The Secret of Power

Do you know the real secret of power for life’s journey?
Why do we find ourselves living such powerless lives in the face of life’s big challenges?

Welcome to Part Three of the Life’s Journey series for Easter 2021 – Easter Sunday

Christ the Lord is risen today. Hallelujah! Today is the day for exuberant partying, rejoicing and shouting from the rooftops: Jesus Christ is risen. He’s alive, and he is Lord!

Paul writes of the Son of David who ‘was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord…’ Rom 1:4

On Easter Sunday, all the strands of the Easter events come together and make amazing sense. Let’s see if we can take the disciples’ journey through the week and the journey of Jesus and see how they were woven together for our sake. Power is found here. Real power.

The Unexpected in Life

Life is totally unpredictable for every one of us. Just look at some famous last words, such as the unforgettable ‘I feel much better now!’ Or the accident victim, happy one moment and whose life was dramatically changed in the next.

Life seemed to be over for the disciples. They were defeated by events, by the conspiracy of religious leaders, the fickleness of people and the weakness of Pilate.

Jesus had warned the disciples again and again that he would die in Jerusalem and be raised again on the third day, but they still had not grasped it. When he died, they found themselves totally powerless to handle the situation. Peter was even terrified of a servant girl.

A lot of Death

Here’s the list.

On Thursday night, brave boisterous boastful Peter died of shame as he realised the weakness, cowardice and self-deception that could no longer be covered up by his bluster. He hid away, even from the other disciples. 

The other 10 were also in hiding, dying inside of a dangerous mix of fear, confusion and dread. Their leader, their hope, their plans, their joy – snatched away. Nothing meaningful was left; just a broken heart, broken spirit, and despair. Even doubt seemed too weak a description for how they were feeling. Life as they had known it was over. Did they remember the scripture:- ‘Hope deferred makes the heart sick’? But this wasn’t just hope deferred; it was utterly destroyed.

On Friday morning, Judas hanged himself after he recognised what he had done, and his horror, shame and self-disgust were too much for him. He knew himself personally accountable for having betrayed Jesus.

And what of Mary, Joseph and the women who watched the crucifixion from afar? Was Mary’s heart pierced too by that soldier’s sword?

Questions Arising

The disciples’ thoughts were probably similar to our own, had we been in their circumstances:

a) Why are we suddenly so abandoned?

b) Where is the voice to listen to? Why is there only silence?

c) What about the promises of God?

d) ‘Fear not’; are you joking?

e) ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ But that’s exactly what you have done.

f) I cannot trust or believe in anyone anymore. Judas, one of us, betrayed Jesus. We, his close companions, were all weak and we left Jesus to fend for himself.

g) God’s word seems totally unreliable and it turns out that Jesus was nothing more than a charismatic teacher after all.

Have you ever found yourselves thinking any of those thoughts? All of them? It would be unrealistic to think that we never find those thoughts going through our minds. The disciples were going through a fully human experience, but to a depth we will never know.

Our Own Desperate Questions

What’s going on when everything seems lost? When it seems as though God is not only on a different page, but in a different book? When he seems silent? Why does he seem to abandon us and leave us to face the enemy alone when we are so weak, tired and powerless?

Why does he stay silent when we are desperate for help, for direction; when we are confused and don’t know what to do?

Where do we find power for living?

We yearn for a baptism of power that is greater than our own in order to cope with our lives and circumstances. Yet we so often find power to be the thing that others have, rather than us, which diminishes our self-esteem and self-confidence. 

We see power exercised around us and see the old adage at work: power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. We see the political and institutional usage of power around us, but we also see power at work everywhere. The boss has power over the worker; The ‘haves’ have power over the ‘have nots’; The big neighbour has power over the weaker neighbour; The people trafficker has power over the trafficked.. The bully has power over the victims. The supplier has power over the addict. And so on… and on…

It is easy to feel powerless, insignificant, victimised, alone…

Jesus on a Journey with the Disciples

For Jesus, everything was different. While the disciples felt themselves so betrayed and abandoned by him, he was embracing death for them so that they might truly live. He was working out of sight on their behalf, destroying Satan’s power and robbing him of his weapons. 

He had experienced separation so that they might be adopted and reconciled. Though he was rich, he became poor, that those who were poor might become rich.

While the disciples suffered from their sense of abandonment, fear and insecurity, they failed to realise that their senses were in fact deceiving them. The truth was so far removed from their understanding. Jesus was fully engaged on their behalf for their gain.

Third Day Truth

Then, on the third day the unexpected, mind-blowing words. He Lives! The Lamb of God that was slain – is alive!

They had experienced the ministry of Jesus. They had seen him raise the dead. But- for him to be raised? Can it be true? If so, he is who he said he is. For him to raise the dead was one thing. It was quite another thing to be raised to life himself. “ I can only do what I see the Father doing.’ ‘I am the resurrection and the life’. ‘The Father and the Son are one.’ The Father has raised the Son.

Countless people have asked that question: is it really true? Did Jesus come back to life? And if so, what does it mean?

Easter Sunday was the beginning of resurrection for all the disciples. They had been awakened from their darkness and fear, the blackness of lostness, into the one who lays claim to be the Light of the world. The impossible was possible. Their limited frameworks of understanding were suddenly being blown open. The very same Jesus who was crucified by the wicked hands of those around them, God raised up from the dead. He really is the Christ, the Son of God. Everything they had heard was true!

In a very recent brief interview on YouTube, the hugely influential Moral Philosopher Jordan Peterson found himself saying this:

Many intellectuals have pointed out that the claim that Jesus rose from the dead fails to distinguish him from many other mythological gods who were also raised from the dead. This ignores the fact that Jesus is a real, historical human being, not a work of imagination and fiction. In Christ the myth and the life come together. At that point he starts to break down and continued ‘And I believe it. I can’t believe that I’m saying this, but I find myself believing in him. And it’s terrifying.

Jordan Peterson

The Secret of Resurrection Power

We have to enter into the place of death if we are to experience resurrection. You cannot have one without the other, and death must come first.

The cross of Christ was not an act of abandonment but of engagement. It was an act of an astonishing, foundation-shaking earthquake of self-denying, passionate, openly displayed Father’s love for all his children. For you. ‘By this we know that God loves us…’

The Stone Rolled Away

Figuratively speaking, God has acted through Jesus so that the stone which locks you into a place of darkness and imprisonment may be rolled away, if you ask.

Look at the stone in your mind’s eye and imagine what was written there. 

• Your shame. Jesus had taken it upon himself and set you free.
• Fear of powers and authorities. Jesus disarmed them and led them captive.
• Death. Jesus entered into it in order to burst through the other side.
• The grave. The grave could not hold him so it cannot hold you either.
• Fear of judgement. Jesus carried your sins away on the cross so that there now no condemnation for us who are found in Jesus.

How often do we consider our own resurrection to be an experience awaiting us after death? Because he rose, we will also rise. We confess our belief in the resurrection of the dead. Yet, for the disciples, the personal transformation and power of the resurrection began on Easter Day. Its effect started immediately. 

Conclusion

Where are you living? In Good Friday? In Easter Saturday? Or in the glory of Easter Sunday, the place of overflowing resurrection power and joy unspeakable?

The gospel, the real Good News of God, is for today. For your life in the real and present life today. 

And, as if that isn’t enough, it’s for life after death as well. 

Jesus still says come. He is the resurrection and the life. Come to him all you who are thirsty, and drink! Behold, he who was dead now lives – and so may you! Now! Today! This moment! Don’t delay – rush to him now and throw yourself upon him – and live in resurrection power today!

The power of the resurrection can transform your personal life and your personal circumstances, your personal world, right now! His purpose is that you walk with him, and bear fuit today with his enabling.

Don’t strive and labour anymore. Ask and receive his divine empowering.

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Some helpful references (but there are so many more!)

…was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead , Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 1:4

Weakness embraced. For Christ did not send me to baptise but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 1 Corinthians 1:17

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18

That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. Philippians 3:10

We were buried there for with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the bother, we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6:9

If the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11

And he died for all, for those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 2 Corinthians 5:15

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. Romans 7:4 

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A Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for raising Jesus from the dead. Loving Father, will you help me to embrace death to self, to sin and the world, and speak the word that brings me to life. Empower me each day to live within resurrection power and joy, energised by you and not by me; dependent on your power alone and not on my weak human strength. 

Father, I belong to you. Please walk with me and show me how to be fruitful for you and for those around me. 

I ask in the name of Jesus, who died and who lives for evermore. 

Amen.

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A Blessing

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Have you found another scripture that has strengthened you when you are stressed out of your mind with life’s twists and turns? Please comment and share the reference with us.

Would you bless us by sharing this blog with others? Thank you. Has this blog encouraged you? If so, would you drop us a note: mail@roygodwin.org and encourage us? 

Roy’s books are available from roygodwin.org 

© Roy Godwin 2021

Photo by Pisit Heng on Unsplash

When Life’s Journey Falls Apart

What do you do when your worst fears come to pass? Do you find yourself acting like Corporal Jones of Dad’s Army fame, crying ‘Don’t panic! Don’t Panic! How can we act when everything collapses and all we want to do is hide or die?

Welcome to Part Two of the Life’s Journey series for Easter 2021 – Good Friday

Few of us are likely to face physical death because of our faith in Jesus. However, physical death is not the whole story. Deep disappointment or hurt; betrayal by those we love; betrayal by ourselves through our own failure to live up to the standard we expect of ourselves. Shame. Painful arrows of deadly words spoken to, or against us. A turn of circumstances that seems to leave no way out. 

We all know these common sayings: ‘I could have died on the spot’. ‘Something died inside me’. ‘I wish I was dead’. Common, because we say them so often.

Would you like to handle your greatest fears in a better way?

The truth about fear is that it kills us, mentally, emotionally and physically. Job said ‘what I feared has come upon me’. That’s because fear, when not dealt with, is often self-fulfilling.

The truth is, of course, that most of our fears never come to pass! Yet, still we struggle. And if they do indeed come to pass, we are ready to collapse.

As we look afresh at the Easter events we can learn lessons to help us conquer our fears once for all.

The Disciples on a Journey with Jesus

We know that Jesus had been repeatedly breaking the news to the disciples. He would go to Jerusalem, be betrayed, and there he would die. 

This had been shocking to them. How could he be the Messiah, the Christ as they had come to believe, if he was dead? What about the good news of the Kingdom of God that he had taught, brought, and proclaimed? What about their own reputations? After all, they had travelled themselves to towns and villages, publicly proclaiming that the kingdom of God had drawn near; in fact, was already in the midst of them. How would they live with the shame and their fear? 

The Unexpected in Life

Pity the twelve! How confused must they have been? Having heard Jesus telling them that he would die in Jerusalem and decided to go and bravely stand with him, even to death, they arrived at the city. But there was the joy of Palm Sunday! Surely, he wasn’t going to die after all, although his cleansing of the Temple probably worried them. Not a good move? Could the timing have been any worse?

And yet the week unfolded with Jesus continuing to be popular, and the centre of attention. He was majestic. This was the moment of triumph.

Their fears had probably diminished, or gone altogether, and then suddenly, only a few days after the joyful entrance, betrayal! Their worst fears were realised. Talk about an emotional rollercoaster. What they most feared was coming to pass after all.

Questions Arising

a) I thought we were following Jesus forever. If he dies – fails us – so does everything we have believed and trusted in.

b) If Jesus willingly dies, it’s a betrayal by him of us, of everything he has taught and preached, and of the crowds of people who have followed him.

c) Have we wasted the last few years of our lives? Left our families, homes and friends for nothing?

d) If Jesus is put to death, we are likely to be next.

e) If we live, how will we cope with being a laughingstock, having so publicly trusted in him?

f) How can we cope with the shame of having travelled around towns and villages, proclaiming that the kingdom of God is here. Everyone knows! We will never be able to show our faces again.

g) Let’s RUN!! 

h) Let’s HIDE!!

Jesus on a Journey with the Disciples

For Jesus, everything was different. He was in the same ‘happenings’ as the disciples, but even as he shared his journey with them, his life story was so very different to theirs. 

Trusting in his Father, knowing that the times was right as planned from before the foundation of the earth, he was preparing to lay down his life as a sacrifice for many. 

And Jesus too faced great fear. It was prophesied by David in Psalm 55:4-5. ‘My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me.’ Now Jesus, the Son of David, was actually experiencing it in the garden of Gethsemane. ‘And being in agony, he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.’ Luke 22:44.

Why did he have to endure such extreme fear? Because he had to fully enter into the depth of human fear in order to conquer it and set us free from its domination and power. He faced fear and overcame it, all for love. ‘By this we know love, that he laid his life down for us.’ 1 John 3:16. Not for himself. For us!

Confidence

The disciples abandoned Jesus for fear of the Jews and fear of death. Whereas they ran in fear, Jesus entered into the experience of that powerful fear and conquered it. We do not have to live in fear anymore.

His story is bigger than yours and he knows what he is doing. You are wrapped up in his victorious story. For now, our understanding is limited and we cannot see the end from the beginning. But a day is coming when we will understand and marvel. 

Two Life Lessons from Acts

See Peter, the one who betrayed Jesus, now in a prison cell. Peter the brave-mouth, who had run away. Peter the shamed. Peter, under arrest and facing execution, asleep between two soldiers, bound with chains. Asleep! 

Acts 12:6

Paul and Silas. Beaten with many blows. Now in prison with their feet in stocks. A place for fear. What were they doing? Singing at midnight, with the other prisoners listening to them!

Acts 16:25

How could frail humans face such fear and respond to their dire situations in such a manner? It wasn’t natural. It must surely be supernatural.

They knew Jesus. Jesus who conquered fear, that we might not be lost in fear again.

They knew Jesus. Jesus, who is always sharing his life with us, as we share our life with him.

Their trust and their confidence were consciously fixed on him. Just as ours must be.

Conclusion

God is the greatest storyteller, dramatist and playwright the world will ever know. Nothing in life is ever left out. Everything we face, every strand of our life, is woven into the telling of his saving grace. It’s caught up in the ever-expanding story of his ever-expanding kingdom.

In an insecure world, we are made secure by becoming his children through the spirit of adoption. Our security is not found in our circumstances but in his overwhelming favour toward us. His “Amen’ promises. The bond of never-failing steadfast love that pour out from his to us.

The Cross stands tall over your history and mine. 

   Redeemed – we are his. 

   Death – where now is its sting? 

  The fear of death – conquered forever. 

Facing brutality or death in the morning, bound, Peter slept. Paul and Silas sang. They knew in whom they had believed and trusted. And in both cases God acted outside their common understanding and set them free of their fears, just as he will do for you if you wait for him.

Jesus liberates us from our fears. In the end, the things we fear will never be the end of the story. 

He alone will be our end and our beginning.

Amen!

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Helpful Scriptures when facing fear include

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will not fear, because you are with me, armed with a rod and staff. Psalm 23:4

When I am afraid, I trust in you. Psalm 56:3

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1

I know the plans I have for you, declared the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:31-34

Since the children share in flesh and blood, he himself became flesh and blood, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. Hebrews 2:14-15

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. 1 John 4:18

But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So do not worry or be afraid of their threats. 1 Peter 3:14

‘Do not fear’. Instruction of Jesus, multiple times.

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A Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for the cross! Thank you for all that Jesus did. Thank you for what I see in the disciples. Help me to die to my fear and put my trust in you alone.

Amen.

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A Blessing

Have you found another scripture that has strengthened you when you are stressed out of your mind with life’s twists and turns? Please comment and share the reference with us.

Would you bless us by sharing this blog with others? Thank you. Has this blog encouraged you? If so, would you drop us a note: mail@roygodwin.org and encourage us? 

Roy’s books are available from roygodwin.org 

© Roy Godwin 2021

Photo by Christian Lue on Unsplash

When Life’s Journey is Confusing

Would you like a method of calming your mind and settling your emotions when life’s journey gets confusing?

Welcome to Part One of the Life’s Journey series for Easter 2021 – Palm Sunday

We all find life confusing at times. Things do not always go as we expected. We thought God had spoken to us, maybe given us promises, but then things seem to go in an unexpected direction altogether. We believe, but we do not understand. We might be disappointed, but sometimes it’s more complex than that. We struggle to cope with rising tension, stirred emotions, questions in our own minds that we cannot answer. 

The Disciples on a Journey with Jesus

Life was like that for the disciples. Jesus had been trying to get through to them that the events of Holy Week would lead to his death. Their reaction had been simple. Avoid Jerusalem! Life could be easy – just evade any danger. Jesus, however, had set his face to go there, resulting in some people refusing to accept him any longer. It must have been challenging for the disciples to trust and keep going.

The Unexpected in Life

Sometimes, as we say, life throws you a curveball. That’s what happened for the twelve. They must have struggled with fear as they approached Jerusalem. There had been so many warnings about this week and things didn’t look good. But, instead of the bad things they were afraid of, including a fatal trap, they had a joy-filled, tumultuous, glorious arrival. This looked more like the entrance of a King, not a sacrificial lamb. Why had they allowed themselves to be governed by their thoughts, dreams and fears? 

Questions Arising

It’s easy to read the Palm Sunday story and miss the larger context. Just how confused must the disciples have been? This was the very opposite to what they feared. It was great – but how did it make sense? Had Jesus misread the signs? Did he sometimes get things wrong? If so, is he really the Son of God after all? Is God unreliable and not to be trusted? Their growing foundations became unstable. And the emotional confusion piled on top of the mental trauma.

Jesus on a Journey with the Disciples

For Jesus, everything was different. He was in the same ‘happenings’ as the disciples, but even as he shared his journey with them, his perspective, understanding and purpose were very different and far greater than theirs. Trusting in his Father, knowing that the time was right as planned from before the foundation of the earth, he was preparing to lay down his life as a sacrifice for many. That was to come a little later. Today, he was going into the enemy’s camp as a King, a Victor, riding high above every other person and power in the unfolding story. It was he who was in control. He was the central character in the play. Even while the disciples marvelled as the people brought their praise, Jesus knew that in itself it was totally untrustworthy. He didn’t entrust himself to any man. 

Jesus was living out a reminder that would be talked about throughout history, a foreshadowing of his return as King, when every eye will see him, every knee bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of the Father.

Confidence

Once you have surrendered your life to the saving work of Jesus Christ, he will never leave you or forsake you. When life takes a confusing turn and you are full of fears, questions, doubts; when you are totally confused, your head is messed up and you don’t know what to believe any more, remember this simple truth: he is with you. He is walking through your life with you. But His perspective and understanding are different to yours. His story is bigger than yours and he knows what he is doing. Our understanding is finite. His is infinite. 

A Life Lesson from Joshua

We sometimes speak of this event as a theophany, an Old Testament appearance of Jesus

When Joshua was approaching Jericho, he saw a man standing before him with a drawn sword in his hand. He was confused so he approached him and asked which side he was on. The man answered ‘Neither. I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” Joshua bowed down and worshipped him. When he asked what he should do, he was told to remove his shoes; he was standing on holy ground. (Joshua ch 5.)

Joshua became aware that the unfolding events – think Jericho’s walls – were not about him after all. God was telling his story and Joshua had a part in playing it out.

Conclusion

Here’s the secret. God isn’t so small that he comes at our bidding to be found in our life’s story. Rather, he reaches out to us and incorporates our journey into his big story, redeeming it, filling it with his glory. It’s that way round. That’s why we should marvel and live with awe towards him.

So – we need to trust as well as have faith. That’s the secret of a peaceful heart and mind in the midst of confusion. These two allow us to enter into his rest, even in the midst of the fiercest confusion and conflict.

Amen!

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Helpful Scriptures for confusing times

2 Samuel 22:3 My God, my rock, in who I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my Salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my saviour; you save me from violence. 

Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my Salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; For the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my Salvation. 

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

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A Prayer

Heavenly Father, I thank you that you have placed the government on Jesus’ shoulders. I put my trust in you to lead me safely to my destination, however testing the route of life may be.

Please calm my fears, my thoughts, my emotions. Settle my spirit as I look to you in faith, and trust in you. Your word says that your plans for me are for good, not harm, and I trust you to fulfil your promise, even when circumstances confuse me.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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A Blessing

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Have you found another scripture that has strengthened you when you are stressed out of your mind with life’s twists and turns? Please comment and share the reference with us.

Would you bless us by sharing this blog with others? Thank you. Has this blog encouraged you? If so, would you drop us a note: mail@roygodwin.org and encourage us? 

Roy’s books are available from roygodwin.org 

© Roy Godwin 2021

Photo by Avel Chuklanov on Unsplash

Introduction by Roy Godwin

At a time of challenging political uncertainty, Isaiah had an experience of God that completely altered his worldview. (Isa 6) Jesus similarly challenged the disciples over their worldview. (Matt 9:37). Maybe now is the time for God to correct your worldview, and mine. I am grateful to my friend, co-writer and colleague Dave Roberts for having written for us this month as follows. I have presumed to add a video blessing at the end.

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The Gate of Heaven by Dave Roberts

In you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 

Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!” 

Genesis 28:14, 16-17

Jacob famously had a dream in which he saw a ladder reaching to heaven and angels ascending and descending. Standing over it was the Lord God who promised this itinerant, oftentimes vagabond, that he was to be the father of a nation who would carry the knowledge of God to the families of the earth and that blessing would follow those who respond to His grace and mercy. 

Jesus would reference this idea when he told an amazed Nathaniel: 

 “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

John 1:51

Why is this idea so important and how does it help us understand the nature of blessing, the supernatural and the will of God? 

Most of us instinctively think of heaven as a place ‘up there’ that we go to live with God for eternity. If we ally that with the belief, derived from Greek thought rather than the Bible, that the world is a broken, lesser place that we need to escape from, we find ourselves adrift from the core truths that are woven through scripture. 

The prophet Isaiah reminds us that the promise of God is: 

 “For as the new heavens and the new earth
Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord,
“So shall your descendants and your name remain.

Isaiah 66:22

Jesus then restates in multiple ways that the Kingdom of Heaven is coming to us. From that we derive the idea that God, in the person of his Holy Spirit, and his angels are often ‘ascending and descending’ in our life and circumstances. The use of the language of nearness is a clue. 

Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:10 

And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

Luke 10:9

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

Matthew 18:20

And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

Matthew 10:7

‘The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, “Here it is,” or “There it is,” because the kingdom of God is in your midst.  

Luke  17:21

James notes:  

Come near to God and he will come near to you

. James 4:8

This brings us back to Jacob’s recognition that he is in the ‘house of God’. Like him, we should be awake to the idea that we are His image bearers in the temple of His creation. This then leads us to understand that heaven is not merely ‘up there when we die’ but is a dimension of life that can often break into the realities of our ‘five senses world’ in the here and now. We stand in his presence; we carry his presence; and we can declare his presence as Roy Godwin eloquently puts it. 

Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are establishing ‘colonies of heaven’ in the disputed spiritual arenas of the world. Our drawing near to God will provoke Him to honour his name, display his character and cause the word, work and wonders of the Kingdom to draw near to us and many others. 

Think for a minute of the phrase Jacob uses: This is the gate of Heaven. 

Think of your town or the place where you live. If a river of life was to pour through the gates of Heaven into your town what would it bring healing for? Ask God for a redemptive revelation of what your town might be and do if heaven draws near. 

And then bless your town in the name of Jesus that it might know healing and restoration and purpose. 

Dave Roberts 

This month’s Blessing from Roy

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Would you bless us by sharing this blog with others? Thank you. Has this blog encouraged you? If so, would you drop us a note: mail@roygodwin.org and encourage us? 

Roy’s books are available from roygodwin.org 

© Roy Godwin 2021

Original photo: Gian D. on Unsplash

A New Year. I suspect that like me you were pleased to see the back of 2020. It had been a year to forget for so many; a year of extreme stress and for 1.8 million globally a year of tragic bereavement.

We were all probably hoping for a much different and better start to 2021 but in fact it is looking very much like last year. We know that we can expect a repeat performance for at least some months to come. News which distributes fear. Lockdowns. Stay at Home Orders. Disrupted lives. Loneliness for significant numbers. Mental health strains. And, of course, the fearful prospect of seriously ill people with Covid being unable to access the care that they need because Hospital beds are already full. Sounds bad, doesn’t it?

How are we to best prepare ourselves for this New Year? Where might we find wisdom to guide us?

Perhaps the Wise Men are able to help. Yes, I do mean the biblical Wise Men. On January 6^th, Twelfth Night, we celebrate the Epiphany, remembering the visit of the Wise Men to the child. When they had seen the star, they understood the times and pursued Jesus the King of Kings. Maybe we too need to understand the times; that is, to see how Covid is multiplying and be sure to always attach that fact together with the good news of vaccination programmes that offer some hope for us all in the future, so as to keep our equilibrium. (Have you noticed how many times the word ‘miracle’ occurred in the news media related to the speed of the vaccinations reaching authorisation? Ten months instead of Ten years?)

When the Wise Men saw Jesus, Matthew (2:11) says that they fell to the ground before him. This was the Holy Spirit at work. Their response to him showed their recognition that he was the King that was promised and for whom they had endured the journey of faith. It also showed their submission to his rule and authority as well. 

A good start for us in 2021 is to come before Jesus once more and bow in submission to him for the coming year, knowing that we are not abandoned or helpless because Jesus is still reigning today. 

As they recognised the glory of God in human form, they could do nothing but worship him.

It might be common to see mothers worshipping their babies, but it tends not to be the response of men when they first see someone else’s baby! These men were serious. They were living and journeying with serious commitment. So we too need to follow their example. If you are feeling cold in your response to him, pray and ask for fresh revelation, a renewing of your spirit that compels you to bring a thank-offering of praise, adoration and worship to him who came for you; who sought you out and loves you forever.

Thirdly, they brought their gifts to him. The three types of gift mentioned do not, of course, suggest that there were three wise men. We have no idea of their number – but there is room for us to join them. If we have gold (wealth), now would be a particularly good time to remember the poor and give to them as though you were giving to Jesus. It’s probably very unlikely that you have any frankincense lying around for the anointing of any King who happens to be passing by, but you can still anoint Jesus with your praise, thanksgiving and worship. Myrrh was used for the anointing of dead bodies. Our celebration of The Lord supper, Eucharist, might also be simplified so that we can celebrate at home and remember the body and blood of Jesus Christ given for you and for me. The New Covenant. Why not build a simple communion into your weekly pattern?

Although we do not know what the new year will bring, we do know that it is going to be a very bumpy ride for some time to come, so we need to keep re-joining the wise men and be found amongst them, continuously yielding to Jesus, being mature and understanding the signs of the times, trusting him, anointing him and dwelling under his blessing. 

What of hope? As the Wise Men followed the star, they were filled with hope that they might see the new-born King. Do we have grounds to look ahead through the coming year and be filled with hope for the future?

The ability to hope is itself a gift from God. It is an internal longing for something that is as yet unseen. No-one longs for the things that have already come to pass. Our emotions, our imaginings, positive thinking, our spirit, can all create a sense of hopefulness. When we were children, hope probably arose very easily and we were often disappointed because we hadn’t yet understood that for hope to be realistic there needed to be some ground that it was based on. Hope and fantasy are not the same thing. You and I have great grounds for hope; firstly, the very fact that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead gives us hope; the promises of God give us hope; our personal experiences of his previous faithfulness and provision for us, together with the experiences of a whole cloud of witnesses, are grounds for hope. 

As we look ahead to the coming year, the emergence of several vaccines gives us ground for hope that life may begin to normalise for us at a future time. We are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel and to a large degree we have grounds for hoping that by the end of the year life will look substantially different to how it looks now. However, it is unlikely that we will all return to life as it was. There will probably be a yet-to-be-revealed new normal. Still, we must stay yielding to our God and trusting in him.

Surely hope is not enough though. We also need faith. 

The Wise Men found faith when they saw Jesus. They were responsive to him so that, when they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they agreed.

Having faith is quite different to having hope alone. Faith is a gift that arises within us in response to a revelation we have received from God. It feels far more solid than hope alone. It allows us to say with unusual conviction, in the face of all the lack of evidence to support us, “but God said this”! That is why we need to be constantly going back to our regular pattern of consecutive Bible reading and prayer, the place of revelation where faith is nourished, matured and increased. Then we can march bravely forward with real joy and peace in our hearts in the face of the Covid storm.

So, in summary, let’s be wise and abandon ourselves to the generous and loving, overwhelmingly powerful, reign of God already at work on earth, worshipping him and keeping our eyes on him as the Lord.

• Let’s be wise as we look at events and understand the signs of the times and be sure to submit them to the Lord’s feet.
• Let hope arise within, and stay hopeful, confident that our God reigns.
• Let’s go back to our foundations, regular prayer and Bible reading, so that our faith might increase and stand firm.

‘So now faith, hope and love abide…’

1 Cor 13:13

Finally – take courage for the Lord will come again. We don’t know when, but we do know that it will be at the time we least expect. Victory is assured. Jesus is alive!

If we do these things, take these steps, perhaps our names will not only be recorded in Heaven, but also listed amongst the Wise Men of 2021.

Blessing

At the start of this New Year, I bless you in the name of Jesus that the Lord may cause His face to shine so brightly upon you that every shadow and fear may melt away. I bless you to know with confidence that He is keeping you and that you are the apple of His eye. I bless you in the name of Jesus that the Lord Himself might bless you, keeping you secure and joyful. May the peace of the Lord fill your heart and mind this moment and for always.

Roy Godwin

(Num 6:24-26; Deut 32:10/Ps 17:8; Phil 4:7)

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Would you bless us by sharing this blog with others? Thank you. Has this blog encouraged you? If so, would you drop us a note: mail@roygodwin.org and encourage us? 

Roy’s books are available from roygodwin.org 

© Roy Godwin 2021

Original photo: Photo by Sven Scheuermeier on Unsplash

We are indeed living in tumultuous times. The question is – how can you keep your head when all around are losing theirs? (Thank you, Mr. Kipling – the poet, not the pastries!) 

As expected, Autumn has brought a massive increase in the rate of Covid-19 infections, a so-called second wave. The UK nations, like France, Germany, Spain and other European nations are responding with variations of lockdowns to protect the public, leading to Fear, Anger and Frustration for millions. The threat to life and health is real, vividly seen not only by the shocking statistics but by the experience of those who have suffered Covid’s ravages and lived to tell the tale.

We all have a natural tendency to long for a nice, quiet, peaceful world where everything is ‘just so’. Jesus was more realistic. Warning his followers of what to expect, he said ‘And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once’. Luke 21:9 Notice his words?  When, not if. ‘Do not be terrified.’

The first UK lockdown shocked us with an unexpected fear-filled crisis. There was a desperation to survive and, generally speaking, people obeyed the rules.

This time it feels different. In fact, everything feels different. Why is that? Maybe:

Because the incidents and manner of deaths, though large in number, are proportionally so small, lockdowns can feel like a disproportionate response. The majority of us might not have experienced Covid-19 in their family or circle of friends, so the personal threat might seem far less real than when we first heard about it.

There is a clear lack of political consensus regarding an appropriate and proportionate response to the pandemic. In the UK the current party of government is itself strongly divided and critical of lockdowns, particularly referencing the economic losses involved by closing businesses.

Politics is a messy business by nature anyway, but this year we have seen endless footage of the Presidential Election in the USA, violence and murder on the streets, riots, the sense of democracy itself as we have known it coming under attack. People in other nations have taken to the streets to protest against their totalitarian leaders.

Brexit negotiations with Europe continue for the moment, but will we leave with or without a deal? Will Brexit debates go on forever?

We are aware of the economic challenges facing the world because of the Covid-inspired recession. In the UK, many have lost their jobs and it has been noticed that middle-class families are now arriving at Food banks, not to help but to be helped.

Few seem to speak about the challenge of the poor.

Take tiny Wales, a nation with a population of 3 million. According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s report on Poverty in Wales, it was a poor nation before the Pandemic broke out. Covid has made it worse:

• Almost a quarter of the population are living in poverty, including 180,000 children. 
• 400,000 are now behind with their bills.
• 200,000 are behind with their rent/mortgage payments
• The number of claimants for Universal Credit doubled between January and August this year.

Poverty is expected to worsen as the recession deepens this winter. When pressure is applied to any population it is generally the poor who suffer most.

Keeping our heads and dealing with fear

Fear is infectious. We say that people lose their heads, their ability to think and respond to situations rationally. 

If we stop and take notice of developments in the world around us, we too can be gripped by fear. Jesus is the one who speaks the words ‘Do not fear’. In the OT God says to the people ‘Do not be afraid’.

Christian sports stars teach kids in the South Wales Valleys how to deal with fear. Using FEAR as an acronym, amongst others it can stand for Forget Everything And Run. Then they show them the better possibility for Christians: Face Everything And Rise!

The question is – how do I keep my head when others are losing theirs? It’s a question with a clue embedded in it. Fear comes when we lose our head; our ability to step back, evaluate, recognize danger, assess our resources for the situation, and choose how best to make a response.

We who are followers of Jesus have incredible resources available to us to aid us in life. 

• We are able to claim the helmet of salvation which protects our thought processes. Let’s put it on every day – every hour if necessary. 
• We have authority in the name of Jesus to rebuke fear and tell it where to go. Let’s use it. 
• We have peace available to us, extraordinary peace beyond anything the world can know or understand. Let’s drink deeply. 
• We have The promises of God, and faith that he who began a good work in us will complete it. Let’s trust and believe in his care. 
• We have an offer of rest, stillness in the storm, serenity in the face of all enemies. Let’s avail ourselves of it all. 

Here’s the remarkable word of God: 

“Blessed are the ones who trust in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. They are like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” 

Jer 17:7-8 (My translation)

A Prayer

Heavenly Father, 

Though the world shakes I will put my trust in you.

I rebuke fear in the name of Jesus.

You hold the past, the present and the future, so I am secure.

In this time of shaking, will you hold me, fill me with peace and confidence, cause my faith to arise and help me to stand firm when attacked by fears. I refuse to be ruled or pressured by fear. Jesus is my shepherd, my ruler. I shall not be shaken.

And while the world is shaken, will you draw many to yourself. Let your wonderful heavenly rule break out on earth. Be with those who are working on the development of vaccines. Father, give them extraordinary insights. Cause breakthroughs to come from their work.

I bless you, God of the Universe.

Amen.

A Blessing

I bless you in the name of Jesus that the Peace of God may fill you utterly, body, soul and spirit. I bless you that he may keep you in perfect peace.

Roy Godwin

Has this blog encouraged you? If so, may we invite you to share it with others? Would you drop us a note: mail@roygodwin.org and encourage us? 

Roy’s books are available from roygodwin.org 

© Roy Godwin 2020

Original photo by Faye Cornish on Unsplash

Shame / ‘a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behaviour’

The Problem

Whereas in recent centuries people were more conscious of the Bible, which brought an awareness of sin and guilt, nowadays people in general are not in that situation. What really troubles people today is their sense of shame, perhaps amongst younger people as well as older. 

What is the difference between guilt and shame? Guilt is acknowledged on the basis of authority, evidence and conviction; it can bring deep feelings of humiliation and shame. Shame itself is more of an intuition, an emotion, a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the self-consciousness of our wrong or foolish behavior. Are they the two sides of the same coin? Not necessarily; shame is not always connected to sin. Perhaps we have been subjected to a form of abuse which has left us with a feeling of shame, for instance. Or perhaps we are deeply disappointed in ourselves and feel ashamed by our own performance, or lack of it … Shame is damaging and destructive. It spoils our lives and separates us from others.

There are personal consequences of shame

Shame disturbs our sense of emotional well-being. Because we may be ashamed by our choices, decisions, actions, so our own sense of self-esteem, of self-worth, diminishes. This can lead to anxiety and depression.

There are social consequences of shame

Our social openness becomes restricted by the fear of people recognising our shame and discerning its cause. So, we seek to hide our real selves and that decision begins to isolate us, taking away our freedom of expression with others. We may feel as though someone has written ‘shame’ across our foreheads for all the world to read and explore. Fear, anxiety, social isolation can evolve as coping mechanisms. When we withdraw from our closest relationships out of self-protection, it worsens our situation even further.

There are spiritual consequences of shame

Our ability to relate openly with the Lord is damaged. 

In 1 John 2: 28 the Apostle writes “and now little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink from Him in shame … Then in Revelation 3: 18 Jesus says “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness…” –  that is, your inability to hide your real self from Him when all you want to do is run away in fear. Jesus says that He can clothe us so that we no longer have to fear.

Does the Bible have anything to say which might help? Of course it does. The word shame alone occurs 153 times. It contains examples, warnings and help. Our personal lives and experiences probably contain enough examples and warnings for us, so let’s look directly for help. Let’s deal with our personal shame and see how we might put it to death forever! 

The Solution

When King David deliberately sinned by committing adultery with Bathsheba, he was hit by shame as well as a sense of guilt for his sin. He helpfully lays out his response for us in Psalm 51.

Maybe you and I can tackle our shame and put it to death by using David’s experience as a model for our own response. How might we do this? 

A Prayer

Father, I pray for my brothers and sisters, that shame may be broken over their lives and that freedom, security and faith may be transparently alive in them. Every prisoner of shame, I bless you now in the name of Jesus that you might relinquish that shame and walk in total release and fulness of joy. Amen.

Has this been helpful for you? If so, please encourage us by letting us know at mail@roygodwin.org

© Roy Godwin 2020

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

During August Roy and the team are taking a break. We wish you a happy summer and will be back in September.