The Lord our Banner

I was at my Church last night,  we’re having 3 days of Prayer and Fasting,  and during this time,  on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings,  having public meetings for prayer and praise.

We have a number of national flags and banners at Church, which people can wave during the service,  yes there’s a Welsh Flag there, which I’ve been known to wave especially when Wales win at Rugby!, yes you can take a man out of Wales,  but you can’t take Wales out of a man

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We have the Union Flag or Jack also at Church, and last night at the end of the service,  one of my friends,  who is an ex-soldier pointed out to me that the Union Flag (Jack) was upside down which he told me was the sign of distress, because for hundreds of years British Soldiers, Sailors and Airman have stood underneath the Union Jack, and many of those have died in the field of Battle,  and when they have died, they have been returned home and their coffins have been covered with Union Jack, my friend and I decided that we needed to fix the Union Jack and it’s now in the right position.

I was watching the Powell and Pressburger Classic War Film  The Battle of The River Plate,  where the British Royal Navy Ships,  HMS Ajax, HMS Exeter and the New Zealand Royal Navy Ship, HMS Achilles faced and defeated the German Ship The Graf Spee, has the British Ships went forward to engage the enemy,  HMS Exeter raised it’s Battle Flags.

When the people of Israel faced the Amalekites in Exodus 17:5 Moses raised the Standard or Battle Flag and called it YHWH  Nissi ,  (Yahweh or Jehovah Nissi) or in English the Lord Our Banner.

 For many years British Army Infantry Regiments  have carried Regimental Colours,  which signify a rallying point and where the commander is located,  The Lord is our Banner,  although I’m honoured to be both British and Welsh, and look to my national flags with a sense of pride and respect, when it comes to my ultimate loyalty, support, commitment, respect and pride,  The Lord is my Banner,  it’s to my Lord I look for my identity,  it’s under The Lord My Banner that serves as my rallying point because he’s my Lord, Redeemer, Saviour and Commander.

I said earlier that British Army Infantry Regiments carry Regimental Colours, these  are made up of two different Flags,  The National Flag or the Union Jack and the Regimental Colour , The Regimental Banner, can you imagine  a soldier saying that because my Regiment has a history and I think it’s dull and unexciting,  and my friends in this new Regiment say that there more opportunities and we’re more exciting why not join us, sometimes it’s easier to move to newer & greener pastures,   however it’s better to stay where you’re planted.

Words for the Wise, Standing Strong and Remaining Steadfast, 1 Thessalonians 3

1 Thessalonians 3

New Living Translation (NLT)

3 Finally, when we could stand it no longer, we decided to stay alone in Athens, 2 and we sent Timothy to visit you. He is our brother and God’s co-worker[a] in proclaiming the Good News of Christ. We sent him to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith, 3 and to keep you from being shaken by the troubles you were going through. But you know that we are destined for such troubles. 4 Even while we were with you, we warned you that troubles would soon come—and they did, as you well know. 5 That is why, when I could bear it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out whether your faith was still strong. I was afraid that the tempter had gotten the best of you and that our work had been useless.

6 But now Timothy has just returned, bringing us good news about your faith and love. He reports that you always remember our visit with joy and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you. 7 So we have been greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters,[b] because you have remained strong in your faith. 8 It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord.

9 How we thank God for you! Because of you we have great joy as we enter God’s presence. 10 Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith.

11 May God our Father and our Lord Jesus bring us to you very soon. 12 And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. 13 May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen.

Footnotes:

3:2 Other manuscripts read and God’s servant; still others read and a co-worker, or and a servant and co-worker for God, or and God’s servant and our co-worker.

3:7 Greek brothers.

Matthew Henry's Commentary

Verses 6-10

Here we have Paul’s great satisfaction upon the return of Timothy with good tidings from the Thessalonians, in which we may observe,

I. The good report Timothy made concerning them, 1 Thess. 3:6. Without question, he was a willing messenger of these good tidings. Concerning their faith, that is, concerning their steadfastness in the faith, that they were not shaken in mind, nor turned aside form the profession of the gospel. Their love also continued; their love to the gospel, and the ministers of the gospel. For they had a good and a kind remembrance of the apostles, and that constantly, or always. The names of the apostles were very dear to them, and the thoughts of them, and what they themselves had received from them, were very precious, insomuch that they desired greatly to see them again, and receive some spiritual gift from them; and there was no love lost, for the apostle was as desirous to see them. It is happy where there is such mutual love between minister and people. This tends to promote religion, and the success of the gospel. The world hates them, and therefore they should love one another.

II. The great comfort and satisfaction the apostle had in this good report concerning them (1 Thess. 3:7, 8): Therefore, brethren, we were comforted in all our affliction and distress. The apostle thought this good news of them was sufficient to balance all the troubles he met with. It was easy to him to bear affliction, or persecution, or fightings from without, when he found the good success of his ministry and the constancy of the converts he had made to Christianity; and his distress of mind on account of his fears within, lest he had laboured in vain, was now in a good measure over, when he understood their faith and the perseverance of it. This put new life and spirit into the apostle and made him vigorous and active in the work of the Lord. Thus he was not only comforted, but greatly rejoiced also: Now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord, 1 Thess. 3:8. It would have been a killing thing to the apostles if the professors of religion had been unsteady, or proved apostates; whereas nothing was more encouraging than their constancy.

III. The effects of this were thankfulness and prayer to God on their behalf. Observe, 1. How thankful the apostle was, 1 Thess. 3:9. He was full of joy, and full of praise and thanksgiving. When we are most cheerful we should be most thankful. What we rejoice in we should give thanks for. This is to rejoice before our God, to spiritualize our joy. Paul speaks as if he could not tell how to express his thankfulness to God, or his joy and rejoicing for their sakes. But he was careful God should not lose the glory of the comfort he received in the welfare of his friends. His heart was enlarged with love to them and with thanksgiving to God. He was willing to express the one and the other as well as he could. As to thankfulness to God, this especially is very imperfect in the present state; but, when we come to heaven, we shall do this work better than now we can. 2. He prayed for them night and day (1 Thess. 3:10), evening and morning, or very frequently, in the midst of the business of the day or slumber of the night lifting up his heart to God in prayer. Thus we should pray always. And Paul’s prayer was fervent prayer. He prayed exceedingly, and was earnest in his supplication. Note, When we are most thankful we should always give ourselves to prayer; and those we give thanks for have yet need to be prayed for. Those whom we most rejoice in, and who are our greatest comforts, must be our constant care, while in this world of temptation and imperfection. There was something still lacking in their faith; Paul desired that this might be perfected, and to see their face in order thereunto. Note, (1.) The best of men have something wanting in their faith, if not as to the matter of it, there being some mysteries or doctrines not sufficiently known or believed by them, yet as to the clearness and certainty of their faith, there being some remaining darkness and doubtings, or at least as to the effects and operations of it, these being not so conspicuous and perfect as they should be. And, (2.) The ministry of the word and ordinances is helpful, and to be desired and used for the perfecting of that which is lacking in our faith.

The Bible Panorama

1 Thessalonians 3

V 1–5: TRIBULATION The Thessalonians have gone through tribulation and afflictions. Paul sent Timothy to them to encourage them, edify them, and let them know that such trials are normal for the Christian church. Paul is concerned that Satan may tempt them to compromise or abandon their faith because of their tribulations.

V 6–8: TIMOTHY Timothy returned to Paul with good news of their progress, especially in faith and love. They remember Paul, and want to see him and his fellow workers. Paul is also going through afflictions, and this news comforts him. He lives for the joy of seeing his converts stand and glorify Christ.

 V 9–11: THANKS He describes the joy and rejoicing which lead him to thank God for the Thessalonians. His round-the-clock prayer emphasis is that he may see them and help them in their faith in Christ. He continues to pray that God will direct his way to them.

 V 12–13: TIES Meanwhile Paul prays that their love will strengthen towards one another and that they will be established in holiness. He reminds them that Christ is coming again with His saints.

The Bible Panorama. Copyright © 2005 Day One Publications.

When the firing stopped, The Christmas Truce: The Story of Karl and Arthur.

It’s Christmas Eve  1915 and in small village in Alsace,  Germany,  Karl looks at the photo’s placed above the open hearth,  and sees a photo of 4 young friends smiling as they go off to War,  Karl looks at the photo and sees himself, and his 3 boyhood friends,  Bernhard,  Dieter and Konrad and he remembers they are no longer there,  they lay dead and discarded in an open grave on a forgotten battlefield,  he looks at the next photo and sees his wife Lilli and their two young children,  Johann and Agatha he looks at the last photo of him and his English friend Arthur and remembers their friendship formed on a makeshift football field in the middle of a mud filled battlefield as the soldiers of grey and khaki put aside their differences and shared cigarettes and chocolates and forged a peace in a time of war.

Silent Night in German,  "Stille Nacht"

Lilli passes him his guitar and he starts to sing Silent Night , Holy Night and then he tells his wife and children  the story of how a year ago,  that the soldiers of khaki and grey laid aside their arms of war,  and made peace instead of war and has the fighting stopped along the trenches then the Generals and Politicians came to their senses and  had realised their follies and decided to end their terrible war and finally the sounds of peace could be heard once more across many lands and the soldiers of khaki and grey came home to their families.

 He then picks up his guitar once more and teaches his wife and children,  the carol his English Friend,  Arthur  had taught him,  While Shepherds watched their Flocks,and as he sings he hears the sound of thunder, and has he sighs,  a hand touches his shoulder, he says “ Lilli”  and hears a sound of laughter.

 He hears the orders of the officers and sergeants as they tell him and the others to get ready and advance because it’s time to attack the English Enemy, they tell them the artillery have dislodged the tommies and they are  now defeated,  as he rises up, and walks across the forgotten football field,  and wonders to himself  when he will join his fallen friends, and thinks he sees his English Friend, Arthur, he is sure that this friend has died or is injured in the tommies’ trenches, he hears the sound of rifle fire, and feels an immense terrible pain and sees his jacket of grey suddenly changes colour to red, and he falls and lays  like a discarded and broken toy of the god of war,  and has he dies,  his last word is “Lilli”

Arthur looks across the crater filled and shattered former football field, and sees the advancing men of grey and he turns to his boyhood friends, Albert, George and Harry and he sees that they lay dead and dying on the wet and muddy ground,  and has the hun artillery finished their seemingly unending barrage they fell where they stood,  he steps up to the firing step and makes his stand , he steadies himself and takes aim and has he fires and sees the soldiers of grey as they fall one by one,  and inspired by his courage His brothers in arms,  fellow men of khaki fire into the thinning ranks of grey, and when the firing stopped Arthur looks out to the blood soaked former football field and wonders if his German Friend, Karl is among the fallen, he knows he has had revenged his boyhood friend’s too soon deaths, and that the enemy advance has been halted for at least for another day.

The Victoria Cross,   "The Cross of Bronze with a Crimson Ribbon, from  this story. "

It’s Christmas Eve, 1964, and in quiet village in Devon, England, Arthur sits in front of an open fire, and he readies himself and his wife Lilly asks him if he is ready,  he sees some old photos that hold so many memories ,  of four young boyhood friends, who are smiling as they go off to war, Arthur, Albert, George and Harry,  he looks at the next photo and sees his wife Lilly and their children John and Agatha and he looks at the next photo of a soldier of grey and a soldier of khaki, shaking hands and smiling as they share  chocolates and cigarettes after a special game of football,  Lilly passes  him an unopened box and asked him if he is wearing his medals , he opens the box and stares at those medals,  so many memories and so much pain, his hand shakes as he sees a cross of bronze with a crimson ribbon, Lilly steads his hand with her hand,  and she tells them their grandson is ready to take him to tell the story of the Christmas Truce to their friends at Church  and has he leaves that night,  he hears Silent Night,  Holy Night playing on the radio,  as they drive to Church, he asks his grandson to stop as they pass by the war memorial,  and he gets out of the car,  he stands for a moment and silently salutes his fallen friends,  as he sees their names,  Albert , George and Harry he remembers their smiling faces as they went off to war and last but not least he remembers his fallen German friend Karl.

Arthur feeling his advanced years, is helped by grandson Carl, and has he enters the Church he has lead for so many years, they congregation start to sing While Shepherds watched their Flocks by Night,  when the singing stops,  he stands and tells his friends,  The story of the Christmas Truce, and he continues to tell the story of Arthur and Lilly and their family, he looks at the cross of bronze with the crimson ribbon pinned on his chest by his wonderful wife Lilly, and tells the story of his Beloved Saviour who came as a baby and paid the price and who died a terrible, agonizing death to set  man  free and forgiven from the power of Sin.

While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks

The Pipes of Peace, Paul McCartney

Military Voices 1914 The Carol of Christmas

Words for the Wise, The Christian's Status, We are Complete in Christ. Colossians 2

Colossians 2 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

You Are Built Up in Christ

2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not [a]personally seen my face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth [b]that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. 5 For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing [c]to see [d]your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.

6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so [e]walk in Him, 7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established [f]in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing [g]with gratitude.

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, [h]rather than according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made [i]complete, and He is the head [j]over all rule and authority; 11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 When you were dead [k]in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having cancelled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had [l]disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through [m]Him.

16 Therefore no one is to [n]act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath [o]day— 17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the [p]substance [q]belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one keep [r]defrauding you of your prize by delighting in [s]self-abasement and the worship of the angels, [t]taking his stand on visions he has seen, [u]inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and [v]ligaments, grows with a growth [w]which is from God.

20 If you have died with Christ [x]to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all refer to things destined to perish [y]with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? 23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the [z]appearance of wisdom in [aa]self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.

Colossians 2

V 1–5: ENCOURAGED Paul wants to encourage the hearts both of the Colossians and the Laodiceans so that each fellowship of Christians will increase in love to one another, with assurance and understanding of God’s message. That assurance concerns what God has done in Christ, and is the basis of all our wisdom and knowledge. His ‘great conflict’ is his concern that they should not be deceived by anybody. He encourages them by rejoicing at their good order and their steadfast faith in the Lord Jesus

. V 6–7: ESTABLISHED His desire is to see them established like a well-rooted tree or a building with good foundations. As they have received Christ, so they must walk in Him with faith and thanksgiving.

V 8–10: EMPTINESS People seeking to persuade them through worldly philosophy and deceit are empty and have nothing to offer from this world. It is only in Jesus Christ that all the Godhead dwells bodily and therefore it is only in Him that each Christian is complete. Jesus is over all and more powerful than all.

V 11–19: EMANCIPATED Christ has put off the sins of those who trust in Him, by spiritual circumcision. Baptism reminds them of a new life through death to the old sinful life and benefiting from the eternal life given by the resurrected Christ. There is no power in claiming that they must now keep to man-made ordinances. They have been emancipated from that by the risen Christ. Thus man-made laws are not to enslave them, whether in the form of dietary laws, man-made festivals, or additional sabbath days. Any man-made system of worship, including angel worship, comes from false humility and a proud mind. Our freedom depends upon being under the headship of Christ, over the body of the church. Each Christian is part of that body and takes his directions from Christ.

 V 20–23: EXHORTED Paul now exhorts the Colossians to avoid legalistic man-made rules which will perish along with every other man-made commandment and teaching. They may have an attraction of organised religion, false humility, and abstaining from things, but can do nothing to forgive sins or combat the inward pull of the old nature. Only Christ can do that.

Yours in His Christ

Because of His Mercy

Blair Humphreys

29th July 2014

How Obama's LGBT Executive Order Endangers Religious Liberty, Todd Starnes, Charisma Magazine

President Obama signed an executive order Monday barring federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity—ignoring the pleas of Christian and other faith leaders to include an exemption for religious organizations.

"Thanks to your passion and advocacy and the irrefutable rightness of your cause, our government—the government of the people, by the people and for the people—will become just a little bit fairer," the president told a gathering in the White House.

The executive order would prevent Christian and other religious organizations with federal contracts from requiring workers to adhere to the tenets of their religious beliefs. Christianity Today reports the order could impact religious non-profits such as World Vision, World Relief and Catholic Charities.  To read more please click here

President Obama, You Have Crossed a Dangerous, Unprecedented Line, Michael Brown, Charisma Magazine

Dear Mr. President, I write to you today as a concerned citizen of our great nation, standing as a witness against your historic actions on the morning of July 21, 2014, actions which I hope you will one day repudiate with deep remorse and regret.

I am referring, of course, to your signing an executive order Monday banning "discrimination" by federal contractors against LGBT people, allowing for no religious exemptions of any kind.

This was an outrageous act of discrimination against religion in the name of anti-discrimination—an act of bullying people of faith in the name of the prevention of bullying.

How can you, as a man who professes to be a person of faith and a follower of Jesus, throw religious Americans—in particular Christians—under the bus?

How can you attempt to force Christians, Jews, Muslims and others to violate fundamental aspects of their moral codes in order to appease a small but powerful special interest group, one that is not, in fact, suffering daily economic hardship by being fired from their jobs because of their sexual orientation or expression?

Have you forgotten entirely that our nation was founded on the concept of religious freedom?,  please read more here President Obama

T

Words for the Wise, James 5, Christian Patience and Prayer

James 5

English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

5 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the labourers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

Patience in Suffering

7 Be patient, therefore, brothers,[a] until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

The Prayer of Faith

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.[b] 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

The Bible Panorama

James 5

V 1–6: SINFUL STORING Those who sinfully store riches, especially where they have been gained by taking advantage of others, and concentrate on pleasure and luxury, will be judged. This shares, with murder, the evil root of trampling on the welfare of others.

 V 7–11: PATIENT PERSEVERANCE God’s people should patiently wait for the Lord to come, just as the farmer waits for the seed to germinate and be harvested. Such patience is an antidote to grumbling and an encouragement to perseverance, knowing that the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

 V 12: STRAIGHT SPEAKING The Christian does not have to dress up his everyday language with oaths and assurances. He should tell it as it is, and have a reputation for telling the truth.

 V 13–18: PRUDENT PRAYING Prayer should be made with and for people in all states of life and emotion. Those suffering and sick should be prayed for and church leaders should be ready to respond to a call to go and pray with someone who is suffering. Confession of sin is a prerequisite for restoration spiritually and may even affect the way we feel physically. The pattern of Elijah’s patient endurance in prayer is an encouragement to all who feel that their prayers are ineffective.

 V 19–20: SINNER SAVED James tells the twelve scattered tribes that if someone among them wanders from the truth and is turned back from sin, the person responsible for that turning will save a soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins. God, who is sovereign in salvation, expects us to be actively involved in the privilege of seeing lost sinners being saved, including those who keep company with Christians.

The Bible Panorama. Copyright © 2005 Day One Publications.

Yours by His Grace

Blair Humphreys

Southport, Merseyside

Words for the Wise, Matthew 8 Faith to Heal

Matthew 8

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Jesus Cleanses a Leper; The Centurion’s Faith

8 When [a]Jesus came down from the mountain, [b]large crowds followed Him. 2 And a leper came to Him and [c]bowed down before Him, and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 3 Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus *said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the [d]offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

5 And when [e]Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, 6 and saying, “[f]Lord, my [g]servant is [h]lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” 7 Jesus *said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion said, “[i]Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just [j]say the word, and my [k]servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith [l]with anyone in Israel. 11 I say to you that many will come from east and west, and [m]recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; 12 but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; [n]it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the [o]servant was healed that very [p]moment.

Peter’s Mother-in-law and Many Others Healed

14 When Jesus came into Peter’s [q]home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and [r]waited on Him. 16 When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “He Himself took our infirmities and [s]carried away our diseases.”

Discipleship Tested

18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea. 19 Then a scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” 20 Jesus *said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the [t]air have [u]nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 21 Another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus *said to him, “Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.”

23 When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And behold, there arose [v]a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. 25 And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” 26 He *said to them, “Why are you [w]afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and [x]it became perfectly calm. 27 The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Jesus Casts Out Demons

28 When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. 29 And they cried out, saying, “[y]What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before [z]the time?” 30 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them. 31 The demons began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.” 32 And He said to them, “Go!” And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters. 33 The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, [aa]including what had happened to the demoniacs. 34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region.

Bible Panorama

Matthew 8

V 1–17: COMPREHENSIVENESS Jesus heals the unclean leper (verses 1 to 4), the centurion’s servant (verses 5 to 13), Peter’s mother-in-law (verses 14 and 15) and demon-possessed and sick people (verses 16 and 17). He meets the needs of many different types of people, irrespective of their background, social standing, gender, or age.

 V 18–22: COST Jesus’ responses to a scribe and then to a disciple reveal that following Him must come before where we prefer to live and what our family wants us to do. (There is no suggestion that the disciple’s father is actually dying at the time when his son wants to delay following Christ until after his burial.)

 V 23–34: CALM The Lord Jesus Christ stills the storm, showing His power over nature, and casts out demons from demon-possessed people, showing His power over Satan. He can deal with the storms and domination of Satan in men and women. That is why the whole city comes out to meet Him. But, sadly, they want Him to leave.

The Bible Panorama. Copyright © 2005 Day One Publications.

Yours by His Grace

Blair Humphreys

Southport,  Merseyside

January 19^th 2014

Words for The Wise, Matthew 7 Asking in Faith

Matthew 7

English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

Judging Others

7 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgement you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye’, when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

Ask, and It Will Be Given

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

The Golden Rule

12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thorn bushes? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

I Never Knew You

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Build Your House on the Rock

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

The Authority of Jesus

28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

Bible Panorama

Matthew 7

V 1–5: ‘FIRST’ Before criticising or judging others, especially on relatively small things, we should ‘first’ examine ourselves to see and correct our own faults. Perhaps we are far more culpable than those we criticise or judge. 

V 6: FOOLISHNESS Jesus warns against giving holy things to dogs and ‘casting pearls before swine’ as the pearls may be trampled and the person casting them may be hurt. Both illustrations apply to the sharing of God’s holy Word with ignorant, reckless and aggressive people who will refuse to listen. 

V 7–11: FAITH Faith consists of asking, seeking, and knocking, with the sure promise that God will answer even more than any earthly father will answer the needs of his own children.

 V 12: FULFILMENT The working out of keeping God’s law and the teachings of the prophets will be such that I will treat others as I want them to treat me.

 V 13–14: FINDING Only a few people find the narrow way that leads to life compared with the many who go to destruction. Jesus nevertheless urges His hearers to enter by the narrow gate to find life. 

V 15–20: FRUITSFalse prophets can be detected by the fruits of their lives and activities. Their fruits will show that they are not what they pretend to be.

 V 21–27: FOUNDATIONThe people whom Jesus will accept to be with Him in eternity will not necessarily be those who call Him ‘Lord’ and who have done great exploits in His name. Only those who know Him will be safe eternally. We must build our lives on the rock of Scripture rather than on the sand of anything else. 

V 28–29: FLABERGASTED! The crowds are astonished when they compare the authoritative and powerful teaching of Jesus with the weak words of the scribes.

The Bible Panorama. Copyright © 2005 Day One Publications.

Yours by His Grace

Blair Humphreys

January 19th 2014

Southport,  Merseyside

Words for the Wise, Doing Good for Others, Galatians 6 ESv

Galatians 6

English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

Bear One Another's Burdens

6 Brothers,[a] if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbour. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.

6 One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Final Warning and Benediction

11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which[b] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series

Doing Good (6:9-10)

Growth in our relationships does not happen automatically; growth takes effort. Hard work is required if broken relationships are to be rebuilt. In these two verses Paul simply encourages Christians to keep on working at building their relationships: Let us not become weary in doing good (v. 9). To say that Paul's emphasis on faith means that he was against works is obviously an inaccurate interpretation. Although he warned against relying on the works of the law as the basis of blessing (3:10-14), he clearly taught that true faith expresses itself through love (5:6) and in the hard work of serving one another (5:13) and carrying each other's burdens (6:2).

One of the greatest obstacles to rebuilding broken relationships is simply fatigue. We can easily lose heart and run out of strength when we come up against the same problems over and over again as we deal with others. Even Paul sounds discouraged when he talks about his efforts to rebuild his relationship with the Galatian believers: "I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you" (4:11). Paul recognized that fatigue and discouragement might cause Christians to throw in the servant's towel and quit. So he presents two incentives to keep us from giving up when we grow weary of serving others in love. First, he assures us of a reward for doing good: at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (v. 9). Sometimes the harvest is experienced in this life. When we sow acts of love, we reap a harvest of love in return. When we give generously and sacrificially to the needs of others, we reap a harvest of gratitude as those needs are met. When we sow the seed of God's Word in needy lives, we experience the joy of response. But we must remember that reaping a harvest almost never happens on the same day as sowing the seed. We may not even see a harvest in this life from what we have sown. Nevertheless, we must never give up, because we know that at the proper time our Master will return and reward those who have been faithful servants.

Second, Paul motivates perseverance in service to one another by reminding us that we are part of a great family: Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers (v. 10). Although there are no limits placed on the scope of our service to all people, our priority is certainly to serve the family of believers. Here Paul picks up a central theme of his letter. All believers are children of Abraham by faith in Christ, the seed of Abraham (3:6-29). All believers enjoy the full rights of the children of God (4:4-7). All believers are the true children of the free woman; the heavenly Jerusalem is our mother (4:21-31). These great truths about the family of believers should motivate us to keep on doing good to our brothers and sisters in Christ. We belong to one another in one family, since we belong to Christ.

IVP New Testament Commentaries are made available by the generosity of InterVarsity Press.

Words for the Wise, Galatians 3, NASB Perfected by Faith

Galatians 3

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Faith Brings Righteousness

3 [a]You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of [b]the Law, or by [c]hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun [d]by the Spirit, are you now [e]being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you [f]suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works [g]miracles among you, do it by the works of [h]the Law, or by [i]hearing with faith?

6 [j]Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 7 Therefore, [k]be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God [l]would justify the [m]Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with [n]Abraham, the believer.

10 For as many as are of the works of [o]the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.” 11 Now that no one is justified [p]by [q]the Law before God is evident; for, “[r]The righteous man shall live by faith.” 12 [s]However, the Law is not [t]of faith; on the contrary, “He who practices them shall live [u]by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a [v]tree”— 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might [w]come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Intent of the Law

15 Brethren, I speak [x]in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man’s [y]covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds [z]conditions to it. 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. 17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is [aa]based on law, it is no longer [ab]based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

19 Why the Law then? It was added [ac]because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the [ad]agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not [ae]for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness [af]would indeed have been [ag]based on law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up [ah]everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a [ai]tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is [aj]neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you [ak]belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s [al]descendants, heirs according to promise.

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series

Progress Toward Maturity by the Spirit (3:3)

Not only was the beginning a gift, but progress is also a gift, as the question in verse 3 indicates. The contrast between beginning with the Spirit and trying to attain your goal by the flesh (remember that the NIV translates "flesh" as human effort) sets up the antithesis between spirit and flesh which recurs in 4:29, 5:16-23 and 6:8. In 4:23 and 29 the son born according to the flesh ("born in the ordinary way") is a reference to Jews who hold to the Sinai covenant (4:24) and to the present Jerusalem (4:25) as the basis of their identity. These are the same ones who desire to boast in circumcised flesh—in other words, in the proselytization of Gentile believers at Galatia (6:13). We need to keep this historical conflict in mind so that we do not slip into an interpretation derived from Greek dualism where the spirit is good and the body (flesh) is inherently evil. Paul's specific point is that the Galatians' alternative is between living by the Spirit, whom they received when they believed the message of Christ crucified, and seeking perfection by circumcision (and other rites such as food laws and sabbath observance), which would identify them as proselyte Jews. Trying to attain perfection by the flesh in that context meant the attempt to attain spiritual status by conforming to Jewish customs in order to become Jews.

Sincere Christian people have often felt that belonging to a specific cultural or religious group would enhance their spiritual status. They have sometimes conformed to extreme requirements just to gain acceptance. All such efforts to achieve spiritual progress are classified here by Paul as merely human effort (NIV), efforts of the flesh. Paul's question in verse 3 reminds us that our beginning in the Christian life was based on our response of faith to the message of Christ crucified and the consequent experience of the Spirit, and our progress in the Christian life must be on the same basis.

New Spiritual Relationships in Christ (3:26-27)

In the old set of relationships under the law, Jews were the children of God and Gentiles were sinners (see 2:15). But now Gentile Christians are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. This must have been a shocking declaration for a Jew to hear. In Jewish literature, sons of God was a title of highest honor, used only for "the members of righteous Israel, destined to inherit the eschatological blessings" (Byrne 1979:174). But now Gentiles—the rejected, the outsiders, the sinners, those who do not observe the law—are called sons of God. Indeed this is a "new creation" (6:15). How could a Gentile ever be called a child of God? Paul's answer is clear—through faith in Christ Jesus (v. 26). Since Christ Jesus is the "Son of God" (2:20), all who by faith are in Christ are also sons of God.

The next verse points to the basis for the new spiritual relationship depicted by this title, sons of God: they are children of God because they have been united with Christ in baptism and, as a result, clothed with Christ. In the light of his repeated emphasis on faith in this context, Paul cannot possibly mean that the ritual of baptism by itself, apart from faith, would accomplish union with Christ. Only when there is genuine faith in Christ is baptism a sign of union with Christ. Paul is reminding the Galatian Christians of their baptism in order to renew their sense of belonging to Christ. That ceremony of initiation into Christ and the Christian community points to the solid foundation for their new relationship as children of God. Moreover, their baptism has led to being clothed . . . with Christ. This metaphor, probably drawn from the ceremony of rerobing after baptism, pictures the reality of complete identification with Christ. In the Old Testament there are frequent references to being clothed with righteousness, salvation, strength and glory (2 Chron 6:41; Job 29:14; Ps 132:9, 16, 18; Prov 31:25; Is 51:9; 52:1; 61:10; Zech 3:3-5). And in other letters Paul uses this metaphor of putting on clothing to mean taking on the virtues of Christ (Col 3:12; 1 Thess 5:8). As baptism pictures the initial union with Christ by faith, being clothed with Christ portrays our participation in the moral perfection of Christ by faith. As the hymnwriter put it, Christians are "dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne." That is why Christians can be called the children of God: in Christ they truly are the members of righteous Israel.

The title sons of God and the two ceremonies of baptism and being clothed with Christ point to the reality of our new relationship with God in Christ.

The Bible Panorama

Galatians 3

V 1–9: FOOLISHNESS AND FAITH Paul now tells the Galatians that it is foolish to seek to be perfected in Christ by keeping Jewish legal observances. We are saved by faith and indwelt by the Holy Spirit because, like Abraham, we believe and trust in the promise of God.

 V 10–14: CHRIST WAS CURSED To attempt to be saved by keeping God’s law and then to fail would mean coming under the curse of God’s judgement on sin. But Christ has taken our sin and our curse when He died on the cross in our place. When we trust Him, we are forgiven, cleansed, and counted as righteous because He has been cursed in our place. God gives us His Spirit to confirm this. The principle is the same as that through which Abraham was blessed, namely receiving God’s promise through faith.

 V 15–18: PERMANENCE OF PROMISE Paul stresses that there is only one spiritual seed of Abraham. It is not to do with Jewish nationality or race, but with trusting God’s promise. In that sense, Abraham is the father of all who are justified by faith in God’s promise, whether Jew or Gentile. The arrival of the law, 430 years after the promise to Abraham, cannot annul that fact. In Christ we are saved through trusting God’s promise.

 V 19–25: LAW IS LEGITIMATE The law is not intended to make us righteous before God and cannot do so. It is not against the promises of God, but shows us our sin, so that it leads us to faith in Christ alone. Righteousness and salvation become ours only in Christ, as we trust Him, realising that we can do nothing to save ourselves. The law imprisons us, but faith in Christ sets us free. Just as a tutor would lead an infant to school for education, the law leads us to Christ for salvation. He is our mediator.

 V 26–29: SONS IN SALVATION Faith in Christ makes us sons of God and, as those who have believed Him, also Abraham’s spiritual seed. We inherit that ancient promise in our crucified and living Saviour. So does every other Christian, irrespective of background, social status or gender.

Yours by His Grace

Blair Humphreys

Southport,  Merseyside

January 13^th 2014