The Facts About Angels

ANGELS

Do not neglect hospitality, because through it some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Hebrews 13:2

Before there was a planet, a person, or a problem, there were angels. Unlike us humans who can trace our ancestry back back to one man and one woman, angels are not a race, they are a company (they do not reproduce themselves). They can travel at the speed of light. They can alter their appearance and even 'appear' invisible. This enables them to interact with us humans in ways that we might not always recognise.

The author of Hebrews states this rather too a-matter-of-fact-ly. I would have welcomed him to have explained what he meant in Hebrews 13:2 that some believers had hosted angels without realising it. He stated in the previous chapter that the Church had a direct heavenly link to "innumerable angels". I would have liked that one explained a bit further as well. It seems that the early church experienced the company of angels of an all-too-frequent basis. When things got tough for the Church, it was often angels who rescued them. Just because something or someone is invisible doesn't mean they are imaginery. Angels could transform their supra-reality into the less-real physicality of human beings. We see them singing over the birth of Jesus. We see them in the desert ministering sustanance to Jesus. We see them outside the tomb of Jesus presumably having just thrown a several tonne boulder away from the mouth of the entombing cave. We see them at the ascension of Jesus. We see them busting open prisons to free near-despairing apostles. We hear reports of them apparently giving strange doctrines to wandering preachers which caused the Apostle Paul to warn against such false teaching - but not against the idea that angels appear to believers! Then we are overwhelmed when we are given just a sneak peak into Revelation's Heaven where we are awed by 100 trillion mighty angels in one sector of heaven who apparently form a sampling of their total number!

The majestic creatures we call angels are not the pathetically cute little flying babies we often see wearing nappies and having wings on their backs. Neither are they erotic catwalk models - in fact, there is no hint that there are any female angels (sorry Google). These splendid creatures are described in the Bible as tall, strong, and no-nonsense. On nearly ever occasion they appear to people in the Bible, they induce great fear. "Fear not", is usually the first thing they have to say to those they appear to (eg. Daniel 10:12). Sometimes they are described as having wings, but generally not. They are ordered into different varieties with different aspects of the divine mission. We observe in Scripture messenger-angels, guardian-angels, military-angels, worship-leading angels, and executive angels. These created beings exist to serve (the Bible word for serve is 'minister') their Creator. He commissions them to intervene in the affairs of man so that His plan of redemption is sovereignly stewarded.

¶ Of the angels he says,
"He makes his angels winds,
and his ministers a flame of fire."
Hebrews 1:7

You may never know how often God has used angels to rescue, instruct, or correct you. Chances are that everytime you pray both your prayer and its answer have something to do with the involvement of angels. We don't have to pray or talk directly to angels - and indeed we shouldn't - because we have the privilege that angels can't understand, of being invited to pray directly to God through Christ.

It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
First Peter 1:12

Your praying is not in vain. Your enduring faith is not in vain. Your love for Christ's Church is not in vain. Your devotion to the Scriptures is not in vain. In each of these spiritual exercises there are often angels actively involved.

TYPES OF ANGELS

Messenger Angels are counted in the "myriads" (billions of trillions). They carry out God's mission of spreading His glory through divinely authorised interventions in the affairs of mankind. Despite the cute airbrushed artwork, there is no Biblical record of angels having wings and there is only two references of messenger angels "flying" in Scripture (Rev. 14:6; 19:17). They can change their appearance to appear human (Gen. 19:1). They can communicate with humans without "speaking", that is, by telepathy - especially via dreams (Matt. 1:20). The word 'angel' actually means messenger.

¶ Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."
Matthew 2:13

Archangels (Greek, arkhos which means "chief") are military angels who lead hosts of messenger angels into battle (Rev. 12). Jewish legend states that there are 7 archangels although the Bible only names two of them, Michael (Jude 9) and Gabriel (Luke 1:26). Archangels are greater in power than messenger angels. Archangels are described as flying and presumably appear to humans as if they have wings. They also appear with a brandished sword to humans (and animals, note Numbers 22:23). When the very last battle begins, it will be announced by an archangel (note the rules of war includes the sounding of a warning trumpet to alert the enemy, Num. 10:9). According to one of them, Gabriel, they stand at attention in the presence of God awaiting to be sent to carry out His redemptive mission.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
First Thessalonians 4:16

And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news."
Luke 1:19

Cherubs (or, "cherubim" - the Hebrew language adds 'im' where English ordinarily adds 's') are the most powerful angels. They are fierce, incredibly terrifying, and undefeated. Revelation 4 describes tells us that there are four of these creatures. Revelation and Ezekiel tell us that they have the characteristics of a lion, a bull, an eagle, and a man. They have the ability to move wherever they need to go without turning. They are super large. God described as having His throne borne by cherubim (Ps. 99:1). Wherever God goes, cherubim surround Him (Ps. 18:10). They have four wings each and when they fly the size of their wings produce a sound louder than a 747 jumbo jet.

As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle.
Ezekiel 1:10

And the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer court, like the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.
Ezekiel 10:5

When Adam plunged the human race into certain damnation by falling for the lie of Satan (a fallen angel) that He could make up his own rules for how to live, God banished Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden and placed cherubim at the entrance to keep man from entering and partaking of the Tree of Life (Gen. 3:24). Thankfully today we can take up God's offer of avoiding eternal damnation and eat freely of the Tree of Life by surrendering our lives to Him and trusting Christ as our Saviour who has borne our eternal damnation and overcome it.

Seraphim are the most majestic of God's heavenly beings. The hover above God's throne and lead heaven in worship. They are described as having 6 wings where two of these wings are used to cover their faces from beholding God's unfiltered glory. These two awesome beings can be seen from anywhere in heaven. They are a reminder to anyone who seeks to know God that the closer you want to come to God the more you will be drawn into worship of God and the more you will crave His glory and not your own will.

Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!"
¶ And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
Isaiah 6:2-4

As powerful as angels are, there are certain things that bewilder them. Why would the Omnipotent One condescend to became a weakling? Why would GOD offer to elevate these rebellious weaklings to adoption as sons of God? Why would the Creator invite weaklings to approach Him anytime after they have received His Spirit of sonship? But most bewilderingly, if the Maker is offering an escape from certain eternal damnation for the treason of self-deification, why don't more weaklings accept this "can't-lose" offer? Have you? Angels are watching.

...in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
First Peter 1:12

Ps. Andrew

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT?

William Carey, the Father of modern missions, knew a thing or two about what we should expect. Jesus knew a thing or two about what we should expect. The Apostle Paul knew a thing or two about what churches should expect. Our children think they know a thing or two about they should expect. Work colleagues know what they should expect from a Christian work colleague. Expectations abound. Missionaries expect. God expects. Preachers expect. Churches expect. Families expect. What you expect has a large bearing on how you handle what life throws your way. It is also one of the single biggest factors in determining your level of zeal for Jesus today...

This week has not been what I expected. I've been surprised everyday by the unexpected. I've been unexpectedly blessed; I've been unexpectedly attacked; I had anunexpected conversation with an influential leader; I unexpectedly received an encouraging email from someone outside of our church; I was unexpectedlydiscouraged; and then I received an unexpected phone call from a young man looking for the truth about God. But through all these unexpected moments there has been one underlying expectation that has enabled me to keep going.

How do you handle the unexpected? What has unexpectedly happened to you, that in hindsight, you could have reasonably prepared for? Do you find that people generally don't measure up to your expectations? As a believer, what expectations do you have of God? What expectations do you have of your church? What expectations do you have of your family? Your expectations determine your level of satisfaction with your key relationships including your relationship with God. Too many people are settling for a cold, stale, distant relationship with Jesus because they have lost the hope of having their expectations met. When your expectations are grounded in the loving truth of God's Word, you can never be disappointed with your relationship with Jesus.

A large part of what I do is to filter and guard what comes our way as a church. The Bible refers to the one God calls to lead a local church as an "overseer" (Acts 20:28; Titus 1:7). Being called to oversight places a pastor in a vantage point that is both a blessing and a burden. To be a full-time pastor is a blessing incomparable with any other. It affords a man the privilege of devoting his energies to the work of God in His Word and among His people. It grants him an open door into many homes that would otherwise be shut to him. It allows him to read, study, pray, reflect, so that he can better minister God's Word as spiritual food for hungering souls. There is great honour in doing this well (as the Holy Spirit tells us in First Timothy).

¶ Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.
First Timothy 5:17

But it is also a burden. Not merely because of the responsibility to care, lead, and feed, but because of the expectations of others. Quite frankly, I didn't expect the burden to be so great. Neither did I expect that it would be so difficult to explain it to others. "Over" -sight gives a certain vantage point. Over the past decade in particular, the Holy Spirit has led me increasingly into a deeper appreciation for history. As He has fed my heart and soul with understanding of why things are the way they arebecause of what has happened, I have been divinely led to realise that certain things will be because of certain things that are. That is, we can expect that history will unfold in a certain direction because certain decisions and actions have been made and taken today. A "Mars a day helps you work, rest, and play" is only half what you should reasonably expect. If you eat a "Mars a day" you should expect the day when it won't be so easy to "work rest and play" (or fit in your airplane seat). Pastoral oversight sometimes means that the person serving the Body of Christ see things from a broader vantage point (in the sense of time, location, people affected, how it impacts the future) that others don't see. Oversight helps to prepare for the unexpected and reduce its ability to catch you off-guard. I would urge everyone to seek God for the ability to take greater oversight over your own soul and then watch how He strengthens your faith, stretches your capacity, and schools your soul.

God's gift of oversight to me subjected me to experience all three of these this week. Last night I was at a business dinner of very committed Christian businessmen and their wives. The speaker shared how their faith vision was to raise $700,000,000 this year to be able to give away Bibles to the peoples of the world who couldn't afford a Bible. (Last year they raised over $600,000,000 toward the same goal!) My faith was strengthened as I heard how they are helping countries like Mali (North Africa) which is 98% Muslim and 1% Christian. Only 4% of Mali is arable land, yet it has to supply the food for 80% of Mali. The average income per-capita is just $1.25 a day. A Bible costs around $7. In one week, they were able to give away 50,000 Bibles to people who had never of either Jesus, or the Bible. As I heard of the plight in Mali (now racked by famine, civil war, national bankruptcy, and a military coup) it lifted my vision off my various unexpected trials and challenges and up to a bigger vision of what God is doing and had my expectation of God re-calibrated.

"A crisis doesn't make a man - a crisis reveals a man."
Anon.

As I've mentioned in our Sunday services over the past few weeks, the Australian church is largely struggling to attract Aussies. We praise God for what He is doing around the world and how immigrants from these revival-blessed nations are now trickling into Australian churches, but by-and-large Australians are becoming increasingly unreached. The desperate phone call I received from one young man this week was both unexpected and very welcomed.

He shared how he was now in crisis. He desperately wanted to believe the Bible but felt that the arguments for atheism were too persuasive. He shared how had been attending a contemporary church in Launceston where everything about the church and its message told him to ignore his doubts and settle for a feeling or experience of God. But when he raised questions from the Bible, he said, he was continually surprised to find that the pastors and leaders he spoke with were unfamiliar with these Bible references. He didn't expect that.

I don't know why he rang us (he said that he saw our website) especially since he has now moved to Hobart (presumably to do Uni). As we talked, he spoke of the deep irrelevance that church had been to him in trying to find meaningful and reasonable answers to the questions he had about life, God and the Bible. (Did any of us expect that when we started telling our young people 10-20 years ago to "not use your head but trust with your heart" that this would not be the result?) After a 90 minute phone call with the young man, I had only addressed a fraction of his questions (he had to go). I've invited him to call again. What was even more unexpected about the timing of this phone call was that earlier in the day I was doing some training with Josh and raised each of the issues (and how Christians should address them) that this young man was struggling with. This phone call drove home to me that we have literally thousands of such stories around Launceston and tens of thousands of these stories around Tasmania who have tried church and found it unsatifying - not because it lacked socially (most churches are filled with loving, caring people who readily get along well with people), not because it lacked programs, not because it lacked a good music, but because it was not a true reflection of the God they claimed to be serving and worshiping. Church should be the place where people can meet with God on a heart (strength from fellowship), soul (strength from prayer, reflection, and worship) andmind (strength from God's Word taught and explained) - where each strength complements each other.

We need to have right expectations of God, the Bible, and even our church. It is right to expect that God will honour His Word. Some people have been disappointed with God because He has not met their expectations of how they were hoping He would help or answer their prayers. This dashed expectation of God is partly created by some 'preacher-isms' that sound like they're in the Bible, but actually they aren't. For example, "God only ever rises to the level of our expectation." Therefore, they preach, "we need to lift our expectation of God so that He can do more." Bible verses like Psalm 78:41, that almost sound like they support this notion, are cited -

Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
Psalm 78:41 KJV

Abusing Scripture like this only adds to the problem of believers having a wrong expectation of how God responds to His children. What the King James (and New King James) versions render as "limited" is translated, "provoked", "vexed", "offended" by all other translations. And certainly it wasn't Israel's lack of expectation of what God would do which "limited" Him. The idea that we command or even give God permission to do anything, is counter-Biblical. Anyone who bases their relationship with God on this notion is bound to be disappointed, because it's a false expectation.

¶ I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:1-2

Some believers have misplaced expectations of what it means to follow Jesus. A believer should expect that Christ expects we will trust Him. We should expect that Christ expects we will follow Him. We should expect that Christ expects us to come to Him when we sin, fail, make a mistake, hurt or are hurting. We should expect that Christ expects His followers will love what He loves - His Church. Trust, follow, confess. We can expect God's best when we trust, follow and confess. We can expect that we might not always understand what God's best is when we are having to endure and persevere. Loss doesn't look like God's best. Cancer doesn't look like God's best. Correction doesn't look like God's best. Loss, cancer, correction, while trusting, following, and confessing.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

Right expectations of God come from His Scriptures. But this requires a right expectation of the Scriptures. We can not develop intimacy with God apart from (i) His Word and then (ii) prayer. We can expect to meet with God when we are in His Word. I'm currently reading through Leviticus in my devotions. I'm reminded again that each of the priestly rituals point to a work of Christ in a believer's life and that each of the sacrifices are a type or shadow of an aspect of Christ's ultimate sacrifice. We should expect that God intends to say something to us through His Word, rather than think He expects us to make it mean something to us. Yesterday I had someone tell that the Word of God can be interpretted in many ways. In one sense, they are right. The Word of God can be interpretted in many ways. But this understanding seems to confuse 'interpretation' with 'application' and fuels a disappointing expectation about God's Word. Because God has something intended to say in His Word, there should be only one interpretation of the Scriptures - yet we can each apply a Scripture differently.

I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords
First Timothy 6:13-15

I opened these thoughts by honouring the memory of the great William Carey. He was a pioneer missionary to India at a time when missionaries were despised. Before he left England in the late 1700s, he famously said, "Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God." This was a man who expected great things from God and suffered while he waited for it. His first wife died of madness after they had buried at least two of their children in the first few years after their arrival there. He battled depression and repeated setbacks. Sent to India on a mission to convert the Indians, he saw no converts for his first 7 years of ministry! Yet he continued to expect great things from God! He was convinced that God was great. He was convinced that Jesus Christ was as Paul described Him - King of Kings / Lord of Lords / the only Sovereign. William Carey let this knowledge shape his expectations of God and His Word. He would go on to be responsible for leading thousands of Indians to Christ who would be responsible for literally leading millions of Indians to Christ! Expect great things from God! Get your great expectations from God's great Word! But don't expect that it's your expectations of God that will change God! But do expect that God will shapeyou and your expectations.

as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
Philippians 1:20

Andrew Corbett

HOW CHRISTIANITY IS DIFFERENT FROM RELIGIONS

By Dr. Andrew Corbett, President of ICI College Australia, and Pastor of Legana Christian Church, 5th May 2013

Experts in Religious Studies will tell you that there are 11 "living" religions. Of these, there are 5 global religions including: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism. Of these 5 global religions, 4 of them are missionary religions (Judaism is exception). This article is in an introduction to how Christianity is different from these three other "missionary" religions.

FACTS ABOUT THE FOUR GLOBAL MISSIONARY RELIGIONS

It is estimated that there are 2.1 billion people who identify themselves as Christian. (Source: "Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents". 2005. Retrieved 19 Jun 2010.)

It is estimated that there are 1.5 billion Muslims in the world.

It is estimated that there are around 400 million Buddhists around the world.

It is estimated that there are 1 billion Hindus around the world.

WHAT IS A RELIGION?

Religion is generally considered to be (1) a system of worship which has a set of beliefs and rules expressed in certain rituals with varying degrees of devotion ranging from nominalism to devotee. Most usually, religion involves (2) worship of God and a set of beliefs about God and His will for mankind. It provides (3) a way of looking at life, mankind's condition, God's relationship to His creation, the appropriate way to respond to God, and how people should treat each other. This is called "worldview".

According to the CIA's Factbook, published July 2012, the world's population (7,021,836,029) by religious affiliation is -

31.39%	Christian(Roman Catholic 18.85%, Protestant 8.15%, Orthodox 4.96%, Anglican 1.26%)
22.74%	Muslim
13.80%	Hinduism
6.77%	Buddhism
0.35%	Sikhism
0.22%	Judaism
0.11%	B'hai'ism
10.95%	Other
9.66%	Non-religious
2.01%	Atheism

Interestingly, despite Atheism's claims against "religion" it goes about its quest in a very religious fashion. It makes claims about God, mankind, the after-life, and the identity of Jesus Christ. This ironically makes it quite religious. Added to this, Buddhism is fundamentally atheistic and it universally considered a religion.

AREN'T ALL RELIGIONS BASICALLY THE SAME?

We hear this all the time, that all religions are basically the same. It is variously expressed with glaikit expressions such as, All religions worship the same God ... All religions promote the same values ... Any religion will get you to Heaven. These opinions are at best uninformed, they are at least insulting to each of these religions, and at worst dangerous. To show why, we will consider the four major claims of each religion and then compare them with each other...[read the full article]

He Makes The Impossible Possible

ONLY WHO?

God has called me to work with others in simultaneously running three enterprises that are notoriously difficult to run. I don't think I would ever willingly choose to do this. At times it feels like trying to keep multiple porcelain plates spinning on top of bamboo poles the way those Chinese acrobats performing in circuses do. The only distortion to this parallel is that these Chinese acrobats get to work with really thick poles and specially molded plates. A church, a Bible College, and a Christian Radio Station are individually tricky enterprises to manage. If you ever need your faith in God boosted, I recommend trying to manage just one of these particular enterprises. If you could do with a little faith-boosting right now, you might want to read on.

I deeply admire Pastor Bill Hybels. He has built a great church and a history-changing organisation. His gift of faith is obvious. I love the way he communicates pastorally and intimately with his church about what they are doing and the faith steps they are taking. He very frequently uses the expression, "Only God!" Time and time again I have seen these particular enterprises I help to run struggling for the necessary resources to do what they are called to do, and yet time and time again I have seen "only God!" come through.

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Phillippians 4:19

When God called Kim and me to Legana in 1995, we had no idea what we were coming to. We discovered a church of 17 members that hadn't been able to pay its pastor for several months. In the previous 12 months, two people had committed suicide. It was meeting in a dusty, cold, War Memorial building with really poor acoustics. Added to this, it was thousands of dollars in debt to trade creditors. Just before we arrived they were in discussions about how they could close the church! We are now in our 18th year of pastoring Legana. Over that time the church has grown, acquired buildings and equipment, established ministries beyond its four walls, and funds a missions program that supports missionaries and agencies around the world. And is totally debt-free. We now have a dedicated team of staff and volunteers that ensure that we continue toward fulfilling our mission as a church. Only God!

In 2003, I was asked to manage ICI College Australia. Despite being one of the world's best Distance Education providers of Theological, Biblical, Ministry, and Missions, training, it had not been run well. Student numbers had dropped off considerably. Cash reserves had been fully expended and debts accrued. Unfortunately this is an all too common story when it comes to Bible Colleges. But with the help of a very special lady, Mrs Sari Kuronen, we were able to re-establish ICI College and turn it around. Sari finished up around 2009, and eventually Kim stepped in to become the administrator of the College. Today, ICI College has students in every state of Australia from many denominational backgrounds and affiliations. It was audited by the international accrediting agency, the D.E.T.C. back in 2006, and granted DETC accreditation along with 4 other Australia Distance Education tertiary providers (one of which was Melbourne University). It now has no debt and a modest reserve.

¶ He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
Second Corinthians 9:10

Then in 2011, I was approached with a request to take over the management of Launceston's 105.3 WayFM. It had amassed huge debts and become nearly insolvent. Again with a small band of helpers we set about to save this valuable radio station. Within 18 months we were able to clear its outstanding debts and trim back its costs. We are now in the thros of getting into a sustainable postive cashflow. It is constant work. It is constant praying. It is constantly seeking God's help and trusting Him. And time and time again God comes through just in time. Only God.

Each of these three enterprises might sound disconnected from each other. Indeed, they each require a different skill-set to keep them focussed on their mission. They each seem to be doing totally different things. A church is a community for the Word to shape, a Witness to bear, and for Worship to be offered. A Bible College is a provider of education, training and equipping for more effective service for Christ and His world. A Christian Radio Station broadcasts messages of hope, truth and inspiration through music and messages. Three different "whats". Even the "hows" are different. A church is led by a pastor whose main job is not to do the ministry, but to equip others for the work of ministry (so that the church is not "pastor dependent") and to help fascilitate the pooling of gifts within the church community. This is why our church relies not just on the pastor doing "everything", but on everybody contributing their gifts, ministry, abilities and talents in order to function.

¶ For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
First Cor. 12:12

A Bible College's "how" looks quite different to a church's "how". A Bible College provides qualified teachers to teach, train and instruct students through the use of written material and recorded lectures. This teaching is then tested and examined (which I don't think a church could do and continue to exist!). And a radio station's "how" simplistically described as broadcasting. But in order for its broadcast to be a broadcast, it has to attract listeners, keep listeners, attract sponsors and donors, recruit suitably qualified staff and volunteers to serve as announcers and a support team.

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
Second Corinthians 5:18

The "whats" are different. The "hows" are different. But the "why" is the same. In fact, a casual read through our church's 20+ year old Constitution, and you'll actually read it (prophetically) accommodates each of these three enterprises! It could do this because the "why" is shared by all three.

Over ten years ago, Pastor Phil Hills prophesied over our church in a Sunday night meeting that God was going to give us a voice beyond our building. Who could have imagined how profoundly fulfilled this prophecy was to be fulfilled? Only God.

We certainly rejoice at these three wonderful opportunities to spread the Gospel and bring glory to God. For me though, the "why" of these three enterprises causes me to view them as one mission. Our Great mission is informed by the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. As a church we are frontline means for fulfilling this "why". Our church is a community of believers who pool our gifts and abilities to care for each other, love and worship God, to reach out with the Gospel, and to teach and train believers to know and grow in their walk with and service for Christ. It is in this community of believers that I am able to contribute my meagre gifts of preaching and teaching and others are able to contribute their gifts of giving, mercy, music, administration, and leadership.

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Ephesians 4:15-16

The fact that our church can carry out our mission where we continue to help people find purpose and meaning, help to strengthen marriages, help to support families, and bring hope to people who feel that life is cruel, is due to one fact: only God.

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:5

Because our church's mission includes teaching and training, and because ICI College is one of the best Biblical teaching and ministry training providers, it makes pefect sense that the two enterprises complement each other. In fact, one of our young men, Rhys, who gave his life to Christ in our church, has completed the ICI College course- The Christian Life Program (which is 18 subjects). He is now completing - The Christian Service Program. I am extremely proud of the hard work that Rhys has done and know that God has His hand on Rhys for a powerful future. Rhys is not the only one either. But neither is our church the only only church with such students. How did this happen? Only God.

As we press on into our future answering the "why" with zealous service of our Saviour, we could be fooled into thinking that we are not making progress. Afterall, followers of Christ are now being mocked and ridiculed in the mainstream media, the Parliaments of the land, and the lecture halls of our accademies. How shall continue to answer the "why" of our existence? Only God? How shall we continue to seek to persuade people of their need for The Saviour and encourage them to repent and trust Him? Only God. How shall we continue to help people to be taught and trained for Christ? Only God. How shall we continue to broadcast hope and truth and raise the monthly funds needed to do so? Only God. How shall you become the strong, secure, mature person God wants you to grow into? Only God. How will you find the finances to pay your mortgage, your car, your electricity, while trying to raise a family, finish your education, and save for your retirement? Only God. How will you prepare your soul for eternity while most of your attention is on the now? Only God. Churches need God. Bible Colleges need God. Christian broadcasters need God. Only God. You need God, only God.

And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
John 17:3

Andrew

Are We In The End Times?

Written by Dr Andrew Corbett, President of ICI Theological College Australia, and author of the popular commentary on the Book of Revelation- The Most Embarrassing Book In The Bible, April 26th 2013

Wars, earthquakes, floods, and famines have long been considered the traits of what many believe to be the Biblical description of the "end times". Added to this is what many understand to be the predictions of increased apostasy, the rise in persecution, the deterioration of society's morals, and the increased compromise and lukewarmness of the Church. And surely, if these are the characteristics of what the Bible describes as the last days, we must be in the last days, right? But are we? And if we are, so what? And if we aren't, then what? But are we in what the Bible describes as the 'end times'?

¶ But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty."
Second Timothy 3:1

WHAT ARE THE "END TIMES"?

The expression "end times" is used by Christians to describe a brief period immediately preceding the return of Christ to earth. The expression, however, does not actually occur in the Bible. Rather, expressions such as "the last days", "end of the age" are regarded as synonyms for "end times". The Bible presents a picture of our world as being subject to God's redemptive plan which climaxed in the coming to earth of the eternal Son of God as one of us and will culminate one day when He returns to judge the living and the dead (Rev. 20:12).

knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.
Second Peter 3:3

SIGNS OF THE "END TIMES"

[Read the Full Article]

SPIRIT TRANSFORMATION

The transforming work of the Holy Spirit impacts individuals by taking them from a life of sinful selfishness to a life where they are surrendered to Christ and led by the Holy Spirit. Martin Luther was striving to be right with God. He entered a monastery and became a monk. He underwent rigorous disciplines to live a holy life. He kept a whip over his bedroom door for flogging himself every time he sinned. Yet he kept sinning. He later said that if you had knocked at the door of his heart and it opened to you, there you would have found Martin Luther seated with his garment of hair, shaved crown of his head, and whip over his door. But after his conversion to Christ if you had knocked at the door of his heart and entered you would find none but Christ enthroned! How has Jesus Christ transformed your life?

The Holy Spirit transforms families. He elevates mothers and fathers to the sacred charge of caring for, leading, protecting, teaching and training their children so that they willingly volunteer themselves to be servants of Christ and His Church. 

There is tale told of an English country church in the 1800s that had grown cold. The author calls it, “The Wesley Church”. Sin had pervaded the small congregation in two of its most insidious forms: worldliness, and self-righteousness. It’s new minister was a 25 year old man wise beyond his years. He began to teach on Second Corinthians 4:1-7. As he taught about the light of God, he showed that this light exposed worldliness, but he also noted that this light was displayed in “earthen vessels”. Those who had the light of God’s salvation, were not the light, they were simply the lantern (earthen vessel) of that light. The effect of this ministry was that those trapped in worldliness (drunkenness, fornication in particular) made a public confession to the church and repented. Those in the death-grip of self-righteousness were empowered to confess publicly their hypocrisy and repent while asking the church for forgiveness. The tale goes on to tell that the entire village was deeply impacted. No longer did they sense that the congregation of Wesley Church were looking down at them. One of the repentants said that he previously scorned the village atheist, but he now looked at him with compassion and understanding. It wasn’t too long before that atheist was in the Wesley Church Sunday by Sunday worshiping the God he had vainly protested against.

WHY CHRISTIANS GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS AND SOCIETY

CHARITY AND THE GOSPEL

Christianity has a rich history that should inform us today about the scope of our Mission when it comes to striking a balance between saving souls and meeting the needs of our society. We have nearly 2,000 years of thought about how the teaching of Christ affects individuals and nations. This history includes disputes, disciplines, and reformations. It also reveals that Christianity has had golden patches where it has enjoyed tremendous public acceptance. But it also reveals that for most of its history (in most places it has entered) it has been despised and scorned. Interestingly, history reveals a connection between what Christianity taught and practiced and how it was received by its societies. If you know your Church History, you'll know we've been here before...

 

THE GOSPEL AND CHARITY

The earliest Christians were dogged in their efforts to reach their communities with the Gospel. They didn't see themselves as better, or superior to their neighbours. Rather, they accepted the teaching of Christ about the universal condition of all people being defiled by sin. Jesus taught that it was human sinfulness which would result in eternal damnation. And yet, Christ does not leave people without hope. He became sin in our place and bore the penalty of our sin (2Cor. 5:21). The earliest Christians passionately shared with their neighbourhoods that this pardon from sin is available to all who receive Christ and His grace.

"For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ."
Romans 5:17

The earliest Christians were not universalists (Universalists teach that everyone is saved whether they receive Christ or not). The early Christians regarded the preaching of the Gospel as absolutely necessary to a person receiving Christ and His salvation.

by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!
First Thessalonians 2:16

While the earliest Christians pleaded with their neighbours to be saved through Christ, they also showed their communities tremendous acts of sacrificial love. They went into leper colonies and tended to those made outcasts by society. They gave food and provisions to the poor. They looked after widows and orphans. They ministered to the sick. Thus, hospitals, orphanages, clinics and charities all either find their heritage in the sacrificial service of Christians or in the teaching of Christ about being a neighbour to our fellow man. Eventually, and more recently, Christians would found schools, universities, colleges and offer scholarships to underprivileged students to enable them to gain an education. All the while those serving in these charitable organisations did so because of a profound love for Christ and a deep reverence for His commands to "teach them everything I have commanded" (Matthew 28:20).

When Christianity began, the world was ruled by a very young emperor named Nero. He was openly homosexual and took a particular liking to young boys. He oversaw a culture of mass cruelty. Rome was not able to sanitise its horrific abuse of children with medical instruments and tricky language - it simply called the disposal of unwanted children: "exposure". And the name indicates how it aborted its (birthed and living) babies by leaving them exposed in the town squares on a freezing cold night for the dogs or weather to finish them off. [Wikipedia]

The practice was prevalent in ancient Rome, as well. Philo was the first philosopher to speak out against it. A letter from a Roman citizen to his sister, dating from 1 BCE, demonstrates the casual nature with which infanticide was often viewed:
"I am still in Alexandria. ... I beg and plead with you to take care of our little child, and as soon as we receive wages, I will send them to you. In the meantime, if (good fortune to you!) you give birth, if it is a boy, let it live; if it is a girl, expose it."
Philo (1950). The Special Laws. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. III, XX.117, Volume VII, pp. 118, 551, 549.
Exposure of a female child. Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, 1 B.C. (Oxyrhynchus papyrus 744. G)"
Naphtali, Lewis, ed. (1985). "Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 744". Life in Egypt Under Roman Rule. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 54.

After Christianity became accepted by the State of Rome around 312 it still took another 60 years or so for Christians to change the culture of the Roman Empire to regard "exposure" as morally evil. Rome made it a capital offense in 374 AD. But for Christians to obtain this level of beneficial influence in society it had to preach faith, repentance and obedience to Christ - often at the risk of losing their lives, while it cared for the poor, the needy and the outcast.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
James 1:27

PROPHETS

When Christianity gained acceptance (and wealth and power) it nearly always forgot to preach and care. God always raises up prophets in the darkest hours of supposed light. He raised up Francis of Assissi as such a voice. He called the Church back to preaching and caring. He raised up Savonarola, Wycliffe, Hus, Zwingli, Calvin, Luther, Wesley, Wilberforce, Spurgeon, Boreham, and Piper to call the Church back to purity of doctrine, preaching and care.

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Second Timothy 4:3-5

Each of these men, these prophets, spoke to the Church, to the world, to political leaders. They didn't regard Christianity as being confined to the four walls of a stained-glass building. They didn't regard Christianity as only for the benefit of Christians. They were convinced that the teaching of Christ was the teaching of the Creator designed for the maximum well-being of person. They saw the Church as the pillar and buttress of the truth.

if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.
First Timothy 3:15

When the Church strayed from the truth of God's Word by diminishing it, adding to it, relegating it below Church tradition, these prophets thundered. At one point, their thunderings were so dramatic it gave rise to an era known as "the Reformation" and those who joined their thunderous protests became known as "Protestants". They wanted the Church to believe the truth about Christ and saving grace, the depravity of man making us incapable of doing right before God, and the unique authority of Scripture. They wanted the Church to preach these truths in evangelism and pastoring. And they called the Church to care for the poor, the marginalised, and the oppressed.

Today, we seem to facing an increasingly hostile political environment and an unaccepting culture. We can draw lessons from the earliest Christians who served Christ at a time far worse than anything we are facing. When they preached and cared they grew. When they stopped, God sent persecution and opposition. In the midst of their persecution and opposition they preached Christ and cared in Jesus' name. And then they grew again. There seems to be an obvious lesson for us today. We each need to rededicate ourselves to Christ for Him to use us to proclaim through our life and words that Christ has died to pardon people from their sin because He loves them. Maybe God may use you to be a prophetic leader who can speak to the Church, to the world and to political leaders so that more people might hear the Gospel and experience the charitable care of Christ.

May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
Second Thessalonians 3:5

Ps. Andrew

THE SON WHO BROKE HIS MOTHER'S HEART

He is acclaimed as one of the greatest men to have ever lived. His life has inspired thousands of young men to live daring lives. He was raised in a loving home. His mother taught him to read so that he was reading books by the age of 3. He raced through his schooling and stood head and shoulders above his peers for sheer intellect. His mother was delighted. His father was a Congregational Minister and taught his son the finer points of theology by the time he was in his early teens. But with great intellect at a young age often comes great arrogance and gullibility. He entered Providence College to undertake his university studies and soon fell in with bad company who championed atheism and mocked Christianity. He renounced Christianity and began to live accordingly. His mother's heart was shattered and his father was gutted.

 

WANDERLUST

Adoniram Judson, born in 1788, was blessed with intelligence and good looks. When he arrived at Providence College he soon came under the enchantment of "E___" (as he was later identified). "E___" led Adoniram into Deism (there could be a God, but He doesn't care about people or how they live) and then into Atheism (there is no God). During a College break Adoniram determined to go and seek his pleasure. He rode his horse to an inn where the inn keeper told him that only one room remained available - but it was adjacent to the room of a dying man. Adoniram assured the inn keeper that he wasn't phased by death and that he would take the available room.

"I'll take the room," said Judson. "Death has no terrors for me. You see, I'm an atheist."
Adoniram Judson

When he settled into the room he discovered that the walls were paper thin and he soon began to hear the agonizing cries of the dying man. It moved Adoniram Judson deeply to hear a man become delirious and cry out to God. He wondered whether the dying man had made peace with God? He wondered where this man's eternal destiny would be: heaven or hell? He wondered whether the man was previously religious? Adoniram Judson struggled to go to sleep that night and began to doubt to his newly embraced atheism. His biographer records this event -

"The poor fellow is evidently dying in terror. I suppose I should go to his assistance, but what could I say that would help him?" thought Judson to himself; and he shivered at the very thought of going into the presence of the dying man. He felt a blush of shame steal over him. What would his late unbelieving companions think if they knew of his weakness? Above all, what would witty, brilliant E___ say, if he knew? As he tried to compose himself, the dreadful cries from the next room continued. He pulled the blankets over his head but still he heard the awful sounds and shuddered! Finally, all became quiet in the next room.

In the morning he checked out with the memory of the agonizing cries for divine mercy coming from the next room still haunting him. "He died" said the inn keeper. "Who was he?" enquired Adoniram. "He was a student from Providence College named E___" informed the inn keeper! This was the turning point for the now 20 year old Adoniram Judson. He returned to his parents and apologised to them and became a member of his father's church.

"...surely the love of Christ, which had so marvelously banished the darkness from my own soul, was meant for all mankind."
Adoniram Judson

He quickly became a deep Christian - not merely because of his intellectual capacity, but because of his deep compassion for the lost. At the age of 20 he developed into a deep Bible reader, a young man of deep prayer, and of deep intensity to serve Christ. Around this time William Carey was achieving remarkable success for the Gospel in India. This and other things provoked Adoniram to ponder the spiritual plight of those on the Sub-Continent. He enquired with his father's denomination about going there as a missionary. But foreign missions was still a relatively new concept for them. As Adoniram spoke with his growing band of Christian friends about the urgency of this mission, money soon began to pour in and shortly enough funds were raised to advance the annual salaries of several young men. This would eventually lead to the formation of the American Baptist Missionary Union (after Adoniram saw that the Congregation practice of 'baptising' infants by sprinkling as unbiblical and adopted what he considered to be the Biblical practice of believer's baptism by immersion- causing him to lose his initial support base [quite a courageous move]).

"More than all else, I long to please Thee, my Lord. What wilt Thou have me to do?" As he prayed, he felt the presence of Jesus close beside him and heard His voice saying, "Go to the uttermost parts and preach the gospel of My love. I send you forth, like Paul, as a witness to distant nations."
From The Journal of Adoniram Judson

MISSION

The now newly married Judson and his adventurous young bride set off for Calcutta by sea just days after they wed. When they arrived they were welcomed by William Carey but unwelcomed by the authorities who ordered them to leave. They were led by the Holy Spirit to go to Burma. Adoniram's towering mind enabled him to quickly master the Burmese language (considered one of the hardest second languages for an English speaker to learn and write). He and his bride were not permitted to live in the city and were tasked with making the best of the ramshackled hut nestled between the city's rubbish dump and communal letrine. They soon discovered to their horror that Rangoon was infected with cholera.

That night, said Judson in a letter written soon thereafter, "we have marked as the most gloomy and distressing we have ever passed."...But as they prayed through the long vigils of the night, the voice of the Lord comforted them, saying, "Fear not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God."
Giants of the Missionary Trail, by Scripture Press, Book Division, [1954]. The book can be ordered from Fairfax Baptist Temple, 6401 Missionary Lane, Fairfax Station, VA 22039. Email

At this time they were the only known Christians in a land of millions. Idolatry and superstition was everywhere. "Death drums" were pounded at night to ward off evil spirits. The Judsons were isolated, alone, lonely, and a little spooked.Their support soon dried up (because he became a Baptist) but the enormity of their task only grew. They would labour for 6 years before seeing their first convert. As he applied himself to translating the Bible into Burmese the opposition to his work became heated from the local authorities. By this stage, he and his wife, Ann, now had a baby son. But Adoniram was arrested by local authorities as a British spy and imprisoned for 21 months. He was then sentenced to be executed. It is now regarded as one of the most passionate appeals ever made by a wife for her husband that saw a last minute reprieve for the life of her husband and his eventual release and has led to Ann being known asAnn of Ava (Ava was the then capital of Burma where Adoniram was imprisoned).

"A voice mightier than mine, a still small voice, will ere long sweep away every vestige of thy dominion. The churches of Jesus Christ will soon supplant these idolatrous monuments and the chanting devotees of Buddha will die away before the Christian's hymns of praise."
Adoniram Judson, ca. 1819

Upon his release the couple barely recognised each other. He was skin and bones and scarred from his repeated beatings. She was destitute, wearing rags, and obviously malnourished. The couple would soon bury another two infant children and all too soon Adoniram would bury his dear Ann. Yet despite this he could hold to the conviction that God was good to him. He felt the love of God sustaining him. He felt the love of God for the Burmese driving him on to continue his labour.

"If I had not felt certain that every additional trial was ordered by infinite love and mercy, I could not have survived my accumulated sufferings."
Adoniram Judson

Eight years later he remarried. His new bride was Sarah Boardman, a missionary's widow also labouring in Burma among the Ka'ren people. They were married 11 years before Sarah died and they had 8 children (although 3 of them died in infancy). He returned to America for his only furlough after 33 years of Gospel labour in Burma. While there he met and married Emily Chubbuck in 1846. They had two children but one died in infancy and their son was born shortly after his father died.

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;
Second Corinthians 5:14

Adoniram Judson was divinely gripped by the love of Christ. From that night in the Inn where he turned to Christ he was overwhelmed with the love of Christ for him. He soon discovered that the love of Christ was so vast that it was abundantly available to every person on the planet - if they could only be introduced to its Source.

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
Ephesians 3:17-18

Judson's love for the Burmese earned him the title, the Apostle of Love. From being such a heart-breaking disappointment to his mother, Adoniram Judson became her pride and joy. But not just her's. While returning from Burma after 38 years of labour there which resulted in the New Testament being gifted to the Burmese in their language and up to 100 converts, his health was failing. He took a sea voyage to return to America but never arrived for he although his body was committed to the sea his foot was set upon a heavenly shore to the welcoming words, "Well done."

Sometimes sons, especially those raised by Christian mothers, can break their mother's hearts. Some mothers give up all hope. But some mothers keep mothering by turning to the Father. Mrs Judson did. One hundred years later missiologists could count 270,000 Burmese people who professed Christ as a direct result of Adoniram Judson's labour. Thank God for mothers who know how to plead with the Father. If you are the believing mother of a wayward son, keep mothering!

And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
Luke 15:21

Ps. Andrew