Our brother Danny last Sunday evening read the temptations of Jesus.
The devils anthem was “If you are the Son of God...If you are the Son of God...If you are the Son of God...”
blah, blah, blah, or rabbit, rabbit, rabbit,
bunny, bunny, bunny,
jabber, jabber, jabber...
[sing]: you’ve got more rabbit than Sainsbury's, it’s time to give it a rest...” song courtesy of Chas and Dave.
If we are in our right minds we know that Jesus is the Son of God and son of man, born of woman.
But that’s not the end of the story to me.
It’s long been my conviction that the devil, though he does attack us where we are weak, he also tempts us to use our strengths for his purposes as he tried to do with Jesus, but failed, praise God, with Jesus.
Holy Jesus Christ, whose name means: ‘God saves‘, ‘anointed‘.
What am I?
Am I a kind of preacher who can thunder a few words of scripture and through this instil strength of faith in a person where they are weak?
Or am I, a people person, the life and soul of the party, able to put people at their ease, helping them to enter into the friendship of God?
No,
I’m the sort who reads the bible daily for spiritual communion with God and for inspiration in my life’s work.
But, without Love, I am nothing. Without God and God is Love, I am nothing. Without Him I am not able to please Him.
The devil tempts us to use our God given gifts for His purposes.
He comes to kill and destroy life.
Jesus Christ came to give life and to give it abundantly.
We need to co-operate with God and not get entangled in our own plans for reforming the world for self-satisfaction, and read into this not God satisfaction.
We need to be reconciled to God all the time, Pray without ceasing, and then we can co-operate with God in reconciling others to God...
John 3 vv27 - 36:
“God in heaven appoints each person‘s work. You yourselves know how plainly I told you that “I am not the Messiah”. I am here to prepare the way for Him - that is all. The bride will go where the bridegroom is. A bridegroom’s friend rejoices with him. I am the bridegrooms friend, and I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and I must become less.
He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. I am of the earth, and my understanding is limited to the things of the earth, but He has come from heaven. He tells what He has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! Those who believe Him discover that God is true. For He is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God’s Spirit is upon Him without measure or limit. The Father loves His Son, and He has given Him authority over everything. And all who believe in God’s Son have eternal life. Those who don’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life, but the wrath of God remains upon them.”
I have this picture in mind of a series of doors. To the people we serve these are doors of perception of God’s presence and purpose of reconciliation to God.
Every time, in the Spirit of God, we do something good for another, we help God open a door of perception in them to Him.
Every time, not in the Spirit of God, we do something bad to another, we close five doors of perception for them to God.
These things could be by action, thoughtfulness, conversation, speech.
A positive Action is in helping someone frail or disabled physically or mentally to cross a busy road. God is humble.
A negative would be pushing someone across who doesn’t want to cross the road. But God is gentle, considerate of our wishes.
Positive Thoughtfulness may be in sitting with someone who is traumatised and listening to anything they have to say...sometimes through long silences. God is love.
Not driven by a negative thought, sitting with a person like this and probing them with questions with the aim of fixing them.
God is the one who heals and God is patient.
With good Conversation, free flowing talk between persons, with genuine facial expressions to what the other has said.
With smiles. God is encouragement.
With a sorrowful look. God is honest and feels our pain.
Jesus wept. He feels our pain in Jesus.
He keeps no record of wrongs
A frown is condemning of another and of oneself.
But we are not always conscious of the things that we do.
Lord cleanse us from our secret faults.
Father forgive us for we know not what we do.
Oh dear, what about listening just to get a point in when the other person stops speaking. Not working to understand the other’s life experiences and troublesome feelings that arise out of this?
But God is wise.
I pray that He will make us instruments and channels of His peace...
It’s better to understand than to be understood.
And then there’s Speech. Using words to build up.
“Thank you, so much, for helping me. You’re so kind.”
Oh Lord prevent us form using words, and sometimes even your words, to destroy life!
[Harshly]: “This is what you are meant to be doing...”
But God is life.
God defines us and not any human being in a state of pride and selfishness.
And yet,
“Blessed are those who know their need of God” and
“How great is our God.”
He is merciful, just and forgiving.
In the fullness of God Jesus says:
“Let not your hearts be troubled
and do not let them be afraid.
It is my Father’s good pleasure
to give you His ‘king’s domain’
Life with Him.”
I pray:
Almighty God
Forgive what we have been,
Bless what we truly are in your eyes
Please guide and direct what we shall be.
Through Jesus Christ who is three wonderful things to us and far far more:
Our human brother
Our friend
Our divine Lord.
Amen. Come Spirit of Christ Jesus.
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