Words for the Wise, Galatians 4, Our Status Sonship not Slavery

Galatians 4

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Sonship in Christ

4 Now I say, as long as the heir is a [a]child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is [b]owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and [c]managers until the date set by the father. 3 So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the [d]elemental things of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under [e]the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under [f]the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir [g]through God.

8 However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless [h]elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored [i]over you in vain.

12 I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong; 13 but you know that it was because of a [j]bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the [k]first time; 14 and that which was a [l]trial to you in my [m]bodily condition you did not despise or [n]loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. 15 Where then is [o]that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16 So have I become your enemy by [p]telling you the truth? 17 They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them. 18 But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable [q]manner, and not only when I am present with you. 19 My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you— 20 but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

Bond and Free

21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. 23 But the son by the bondwoman [r]was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. 24 [s]This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children [t]who are to be slaves; [u]she is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free; [v]she is our mother. 27 For it is written,

“Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear;

Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor;

For more numerous are the children of the desolate

Than of the one who has a husband.”

28 And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also. 30 But what does the Scripture say?

“Cast out the bondwoman and her son,

For the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”

31 So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, [w]but of the free woman.

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series

Enjoying the Full Rights of Sons (4:6-7)

Now Paul describes the way that children experience their full rights: Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts (v. 6). The change from first person (we) to second person (you) shows that the adoption received by those under law (v. 5) was also received by the Gentile converts. The confession of faith of Jewish Christians is now the confession of Gentile Christians. Though Gentiles were not under law in the same way the Jewish people were, Paul's point is that they too were set free from the tyranny and curse of the law by the sending of God's Son. And by faith in Christ, they too have entered into a new relationship with God which involves the enjoyment of the full rights of sons and daughters of God. Now their life is to be lived not "under law" but "in Christ."

The striking parallelism between God sent his Son and God sent the Spirit of his Son rivets our attention on God's gracious initiative. Just as our position as sons and daughters was secured by God's action in sending his Son, so our experience as sons and daughters is the result of God's action in sending the Spirit of his Son. We could do nothing to attain to the position of sons and daughters; we can only receive the gift of adoption by faith. We could do nothing to produce an experience as sons and daughters; the action of God in sending the Spirit of his Son into our hearts enables us to enjoy our new relationship with God our Father.

Paul makes it very clear that there is only one condition for the experience of the Spirit in our hearts: Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. There is no other prerequisite for this experience of the Spirit besides receiving the gift of adoption. We do not need to go through a series of steps, recite special prayers or meet extra conditions. God sends the Spirit of his Son into our heart for one reason: because he adopted us into his family. To view adoption and reception of the Spirit as two separate stages in the Christian life tears apart the reciprocal relation of adoption and the sending of the Spirit. Paul's unique title for the Spirit here, Spirit of his Son, emphasizes the unity of the experience of adoption and the experience of the Spirit.

Just as verse 5 teaches us that the gift of adoption is ours when we receive it, so verse 6 teaches us that the sending of the Spirit into our hearts is experienced when we pray: the Spirit sent into our hearts is the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." Abba is an Aramaic word for "father" used by a child in intimate conversation within the home. When children addressed their father as Abba, they were expressing affection, confidence and loyalty. One of the most remarkable aspects of the life of Jesus was that he addressed God as Abba in his prayers and taught his disciples to do the same. So striking and significant was Jesus' addressing God as Abba that even in Greek-speaking churches Jesus' Aramaic word for Father was heard as the believers called out to God in prayer. They called God Abba because the Spirit of Jesus was assuring them within their hearts, the control center of their emotions and thoughts, that they were children of the Father.

To know at the deepest level of our being that God is our Father and we are his sons and daughters is not the result of theological research or moral achievement, but the result of God's sending the Spirit of his Son to speak to us and to convince us that despite all our guilt, fears and doubts, the Father of Jesus is our Father too. To know God as our Father in this way is not merely intellectual apprehension of a doctrine, not merely warm feelings about God, but a life-transforming conscious awareness of the reality of our intimate relationship with God our Father.

Paul is certainly not talking here about addressing God as Father in a formal liturgy in which there is no real involvement of the heart and will and mind. Nor is he talking about addressing God with an easy familiarity, as in prayers where God is addressed as "Daddy" in a chummy, casual way with no sense of awe or reverence. We must remember that when Jesus addressed his Father as Abba in the garden of Gethsemane, he was expressing both confident trust and willing obedience. " `Abba, Father,' he said, `everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will' " (Mk 14:36). So if the Spirit of the Son is moving us to call God Abba, then we will be expressing the same confident trust and willing obedience of the Son to the Father. All that Jesus did and said flowed out of his relationship with his Father. His sense of identity (who he was) was not based on his ministry (what he did), but just the reverse: he did what he did because he knew who he was. Likewise, the witness of the Spirit within us that God is our Father and we are his children is the center and fountainhead of all our Christian life and ministry.

People all around us are having identity crises. They are trying to find out who they are. They go for therapy to discover their inner selves; they search for their roots; they try to build their sense of self-worth on the foundation of their achievements. But far more important than any of these ways of finding out who we are, we need to experience the great gift of God the Father, the gift of his Spirit who tells us that we are children of God our Father. This experience of our identity before God is not necessarily a sensational or emotional experience. It is simply an experience of the Spirit's inner witness as we pray from our hearts to God.

We should always be amazed that when we pray we are included in the conversation of the Triune God. When we call God "Abba, Father," we are reminded by the very word Abba that Jesus used this name for God the Father in his prayers. We can address God as Father only because his Son gives us the right to do so. And we can exercise our right to call God Abba only by the activity of his Spirit within us who calls out, "Abba, Father." We call God Abba through the Son and in the power of the Spirit.

We will always find it difficult to explain the doctrine of the Trinity. But in prayer we experience the life and love of the Triune God. What an amazing privilege that we should be included in the conversation within the Trinity through prayer!

Verse 7 sums up Paul's argument to this point: So you are no longer a slave, but a son. The witness of the Spirit within convinces us that we are sons and daughters, children of God. Sons and daughters are no longer "held prisoners by the law" (3:23), "no longer under the supervision of the law" (3:25) and no longer subject to guardians and trustees (4:2). Sons and daughters are free from the control of the law. This does not mean that sons and daughters are free to do anything. They are now under the direction of the Spirit, who brings them into such close communion with God that they call him Abba. Sons and daughters who live in communion with the Father under the direction of the Spirit do not need the law to guide and discipline them. They are directed by a far superior power: the power of the Spirit.

To live under the direction of the law, as the Galatian believers were attempting to do, was sheer folly. "You foolish Galatians!" You are sons and daughters, not slaves. Why turn to the direction of the law when you have the direction of the Spirit? The tragedy of the Galatian situation was that believers who had entered into a love relationship with the Father by the activity of the Spirit in their lives were now acting like slaves, not like sons and daughters. They were relating to God on the basis of keeping his law rather than worshiping and serving him in the freedom and power of the Spirit of his Son. It is the same tragedy of the elder brother in Jesus' parable of the prodigal son. Although he served his father dutifully, he never called him "Father" or related to him as a son. He thought and acted like a slave: "All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders" (Lk 15:29).

I have greater appreciation for Paul's argument here now that my two sons are full-grown and no longer minors. I no longer attempt to restrict their behavior with the set of rules they had to follow when they were still young. In fact, if at this stage of their lives they responded to me simply on the basis of keeping my rules, I would be disappointed. What I long for now is for them to relate to me as mature sons. When they express love and respect to me simply because that is the desire of their heart, I am deeply grateful and filled with joy.

The consequence of being a son is inheritance: Since you are a son, God has made you also an heir (v. 7). The Galatian believers had been told that they must be related to the descendants of Abraham through observance of the law in order to inherit the promises God made to Abraham. But Paul has now demonstrated how faith in Christ makes one a child of God and so an heir of God. None of us can make ourselves children or heirs of God. Only God can make slaves into sons and daughters, and sons and daughters into heirs.

The promise of inheritance is the promise of the Spirit. Paul said in 3:14 that the blessing of Abraham came upon the Gentiles: they received the promised Spirit. What greater inheritance could there be than the presence of the Spirit of God, the Spirit of his Son, within our hearts? The Spirit of his Son not only assures us that we are beloved children of the Father; he also makes us like his Son. We are most like the Son of God when we totally identify with him in Gethsemane and are able by his Spirit to pray "Abba, Father." When Christ prayed "Abba, Father" in Gethsemane, he was expressing complete trust in his Father and his willingness to endure the cross in obedience to his Father. He was looking ahead with confident, obedient trust to both the cross and the resurrection. When we are sure of our adoption by the witness of the Spirit within, we will also be living in the power of the inheritance of the Spirit, who is in the process of making us like Christ in his death and resurrection. Every day something of his cross will be seen in us as we die to self. Every day something of his resurrection life will be seen as he lives through us. One day, after a final death and a final resurrection, we will be completely like him. That is our inheritance as the children of God.

I once heard a son speak at his father's funeral service about his inheritance. He said, "The greatest inheritance my father left me was not what he had but what he was. He was a man of integrity; he was humble and often admitted his own failures. He was generous and compassionate. Above all, he was a man of deep faith in God. That's the inheritance that I most treasure, the inheritance of the character of my father." As children of God, we can say the same. Our greatest inheritance is not the abundance of things the Father gives us, but the character of his Son which the Spirit of his Son is forming within us.

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

“Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: 'Ye were bought at a price', and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.”

― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

The Bible Panorama

Galatians 4

V 1–5: ADOPTION Paul states that through redemption Christians are adopted by God as His sons. An adopted child is brought from one family into another. We have been brought from the ‘family’ of condemnation to the ‘family’ of salvation in Christ. As such we are heirs who inherit His eternal blessings.

V 6–7: ABBA Paul is quick to point out that this is not only a legal position, but that God’s Spirit works in our hearts so that we know Him spiritually and directly as ‘Abba Father’. ‘Abba’ literally means ‘daddy’. We are not slaves, but sons and heirs.

 V 8–16: ASTRAY Paul applies this truth and tells them of his concern, because having been saved by faith in Christ according to God’s promise, they are now putting themselves into bondage by observing days, months, and seasons. They seek to fulfil unnecessary legalistic requirements either of a past and extinct ceremonial law, or of man-made laws. Paul observes the difference that this has made to their former conduct towards him. Previously he had been encouraged by their love and their caring warmth. Now he feels treated as an enemy because he insists on God’s truth about salvation.

V 17–20: APOSTATE The comparison between the false apostles, who seek to exclude the Galatian Christians from the grace of God, and Paul’s fatherly concern is obvious. Nevertheless, he is prepared to act as a good father and reprimand them if necessary.

V 21–31: ABRAHAM Paul refers to scriptural history. Abraham and Hagar (a slave) had a son, Ishmael. Abraham and Sarah, his wife, had the son God promised, namely Isaac. Paul illustrates two distinct and opposing covenants of law and of freedom, represented by the two different relationships, which underline what he teaches the Galatians in this chapter. As Isaac inherited God’s promises to Abraham, so we inherit God’s promises magnified to repentant sinners in Christ. Thus we are the free ‘children of promise’ and are born of the Spirit of God. We do not become God’s children of promise through enslavery to the law or our works.

The Bible Panorama. Copyright © 2005 Day One Publications.

Part 3 Words for The Wise, The Fellowship of the Faithful, Galatians 3, English Standard Version (UK)

Part 5 Words for The Wise, Galatians 5, The Fruits of Freedom

Yours by His Grace

Blair Humphreys

Southport, Merseyside

January 14^th 2014

Are we there yet? Looking at our Journey of Faith and Adventure. Part 3, Dealing with Distractions, Disappointments and Delays in reaching our Destiny or Destination.

Are we there yet? Looking at our Journey of Faith and Adventure.

Part 3, Dealing with Distractions, Disappointments and Delays in reaching our Destiny or Destination.

I mentioned in a previous post, that I’m Welsh and part of being Welsh is the love of singing or in my case attempting to sing !,  My dad is a member of a Male Voice Choir called Swansea Gospel Male Voice Choir, and especially in the Welsh Valleys there is a History of Choral Singing, (Choir Singing).

One of the most well recognised and most famous Welsh Hymns is Guide me, O thou Great Jehovah (or Redeemer) which was written by one of the most famous Welsh Hymn Writers, William Williams (Pantycelyn) although originally written in the Welsh Language as Arglwydd, arwain trwy'r anialwch, It’s known throughout the World as Guide me, O thou Great Jehovah it’s also known as The Welsh Rugby Hymn or Bread of Heaven, where it’s sung with equal gusto when Wales play Rugby to when it’s sung in the Chapels and Churches.

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,

Pilgrim through this barren land;

I am weak, but thou art mighty;

Hold me with thy powerful hand:

Bread of heaven, bread of heaven

Feed me till I want no more.

Feed me till I want no more.

Open thou the crystal fountain

Whence the healing stream shall flow;

Let the fiery, cloudy pillar

Lead me all my journey through:

Strong deliverer, strong deliverer

Be thou still my strength and shield.

Be thou still my strength and shield.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,

Bid my anxious fears subside;

Death of death, and hell's destruction,

Land me safe on Canaan's side:

Songs of praises, songs of praises

I will ever give to thee.

I will ever give to thee.

Several weeks ago. I had the privilege to spend some time with one of my closest friends here in Southport, He and his wife are great friends to myself and others and are an inspirational couple, he’s also likes Organs especially Hammond Organs, a few weeks ago he had to go to South Wales to collect an Organ, so I went with him to help him collect it.   On the return journey we stopped at a Tesco Express Convenience Store to pick up refreshments and I had an urge for Welsh Cakes, so I picked up a pack of Brace’s Welsh Cakes and bought them home with me,  a few days later I was shopping at my local Asda and has I walked around the aisle’s I noticed tucked away in the Bakery Aisle, Brace’s Welsh Cakes, the Lord spoke to me through this, that he not would only provide me with the essentials here but would provide me with blessings here, because I’ve been obedient to Him.

After our successful trip to Wales, my friend asked me would I be interested in travelling to the north of Scotland with him to collect an Organ, I of course agreed because I believe part of being friends is helping each other, On our Journey we used two forms of navigation a Sat-Nav and a Road Atlas, on this journey we had to stop for fuel and food and we stopped at Carlisle, there were other people travelling that day, and although my friend and I were travelling to Scotland not everyone had the same destination as ourselves, as people either left the motorway because they were getting to their destination or they were joining the motorway to go to their destination,  I wondered to myself, firstly how long it would take to get to our destination and what would we find when we got there and what would it be like, on our journey we passed various road signs giving names of various locations like Glasgow, Stirling, Perth and Dundee and as some people kept leaving the road we were on and other people kept joining I wondered to myself how many people travelling had the same destination as we had.

We shared the road with other travellers, and for part of the journey we travelled alongside each other, then they left us and in some ways we left others because our destination was different from them, on our journey we passed several places of interest such as The Falkirk Wheel and Stirling Castle, but even if those places are interesting,  they could have been a distraction to us, It would have quiet easy because of the distance we had to travel to  change our destination and go with the flow and go somewhere like Glasgow or Perth, but they weren’t our destination.

 We kept travelling and the further north we went we saw less and less traffic, we passed through several sets of traffic lights when we went through on the Green Light, it would have quiet easy in our eagerness to get to our destination gone through on Red or Amber Lights because we didn’t want to be delayed, eventually we arrived in the beautiful seaside town of Gardenstown in Aberdeenshire, none of the travellers we had seen on our journey had also arrived in Gardenstown and for part of our journey we had travelled alongside others, either for a small part or longer part of our journey.

In the Christian Life and Walk, we have two forms of Navigation, the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our life and the written word of God, The Bible,  I notice in our lives journey we use both forms of navigation and both lead us to the correct destination, there are/were other people travelling when we travelled and for part of our journey we travelled alongside each other but because our destination was different we've  parted  or part company at various junctions, we had to also stop for fuel and food,  so in our Christian Life and Walk we need to stop to be refreshed and recharged,  because our destination was further along that others destinations it would be easier and more convenient to change our destination but it wouldn’t have been our true destination or our goal, It would be easy to be distracted and because we had seen something that attracted us and it looks more achievable that our goal we settle in places that aren’t the correct location or best place for us, because of various things we can be delayed on our journey but we still arrive at our destination. But lets us keep going until we reach were God wants us to be.

I live in Southport, and our local train station is served by two train companies, Northern Rail who provide services to and from Manchester and Merseyrail who provide services to Liverpool, The Wirral and Chester, can you imagine if I decided to spend the day by visiting Chester but decided to travel to Manchester instead both have similar names but are two different places, Manchester is a great place but it wouldn’t have been my destination, when travelling to Chester you have to change trains at either Moorfields or Liverpool Central Stations , I could say to myself it has taken me 45 minutes to get to Liverpool, and it will  take another 50 minutes to get to Chester. I know I will stay here for a bit then move on to Chester but you end up in Liverpool which is a great place to visit but again not my destination, because Merseyrail is a local commuter line it stops at every train station between Southport and Liverpool one of these stations is Formby and in Formby there is a National Trust site that has a colony of Red Squirrels,  I could be distracted and decide to see these Red Squirrels, but again it’s not my destination!

Why I’m saying these things?  You may ask, I’m using this has an illustration, some of us have decided to go to places that aren’t our destination/destiny but have made it our destination or destiny because it’s similar to our destination or destiny and others have places where we need to change but we stay in a place that we needed to just to change at to get to our destination or destiny and then others have been distracted by things we’ve seen or have been told and yes we all say we’re happy and fulfilled where we are and God is blessing us,  yes this things may be true up to point but to reach the full potential of our destiny we need to be where God has called us to be in the first place, yes it will mean change and/or upset but we need to be where God wants us to be!

It says in Habakkuk 2:3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it;    it will surely come; it will not delay.

It says in Ephesians 3:20 – 21. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

Yours because of His Grace and Mercy

Blair Humphreys

It's time for Action. Part 2 And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’

Can you imagine the scene,  it’s a quiet morning and while you prepare yourself for the day ahead,   you decide to turn on the TV and after channel surfing,  you glimpse a place that you have many happy childhood memories of sunny and not so sunny family holidays?

 That happened to me,  I was just getting ready recently, and I turned on the TV,  and there on BBC 1’s Street Patrol UK was the seaside resort  of Ilfracombe ,  North Devon,  and I noticed the police on this programme were chasing some people with alcohol issues up Capstone Hill,   and I remember my sisters and I playing various summer sports like Hide and Seek,  Cricket, and Football with our parents and grandparents, and I would like to add that we never had the police chasing us!

If I had closed my eyes,  I could have imagined the feel of the grass underneath my feet, and the smell of the sea-air,  however the smell of the sea-air could be because I live in Southport, which is another seaside resort,  it’s almost 30 years since the last time I visited Ilfracombe, but looking at this programme today, it hasn’t changed a great deal that I know  that  I would  be able to find my way around,  I recognised Ilfracombe as soon as I saw it,  although it has been a number of years since my last visit.

I’ve been a Christian a number of years now, and with a retrospective view,  I can see many highs and lows, disappointments and frustrations,  times of great blessing and times of great sorrow ,  yet despite that and in some ways because of all that has gone before ,  I feel that I’m a stronger and more mature Christian, although that doesn’t mean I get it right all the time,  and in no way I’m perfect,  but slowly, steadily and graciously my Lord is making me more and more like him each day.

The Apostle Paul, who the Lord used graciously to write most of the New Testament of the Bible said these powerful words.

Philippians 3:7-17New American Standard Bible (NASB)

7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss [a]in view of the surpassing value of [b]knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, [c]for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and [d]the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 [e]in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on [f]so that I may lay hold of that [g]for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are [h]perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; 16 however, let us keep [i]living by that same standard to which we have attained.

17 Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.

Please can you read carefully these words below, and let it sink into you

. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus

The Prophet Isaiah wrote these words:

Isaiah 43:18-19New American Standard Bible (NASB)

18 “Do not call to mind the former things,

Or ponder things of the past.

19 “Behold, I will do something new,

Now it will spring forth;

Will you not be aware of it?

I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,

Rivers in the desert.

For a number of years from the age of 13 until I was 18,  I had the opportunity to be part of a Youth Camp held near Rhyl, Denbighshire for the first few years, and for the last 4 or so years held in Yeovil, Somerset  that the Church Denomination I was part of at the time organised and run,  It was a great privilege to meet up with other young people not only from Wales,  but from England,  Scotland,  Northern Ireland and from other lands too.

I count it as a great privilege to be friends with those people, (now like me older now) who I have either  remained  friends over the years or have renewed our friendships recently through social media.

I know that the Lord moved mightily amongst us, yes we had fun,  and got up to some adventures,  but I know that overall God called many of us to serve Him and His Church,  I remember when I had just left School at 16,  it was the summer of 1986, and I decided to fulfil my boyhood dream of being a Soldier,  and one night I went forward for prayer and after I had returned to my seat,  the Lord spoke to me,  and told me that he didn’t want me to be a Soldier.

For the last few days  The Lord has been speaking to me about a commitment I made to Him, when I was a 16 year old teenager at that Youth Camp in 1986, I had been a Christian for just over 5 years at that time, and my greatest desire was to be a soldier in the British Army,  but God had different and better plans for my life,  during the last few months the Lord has been reminded me of some things He has spoken into my life for the just over the last thirty years.  After coming back from the prayer meeting at the Church were I’m a member last night the Lord reminded me once more of those things.

I was  11 years old when I became a Christian,  and a few weeks after I was saved,  one of my close boyhood friends and I were exploring the church were the children's meeting had been held where we both had given our lives to the Lord,  while we were exploring, one of the Pastors of the Pentecostal Denomination we were part of, was walking down the stairs we were running up, this Pastor bought me a significant prophetic word,  that the Lord has reminded me again of some 30 years later.

I’ve been spending a lot of time in the last 6 or so months in Leeds, West Yorkshire and I travel by train from my home in Southport to visit someone very special in Leeds,  for the last few trips I’ve caught  a direct train service, (direct train as in I don’t have to change trains to get to my destination) from Southport to Leeds,  when I head for that train it says on the notice board it says 15:57 to Leeds on Platform 6, so I head for the Platform 6,  not Platform 9 ¾ !  usually the train is there waiting for the driver and the guard and some passengers are waiting too, on the front of the train the destination says Leeds,  so I don’t need to check with the crew if this is the train to Leeds,  this train isn’t the quickest service to Leeds or indeed the most direct and it makes numerous stops between Southport and Leeds, some stops are closer to Southport and some are closer to Leeds, and some stops are some distance from my start point and towards my destination of Leeds.

Can you imagine if I got frustrated or stressed, and decided to get of the train a few stops from Southport or because the train is taking longer that  I would like it too take , get of a few stops from Leeds, or decided that I like the look of Manchester,  which is half way on the journey?   During this journey numerous people get on and off the train and leave or get on at various stops,  yet I’m the only person travelling to Leeds,   not even the crew go there,  there are 2 other crew changes between Southport and Leeds. Yet despite of who gets or gets off the train,  or the driver and guard are replaced by other drivers and guards, the train’s destination is still, yes you’ve guessed it's Leeds!

My background is in Pentecostalism,and I have recently joined  a Pentecostal Church,  my theology and doctrinal standards are essentially  and in essence Pentecostal,  in recent days the Lord has spoken to me,  about my Pentecostal heritage and roots, and when I’m in Leeds,  I go to a Pentecostal Church.    A few months ago The Church were I was a member  was closed due to the group of Churches they are part off,  had their annual summer camp,  I wasn’t going to the summer camp , so on that Sunday I went to a local Pentecostal Church here in Southport.  I have thought for most of the last 20 plus years, that I’ve been away from the Pentecostal Movement,  I had never really considered returning there,  however after my Mum went to be with the Lord,  I did re-join the Pentecostal Church I spent my formative years in and ended up returning to the New Church Stream  after much prayer and seeking the Lord,  I have just returned to my Pentecostal roots and heritage and know the Lord's presence in this move,

Those of you, who may not know what I mean by Pentecostalism,  here is an description

“, Pentecostalism, in its purist form, tries to do. It tries to erase the smudges on the church for the last 20 centuries and get back to what the early Christians believed and practiced. That is our goal—to get back to biblical, original Christianity…..So Pentecostalism, at its roots, is basically a restorationist movement. We believe that we can cut through 20 centuries of church tradition and get back to the original church. It doesn’t mean that we do everything like the original church, but we’re trying to have the same doctrine and experience of the Early Church.”  

Dr George O Wood, Assemblies of God,  USA

There has been one Pentecostal Distinctive has recently caught my imagination and has really both challenged and blessed me,

Jesus the Saviour, Jesus the Healer, Jesus the baptiser in the Holy Spirit, and Jesus the Coming King :  The Four Square Gospel.

In recent days,  I felt God’s gentle whisper, mostly during my personal prayer times,  and have found my interest in and love for His Church and His Kingdom being re-kindled and re-ignited,  I’ve been a Christian a number of years now, and have had times were I’ve been closer to God than at other times,  I asked the Lord last night what He does He want to me to do and he reminded me of some scriptures and somethings I wrote last year.

Genesis 26:18-25New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

18 Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them.

19 Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. 20 But the herdsmen of Gerar quarrelled with those of Isaac and said, ‘The water is ours!’ So he named the well Esek,[a] because they disputed with him. 21 Then they dug another well, but they quarrelled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah.[b] 22 He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarrelled over it. He named it Rehoboth,[c] saying, ‘Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.’

23 From there he went up to Beersheba. 24 That night the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.’

25 Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord. There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well.

Isaiah 49 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

The servant of the Lord

49 Listen to me, you islands;

    hear this, you distant nations:

before I was born the Lord called me;

    from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.

2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,

    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;

he made me into a polished arrow

    and concealed me in his quiver.

3 He said to me, ‘You are my servant,

    Israel, in whom I will display my splendour.’

4 But I said, ‘I have laboured in vain;

    I have spent my strength for nothing at all.

Yet what is due to me is in the Lord’s hand,

    and my reward is with my God.’

5 And now the Lord says –

    he who formed me in the womb to be his servant

to bring Jacob back to him

    and gather Israel to himself,

for I am[a] honoured in the eyes of the Lord

    and my God has been my strength –

6 he says:

‘It is too small a thing for you to be my servant

    to restore the tribes of Jacob

    and bring back those of Israel I have kept.

I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,

    that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.’

7 This is what the Lord says –

    the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel –

to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation,

    to the servant of rulers:

‘Kings will see you and stand up,

    princes will see and bow down,

because of the Lord, who is faithful,

    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.’

Isaiah 42:6-9New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

6 ‘I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;

    I will take hold of your hand.

I will keep you and will make you

    to be a covenant for the people

    and a light for the Gentiles,

7 to open eyes that are blind,

    to free captives from prison

    and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

8 ‘I am the Lord; that is my name!

    I will not yield my glory to another

    or my praise to idols.

9 See, the former things have taken place,

    and new things I declare;

before they spring into being

    I announce them to you.’

An extract from Kingdom Dynamics from the New Spirit Filled Life Bible.

, “Shepherding amid the Supernatural, Ephesians 4:11ff teaches us that all leadership gifts are given by Christ the Lord of the church to “equip” (that is to mend, prepare and enable to function) the whole body of the congregation............ , true supernatural ministry at work in the church begets vital, spiritually functional people throughout the whole church family. The body is to be built up by the mutual efforts of all members supplying their contribution to the whole.  The call to empower people requires mentoring, training, imparting and discipling/discipleship - all aimed at preparing the body for stability and increase.”

Oswald Chambers.

 Suppose God tells you to do something that is an enormous test of your common sense, totally going against it. What will you do? Will you hold back? If you get into the habit of doing something physically, you will do it every time you are tested until you break the habit through sheer determination. And the same is true spiritually. Again and again you will come right up to what Jesus wants, but every time you will turn back at the true point of testing, until you are determined to abandon yourself to God in total surrender. Yet we tend to say, “Yes, but— suppose I do obey God in this matter, what about . . . ?” Or we say, “Yes, I will obey God if what He asks of me doesn’t go against my common sense, but don’t ask me to take a step in the dark.”

Jesus Christ demands the same unrestrained, adventurous spirit in those who have placed their trust in Him that the natural man exhibits. If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhile, there will be times when he must risk everything by his leap in the dark. In the spiritual realm, Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold on to or believe through common sense, and leap by faith into what He says. Once you obey, you will immediately find that what He says is as solidly consistent as common sense.

By the test of common sense, Jesus Christ’s statements may seem mad, but when you test them by the trial of faith, your findings will fill your spirit with the awesome fact that they are the very words of God. Trust completely in God, and when He brings you to a new opportunity of adventure, offering it to you, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis— only one out of an entire crowd is daring enough to invest his faith in the character of God.

Isaiah 6:8New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’

Not often, but every once in a while, God brings us to a major turning point--a great crossroads in our life. From that point we either go more and more toward a slow, lazy, and useless Christian life, or we become more and more on fire, giving our utmost for His highest--our best for His glory." --Oswald Chambers, from the My Utmost for His Highest

  Just before the new year while getting ready for  Church and I was waiting on the Lord,  and asked Him to speak to me, about some things I have been praying about and at Church this morning,  My pastor spoke on New Beginnings and mentioned one of my heroes of faith , George Jefferies,  what my pastor spoke about this morning was exactly what I asked the Lord for,  while getting ready., I spent a bit of time last week,  praying and waiting on the Lord,  after last week and last Sunday at Church,  the assistant pastor bought a word which confirmed what I've been praying about,....  my next step is continuing to pray and wait on the Lord and to seek counsel from my leaders.

Be Blessed Today

Blair Humphreys

 Southport Merseyside