Family, General Principles, Wisdom

The Difference between Pardon and Forgiveness

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Jesus words on forgiveness are stark:  Unless you forgive others you cannot be forgiven.  He makes that very clear in the Lord’s prayer (Matt. 6:15), in the parable of the indebted servant in Matthew 18:21-35 and elsewhere.

However forgiveness and pardon are not the same thing.  To pardon someone is to let them off, to not enforce a judgement that is against them.  If you have the authority to pardon someone, that means you have some authority over them.  Kings, Queens, Presidents, some politicians and judges have this kind of authority.  Prison governours, members of tribunals, parole boards, military leaders and policemen also have this power at times.  Employers have authority over employees.  But the most relevant authority to most of us is that of our parents.

As a Christian, whoever you are, you are called to forgive.  But if you are a Christian in a place of authority over someone then you need to be careful before you extend that forgiveness into pardon.  If the person who you have the authority to pardon is unrepentant then the pardon will just lead to more opportunity for that person to cause the same type of trouble again.

I am really enjoying the Netflix series “The Crown” mainly because of its historical accuracy and attention to detail.  In Series 2 episode 6, the Queen is strongly impressed by Billy Graham who is holding a crusade in the UK at the time.  She invites him to the palace on two occasions.  Interwoven with these visits is an attempt by her uncle (formerly Edward VIII who abdicated before the war to marry a divorcee) to return to the UK.  Through powerful contacts he manages to convince the government to offer him some high profile ambassadorial roles.  Only the Queen is between him and a happy homecoming.  She has to decide whether to give him a royal pardon and let him in the country or to refuse and to leave him in exile.

The trouble is her uncle is unrepentant.  He is still as treasonous in his heart as he has ever been.

The Queen is confused between forgiveness and pardon.  The Netflix portrayal makes it clear that she hasn’t distinguished between the two.  She asks Billy Graham should she forgive her uncle, to which Billy rightly responds that she should.  In the end she tells her uncle that she can never forgive him – but when she said that she used the wrong word.  To protect her family and her country she could never pardon him.  In her heart she could and did forgive him but he was unrepentant.  She used the wrong word but made the right decision.  But she ended up confused.

We need to know the difference between forgiveness and pardon because all of us have either been a parent or a child.  Parents need to always be able to have an attitude of forgiveness towards their children but they would be foolish to pardon them and let them avoid the consequences of their wrongdoing – especially if they are unrepentant.  Children need to understand this distinction.

Discipleship Series, Eschatology, General Principles

The meaning of the word “Antichrist”

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The word antichrist has two parts to it. Anti means “in place of” and christ in this context means “anointing”.

John wrote to disciples of Jesus, those who are born again, and says about this anointing that you have no need for anyone to teach you since you have the anointing and know the truth (1 John 2:20,27).

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews quotes Jeremiah and says that no one will need to teach his neighbour to know the Lord for He shall write His laws on their hearts and on their minds (Jer. 31:33, Heb. 8:10; 10:16).

A primary feature of being a Christian according to the New Testament is that you don’t need an intermediary between you and God, there is only One and He is in you.

Don’t let any man, no matter how exalted, take the place of God in your life.

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Into the Third Heaven

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2037 – 3036 AD

Entering the upwelling was a remarkable experience even by an immortal’s high standard for such things.

The best way to enter was with others and while singing.  Immortals from all ages knew various songs of ascents.  It was curious if you thought about it.  Timothy, who had been mortal during the first century after Christ appeared on earth the first time was able to sing in harmony with Brian who had sung in the 21st.  The styles were different but the combination was wonderful.

Sometimes people held hands, sometimes they just stepped forward together in unison.  The force of the water was such that no mortal could enter, they would have just been swept down the mountain, presuming they could have approached the place at all.

When Florence entered the most amazing thrill filled every atom of her body.  The space between the nucleus and the electron cloud of each atom resonated so that laser lights poured out through her.  Then there was the rush upwards, the deep intake of breath and suddenly out into the brilliant light.

And there she was with the others standing on the sea in the middle of heaven before the throne of God, still singing.

Everything had become heavenly, the music was intricate, multi-placed, harmonious and surprisingly loud.  Near the front were some huge drums (though that name didn’t do them justice) producing crashes of thunder and flashes of lightning.  The classical instruments of an earthly orchestra had their heavenly counterparts: flutes, trumpets, oboes, violins only these seemed to be living somehow.

The immortals standing on the sea were those who had been redeemed from the earth from every tribe, tongue and nation.  During this millennial phase they ruled with Jesus on the earth and were able to enter heaven and leave again through the sea.

Florence wasn’t keen on the leaving part.  She usually found some way of lingering there as long as possible.  The millennium could have come and gone if the Spirit didn’t tell her every so often that she was needed on earth during it.

Then there were the other creatures like the four living creatures beneath the throne.  They seemed to be of a different order altogether.  It was hard to relate to them and some of the other things going on in what seemed like the endless dimensions of heaven.  Florence thought she would have eternity to find out if she wanted to.

Though every time she looked up at Him on the throne she wondered why she would ever want to.

Discipleship Series, General Principles

God is my Refuge

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God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, ..  Psalm 46:1,2.

God is an impenetrable fortress in Whom we can rest without any fear of interference or disturbance.  The walls to this fortress are sheer, tall and unscalable.  The materials of this fortress cannot be destroyed by any weapon no matter how powerful.

There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord (Prov. 21:30).
He is our God, let us trust in Him.  He will make a way where there seems to be no way.

 

 

Discipleship Series, General Principles, Wisdom

The Secret Place (Psalm 91)

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“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid ….” 

Psalm 91: 1-5 (NKJV)

The secret place is primarily a place of trust. We all have to face fear but it makes no sense to stay afraid when the God who made the universe is on your side.  That is, of course, if you know He is on your side.  So how do we know that?

The Scriptures say that God is for us not against us (Romans 8:31).    But this and other passages in the letters are written to disciples/ saints/ overcomers, those who have been born again and are walking in the light.

Before you can enter the secret place and dwell there you must have come to faith in Him.  Jesus says that we should fear Him (Matt. 10:28, Luke 12:5) and make peace with Him while we are on the way through this life (Matt. 5:25) before it is too late.  John points out that unless you are born from above you cannot be in His kingdom (John 3:8).  To be in God’s kingdom is to be under His protection.

It is only then that we can truly say that “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”Fortress

Discipleship Series, General Principles, prayer, Wisdom

Practices of Discipleship: Prayer

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Prayer is more about listening than talking:

5 Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.

2 Do not be rash with your mouth,
And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.
For God is in heaven, and you on earth;
Therefore let your words be few.
3 For a dream comes through much activity,
And a fool’s voice is known by his many words.

Eccles. 5:1-3

The main point of praying is putting yourself somewhere you can hear clearly.  There is both a physical and a moral/spiritual element to this placing.

Physically it should be quiet and alone (we are not talking about corporate prayer here which is a different thing).

Morally you need to be devoted, set aside or holy.  Your only desire should be to do His will otherwise you won’t hear properly:

17 If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.

John 7:17,18

You also need to give this time and priority.  I find that first thing in the morning is best and an hour is a good length of time.

Once you are in the quiet place (Psalm 91), the aim is to take every thought captive to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5).

I find that the meditative technique of “centering down” helps here.  Thoughts actually come out of the heart or centre of you (not your head – Matt. 15:18, Luke 6:45) and therefore bringing your inner man to a place of quiet is important if you are to listen to God who is in you (Col. 1:27).

God is not far away, He is in fact very close to His children (Romans 10:8, Acts 17:28).   If you are born again and abiding in Jesus, His word is in your heart and written on your mind (Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 10:16).

When a thought comes to you, capture it and check it against the name or character of Jesus as He has been revealed to you through the Holy Spirit and His word.  If it requires action do it as long as it is something God would do.  If you are unsure ask another brother/sister who you trust and who loves you.

I am writing these things because I believe God has told me to and it is the kind of thing He does.  I also checked with Olive.

Discipleship Series, General Principles

Overcoming Evil with Good

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Sometimes the practical implications and implementation of these words of Jesus are hard to stomach:

 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

(Luke 6:27-36).

It is one thing to read those words in theory and quite another to put them into practice in the very real presence of the ungrateful and wicked, especially those who have proven through time that they won’t change nor respond to the Gospel.  Even worse can be trying to love those you trusted who then betrayed you.

unfair

Along with Jeremiah (chap. 12) and Asaph (Psalm 73) I ask: “Why do the wicked prosper?”

My prayer is: “Change my heart so I can love them in Spirit and truth.”  Then the actual actions I take will flow from a right heart.  I don’t want to believe one thing in theory and then find my actions are taking quite an opposite approach in practice simply because I haven’t fully internalised the truth.

 

Discipleship Series

Be willing and pure and you will know

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My teaching is not Mine but His who sent Me.
If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. 
He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
This is Jesus speaking as recorded in John’s gospel chapter 7:16-18.
Many people seem to have a problem knowing what God’s will is for their lives.  I’m not one of them.  For me the problem has not been not knowing but not being willing to do what I know He wants me to do.
But as Jesus says above, the reality is that if you really want to know what God is saying you have to be willing to do His will.  This truth applies whether you are in prayer listening to the Holy Spirit or whether you are listening to someone preaching.  Or whether you are reading a blog from some obscure Irish man who seems to think he can teach you a thing or two about being a disciple.
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Meshing

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This particular Middle Eastern drug baron was a nasty piece of work.  He had made his money, as his father and ancestors before him, through people trafficking, brothels and drug dealing on a huge scale.  Michael had been sent in to get him.

The palace where the drug baron was holed up had been surrounded and most of the external guards were either dead or captured.  There just remained the central stronghold.  Michael walked in through the wall slightly to the left of the main doors.

That was when he saw her.  She was what most men would have called attractive and she was naked.

Michael thought back to the times he had touched another immortal like himself.  He had realised then that he could control the level of intimacy that he would allow in the touch.  So for someone he hardly knew the handshake wouldn’t be much different from those he experienced as a mortal.  Only it was different, everything was different.  When two immortals shook hands there was an exchange of understanding of each other that went with it unlike any handshake he would have had while mortal.  However it was so normal to him in his new state that he hardly noticed.

However when he touched another immortal he was friends with there were all sorts of things going on. There was a man he was close friends with while a mortal.  They had worked together, prayed together, hurt one another at times but learnt to forgive and go on.  They trusted each other.  So when Michael met him as another immortal it seemed natural enough to give him an embrace.  It was full hearted embrace full of love and expression from both to each other.  As the embrace lingered Michael realised that he was meshing with his friend.  He knew that their new immortal bodies were able to move through material things but this was different.  As they began to meld there was an ecstasy in his physical being that was like… well it was more than that somehow.  Any word he would have used to describe his most intimate moments as a mortal just wouldn’t do this level of intimacy justice.  And it wasn’t just physical, there was a deeper understanding of his friend’s heart that came with the embrace.  The unity was at a subconscious level also, except that now that he was immortal, the subconscious was always more conscious than it had ever been while he was mortal.

All this made what the girl was trying to do just irrelevant, like a trickle of dirty water in the presence of a bubbling fountain or a candle in the light of the sun.

But at this stage the ambush was in full swing.  The ambushers had been surprised that he hadn’t come through the door, as had the girl, but they started firing quite quickly nonetheless.  After one of them had plunged at him with a knife, he told them to stop.  He addressed them as one would children.  “Stop before you hurt someone,” he said rather ironically.

The girl sidled up to him.  Michael knew that it wouldn’t be good to encourage her so he made his surface sting slightly as she touched it.  The girl recoiled and he told her gently to go and get dressed.

In the meantime the main man he had come to arrest had gone into another inner safe room and was busy trying to get out through a secret tunnel.  Michael moved swiftly through the walls to intercept him.

The police followed in behind them.

A Christian in a relationship