Partakers Christian Podcasts

Jesus Who - Pulp Theology 09

PulpTheology Books

Jesus Who?

Available on Amazon in Paperback and Kindle

The title "Jesus Who?" was a question put to me by my father many years ago. He was asking me which Jesus I was talking about. The Jesus of Islam? The Jesus of the Anglicans or the Jesus of the Baptists? The Jesus of the imagination?

In this little book, we look at who I think Jesus was and is... It acts as a brief introduction to the greatest man who ever lived: Jesus Christ. Who was he? Why does he matter? What has he got to do with each of us? Jesus Christ. The name which is on everybody's lips at Christmas. But who was this man and so what? When the human we know as Jesus Christ was born, his name imbued the very reason he was born. His conception and birth were extraordinary at every level. Jesus very name, means “one who saves” and the entirety of his birth, life and death were centred on this very role. His role was to save all those who would follow Him.

Almost everyone has an opinion about Him. Jesus was born to confirm God's promises, to reveal God as a loving Father, invite people into His Sonship, and to be our representative before Almighty God. He gave us an example of how to live a holy life to the full. Jesus was not merely a man who received some special power, nor was he some strange creation that was half man and half God. As we will see together inside, He was much more than those ideas.

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Psalm On Demand - Psalm 75

Psalm 75

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Psalm by Asaph. A song.

75:1 We give thanks to you, God.

We give thanks, for your Name is near.

Men tell about your wondrous works.

75:2 When I choose the appointed time, I will judge blamelessly.

75:3 The earth and all its inhabitants quake. I firmly hold its pillars.

Selah.

75:4 I said to the arrogant, “Don’t boast!”

I said to the wicked, “Don’t lift up the horn.

75:5 Don’t lift up your horn on high. Don’t speak with a stiff neck.”

75:6 For neither from the east, nor from the west,

nor yet from the south, comes exaltation.

75:7 But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts up another.

75:8 For in the hand of Yahweh there is a cup,

full of foaming wine mixed with spices.

He pours it out.

Indeed the wicked of the earth drink and drink it to its very dregs.

75:9 But I will declare this forever:

I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

75:10 I will cut off all the horns of the wicked,

but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.

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Romans 12 - Living Life - Part 24

Romans 12: Living Life

Study 24: Humility of mind and spirit

v16 - Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

Here are two of the main reasons that churches lack harmony – pride and know-it-alls!! Do you think that may describe somebody that you know? Or even yourself?

There is to be no place in the Gospel, and therefore the Church itself, for pride and conceit. There is to be no favouritism within the life of the Church. Love does not show favouritism or partiality but love treats all people equally. The best person for the job, is the best person for the job – not the one shown favouritism. That isn’t to say we can’t have some people as friends and others not! But we are not to make differences between people based on things such as bank balances, social status, education, birthplace etc. Let not the educated look down upon the uneducated. Let not the financially rich not look down on the poor & homeless. Let males not look down upon females or females look down on males.

Structure within Churches is important or there would be chaos. Remember a Church is to be harmonious – and those of higher importance in Church structures are to associate & work with those of the least importance in Church structures. Why?

Because of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, being the Son of God, made Himself nothing in order to become a human being. Jesus, the Lord of the Church, was willing to do everything possible, so that you and I may be able to become children of God. Jesus Christ, and therefore God Himself, treats equally all sections of society, and so must those who claim to follow Him.

And we all know somebody who is a know-it-all – they have an answer to every question and like to let everybody know that they do! Now it is good to be wise in the ways of God but let not that lead to pride! Such a person is hard to teach – hard even to God. Wisdom comes from studying God’s word, being willing to be changed by the Spirit who lives within all believers without distinction. The so-called uneducated are usually more willing to be wise from this method than the educated.

Go! Be practical in your love of God to all people without partiality or distinction. And don’t think you know it all – coz you don’t!

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Romans 12 - Living Life - Part 22

Romans 12: Living Life

Study 22: Rejoice and sorrow

v15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.

I wonder if some times you are like me –you are sad when people you know have reason to be happy! We are like that as people! Jesus in Luke 15:25-30 indicates that this behaviour comes from envy! Or you are happy when people have reason to be sad or in trouble – your attitude is “They deserve it!” This is nothing short of malice. And unsurprisingly, it can come quite naturally to us! Paul here challenges the Roman readers and by proxy, us, with something totally alien to our natural way of behaving! Paul goes “be happy to the happy and weep with the weeping!”


That is a counter to the way the world we live in operates. Sure some people who are not Christian may do it Paul’s way but in general they don’t. But that is not the way it is to be with the Church! We are to love others as we would want to be loved. Love is not detached or ignorant of other people’s joys and sorrows. Love does not simply ignore or bear malice. Love lifts, encourages, embraces and emboldens! Love in action is offering a shoulder to cry on to somebody in need of help. Love in action is rejoicing with that brother or sister who has cause for celebration. Love offers solidarity with the other person, regardless of mood or emotion.


So how can we show this love to others? We maybe able to do it in our own strength, but we assuredly can by using the power of the Holy Spirit! Oh how easily we forget He is living within us! WOW! If we ask for His help, He will help – often in the most amazing ways. Let the Holy Spirit stimulate your imagination as to how you can practically rejoice and be happy with those who are rejoicing or to show you how you can weep with those who are weeping and in sorrow. And if we have reason to rejoice, let us not forget to be so overcome that we neglect to weep with those who are weeping. Or conversely, if we have good reason to be weeping, let us now forget to somehow rejoice with that brother or sister who has reason to be happy!


Go! Let your love for others be practically seen – whether with smiles or with tears!

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Romans 12 - Living Life - Part 21

Romans 12: Living Life

Study 21: Bless and pray

v14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.

Paul here seems to have had some teaching about what Jesus taught for here he echoes Jesus, who is now His master. (Matthew 5:43-44 and Luke 6:27-28.)


To bless means to show kindness and love. Do you have enemies – people who don’t like you or loathe you because you are a Christian or for some other reason? I know some people who have been totally disowned by their own families because they became Christians. How are we to react? Paul here, echoes Jesus, commands that we are to show kindness and love. That is what bless means here - seeking the welfare of those that would cause us harm. It is a challenge to us because our natural reaction is usually to fight back or to ignore - that is curse. But we are challenged to pray for those who would wish us harm. Praying for their welfare is showing love for those who wish us harm. How can this be done? It can only be done using the power and strength of the Holy Spirit within us rather than attempting to do it in our own strength.


Paul here is a good example. Just a few years ago, Paul was going around persecuting the church. The first Christian Martyr was Stephen, as told to us in Acts 7:59-60. “While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he fell asleep.”


Saul was standing there watching. Saul who we know now became Paul – our writer! Shortly after this event, Saul was arrested by Jesus whom He was persecuting. Paul has changed! His motto now is “bless those who persecute you.” Whereas his motto before was “Love your neighbour but hate your enemy!” What a change under the power of the Holy Spirit!


This is of course a picture of the Gospel. God showed love for His enemies, by sending His Son Jesus to die, so that all of humanity could change from being enemies of God to being friends of God.


Go! Bless others who are against you. Go and also pray for the persecuted church around the world – for they are your Christian family.

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Think Spot - Fruit and Light

 

Monday Think Spot

Fruit and Light

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  

These are perhaps some of most popular words within the church today, particularly western reformed Protestantism…  Look at those words again – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control… Beautiful words which I am sure fill you with a sense of well-being and are pleasing to your mind and to your soul… They are indeed beautiful but they are to be maintained by the Christian, because they are evidence that you have the Holy Spirit within you. 

If you are a Christian, this fact – you have the Holy Ghost within you and upon you – He is the seal of your salvation.  But these Fruit are difficult to maintain 24 hours a day. That is why we are to rely on His wisdom and strength as we go through each day, maintaining those fruit as we interact with others as well as in our private life – those moments when we are alone. One thing I have noticed about myself, is that it is easier to show the fruit of the Spirit in the big moments of life, but not that easy in the smaller moments of life such as when the traffic lights go green and the car ahead doesn’t move instantly! How about you?

But the fruit of the Spirit is not just for the individual. The fruit of the Spirit are also to be displayed by the community of Christians – local, national and international. For instance, if another Christian, even one from a church that is not the one you attend, is feeling unloved, it is your responsibility to love them – regardless of any doctrinal disagreements. You may not be able to love them in your own strength, but you can by using the power of the Holy Ghost – ask Him and He will help you!

The fruit of the Holy Ghost is not just for the individual Christian but for a group of Christians. Your church is to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit and all the churches in your town are to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit.  In your town, there is only one church – a church made up of all the churches in the town. How are the churches in your town exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit? By doing that, you are a witness for Jesus Christ – a bright shining light of God in your town.

When you partake of the sacrament of communion with others, there is power in the bread and wine. Whatever your view of the bread and wine – whether you think they are only symbolic of Jesus’ blood and flesh or if they are the actual body and blood of Jesus – there is power because Jesus is there! The Word is there! It has a psychological effect! There is a promise! Jesus said He would be there! So when churches from different traditions get together and take the Sacrament of Holy Communion together, despite the doctrinal disagreements, there is power! Power to show the communal fruit of the Spirit! Remember Paul is writing to a group of Churches in Galatia, not a lone individual or even a solitary church! The churches in your neighbourhood, town, state and country is to be a bright light for the neighbourhood, town, state, province and country! Can you imagine the witness if Churches were seen to be working together despite minor differences?

Go be a light for Jesus Christ this week and beyond – as an individual, a group or a gathering of churches. God loves you so go tell and show others that God loves them too. Go show “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” to others – that is your light of God to those outside the Church. Thank you and have a great week!

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Christian Testimony - God in the Tornado

God in the Tornado

A great wind in the darkness!

It was Thursday night, 26^th May 2011 at 10:10pm.  I was alone sharing in prayer requests with friends on the Internet. It was a cool but blustery night, I had the doors open, letting the air circulate through the screens.  When all of a sudden, the house seemed to shake violently due to the awesome power of a mighty wind. The Rottweiler pup with me began to howl and seconds later the sirens in town went off! There was a tornado alert and the tornado was coming!

Being dark and stormy, plus surrounded by woods, I was kept from seeing any visual signs of the turmoil surrounding me. The sounds were deafening, the force caused the wind chimes to chime loudly and items to be tossed across the yard.

Silence is loud!

Shortly afterwards, the noise dissipated, and the night became calm. Both Aachen & I were OK, but she had saucer size eyes...I probably did too. Checking the weather news, there was a tornado watch alert. Whatever we received was a very mild form of what others recently have endured in Missouri and elsewhere.

Startling, yes...loud and full of power, yes...scary...no, there was peace and calm in the storm. Comfort in the midst of the winds. Praise be to our Almighty God. Next morning we found some items displaced and blown about, but only minimally.

Praise be to God!

Praising God, because just as Jesus was with the disciples in the midst of the storm in the story told in the Gospels, Jesus was here in the storms with me and protecting us! Wow!

Praise God for His loving watch care for this house, property and all that has been lovingly dedicated to God's glory and ministry. This is God's anointed place dedicated to outreach in sharing His love and Word to others. Praising God for the safety of the property and the gardens so far planted. This is a divinely inspired Women's Gardening ministry and outreach to those at risk in society. A ministry of helps and works revolving around the core of God's own Word and guidance.

If you have found this helpful, please do let us know how it has helped your own journey of faith. You can do this by leaving a comment below! Thank you.

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Sermon - Joy and Judgement Leviticus 9

Joy and Judgement

Leviticus 9:22-10:3 & 1 Corinthians 3:10-15

Introduction

The first seven chapters of Leviticus talk about the different offerings or sacrifices that Israel was to make to God. Then in chapter 8 we see the beginning of the priesthood and the joyful work of Aaron and the priests. Their main role as Priests, was to act as mediators between a holy God and the people of Israel, particularly in the role of making those offerings and sacrifices. In fact, these Priests were the ultimate multi-taskers, as they seemed equally adept as butchers, doctors, teachers, quality assurors and public health inspectors! The passage we have in front of us today shows the culmination of this priestly ordination. Let us witness together a scene of great and exuberant joy!

 

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Christian Testimony - Steve

Glimpses 57- Stephen

This is the story of Stephen. He lives in Bournemouth and he shares how an encounter with Jesus changed is life from hatred, violence, cruelty and drug addiction... Come and hear!

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Christian Testimony - Sharon

Sharon, a Chinese believer, talks about her journey of faith, from Daoism to Christianity and how Jesus Christ is relevant to her life today.

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