Spiritcode

Standing where Abraham stood ‘Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place (ha makom) afar off’ (Gen. 22:4) Humans make primary connections to things (or people) from which they believe (or have been persuaded) they will draw life, identity and purpose. As children we find these in parents, lineage and country. These are important things which constitute our human pedigree and give us a sense of legitimacy. Until we have an encounter with God through Jesus Christ we are looking for Life. When we are ‘re-born’ (‘born from above’) we receive a new pedigree as adopted sons and heirs—joint heirs with Jesus Christ in an inheritance, as Peter says, ‘that can never perish, spoil or fade...kept in heaven for you’ (1 Peter 1:4). A different kind of Life now flows to us and within us—we’ve been joined to Life…of the eternal kind that heightens and adds vibrancy and colour to everything in this realm as well (an old hymn truly says, ‘heaven above is softer blue, earth around is sweeter green; somethi

THE CONTRADICTION OF CHRISTMAS Luke 2:25 God, you can now release your servant; release me in peace as you promised. With my own eyes I've seen your salvation; it's now out in the open for everyone to see: A God-revealing light to the nations. Jesus' father and mother were speechless with surprise at these words. Simeon went on to bless them, and said to Mary his mother, This child marks both the failure and the recovery of many people, A figure misunderstood and contradicted—But the rejection will force honesty, as God reveals to people who they really are. (Thoughts (dialogismos) of many hearts will be revealed) God has given us a life that looks like a contradiction but it’s a life that can show us the truth of the best person we could hope to be… Who are we who are you. We know through reflection of others. That tug of war determines how a person positions themselves relationally and socially for the rest of their lives (Reading faces) – until they get the right perspective – and there is one. We make an

Luke 2:8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you glad tidings (Gospel - Luke 4:18) of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly angels praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” What was the sign? A newborn baby safely wrapped and cradled, ready for life and growth (verse 52) - God in Heaven could now be seen on earth in human form. Jesus would live a life of struggle and challenge against evil and adversity conquering on behalf of us who were to

Isaiah 8:11 The Lord has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said, don’t live in dread of what frightens them and call everything a conspiracy, like they do. Dedicate your life to The Lord of hosts He is the one you should fear, the one who should make you tremble. 14. He will keep you safe. He will be a stone that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. And also for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare. 15. Many will stumble and fall, never to rise again. Preserve the teaching of God; entrust his instructions to those who follow me. 17. I will wait for the Lord, I will put my hope in him. Shouldn’t people ask God for guidance? Should the living seek guidance from the dead? Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark. They will go from one place to another, weary and hungry. And because they are hungry, they will rage and curse their king and their God. 22. They will look up to heaven and down

THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT FOR THE GREATEST VALUE Luke 10:25… One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!” The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. “By chance a Levite came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple Priest walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. “Then a despi

It is a real joy to have Tim Watson, the new headmaster at Northern Beaches Christian School, to be sharing with us in the Word this morning. We pray God’s blessing upon Tim and his family and upon his ministry of leadership at the school. PSALM 78 1 My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.  2 I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—  3 things we have heard and known,  things our ancestors have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,  his power, and the wonders he has done.  5 He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel,  which he commanded our ancestors  to teach their children,  6 so the next generation would know them,  even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children.  7 Then they would put their trust in God  and would not forget his deeds  but would keep his commands. A FESTIVAL OF CAROLS This year NB

Covetousness may seem like a bit of a yawn compared to the gravity of most of the other commandments. Exodus 20:17 You shall not covet your neighbour's house; you shall not covet your neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour's. Colossians 3:5… covetousness is idolatry… (and God's judgment upon idolatry is the destruction of idols). The Empty Life The covetous heart desires to have the life or possessions of other people and sees them as the source of his or her life fulfilment. This is idolatry (Commandment Two) which reflects a failure of obedience to Commandment One regarding the honouring of God as the source and fulfillment of our lives. That is why Commandment One sits between Commandment Ten and Commandment Two. How can the Holy Spirit bear witness to the truth of our lives if we want to live though what other people have rather than what we have? We first have to be who we really are in God so that we can do what we s

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses. Being HIS witness is putting HIM on display in our lives Just as Jesus put his Father on display John 14:9 If you have seen me you have seen the Father… John 8:37 and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Witness of the Holy Spirit on earth now- John 16:13,14 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me (Put me on display), inasmuch as he will receive what is from me and show it to you. We receive from Holy Spirit to put that on display with him to the world. Romans 8:15 but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The same Spirit Himself is bearing witness with our spirit that we are the offspring of God… and that if we are together suffering with him

DO NOT SET ASIDE THE GRACEOF GOD Luke 5:36-38 No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’” Leading up to these statements Jesus and his disciples were questioned about eating and drinking with tax collectors and about fasting. Luke 5: 29-34 “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.” 34 Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? 35 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.” It’s not about the keeping Laws. It’s about grace. Jesus has called a tax collector and Levi had a banquet at his home for Jesus – Gr

Exodus 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. The first lie that was ever told on earth led to death, which demonstrates the power of what is called false witness (Lucifer/God). A lie has the power to destroy the worth (Commandment 8) and the name of another (Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit). Satan is called 'a liar and the father of it' by Jesus (John 8:44) and the power he wields is based on his own self-deception of the worth of God and God’s name, and his deceiving of others with this same lie. Bearing witness to the truth John 18:37 Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I fin

When Commandment eight ‘Do not steal’ is spiritually ignored or resisted people start to devalue not only relationships, but the actual worth of people generally, so they develop a life pattern of taking rather than gratefully receiving. The thief loses this sense of worth and value for people, in others and in himself. When people give up on something they often say ‘It isn’t worth it!’ Mark 8:34 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Who works out what something is worth in this world? Basically it is the free-marketplace, price is based on functionality, quality, availability, cost of materials and labour, appearance and presentation and not least, the manufacturer or creator (label). The last one leads to incredible variation concerning cost and value (a priceless piece of art). Worship Worthship and Workmanship Givers give to what they believe is worthwhile. Takers take what they can. Receivers receive with g

David was not having a good day. ‘I am restless in my complaint and moan noisily, because of the voice of the enemy…My heart is severely pained within me and the terrors of death have fallen upon me…fearfulness and trembling have come upon me’ David’s first reaction? ‘Get me out of here’...’Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest...I would remain in the wilderness. I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.’ When I was young, some Christians used to say something that disturbed me—and I was not quite sure why. They would say when difficulties came someone’s way. “God won’t give you anything that’s too hard for you to handle” (or words to that effect). I think it was very loosely based on 1 Cor. 10:13. The one thing they did have correct was the understanding that God gives, or allots, things. On another occasion David said ‘the lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance’ (Psalm 16:6) and it carries the same idea…Someone allots our Lot!

Exodus 20:15 You shall not steal. In the last commandment, which dealt with faithfulness and loyalty in relationships, we saw that being gratified can become the easy option over being satisfied, so the notion of relationship gets devalued. This shift of values progresses to Commandment eight about stealing, where people start to devalue not only relationships, but the actual worth of people generally, so they develop a life pattern of taking rather than gratefully receiving. Because if we receive with gratitude and appreciation, we show that we value the time and the effort and care that has gone into their giving. All of this goes into our valuation of a person, and their worth. The thief loses this sense of worth and value for people, in others and in himself. Givers give to what they believe is worthwhile. Takers take what they can. I once asked a question to a class of primary school students; ‘When does a thief stop being a thief?’ and their answers included statements such as: 'When he goes to gaol,'

Exodus 20:14 You shall not commit adultery Adultery can be strictly defined as ‘sexual relations in which at least one person is married to someone else', but the spirit of adultery takes a lot more into account, and deals with the whole sphere of unfaithfulness, inordinate desires, and betrayal in relationships. It also highlights the extraordinary faithfulness of God toward us even when we are unfaithful. So a person at this point may say ‘yes well Commandment Five is a bit too hard, not getting my own way all the time, and Commandment Six is quite unreasonable, not getting angry and resentful at everybody who gets in the way all the time… There’s too much misery in all of that - give me a break!’ In Commandment six we are challenged to manage offences and heal relationships through forgiveness, learning to listen and accept each other and ourselves in our faults and to lay aside blame and retribution so that love flows again. The transition from Commandment six to Commandment seven. Matthew 24:10 And the

Poison and Antidote Portions from Psalms 37 & 55 Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). The world is a poisoned and poisonous place. The poison is that of the serpent of Eden and it is the soul of man that is affected—that centre of the mind and the senses. The symptoms of the poison are many: anger, confusion, restlessness, anxiety, blame, deceit, shame, despair and many more. Just look around! John the apostle said, ‘we are of God, but the whole world lies in the evil one’ (1Jn. 5:19). To use the colloquialism, everyone has drunk the Kool-Aid! The default position of the un-regenerate human heart is fretfulness. It’s what characterises the world in which we find ourselves living. About climate; about stocks and shares; about children and family; anxiety about...? (People are creating new ones every day!) Paul has been teaching about the Ten Commandments—and they were necessary as the antidote, so

Exodus 20:13 You shall not kill. Jesus enlarged on this commandment in the sermon on the mount. Matthew 5:21-24 'You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not kill." And whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. 22. 'But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. This commandment speaks about more than just the act of taking of life. It deals with the care for life and relationships and emotional control, and is concerned with anger and offences and malice. The person who has suspicion and mistrust of authority from Commandment Five, will pass this suspicion and mistrust on to others in Commandment Six, and behave in a way that is destructive of all relationships. Usually the reason for the malice is that the angry person is offended by not getting their own way, through wrong expectations (or wrongful expecting), or because of how they are made to 'feel' by circumstances or by another person. They may even 'love' that

Exodus 20:12 and Ephesians 6:2 -4 “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth. And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. Although this Commandment is given to children to obey, it actually deals with every single one of us in our relationship to people who have a place of authority in our lives. This teaches us to give a place (honour) to people in God’s authority in our lives in their role of having caring input into our lives. And even though this is a perfect design that God has fashioned for us, we all fall short in our limited humanity in implementing both this authority and our response to it. The purpose and meaning of the following commandment (6), which deals with anger, is made clear when we observe the result of both the failure and success of Commandment Five. The range of authority and submission structures; God, family (pl

Exodus 20:12 and Ephesians 6:2 -4 “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth. And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. The Fifth Commandment is like the first Commandment which was about learning to trust God as our source of life and love and identity and provision, which sets the course for our ongoing relationship with God. There we found our identity as his child made in his Image, and we Honoured the use of his name, then rested in mutual love and collaboration with him. So likewise here, the fifth Commandment sets the course for our relationships with other people, starting with a proper relationship with our parents so that life will go well with us. This Commandment is the foundation for our understanding of the nature of all authority in all its forms. Here we can learn to know who we are, and it works both ways, with parents

Is it possible that somebody could live a life with the kind of soul rest and wellbeing that could lift them above all fear and anxiety and produce feelings of good will to others? Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. (The Tithe of time) Hebrews 4:4 For the Scripture mentions the seventh day saying: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; and in another place: “They shall not enter My rest.” (Psalm 95:11 Moses generation) My rest (God’s rest) – a relational rest of receiving love and favour, from God and from one another The seventh Sabbath year (Shmita) of trusting God, with dire consequences of not obeying. Leviticus 25:20-2 I And if you say, 'What shall we eat in the seventh year, since we shall not sow nor gather in our produce? Then I will command My blessing on you in the sixth year, and it will bring forth produce enough for three years. (Consequences - 2 Chronicles 36:20-21...Bondage in Babylon till the land had fulfilled its Sabbaths). Another day – another time –

Exodus 20:7 You shall not take the name of The Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not bold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. Philippians 2:9… God has given him a name above every other name. Using God's name to increase the significance of our own name and image (Commandment 2). Matthew 7:22 Lord we prophesied in your name and did miracles…I never knew you… Responsibility in the testimony of our lives as Christians who bear the name of Jesus Christ. Romans 2:24 … “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,”… but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. Wearing the T shirt in your heart - We have the power to be the worst or the best testimony for the name of Jesus. Generational curse from Commandment two is linked to idolatry Exodus 20:5... I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the punishment for the sins of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation… Deut