Redeemer

SEE 2024 THROUGH SPIRITUAL EYESIGHT

(January 03, 2024) Norman and Margaret Moss reflect…

I (Norman) had reached the time of life when reading the lower lines of the optician’s chart involved a few hopeful guesses!

So it was no surprise when the optician ruled that it was time for a cataract operation. I am happy to report that I finished last year with better sight than at the beginning. And now I can really ‘look’ ahead to 2024!

Exciting spiritual eyesight
But… seriously, how exciting it is to know that Jesus offers us more than mere physical eyesight! He offers spiritual eyesight.

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EVEN BEFORE CREATION, GOD LOVED US

(April 18, 2023) Carol Round encourages us to reflect on the depth of God’s love…

In a recent devotional I read – Billy Graham’s book Hope for Each Day: Words of Wisdom and Faith – Dr Graham opened one day’s devotional with the following words: ‘God’s love did not begin at Calvary.’

The opening paragraph continued. ‘Before the morning stars sang together, before the world was baptised with the first light, before the first blades of tender grass peeped out, God was love.’

God loved us before the creation of the universe! How do we know? Because God is love! Ephesians 1:4NLT tells us ‘Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.’

He chose us before creation
Do you ever think about how much God loves you? Have you ever considered you don’t deserve the fullness of His love? Sometimes, I do.

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NEHEMIAH – GOD’S CALL TO BUILD THE WALL (9)

(January 16, 2023) Hope Flinchbaugh, concludes her reflections on Nehemiah’s commission from God…

I’ve been sharing how Nehemiah, although an exile in Babylon, was cupbearer to Artaxerxes the king of Persia.

On learning the plight of his troubled people back home in Jerusalem and the city’s broken-down wall, he had wept and prayed to God for guidance and help (Nehemiah 1).

The outcome was that he obtained permission, and letters of authority, from the king to return home (Nehemiah 2).

In effect Nehemiah responded to God’s call to build that wall… and I’ve been encouraging you, dear reader, to respond to whatever God’s calling on your life may be.

God our amazing helper
Nehemiah 6:15-16NASB declares that, despite opposition, ‘… the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard about it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they realised that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.’

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WE HAVE A REDEEMER, A PASSOVER LAMB OVER US!

(March 16, 2020) Hope Flinchbaugh shares encouragement in these days of virus panic…

Daily news from around the world regularly reports people panicking over the COVID-19 virus… the resultant sicknesses, deaths, sports events and shows being cancelled, businesses closing, insufficient stocks of various essential and other grocery items in stores… and more.

For Christians it’s a time not to be panicking but to recall we have protection as we trust in Jesus our redeemer and his power.  And as I do so afresh I’m reminded of something that happened back in 2002.

I had accompanied my father – Reverend Glenn Keenan – on one of his missionary trips, this time to China. In meetings arranged by my dad I would play the piano and sing.

One evening Dad drew this chalk picture for the Chinese people.

As Dad drew the picture I played and sang, then he spoke on its meaning. These are the Chinese characters (pictures really) for the word ‘redeemed.’ The characters mean ‘Lamb over me’ – the top is a lamb and the bottom character translates ‘me.’

Isn’t that beautiful? ‘The Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, over me.’ Jesus is over every Christian!

Power in the blood of Christ
Just as we left China in October 2002, the SARS epidemic broke out – face masks everywhere, panic setting in. (more…)