tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76040352024-03-13T18:03:24.627+08:00ThinxBruce thinks. Surprise, surprise ...Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.comBlogger125125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-62971003051709117582022-12-22T14:08:00.000+08:002022-12-22T14:08:51.862+08:00Thinx 123: Two Christmases<p>Every year two Christmases are celebrated in parallel. </p><p>One is about eating, drinking, making merry in the here and now, and some fat man with a white beard in a red suit.</p><p>The other is also a feast but has both here-and-now and transcendant elements. God made a promise thousands of years ago to destroy death, the "shroud that covers all nations"<a href="https://www.bibleref.com/Isaiah/25/Isaiah-25-7.html" target=_blank><sup>1</sup></a>. At Christmas we celebrate the incarnation, the enfleshment, of God: Jesus, "conceived by the Holy Spirit [of God], born of the Virgin Mary"<a href="https://www.crcna.org/welcome/beliefs/creeds/apostles-creed" target=_blank><sup>2</sup></a> as the Apostles' Creed (and early summary of Christian teaching) says. This Jesus in his death, resurrection and ascension, lived (and lives) the perfect life our forefather Adam failed to live.</p><p>There was no death when God created the world. It came into existence as the consequence of rebellion against God by the first humans, Adam and Eve. God calls that rebellion "sin" and it's been part of mankind ever since, a disease of the heart, will and mind with many symptoms.</p><p>Those who turn away (and keep turning away) from their sin and believe (and keep on believing) in this Jesus are given eternal life. Jesus himself said, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."<a href="https://biblehub.com/matthew/10-28.htm" target=_blank><sup>3</sup></a><br /></p>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-54964322810464216772022-06-26T16:55:00.001+08:002022-06-26T21:11:37.153+08:00Thinx 122: The preacher couldn't see the irony of what he was preaching<p></p><p></p><p></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p>I was at a Baptist church recently. The pastor was preaching on prayer and the text for the lesson was Acts 4:23-31. By Acts
4:23-31, the Jerusalem congregation numbered almost 10,000 people (if Acts
2:41, Acts 2:47 and Acts 4:4 are anything to go by.) The pastor told us that the
apostles along with their congregation disobeyed the civil authorities so as to
be obedient to Christ's commands. These were authorities which had been
instituted by God (as per Romans 13:1-2.) Nevertheless, the congregation
disobeyed the authorities, and apparently with God's blessing: Acts 5:32 says
that God only gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him and Acts 4:31 relates
how the Holy Spirit was poured out afresh on the congregation. They disobeyed
the civil authorities because to obey them would have meant disobeying Christ's
clear command, including the command to make disciples, baptise in the triune
Name, and teach obedience to Christ's commands.</p><p>The pastor seemed oblivious to the irony of what he was teaching. His church had just
come out of a two-year period where the civil authorities effectively banned
the church from meeting. The state told the church to disobey Christ's command
not to give up meeting together (Hebrews 10:25) and the church obeyed the state
without question. And in doing so, the church forced those whose conscience demanded
that they meet together to act against their conscience. Not a good look, given Romans 14. It would have been far better to have permitted those who
wanted to stay at home to stay at home and permit those who were convinced of
the need to obey Hebrews 10:25 to do so. </p>
<p>He went on to speak glowingly of the power of Christians praying, referring
to Acts 4:24-30 which records the church praying for boldness, the meeting
place being shaken and the Holy Spirit equipping the members of the
congregation to continue their work. But where was his church's boldness during 2020-21?
Whatever power may be in prayer, the example he and his church had given to the wider
community was that the state rules the church and that the church lives by every word
that proceeds from the mouth of Mark McGowan and his Chief Medical Officer.
Should another pandemic come along (monkey pox perhaps?) where will their local
community find the church? Probably hiding under the table, as much enslaved by
the fear of death as anyone else (Hebrews 2:15).</p>
Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0Perth WA, Australia-31.9523123 115.861309-60.262546136178841 80.705059 -3.6420784638211536 151.017559tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-47250339644621023992022-02-13T19:13:00.001+08:002022-02-19T23:42:42.971+08:00Thinx 121: The New Apartheid<p><i>Full disclosure: I have received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. When Novavax can be used for boosters I will probably get one. I am hesitant about receiving another mRNA or equivalent-technology dose. I am yet to understand how a vaccine developed for Alpha helps me with Omicron and whatever other strains may follow. I opted to receive the first two doses due to co-morbidities -- a childhood full of respiratory diseases.</i></p><p>Lots of sad news in the world today. I heard this week that one of the larger churches in my city, <a href="https://www.riverviewchurch.com.au/" target="_blank">Riverview Church</a>, had chosen to implement a Proof of Vaccination in the 9am gathering. Accompanied by a <a href="https://youtu.be/QMasTDmMTUA" target="_blank">video</a> the <a href="https://www.riverviewchurch.com.au/covid-update/" target="_blank">announcement</a> applied to services starting this Sunday 13 Feb 2022. I hope someone put up a marquee outside and provided refreshment and teaching for those who were excluded from the main meeting.</p><p>About four months ago, there was an interesting <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-word-from-a-vaccinated-preacher-we-don-t-urge-law-breaking-but-we-cherish-religious-freedom-20210916-p58sfa.html" target="_blank">opinion piece in The Sydney Morning Herald</a> written by one Phil Colgan, the senior minister of <a href="https://www.snac.org.au/" target="_blank">St George North Anglican Church</a> in Sydney. It was entitled, "The word from a vaccinated preacher: we don’t urge law-breaking, but we cherish religious freedom". The summary read: "Our churches support emergency action during the pandemic. Longer term, the idea that Christians would exclude anyone from church is extremely problematic."</p><p>And it is problematic. As Colgan goes on to say:</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">It goes against the very essence of the gospel. Jesus sought to welcome the “sinners” of his day – the people who the self-righteous elite sought to exclude from their temple. When we seek to include people, it is not an affirmation of their viewpoints, but an expression of love for them, with the hope that they might come to know God’s love shown to them in Jesus, and then even change their manner of life. Given that reality, of course churches want to talk about whether a vaccine passport is a good and necessary step.</p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">What worries me in this whole experience is that it seems we can’t even do that – that is, talk about it. Perhaps I was unclear or unhelpful in my words? However, to arrive at good outcomes, people need to be free to discuss things in theory, disagree, listen to others and then seek to arrive at some sort of consensus. This is not possible when we demonise people with whom we disagree (or perhaps who don’t even disagree, but only raise the issue?)</p></blockquote><p>I've just come from being on the side of a conversation between some vaccinated Christians talking about this very category of people: those who are vaccine-hesitant or even actively resistant to the political, societal and peer-group pressure to be vaccinated, and specifically those who claim to be Christian. What I heard was not love, nor any willingness to bear with the weakness of other brothers and sisters, in the Romans 15 sense, but rather demonising and stereotyping -- lumping them all together with home-schoolers and Trump supporters. They even went so far as to suggest that Christians who refuse to be vaccinated or delay their boosting for whatever reason should go and form their own churches. </p><p>I'm strongly inclined to try and find such a church just so that I can join it. Identifying with the leper-class seems to me to be something that Jesus would do. Talking up an "aren't we great, we're triple-vaxxed" line seems so Pharisee and Sadducee.</p><p>As Colgan says, we don't encourage law-breaking. We don't. We strongly urge obedience to the laws of the land as per Romans 13. But we don't necessarily encourage obedience to the law when that law goes beyond its God-given limits. When the government starts telling Christians how to be Christians, when they start talking <i>religio licita </i>and <i>illicita,</i> then the church needs to ask itself whether being obedient to the state at the expense of obedience to Christ is worthwhile. Of course, disobedience to the state will mean great suffering for the church. When the believers disobeyed the Sanhedrin in the months after Pentecost they experienced persecution of all kinds including floggings, imprisonment and execution. God occasionally stepped in to save, miraculously releasing Peter from prison for example, but generally, that wasn't (and isn't) the case. </p><p>I've been telling people for years that these days were coming. Now they're here. The time to chose whether you worship the state or Christ has come. We can make a god of the state or we can resist that urge and worship and serve the Creator who is blessed forever. The secret police aren't breaking down our front doors yet, so there's still time to pray and think things through, but the time to sweep the issue under the carpet one more time has passed. Many prayed for (and died for) the end of apartheid in South Africa. How many for this new apartheid?</p>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-32437567806661046402021-10-18T12:03:00.003+08:002021-10-18T12:10:04.264+08:00Thinx 120: Dressed casually to preach<p></p><blockquote><p>“A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty.</p><p>“It is you priests who show contempt for my name.</p><p>“But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’</p><p>“By offering defiled food on my altar.</p><p>“But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’</p><p>“By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty. -- Malachi 1:6-8 NIV</p></blockquote><p>I think I've finally twigged to why it bugs me when the preacher stands up dressed casually: we wouldn't dress like that if we were to meet the Prime Minister or the Queen. We're supposedly meeting with God but we're happy to show more respect to the Prime Minister or the Queen that we are to him. </p><p>And one might say, "well that's Australian culture" and I might say in response, "So is every culture of equal value in God's sight?" but in any case even in this culture we show deference to those in authority by dressing up to meet them. Why not demonstrate the state of our heart by the state of our body?</p>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-39017406373309601182021-09-26T16:37:00.004+08:002021-09-26T16:37:52.622+08:00Thinx 119: Stay Safe<p>A friend of mine, in a WhatsApp message finished the conversation with, "Stay safe." </p><p>I responded with: "Why stay safe? What if God's will is to do something that isn't safe (like tell a sinner to repent)? Sure, don't take irrational risks but consider Paul, whose life story demonstrated a stronger commitment to his Lord than to his own personal safety. </p><p>Sorry, my friend, it's just that 'stay safe' is fine coming off the lips of the ungodly, but for a man of your maturity in Christ, words like 'keep the faith' or similar would be far more encouraging and strengthening."</p>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-33607797111685946522021-09-10T17:13:00.001+08:002021-09-16T23:11:11.474+08:00Thinx 118: ConspiracyYes, there is a conspiracy. It is the conspiracy of the flesh against the Spirit which has existed since Genesis 3, some six thousand or so years ago. Perhaps this is what 2 Thessalonians 2:7 is talking about where is says that "the mystery of lawlessness is already at work."<div><br></div><div>Notice how bipartisan this conspiracy is: both the political left, the political right and everything in between can join in without compromising their own principles. Yes, the political left is often styled as the enemy of the gospel but the political right is not necessarily a friend. Each of the Ten Commandments, God's moral law, can be as readily broken by a Conservative as by a Communist.</div><div><br></div><div>Conflating a political stance with the gospel is dangerous. It is a form of syncretism. It is always the gospel that suffers. </div>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-38959246236311439102021-09-10T17:03:00.001+08:002021-09-10T17:03:14.936+08:00Thinx 117: Over breakfast<p>We have an idolatry going on here: scientism. The lab-coat is the new surplice, the new liturgical vestment. We "follow the science", largely uncritically, and wonder why we later fall in a heap. </p>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-12740823725284652562021-09-09T21:59:00.000+08:002021-09-09T21:59:23.417+08:00Thinx 116: Melanin<p>I was born with a mediocre amount of melanin in my skin. </p><p>My ethnic ancestors invented the "black/white" distinction to differentiate between equals on the basis of the amount of melanin in one's skin. Now everyone uses it, even the folk being discriminated against. Can no one challenge the status quo? Must we, forever, differentiate between equals based on a false dichotomy?</p><p>The Bible says there's only one race, but we've got so used to talking in terms of a multiplicity of races that we find it next to impossible not to use those terms when talking about people from different ethnic groups. How would you introduce Dr Voddie Baucham? Do you draw attention to his melanin levels by saying that he's African American (a term he hates, by the way) or do you just say he's an American born preacher/teacher currently working in Zambia? </p>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-86080955529103567782021-09-09T21:54:00.001+08:002021-09-09T21:54:47.235+08:00Thinx 115: Luther on Salvation<p>Christ is full of grace, life, and salvation. The soul is full of sins, death, and damnation. Now let faith come between them and sins, death, and damnation will be Christ’s, while grace, life, and salvation will be the soul’s; for if Christ is a bridegroom, he must take upon himself the things which are his bride’s and bestow upon her the things that are his. If he gives her his body and very self, how shall he not give her all that is his? And if he takes the body of the bride, how shall he not take all that is hers? </p><p>-- from <a href="https://history.hanover.edu/courses/excerpts/165luther.html" target="_blank">Martin Luther's "Treatise on Christian Liberty"</a> </p>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-42210577468243681092021-09-09T21:43:00.004+08:002021-09-09T21:43:47.299+08:00Thinx 114: Custom and Creed, Conventions and Commandments<p> “This man's spiritual power has been precisely this, that he has distinguished between custom and creed. He has broken the conventions, but he has kept the commandments.”</p><p>― G.K. Chesterton, Manalive</p>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-91055373747459224072021-09-09T21:40:00.001+08:002021-09-09T21:40:27.126+08:00Thinx 113: On Hearing a Christian Support Sexual Perversion But Not Saying Anything in Response<p>So here is the question: Am I upset because I feel personally threatened or am I upset because God's name and character are being smeared? Is my primary concern that God's name, character and reputation be hallowed and that his will be done on earth as it is in heaven, or am I worried about some future curtailment of my creature comforts and security? </p><p>To say that God makes someone gay or trans misrepresents God. It breaks the third commandment which forbids not only misusing God's name but also forbids misrepresenting him to the world. </p>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-734809340218754482021-09-09T21:37:00.003+08:002021-09-10T21:03:24.604+08:00Thinx 112: God's Gospel<p>Context: Romans 1:1. Paul introduces himself and his role. He is an apostle set apart for the gospel of God. </p><p>So often we read that and think the "of" means "about". In that case it doesn't. The Greek says, "εὐαγγέλιον Θεοῦ." The ending on the word for God is a genitive. It means that the good news that Paul has been set apart for is owned by God.</p><p>It's God's gospel. Thus the power of gospel is in itself because God himself acts through it. God is interested in it being proclaimed in a way that glorifies him. He will take action in the short-term and in the long against those who act like it's their own gospel. </p><p>There will be a performance review at the end of time where all believers will stand before God and give account for what they have said and done. If the gospel does indeed belong to God, it will be terrifying for those who attempted to steal it from him.</p><p><br /></p>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-76073681438665299522021-09-09T21:24:00.001+08:002021-09-09T21:24:35.606+08:00Thinx 111: On Atheism<p>Is this what it's all about: keeping God at arms length (or further)? Practical atheism -- seeing as absolute atheism is so hard to sustain -- denies some aspect of God's nature or character. </p><p>Deny that he's the creator and then you can do all kinds of evil things and think you're okay. If he didn't create space, matter and time then who does he think he is barging into the cosmos, throwing his weight around, demanding people obey him and then damning to hell those who disagree. Totally unfair, right?</p><p>But consider Isaiah 6, Isaiah's vision of God. Judging himself correctly for the first time in his life in the presence of absolute holiness, he cries out, "Woe is me. I am undone." In my own words: I am demolished. Whatever righteousness I thought I possessed is worthless, futile, nothing! I can get by with comparing myself to other people because there's always someone more depraved than me. But here I am before God, the holy, fearsome, righteous God before whom my righteousness is like used bandages full of pus and clotted blood. And there's nowhere to hide. I see him seeing me, seeing all my imagined strength as the weakness it really is; seeing my righteousness as filthy; seeing my wisdom as the babbling of a baby. </p><p>And yet, rather than words of condemnation or reproach, atonement is made for Isaiah's sins and rather than being tossed aside he is commissioned for service. As the Psalm 51 says, "A broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise."</p>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-76318702813267793252021-09-09T21:12:00.001+08:002021-09-09T21:12:58.555+08:00Thinx 110: When asked if I trust the LordWhen asked, in the context of Covid-19, whether I trust the Lord, I wrote:<div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><div>I do trust in the Lord.</div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><div> </div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><div>There's a interesting saying from the US Civil War: praise the Lord and keep your powder dry. </div></div><div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>I'm sure you remember the Lord's Prayer. After the opening address the first three petitions are all about God: his name/reputation/character; his long term plans; and his will and decrees. After that come petitions declaring our dependence upon him for everything. But I don't see much there about him doing for me what he expects me to do. We ask for daily needs. He provides us with the means to acquire them; daily whatever doesn't just fall through a hole below the ceiling. He expects me to forgive. He expects me to flee temptation. He expects me to trust him for outcomes that aren't currently obvious. </div></div><div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Believing in Jesus isn't a ticket to a problem free life full of glory, gold and girls. It can be a ticket to a life of suffering. But the suffering is never pointless. </div></div><div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>One may imagine no heaven and no hell. I'm persuaded that these places exist and I'm pursuing the one who owns the former. </div></div><div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>The Bible teaches that everyone goes to hell. One does not need to sell one's soul to the Devil as he already owns it. If a different destination is desired, God has provided a way: repentance of sins and faith in his son, Jesus.</div></div></blockquote>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-31906899538619777442021-09-06T11:47:00.000+08:002021-09-06T11:47:35.706+08:00Thinx 109: John MacArthur and Genesis<p>From the transcript of the recorded interview at
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/GTY167/strange-fire-revisited"><https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/GTY167/strange-fire-revisited></a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>I was talking to some people about The Master’s University and
The Master’s Seminary, and they were asking me – this is the
ninetieth year of The Master’s University, ninety years: “How is
it that The Master’s University’s still so solidly committed to
the Word of God and hasn’t wavered, while other schools have?”
And I said, “Apart from our view of Scripture, the absolute
inerrancy and authority of Scripture, there’s one doctrine that
is most important to me.” <br />
<br />
And I even asked a group of men on the board at the school. I
said, “I want you to go to lunch.” We were having a board
meeting. “There’s one doctrine that is critical to me. Apart
from the authority of Scripture, we all affirm that. What one
doctrine do you think is the most important? Go to lunch, talk
about it, and come back.” <br />
<br />
So they came back. I said, “What’s your answer?” Nobody knew.
And I said, “Here’s the answer: creation, creation, because
Genesis 1 and 2 says, ‘God created the universe in six days.’
It’s not ambiguous, it’s what it says. If you don’t believe
that, then I can’t trust you with anything in the Bible.”</p>
<p>What has held this institution for ninety years is even when
science has [made] its greatest assault on the Bible, even when
science has written reams and reams and incalculable amounts of
literature proclaiming evolution, even when the entire science
world has held up evolution, we don’t budge. That’s the anchor.
It’s that that holds us. We take the Word at face value. <br />
<br />
And, you know, the lights went on for those guys. I said, “Look,
if you’re a faculty member, and you’re coming here, and you’re
going to say, ‘I believe the gospel,; I believe in Jesus Christ,
I believe in the Trinity and all that; and I’m going to teach
English, or chemistry, or, you know, business marking, so
something,’ I’m going to ask you this question: ‘Do you believe
in six-day creation as indicated in Genesis 1 and 2?’ If you
say, ‘Well, you know, I don’t know if I’m sure about that,’ bye;
next. I can’t trust you with anything else in Scripture.” <br />
<br />
So I think it’s where the Scripture has been assaulted the most
that you find out who the people are who stand true. <br />
</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The audio of this extract starts at 42 minutes 48 seconds.</p>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-64322730762179798962021-08-29T19:01:00.001+08:002021-08-29T19:01:06.915+08:00Thinx 108: The Just Man<p> "One of the Just Men came to Sodom, determined to save its inhabitants from sin and punishment. Night and day he walked the streets and markets protesting against greed and theft, falsehood and indifference. In the beginning, people listened and smiled ironically. Then they stopped listening; he no longer even amused them. The killers went on killing, the wise kept silent, as if there were no Just Man in their midst.</p><p>One day a child, moved by compassion for the unfortunate teacher, approached him with these words:</p><p>"Poor stranger, you shout, you scream, don't you see that it is hopeless?"</p><p>"Yes, I see," answered the Just Man.</p><p>"Then why do you go on?"</p><p>"I'll tell you why. In the beginning, I thought I could change man. Today, I know I can not. If I still shout today, if I still scream, it is to prevent man from ultimately changing me."</p><p>-- Elie Wiesel <https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-just-man></p><hr />If you have been encouraged, challenged or outraged by this post, please consider <a href="https://www.friendpay.org/PresentProject.aspx?Preview=true&Pkey=1304">donating</a> to my favourite charity: <a href="https://www.nireekshanaorphanage.org/about">Nireekshana Orphanage, Andhra Pradesh, India.</<hr /></a>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-53045220105905043562021-04-02T15:46:00.000+08:002021-04-02T15:46:14.052+08:00Thinx 107: When singing in church is banned<p>It's Good Friday and I'm in Lismore, NSW for a family event. I had hoped to go to a Good Friday service at the local Anglican church, but ended up at a family get-together instead. Of many things that I had been looking forward to at the service, singing hymns was high on the list. But apparently the current COVID-19 restrictions forbid singing. </p><p></p><p></p><h3></h3><blockquote><h3>Non-residential premises</h3>
<p>These rules apply to a wide range of premises. Examples include
cafes, restaurants, bars, pubs, nightclubs, shops, cinemas or places of
worship.</p>
<p>Entry to non-residential premises is not permitted unless there is at least</p>
<ul><li><a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="d4debbbf-d733-4e1d-aea3-4ea790a8987f" href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/rules/square-metres-rules" title="Square metres rules">4 square metres of space</a> for each person in the indoor area and</li><li>2 square metres of space for each person in the outdoor area.</li></ul>
<p>In the indoor areas of the premises:</p>
<ul><li>people must be seated to drink alcohol</li><li>dancing is not allowed</li><li>singing is not allowed.</li></ul><h3></h3></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/rules/northern-rivers#gatherings-and-visitors-to-a-residence" target="_blank">Rules and restrictions that apply to the Tweed Shire, Ballina Shire, Byron Shire and City of Lismore local government areas to protect the community from COVID-19.</a></span><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">It got me wondering: How important is singing compared to all the other things one does in a gathering of Christians? Sure, singing worships and glorifies God. Singing encourages the singer and the hearer. Singing at the very least has <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-singing" target="_blank">significant health benefits</a>. But it's not mandatory. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">If singing has to stop for a season, I think I can bear that. I certainly <i>want</i> to sing. It's a profoundly sad thing when a Christian is able to sing but lacks the desire to do so.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">No, the absolute minimum for a church service, as far as I can see at the moment, is <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%202%3A42&version=NIV" target="_blank">Acts 2:42</a></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></p><blockquote><span class="text Acts-2-42"><blockquote><span class="text Acts-2-42">They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.</span></blockquote></span></blockquote><p><span style="font-weight: normal;">If I was going to risk a fine or gaol time, it'd be when the government starts making that impossible. The Chinese government is currently doing that to its Christians, even rewriting the Bible and <a href="https://www.frc.org/op-eds/china-to-christians-were-rewriting-the-bible-and-youll-use-it-or-else" target="_blank">demanding that the rewritten version be taught</a>. Australians aren't there ... yet. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: normal;">Until then, being caught singing when the government says not to only feeds the narrative that Christians are not a blessing to society, but a blight: they can't deny themselves for the good of all. So I'll go to the 7:30am service on Resurrection Sunday, pay attention to the apostles' teaching, enjoy fellowship, break bread in Communion and pray. Oh, and <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5%3A19&version=NET" target="_blank">make music in my heart to the Lord</a>.<br /></span></p><p></p><p></p>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-77109553735072360052021-03-09T22:28:00.003+08:002021-03-09T22:28:50.109+08:00Thinx 106: A pre-service prayer<p>Grant Father that our services today communicate a sense of gravitas and
dignity. We are here to meet with You, our transcendent, Holy God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Help us to treat you as holy, pouring out a
sacrifice of reverent homage, praise and worship. Teach us to worship
you with fear and respect. Though our church has the stage in the
centre, help us nevertheless in our hearts to prioritise hearing,
meditating on and applying your word to our hearts and minds.<br /><br />Protect
us from erroneous ideas about who you are: You're not a superhero who
exists merely to affirm us and make us happy. Your a holy God who calls
us to be holy. We're not the focus of what's going on here. You, Lord
God, are the focus. We're here to glorify you. We're here to lift up
your name. We're here playing and singing to work with the Holy Spirit in the preparation of people's hearts to
hear the word of God preached. <br /><br />Grant Father that the preacher today
will open the Word of God and teach us from it. Through your Spirit
apply the word to our hearts. Convict us of sin. Drive us to our knees
in repentance. Lift us up through your Spirit to live again in newness
of thought and newness of life.</p><p>In the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.</p><p>Amen. <br /></p>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0Willetton WA 6155, Australia-32.0543314 115.8895675-60.364565236178848 80.7333175 -3.7440975638211569 151.0458175tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-28003976940761067102021-03-08T22:49:00.002+08:002021-03-08T23:39:21.102+08:00Thinx 105: To a pastor who preached <p><br />Romans 12:2 does NOT say this but you'd think sometimes that it does given how some people talk and act: "Be conformed to the pattern of this world; be transformed by the removal of your mind."<br /><br />In Western culture at the moment we are suffering from what I shall call "ask-ism." For reasons unknown to me people are no longer able to talk in terms of "tell" and "command" -- everything is "ask." Preachers even recast Jesus words as requests: "Jesus asks us to ...", "God asks us to ..." <br /><br />In <a href="https://biblehub.com/john/14-15.htm" target="_blank">John 14:15</a> it does NOT say, "If you love me you will respond positively to my requests" or "If you love me you will do what I ask." Jesus does not give us an exit regarding his word; we should not think that we can get away with politely declining his request. What he says to us is a command. </p><p>In the Greek, John 14:15 uses the word <span class="greek">ἐντολὰς for "commandments". The Strong's number for that is <a href="https://biblehub.com/greek/1785.htm" target="_blank">1785</a> and the write-up mak</span><span class="greek">es it clear that</span> Christ's words are direct orders, or commands, and not requests.</p><p>Tell me, do you ask you children to go to bed? Or to tidy their rooms? Or do certain chores around the house? Do permit them to politely decline your request or do you instead expect them to obey within a reasonable period of time. And if they disobey, what then? How far are you willing to take "ask-ism" in the context of your family or are you going to have one standard in the home and another when preaching? <br /><br />Jesus expects obedience. If we we choose not to obey, that is sin and there are consequences. If God is our father and we have been adopted into his family, then we can expect him to take whatever steps are necessary to teach us how to be his children. We don't arrive in his family knowing how to love him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength so he sets about teaching us. It is a perilous thing to disobey him, for that is sin. We will not lose our salvation but we will nevertheless face serious consequences -- God reserves the right to discipline us. I've been listening to Leviticus recently. God describes all of the benefits of obedience. Then he describes all <a href="https://biblehub.com/sermons/leviticus/26-18.htm" target="_blank">the many outcomes of disobedience</a>. <br /><br />It is true that we are not expected to obey all the many injunctions of the the Old Testament ceremonial law, nevertheless the reality is that even in the New Testament commands are given and obedience is expected. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is poured out into our hearts so that we are able both to will and do what is pleasing to God. But we must not lose sight of the fact that what we have received are commands to be obeyed, not requests that may be politely declined or disregarded. Disobedience is sin. Pretending that things are otherwise is foolish. Remember <a href="https://biblehub.com/galatians/6-7.htm" target="_blank">Galatians 6:7</a>, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows."<br /><br />So my challenge is this: if you disagree with what I am saying, refute it. Demonstrate to me from God's word that what Christ and the Apostles have commanded are not in fact commands but requests. Demonstrate that there is no danger is declining these request should I so choose. And tell me how you hope to maintain order in your own home, let alone the church, if you go whole-hog on the "ask" rather than the "tell." I would suggest to you that one reason why we now have Safe Church is because leadership in many churches gave up on "God's commands" and drifted off into cultural myths of "God's requests."<br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p> </p>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0Willetton WA 6155, Australia-32.0543314 115.8895675-60.364565236178848 80.7333175 -3.7440975638211569 151.0458175tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-90176637310916437072018-09-16T10:17:00.001+08:002018-09-16T10:18:49.722+08:00Thinx 105: Nireekshana Orphanage<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DDBl581Gs_c/W5288e5dKnI/AAAAAAAAWYM/apSyni_7xpUrQ_UwWIiW-ahWO8CR3-VfQCLcBGAs/s1600/Tanuku%2BPerth.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="676" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DDBl581Gs_c/W5288e5dKnI/AAAAAAAAWYM/apSyni_7xpUrQ_UwWIiW-ahWO8CR3-VfQCLcBGAs/s320/Tanuku%2BPerth.png" width="296" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Copyright Google Maps.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
That’s how far
apart two friends live. I’m in Perth and Rev Brenham Dake is in
Tanuku, Andhra Pradesh, India. Google Maps shows the <a href="https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/Tanuku,+Andhra+Pradesh,+India/Perth+WA/@-7.213016,80.382607,4z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x3a37b7f1a2cc11d3:0xda43fc471176fce!2m2!1d81.6799629!2d16.7571731!1m5!1m1!1s0x2a32966cdb47733d:0x304f0b535df55d0!2m2!1d115.8604572!2d-31.9505269" target="_blank">large swathe of Indian ocean</a> between us but can’t tell us how to cross it.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Brenham Dake and his
wife run <a href="http://www.nireekshanaorphanage.org/about/" target="_blank">Nireekshana Orphanage</a>.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I came to know
Brenham a few years ago through a mutual friend in New Zealand. We
corresponded for a while and then I had the opportunity to meet him
as he was on his way back from a conference in Tasmania. Now we keep
in touch on Messenger. It’s a very poor replacement for face to
face but it’ll do for now.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
We talk about many
things, pray for each other and seek to encourage one another. Where
I can I contribute to his work and occasionally post on Facebook
about the ophanage’s needs. Last (Southern) Summer I encouraged
people to donate to pay for blankets.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
This year I’m
encouraging people to send donations for the purchase of a van to
take the children to school. Apparently the children have been
walking this distance. I remember walking to primary school as a
child but that was a mere 2km. That they should have to walk 10km
astounds and alarms me.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
While walking is a
challenge, what concerns Brenham far more is a very real threat of
kidnapping. As he said to me a few weeks ago, “the other thing is
security problem since the human trafficking is going on every where
that makes us much fear. [B]ut we thank God for His protection all
the way.”
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The cost of the van
they have in mind is $3000. So far they have raised $1200. If you
would like to contribute to the cost of the van, please visit Brenham's <a href="https://www.friendpay.org/PresentProject.aspx?Preview=true&Pkey=1304" target="_blank">FriendPay</a> portal.
Donations are given in Euros so you may want to visit an <a href="https://www.travelex.com.au/rates/aud-to-eur" target="_blank">onlineexchange calculator</a>.
</div>
<br />Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-3720676271666158712018-06-30T22:15:00.002+08:002018-06-30T22:15:53.699+08:00Thinx 104: Bearing the likeness of God<!-- Thinx 104: Bearing the likeness of God ---><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;"></span><br />
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">Were God to introduce you to someone, he would say, “See! My son/daughter.” Not, “See my adopted son/daughter” because when God adopts us, the change in relationship is permanent and irrevocable </span><br />
<div align="right">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">— </span></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;"><blockquote>
“the gifts and callings of God are irrevocable”<br />
<div align="right">
— <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+11%3A29&version=NET" target="_blank">Romans 11:29</a></div>
</blockquote>
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">Were God to introduce you to someone, he would say, “See! My son/daughter.” <br /><br />Now when we introduce our own children, people look at them to see if there is a family resemblance. But in this case, we’re talking about God’s family. So whose family resemblance do you bear? <br /><br />It’s as well that God is Spirit. If God looked like Akin, then family resemblance would be on the basis of physical appearance and folk like me would be doomed. <br /><br />But God is spirit and so has no physical resemblance against which to compare. The only way to see if there is any resemblance is to look for similarities in character and behaviour. Do you bear the family likeness of God in your character and behaviour? Or do you still bear the family resemblance of that other spiritual father, the Devil?<br /><br />I closing I say this to you: Abide in the vine! Actively remain in Christ! Study God’s word. Pray. Weep. Rejoice. Dance. Sing praises. Give thanks. Intercede for others. Do good works of service. Share with others! Bear fruit in an out of season! <br /><br />In everything, bear the family likeness of God; In everything, demonstrate your Christian-ness by being like Christ, loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and loving your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;"><blockquote>
[The expert in the Law] answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” <br />
<div align="right">
— <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10%3A27-28&version=NET" target="_blank">Luke 10:27-28</a></div>
</blockquote>
</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: xx-small;"><i>© Copyright , 2018</i></span>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-36730781239721369352018-06-30T22:08:00.000+08:002018-06-30T22:08:02.998+08:00Thinx 103: Slicing the pile<!-- Thinx 103: Slicing the pile ---><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: normal;"><blockquote>"I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. This I command you - to love one another.<p align='right'>— <a href='https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A15-17&version=NET' target=_blank>John 15:15-17</a></p></blockquote></span><span style='font-family: georgia;font-size: normal;'>Good works were prepared for you to do from before the foundation of the world. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: normal;"><blockquote>“For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.“<p align='right'>— <a href='https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+2%3A10&version=NET' target=_blank>Ephesians 2:10</a></p></blockquote></span><span style='font-family: georgia;font-size: normal;'>Fruit that lasts, that abides, that remains after you leave this earth. Even in your faithfulness when nothing seems to be happening counts. When you are faithful in sickness and hardship and loss and death, these are also fruit because the way you face them, wherein you are faithful to God, these also glorify God. You get cancer and the world sees how you handle it. Your company goes bankrupt and the world sees how you handle it. All kinds of misfortunes may occur, but like Job you will say, </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: normal;"><blockquote>As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that as the last he will stand upon the earth. <p align='right'>— <a href='https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+19%3A25&version=NET' target=_blank>Job 19:25</a></p></blockquote></span><span style='font-family: georgia;font-size: normal;'>One may well say that Mother Teresa of Calcutta is one whose fruit lasted, but it could also be said of her cook, and her driver, her administrator and the other nuns. For Mother Teresa didn’t do everything herself. Someone else cooked her meals, washed her dishes and laundered her clothes. The world sees only Mother Teresa. God sees everyone else’s faithfulness and fruitfulness (or lack thereof.) <br /><br />The world thinks that if Jesus does return he’ll take the cream of humanity – those who have done the most good, or have given the most money or have sacrificed the most. The world sees society as layers of really good, fairly good, mostly good, not so good, bad, really bad, and extremely bad and thinks that Jesus will slice the pile horizontally. <br /><br />But God sees differently. As 1 Samuel 16:7 says,</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: normal;"><blockquote>But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”<p align='right'>— <a href='https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+16%3A7&version=NET' target=_blank>1 Samuel 16:7</a></p></blockquote></span><span style='font-family: georgia;font-size: normal;'>God will cut the pile vertically on the basis of how people respond to Jesus. On the basis of faithfulness and abiding in him.</span><br /><br /><span style='font-family: georgia;font-size: xx-small;'><i>© Copyright , 2018</i></span>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-51764054612667376832018-06-30T21:59:00.001+08:002018-06-30T21:59:27.032+08:00Thinx 102: A verse a day? Not quite.<!-- Thinx 102: A verse a day? Not quite. ---><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;"></span><br />
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">"I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete. My commandment is this - to love one another just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this - that one lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you." </span><br />
<div align="right">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">— <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A11-14&version=NET" target="_blank">John 15:11-14</a></span></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">Jesus did as his Father commanded him. He was always perfectly obedient to his Father. We must behave in like manner, doing as Jesus commands. This is what is expected of us as disciples, as apprentices, of Christ, And where do we find his commands? In the Bible. So study it diligently.<br /><br />By studying God’s word, I don’t mean just reading a verse out of the Bible App on your phone at breakfast every morning saying, “There I’ve done my Bible bit for today.” Think about the passage and ask yourself questions about it. In Psalm 119:18 it says, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;"><blockquote>
“Open my eyes so I can truly see the marvelous things in your law!”<br />
<div align="right">
— <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+119%3A18&version=NET" target="_blank">Psalm 119:18</a></div>
</blockquote>
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">So ask God to reveal himself as you read his word. And ask yourself questions of the text. For example,<ul>
<li>What is the context of the passage? </li>
<li>What does the passage tell me about God? </li>
<li>What does the passage tell me about myself? </li>
<li>What does this tell me of the past, the present and the future? </li>
<li>Do I need to repent of something </li>
<li>What should I take from this into the day ahead?</li>
</ul>
</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: xx-small;"><i>© Copyright , 2018</i></span>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-61562977324517892402018-06-30T21:46:00.000+08:002018-06-30T21:48:50.656+08:00Thinx 101: Faith is a verb<!-- Thinx 101: Faith is a verb ---><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;"></span><br />
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">"Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain in my love. If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commandments and remain in his love."</span><br />
<div align="right">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">— <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A9-10&version=NET" target="_blank">John 15:9-10</a></span></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">Jesus never seemed to be in a hurry. He knew where he was going and what he was doing. When the centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant, as recorded in Matthew 8:9, among the things he said was this: </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;"></span><br />
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">“For I <i>too</i> am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to this one, 'Go' and he goes, and to another 'Come' and he comes, and to my slave 'Do this' and he does it."</span><br />
<div align="right">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">— <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+8%3A9&version=NET" target="_blank">Matthew 8:9</a></span></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">The centurion could see by Jesus’ manner and behaviour that he was not acting by himself. Jesus knew what was expected of him at any given moment. He saw himself as an active instrument in the hands of his Father. <br /><br />To receive from the vine then we must listen to what Jesus says and that is best achieved by constant <b>study of his word</b>. Jesus promised us that his Holy Spirit would help us do this. <br /><br />And it is in our attitude to his Word that we stand or fall. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;"><blockquote>
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.<br />
<div align="right">
— <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+3%3A16&version=NET" target="_blank">Colossians 3:16</a></div>
</blockquote>
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">Where the word of Christ dwells richly there the Christ dwells. <br /><br />As Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote, “The great challenge to those of us who wish to take the Bible seriously is to let it teach us its own essential categories; and then for us to think <i>with</i> them, instead of just <i>about</i> them.” <br /><br />WWJD is only so helpful as there are many challenges and choices we face for which we have no record of what Jesus did in response. More helpful is HWJT – How Would Jesus Think. If we have the mind of Christ the we will think correctly and respond approriately to every challenge and need. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;"><blockquote>
“For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to advise him? But we have the mind of Christ.”<br />
<div align="right">
— <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+2%3A16&version=NET" target="_blank">1 Corinthians 2:16</a></div>
</blockquote>
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">We also need to make <b>a habit of prayer</b> for this is how we communicate our requests to God </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;"><blockquote>
“Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God.”<br />
<div align="right">
— <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A6&version=NET" target="_blank">Philippians 4:6</a></div>
</blockquote>
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;"><blockquote>
So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.<br />
<div align="right">
— <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+5%3A16&version=NET" target="_blank">James 5:16</a></div>
</blockquote>
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">(confess for accountability, not forgiveness as only God can do that.)<br /><br />And we need to express our Christianity in <b>good works</b>, the one’s that God has prepared for us to do </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;"><blockquote>
“For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.” – Eph 2:10 <br />
<div align="right">
— <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+2%3A10&version=NET" target="_blank">Ephesians 2:10</a></div>
</blockquote>
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">First look to what must be done around you. Are you living with your parents? Honour them! </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;"><blockquote>
‘“Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment accompanied by a promise, namely, “that it may go well with you and that you will live a long time on the earth.”’ <br />
<div align="right">
— <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+6%3A2&version=NET" target="_blank">Ephesians 6:2</a></div>
</blockquote>
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">Obey them! Contribute to the running of the household. Keep your room tidy. Accompany your parents on outings from time to time. Be polite to them. <br /><br />And all these things need to be done with <b>faithful constancy</b>.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;"><blockquote>
“Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion, but the person of integrity will live because of his faithfulness.”<br />
<div align="right">
— <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Habakkuk+2%3A4&version=NET" target="_blank">Habakkuk 2:4</a></div>
</blockquote>
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: normal;">As God is faithful, so the one who bears the family likeness will also be faithful. Not simply having “faith” but living out that faith faithfully.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: xx-small;"><i>© Copyright , 2018</i></span>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604035.post-71449648468809666842018-06-30T21:28:00.001+08:002018-06-30T21:28:42.913+08:00Thinx 100: Glorifying God<!-- Thinx 100: Glorifying God ---><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: normal;"><blockquote>"My Father is honoured by this, that you bear much fruit and show that you are my disciples."<p align='right'>— <a href='https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A8&version=NET' target=_blank>John 15:8</a></p></blockquote></span><span style='font-family: georgia;font-size: normal;'>Fruit honours and glorifies God. It is not for our glory. It is not so that we can look good, be highly regarded and receive accolades from the world. The more we reflect the character and nature of God, the more he is glorified.<br /><br />Fruit is for a purpose. It has beauty and fragrance. It nourishes and promotes health. It demonstrates God’s amazing creativity, power, knowledge and wisdom. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: normal;"><blockquote>In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.<p align='right'>— <a href='https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A16&version=NET' target=_blank>Matthew 5:16</a></p></blockquote></span><br /><br /><span style='font-family: georgia;font-size: xx-small;'><i>© Copyright Bruce M. Axtens, 2018</i></span>Bruce M. Axtenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797830611260628579noreply@blogger.com0