Friday 29 March 2013

Soul Sleep?

Jesus said that although a believer were dead, yet shall he live:

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:" (John 11:25).

Though the believer were physically dead, yet his inner person shall live.

When shall he live - at some future time? or shall he (the inner man) always live.

Jesus said he shall never die. He won't at any time be dead. This can't speak of the outer man (the body), for the body dies.

"...yet shall he live" - this can't speak of the outer man, for He already said, "...though he were dead..." It speaks of the inner man. And it (the inner man of a believer) never dies.

There is no interim between the life here spoken of and the believer's death:

"And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (John 11:26)".

Never die. Not even temporarily. This speaks of the inner man. Never die.





Sunday 24 March 2013

The Lord Builds the House

I needed to do some repairs on my house. A tradesman asked me to nominate a date when he could meet me at the house. Even though I didn't have enough money to pay to get to the city where my house is, let alone pay for trades work to be done, I nominated a day by faith.

When the day drew near, I still didn't have enough money to travel. I asked the Lord what to do. Immediately I felt that I should phone a friend of mine and offer to give him one of my paintings as a way of thanking him for everything he had done for me in the past. So he came around, and I gave him the painting. At the same time, he looked at some of my other paintings, and paid $400 for them!

I was able to travel to the city to my house on the day I nominated by faith.

Some years later I needed to do some more repairs, but again I didn't have enough money to do the scope of work. I committed it to the Lord. Then my phone rang. It was a friend who I hadn't heard from for several months. He is a carpenter. I didn't mention my need, but he asked me how my house is going. So I told him honestly. And he offered to come and help for three days.

In the next couple of weeks, people started to give him materials. He was offered $1600 worth of house paint; cement; and sand.

While we were working at the house, he got a phone call from a friend of his, asking what he was doing. When he told his friend what he was doing, his friend offered to come and help. The next day his friend came, and not only him, but he brought two young men with him.

I also needed a plumber. While I was at the house, a friend of mine who is a plumber phoned. He said he just felt he needed to call me. So he came to the house also.

Whenever tenants moved out, it felt traumatic, because it meant a loss of income. However I can say that every time a tenant moved out, the Lord provided a new tenant, and they always paid more rent than the previous one. Always!

One time I advertised the house for rent, and many people applied. But I didn't feel right about any of them. It was tempting to let one of them move in, but at that time my sister phoned and told a story about how it's better to follow your inner feeling that to follow what looks good on the surface financially.

Then a friend at church told someone she knew about my house. It was perfect for her, because she wanted to move to that city. I knew it was right. By the time she was ready to move in, the work was completed, and she paid more rent than the previous tenant.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and he will provide everything! It will be a blessing to everyone involved. The just shall live by faith.

Tuesday 19 March 2013

Jesus the Eternal Son

All things were created by "him" (Col.1:16). Who is "him"? The dear Son of God (verse 13).

What is included in "all" things? Things in the physical universe only? Things that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers - including the angels. Literally all things were created by him (verse 16). All means all and that's all all means. Therefore Jesus was not a created angel.

For whom were all things made? For him - that is, for the Son (verse 16). Therefore the Son is greater than the angels, for all things were not made for the angels, but for God. Therefore the Son is God.

And he is before all things, and by him all things consist (verse 17). Jesus the Son pre-existed everything.

Friday 8 March 2013

Isn't That Just Like Our Lord!

One day while I was driving to Bel Air, I had an uncomfortable feeling in my spirit - like I was missing something. I almost felt like I needed to go straight back home, for some reason.

But anyway, I managed to keep going. When I arrived I realized I'd forgotten to bring the key. So that explained my feeling.

I wanted to use the gym, but knew I couldn't get in without the key. But now that I'd arrived at Bel Air, I no longer felt led to go home. I actually felt led to go to the gym anyway.

When I arrived, this is what I saw [see picture]:

Isn't that just like our Lord!

I've never found the gym door open like that before or since. It was just something God pre-arranged for me on the day I needed it.

God is faithful to let us know in our spirit when we're missing it - but if you still miss it, when you discover you have missed it get His next instruction (in my case it was to stay at Bel Air and go to the gym anyway even though I didn't have a key) - He already has the best solution planned for you.

He plans to give you the desires of your heart!