Great Expectations #2

Great Expectations #2

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself [being] the Savior of the body. ²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives [ought to be] to their husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:23-24 – NASB)

Let me without delay declare what this passage does not mean:

It does not mean the husband is the boss of the wife, and it does not mean the wife is the slave of the husband. It does not mean the wife is to always be at the beck and call of her husband and attend to his every need regardless of her own needs and desires.

To their shame Christian men of the past have subscribed to some form of this perverted interpretation of the marriage bond. Even in its mildest form this attitude is not only destructive to marriages in general, but a parody of what God intended for marriages to be.

You may think I am ranting about this, but the mere thought of a husband treating his wife in such a manner stirs up feelings of disgust and abhorrence, and a desire to set the record straight.

So, what when the apostle urged wives to be subject to their husbands, declaring husbands to be the head of the wife?

What is the relationship of your head to your body?

Your head, with its capacity to reason and make decisions has the responsibility of looking after your body, not abuse it. If you are not mentally deranged, your head bestows tender care over your body. You nurture and care for it. Sure you want your body to be subject to your commands, but only for its own good.

Being human we do not always treat our bodies in the best way in terms of what we eat and drink, and the things we subject it to. In general, however, we treat our bodies with respect so it can function in the best way possible. Our head, our reason, teaches us to care for our bodies, and not subject it to unreasonable stress or damaging circumstances.

We do not stab our bodies with a knife, beat it with a stick, or put it at risk to disease and danger. You are not the boss of your body, but its care-giver, its nurturer and champion for its good. If your hurt your body, you hurt yourself.

Such is the meaning of a husband being the head of his wife. He is dedicated to her, tender toward her, solicitous toward her, concerned for her needs, and in all ways treats her with respect, and appreciation for who she is.

For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself [being] the Savior of the body.

Ask yourself how Christ treats the church, and then treat your wife in the same way.” Christ gave Himself for the church. A husband’s relationship must be a self-giving, not a self-serving one.

But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives [ought to be] to their husbands in everything.

Ask yourself how the church is subject to Christ? The church is subject to Christ in the simple knowledge that He loves her. Every true follower of Christ desires to be obedient to Christ in the firm knowledge of His love for him or her. A wife who knows her husband loves her will not find it difficult to be in subjection to him. She will know that everything he asks of her will be motivated by a desire to bless her and care for her.

My father gave me instruction upon this matter from the time I was no more than seven or eight years old. He said:

Christopher, Women are God’s special gift from God to us men, and it is our responsibility to love them, care for them, respect them and protect them.”

I remember only two occasions on which my father was really angry with me, and when he disciplined me severely. On both occasions it was when I had disrespected my mother. My father knew how to love his wife – my mother.

Loving Your Wife

(© Wednesday 2^nd March 2016 – by Christopher Shennan)

I always take care of my body’s needs,

So a husband should take care of his wife;

He’ll always be careful the way he leads,

And give of himself to enhance her life.

He does not consider his wife a slave,

Or one he considers of lesser worth;

He sees her more as a treasure God gave,

And as a great blessing here upon earth.

A self-giving love resides in his heart,

A reflection of the love God’s given;

He gives of himself in whole, not part,

Well aware it has come down from Heaven.

Don’t think of your wife as chattel or slave;

She’s a treasure till you go to the grave.

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A groom placing a wedding ring on the finger of his bride during a wedding ceremony by Petar Milošević. Copyright. Used under theCC BY-SA 4.0 license; please note the Disclaimer at the previous link. We have made no changes to this photo, except a possible sizing change.

 

Great Expectations #1

Man holds his head down in sadness

Great Expectations

One sure way to kill your marriage is to enter into it with unrealistic expectations.

Pastor Larry Shantz of Bethany Community Church deserves credit for pointing out the five unrealistic expectations men and woman often enter into marriage with:

Expectation #1

“Once I am married I will live happily ever after.”

The truth is God has designed marriage to provide a great deal of happiness and deep fulfilment, but it does not come without fulfilling the laws of unconditional love toward your partner, and sacrifice  for them

Expectation #2

“Once I am married all my needs will be met by my partner.”

Only one Person can fulfill all your needs, physical, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, and that is Jesus Christ. No one else can even begin meet that expectation. To expect another human being to carry that load is not only unrealistic – it is cruel.

Expectation #3

“Once I am married my partner will meet all my needs for sexual fulfilment.”

The capacity of any individual to meet the sexual needs of his or her partner is a variable. We are not all the same, and our sexual drives may fluctuate with circumstances, and with age. The “rule-of-thumb” in the area of sexual fulfilment, is to put a priority on satisfying your partner before you think of your own satisfaction. This applies to both wives and husbands, but I think the greater responsibility belongs to the husband to care for his wife’s needs before he cares for his own.

Expectation #4

“Once I am married I will be able to change my partner into the person I want him or her to be.”

Not only is this a bad policy, but it is tantamount to putting yourself in the place of God. If real changes are necessary in your partner give attention to two things. First, ask God to reveal to you if some changes need to be made in your own life. Sometimes your own behaviour is blocking you partner’s willingness to make changes in theirs.

Second:  Resort to prayer, asking God to make changes in your partner’s life according His will, and according to His purpose. Trying to change your husband or wife in any other way may sound the death-knell of your marriage.

 

Expectation #5

“Once I am married most of my problems will be solved.”

The reality is that you’re your problems are sure to increase, for you will now have to deal with your partner’s problems as well as your own. When children arrive, the potential for more problems multiply.

Now I am aware that does not sound like a positive outlook for anyone considering marriage, but the blessings of a good marriage far outweighs any of the struggles that are part of the marriage bond. If you follow the biblical guidelines for a good marriage, the benefits and blessings will be more than can be counted.

Before you get married, and after you are married, you ought to fully comprehend what the apost Paul meant when he declared:

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself [being] the Savior of the body. ²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives [ought to be] to their husbands in everything.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, ²⁶ so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.²⁸ So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself…                   (Ephesians 5:22-28 – NASB)

In my next treatment of this subject I will the meaning and context of this passage, and how its principles can lead to a full, satisfying and happy marriage. Till then consider the attitude husband should display toward their wives in the following poem:

If I Loved You

(© Thursday 18^th February 2016 – by Christopher Shennan)

I do not expect you, my love,

To meet all my needs and desires;

To satisfy ev’ry longing,

Or always to light all my fires.

 

I don’t even ask that you love me,

But only to let me love you;

The love I offer will nurture,

Will give strength to just follow through.

 

I know if I love you truly,

Your love will be nurtured and grow;

God will bestow all His blessings –

More than you can think – or can know.

 

I pledge to put all your needs, love,

Above all the needs that I own;

I may not be equal to all –

The rest I will bring to God’s throne.

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Sad Man by Abd allah Foteih. Copyright. Used under the CC BY-SA 2.0 license; please note the Disclaimer at the previous link. We have made

Waiting for Love

Waiting for Love

“At your absolute best, you still won’t be good enough for the wrong person. At your worst, you’ll still be worth it to the right person.” – Karen Salmansohn

Sandy Hotson who found her “guy” and married him at age 37) responded to the above post on Facebook in the following way:

“Yes! Ladies, and men, this is partly why it is so important to wait for the right person no matter how difficult being single might be. I am SO thankful I waited 16 long and sometimes difficult years. I knew that waiting on God would be worth it but He has blessed me more than what I had imagined. Even at my worst and ugliest, I am treated like royalty”

For all of those sixteen years I was Sandy’s friend and councilor, and for three years the friend and councilor of the “guy” she finally found and married.

One day, visiting with her and my daughter at a coffee shop, I said to her, “Sandy, God has answered so many of your prayers.”

Looking back at me, and in a plaintive voice, she said, “All except one.”

I replied, “Sandy, you will be amazed how quickly God answers that prayer.”

Now this is the amazing part: The very next day Sandy met the man God had chosen for her, and I was privileged, several months later to conduct the wedding ceremony.

Some may ask, “Why did Sandy have to wait so long? Why could God not have answered her prayer long before that?

Because God knows, better than we do “when” answering our prayers will most bless us, and what will most bring glory to His name:

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable [are] his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33 – AKJV)

I say to all single people this Valentine’s Day, who have been praying for a long time for God to bring His choice of a life mate into your lives: “Don’t despair.” His answer may come sooner than you think, or the delay might bring special sweetness to His answer. Whatever the future holds for you, it is in the hands of a God who loves you, and will ultimately bless you most.

Waiting for Love

(© Friday 5^th February 2016 – by Christopher Shennan)

It is worth the wait for love to arrive,

Though the waiting may be filled with despair;

From God you will all your comfort derive –

Find the answer to your longings right there.

God knows your heart and special needs;

He knows all your deep longings too.

He’ll answer your prayers – they’re like seeds

That will grow into answers – to bless you

If you’re looking for love, patiently wait;

A mighty Oak doesn’t grow in a day.

God’s always on time; He’ll never be late;

All of your dreams at your feet He will lay.

Do not grow weary while waiting for love,

For in God’s time it will come from above.

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​Juliet by Philip H. Calderon. This image is in the public domain.

After the Wedding

After the Wedding

At a recent wedding I was able to deliver a message to the bride and groom of eternal significance, not only to the subject of marriage, but also to every relationship we encounter along the path of life itself. Here it is:

But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.                        (1 Corinthians 13:13 – NASB)

Everyone agrees that love is the greatest and that it is the secret to the mystery of life.

A classic song from the past expresses it this way:

Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life
At last, I’ve found you.
Ah! At last I know the secret of it all.
For the longing, seeking, striving, waiting, yearning,
The burning hopes,
The joy and idle tears that fall.

For ’tis love and love alone,
The world is seeking.
And ’tis love and love alone,
That can repay.
‘Tis the answer, ’tis the end and all of living,
For it is love alone that rules for ever more.

The thing is, while everyone seems to agree love is the answer, no one seems to know exactly how to put this love into motion; very few people, except our Lord, seem to know how to make it work in everyday life, and in marriage in particular.

To the wise among us it is a day-by-day learning experience that it takes a lot of prayer, commitment, and personal sacrifice to achieve.

What I am sharing with you is a blend of what I have learned from Scripture, and the nitty-gritty world of personal experience. I am going to use the word “LOVE” to launch each of the points I want to impress upon you.

First, the letter “L” stands for:

LISTEN

You have to learn to listen to each other, and I don’t mean listening always has to do with words.

Sometimes, the husband you will find himself thinking, I wish she would just tell me what the problem is. Then I could actually start dealing with it, but she just clams up and expects me to guess what the matter is.

Meanwhile she will be thinking: If he was sensitive to my needs, I wouldn’t have to tell him what is wrong. If he truly loved me he would have been able to read the signs and the hints I have been giving him for over a week. I’m not going to tell him if he is going to be that insensitive.

The truth is you have to learn to listen with your heart; you will be able to read each other’s expressions and body language. Your determination to love one another will enable you to detect your partner’s unstated needs. Of course there are times you will have to talk; you will have to communicate with each other to resolve issues before they build into something too big to deal with.  It is not however, all bout talking; it is also about trying to understand the sensitivities, weaknesses, strengths and vulnerabilities of your partner.

The Letter “O” stands for

OWING

In other words you need to recognize the debt you owe to each other.

You will always be in debt to each other and to the Lord.

What you owe to your wife is what the apostle Paul declared in his letter to the Ephesians:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, ²⁶ so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:25-27 – NASB)

As a wife you will always owe love and respect to your husband. He will not always measure up, and at times you will think he does not deserve it. As your husband, however, he deserves to be respected as the man God brought into your life, and as the man you prayed for so long for God to give you.

As a husband you owe your wife tenderness, and a sensitivity to her needs.

In a broader sense, we are are all debt to every member of the human family. As followers of Christ we owe the Gospel to every person we encounter, as the apostle Paul declared to the Romans:

I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. ¹⁵ So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.              (Romans 1:14-15 – AKJV)

Third, the letter “V” stands for:

VALUE

Each of you is of such great value to God, Christ was willing to give His life for you.

A Van Gough painting once sold for $40 million pounds. I would not pay ten cents for one of his paintings. The point is, what is the value of anything? People and things are worth what someone is willing to pay for them.

Each of you is worth so much to God, He was willing to pay the life of His own Son for you. If you hurt your wife in any way you are in reality hurting the heart of God; and every act of love you bestow upon her, you are bestowing an act of love upon God Himself.

Your husband is worth so much to God, He was willing to pay the life of His own Son for him. If you, as his wife, hurt him in any way you are in reality hurting the heart of God; and every act of love you bestow upon him, you are bestowing an act of love upon God Himself.

Finally, the Letter “E” stands for

EXPECTATION

Your expectations of each other have to be realistic.

As a wife, you cannot expect your husband to fulfil all your needs and desires. He will be able to fulfil some of them, but not all of them. Only Christ can do that. The same goes for you, as a husband God created marriage, and many of your needs and desires will be met in each other, but not all of them.

If you are coming into this marriage expecting your partner to satisfy all your needs, you will be disappointed.

If, however, you are entering this unions already satisfied in Christ, and can say, “All my expectations are in Him,” you are in for a wonderful life together.

The Practice of Love

© Monday 11th January 2016 – by Christopher Shennan)

But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.                        (1 Corinthians 13:13 – NASB)

We all know love is the answer

To all of the problems of life;

Few know the secret to make it

Work well between husband and wife.

When the glow of first love passes.

And the daily grind has arrived,

Few know how to stir love’s passion,

Or make their relationship thrive.

They think it’s all about feelings,

That change like the waves of the sea,

But it’s more about making decisions:

Thinking more about “you” than “me.”

It’s about caring for her needs;

About offering him due praise –

About recognizing value –

Knowing that tenderness still pays.

The feelings? They will surely come

After the decisions are made;

After the selfless giving, and

After the sacrifice is laid.

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Ah Two Weddings by Susan Murtaugh. Copyright. Used under the CC BY ND 2.0 license: please note the Disclaimer at the previous link. No changes were made to this photograph, except for downloading the photo in a size that was possibly different than the original photo.

Danger – Lion on the Loose

Danger – Lion on the Loose

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour… (1 Peter 5:8 – AKJV)

Sometimes Christians act as if the devil has gone on vacation, and they can let down their guard; they can breathe a sigh of relief and experience a period of freedom from the devil’s involvement in their affairs.

Of course Christians do not do this consciously; they merely slip into a state of mind in which they are not as alert to the dangers as they normally would be.  It is just like a normally alert driver who gets behind the wheel after consuming a fair amount of wine. He may feel alert, perfectly able to control the vehicle through the busy streets on his way home.

The wine, however, as exerted a subtle influence on his brain; his ability to judge distances have been impaired and his response times are not as rapid as he thinks they are.

The Greek word the apostle Peter used for “sober” literally means to abstain from wine, but it may not be wine that robs us of spiritual alertness; it could merely be a state of mind we have slipped into. We may just not have been as diligent in the study of Scripture as usual. The busyness of life has caused us to neglect our devotional life and we are not walking as closely with our Lords as is our habit. Like wine, this state of mind and heart impairs our ability to navigate the dangerous situations that confront us all.

Peter tells us the devil is roaming about for just such an opportunity to catch us unawares, and his intention is not a game. He is not just out to surprise us like in a game of hide-and seek. His intention is to devour us. Like a lion devours its prey, the devil wants to remove us from the battlefield – make us of no consequence in the battle for truth, and unable to fight the good fight of faith, as the apostle Paul was able to do.

The word “vigilant” means simply to stay awake to the dangers all around us and ready to respond to the slightest indication of the enemy’s presence.

When I was in the army and on guard duty, I remember sneaking into the storeroom to steal just a few moment of sleep to relieve the boredom of the many hours of inactivity. Such behaviour could be disastrous to your walk with the Lord

The Devil’s on the Loose

(© Sunday 10th January 2016 – by Christopher Shennan)

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour… (1 Peter 5:8 – AKJV)

The devil’s on the loose, my Lord,

And I need your free Grace to stay

Awake and alert to danger –

Lest he cause me to go astray.

My heart still hungers for you, Lord;

It seeks your mercy and Your Grace,

But at times I feel so weary

That I fear I will lose the race.

I’m not always alert to danger

From that enemy of souls,

And I’m afraid I’ll fall asleep

While he pursues his evil goals.

Like a lion he roams about,

Devouring the unwary few,

But my only hope of safety,

Is seeking my safety in You.

Keep me sober and awake, Lord,

The dangers are out and about;’

Stay close beside me always.

In You I’m going to win – no doubt.

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Angry Old Lion 50D by koorosh B on flickr. Copyright. Used under the CC BY 2.0 license: please note the Disclaimer at the previous link. We have made no changes to this photo, except possibly resizing.

Coincidence

Coincidence

(Close-up picture of choir)

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. (Romans 8:28 – AKJV)

“Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.” Albert Einstein

Hear is the story of a “coincidence” in which we are hard pressed to label as such; too many coincidences involving too many people at the same time to think of it as anything else than the hand of God at work in the lives of his children:

At a church in Beatrice, Nebraska on March the 1^st, 1950 the church exploded.

The thing was, the fifteen member choir, who always met at precisely 7.20, and had never been late before, were not in the church when it exploded. Every member of the choir found themselves unaccountably late for choir practice. Had any of them been on time they would have been dead. Every one of those fifteen were late, so none of them died. Can anyone call that a coincidence? Can anyone not see the hand of God in that so-called “coincidence? Only if they are willfully blind.

As dramatic as that incident was, we all experience “coincidences almost on a daily basis; some of them seemingly insignificance, others that have a significant impact upon our lives.

• How we met the person we married
• The chain of events that led to our choosing a career
• The negative experiences that later proved to be a blessing

We can call these “coincidences” if we like, but our text tells us differently. It says that all things work together for good if we love the Lord. What is it about the word “all” that we do not understand?

As for me, I am determined to see every coincidence as the hand of God in my life.

I Thought it Was Coincidence

(© Wednesday 25^th November 2015 – by Christopher Shennan)

I thought it was coincidence

When I happened on a mother;

She was bruised and hurt and crying;

She’d been beaten by her lover.

Then a coincidence met me

When I turned a corner in town;

I saw a beggar begging there;

All I gave him was a stern frown..

I saw a student was struggling

With a problem he could not solve;

Though I knew that I could help him,

I just refused to get involved.

All these were just coincidence;

They were just accidents in time,

Not of any significance –

They were no real concern of mine.

Then God said, “They were appointments

That I especially made for you;

I wanted you to meet their need –

They’re assignments for you to do.

“Don’t say they are coincidence;

They were projects to you assigned.

Though I remained anonymous –

You should not have been – so blind.”

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Tabernacle Baptist Church Choir at the Mason Corporation Musical Oasis by Scott Schram. Copyright. Used under the CC BY 2.0 license: please note the Disclaimer at the previous link. We have made no changes to this photograph, except for a possible photo sizing change.

Building Character – No short-cuts

Building Character – No short-cuts

                And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; ⁴ and patience, experience; and experience, hope: ⁵ and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Romans 5:3-5 – AKJV)

We are living in a fantasy world if we think building something of eternal value can be achieved by cutting corners and choosing the easy path. Proven character is one of those things that cannot be built by avoiding trouble and creating ideal conditions.

The Apostle Paul gloried in – took pleasure in – troubles that came his way. A unique perspective, to be sure. It is also one that is extremely unpopular and explains why there are so few giants of Faith in the Christian church in our present world.

Perhaps I should specify, in the Western World, for there are no doubt giants of the Faith in countries where Christians are persecuted, though we seldom hear of them.

The apostle was not kidding around; he had solid reasons why he got excited when troubles came his way (When trouble comes our way we tend to turn tail and run). He got excited because he knew trouble was the only way he could develop the quality of perseverance (or patience).

I heard of a sophisticated lady, who when shaking the pastor’s at the end of the church service, asked him if he would pray for her, “I need you to pray for patience. It is the one area of my life in which I am sadly lacking.”

The pastor asked this lady if she would wait till everyone else had gone, and he would take her to the vestry and pray for her without delay.

When at last they were alone and kneeling down together, the pastor began to pray earnestly, “Dear Lord,” he prayed, “Please bring trial and trouble into Mrs. Jones’s life. Bring circumstances that test her and try her so that…”

At this point the pastor felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see a bewildered expression on the lady’s face, “Pastor,” she said, “I did not ask you to pray for those things. I asked to pray for patience.”

The pastor’s reply was uncompromising, “Mrs. Jones,” he said, “How do you expect to develop patience unless you are subjected to the circumstances that will require it?

When troubles come a process is set in motion: tribulation worketh patience; ⁴ and patience, experience; and experience, hope. If we submit to this process and don’t rebel against it, we will discover the building blocks that form character. In place of the word “experience”, the NASB renders proven character.” As we experience trouble we are given the opportunity to put our character to the test – we will learn how to make the choice that will make us into the people God intends us to be. We will become people of character.

If we don’t take any short-cuts.

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This image is in the public domain.

 

Sowing and Reaping

Sowing and Reaping

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Galatians 6:7 – AKJV)

This verse is no doubt a warning not to sow evil actions into our lives, for the consequences will be dire. There is, however, a positive message wrapped up in it we would do well to apply to our lives.

The positive message is wrapped up in the word whatsoever.  Can’t the word whatsoever include good things we can sow as well as bad things?

Of course it can; indeed, I believe that is its meaning. The only reason it comes off as a negative statement is because the apostle was using it as a rebuke to those who were withholding their support to those who were teaching them God’s truth. He wanted them to know they would not profit by withholding that support. So it is a firm fact: whatsoever we sow, good things or bad, will reap its reward.

It may seem too obvious to mention, but we can’t do a thing about what we have already sown; we can however, do something about what we sow from this point on. Lamenting about our crop failures of the past is not only useless, but actually discourages us from planting good things in the future.

The apostle Paul declared:  Not that I have already obtained [it] or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that ^[b]for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 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. (Philippians 3:12-14 – NASB)

Listening to a message on sowing and reaping, I determined in my heart what I was going to plant in the hope of reaping a crop of blessing in the future. You may have different seeds you want to plant, than I have chosen, but I think no one could do better the choices I have made:

• I have Chosen to plant seeds of PRAYER

Recently I conducted an experiment. After coming out of the preservice prayer meeting, I decided to continue praying through the entire service. I wanted to know if it was possible to be fully engaged in the church service, and at the same time be fully engaged in prayer.

I tried to pray for the pastor, for his anointing, for his inspiration, and for the power of the Holy Spirit to rest upon him. I also prayed for the congregation, that God would open their hearts and minds to the truth.

That first experimental foray into this kind of prayer was quite successful. I found the Holy Spirit’s enabling to stay focussed on both the message and the miracle of prayer. I have since found I sometimes get distracted, and have to pull myself into that double focus. I am now engaged in sharing my vision with others, and increasing the numbers of those doing the same thing.

I consider this a kind of planting. I do not know what kind of crop I will reap from this engagement, but I am planting anyway, assured of the truth of what the Scripture declares: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

• I have chosen to plant seeds of PROPAGATION

Evangelism is not a new endeavour of mine, and by God’s Grace I have seen fruit for my labour. I have decided, however to make a renewed effort. By writing books, by teaching others to engage in personal evangelism, and by grasping every opportunity to explain the Gospel. Forgetting both the successes and failures of the past, I am determined to plant seeds of evangelism wherever I can, assured always of the promise: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

• I have chosen to plant seeds of PASSION

It is said of Amaziah that: And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.

I have determined that such half-hearted devotion shall never be the manner in which I serve my Lord. I have made up my mind to plant seeds of wholehearted devotion as never before. The declaration in the book of Jeremiah shall be my beacon, my encouragement, and my inspiration:

And ye shall seek me, and find [me], when ye shall search for me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13 – NASB)

No longer will I focus on the negative impact of Galatians 6:7 alone. I will see in the whatsoever clause in that verse the opportunity and inspiration to plat seeds of prayer, propagation and passion in an effort to glorify my Lord. And in due season I shall reap.

I may not always be successful, but by the help of my God I refuse to dwell in the murky world of non-commitment. I am going to plant, plant, and plant; and leave the ultimate results to the Lord of the harvest.

Please visit .My website: www.christophershennan.ca
My blog: https://christophershennan.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherShennanAuthor

Tree Planting by Alex Indigo. Copyright. Used under the CC BY-2.0 license; please note the Disclaimer at the license link. We have made no changes to the photo.

 

Only Jesus Can do Jesus Stuff

Only Jesus Can do Jesus Stuff

Wherefore he [Jesus] is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25 – AKJV)

Marsha Horn, one of my followers on Twitter posted the following on her Twitter page:

Eat, Pray and Be Happy! (Only Jesus can do Jesus stuff)

I applaud this; it is a joy to find new ways to restate eternal truths in a way that may capture peoples’ attention, and help them see how truly amazing Jesus is.

Only Jesus can do Jesus stuff

So, what is this “stuff” Jesus can do, that no one else can do?

The first, and perhaps the one dearest to our hearts is:

FORGIVENESS

There is a very real reason only Jesus can dispense forgiveness to a lost world. You see forgiveness comes at a great cost; sin is a horrible reality, and must be paid for. In the moral universe forgiveness is not a cheap commodity that can be casually given to anyone who asks for it.

There are only two ways of paying for the sin you and I have committed – either we must pay for it ourselves, which will cost separation from God for all eternity – or Someone Else must pay for it. Forgiveness for our sins can only come at the price of the shedding of blood:

And according to the Law, [one may] almost [say], all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:22 – NASB)

Jesus shed His own blood on the cross to pay for our sins, and therefore becomes the only One through Whom God can forgives us our sins:

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. (1 Peter 2:24 – NASB)

The next “stuff” only Jesus can do is:

CLEANSING

…if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. ⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:7-9 – AKJV)

Not only did Jesus shed His own blood to procure forgiveness for us, but he goes a step further and grants cleansing. We are not just forgiven sinners, condemned to continue our sinful lifestyle; by confessing our sins we have forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness.

If that were not enough, Jesus is also the only One Who can assure us a place in:

HEAVEN

Because Jesus has paid for all that can keep us out of Heaven, He is the only One Who can a place in Heaven:

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also. (John 14:1-3 – AKJV)

There is a whole lot more “stuff” only Jesus can do, and it will take us the rest of our lives to explore it all. Indeed, we will never get to the end of it in this life; we will need all of eternity to gain even a small appreciation of all has done for us.

So Much More

(© Wednesday 18^th November 2015 – by Christopher Shennan)

There is so much more Jesus can give,

To those hungry hearts who seek Him,

If only they give Him their wills,

And dare each day to believe Him.

There are many go only so far,

As is needed to just make do;

The treasures of Grace are so vast –

Always available to you.

There’s so much more you can still claim,

On the grounds of mount Calvary;

Don’t starve- a treasure awaits you –

For all of God’s blessings are free.

So much more if you’ll only seek them,

Christ’s opened so many new doors;

Just hunger and thirst to find Him,

All treasures of Heaven are yours.

Please visit My website: www.christophershennan.ca
My blog: https://christophershennan.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherShennanAuthor

Forgiven by unknown. Shared on flickr by “Lynn ~ Off and On.” Copyright. Used under the CC by ND 2.0 license: please note the Disclaimer at this link. We have made no changes to this photo as found on the flickr link, above.

Can Holiness be Beautiful?

Can Holiness be Beautiful?

     “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” (Psalms 29:2 – AKJV)

You may have heard the story of the little boy who expressed his belief that the mule in the family’s farmyard was a Christian.

Asked what led him to that conclusion, he said, “It has such a long face.”

What a grim and sad view of what should be and how far it is from reality! Those who are true followers of Christ can experience the joy of the Lord, even while passing through hard times.

The view of a Christian suffering under the burden of trying to live a holy life is a distortion, a shame. And a bad testimony redemption is supposed to be.

The world gains an impression from such images that Christians are “holier-than-thou” people who look down upon those who don’t “measure up” to their standards. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Those who go around with long faces, and present a grim image to outsiders, have either not experience the power of Christ for themselves, or they have lost their joy somewhere along the way. To the true follower of Christ holiness is a beautiful thing – it is something imparted by God, and not self-generated.

It is a tremendous burden trying to be holy when you know for a fact nothing good exists in you:

                For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good [is] not. (Romans 7:18 – NASB)

Hebrews 12:10 tells us we can be partakers of God’s holiness.

Peter reminds us that we can be partakers of the divine nature, and this escape the corruption that is in the world:

For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of [the] divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. (2 Peter 1:4 – NASB)

So when can holiness be beautiful?

• Holiness can be beautiful when it is not self-generated, but imparted by the love and grace of Christ.
• Holiness is beautiful when it is accompanied by love and mercy.
• Holiness is beautiful when it walks hand in hand with humility.

There are no doubt other characteristics that make holiness a beautiful thing, but there is no need for us to walk about with long faces and a self-righteous aspect.

“…for the kingdom of God is … righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17 – NASB)

The Beauty of Holiness

(21st May 1992)

     “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” (Psalms 29:2 – AKJV)

The beauty of holiness is not always seen

By those who are dazzled by the worldly scene.

They think that the quiet and clean living one

Must needs be encumbered, and life’s for him done—

 A dreary existence that few can still bear—

Enter upon it? None of them dare.

Because of their blindness, their failure to think,

They pass by such beauty, and don’t even blink

When a man or a woman, of pure heart and mind,

Performs such deeds of the manner and kind

That lift up the fallen, encourage the weak:

Reach out with compassion to those who seek.

They miss that twinkle in the eye of faith,

And the glow of glory in the believer’s face,

And haven’t a clue of the joy and peace

That comes when thoughts of self decease;

Or the light of Heaven that fills the eye

When the merest whisper of truth floats by.

The beauty of holiness — an impossible goal —

Unless it is planted by God in the soul,

Is the only hunger and thirst, I find,

That fills all the being, the heart and mind.

And, though no one else can see it’s glory,

I want this theme to be “my story.”

Please visit My website: www.christophershennan.ca
My blog: https://christophershennan.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherShennanAuthor

This image is in the public domain.