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The Journal
06
Oct
0

Called to Serve

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United with Christ and with each other to serve Philippians 2:1-11 is one of the most beautiful passages in the NT describing how Jesus as God humbled himself and became a man. His death for our sin takes the punishment for our sin so we can united with Christ 2:1. Not only are we united with Jesus but we are also united with other believers. In 2:6-11 we see the enormity of what Christ has done and this is both the power for us and the example for us to have the same attitude as Jesus towards others. Our culture is focused on being consumers & we can bring this same approach into the church looking for what we can get out of church & we in effect become spectators only. God has something greater for us. He wants us to be servants who look for ways in which we can build others up and honour Jesus because one day all people will either willingly or grudgingly bow rot Jesus and honour Him ! God’s Blessing Rev David O'Mara 

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29
Sep
0

Being godly in the world

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Being godly in the world Philippians 1:27-30 says that godly conduct flows from the Gospel. The death of Jesus & our acceptance of Jesus by faith means that we have new passports stamped with Heaven. We have a new identity in Christ and spiritually we are already citizens of heaven and this must affect the way we live. The expression “manner (of life)” is a Greek word meaning to have one’s citizenship. Later in 3:20 Paul explains that our citizenship is in heaven. So we are not to allow the dictates of worldly citizenship to dominate our priorities and how we live. Of course we should obey the law except where it would cause us to disobey God such as near the end of the 1st C when citizens of Rome were commanded to worship the emperor. This new citizenship means that Christians need to be united in one Spirit striving for the faith of the Gospel. God wants us to work together as a team 1:27. It is interesting that in the next verse 1:28 Paul raises the issue of not being frightened by opposition which must have been a temptation to compromise over the Gospel of Jesus and so lose their unity. Paul says that when they suffer for Jesus it is a sign that they will be saved & also a sign to those who oppose Christ that they will be destroyed. Christians experience both great joy and suffering at some level. God’s Blessing Rev David O'Mara. 

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22
Sep
0

Nothing can stop God’s work

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Nothing can stop God’s work In Philippians1:12-26 Paul wants the Christians in Philippi to know that not even chains and house arrest can stop the message of the Gospel going forward. Apparently some critics of Paul had thought that he had let the team down by getting arrested - see Acts 26. Paul is not worried about his own comfort but utmost is his concern for the message of Jesus’ Gospel. He offers 2 reasons. The first reason is that the palace guard have heard that he has been arrested because of his faith in Jesus and this is a witness and secondly his arrest has strengthened his fellow Christians to be more confident in sharing their faith. One of the great truths of the Bible that is absolutely essential for growing as a Christian is to know that God is sovereign and can work His good purposes in all circumstances - Romans 8:28. Paul has at the centre of his concern the advance of the Gospel. He doesn’t fear death and he explains that for him if he lives it is for Jesus and if he dies he goes to be with the Lord which is gain 1:21-22. Paul in his personal testimony about his motivation as a Christian testifies that he has learnt from God’s Word and in his experience that the great purpose of life is Jesus. This means we ensure that we give our best time and energy to the work of the Lord. Paul is able to have this confidence because in Christ’s death he has been delivered from the fear of death and this
has resulted in a clearer vision of what is valuable and important. Rev David O’Mara 

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15
Sep
0

Joy is our DNA

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Jesus is interested in the vertical and the horizontal The Gospel of Jesus works in both a vertical and horizontal direction. God’s anger at our sin has been satisfied and turned away (propitiated) by the work of Jesus dying on the cross for our sin and receiving the punishment we deserve. This means that through God’s initiative our vertical relationship with God has been restored and so we can approach him with confidence and enjoy His friendship. But God’s work doesn’t stop there. Jesus through the power of the Gospel also reconciles us to other people who accept Christ. This is the horizontal dimension. In Paul’s letter to the Christians at Philippi he speaks of the partnership or fellowship which he has because of Jesus. God creates a family or a new community of people who experience God’s love and then learn to love other people. Paul says in 1:4-5 that he has joy because of the partnership which he has with the Christians at Philippi. This is not something which is achieved by us rather we share together in God’s grace - 1:7. Conversion to Christ teaches us to love other people and reach out to them. Paul speaks of longing for these other Christians and having an affection for them 1:8. This leads to him prayer to God that their love may grow. When we really grasp the Gospel we are brought into a new relationship with other Christians and they matter ! God’s Blessing Rev David O’Mara 

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08
Sep
0

Not rules but New Creation

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Boasting only in the cross of Christ Today is our last message from the book of Galatians. Paul sums up his message by “writing in big letters” which in modern speak means that he is underlining the main point of his message to the Galatian Christians. His main point is that the death of Jesus is the heart of the Christian faith. In 6:14 he says that the only thing he wants to boast in or have confidence in is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul recognises that there is a power in the death of Jesus which when apprehended by faith leads to us being saved and delivered from judgement. We are set free from the values of the world. This is in contrast to the false teachers who are driven by wanting to impress people by what they do such as promoting circumcision. Paul refuses to do this and rather accepts the offence of the cross. The cross humbles us by exposing our pride & says the blood of Jesus alone saves. God’s Blessing Rev David O’Mara  

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01
Sep
0

Growing in holiness

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God wants us to grow in holiness & provides the power to do so The book of Galatians is about justification by faith & the application of this. God expects and desires that we will grow in holiness. Growing as a Christian is hard work. Galatians 6:6-10 recognises that there is a spiritual battle between our old sinful nature and our new nature in Christ. Paul exhorts the Christians to resist sowing to please our sinful natures because this will lead to destruction. Rather we are to sow to please the Spirit. The good seed which God plants in us is His Word that can only produced His godly character of love and joy , peace and patience etc. But we must co-operate with God’s work in our lives by setting our mind on things above Colossians 3:1-2 and recognising that the life we live is by faith in the Son of God - 2:20. We must exercise faith to take hold of our new identity in Christ and repent of sin or wrong attitudes. Paul also instructs us that just like a farmer plants a crop and has to be patient for the crop to grow we also must not become weary in doing good but must be patient and trust God’s timing in HIs development of our character. We also notice that sowing to please the Spirit is shown by doing good to other people and serving them and loving them. God’s Blessing Rev David O’Mara 

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25
Aug
0

Relationships shaped by grace

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Relationships shaped by grace  In Galatians 16-6:5  Paul is concerned that we live godly lives & do not allow sin to dominate our lives  5:16.  Faith in Jesus naturally affects how you live which includes your attitude toward God and your attitude to other people. There is a battle going on inside each of us between what God’s Spirit is leading us to do and what He is growing in us and what our old nature wants to hang onto.  Paul outlines the acts of our sinful nature 5:19-21 and contrasts this with the character which the Holy Spirit builds in us 5:22-23.  There is a warning that if we continue to indulge our sinful nature we may not inherit eternal life because we don’t belong to Jesus 5:21,23. The key to growing in godliness is not to try harder. Rather it is by faith to take hold of the work of Christ on the cross and that our sinful natures have been crucified with Christ. True conversion produces new desires in us through being given a new heart by the Spirit as He applies the benefits of Jesus’ death.  If we don’t live by the Spirit our old sinful nature will rise up and one of the consequences is that is that we struggle to live well with others - 5:26.  Paul instructs us 6:1-6 on how to help others when someone  is caught in sin. The emphasis in dealing with sin is on restoration and being gentle.  Our attitude to sin should be that it doesn’t surprise us when we see it in ourselves or in others but neither do we indulge it but seek to repent of it and seek God’s power to resist it. God’s Blessing Rev David O’Mara  

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18
Aug
0

The goal is love

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The goal is love In Galatians 5:1-15 Paul reminds the Christians of who they are in Christ. They have freedom. They are free from condemnation, they are free from fear and guilt and so because of their new identity in Christ we are to stand firm and not allow ourselves to be burdened by the slavery of trying to obey the Law as a basis for acceptance before God. Standing firm is a military term and carries the idea of being vigilant and not letting yourself be robbed of Christ’s blessing through the lies of the devil. Anything other than faith alone in Christ is slavery. Jesus spoke about the yoke he gives which brings rest in Matthew 11. Jesus means that we rest from trying to prove ourselves or justify ourselves. If these Christians agree to be circumcised then they are committing themselves to obey the whole Law as the basis for salvation. The Christian life is lived through the power of the Spirit by faith. We make progress and grow in the Christian life in the same way that we first became followers of Jesus. It is through faith alone in what Jesus has done. We must not forget that we are righteous through faith v6. This new identity however is not an excuse to go about and sin. In fact if we have faith in Christ we have a new nature which is loved by God and so wants to please God because of the great security which we already have. Throughout this passage Paul highlights that our motive for doing things is very important. The Christian motivation is faith which expresses itself through love. True faith in Jesus leads to loving others. God’s Blessing Rev David O’Mara 

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04
Aug
0

Depending on God for righteousness

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Depending on God for righteousness In Galatians 4:8-20 Paul is shocked that the Galatians are leaving the Gospel which brings freedom and listening to the false teachers. Before these people became Christians they were Gentile pagans and worshipped a variety of idols which affected every part of their life. In 4:8-9 Paul says that their desire to return to the basic principles of this world which are weak and miserable and have no power to change them is like embracing idolatry again. In 4:10 he indicates that these Christians are adopting special days and and seasons as a basis for their confidence before God. We are always tempted to trust in what we do to be right with God. The Bible says that at the Cross Jesus completed the work of salvation and we need do nothing else to be right with God except trust alone in what Christ has done. This is humbling because in life we are use to earning things and the importance of our performance for our sense of value. But with God it is all about grace. God’s Blessing Rev David O’Mara  

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28
Jul
0

The privilege of being God's children

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Adopted children of God One of the most dynamic truths in the Bible is that God adopts us as His children through the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul uses the expression that we are clothed with Christ and equates this with being baptised into Christ 3:27. This union with Christ is expressed through God sending His Spirits into our hearts so that He calls out Abba Father. This means that we are God’s children who are safe and secure and can enjoy our relationship with Him and thrive. Our Christian faith is first and foremost based on what Christ has done. There is great joy in this because it means that we can experience God’s love for us personally. The work of Christ on the Cross is external but the work of the Spirit is internal and He impacts our whole being. Paul is indicating that the Spirit helps and enables us to call God our Father. Our adoption as children of God means that all God’s resources are available to us to enjoy and to strengthen us to follow Jesus. God’s Blessing Rev David O’Mara  

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