Month: September 2020

The Fruit Of The Spirit- Goodness

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

Goodness in the original Greek means being virtuous. We could say it describes a person of integrity.

Goodness means that we know what is the right thing to do in any situation, regardless of our perception of cost. Goodness means that we are the same person in private that we are when people are watching us.

We might expect that goodness is a natural result of walking with God, even if we had not read Galatians. The gospels depict Jesus as someone who was not impressed by the crowds nor by the importance of the political and religious leaders. Jesus just did what was right, always. This flowed from His intimate relationship with the Father.

Goodness saves us from the stress of worrying about what will happen if somebody finds out what we have done, because we seek to do what is right regardless of public opinion.

Of course, we don’t always get it right. Sin is still with us. But as we learn to listen to the Holy Spirit, we become more like Jesus.

Reflection on Romans 16:1-27

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

Scripture

All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

Observation

Paul sends greetings to many individual christians and leaders in the church at Rome.

His last appeal to them is to watch out for false teachers who teach things contrary to the gospel. They deceive everyone with their smooth talk and glowing words. The Romans, on the other hand, are faithful to Christ.

Application

This final doxology, or blessing, concludes the letter to the Romans.

All of Paul’s life was about glorifying God. He did this firstly in a zealous way fighting heretics including followers of Christ, but later just as zealous for Christ.

Paul counted even his extreme sufferings such as prison, beatings, being shipwrecked, all as nothing compared to the riches of Christ’s glory.

In comparison to Paul, I always feel somewhat inferior and lazy. We should not make comparisons, because God calls us all to live differently, but how wonderful it would be to have Paul’s zeal and boldness for Christ.

I need to learn to put aside everything that detracts from Jesus. This is not just about sin, but all the other distractions that stop me from following Jesus as I should.

I need also to get a clearer vision of Jesus- His grace and love and holiness, allowing Him to capture my heart so that nothing comes close to Him in my affections.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to see you more clearly, love you more dearly and follow you more nearly. Amen.

WAP

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

There is a song that has been at the top of the billboard charts for several weeks now. The song is called WAP, sung by a couple of black women. I won’t tell you what the title stands for, as I would have to deep clean my computer afterwards.

The whole song is obscene in its lyrics, although feminists describe it as a brave and liberating statement of female sexuality.

I watched the video of the song yesterday, even though I had heard of the song’s tone.

I felt spiritually violated.

The video is probably not particularly explicit, nor more sexualised than other music videos.

But there is a spiritual malevolence in the video and in the song that will make you feel ashamed of being human, desolate, like you have taken part in a satanic worship ritual.

I believe that this song has been launched as a spiritual missile at the hearts of our young people. It is demonic in its nature.

I am not given to believing that all music since the 1950’s is of the devil. I love all forms of music. But this song is straight from the deepest pit of hell.

Parents of teenagers and pre-teens, you need to talk to your kids. You need to have a conversation about the things we allow to enter our hearts and shape our thoughts. You need to encourage them to delete the song from their phone, playlist, whatever.

Now I need to grab the holy water and garlic. Just writing this makes me feel polluted!

Reflection on Romans 15:25-33

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

Scripture

Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.

Observation

Before visiting Rome, Paul has to go to Jerusalem in order to take a gift from the believers in Achaia and Macedonia to the poor believers in Jerusalem. Paul then intends to visit Rome on his way to Spain.

Paul asks for prayer for protection from people in Judea who refuse to believe the gospel. Then Paul will be able to come to Rome with a joyful heart.

Application

Paul obviously intended to go to Rome on his way to Spain, after he had been to Jerusalem. We know from Acts that he was arrested in Jerusalem. He appealed for Caesar to hear his case and so was sent to Rome.

He would have chosen other circumstances in which to fulfil his promise. God got him to Rome, using people who were hostile to the faith. We know that Paul wrote several of his epistles while imprisoned in Rome, and many people came to know Jesus through his ministry there.

We may not always have the lifestyle or the situations we might prefer, but God uses all of our life events for good.

The Lord wanted Paul in Rome. The Jewish leaders wanted Paul out of their hair. Although Paul was in chain for the gospel, he was able to travel to Rome with a joyful heart, because he knew that God was in control.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I thank you that you are always with me. Please help me to trust you and to rejoice in you, especially when life is difficult. Amen.

Spiked: Was Sweden Right About Covid?

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

Was Sweden right about Covid?

Lockdown-free Sweden has recorded its lowest rate of positive Covid tests since the pandemic began.

SPIKED

10th September 2020

Share

 
TopicsPOLITICS SCIENCE & TECH WORLD

It is now clearer than ever that Sweden was justified in taking a liberal approach to Covid-19.

 

Last week, Sweden conducted a record number of tests for coronavirus (more than 120,000) but found a record-low proportion of infected people – just 1.2 per cent, according to a report from Reuters.

This is down from 19 per cent in the spring. What’s more, Sweden’s current position contrasts sharply with the surge in infections in countries like France
and Britain.

 

 

The director-general of Sweden’s health agency, Johan Carlson, said: ‘Our strategy has been consistent and sustainable.’ He added that Sweden probably has a higher rate of Covid-19 immunity in the population when compared to other countries, adding that, ‘I think we benefit a lot from that now’.

Sweden did not enforce lockdown, and yet its death rate has been lower than that of a number of countries which did, such as Spain, Italy and the UK. Its rate of spread of coronavirus is also now the lowest in Scandinavia.

Another boost for Sweden’s no-lockdown policy came last week, as Johann Giesecke, a prominent opponent of lockdown and one of the behind-the-scenes architects of Sweden’s policy, was given a major position at the World Health Organisation.

spiked has consistently argued against lockdown as a means to defeat Covid – and has challenged the attempts by lockdown fanatics to talk down Sweden’s liberal approach.

As many other European countries start to re-tighten their restrictions as we head into winter, it looks as if Sweden’s sensible, measured and sustainable approach is working.

 

Full article here

The Fruit Of The Spirit- Kindness

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

The Fruit Of The Spirit- Kindness

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

Kindness is defined as a quality of being friendly, generous or warmhearted.

This word again shows how the fruit of the Spirit is really a singular characteristic rather than a series of individual qualities which we might mix and match. A kind person is someone who is also loving, peaceful, patient and gentle.

To be kind means that we empathise with other people and try to give of ourselves to them. The nature of that giving depends on the needs of the other person and on our own resources. In one situation kindness might be expressed as a gift of money. In another situation it might be expressed in the giving of time and energy to help somebody out. In a third situation it might be that an encouraging word is the way to express kindness.

Some people are naturally generous in temperament while others have to work at it.

The key is empathy, seeing how another person is feeling and meeting them at a point of need. Kindness is always outward looking, seeking to build other people and engage with them.

Kindness takes us out of ourselves, but in doing this it grows us in our love for other people.

Ephesians 3:9

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

Here is my commentary on Ephesians 3:9. I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au

Ephesians 3:9

…and to make all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things

Paul’s ministry is to make God’s plan clear to all people.

Paul is very clear that all people, Jews and Gentiles, are now included in God’s plan of salvation. It is given to “all men” to be a part of God’s kingdom.

This salvation, the mystery that was hidden for ages, is now revealed in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In his death on the cross, he made payment for the sins of the whole world.

Now Paul’s ministry is to reveal to the whole world that which was hidden. The thing that was previously a hidden thing must now be revealed to all people .

The coming of Jesus into the world is a seismic shift in the affairs of people. It is impossible to exaggerate what’s this means for humanity. Jesus brought salvation (see John 3:16), but he also brought judgement on those who refused his salvation (John 3:18). A huge chasm has opened up – but not between Jews and Gentiles. The chasm is between those who believe in Jesus and those who do not.

Jesus is the light of the world. He makes plain this mystery about salvation and judgement. If we believe in the sacrifice that he provides for us, then we are saved. If we hold on to our own ways, then we are condemned.

Paul, then, wants to make this mystery known to all people .

The phrase, “the plan of the mystery,” is itself a mystery. The New International Version translates it as “ the administration of this mystery,” while the New Living Translation renders the phrase as “ the mysterious plan.”

The word for plan is “oikonomia” from which we get the English word economy. It means to administer a household on behalf of another person. Sometimes it is translated as stewardship.

Paul is drawing our attention to the fact that God’s way of salvation was not hidden for no purpose. There was a plan in the hiddenness off the way to salvation. This may be difficult for us to understand, but it is true that Christ came into the world at the right time, the appointed time, the kairos time.

The plan of salvation, the master plan for humanity, is being administered by God to demonstrate His wisdom to the spiritual rulers and authorities (Ephesians 3 10). The way in which Christ died for the church is part of God’s plan to defeat the satanic forces seeking to overthrow him.

The mystery was hidden “in God.” Does this mean that God had a plan but He didn’t want to share it with anybody else until he was ready to activate it?

This is partly true. To say that the plan was “ hidden in God” suggests that it was hidden in the very nature of God. It was always in the heart of God that He wanted to save the people who had been alienated from Him. It is God’s love that drives Him to find a solution to sin that demonstrates to all people the depth and height of His love.

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. God became a human being just like us. He became the ransom, the sacrifice, and took away all of our sins.

Jesus’ death on the cross demonstrated in a very public way the dimensions of God’s love and His justice. At that moment the mystery hidden in God was revealed to all people. Everyone who witnessed the crucifixion, and those who heard it from others, can see God’s love for them and His grace in forgiving their sins.

This God who saves is the same God who created all things. There is nothing in the whole of creation, whether seen or unseen, physical or spiritual, that was not created by God.

The angels who worship God and the demons who hate God were created by Him. The people who embrace salvation and those who oppose it are likewise created by God.

Because all things are created by God, they are all accountable to Him, and all will be judged on the basis of their relationship to Jesus .

Key points in this verse:

  • The plan of salvation was a mystery hidden in God
  • Paul’s ministry is to reveal this plan to all people
  • Jesus’ coming into the world changed everything in the world and changed God’s dealing with people
  • The God who says is the same God who created all things

Reflection on Romans 15:14-23

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

Scripture

Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, in my service in bringing Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them.

Observation

Paul is convinced that the Roman christians already know the things he has discussed in the letter so well that they can teach each other. All he is doing is reminding them of these things.

Paul is God’s special messenger to the Gentiles. He brings them the Good News in order to present them to the Lord.

He is excited about all that Christ has done, not boasting about anything other than what Christ has done. He has always tried to preach the gospel where it has never been heard. But now he is looking forward to travelling to Rome on his way to Spain.

Application

We like to think that we are able to achieve something in life. We like to think we are above average in some ways. In fact in surveys in both the US and the UK, 70% of drivers think they are “above average” in their driving skills.

Paul says that he does not boast about anything other than what Christ has done through him.

Some christians can be guilty of exaggerating their achievements. Some years ago, I wryly observed that if we added up all the converts and attendance claimed by the pastors, we would have 120% of the town’s population in church every week, and it would be a thoroughly converted place.

Paul says that we should not boast except in what Christ has done through us and in us. Even then we need to make sure it is about Jesus and not about me. This comes back to humility, having an honest appreciation of our walk with Jesus. We don’t need to strive for recognition, but simply rest in Christ, knowing that God sees all that we do.

Prayer

Lord, I thank you for the joy of walking with you and of serving you. Please help me to keep my eyes fixed on you always. Amen.