We Need Instructions

In this picture of Jesus you will notice that the children with Him are modern day children, judging by their clothing, and that is how the artist meant it should be. You see, “Jesus is the same yesterday, to-day and forever”(Hebrews 13:8) He is not a “has been”; He is the “I am” and wants to guide every one of us. In Matthew 28:20 Jesus says “I will be with you always even unto the end of the world”. Jesus is a Spirit and like His angels is not visible to us in our normal daily routine however if we keep in touch by prayer and have an attitude of expecting His guidance we become aware of His intervention in our lives as we see that “All things work together for good for those who love God”.

Thomas, one of Jesus disciples, found it hard to believe that the risen Jesus had appeared to the other disciples inside a locked room whilst he was absent, and that is understandable, but we modern day people should have no such problem as our whole lives revolve around things that come through the walls and materialise; things like T.V. pictures and voices, text messages, photos and so on. Why only this week my daughter drove from a house near Newcastle on the coast the 379.1 kilometres to her home in Dubbo and was guided all the way by the satellite navigation system on the dash of her car which constantly received messages from a satellite in space telling her what streets to drive down, what speeds to drive at, how long it would take and even revised the time estimate if she stopped for a coffee.

Surely then we should have no trouble believing in Jesus, The Holy Spirit and Angels being available to help us, guide us, warn us and encourage us. Trust Jesus in prayer if you don’t already do so. After all we do need His “Satellite Navigation System” to negotiate the “Jungle” around us that is becoming more and more complex and challenging by the day.

This week I heard a Politician say that he was going to move a motion regarding Same Sex Marriage and he wanted to hear people’s comments but not Religious comments. Why not? Does he believe God is against it? Well if that is the case he had better not go ahead with it because it would be a fatal mistake to defy God. The bible is “The Word of God” and we should be endeavouring to find out what it says and obey it to the letter rather than ignore it just because we don’t agree with it. Jesus is the main focus of it so I thought it might be good to remind ourselves about what authority He has.

Hundreds of years before Jesus was born on earth the Prophet Isaiah predicted his coming in chapter 9 verse 6 where he says “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace”. His birth was arranged by God who sent an angel to a virgin named Mary and told her she was chosen to have a son and she was to call him Jesus. His birth was also heralded by angels who appeared to shepherds near Bethlehem and wise men from the East were alerted to His imminent arrival so they also came to worship Him. Therefore you see this is no ordinary person we are talking about. John points out in the gospel he wrote, that Jesus did not originate at His birth in Bethlehem either: the very first verse says “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men”. Then in verse 10 John says: “He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not”.

In Colossians chapter 1 verse 15 He is described as the “image of the invisible God, the first born over all creation. For by Him were all things created that are in Heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. In Him all things consist”.  Logically then it would be a good idea to seek His opinion, as recorded in the New Testament, when we are planning anything.

Isn’t it exciting being a Christian watching bible prophecy being fulfilled? Well it’s exciting when you know you have joined the winning team and Jesus “Has gone to prepare a place for you and will come again and receive you unto himself, that where He is there you may be also”. (John 14:2). I trust I will see you there one day. After all, there is an “Entry Visa” written out in your name waiting to be claimed if you haven’t already claimed it.     Best wishes, Tom.