#instafriz

One of the other difference between Christianity and other belief systems is the body. In some worldviews, the body is an inherently evil thing we should try to escape, being solely focused on the "spiritual". In others, the body is all there is, there is no spiritual. A Biblical worldview shows that we are both/and , not either/or. In this passage we learn God made us from conception - he didn't make a body we would one day use, he made us, including our body. In other passages we learn of the glorified resurrection body we will one day have - we won't one day be disembodied spirits floating in the ether. We have been made to be both physical and spiritual at the same time. They are both part of who we are. And we can and are made to glorify God with both our body and our spirit. Praise God for how amazing His work is in making such complexities like ourselves!

The world typically goes one of two ways when confronted with these sayings of Jesus. The Church can too. Those in the world either laugh at them and outright reject them, saying that it is unrealistic to operate this way - 'might makes right', 'we must stamp out injustice with an equal amount of violence', 'fight fire with fire' and so on. Jesus' message is nonsensical to so many because of how countercultural it is - that the way to peace is through loving others, not fighting them. But there are some in the world who can sense the inherent wisdom in Jesus' teaching. Often, however, they point to these sayings as being abstract truths that Jesus just do happened to speak, failing or just refusing to wrestle with the rest of what Jesus had to say - namely that He IS Truth. That He IS Love. Then there are those in the church who accept that Jesus is who He says He is - they believe in Him as God and accept Him as Saviour - but haven't fully made Him Lord, as evidenced by the fact that they agree with the first group about this being impractical in the modern age and so discard Jesus' very directions to them in how to live. But if we follow Jesus as Saviour AND Lord then we will put into practice His words, whether they make sense to us or not, whether they are easy to follow or not, whether we like them or not, trusting that He knows better than us, and that He will work in us along the way to make us into a people through whom the world will see His glory. Are you one of those who is listening when Jesus talks? Will you be countercultural and love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you and pray for those who mistreat you?

Biblical Christianity is set apart from other belief systems by this. You don't earn salvation. You can't earn salvation. You don't have to do a bunch of stuff. You can't do enough to be worthy. You just believe in what Jesus has done for you because of God's great love for you. You just call on his name publicly and trust Him. That's it. Then, as a result (of what God has done for you, not anything you do for Him) you grow closer to Him over time as His Spirit helps you change from the inside out as you seek more and more of Him each day. What a loving God we have, who has done all necessary so that we can be close to Him!

Yesterday we shared a gospel presentation and prayed with the residents in one of the care homes. We sang some choruses and one of the residents came and shared a mini-message of his own for all of us too. It's encouraging to have time with these older folk and they tell us how encouraged they are by the visits too. Thank you to all of you who partner to make this ministry possible ❤️

If you have a list of prayers to pray daily, this is a good one to include. Jesus taught us how it is what comes out of a person's heart that defiles us, and that a good person does good out of the overflow of what is in their heart. I know I want to be a person who does good consistently. But I also know that there is not always good there in my heart. There can be selfishness, jealousy, anger, and so on. I know that it is only because Jesus has taken my place that I am acceptable before God, because my own heart couldn't be, but His is. Now I desire to become more like Jesus with the life He has given me. So my prayer Lord, amongst many others, is for a pure heart with which to love You and those You have placed around me.

I suppose sometimes I want this to mean that God will do what I think He should do, how I think He should do it, when I think He should do it. If His Word will never fail, then this should happen exactly 'this way', right? Real life is frequently more complicated though and I have to remember that my perspective is severely limited in scope, in understanding, in time, and in geography, whereas He sees perfectly. The truth is, I can trust that His Word WILL never fail, but the ways in which it is accomplished won't always line up with what I think would make most sense. My role is simply to be faithful to do all that He is calling me to do - as a disciple, a man, a husband, a father, a missionary, a friend, and otherwise - and trust that He will accomplish His Word through that, in His perfect way.

Another straightforward directive that isn't always simple to live out. Seek first His Kingdom. It's much easier to focus on seeking first a pay cheque, or seeking first my breakfast, or seeking first my rest time, or seeking first [whatever need feels most pressing]. Imagine how powerful a life we could live, if in everything we would seek first His Kingdom! I suppose that's part of what sanctification is - living increasingly in such a way that each passing day, week, month, we are living with a little more of our lives truly surrendered, we are seeking His Kingdom first in more and more aspects of what we do.

One of the great things about being a missionary who raises support (and who trains others in doing so too) is that we get to invite people to experience the joy of giving! In a society that finds talking about money a taboo it is so exciting to be able to invite people to be a part of Great Commission work by partnering in a way that includes giving, knowing that they will get to experience the joy of growing in generosity that God calls us all to. No-one should be guilted, shamed, tricked, or forced into giving - it should be something done joyfully as the Lord leads. And when it is, it is something that multiplies blessings (Acts20:35) - maybe that's blessings in work, maybe in relationships, maybe in creativity, maybe treasures in heaven (it's not the prosperity gospel though). As I train missionaries I encourage them to consider how they too can participate in the joy of giving by supporting someone in the way that they are being supported. How is God calling you to generosity today? 😊