TEXT: ‘His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God”’ – John 16:29-30. THOUGHT: The Bible records many questions that Jesus was directly asked. Some were trick questions designed to embarrass or entrap, so that His responses could be used in evidence against Him. Yet many were from people wanting to know the truth about Him, God and the way to heaven. We can trust the answers Jesus gave, for He is the Truth! Today’s Teaching looks at these questions under three main headings; “Who Jesus really is”, “The relationship and responsibilities Christians have with other believers” and “What Jesus is able to do to help us both spiritually and physically”. In this first teaching we will consider “Who Jesus really is”. This is the essence of Christianity. It is not about a set of rules and practices, it is about a person. “The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” wrote Paul to the Thessalonians. The writer of Hebrews wrote, ‘Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the...
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TEXT: ‘This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John’ – Revelation 1:1 NLT THOUGHT: The Book of Revelation, which I have just read again, is fascinating yet mysterious. Unlike the majority of the Bible, it is futuristic rather than historical. This makes it harder to understand. The events recorded are like a drama set on earth with three main characters – Jesus, Satan and people. The earth becomes barely recognisable as God’s judgment is poured out. How different from when it was first created and God saw it was very good. Today’s Teaching concentrates on important aspects of those main characters. JESUS He is alive – ‘I am He who lives and was dead and behold I am alive forevermore’ 1:18 The Apostle John was present at Jesus’ crucifixion and death and also when Jesus proved by infallible proofs that He had risen from the dead. Now seventy years later, he is still writing about the One who is alive. Jesus conquered death and gives eternal life to anyone who repents of their sin and believes in Him. It was the truth “Jesus is alive...
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TEXT: ‘That same day the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Moab, to the mountains east of the river, and climb Mount Nebo, which is across from Jericho. Look out across the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the people of Israel as their own special possession”’ – Deuteronomy 32:48-49 NLT ‘Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day’ – Joshua 14:12 THOUGHT: Be careful you do not lose your temper. It can cost you dearly as Moses found out. His ill-advised comments and anger caused him to strike the rock instead of speaking to it to release the water, as God had told him to do. It cost him his place in the Promised Land! God did take him up into a mountain to see all of that land from a distance but that’s as close as he got. It’s a good job it was not a mountain in Wales, for perhaps he would not have seen very much. Two weeks ago we planned to climb Snowdon and travelled to Wales via Cambridgeshire where we had attended a family get-together. Travelling around the beautiful countryside of Snowdonia was very rewarding, but then the weather changed for the days of climbing. Misty rain with...
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TEXT: ‘Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked’ – 1 Timothy 1:19 NLT. THOUGHT: Cornwall is notorious for shipwrecks. With a coastline of only 250 miles (400km), it is thought that there have been more than 6000 wrecks, more than any other comparable coastline in the British Isles. Reading the Book of Jonah, I was reminded of three people in the Bible who were involved with a shipwreck or potential one – King Jehoshaphat, Jonah and the Apostle Paul. It is illuminating to study the reasons behind each one, for there is much we can learn. Just as lighthouses warn of dangerous rocks, so these are recorded so that we do not make the same mistakes. Wrong Alliances ‘Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, went into partnership with Ahaziah, king of Israel, who was a very wicked man. They made ships in Ezion-geber to sail to Tarshish. Then Eliezer, son of Dodavahu from Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat, telling him, “Because you have allied yourself with King Ahaziah, the Lord has destroyed your work.” So the ships met disaster and never arrived at Tarshish’ – 2 Chronicles 20:35-37 TLB. Jehosphaphat had experienced a wonderful...
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TEXT: ‘When the Day of Pentecost had fully come’ – Acts 2:1 THOUGHT: In Acts chapter 2 NKJV, the word “Then” is used five times, each one emphasising a new event or reaction to what was happening. These form the basis for Today’s Teaching. As we celebrate Pentecost Sunday on June 9th may each “Then” become a daily reality! Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them v3 This was the experience Jesus had told them to wait for, the infilling of the Holy Spirit and a baptism of power. As tongues of fire came upon each of them, I am sure many were reminded of what John the Baptist had prophesied about Jesus, ‘He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire’ – Luke 3:16. What they had been waiting for had now come. Jesus’ promise had now been fulfilled, that once He ascended He would send another Comforter, the Holy Spirit,. Pentecost Sunday, sadly is a dead tradition for so many Christians and churches. It has become simply a reminder of the past rather than a present renewal. ‘Do not be drunk with wine …. but be (being) filled with the Spirit’ – Ephesians 5:18. The...
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