Author: newlifenarrabri

Reflection on Mark 10:1-12

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Scripture

“This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united to one. Since they are no longer two but one let no one split apart what God has joined together”

Observation

Jesus leaves Capernaum and travels down to Judah and the area east of the Jordan.

Some Pharisees try to trap Jesus with a question about divorce. Jesus says that, although the law of Moses permits divorce, it is only as a concession to the hard hearts of men. From the beginning, God intended a man and woman to leave their parents and become one. They are no longer two separate individuals, but one flesh. Therefore no ne should separate what God has joined together.

Later, when he is alone with his disciples, Jesus says that anyone, man or woman, who divorces their spouse and then remarries commits adultery.

Application

This section of scripture really confronts many of our society’s ideas, about sexuality and marriage.

Marriage in the Bible is a man and woman coming together to be one flesh.

There is no room for two people of the same sex coming together and calling it marriage.

Marriage is meant to be a lifelong commitment. In God’s plans for his people, there is no idea of easy divorce. God joins a man and wife together. It is not up to us to separate them, nor is it up to the couple to end the relationship.

There are times when a husband or wife Is seriously abusive to their spouse. This is egregious and, I believe, nullifies the marriage covenant. Divorce is also allowed when one party commits adultery.

Marriage is more than a contractual agreement. Strong loving marriages create strong families and confident children who mature to be responsible adults. Strong marriages reduce welfare dependence and other draws on the government.

Christians must take a stand for marriage, no matter how unpopular that is.

Listen

Lord, what do you want to tell me about marriage?

Keith, I brought you halfway across the world to connect you with Margaret. Of course that is not the only reason I persuaded your parents to migrate from England to Australia, but it was part of it. Your marriage is one that I established. I joined you and Margaret together and I am committed to strengthening the bonds that hold you together.

Over the years, I have blinded you both to opportunities for adultery. When evil spirits attacked your relationships, it was in those times that I gave you greater love for one another.

Other marriages do not have my blessing in the same way. If people marry foolishly or in rebellion against me, I have not joined them together. They are on their own. Marriage gives some protection, but without my blessing it is much harder.

So honour your wife and love her and let our partnership be the three stranded cord that cannot be broken.

The Long Weekend

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What does Easter mean to you?


Is it all about the bunnies and the eggs? I love chocolate, but this year they seem to be even more expensive than filling the fuel tank.


One headline I saw said this: “Modern Aussie Easter made easy: Barramundi with charred pineapple and a stunning upside-down apple & quince cake” So it’s all about the food then.


For other people, the long weekend is a perfect time to get away, possibly camping. Four days off work and time to de-stress.
The hardware shops will all tell us now is the time to buy that camping gear and paint the house, definitely a mixed message there.


So what is Easter about?


It all goes back to around the year 33 AD in the city of Jerusalem. Jesus Christ had become a problem for the authorities. His ability to draw crowds with lively preaching and miracles of healing was upsetting the religious authorities. Worse still, there was the possibility that riots might erupt, political turmoil develop and the occupying Roman authorities clamp down on everybody.


The religious and civil leaders hatched a plan. They rigged a show trial, complete with false witnesses who claimed that Jesus was stirring up trouble, The Roman governor didn’t have any qualms about crucifying one more Jew.


So on the day we now celebrate as Good Friday, Jesus was nailed to a cross at about 9 o’clock in the morning, dying six hours later. He was buried in a tomb. The authorities thought that episode was over, and life could get back to normal.


However, on Sunday morning, the day we call Easter Sunday, it became clear that Jesus had risen from the dead. Over the next few weeks hundreds of his followers reported seeing Jesus alive, in a restored body.


Easter is a celebration of two things.


We remember that Jesus died for us on Good Friday. His death paid for the things that we did that are wrong.


We also celebrate that Jesus has won the victory over death. He died and returned to life and promises that everyone who trusts him will also live forever.


The most famous verse in the Bible says, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.


That promise is for you if you will believe it.

Reflection on Mark 9:38-50

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Scripture

“Salt is good for seasoning But if it loses its flavour how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.”

Observation

John tells Jesus that they saw someone casting out demons in the name of Jesus, but he wasn’t in their group, so they told him to stop.

Jesus says they shouldn’t stop people doing things A person who uses Jesus’ name to work a miracle is not going to say bad things about Him.

He goes on to say that anybody who leads other another person to sin will be judged severely, and anyone whose hand or foot or eye causes them to sin, they should remove it. It is far better to go to heaven impaired than to go to hell with all of your body parts intact.

Application

We usually interpret Jesus’ statements about salt as referring to the way individual christians bring flavour and preservation into society. But here Jesus is saying that we need to have salt amongst ourselves.

Christianity is meant to be lived in a community. “Lone Ranger” christians, in my experience, tend to be less sanctified, less mature, and less effective in living for Christ. We encourage one another In our walk with Christ as we share and talk together.

Jesus is not looking for just any random collection of followers. He wants us to “have salt” amongst ourselves. This means we build a robust community that allows people to be all that God wants them to be. Sometimes there may be confrontation about sinful actions, or unhealthy attitudes, sometimes there will be encouragement to go deeper in the Lord or to start something new with the Lord.

A church without the salt of the Holy Spirit is just another club. We need the Spirit to mould us together in His peace.

Listen

Lord, what would you say to me about this passage?

Keith, you have done well in directing, encouraging, and moulding your community of faith. This always needs to be done in my grace and with my Spirit.

Leadership in the church generally should be gentle, except when confronting great wickedness.

Show the same grace when people sin repeatedly, as I show to you when you sin repeatedly.

Ashton Nichols: Caught Up In The Truck

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Caught Up in the Truck: How a Greek Word and a Modern Miracle Exposed the Truth About the Rapture

​We often read the scriptures through the lens of what we’ve been told, rather than what is actually written on the page. For years, I viewed the “Rapture” as a physical exit from this world—a literal flight into the clouds. But what if we’ve been missing the most beautiful part of the mystery? By diving into the original Greek and reflecting on a life-changing encounter in the passenger seat of my truck, I’ve come to realize that being “caught up” isn’t about leaving the earth—it’s about a spiritual awakening that is available to us right here, right now.

​The Mystery of the “Air”

​I recently learned something I was previously unaware of while reading John Noe’s book, The Apocalypse Conspiracy. Specifically, it concerns the Greek word used for “air” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

​Most people who focus on the Rapture emphasize being “caught up,” but they often overlook the rest of the verse or fail to examine the original Greek meaning of the word “air.”

​1 Thessalonians 4:17

​”After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”

​There is no mention here of being in heaven or at God’s throne; it simply says we are caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. In the New Testament, there are two primary Greek words used to translate “air”:

• ​Ouranos: This refers to atmospheric air, where birds fly, or higher.

• ​Aer: This refers to internal breath, derived from a verb meaning “to breathe unconsciously.”

​Aer is the specific word the Apostle Paul used in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Interestingly, the corresponding Hebrew word is “spirit,” which aligns perfectly with John’s description in Revelation 1:10, where he says, “I was caught up in spirit on the Lord’s day.”

​This is also reminiscent of Paul’s own experience described in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4:

​”I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows… he heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.”

​Paul didn’t even know if he was in his physical body or out of it; he simply knew he was “caught up” and heard things he couldn’t describe.

​What About the Clouds?

​The original Greek word used in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is nephos (νεφος). While it can mean a physical cloud, its metaphorical meaning is a “dense crowd” or a “multitude.” This same word is used in Hebrews 12:1: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…”

​It seems Paul was not referring to the literal clouds in the sky. This mystery is spiritual. It has nothing to do with physical death or being sucked into the sky; it has everything to do with being caught up in your spirit into God’s presence. This applies to all believers, here and now.

​My Personal Experience

​I want to share an experience that happened to me a little over three years ago.

​I was in a dark place, feeling that God didn’t love me or want me. My husband and I were driving down the road in our truck, and I was staring out the window, consumed by negative thoughts. Suddenly, something happened that is honestly hard to put into words. I heard the words, “I do love you!” very clearly.

​Not only did I hear it, but my body felt strange. An unexplainable peace washed over me—something I had never felt in my life. I heard that I would see miracles, along with a few other things that I curiously cannot remember. Tears streamed down my face. I wasn’t sad; I just couldn’t stop them. It felt as if time stopped and my body was frozen.

​While this was happening, my husband was apparently trying to get my attention to see what was wrong. I was unaware of this. When I finally “came to,” it took a while for my speech to return. When I finally told my husband, the look on his face was one of pure shock. I will always remember that He said He loved me. That experience changed my life.

​One of the miracles that immediately followed involved our home. We were about to lose our house because work had been so slow. That very same day, God used one of our clients to pay off our debt entirely. We also ended up with extra jobs that caught us up on everything else. We were completely out of our financial pickle! It happened so fast it was unbelievable.

​God said “miracles,” and since that is plural, I assume there may be more to come. I haven’t had an experience like that since, but I have been changed ever since. I was “caught up” with the Lord that day, and I didn’t even fully understand it until recently.

​A Call to See with New Eyes

​If this study of the Word and my personal testimony has opened your eyes, I hope you see that this has nothing to do with the traditional rapture. That teaching often keeps people waiting for a physical escape that isn’t coming, causing them to miss the spiritual reality available to them right now.

​When we stop looking at the sky and start looking at the Spirit, we realize that “meeting the Lord in the air” is about the internal breath—the Aer—and being caught up in the overwhelming love of the Father.

​Please share this with someone who needs to hear it. If this has resonated with you, help others move from carnal confusion to spiritual clarity. Let’s remind them that they don’t have to wait for a future event to be “caught up” in God’s presence; they can experience His miracles and His love today.

​Thank you for taking the time to read my story. 💕

The Breastplate Prayer of Saint Patrick

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Saint Patrick is one of the great men of God in church history. It is sad that our culture has removed the man from the celebration, a bit like what they have done with Christmas.

Here is a powerful prayer that he wrote:

Lorica of Saint Patrick (Saint Patrick’s Breastplate)

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.
Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.