life without the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is clear that anything good in our lives is a result of the Holy Spirit, The fruit of the Spirit is the Christlike character: a character that reveals what Jesus is like. It is the outward expression of the holy nature of God in the believer. It is actually the development of the life of Christ in the Christian.

In 1 Thessalonians 5;19, Christians are commanded, “Do not quench the Spirit.” We must stay connected to God and always ask Him to help us say not my will but your will be done this day. We must obey God and allow the Holy Spirit to make us more like Jesus. Becoming lax in demonstrating the fruit of God’s Holy Spirit is dangerous to our spiritual life. As Christians, we believe that the Holy Spirit is our guarantee or down payment on eternal life (2 Corinthians 1: 21-22; Ephesians 5:15-21)

Imagine the Holy Spirit as a roaring campfire. What happens to the fire when we stop putting in the fuel and instead throw dirt on it? It goes out. It no longer produces the light or heat for which it was started. In the same way, if we neglect our relationship with God and become focused on the things of the world, we will extinguish the presence of God’s Spirit in our lives and no longer produce the fruit of the Spirit.

In addition to the importance of showing others how God’s Spirit can work in our lives, Christians must never underestimate the importance of fulfilling the covenant we made with the God of the universe when we were baptized and received the greatest gift of all: His Holy Spirit.

We all want to experience God’s presence. However, the presence of God is not amenable to a program, nor to a spiritual self-help manual. God is often elusive and even though we pray for his presence the Spirit is not at our beck and call. Jesus reminded us that the movement of the Spirit, like the wind, can be felt but He cannot be controlled: ‘The wind blows where it wishes’ (John 3:8). We cannot guarantee a certain outcome by adopting a particular spiritual practice.

WALKING WITH GOD

“Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters.” Genesis 5:22

“Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” Genesis 5:24

Enoch was clearly someone quite remarkable even though he lived a somewhat normal life fathering sons and daughters. It is as if the author of Genesis breaks with facts and figures and has to tell us about this person that enjoyed the companionship of God as an ongoing continuous experience. The phrase ‘walking with God’ conjures up a life of constant fellowship with him on the earthly journey. Enoch’s fellowship with God was never broken; his lifespan, unlike that of his forebears, was not limited to a given number of years. Rather, from the moment he commenced his walk with God, Enoch experienced eternal life, beginning right here on earth.

It seems important that we are told, not that God joined in with Enoch’s walk, but that it was Enoch who joined God on his walk. He walked with God, rather than God walking with him. This may seem a subtle distinction, but it is an important one. While we often ask God to join in with and bless whatever we may be doing, ‘to join our walk’, Enoch in contrast, joined God’s walk. The psalmist hints at a similar dynamic when he wrote, ‘Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths’ (Psalm 25:4). Enoch’s life and walk with God raises the possibility for us of a more consistent experience of God’s presence.

Jesus spoke of our having constant fellowship, a constant walk, with God. He made it possible for our heavenly Father to send the Holy Spirit to indwell our Spirit to enable this walk:

‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him’ John 14:23

This is a promise of the presence of the Father and the Son by the power of the Holy Spirit. But notice also that Jesus tells us that God’s presence is cultivated by obedience to his word, so this is a conditional promise. The promise of God’s presence is not an enticement nor even a reward to keep us on the straight and narrow path. It is simply the outcome of our obedience.

Matthew’s Gospel, in particular, links our eternal destiny with the way we live now, rather than emphasizing a set of beliefs (Matthew 25: 29-30 and 40-46). Grace is a deep appreciation that we are the recipients of God’s wholly undeserved kindness. Grace is often experienced in worship, as we realize how profound the Father’s love for us is, and that experience in turn leads to deeper worship. It is this experience of the mercy of God which changes our attitudes and leads to sacrificial discipleship (Romans 12:1-2). As we respond to God’s grace it inevitably makes us more gracious as people full of gratitude which spills over into acts of kindness to others.

DO YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN ACCOMPLISH IN YOUR LIFE?

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Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the third person of the Trinity to indwell every believer to be our counselor, comforter, and teacher. Jesus said:

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26

“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about me.” John 15:26

“For through Him (Jesus), we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” Ephesians 2:18

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” 1 Corinthians 6:19

“In Him, you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:22

Have you ever had trouble praying? Well, the following Scripture makes it clear that the Holy Spirit that indwells you will express what you cannot express with words as “the Spirit intercedes for the Saints according to the will of God.” Isn’t that good to know? The Spirit of God searches the hearts and knows what is in the mind of the Spirit and He can help us communicate to God what we can’t always put in words.

“And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the Saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:27

Note: The Spirit intercedes for the Saints. All who believe God and place their trust in Him are called Saints. Being called a Saint is not new to the New Testament. The Old Testament speaks of Saints too, all who believe God and have placed their trust in Him are considered Saints, right now, even while they’re alive as the psalmist writes that God “will not forsake his Saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off” (Psalm 37:28).

“May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the Saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.” Colossians 1:11-13

God’s grace delivered us out of the darkness and brought us into the light and transferred us from the kingdom or domain of darkness into the kingdom of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. He does that only for His Saints who’ve repented and put their trust in Him and that’s only because we’re qualified by Jesus’ redemption.

“To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be Saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours.” 1 Corinthians 1:2

The root word for “saints” comes from the word sanctified so those whom Jesus died for are the sanctified ones or saints. To be sanctified is to be “set apart for holy use” and that is what the Saints are. For now, we have been called out of the world to go back into the world to call others out of the world. However, prophecies being fulfilled in our time tell us that Jesus’ second coming is not too far in the future.

Do you know what our role will be when Jesus returns to earth with the Saints?

“And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the Most High.” Daniel 7:27

“Or do you not know that the Saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels?” 1 Corinthians 6:2-3

WHAT DOES PRAYER DO?

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One of the genuine marks of the Christian faith is that we do not worship a distant God. He isn’t some distant being with no care or interest in His people. Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the third person of the Trinity to indwell our spirit. Our spirit is the lamp of the Lord and before The Fall was indwelt by the Holy Spirit which is the oil needed for God’s lamp to function.

“The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.” Proverbs 20:27

The Holy Spirit indwells those whom He has redeemed.  He is the one that produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. He is the one that provides the gifts of the Spirit for ministry. He is our counsellor, teacher, and comforter. He is the one that enables us to live a Christian life. That’s why Paul was able to write  “rejoice in the Lord, again I will say rejoice. The Lord is at hand. And we know that is the reality for a believer because He has “saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began” (2 Timothy 1:9). Before the ages began God had a personal plan for all of His people; He doesn’t orchestrate this from a distance, He is within His people.

Not only is He present, but He also wants to hear from His people. God desires believers to communicate with Him through prayer, and He doesn’t just want some highlights. He calls the saints to bring everything to Him “by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” 

At any moment, by the merit of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, Christians have the divinely given right to approach God with anything through prayer. The One who created and sustains the universe not only can hear your prayers, He wants to answer those prayers. Prayer is absolutely amazing because Christians have a more challenging time getting in touch with their utilities provider than directly communicating with the Lord and creator of the entire universe. If that fact about prayer doesn’t excite you, nothing will. Note also the Holy Spirit will help you pray.

“Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Philippians 4:4-7

Through Christ we have the opportunity to pray, but what does prayer do in and to a believer? This Scripture reveals four things.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7

“Do not be anxious about anything” – That’s a bold statement. But it’s true because if “God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). We know God is for us because He wants to hear our prayers and take a personal interest in what’s going on in our lives. He knows all things but still wants us to approach the throne with all things.

“But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” – Praying to God and bringing our needs to Him reminds us that he has already supplied the greatest need of all, His Son (James 1:17, Romans 6:23) which is why we pray in His name.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” – Prayer isn’t always answered in the manner we desire, but it is always answered.

Prayer connects us to God and each other as we live as God’s people in this fallen world. In a word, it’s hard to be at each other’s throats while we’re on our knees together in prayer.

Adapted from a post by David Chambers “Four things Paul teaches us about prayer” http://www.patheos.com

THE JOY GOD GIVES VERSUS THE JOY THE WORLD GIVES

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The joy of the Lord is a great source of strength. It is a gift from God. Human joy can’t take us very far. It disappears in the dark shadows of our trials and tribulations, but the joy which God gives by the Holy Spirit is permanent and as eternal as the life God has given us through Christ.

Prior to Jesus going to the cross and returning to the Father, He told His disciples:

“Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full” John 16:24

“Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” John 16:24

He also said, 

“you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (John 16:22).

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this, my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” John 15:7-8

“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11

The psalmist understood that joy did not from a human source, but from God: 

“You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound” Psalm 4:7

What God puts there, stays there. Every person who trusts in Christ will experience persecution, trials, and tribulations, but the believer does not have to base their joy upon circumstances. They’ve learned, like the Apostle Paul, to be content in all circumstances (Philippians 4:11-13). Paul’s contentment rested in Christ, not in circumstances. He knew that God does not change, so Paul’s contentment remained.

James also tells us to consider trials with all joy.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” James 1:2-3

How about David:

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalms 16:11

Joy is contagious. When someone around you is joyful, it’s hard not to notice, but the most powerful thing about joy is that it’s a source of strength for us. Joy is a natural byproduct of being chosen by God; being saved by God; and having God’s Spirit live within us. Joy is also a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Paul writes that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, kindness, gentleness, goodness, self control. (Galatians 5:22), so joy is a gift from God; joy is a source of strength; and joy is a fruit of the Spirit. We can also consider the tests, trials, and tribulations as joy, knowing the end result. And finally, joy is good for us and good for those around us. Our secure standing before God in Christ ought to fill us with joy, because now, there is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1). What could be better than all of that!?

adapted from the article How Joy Is A Source of Strength  June 5, 2019, by Jack Wellman http://www.patheos.com

WHY HAS THE INCIDENCE OF GENDER DYSPHORIA “TAKEN OFF” IN AFFLUENT COUNTRIES?

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The sharp growth in claims of gender dysphoria, particularly by young women who feel they should be male, is a confronting trend that requires serious attention. The Weekend Australian has been particularly concerned about claims critical of the speed with which young people have been encouraged to undergo irreversible treatment, sometimes without the consent of parents.

Even discussing the issue has raised the ire of some practitioners, resulting in lengthy investigations into the report in The Australian. The finding of the Australian Press Council in September last year that the report was in the public interest, despite partly upholding a complaint by Dr Michelle Telfer, who runs the gender clinic at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, has been validated by the closure of the Tavistock Gender Clinic in the UK. This is particularly so given the reliance that specialists working in this area here have put on the controversial methods and approaches used at Tavistock. Australian clinics use the same hormonal treatments, including puberty blockers.

The British clinic is being shut down after it was criticized in an independent review that highlighted very poor evidence to support hormonal treatment. Doctors reported concerns that some patients were referred to a gender transitioning pathway too quickly. Gender identity services at Tavistock will be brought to a close and transferred to two services led by specialist children’s hospitals in London and the North West.

male and female chromosones

Once very rare, the diagnosis of gender dysphoria has taken off among teenagers in affluent countries, including Australia.

A “gender-affirming” world view pioneered in Australia confronts parents with a stark and false choice: streamlined access to “lifesaving treatment”, or a child left to suffer the suicidal ­distress of gender identity at odds with the body’s biology.

Persuaded by gender clinicians and human rights lawyers, the Family Court had made it easier over the past ­several years for children and adolescents to get ­puberty-blocker drugs, cross-sex hormones, and surgery such as mastectomy without the obstacle of a court application, as long as parents did not disagree. With the closure of Tavistock, the question must be asked: If it is unsafe in the UK, can the same approach be considered safe in Australia? There is an urgent need to revisit the findings of a flawed inquiry initiated by former federal health minister Greg Hunt that preserved the status quo. Parents and children in need deserve to know the treatments they are being offered do not fall outside mainstream mental health guidelines or have been motivated by hardcore transgender ideology. The closure of Tavistock should open the way for a proper, open investigation.

Sadly, none of the work done has considered God and His commandments and His purposes for men and women. Even more so, they need to consider that our Heavenly Father sent His Son to provide mankind with a way back into a righteous relationship with Him. When we repent of our rebellion against God and accept Jesus our Lord and Saviour our Heavenly Father sends the Holy Spirit to indwell our spirit and be our counsellor, teacher, and comforter. We then have all the power we need to overcome so-called gender dysphoria.