Forgiveness Doesn't Mean Wimpness

One thing you should know about this blog is that I never promised or will be the "perfect Christian" - because I'm not. There are plenty of those about - I hardly need even mention them. Just reading them makes you ache to be like them because they seem so together and so "Christian". I on the other hand am real - and promise to always be real. If I'm rejoicing and celebrating - then I'll write about it. If I'm struggling - then I probably won't write but will after I've picked myself up. If I'm livid - then I'll write about that too.

And today - I'm livid. I had a pretty rubbish weekend struggling with various family issues back in Bristol (ever tried cooking an Easter roast dinner on your own with just gas hobs while family are at SGM church?!). And today brought a culmination of issues that have been grumbling at work to a head. I left work feeling like I am being manipulated emotionally and professionally by a whole host of people and being lied to - which I hate.

It left me thinking - what is really the difference between the world and the church? I've been lied to, manipulated and bullied by both church and world. What marks us out? What distinguishes us? I'm hoping to have a meeting with a key SGM leader here to finally deal with the messes of the past and lay them to rest and am actually really, really encouraged and daring to hope - he seems so gracious and so kind. But am I being foolish - are we really meant to be naive and gullible and get hurt again and again by manipulative people who take us for fools? Or are we meant to go to the other extreme and be cynical and bitter and untrusting and ungenerous? Or is there a balance to be found?

I know there is a balance - and am really trying to find it in my own life. I love people and hate hurting anyone and generally try to please everyone. I suspect the balance is to be found in the Person of Jesus Christ. But my point is - I don't think forgiveness means we have to be gullible. I like this "Girls Aloud" video performance of their song; "Control of the Knife". It's ironic that Cheryl Cole sang this (we think) as a warning to her husband Ashley. The line goes;

"You tricked me once - I won't let you trick me twice".

Here's the video:



I find Cheryl's face fascinating. Did you miss it in the video? Here it is again;

That is a girl I wouldn't mess with! And I think Jesus was a Man that you wouldn't mess with either! So here's hoping to getting the balance right one day - but for now ... I'm just angry. Church pastors (tending towards legalism) and NHS bosses ... beware!

Time to Step Upto the Block!

I was interested to read John Piper's latest blog; "John Piper's Upcoming Leave". For those who haven't read it - Piper announces that he is shortly going to go on leave until December 2010. Unlike his previous sabbaticals this will not be a flurry of productivity (usual Piper) with books that we can enjoy and benefit from. He wrote;

"In this leave, I intend to let go of all of it. No book-writing. No sermon preparation or preaching. No blogging. No Twitter. No articles. No reports. No papers. And no speaking engagements".

Bad news for Piper fans. Why is Piper doing this?

"I asked the elders to consider this leave because of a growing sense that my soul, my marriage, my family, and my ministry-pattern need a reality check from the Holy Spirit ... I see several species of pride in my soul that, while they may not rise to the level of disqualifying me for ministry, grieve me, and have taken a toll on my relationship with Noël and others who are dear to me".

There may be some who wonder why Piper is taking this leave and what's going on - and I confess I'm one of them. But my wondering about Piper the man is overridden by the challenge facing the generation he leaves for a season.

My friend Pete Day and I like to think of these living heroes of the faith as "teachers" in the analogy of a school. Students rely on full-time teachers that come day by day and impart knowledge (local pastor/teachers). But some key teachers only come part-time or sometimes once a term to teach a key lesson (apostles/prophets/national pastor/teachers). John Piper is to many thousands just that - a teacher that we value and love.

But he's going away - and there is nothing we can do about it. For those who over-rely on his teaching, his blogs, his Twitter, and his books - there is a problem! They are going to find a Piper-shaped void. I think that our generation has a challenge and an opportunity to step up and see the amazing productivity that John Piper rolls out month by month. He writes, he prays, he blogs, he tweets, he lives the message that he loves and believes in.

What about us? Do we moan and whinge that we don't have "time" to blog or write or tweet or share what is on our heart? Maybe there is nothing on our hearts! Maybe that is a truth we must honestly confront and go and live in the Word of God and under the hovering Presence of the Holy Spirit. Find the message! Live the message! And then write and share that message. Even if John Piper does return in December to us as he left us - if not better - (and we pray he does) - he will go to glory one day and will not be with us forever.

Where are the John Pipers of our generation? The visionaries who believe in and are prepared to die for the vision they have seen?

Ending It All?

• More males than females "succeed" at suicide, by a ratio of 4 to 1.


• Suicide has been reported as the second leading cause of death among teenagers.


• It appears that about one in three teen aged suicides is by a gay or lesbian.


• Followers of religions that strongly prohibit suicide, like Christianity and Islam, have a higher suicide rate than those religions which have no strong prohibition.

This blog post has been born out of three different experiences. Firstly my friend Brogan (from South Africa) and I have both been thinking along parallel lines on this. Secondly I was upset to hear of one of the members of City Church International in Hong Kong taking his own life - announced here (he had suffered beyond belief for years). Thirdly;

I had an unusual experience today when I was out running. I'd done a longer run on Friday night and was aching a bit so was finding it quite tough going. I put on my "gym playlist" and suddenly without warning found I was listening to "Heroes" - originally sang by Mariah Carey but this version was sang by the X-Factor finalists of 2008. And I heard this phrase in the song that stuck;

"Hold on until tomorrow - in time you'll find a way".


And I felt a massive emotional stirring for those who have taken their own lives or those who have been so close to taking their own lives. I have never heard suicide be addressed in any other terms but shock, disapproval and downright condemnation. Some Christians even suggest that if you take your own life then you are guilty of murder and may not even go to heaven. This of course is another blatent example of the legalistic wing of the church's ability to categorise and put sin on pedestals.

And the ironic thing is that I suspect that the final thought going through the one taking his/her own life is that they know that the church will tut, shake it's head and disapprove ... again.

So in this post - I want to speak to the potential suicidal. And then to the legalistic church.

1. To the one planning to take their own life.

If you have dealt with suicidal thoughts then you will be extremely sensitive to anyone trying to speak to you. "You don't know what I'm going through" - will probably going through your mind. And you are right. I don't know specifically what you are going through. But I DO know what it is like to carry the weight of considering whether or not to take your own life. I've been thinking about that for a number of years since I lived in Bristol. I still have a packet of pills in my bedroom that I never touch - earmarked for my use should I need it. Can I say I will never take my own life? No, I can't promise that. So please - I do know something of what it is like to consider suicide. BUT! That doesn't stop me trying to think through ways out.

So there is a very simple principle that needs to be totally and utterly demolished. Rob Rufus said this;

"The law addresses your behaviour. Grace addresses your heart. If your effort got you there, then your effort must keep you there. If grace got you there, then grace will keep you there".

There's so much I could say but I know that your time may be limited. I could baffle you with theological arguments and persuasions or even threats but you know them all. What you essentially want to know is surely why you should bother carrying on another day but secondly what will happen if you do pull that trigger, or take those pills or start that car. The question you need answering is why you should bother living another day. The song "Heroes" pleads; "Hold on - there will be tomorrow - in time you will find a way!". But I know you are answering that; "I can't hold on - I can't face tomorrow and I have tried and failed to find a way".

Listen to the best piece of good news in the world - 2 Corinthians 5:19;

" ... namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation".

There are the two greatest pieces of good news in the world here. And if you can dare to allow yourself to believe this, I guarantee it will do more to dispel your depression and maybe just maybe give you cause to live again.

1. God has reconciled YOU to HIM - permamently and forever and nothing and no one can take that away. No sin can remove that reconciliation. Let's get specific. You will hear the Church perhaps tell you that no sin can take that reconciliation away. You like me may suspect that they mean lying or a tendancy to pride or jealousy. Or maybe even lust as long as you read Joshua Harris's book. But what about if you have been a prostitute? Or what about if you have murdered someone? What about if you are gay and in an active relationship with someone? What about if you are a paedophile? What about if you have been a pagan and practiced witchcraft? But we must persist in allowing the Word of God and the promises of God to be consistent. God has reconciled you to Himself no matter what you have done. That must mean;

2. God is NOT counting your sins against you! I don't know what sins are worrying you. But let's talk about one I can bet we all have considered. You may have been told that if you commit suicide and take your own life then you will go to hell. The argument is that if you take your own life then you cannot ask forgiveness for the sin of murder therefore you are condemned to hell. No disrespect to anyone who says this but they are lying. If the forgiveness of your sin depends on the quantity, timing and appropriateness of you "confessing" such sin then Jesus Christ's sacrifice and blood shed on the Cross was conditional.

So what about the pseudo-threats of the Church that if you take your own life then you will go to hell? Well for that to happen, suicide must be too great a sin for Jesus Christ's death and sacrifice to cover. To suggest so is complete and utter blasphemy. Therefore if you have committed your life to Jesus Christ and accepted freely the gift of His righteousness then (let me say this slowly);

If .... you .... commit .... suicide .... you .... will ..... still .... go .... to .... heaven.

Do I want you to still go through with this? No of course I don't! I don't know you or your situation but I do believe earnestly that God has great schemes in store for you - if you will give Him a chance then you will see He has good plans for you - plans to give you a future and a hope. But I say again - if you do feel that you have absolutely no option but to take your own life then you absolutely will go to heaven and you will see the face of God. You may ask what will your arrival in heaven be like? Will you be saved "as though by fire"? Well I can't say for sure because I haven't yet taken my own life and been there. But I think I can say what I believe would happen.

When I was out running listening to the song "Heroes" I had a powerful experience and I felt as though I was sharing the experience of someone who was dying and closing their eyes and awaking in glory. The first thing I was aware of was the face of God and I looked eagerly although scared to see if there was disappointment or worse anger. What I saw was an overwhelming empathy. How foolish to not realise that God Himself knows every pain, every agony, every torment that we - His creation - go through! He knew. And He understood. And He loved. And He forgave freely just as He has always forgiven freely since Calvary.

Well I haven't said anything to stop you taking the pills or pulling the trigger - you may say. That's true. I never promised all the answers. All I promised was that I know what you are going through. And I am on a voyage of discovery and my discoveries so far show that God really wants us to live and enjoy each day so that He can unfold revelations of His love and passion for us and show us that He has gladly reconciled Himself to us and He is NOT counting our sins against us!

2. To the Church family wanting to support the suicidal.

I have got nothing to say to the legalistic church who despise the suicidal as "weak" and taking the "easy way out". You have blood on your hands. If God is not holding the sins of the suicidal against them - then what gives YOU the right to hold their sins against them? "If God is for (them) then who can be against (them)?". It is the condemnation that you are placing upon those struggling souls that is a major factor in driving them to end their lives. I hope that the gospel of grace will wake you up one day and realise what you are doing.

I want to speak to the church family (like City Church International in Hong Kong) who REALLY want to help the suicidal among them and REALLY care and love and long for them to find "a future and a hope". I must urge anyone who really wants to look into this to listen to Rob Rufus's two messages - "Announcement about Barry Summers" and "The Glory of Tested Faith (Part 2)Enduring Hardships". Rob's compassion and love for both Barry (the guy who took his own life) and the church is incredible. Rob speaks about clipping Barry around the ear when they next meet in glory but he speaks passionately to the church to prevent them from feeling they "could have done more".

So what can the church do to help? I believe it is quite simple. One of my favourite Stuart Townend songs is "The Resurrection Hymn" with the verse;

"See Mary weeping, 'Where is He laid?' As in sorrow she turns from the empty tomb; Hears a voice speaking, calling her name; It's the Master, the Lord raised to life again! The voice that spans the years, Speaking life, stirring hope, Bringing peace to us, Will sound till He appears, For He lives, Christ is risen from the dead!".

The church has been so eager to defend doctrine especially the doctrine of the Cross in recent years - and there is nothing wrong with that. But an over-emphasis on the doctrine glosses over the fact that He died 2,000 years ago but HE NOW LIVES!! And He doesn't just live but He lives "to intercede for us". He is alive and He is busily active! Church ministries need to make every effort to remind the church that He is alive, He is active and He does speak!

Even some so-called reformed charismatic churches allow for prophecy in their midst but seem to forget the point of prophecy. Jesus Christ is SPEAKING TO HIS BRIDE! When He intervenes in divine and miraculous healing it is a touch of love! One of the things John MacArthur said that made me so angry was to write in his commentary that Jesus only healed in the New Testament "for a purpose". What he meant was that each miracle was to achieve or prove something. There was no suggestion in the commentary about the difference that the healing would make to the person themselves. The woman bowed over for 18 years was healed and the first thing she saw was Jesus Christ's face - full of love!

The suicidal man or woman needs to hear Jesus Christ speaking to them for themselves. They need to hear the words of love that our heavenly Bridegroom is speaking to them! And the church is the place where that can happen. They need to be in a family who love, welcome and appreciate them. They need to be in a family that assure them that their salvation is secure and even if they do end it, they will still go to heaven. They need to be in a family that gather together eagerly to EXPECT the voice of Jesus Christ to resound through the body.

I can recall some of the prophecies that have changed my life because the prophet heard Jesus speak and relayed the message.

1. Terry Virgo Prophesies at Brighton Leaders Conference 2003 - "Resurrection!".

2. Terry Virgo Prophesies at Together on a Mission 2006 - "Embrace change!".

3. Terry Virgo Prophesies at Together on a Mission 2006 - "Eavesdropping on My plans!".

4. Terry Virgo Prophesies at Stoneleigh Bible Week 2000 - "This is Dancing Ground!".

And they are just a few! Each prophecy made me cry, laugh, shake and tremble. But the one resounding thing about each prophecy was that it made me more convinced that I have ever been more sure that JESUS CHRIST IS ALIVE!

In closing I mentioned that I have a pack of pills in my bedroom that I keep ... just in case. When heaven seems silent and Jesus Christ might as well still be hanging on the Cross - that is when I feel low, depressed and that life is without purpose. When the prophetic is flowing, when I can hear Him speaking and talking - that is when I want nothing less than to end my life. A dear blogging friend - Jamie - summed up suicide excellently - I will let her close;

"Suicide: sad choice for our earth suit but that's about it. :)".

My Attempt at Q and A on Grace/Healing

I haven't forgotten the "Suicide" post - it's on it's way. Incredibly it seems jinxed though. Every time I type it, Blogger keeps crashing and losing my work! So I have taken it to Word and am typing it there. Until I get it done though - I received a fascinating email asking a key question. My first thought was to pass it onto someone else because I simply do not and am not qualified to answer this sort of stuff. But then I thought I would give it a go.

So here it is. If anyone has any improvements or further thoughts then please, please add comments and let me know!

The question the guy asked was this:

"Since God's grace has brought blessings and made us receive His healing, how come we believers who believe in pure Grace with no condemnation, still fall sick?".

My answer:

"Many thanks for your email - it's great to hear from you.

You ask an excellent question and it's one that I will try to the best of my ability to answer you. But you should know that I answer it from being in a position similar to yourself. I.e - I also believe in God's grace and believe we are not under law, but struggle to understand this. So please don't think I am writing as any expert - merely a fellow Christian seeking truth!

My understanding is this - sickness is and has never been God's will. It is not God's will that any should be sick. Sickness came in as a result of the Fall, and it will never be glorifying to God. I think Christians can glorify God THROUGH suffering but do not glorify God by passively ENDURING suffering.

Secondly I believe that one of the mission points of Jesus Christ was to banish suffering as an effect of the coming of His Kingdom. He said Himself; "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed me to preach ... to HEAL .... to bind up" and so on. He did absolutely that during His earthly ministry and then He commissioned His church to "go" and do likewise. The church was equipped to do just that when the Holy Spirit was poured out thereby empowering and anointing the church.

So we have the commission from Jesus - and the empowerment and anointing to do so from the Holy Spirit in the understanding that sickness is not to be tolerated.

Back to your question -

Why then do people get sick? There may be a variety of reasons. Rob Rufus (one of my favourite grace teachers) says that the LESS law is in our lives the MORE glory (i.e healing) we will see in our lives. So like you - I don't believe I am under law. But I wouldn't say that the law has no influence on my life still. I can testify to it's effects - every now and then I feel condemnation creeping in. Once our beliefs starting changing us and soaking into our complete personality then that is when (I think) we will see healing begin to manifest in and through our lives.

That being said, I am NOT NOT NOT saying that people who are sick are guilty of not throwing off law off their lives. There may be a number of reasons - they may be in a church hearing preaching that mixes law and grace. They may be receiving teaching from a pastor/elders who mix law and grace. I think the very grace message means that it cannot be anyone's "fault" that they don't get healed - apart from those whom God has entrusted with responsibility to reveal His Word to them if they are teaching legalism in the gospel - i.e Ephesians 4 Ministries.

So I hope this shows how absolutely vital the gospel of grace is. We have absolutely categorically GOT to believe that God is passionately for us and it is His desire that while we may endure suffering, we should not endure sickness passively. We have GOT to see that it is God's will that we see healing and signs and wonders and miracles come into our lives! Otherwise if we do not believe God is 110% for us, then we will not completely believe that He wants to heal us and if we do not completely believe He WANTS to heal us, then we will question why He SHOULD heal us.

I've gone on long enough! But I hope some of those thoughts are of help. I am no expert in grace, but I'm thinking through these things and pray they will be of blessing to you.

Please don't hesitate to come back to me if you have any further comments/questions".

The Cost of Being a Disciple

I have been reading John Piper's book; "Spectacular Sins: And Their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ" yesterday and I must confess I wasn't largely thrilled at first. Piper writes in his usual God-centred glory focus but also in his usual rather depressing eschatological outlook. Essentially he believes and quotes extensively from the Scriptures that the world is going to get worse and worse and that evil will continue to abound and that we will begin to suffer and die for our faith. My one caveat is that while yes I also believe this - I also believe the Scriptures point to the church ever-expanding and the Kingdom of God more than matching this advance of darkness. "The Spreading Flame" - F F Bruce called it.

But then I also happened to be reading through my most recent copy of Evangelicals Now that I get and was interested to read an article by E M Hicham on "Receiving Muslim Converts?". He is a Muslim evangelist and writes with that as his focus but some of his comments gripped me;

"There is perhaps no more baffling, unsolved problem than the care of the new convert ... our churches need to receive converts from Islam with open arms and to share in their trials ... many local churches are often unwilling to receive Muslim converts for fear of the consequences ...

Such cowardliness and faithlessness are inexcusable. Do we have any idea of what conversion may mean for a Muslim? Do we realise the cost for any Muslim who wants to be a disciple of Jesus? ... Shall we give them a cold shoulder because our own comfort and complacency may be threatened?

I cannot conceive of any justifiable circumstance where a local church could refuse to extend a warm hand of fellowship to a convert brother from Islam and I have little doubt that wherever this does occur, it will be nothing less than the church's concern about its own vested interests that will be the root cause of it.

For a local church to reject a brother or sister in order to protect it's own security is to surely anger God".

He then goes on to discuss his view that Muslim converts must make a complete break from Islam and join the local church but honestly admits he has no easy answers. For someone who lives in Birmingham with such a high cosmopolitan community I have often thought the same. The church has many evangelists looking to reach converts. But does the church have apostles and prophets who are building grace foundations in those churches to receive the converts and disciple them when they come?

A key Newfrontiers prophecy is "It is too small a thing for you to restore the house" and goes on to address that the heart must be reaching the lost and indeed that must be so. But the house must be still built properly at the same time! For a house built without proper foundations surely will never reach the heady heights it was meant to.

I found while I was reading the article in Evangelicals Now that my heart and my thoughts went to the issue of reaching people with same sex orientations with the Gospel of grace. Surely the very same issues face them! For instance;

1. Our churches need to receive converts with same sex attractions with open arms and share in their trials - most specifically we are asking them to live a life of celibacy.

2. Many local churches are unwilling to receive converts (maybe not for fear of consequences) but because of their own prejudices.

3. Such cowardliness and faithlessness surely is also just as inexcusable as not receiving Muslim converts.

4. Do we have any idea of what conversion may mean for someone with a same sex attraction?

5. Shall we give them a cold shoulder because our own comfort and complacency may be threatened?

It is rather sad that the very same issue of Evangelicals Now does indeed mention homosexuality but only to bemoan the fact that the new Equality Bill coming through Parliament will soon mean that churches must employ gay youth workers. I can't imagine many gay youth workers who would actually want to work in a lot of churches - but I wish that the same issues would be discussed and challenged for the many tens of thousands of gay men and women sitting on our doorstep who surely need to hear the same gospel of grace as Muslims.

How many church elders and pastors have sat down and discussed how best to care for - say two lesbians who are converted as a couple and come into the church and welcome them with open arms and see them discipled? If there are churches out there that do this - then praise God! But my experience of spending my entire known life in church is somewhat different and sadder.

The spreading flame of the gospel means that sooner or later all nations and all people groups will come - so this issue must be faced one day and one day soon. Maybe that is why the tidal wave of glory and revival hovers on the horizon still. Are we ready for what's coming?

Life on Wings on Video!!

I am always, always on the hunt for Ern Baxter resources so was thrilled to find a series of nine videos on You-Tube that make available the whole classic amazing sermon that has formed the name of this blog! Here they are;













The "Eagle" Song!

For Those Whom the Traffic Lights are Red ...

I've been texting Pete Day a bit about this - so I do hope it will make sense. If anyone reads it and am not sure quite what I am on about then do feel free to ignore and move on! Essentially the thought for this blog was prompted by a comment that Rob Rufus made in one of his more recent sermons - "The Struggle For The Authentic Part 3 - Qualifications For The Blessings - Faith or Works?" - about how things have been very tough for the Rufus family and for City Church International but recently;

"When I woke up this morning I felt that the air was clear again and the pollution of darkness and oppression had evaporated and lifted off us. I don't want to be weirdly spiritual but the very natural atmosphere has had the pollution blown off it. Then every traffic light driving here was green and God was saying; "It's a green light - it's a go-ahead! ... Sometimes in God things aren't a coincidence - there is a prophetic significance".

Just after listening to that portion of the sermon, I had to drive to a night shift and was thinking absently about what Rob said until I came to realise that every traffic light I was coming upto (and there are a lot in Birmingham) was RED. Every light! Rob said that some things aren't a coincidence - I couldn't help but think each and everyone of my red lights weren't a coincidence because they were changing so frequently just as I drove upto them - and then staying red for what seemed like an obscene amount of time! If that wasn't bad enough, my car proceeded to break down on my way home from a night shift and needed water in the radiator.

So what I found myself thinking was that if God was saying to Rob Rufus through his green lights - "It's a green light - it's a go-ahead!" - what was He saying to me through every light being red?! Initially I was quite down-cast and found myself unhelpfully drawing comparisons between myself and Rob and Hong Kong and feeling that all-too familiar sense once again of condemnation creeping over me and that all-too familar voice; "Rob is a great man of faith - you'll never be like him! What?! You reckon you can even stand in the same room as Rob!? You're pathetic" - and so on and so on. I think most will know what I am talking about.

But as I waited on God I actually began to find a quieter but more insistent voice speaking and it was speaking words of hope and words of comfort. And He was saying things like; "The light is red just before it turns green. The night is blackest just before the dawn" and the sense that I was receiving was not that the red lights were condemning lights telling me that I was useless and my life was never going to go anywhere - but rather that this was a time to wait on the Lord and renew my strength and mount up with wings as eagles because the lights were about to change.

So if anyone else feels like me that their life is in a "red zone" at the moment, I hope this will be something of a comfort to you. God is absolutely and utterly 100% sovereign and each portion of our lives are carefully planned out and approved and set by Him. Nothing happens without His say-so. Even a sparrow cannot fall from it's nest without our Father knowing about it - how much more will He care for and love those He has appointed, predestined, called, justified AND made righteous?! Those traffic lights will turn green soon ... and when they do we will speed off all the faster because of that time of waiting on God! It's never a waste!

What is Religion?

Rob Rufus brought an important answer to this question (from his sermon; "The Blood - Substance or Shadow?";

"What is religion? The absence of power and Presence = religion.

I don't care if there are 10, 000 people on a Sunday morning - with incredible programmes and incredible music and incredible speaking and preaching with great eloquence and persuasive words - if there is no demonstration of power, if there is no cripples walking and blind eyes opening or deaf ears opening or people being set free from demons then you have just seen a very impressive modernist demonstration of religion. You can have an encounter with expert musicians but not an encounter with God. Music is not there to entertain us or impress us - music is merely a servant to facilitate the manifestation of the glory of God".

As next year fast approaches (too fast for my liking!) - it will inevitably come round to conference decisions. This year has been quite unusual for me in that I haven't been to a conference (aside from the weekend Eastbourne conference with Rob Rufus). I'm glad I have had a conference-free year. It's meant that I've got to consider my relationship with God for myself away from the bright lights and heady atmosphere. As Rob himself said - we won't make it unless we learn how to encounter God away from conferences.

But next year brings "Grace and Glory Conference in Hong Kong"!!

The question and the challenge for this conference - and any other conference is will there be a guarantee of His Presence and His power there? Because if the answer is "I'm not sure" or "I hope so" or "maybe" or "Well there'll be good teaching" - then maybe something of religion is sneaking into a church programme that should be devoted to pursuing His Presence and power without hesitation!

A Righteous Frustration!!

I go through pangs of guilt every now and then that I don't feel happier with my Christian life. The last couple of Sundays I have been at the gym when "Songs of Praise" has been on and I've felt guilty at the unnerving spectacle of the row upon row of Christians singing wonderful songs but with dead-pan faces. Why aren't we as Christians happier? Or more joyful? Of course I cannot judge those who appear on "Songs of Praise" on their expressions alone. To be sure some of them may have joy inexpressible in their hearts - but the Bible does seem to suggest that out of the mouth will flow the affairs of the heart. If we had that genuine joy inexpressible in response to the touch of a divine God then the world would know.

I earnestly believe that. The problem then with a miserable Church is not God - but us. We haven't encountered Him and the revelation of His grace as we should. John Piper talked about the way to get white-hot for God is to get near to His white-hot heart! I don't think the problem is getting orthodoxy right but getting zeal for His house right and allowing it to consume us. To be sure Todd Bentley had problems with matters of orthodoxy but no one can deny his zeal and the impact he had and I believe will continue to have.

All that said, I still feel guilty and think should I heed my parents counsel and "settle"? I was thrilled therefore to find the following in my new book that I am enjoying; "The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind".

Bill Johnson said;

"I have come to see that the normal Christian life means miracles, spiritual intervention and revelation. It means peace, joy, love, a sense of well-being and purpose - all these traits that ellude so many Christians. Written into the spiritual DNA of every believer is an appetite for the impossible that cannot be ignored or wished away. The Holy Spirit, the very Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us, making it impossible for us to be content with what we can only see, hear, touch, taste and smell. Our hearts know there is much more to life than what we perceive with our senses; we are spiritually agitated by the lack of connection with the realm of the supernatural".

What a sense of freedom! What a sense of joy and relief! Suddenly I see a diagnosis that the problem is not that I and many others are just miserable and frustrated - but that it is within our spiritual DNA! Bill Johnson mentioned again this theme that seems to keep coming up and up - that the SAME Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is WITHIN us! How can we then not expect signs and wonders and miracles and interventions in our lives?

Self Harm and the Wounds of Christ

A bit of a warning - this post is going to deal with some issues that some may not be comfortable with. But I remember when I used to go to West Birmingham Family Church, a prophecy was made over me that my honesty would be used by God to act in releasing spiritual bombs that unlock secrets that have bound many for years. So I want to write and share what I am about to - in the hope that someone somewhere may read this and be heartened by the fact that they are not alone in struggling as they am. That there are others! And that Jesus Christ DOES care and there is an answer and it doesn't lie in cliched Christian answers or in over-bearing church discipline.

I was at the gym today (it's become my new spiritual escape - there aren't many mountains around Birmingham to get away to as Rob Rufus suggested). I find it quite helpful blocking out the world and find that God often speaks to me because I am stuck on a treadmill or on a rower and there's nowhere else I can go! I was startled to see a young lad come in (maybe about 15 or 16) and sit down next to me on the rower and all down his arm were vivid cuts which were clearly self-inflicted. Self-harm. We don't talk about it in church much do we? But what distressed me was the feelings and emotions that arose in response to seeing this lad's arm. I may have mentioned (but I don't think I did publicly) that a few years ago when I was in Bristol I used to regularly self-harm as a coping mechanism to deal with depression.

I should mention it was one of the things I asked for help about from my parent's church (and didn't receive any) but went on to deal with it pretty much through gradually exposing myself to the grace of God through Terry Virgo and Rob Rufus's teaching.

It was rather startling and distressing to see this lad's arm and have the thought flash through my mind that how releasing and relieving it would be to also self-harm again and feel the pain and the anxiety of work go away just for a moment. I left the gym and drove home struggling with the temptation a bit but saw this rather as an opportunity to see whether the message of grace and glory really REALLY does work! And I want to testify that it does. It really, really does. I was driving home crying out to God that I have allowed working at a children's hospice to distress me and upset me enough that I should want to physically harm the temple of the Holy Spirit and there was absolutely NO condemnation or guilt or judgement from heaven!

There was only everlasting love - everlasting arms. A verse came unbidden to my mind.

"I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders, a Lamb standing as if slain ...".

It occured to me that if the Lamb was standing there as if slain then He most probably had blood and wounds on Him. Many researchers agree that people who self-harm do so because; "Some feel as if they are not good enough and they might not want to take it out on the person who harmed them. It's often difficult for them to open up and tell about their "secret shame". Yet the body is remarkable in the fact that it heals - hence self-harmers have to keep on and on harming.

But the wounds of Christ are ever-fresh. They are an ever-reminder of the ever-present work of the Cross! Jesus didn't just die so that we can be assured of an eternal future when we die - although that's part of it. "Salvation" is a word that carries with it a connotation of complete life change. When He died on the Cross He stretched out His arms and He died for us ALL. The Cross is far more than a historical event that's something to weep over every now and then. The empty Cross and empty grave (as Rob Rufus says) are the source of all spiritual power! He Himself said that His mission when He came to earth was;

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives - And freedom to prisoners".

So those wounds that are ever fresh are there to bring good news to the afflicted. To bind up the broken-hearted. To proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners. And these - may I add - are all emotions and feelings that contribute to people self-harming. Am I the only Christian who has struggled in the past with harming themselves? I suspect not. And if my suspicion is correct - then I wanted this post desperately so much to be a message of hope to them. The wounds of Christ are as though freshly slain! There's no need to bleed yourself because Christ bled for us. And in those drops of precious blood, every need, every desire, every pain, every hope of mankind can be met by a loving eternally gracious God who wants to see His people embraced in ever-lasting arms.

Living a REAL Life!!

I have a confession ... I went to see "Mamma Mia" on Monday night after we got back from Ibiza and I loved it SO much that I wanted to post and encourage all to go see it if you can! But I didn't ... because I was worried that I would be judged by Pharisee commentators. But I was at the gym today listening to Rob Rufus's latest sermon; "Attitudes That Attract The Empowering Grace Of God" and he made a point that devastated me and highlighted a lifetime of hypocrisy and performance pressure within me.

Rob was talking about Bill Johnson and the church at Reading and how he loves the fact that they operate in awesome supernatural anointing power but they are real and love hunting, fishing and surfing etc. He said;

"I want to see generations birthed who can sustain high level power without getting weird".

So that set me free - and I hold up my hands and apologise for being still bound by the fear of men. So I can stand up now and say that there is NO WAY on earth that I can ever see myself liking hunting, fishing or surfing like Bill Johnson and Rob! But I don't think that was the point Rob was trying to make. The point is that I shouldn't be ashamed of having a life of activities that I enjoy and am unashamed of - that keep me from becoming hyper-spiritual and weird!

For example I love going to the gym. I've just taken up running again quite seriously. I love reading all sorts of books under the sun (I read Theo Paphitis's new book on holiday) and I am a sci-fi nerd and love all sorts of films like Starwars, the Matrix, Heroes, Harry Potter - basically films that were roundly condemned by the youth leaders at my home church as "New Age" and who would angrily condemn any of us young people who did enjoy such "abberations"! Anyway to get to my original point - I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED "Mamma Mia"!

Here's a clip - you get to see Meryl Streep and Julie Walters do things you've never seen before!;


I defy anyone to go in, see it and not come out smiling - even if you aren't an ardent ABBA fan! My point to all this? I am learning thanks to Rob and Bill Johnson and people that it is okay to be "real" - and to manifest the anointing, you don't have to be weird and odd and fast all the time.


Because I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is crazy about me (that's something else Rob said!)!!

"Christ's Ministry Today" by Dr Ern Baxter

"Where is Jesus Now - and what does that mean to me?"

From New Wine Magazine - July/August 1977

"Many books have been written about the life of Jesus Christ. Most of them commence with His birth and conclude with His death; a few go so far as to include His ascension into heaven. Such an abbreviated record of Jesus' life is understandable if we only think of "the days of His flesh" (Hebrews 5:7), the period of His life on earth. However, Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was "crucified and slain", was "raised up by God" and "exalted to the right hand of God" where "He forever liveth" (Acts 2:22, 23, 32, 33; Hebrews 7:25). Could it be that we have given so much attention to His life on earth that we have failed to attach the proper importance to His life as it has continued for nearly 2, 000 years in heaven? Actually the events of His earth life were the foundation for His continuing life and ministry "at God's right hand" (Romans 8:34).

What He did then was in preparation for what He is doing now and will do in the future. Although it is important that we know what He did and even what He will do in the future, it is vital to our Christian life and understanding that we know what He is doing now, since He is "now appearing on our behalf in the very Presence of God" (Hebrews 9:24).

Success in the Christian life is inseperably linked to "fixing our gaze upon Jesus" (Weymouth), the "pioneer and perfection of faith" (Moffatt), "who is sat down at the right hand of God" (Hebrews 12:2) where we (now) see Jesus crowned with glory and honour (Hebrews 2:9). we are instructed to "seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God". "Set your affections on ('practice occupying your mind with' - Williams) things above, and not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:1, 2). Understanding who and what we are in relation to what Christ is now, in His present life, will determine our whole character as Christians, 'for we realize that our life in this world is actually His life lived in us' (1 John 4:17). The prime question then is; what is Jesus now, and what does that mean to me?

1. Man.

Peter in his message to Israel on the Day of Pentecost said; "Jesus of Nazareth, a man" is "by the right hand of God exalted" (Acts 2:22, 33).

This is God's evaluation of man. Man may see himself as the primeval slime, destined for oblivion but God declares man to be the product of divine creative genius destined for residence with Himself.

The Bible speaks of two men, significant to the human race. The first man - Adam and the last Adam - Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:45). Made in God's "image and likeness" (Genesis 2:7), the first man failed to obey the divine commission for his life and became a man of disobedience producing a progeny "in his own likeness, according to his image" (Genesis 5:3) who became known as the "children of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2). The last Adam, Jesus born "without sin" became a new life-giving source, whose progeny are distinguished by righteousness and obedience (Romans 1:5, 5:19).

The first man was commissioned to "rule ... over the earth" (Genesis 1:26 - NAS) as God's delegated authority, and he forfeited his authority through disobedience. The second man succeeded where the first failed, and because He was "obedient ... God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name" (Phil 2:8, 9 - NAS). After the fall of the first man and His forfeiture of authority. God delegated men to represent Him in the earth until the time should come for the second man to arrive on the scene to assume permament rulership. "God after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son ..." (Hebrews 1:1, 2 - NAS). The prophets not only declared God's will and requirements to their times but referred to the coming of the One who would be God's final voice and Ruler supreme.

No sooner had the first man failed than God announced that there would come "a seed" who would "bruise the serpent's head" (Genesis 3:15). The coming of this "seed" became the central theme of the Old Testament writings. The promise of His coming was confirmed to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jacob's 12 sons became a nation, whose illustrious deliverer and leader Moses spoke of the coming of this "seed" as a great Prophet like himself who would become the leader of the people of God.

2. Pioneer and Perfection.

"In the fullness of time" He came! He succeeded where the first man failed, and as a man, pioneered a way through life which afforded an example of how it can be done (1 Peter 2:21).

What's more Jesus fulfilled God's intended destiny for men by resisting sin, enduring suffering, defeating death and going into the Presence of God to enjoy unbroken fellowship with Him, without any sense of emarrassment, inferiority or fear of interuption. He is "alive forevermore"! There is a man in the immediate Presence of God. One man has made it! You and I too can make it!

This is why we are to "fix our gaze upon" Him. As we constantly behold One who has "pioneered and perfected faith" (Hebrews 12:2 - Montgomery), we are "enabled to run the course mapped out for us" (Hebrews 12:1 -Berkley). In this aspect of Christ's present ministry, it is not so much what He is doing as what He has done that ministers courage and endurance to us. He was the first man to pioneer a way from heaven to earth and provide "the course mapped out for us". He is the only one who has traversed the course. Study "the map" and keep your eyes on the pioneer.

3. Messiah-King.

God ordained that His leaders in the earth, such as priests, kings and prophets should be anointed with oil. Oil was typical of the Holy Spirit and such anointing declared God's unique Presence and enabling with the one anointed. The Hebrew word for anointed was "maschiach" which is the word from which "Messiah" derives. Although there were many anointed servants of God in history, only One was to become the perfect embodiment of all those divinely appointed offices and ministries, who would be "The Messiah" or, as He is referred to in the New Testament, "The Christ".

Many great leaders in the Old Testament prefigured Christ. Abraham became the "father of the faithful", through whose genealogical line "the seed" should come. Moses was appointed leader of the Israel nation, called "the church in the wilderness", and is a type of Christ who is the Head of His Church, for Israel was typical of Christ's church. There was one man however who was destined to become significant to Israel's life and future hopes. He was King David, through whom "the seed" was to become the ultimate "King of Israel" (John 1:49). Of David, God has said;

"I have made a covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant, I will establish your seed forever. I will establish your seed forever and build up your throne to all generations" (Psalm 89:3-4).

He underlines this promise saying;

"My covenant I will not violate nor will I alter the utterance of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David" (Psalm 89:34, 35 - NAS).

The Psalmist in his "verses to the King" speaking of David and prophetically of David's greater Son, wrote;

"Thy throne O God is forever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom, Thou hath loved rightousness and hated wickedness, therefore God, thy God has anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows" (Psalm 45; 1, 6, 7 - NAS).

The writer in Hebrews applies this to the enthroned Jesus (Hebrews 1:8, 9 - NAS). When Peter spoke on the day of Pentecost of Jesus' resurrection, exaltation and enthronement, he declared it to be the fulfillment of God's covenantal promise to David. He said that David was "a prophet" and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants "upon his throne" and that David had "looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ" (Acts 2:30, 31 - NAS).

The anointed King promised to David was the resurrected, exalted and enthroned Jesus - Messiah.

Isaiah had also prophesied of Jehovah's anointed Redeemer-Servant who was to come (Isaiah 52:13, 53:12) and had written the very words which the Servant would use to announce the commencement of His ministry (Luke 4:17-19). Jesus is the Messiah! God's anointed Servant-Redeemer-King. He reigns as David's seed, God's Son and our Sovereign. The universe is not governed by an unidentifiable, impersonal force but by a man named Jesus who from a "throne of grace" rules the universe in equity and justifce.

"The King of Love my Shepherd is, whose goodness faileth never, I nothing lack if I am His and He is mine forever".

He is King of Kings now! Many Christians are unaware or uninstructed that Jesus is now reigning. As a result they live in relative indifference to the present sovereign rights of King Jesus over the world including His "rebel subjects". Such indifference reduces their redemptive and remedial activity as the delegated authorities God has ordained them to be as His Kingdom community in the outworking of His divine government on and over the earth.

4. Lord.

Jesus is also Lord. In the Pentecostal message Peter addressing the great multitude of devout Jews, declared; "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ (Messiah) this Jesus whom you crucified" (Acts 2:36 - NAS). During Jesus earthly ministry, the Jewish religious leaders had refused to recognize Him as either Lord or Messiah. They acknowledged that when Messiah came, He would be "the Son of David". But Jesus pressed them further asking,

"Then how does David in the Spirit call Him, "The Lord said to My Lord; "Sit at My right hand until I put Thine enemies beneath Thy feet". If David then calls Him; "Lord" how is He His Son?" (Matthew 22:43-45 - NAS).

It is significant that "no one was able to answer Him a word nor did anyone dare from that day on, to ask Him another question" (Matthew 22:46 - NAS). He not only claimed to be Messiah (Mark 14:61, 62) but He also claimed to be Lord. He was "Man of very man and God of very God". The name used for Jehovah, Jesus claimed as applicable to Himself. The High Priest heard this claim as blasphemy and tore his clothes in furious anger at such presumption.

But his furious denial and denunciation did not alter the facts and God confirmed Jesus' claims by raising Him from the dead and enthroning Him in the place of supreme power. As David's Son and God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ from His place of enthronement continues His life and ministry on behalf of both God and man.

In being "joined to the Lord" we are joined to God. This is not just a matter of names and titles but a matter than has continued vital meaning to those who are "joined". "The man who is in union with the Lord is spiritually one with Him" (1 Corinthians 6:17 - Williams). The practical implications of this fact for the Christian are incalculable. Especially when we read what Paul writes to the Colossians about our Lord and ourselves as His people;

"It is in Him (Jesus Christ our Lord) that all the fullness of Deity continues to live embodied and through union with Him, you too are filled with it" (Colossians 2:9, 10 - Williams).

Our relationship with the enthroned Jesus makes available to us the incomputable resources of the triune God.

5. Head.

Closely connected with with our Lord's Kingship is His present ministry as "Head". As King, He is more strictly the fulfillment of God's promise to the old covenant people and especially to King David whereas His ministry as Head has to do with His relationship to the "new man" which is "the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:15). He is also "head over all things" (Ephesians 1:22); the "head of every man" (1 Corinthians 11:3); and "head of every principality and power" (Colossians 2:10). When we speak of Christ as Head, we may think of Him as a supreme authority, or in a more specific sesne, as relating in a living way, united to His people as the life-sustaining and directing "head from whom the whole body, by the joints which bind it draw full supplies for all it's needs and is knit together" (Colossians 2:19 - Conybeare).

We might say that He is head legally and vitally. Let's touch briefly on the various aspects of Christ's Headship. "The head of every man is Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:3). This statement is preceded by a solemn apostolic emphasis - "I would have you know". It also describes a part of an authority structure ordained of God. Disruption of this order at any point would prove destructive of God's intent. "But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every individual man, just as man is the "head" of the woman and God is the head of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:3 - JBP). "Every man" in this verse refers to "every male of the human family".

"Paul does not refer to Christians only but to all men. The fact that non-Christians do not know these things and do not even want to know to know them does not do away with the truth of this statement" - (Grosheide, F W - Commentary on First Corinthians).

Christ is the "authority over all authorities and the supreme power over all powers" (Colossians 2:10 - JBP). "All things ... that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities or powers ... were created by Him and for Him" (Colossians 1:16). The coming of rebellion into the universe divided both visible and invisible powers into supporters of either good or evil.

The supremacy of God over these powers never diminished but "in the fullness of time" they had to be punished and dethroned in order that man, His ordained delegated ruler should assume his destined authority.

Jesus of Nazareth, God's Son accomplished the defeat of these rebellious powers, "having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphant over them by the Cross" (Colossians 2:15 - NIV).

Now as the God-Man Jesus Christ has supreme authority over all powers. The evil forces cannot keep us from Him, and the good powers are not needed to mediate our approach to Him. We have direct access to Him,unhindered by evil powers and unmediated by good powers.

This authority as Head is not alone for the purpose of honouring our Lord, but also for making His authority manifest through His Body, the Church. "God has placed everything under the power of Christ and has set Him up as head of everything for the Church. For the Church is His body and in that body lives fully the one who fills the whole universe" (Ephesians 1:22, 23 - JBP). This last reference combines the two aspects of Christ's Headship. Although He is Head over all powers by legal right, He also fills the Church with His power vitally in a living relationship illustrated by the relationship of a human head to a human body.

"He is not only the dominating directing power which the Body obeys and follows but the source of it's vitality and of it's vital energies" (H B Swete - The Ascended Christ).

There are three major emphases in connection with Christ's vital union with the Church as seen in the metaphor of the human body. First there must be no question about His right to primacy and supremacy as "the Head of the Body". This is imperative because "He is it's origin - the first to return from the dead" (Colossians 1:18 - NEB). Or as another has rendered it; "He is the Head of His Body, the Church. He is the Beginning, the Firstborn from the dead in order that He Himself may in all things occupy the foremost place" (Colossians 1:18 - Weymouth).

"To know, to do the Heads command, for this the Body lives and grows; all speed of feet, all skill of hands, is for Him spent and from Him flows" (H C G Moule - "Colossians Studies").

In the second place He must be depended upon as the sole supply of the Body's life, nuture and increase. Two of Paul's great epistles have to do with the "Body" and the "Head". In Ephesians, the emphasis is on the "Body" and much wholesome information and instruction is given. In Colossians the main theme is the "Head" and here, our Lord's nature and authority and ministry are powerfully documented. In addition to the positive constructive teaching, there is in each epistle a warning relating to the major theme. Where "the Body" is the theme in Ephesians, the warning is to "Make it your aim to be at one in the Spirit and you will inevitably be at peace with one another. You all belong to one body" (Ephesians 4:3 - JBP).

In Colossians where the "Head" is the subject, the danger warned against is failing to "maintain the union with the Head" (Colossians 2:19 - 20th Century New Testament). On the positive side, and in line with the distinctive emphasis of each epistle, the Ephesians are exhorted to receive into the united Body the rich supply of "the Head" (Ephesians 4:15, 16) while the Colossians are warned that if they "fail to maintain union with the Head" (Colossians 2:19 - NCNT) the Body will be devoid of life and nuture, no matter how united the Body may appear to be. Taking either error to the extreme it is obvious that either a head without a Body or a Body without a head's spell certain death.

The more likely situation, with which most of us are acquainted is that any interuption between "head" and "body" produces sickly subnormalities in the life of God's people. Finally our heavenly "Head" is Himself dependent. The teaching of 1 Corinthians 12 is designed to show the need for each member of a human body to function healthily and normally. Therefore the "Head cannot say to the feet, I have no need of you" (v21). "Paul does not hesitate to represent the Head as on His part depending upon the members for the full realization of His office and work" (H B Swete - The Ascended Christ).

"He has no hands but our hands, to do His work today. He has no feet but our feet, to lead men in His way. He has no voice but our voice to tell men how He died. He has no help but our help to lead them to His side" - (William Barclay - "The Letter to the Corinthians").

6. Priest.

Jesus is not only Messiah, Lord, King and Head but He is Priest. "The Christ-King is also the Christ-Priest". The first mention of the office of priest in the Bible is linked to the office of king. "Melchizedek, king of Salem ... was the priest of the most high God" (Genesis 14:18). The great Messianic psalm, Psalm 110 often quoted and referred to in the New Testament combines these two offices;

"Jehovah saith unto my Lord; Sit thou at My right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool ... Jehovah hath sworn and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizadek" - (Psalm 110:1, 4 - ASV).

Melchizadek is described in Hebrews as; "This Melchizadek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him to whom Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all spoils". He was "first of all by the translation of his name, king of righteousness and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life but made like the Son of God, he abides a priest perpetually" (Hebrews 7:1-3 - NAS).

This order of priesthood is compared and contrasted with the priesthood of Aaron, established under the law of Moses. "Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices" (Hebrews 8:3 - NAS). Aaron had to do this "continually for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin" (Hebrews 10:1, 4 - NAS). But when Christ, the High Priestof a better covenant appeared;

"He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption, not through the blood of goats and calves but through His own blood" (Hebrews 9:12 - NAS). "He having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time sat down at the right hand of God" (Hebrews 10:12 - NAS).

It is interesting to note that in the next verse Christ's Kingship is referred to. The time of His remaining seated is "until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet" (Hebrews 10:13 - NAS). He is the Priest-King! There are many other contrasts and comparisons between the Old and New Covenant order of priesthood but we would like to point out just one more at this time. Under the Mosaic order there had to be many priests "because they were prevented by death from continuing" (Hebrews 7:23 - NAS).

"Human high priests have always been changing for death made a permament appointment impossible. But Christ, because He lives forever possesses a priesthood that needs no successor" (Hebrews 7:23, 24 - JBP). The glorious consequence of the single and singular sacrifice and the perpetual priesthood is that "He can save fully and completely those who approach God through Him, for He is always living to intercede on their behalf" (Hebrews 7:25 - JBP).

7. Mediator.

The mention of "intercede" leads us to look at three other closely related activities conducted by our Lord in the Presence of God; those of mediator, intercessor and advocate. The order in which we have listed these three offices seems to be in accord with the sequence of truth which they reveal. The word "mediator" means a "go-between". The Greek word for "mediator" is used only once in the Greek translation of the Old Testament. The single reference, however is quite instructive; Job frustrated with the problem of communication between God and himself cries out;

"For He is not a man, as I am that I should answer Him, and we should come together in judgement. Neither is there any daysman between us that might lay His hand upon us both".

Job contended that since God was not a man and Job was not divine, someone was needed who would qualify to represent one to the other. Centuries later, Job's need for that representative was met in Jesus Christ who is "God of very God and man of very man". He is "an umpire who can lay one hand on God and one on man and mediate between them". At the inauguration of the covenant between God and Israel, Moses mediated (Exodus 20:19, Galatians 3:19). Our Lord Jesus is the mediator of a new and better covenant (Hebrews 8:6, 9:15, 12:24).

His mediation is available to all men, for He "desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony borne at the proper time" (1 Timothy 2:4-6 - NAS).

The Christian can rejoice because the deathless mediator impartially represents both God and man in the working out of the New Covenant. He faithfully presses the claims of God on His people, and at the same time compassionately encourages the obedience of the redeemed people to their God. But since the work of Jesus as mediator, or go-between, also extends to "all men", sinners have One standing ready to present their "repentance from sin and faith towards God" to God Himself at any time. There is a go-between, Job's prayer has been answered!

8. Intercessor.

The mediator is also the believer's intercessor. As intercessor, Jesus' ministry is confined to us (Romans 8:34) who are described as "them that come unto God by Him" (Hebrews 7:25). This is a work in which the Holy Spirit is also engaged, but with the same restriction, as He intercedes "for us ... the saints" (Romans 8:26, 27). However the world is not without representation in intercession before God. Such intercession is to be the unremitting activity of the Christian community, in hope of bringing the unsaved to the "one Mediator" (1 Timothy 2:1-6). Our Lord makes this distinction between His not praying for the world and His praying for His disciples, when He prays to the Father saying, "I pray for them; I pray not for the world but for them which Thou hast given me" (John 17:9).

It is the Christian's commission to pray for the world.

Probably the most descriptive passage on intercession is Hebrews 7:25. Here intercession has to do with saving "to the uttermost" and is a part of our Lord's high priestly salvation.

Salvation is a comprehensive word which refers to the past (1 Corinthians 1:18), the present (Philippians 2:12) and the future (Romans 13:11). It is a conversion crisis, a continuing course and a coming completion.

Of these three however, it is the present continuing course that is the object of our Lord's intercession. Intercession may be defined as "presenting a petition to someone in authority and especially to the king". Unhindered by death and permamently established as our great High Priest because of the "once for all" sacrifice and unchanging value of His blood, our Lord is in a position to speak to the Father concerning us. As our infirmities and needs are presented, strength and enablement are released to us to allow us to know the present salvation of God and to "go onto maturity" (Hebrews 6:1). As Mediator Jesus brings us to God and as Intercessor He speaks to God for us. An excellent example of Christ's intercession is His prayer recorded in John 17.

9. Advocate.

It would be ideal if we came to God through our Mediator and then matured in life through our Intercessor. However the Bible records an "if" that interupts that ideal. This is where our Lord's ministry as Advocate is introduced.

"My little children, these things I write unto you that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ, the righteous" - (1 John 2:2).

Let it be clear that the whole purpose of John's first epistle is to strongly teach that God's children do not practice or "continue in sin". He does not say that they are incapable of an act of sin but even that is a "paradox in point of principle" since God's child is one who "habitually practices righteousness" (1 John 2:29 - Berkley). However if one should sin, we have an advocate to deal with this exceptional occurance. The Greek word from which we get "advocate" is not easy to translate by the use of one English word. However we have neither the time nor space here to do other than make reference to that fact. The translation "advocate" in our text is good, and suitable to the context in which it occurs.

Among other things the word "was familiar in the useage of ancient courts" and with this in mind, the Berkley Bible says; "We have a counsel for defense in the Father's Presence". The success of our Advocate's case is grounded in His own person. He appears for the sinning believer as "the Righteous". The next verse tells us He is the One who legally met the demands of a Holy God against sin. Christ died, rose and appears before God "that we sin not". But "if we sin", that same precious blood avails to restore us to our normal Christian character as those who "practice righteousness". To attempt to take improper advantage of Christ's advocacy is to invite a demonstration of another aspect of the Father's character which can prove quite painful.

This beautiful and heartening truth of our Advocate representing us before the Father is poetically described in one of Charles Wesley's great hymns; "Arise My Soul".

"Five bleeding wounds He bears, received on Calvary - they pour effectual prayers. They strongly plead for me; "Forgive him oh forgive" they cry, "Nor let that ransomned sinner die!". The Father hears Him pray, His dear anointed One; He cannot turn away the Presence of His Son. His Spirit answers to the blood, and tells me I am born of God".

10. Forerunner.

One final ministry in connection with our Lord's high priestly office is described by a word which is rich with meaning and occurs only once in the Bible. As our High Priest, having entered into God's Preseence, He is called the "forerunner" (Hebrews 6:20). When this word is understood it inspires hope and joy. "The word signifies one who comes in advance to a place where the rest are to follow, or one who is sent on before as a scout to take observations". Under the old economy the high priest went into the Holy of Holies "alone once every year" (Hebrews 9:7). He could not remainbut had to come out since the blood of animals could secure no right to remain. Nor could he take anyone with him. He had to go in alone.

But our High Priest, "by his own blood entered in" (Hebrews 9:12) and "after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God" (Hebrews 10:12). Jesus is there to establish our right to be with Him in the Presence of God now in the Spirit and "be forever" with Him after the resurrection. See Him, then, as the forerunner "for us" and rejoice that He is the guarantee of permament access to the Father.

Speechless ...

Everyone's favourite Mahaney seems to be developing slightly odd markers for "what makes a man". He told us that no "true man" would use emoticons on the internet. I am guessing that he would figure that every "true man" would play sports and now ...

"Like any man’s man, I relish being out of style".

Speak for yourself C. J. I guess it is a good thing he places all these "markers for true manhood" in the context of this disclaimer: "Now I am no academic". No kidding. I need hardly point out that if a book on manhood is next on C. J's list ... I won't be racing to reserve a copy.

Er .... am I missing something here? Is this just his idea of humour? Again? I need hardly state that I am not in favour of fashion obsession to the detriment of anything else. But why oh why is it necessary to make objective, unarguable statements (because no one seems to argue with Mahaney) that logically therefore suggest that if (like myself) you DO enjoy wearing stylish clothes then you are NOT a man's man?! Well ... good job I don't look to C J Mahaney as my role model for manhood eh?! :-) (that's a manly emoticon).

I prefer this view on manhood;

"Real men are those who weep before the Lord, who are filled with the Holy Spirit, who are passionate for the glory of God. Real men pray without ceasing. Real men serve - their wives and children if they have them, if not, the people who God brings into their path. Real men will go the extra mile - and yes, will resucitate a child through the night.

We have this terrible distortion of Christian manhood. Manhood is not measured by humour, nor by interest in sport, nor by an enjoyment of beer. Manhood is not about being macho. Manhood is about growing in likeness to our Lord Jesus".

It's time to get that distortion of manhood back to biblical standards not the opinions of a man. That's why I recommend again Pete Day's website; "After God's Own Heart". Why should the world be interested in Christian men who dress unstylishly?! That's what they think of Christian men anyway (dare I mention socks and sandals?!). Why should the world be interested in Christian men who are obsessed with sports?! Most men are obsessed with sports! Ah - but when the world sees a Christian husband metaphorically laying down his life for his wife, when the world sees a Christian man weeping with arms raised in worship of his Lord - then they will begin to ask questions. Something is different. Something SHOULD be different! And something MUST be different in the way we live (not just what we say) if the lost are to be reached.