I attend a Bible study for mums on Tuesday mornings at our church. I also help lead some of the Bible studies. It is a fantastic group of ladies with a deep desire to serve Christ better and be more like Him. We have been studying the book of Colossians. A few weeks ago we had a fantastic study on the Supremacy of Jesus.

I remember when I was at University studying for a degree in teaching with specialty in Portuguese and English + literature. There was one time that an Applied Linguistics Professor spent a whole lecture commenting on the use of personal, objective and possessive pronouns. Fascinating subject if you like to know the structure of a language and want to use it properly. Basically, when writing we should never repeat a noun time and time again. “Joe is my brother. Joe lives with my parents. They help Joe everyday.” The correct way would be: “Joe is my brother. He lives with my parents. They help him everyday.” The personal pronoun he and the objectve pronoun him should be used instead of the noun Joe.

During our Bible study we were challenged to read Colossians 1:15-20 substituting the personal, objective and possessive pronouns for the word Jesus when appropriate. This is what it looks like:

^“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in JESUS all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through JESUS and for JESUS. JESUS is before all things, and in JESUS all things hold together. And JESUS is the head of the body, the church; JESUS is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything JESUS might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in JESUS, and through JESUS to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through JESUS’ blood, shed on the cross.”

WOW!

My professor would have screamed if she saw this but I thought it was very effective! Just looking at the verses above it puts Jesus in the centre of everything. Reading it makes me wonder how in the world people are able to dismiss Him and refuse to let Him be King in their lives.

I stand here amazed, in owe of Him. To Him all the glory and honour.

I was tidying the DVD cupboard up earlier this afternoon. That is a job I do not enjoy. The kids put them in the wrong places all the time and I have to rearrange the shelves so we can find things. The last movie I put back was Aladdin. I have seen it many times and my favorite character is the Genie.

Don’t you just wish sometimes you had one!

We live in a world where, for most of the time, we expect things to happen or change but we don’t particularly want to wait or work for it. For example: we want to be healthier or slimmer but we don’t want to change our eating habits or add some exercise to our daily routine. NO. We would rather something or someone came up with a magic solution. Or maybe we would like to get on with our family and friends but we don’t want to make the effort and invest time into building or bridging relationships. We would rather people just liked us and accepted us the way we are, so, that could be easily one of our 3 wishes! Money is always a good one too. We want the bigger house, the newer car, the holidays but are not willing to work hard and save up for it. We would rather it all landed on our plate!

Our Christian lives can reflect that as well. We want to be like Christ, we want to serve Him better and learn more about Him, but sometimes we wish something could happen or someone could do the work for us. We expect that our church leaders and pastor will do it, or maybe the Sunday school teacher. Perhaps the home group leader will be more successful. We want to be changed, transformed instantly with the click of the fingers. We go to all the events and sit there hoping that just by being physically there the work is being done for us, so we can tick the box. We forget that we must take responsibility ourselves for the process of becoming. It can’t be rushed. God is changing us, moulding us, teaching us, little by little.

Have you ever tried to lose weight without going through the process of changing your eating habits and exercise? Whatever weight you shed comes back on with a vengeance, i know. That happens because our bodies never learn to change and adjust. If we try to skip that process it does not work.

Spiritually it is the same. It is through the process of picking up the Bible daily, praying, seeking God’s guidance, experiencing, learning, trusting, giving up self that we are transformed into someone that will be more like Christ. There is no magic trick! With a lot of help from God I hope one day to get there!

We are having a series of sermons in the book of Isaiah in our church. We had a guest speaker a few weeks ago and he preached on chapter 6:1-7 but the focus of his message was on verses 5-7:

‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.’ Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.’

Isaiah had seen the Lord in all his glory and majesty and this is his response: “I am ruined!” He understood his state as being unworthy and unclean. Isaiah was not comparing himself to other Christians but he compared himself to God. He knew he had fallen short.

This is the illustration the preacher used on the day which I thought was simple but very effective.  It is a bit like seeing sheep on a field. If you drive by and see them there they look quite nice and clean and white. But if you drive by and there is snow on the field they look filthy and dirty. They are still the same sheep but with a different background. Isaiah was like a sheep standing in the snow. Against the glory of God his filth and dirtiness were completely exposed. He knew in his heart that he had seen the God Almighty and would surely die.

How many times do we feel that way when we are confronted with Who God is in all his glory and majesty? How many times do we search our hearts when we are before the throne of glory?

Now God, in his amazing grace, had a different plan. For Isaiah it was the live coal taken from the altar to cleanse him. For us it is Jesus. Jesus died on the cross for us so we could stand clean in the presence of the King. There is nothing we could have done to take away the unclean, undeserving heart. It is all God’s grace.

Isaiah’s response to this amazing act of grace and love from God, was to offer his life to serve Him. What is our response to Jesus being offered in our place, so we could be clean and pure before God?

I grew up in a church where memorizing verses from the Bible was encouraged from an early age! We even had a bit of fun having contests and winning prizes in our Sunday school classes! I memorized many verses and these ones came to mind as I was answering one of my daughter’s questions, have a look:

^“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 6:5-7

I have always liked verse 5 and I think many Christians will have heard these words before. It is something that has always amazed me: how God demands our whole. He wants all of our heart, all of our soul and strength to be devoted to Him. That is no easy task and that is why we seek His guidance and wisdom in order to live a life of holiness.

But then, there is the second part of this command: Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. It wasn’t until I had children that the importance of these verses became so apparent to me. We are to teach our children to follow these commandments as well. We need to do it all the time. Again not an easy task and I am no expert in parenting and the Lord knows how much I need His help!

My daughter was never good at sleeping through the night. In fact, she only slept through when she was 2 and a half! And yes, I tried everything: all the methods and advices people gave me but she would not sleep. Even now she wakes up every once in a while to go to the toilet. We discovered that she slept better when she had music on. So, I take my iPod to her room every night and play some Christian music so she can listen to it.

I need my sleep as well so as much as I would like it I can’t sit by her bed and read her the Bible all night but I figured playing Christian music (good and biblical Christian music) would be better than playing lullabies. She goes to sleep listening to Jesus’s friends singing (this is how she puts it) about Him.

One morning she came downstairs and asked me: “mummy, why do Jesus’s friends sing name above all names, worthy of all praise?” She remembered the words from the song How great is our God and it was a fantastic opportunity to talk about what the Bible teaches and that our God is great and Mighty! We did this over breakfast just before we set of to school and my son took part in the conversation as well.

We also try to have Christian songs playing in our car when we are out and about so that we can all worship God and let some of the truths that are sung find a way into our hearts.

As we mums, grans, aunties, teachers, sisters, friends seek to obey God’s commands to teach our children, may He grant us wisdom and creativity to do it when we have the opportunity wherever we are!

What are some of the things you have been doing at home to impress God’s word on your children?

Every once in a while I like to read my Portuguese Bible I was given when I was in my early twenties. It has been a great companion and it contains many notes I wrote while listening to sermons or Bible studies. Today I found a bookmark I received at a camp once. It is wonderful to be reminded of the amazing attributes of God and bring everything into perspective once again. I would like to share what the bookmark says with you today.

Discovering God’s attributes (qualities) and its benefits.

1. Because God is a Person (“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth”.John 1:14) I will seek a deep and personal relationship with Him.

2. Because God is Omnipotent (“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘I am God Almighty;walk before me faithfully and be blameless.” Genesis 17:1 and “And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.’ ” Isaiah 6:3) He can help me in any situation.

3. Because God is Omnipresent (“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.” Psalm 139:7-12) He will always be with me.

4. Because God is Omniscient (“Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit”. Psalm 147:5 ) I will go to Him with all my concerns and my questions.

5. Because God is Sovereign (“‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’” Revelation 1:8  and “‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created  and have their being.’” Revelation 4:11) I will submit to His truth with a glad heart.

6. Because God is Holy (“for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am Holy.’ ” 1 Peter 1:16) I will dedicate my life to Him with purity, worship and service.

7. Because God is Truth (“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 ) I will believe in what He says and will live by it.

8. Because God is Righteous (“You are righteous, Lord, and your laws are right.” Psalms 119:137) I will follow His ways.

9. Because God is Just (“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.” Deuteronomy 32:4) He will always treat me with justice.

10. Because God is Love (“I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.” Psalm 57:9-10) He is unconditionally seeking my well-being.

11. Because God is Merciful (“For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.” Deuteronomy 4:31) I know He forgives all my sins.

12. Because God is Faithful (“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” Deuteronomy 7:9) I will trust that He will always fulfill His promises.

13. Because God Never Changes (“‘I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” Malachi 3:6) My future is eternal and secure.

When I was making pizza dough on Saturday I had to add some olive oil to water. I am always amazed to see how these two elements don’t mix.  Now I never liked chemistry when I was in secondary school, but I do remember there is an explanation to it.  Oil and water don’t mix because oil is made up of non-polar molecules while water molecules are polar in nature. Because water molecules are electrically charged, they get attracted to other water molecules and exclude the oil molecules. This eventually causes the oil molecules, or lipids, to clump together.

Before you decide to stop reading: NO – this is not a chemistry lesson!

Mixing the olive oil and the water for a moment and watching it slowly get separated again made me think of the word holy! What do you know! We hear this word time and time again, but what does it mean?  It means set apart – separated!

Our God is holy and He commands us to be holy.

“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’ ” I Peter 1:15-16

You might be thinking: easier said than done! Look around: how can we be holy in a world like ours?

Let’s take the water and olive oil for a moment:  the water will represent the world and the olive oil those that want to live a holy life because of what God has done for them.  The water is polar and its molecules get attracted to other substances which are also polar, like vinegar, for example. When mixed they cannot be told apart and the water will taste of vinegar. So the world will attract everyone who has the same inclinations, thoughts, intentions and desires.

The olive oil on the other hand is non-polar. The water cannot stick to it. They can appear mixed for a moment, but soon the oil will be separated and will normally stay at the top. Those that follow Jesus and want to pursue holiness should be like that.

We live in this world for a reason: we can share God’s grace with other people and to live for HIM. We need to work, take our kids to school, go to the shops, attend classes, give lectures; we need to make friends and so on. So, we need, for a moment, to mix with those that are in the world, far away from God. But like the olive oil, we should not stick to them. Our lives should always be seen as different. The olive oil still adds flavour and goodness to a recipe, but fundamentally it does not mix with the other ingredients. We need to let our lives add flavour and goodness to a world that is lost, but fundamentally, we cannot mix with it.

When we give our lives to Jesus and trust in Him and His sacrifice for us on the cross, God sees us as holy, because of Jesus. In Jesus we are changed, transformed into a holy people. We need to live like that! Separated, set apart.

When Paul wrote to Timothy and was trying to encourage him in his ministry, Paul reminds Timothy he should not be ashamed of Paul’s condition as he suffered for the Gospel .

“He has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” 2 Timothy 9-10

Jesus called us to a holy life. It is not an option. May we seek wisdom from Him to live our lives to please Him and Him alone.

This morning after I came back from the school run I set down to have a quiet time and I decided to listen to a sermon from John Piper a friend recommended. I am so glad I did. I was both encouraged and challenged.

The title of his sermon was “He Stood by Me and Strengthened Me for the Sake of the Gospel” based on 2 Timothy 4:9-22. Paul is at the end of his life and ministry and he is writing to encourage Timothy and prepare him for what ministry holds.

These verses caught my attention:

“Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.” 2 Timothy 4:9-10

Paul had been deserted by one of his fellow Christians and team member. Unfortunately this is far too common in many churches these days. I know we have all heard stories, sad stories told of those who have abandoned the Gospel and sometimes we don’t really know why. In this verse Paul is telling us exactly what happened: “for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.”

Loving this world makes it impossible to follow what Jesus has designed for us as Christians. The world is ignoring, denying, diminishing God and distorting the image of our Saviour Jesus Christ. What the world sells us all the time is that we should be in the centre of our own universe and there is no place for God in it. A life with Christ means having Him in the centre. Recongnizing His lordship over us and letting Him direct our paths. We simply cannot do that if we love the world.

Demas was working closely with the great apostle Paul and he could not take it. He left the ministry. We do not know if he ever returned but he chose to love the world instead of loving and following Jesus. At this point we might think: I am ok then! I am not part of a church ministry, or a youth group teaching team or Sunday school or anything like that! Phew! God has placed us in many different places and has given each one of us a very important ministry: share the Gospel with every person we know.

If we are married we have been given the amazing, very hard task, to be a helper and support to our husbands. If we have children, then our ministry is to help them grow in God’s way, teaching them to Love Him. If we are single, we have friends and family we need to love and care for. Whether we stay at home or go out to work, we meet people we need to encourage to walk closer to God or share the whole plan of Salvation with. You see, we are not off the hook! No matter where we are, we are to be witnessing about the Gospel, showing people who Jesus is and what He has to offer them!

Are we deserters in the making? Are we letting the world seduce us? Where do we stand? Although the verses above don’t give us any details of how long it took for Demas to get to the point where he left, I can imagine that it was a slow process. That is a great danger. Loving the world starts really small and slowly it takes hold of our hearts. We might find ourselves nodding to views that are contrary to the Bible, or taking part in activities that do not portray the life of a Christian. Do we find ourselves disagreeing with the truths God teaches in His word? Were are we setting our hearts?

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated ar the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:1-2

May our gracious God help us focus our hearts and minds on Him for the honour and glory of His name!

If I were to ask you to think about the heart you would probalby think of a heart drawn on a piece of paper coloured red. Sometimes we think of the word love. We might picture an embrace, a couple holding hands, a mother and a child. Some will immediately think of the muscle that pumps blood in our bodies and is so vital to each one of us! Others might think of a broken heart, pain caused by someone long gone that left and empty place in their lives.

The Bible tells us many things about the heart and one that has always stuck with me, since I first became a Christian is this:

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9

The people of God had once again turned away from their King. God’s message is of punishment and He warns us about the heart! This is not to be taken likely. It is in our heart that love will grow and be nurtured, but our hearts will also produce things, attitudes, that are not in line with God’s will for our lives.

A few months ago I attended a training course for youth leaders and the speaker pointed out time and time again that we need to deal with the problems of the heart when we think of our children and youth in our churches. The heart that is not centered in God, the heart that has pushed the King away. The heart that refuses to bow before the One who stands with all authority to forgive and redeem. That made me think of how many times we overlook the state of our hearts and since then I have been thinking about this blog. A blog to talk about things of the heart.

It is not all gloomy and desperate though! Jesus has paid the price for us and has welcomed us into His family. For those who have come before Him and given their lives to Him there is hope! That is why we are encouraged to live a life pursuing holiness and being strengthened in our faith day by day.

 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7

It is my sincere desire and my prayer that we can find encouragement in the posts and that we may find strength in us to expose the heart before the throne and let the Creator and Author of life take it and mold it, so we can glorify Him through our lives.