Category: <span>General</span>

I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.1 Chronicles 17:14

When David found his rest, in his own house, in the City of David, Jerusalem, he realised that the same was not true for the Ark of the Covenant, the place where the presence of the LORD was to be focused. So David determined to build a house for the presence of the LORD to rest. The LORD’s answer to David was twofold. First, “I don’t need a house, I’ve never asked for a house, and when I choose for a house to be built I will command.” But, secondly, the LORD promises to build David a house (1 Chronicles 17:10). Now, David had just built his house in Jerusalem, so that can’t be what God is referring to when he makes this promise to David.

God promises to build a house for David that is eternal. This is the real house, the place where God dwells among his people. David was looking at the immediate, but God was speaking of the eternal. We need always to lift our eyes from the immediate to the eternal, and see God’s bigger plans. Solomon’s great temple is nothing more than a memory now, but God’s house still endures, and will endure. This is our true hope, our real goal, our motivation for how we live now. Jesus is the great King, of the line of David, promised a millennium before Jesus was born in Bethlehem; Jesus is the great King whose throne endures forever. And rather than us building a house for him, he has built his house for us, and is even now building another home.

In chapter 14 of John’s Gospel Jesus tells his disciples very plainly that he is going to prepare that final home for us, so that, where he is, we may be too! But, for now, God has promised to be among us who believe here on earth – that is the Church, and all those who trust in Jesus as Lord and King are a part of that body, that temple in which Jesus dwells, until he comes again.

So, lift your hearts and your heads to things above, knowing that that is our true home, now in part, then in full. Live the immediate in the hope of the eternal in Christ Jesus.

Bible General

I was reading an article this morning, not related to our current situation, but one comment struck a chord. “As individuals, we control very little in life; but we do control what we do with our hearts.” We quite rightly feel helpless to control the course of a global pandemic, but we can direct our hearts and souls to someone who is in control and has power over not only this life, but the life to come.

The bottom line is that our lives are in God’s hand, and it’s our relationship with him that matters above all else. From the beginning God expected us to walk hand in hand with him, always looking to him for all our needs. All the more so now must we keep close to him.

The flower in this picture is tiny, only around 1 cm long, and yet it shows God’s attention to every detail of his creation; how much more so does he watch over us? Let’s take him at his Word and trust him with thankful hearts for the promises in his Word, and allow his peace to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

General

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.” John 15:9

There is a whole world of hope in this little verse. “As the Father” gives the quality and the quantity of the love which is lavished on us. As God the Father has loved his uniquely-born Son, in that way, in that fullness, in that complete comprehensiveness has Jesus loved us! That is wonderful news!

If that is the truth, then we cannot but abide in it: dwell in that love, wallow in that love, rejoice in that love, and return it in kind to our Saviour.

General

Last Sunday morning we looked at the first section of John’s Gospel. It’s what might be called an origin story of how the Anointed One came to be – where he really came from. In contrast to the other Gospels, John gives us a bigger picture of the logos through whom the universe was created, who then came into his own creation.

General

What’s your picture of the apostle Paul? In your mind is he the razor sharp theologian, or the radical firebrand? Paul’s letter to Philemon demonstrates Paul’s underlying love expressed in this grace filled plea for restoration of Philemon’s runway slave…

Grace, Fellowship, Encouragement

General