Words for Life Articles

Mark 15:37-39

³⁷ And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. ³⁸ Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. ³⁹ So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!”

King Solomon had built the first temple and after Israel was raided and the temple destroyed Herod built the second temple. The temple had three chambers, the outer court, the Holy place and the Holy of Holies.  It is said that Herod’s Temple was built to the dimensions of Solomon’s Temple.

Hebrews 9:2-8

² For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; ³ and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, ⁴ which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; ⁵ and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. ⁶ Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. ⁷ But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; ⁸ the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing.

The temple was the resting place of God in the physical world during the time of the Israelites sojourning on this earth. His dwelling place which was the Holy of Holies was separated from the rest of the temple by a massive curtain called the veil. The veil was said to be 60 feet high. The curtain separated a Holy God from sinful man. This curtain was the symbol of separation from the creator of the universe.

Matthew 22: 36 - 40

³⁶ “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” ³⁷ Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Mark 12: 28 – 34

²⁸ Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”

²⁹ Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. ³¹ And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

³² So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. ³³ And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbour as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

³⁴ Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

But after that no one dared question Him.

God is love and love is from God.

God first loved us and continues to love us. In response He calls us in return to love too like He loves. To love Him first with all our hearts, soul and mind, and then to love our neighbours, other human beings as ourselves.

1 Corinthians 13

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

The word “LOVE” in the English Language limits our understanding of the full meaning of that word.

So daily the word “LOVE” is used in a generalised way by many people without a true meaning of what that word “LOVE” really means.

Through the Word of God we receive insight into what Love really is.

1 Corinthians 13 is a letter written to the church by Paul sandwiched between a chapter on spiritual gifts, and another chapter on prophecy and speaking in tongues.

I am excited as to what God wants to do, as I look forward to 2019.

With the Brexit fallout among politicians, and so many people not too sure of what is going to happen with Brexit you might wonder what is there to be excited about. Will it be “no deal” or not? There seems to be more confusion in the world today more than ever before.

Yet the scripture in Philippians 1:27 says to us

27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,

Our conduct and stance as Christians is what will make the difference. Paul says let the manner in which we behave wherever we are reflect what we preach.

Luke 11:1

1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

Most Christians believe that prayer is just asking from God. Some of us pray out of duty. Some just because they feel it is the right thing to do.  Some pray only when there is a need or a challenging situation. On the whole, many pray without realising that prayer should be an overflow from our intimate close relationship with the creator of the universe.

When Jesus’ disciples saw the way Jesus prayed, they were fascinated, they were intrigued.  His prayer life was birth out of a strong and close relationship with His Father. They must have discussed this amongst themselves yet did not know how to approach Jesus. Fortunately, one of them was bold enough to approach Jesus and say-

“Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

As Christians, we will go through many situations that will sometime cause us to question the existence of God, situations that will create doubt or liturgy in us. Many times, we are faced or bombarded with circumstances that challenges our faith.

I am yet to see a Christian who is immune from the challenges of life. It could be health related, it could be challenges with children, it could be challenges with work, it could be with waiting for the right partner, it could be with the fruit of the womb and many more.

Yet the word of God says in Psalm 34:18-20

18 The LORD is near to the broken-hearted; He saves the contrite in spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all. 20 He protects all his bones; not one of them will be broken.…

Isaiah 37:30

30 “This shall be a sign to you: You shall eat this year such as grows of itself, And the second year what springs from the same;

Also, in the third-year sow and reap, plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them.

A believer in Christ I believe has three seasons in his or her spiritual walk. I am of the conviction that for us to go forward in the Lord we all have to go through these three stages in our walk.

My study of the life of Moses brought these to light. Moses was raised and lived in a palace for 40 years (season 1), in the wilderness for 40 years (season 2), and led the Israelites for 40 years (season 3).

21 years ago, in my time in the Bible school, one of my lecturers told us a story about his three daughters that has remained with me for years. He had three daughters. The youngest was ever running ahead of him, very independent. The middle one had a habit of dragging her feet behind, bored with everything around her. However, the eldest would hold her father’s hand chatting, asking questions and keeping step with her dad.