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Glen Park Gospel Church >> Archive >> Editorial >> 2014
Each month the Glen Park Gospel Church produce a one page newsletter called the Green Leaf. It's available from the chapel each Sunday. Some months include a topical article or report. We thought you might appreciate reading those previously published.
Things God Wants Us to Know
God wants us to know some things about Himself and some things about ourselves.
First God wants us to know that He is both loving and caring and that He has taken the initiative to show us so. This initiative is that He in His love sent His Son, Jesus Christ to open the way to friendship with Himself. He did this at that first Christmas over 2000 years ago and in the death of His Son at that first Easter a few short years later.
Second, God wants us to know that all people are naturally enemies of God and rebels against His purity and authority. We prefer to live our lives in our way, not His. However we cannot meet God’s high standard. A quick temper, an unkind thought, an dirty desire, a hurtful word, a grasping hand, an unfair deal, a sly motive, a lustful look, uncontrolled appetite, consuming desire, burning hate and much more are among the sins that control us. But they are only symptoms of the Sin that condemns us: and that Sin with a capital ‘S’ is an evil unregenerate, corrupt heart. But we can’t help it. We were born with it. We will carry it to our grave.
But God knows all that. That is why He sent His Son, Jesus. Know this: it is because of what Jesus did that God will forgive us and give us eternal life if only we accept it. There is no substitute. It happens when we simply rely on Jesus Christ who came and died for us, and nothing and no one else. Here is God’s promise -
The Bible says: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. John 3:16-18
In these events God opened the way for every one to be forgiven and renewed, now and for ever. It is open to the whoever, and that means you and me.
And His confirmation is in the fact that His Son Jesus was raised from the dead and the power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power that works in us now and will raise us from the dead to be His for ever. Will you trust Him right now?
Waiting on God
There is a fine art in waiting on God, a very fine art indeed.
Our natural response to the drivers of life is to be up and doing. We want to feel ourselves in control of our situation. We admire people who can and we want to be like them.
But all of life is not like that. Sooner or later we will come up against it and not know just which way to turn, or how to handle our problem. It is in times like these that we turn at last to God and His word, expecting an immediate answer. If it is not so we are even more bewildered. It is our problem. Not His. It is because we have not learned the secret of abiding in the secret places of God. But it is not too late to begin.
Take with us a trip through Psalms and notice how they tell us to wait on God and some of the blessings that come from waiting on Him, and be encouraged:
The Lord forgives the blunders of those who fail Him:
LORD, suppose you kept a record of sins. Lord, who then wouldn't be found guilty? But you forgive. So people have respect for you. With all my heart I wait for the LORD to help me. I put my hope in his word.
Psalm 130:3-5NIV.
The Lord gives us courage to face the future:
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
Psalm 27:14.
The Lord relieves the anxiety and stress of the moment:
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospers in his way . . .
Psalm 37:7.
The Lord is able to, in His time, endow the faithful:
Evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
Psalm 37:9.
The Lord will reward those who patiently wait on Him:
Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.
Psalm 123:2.
So, begin again to practice the art of waiting on God.
Amazing Fulfilled Prophecy
about the Trial & Crucifixion of Jesus
It has been estimated that if all the things prophesied to happen to Jesus in the events surrounding his life and death had occurred by chance the probability is one in 537 million *.
One man could adapt a few circumstances to suit his purpose but to manipulate everyone and everything to make them happen is sheer impossibility. Therefore you owe it to yourself to examine the facts of His life, death and resurrection carefully, then act on the claims of this amazing man, for there is no other possible explanation than that He is God, sent by God to die in our place.
Here then are 30 of the prophesied conditions that were fulfilled when Jesus died on that first Easter day; one for each day of the month. These are the topics referenced in out daily meditation and prayer schedule for April.
He was:
1. Betrayed during a meal, Psalm 41:9 & John 13:18
2. Betrayed by a friend, Psalm 55:12-14 & Matthew 26:47
3. Sold for 30 silver pieces, Zechariah 11:12,13 & Matthew 26:15-16
4. Forsaken by His followers, Zechariah 13:7 & Mark 14:27
5. Accused falsely, Psalm 35:11 & Luke 23:2
6. Mocked and beaten, Isaiah 50:1 & Matthew 26: 67-68
7. Pierced in hands and feet, Psalm 22:16 & John 20:25
8. Executed with rebels, Isaiah 53:12 & Mark 15:27
9. Interceding for His persecutors, Isaiah 53:12 & Luke 23:34
10. Ridiculed by His persecutors, Psalm 22:7 & Matthew 27:39
11. To have His clothes gambled, Psalm 22:18 & John 19:23
12. To feel forsaken of God, Psalm 22:1 & Matthew 27:46
13. Given vinegar to drink, Psalm 69:21 & Matthew 27:48
14. Not to suffer broken bones, Psalm 34:20 & John 19:36
15. Pierced through his body, Psalm 22:16 & John 20:25-27
16. Surrounded by unnatural darkness, Amos 8:9 & Luke 23:44
17. Acting by His own will, John 10:17,18 & Matthew 26:53
18. Trusting God in death, Psalm 31:5 & Luke 23:46
19. Judas repented his treachery, Zechariah 11:13 & Matthew 27:3-10
20. Raised on the third day, Mark 8:31 & 1 Corinthians 15:3,4
21. Silent when accused, Isaiah 53:7 & Matthew 27:12-14
22. Spat upon, Isaiah 50:6 & Matthew 26:67-68
23. Taunted by the onlookers, Psalm 22:8 & Matthew 27:42-43
24. Agonised by thirst, Psalm 22:15 & John 19:28
25. Drained of bodily fluids, Psalm 22:14 & John 19:34
26. Saved from being eaten by dogs, Psalm 22:16,20 & 1 Corinthians 15:3&4
27. Buried with the prosperous, Isaiah 53:9 & Matthew 27:57-61
28. A voluntary sacrifice, Daniel 9:26 & Hebrews 1:3b
29. Avoided by most people, Psalm 38:11 & Mark 15:40
30. To give His life for those who accept Him, John 10:11 & Ephesians5:2.
* All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible, Lockyer H., Zondervan 1973
Asteroid Attack
The ABC’s ‘The World Today’ for Wednesday 23rd April highlighted the fears of some prominent astronauts that a large asteroid could without warning collide with the earth, an event that they say would cause widespread devastation.
They point to the asteroid that exploded unexpectedly over Chelyabinsk, Russia last year, injuring some 1000 people saying that if it had impacted earth the whole city would have been wiped out.
They are trying to raise funds to put a large infra red telescope into orbit to monitor asteroid activity hoping that the warning will give time to deflect any intruder from its course.
The Bible predicts that a like event will occur in the closing days of this age, and men will anticipate it. It will occur more than once amid a widespread meteor shower, impacting both land and sea causing a massive tsunami, with widespread death and destruction, poisoning water supplies, polluting the atmosphere by dust and smoke, making the light of the sun and moon to fail 1, even disrupting the stability of the revolutions of the earth. 2
Jesus Himself tells us that man will have foreknowledge and expectation of this great catastrophe. He foretells, ‘men's hearts fainting for fear, and for anxious expectation of what is coming on the world. 3’
Jesus also tells us that the next great event will be His long promised, long awaited return to earth . “And then, will they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great power and glory.” It makes sense then that there will be some kind of warning system in place.
"But when all this is beginning to take place, grieve no longer. Lift up your heads, because your deliverance is drawing near."
Luke 21:27
1. Revelation 8:8-12.
2. Matthew 24:29.
3. Luke 21:25&26 Weymouth NT.
Christ in Isaiah
Isaiah lived in terrifying times. The world teetered on the brink of chaos. He was a seer and in his visions he saw kingdoms shattered and annihilated, people displaced, cities sacked - even obliterated. Empires that spanned the globe were built and lost. Everything was Chaos.
His prophecies had a dramatic impact on leaders in his day and under their response God withheld His hand. But the revival was temporary for rebellion was in the heart of the people. But restoration was in the heart of the Lord. Isaiah foresaw it all.
Above and beyond the tumult of the times God, as ever, was working out His eternal purposes. Whilst many of the visions that God gave Isaiah were immediate, they were told in terms that expressed Divine design and completion.
Behind the prophecies of his times Isaiah foretold the coming of Jesus, the anointed, the Servant-king and His still coming kingdom. Gleaming like nuggets of gold or clusters of opal fire are these prophecies of the Christ. Veins of God's redemptive lode run throughout this mountainous book, waiting to be carefully prised out.
In our daily reading schedule we list thirty prophecies about Christ found in Isaiah. They are not exhaustive, they are just the beginning. You can expand your meditations with a book by F B Meyer Christ in Isaiah. It contains 28 chapters on this theme, an exposition of Isaiah 40 to 55. Written in 1895, it is still in print! It is available in paperback from Koorong for just $13.99 or as an eBook for about $2 per download, or at your local Christian bookshop. If you do, you will be greatly enriched.
When Will Jesus Come Again?
Jesus gave us some clear information.
First, He told us that no one knows the particular day or specific hour, “no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone 1.” So let us not pretend that we do.
However, 2000 years ago He did tell us what needs happen before He does return. “The gospel must first be preached to all the nations 2.” “To the whole world for a witness,” He says in another place 3 The word ‘whole’ of Matthew means precisely that: absolutely all, every last bit. And the word ‘world’ means this habitation of man. ‘Every continent, every nation, every tribe, every group.
And He said why this must be. “For a witness.” for when Jesus comes again he will return, not as a humble baby in Bethlehem, but in glory as King of kings and Lord of lords. He will call all the nations to account for their response to the witness of His servants’ testimony 4. He will call our nation to account, even as He will, in His own time, every man woman and child personally in every nation. Yes, you are included.
The world wide work is as yet unfinished, but nearly so. The gospel is heard in every continent and island archipelago and to a large degree in all the nations of the world. But there are some tribes, and clans who are yet to hear. His expectation each is that we be fellow labourers in this gospel outreach across the seas. We are also called to a faithful witness where we are. A witness tells what he or she knows. Every one of us can do that; just where we are.
You and I can play our part in bringing back Jesus as King.
1. Mark 13:32. 2. Mark 13:10. 3. Matthew 24:14 4. Matthew 25:31&32
Pray for your brethren from Mosul
Jesus gave us some clear information.
Over last week end there was a spate of newspaper articles around the world, including all our Melbourne daily's telling of the dire plight of Christians living in Mosul, Iraq.
It is reported that when the Islamic State first seized control, only weeks ago, they seemed to be kindly toward non Islamists. But all that changed last week when Christians were given 24 hours to leave their homes, the city and relocate outside the borders of the new Islamic State, or face death. When many did, their property was tagged with an Arabic 'N' and confiscated by the State.
Most Christians fled, some with only the clothes they wore. Those few who stayed in Mosul have been threatened with death by the sword. Iraq was the traditional home of some one million Christians before the 2003 war, but persecution has thinned their number by half.
These reports are tragic, but only indicative of the persecution that has fallen so heavily on so many of those who love and follow Jesus Christ. How then are we to respond to such a situation as this? The Bible has much to say
We are to remember these prisoners for Jesu's sake, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since we ourselves also are in the body 1. Ours is to share with them in any way we can, at very least in prayer. We are aware that we also are vulnerable. It was Jesus Himself who taught us to love our enemies, and pray for those who persecute us 2, to bless those who curse us, to pray for those who mistreat us 3.
1. Hebrews 13:3, 2. Mark 5:44, 3. Luke 6.28.
The Treasures of the Snow
When Job was overwhelmed by the depths of his miseries, the Lord asked, “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?” What are the treasures of the snow? The treasures of the snow are its attributes. Have you entered in?
This parable is for us too, for snow was once just polluted water. It lay in the ditches, and gutters, the ponds and sewers of the world. It was once effluents intermixed with chemicals and discharged to the seas. But the sun kissed it with its warming rays and evaporating it, lifted it to the heights, where it was congealed and frozen into intricate patterns. Each flake is unique. It is beautiful to behold in its shape and purity. But only when the flakes act together in unity does its covering of the ugliness of this world occur. Therefore, Job, do not question the processes of your Lord in your life.
Snow is the most brilliant purest white to behold. Yet each flake is individually transparent. It has no colour. It is only when the sun shines upon it that it perfectly reflects the full spectrum of colour not its own, and gives to the world a breathless beauty that nothing else can copy. For that light is pure. And the flake that light created is pure.
Have you entered in, not considered, but entered into these treasures, asks the Lord? It is a question He also asks us, and we would do well to answer it carefully. Almost a thousand years after Job, Isaiah picks up the theme:
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD:
though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
Troubled, but True
In life there are all kinds of trying times. There seems to be no end of them: financial, family relationships, moral and ethical dilemma, work place peers, employment complexities, health or security. They come one after the other, and sometimes, one heaped on another. On top of this there are the added pressures of persecution, either subtle or blatant, mental or physical. On and on it goes.
For your benefit the Holy Spirit caused to be inserted into the story of Moses nine words of spiritual insight. Moses was under excessive nervous tension because God had sent him to the king to wrest from him his cheap labour force. In all this Moses bore up under the strain and achieved. Here is his secret:
“ . . . he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible*.”
Had these words been omitted the story would have still been coherent. However it is rich, meaningful and most instructive with their inclusion. These nine words turn a history lesson into personal instruction for you and me.
Therefore, apply these nine words to your own live, and the fearful will transform to the faithful. It is an art that needs to be developed through the discipline of by meditating on God’s word and applying the lessons one by one through our reading as we face the pressures of life. As the hymn says, ‘Each victory will help you some other to win.’
*Hebrews 11:27
What to do about worry:
Cast all your anxiety on God, because He cares for you 1
We love to worry. We worry about tomorrow, about our enemies, our health or our wealth, or what our friends think. We do crazy things to make ourselves look or feel better. We are born worriers. Peter’s word for care is, ‘Care that brings disruption to the personality’ 2. Worry is not just useless, it makes us sick. Anxiety makes us afraid of the future. It makes us miserable, robs us of sleep, steals our joy. It turns our heart upon ourselves, and breaks our fellowship with God. This kind of stress opens the gate to the devil who is on the prowl, waiting to pounce.
Here is Peter’s answer, ‘Cast all your anxiety on God!’ Cast is from a word meaning to toss down. Luke used it to say that the disciples threw their coats on the colt they brought for Jesus to ride. ‘Throw it down and leave it down, once for all’ says Peter 3.
When it says, ‘He cares’ it means that He, God, takes an active interest in us. If God is caring for us, why should we be so stressed. It is a sheer waste of energy for us to try what God can do so much better. Taking our cares back is a loss of faith. God works through faith. Faith fails when we fear. Peter learned when treading water; ‘when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 4 ’
1. 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV).
2. Spiros Zodhiates.
3. From the grammar Peter used.
4. Matthew 14:30 (NIV)
With Tongues of Angels
With all the hustle and bustle of this time of year, we sometimes tend to forget, or perhaps even put aside for a while, the angel’s announcement to the shepherds:
“Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people, for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.”
The whole idea of Christmas is like a gift we have in our hands, all bound up in layers of wrapping paper. We thrill the angel song, we enjoy the idea of the shepherds seeking out the manger. How we respect the manliness of Joseph who defied eastern convention in his tender care of the virgin, she who so selflessly gave herself to the eternal purposes of the Almighty. And deep down most of us do love the infant Saviour we find there at the centre of all the bustle. Isn’t that where He ought to be, at the centre of our affection?
But one thing we have perhaps overlooked in that angel message. Their commission was to deliver a message, a message which was to be passed on, passed on to all the people. For all the people means just that, ‘for all the people,’ not just them. And certainly not just us. It is to be passed on, and on, and on.
The words of that angel ‘I bring you good news’ stimulated them to action, captivated their minds with amazement and awe, then filled their heart with joy and their mouth with praise. But we do not read that they ever passed their message on to anyone else! Have you?
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