God’s Home Among Humans
2 Samuel 7:11-16
This passage about God’s establishment and protection of the Davidic kingdom was picked up for various purposes in the first-century world, perhaps most strikingly by the early Christians who applied it to Jesus. David’s impulse that God should have a grand house was right, but God had bigger plans than David had imagined. By coming in the person of Jesus, God made clear that the grand house of his dwelling is creation itself. God makes human beings in such a way that it will be appropriate for him to come himself in the person of his son and be a human among humans. This is the hope revealed at Advent. N.T. Wright watch more here
Sold into slavery in order to minister Christ to slaves
John Taylor, Missions Director at Bethel Church recounts in a Leadership Minute that Count Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf – of the Moravian church said this of Christ ….. “I have but one passion: It is He, it is He alone. The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ.”
Johann Leonard Dober was a potter and David Nitschman a carpenter. Men with ordinary occupations, but possessing an extraordinary love for Jesus. From these seemingly insignificant two, the Moravian missionary movement was born, that ultimately catalyzed the Great Awakening. In 1732, they heard about the plight of African slaves on the island of St. Thomas in the Caribbean. These slaves had spiritual hunger but no one to share the gospel with them. Johann and David determined to go to them by any means necessary, and sold themselves into slavery in order to minister among the slaves. As they stood on the ship departing from the wharf, they raised their voice and cried,
“MAY THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN
RECEIVE THE REWARD OF HIS SUFFERING!” Continue reading “Sold into slavery in order to minister Christ to slaves”
Faith Without Hope is Weird
A blog by Steve Backlund 14th November 2023
The statement “faith without hope is weird” captures an important truth for those who want to have a healthy faith.
Hope is an overall optimistic attitude about the future based on the goodness and promises of God. I am not a proponent of simple positive thinking, but I do ascribe to biblical optimism. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” Hebrews 10:23.
Faith is very specific while hope is more general. Faith says, “God is going to do this !” Hope says, “I don’t know what God is going to do but good things are coming.” Continue reading “Faith Without Hope is Weird”
Show me you glory
Extracted from Latter House Glory by Larry R Taylor © 2013
Moses had a personal encounter with God’s glory. There was nothing theoretical or hypothetical about Moses’ understanding of glory. He asked for it and He got it: a personal, tangible, life-changing encounter with the manifested glory of God.
Moses had a glory encounter. Peter, James and John had glory encounters (Matthew 17). Paul had a glory encounter that changed everything. He was knocked to the ground and nothing was the same when he got up. His purpose, direction in life, and even his name was changed (Acts 9). Remember the principle of the Kingdom? Ask, seek, knock. “Show me your glory, Lord.”
Everywhere Jesus went He manifested the glory of the Father. The tangible expression of that glory is that good things happened. Everywhere Jesus went sick people were healed, demoniacs were delivered and provision was released. Nothing has changed. Everywhere Jesus shows up He manifests the glory of the Father. Miracles, signs, wonders and supernatural events happen when the presence of God is manifested. Continue reading “Show me you glory”