THE CRUX OF THE MATTER

Subtitle: THE CONUNDRUM OF THE CROSS

The Apostle Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know that it is the very power of God.
As the Scriptures say,
                                     "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
                                      and discard the intelligence of the intelligent." (Isaiah 29:14)
So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars and the world's brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say that it is all nonsense.
But to those called by God to salvation,both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. (New Living Translation)

The cross of Christ has been the central, enduring symbol of the Christian church down through the last 2,000 years. Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, who had divested Himself voluntarily of His Godly attributes (see Philippians 2:5-8) to live on this earth as a man, hung with his bloodied and broken body nailed to a cross of wood between two convicted criminals.  The sinless Son of God was dying a criminal's death - one of the cruelest forms of capital punishment ever devised by man.
From the world's viewpoint using man's wisdom, the thought of the Son of God willingly subjecting himself to such a humiliating process leading to death seemed totally illogical - absurd even.
But, again as the Apostle Paul points out to the church at Colossae (and to those of us who believe today), "You were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self. But God gave you new life together with Christ. He forgave all our sins. Because we broke God's laws, we owed a debt - a debt that listed all the rules we failed to follow. But God forgave us of that debt. He took it away and nailed it to the cross. He defeated the rulers and powers of the spiritual world. With the cross he won the victory over them and led them away, as defeated and powerless prisoners for the whole world to see." 
(Easy-To-Read Version) ERV
In his book "When The Crosses Are Gone - Restoring Sanity To A World Gone Mad" by Michael Youssef. PhD - Senior Pastor of Church of the Apostles in Atlanta, Georgia - published in 2011, he writes: The cross is a bridge which spans the gulf between God and humanity. The cross is not a wall of separation - it  breaks down walls between people, bringing us all together as God's children. The message of the cross is a message of love.
That's the conundrum of the cross. In previous generations, the cross was an accepted symbol in our culture. A church steeple topped with a cross announced that here is a place where the message of God's love is preached. In our generation, however, the cross has become a dangerous thing - despised, hated and rejected. We are just one generation away from seeing the departure of the Christian Gospel from our land.
Today, many evangelical churches, in an effort to be more "seeker-friendly" have decided not to identify their buildings with the symbol of the cross. Their intentions may be good...........................But though their intentions are good, they are taking a step toward compromise with the culture - a culture that is increasingly hostile toward the cross. By increments, they are departing from the truth.
Later in that same chapter of his book, Michael Youssef states: Only a superficial or hostile thinker could look at the cross and see a symbol of religious oppression or arrogance. The cross is a profound conundrum, a paradox, and the paradoxical logic of the cross tells us that hope springs from despair, life springs from death, and faith springs from our struggle with doubt and unbelief. The logic of the cross tells us that sinful human beings can be declared righteous in God's eyes - not because of anything they have done, but purely because God Hinself died on a cross. This idea is absurd according to human logic; but that is the logic of the cross.
The Latin word for cross is crux. It is fitting because the cross is literally the crux, the heart, of the Christian message. Remove the cross and you eliminate the essence of Christianity.

Because Jesus died for us on the cross at Calvary, we can experience new life, because His body was broken for us, we can be truly made whole, as we come to him in our brokenness. 
For the man, woman or child who looks to the cross and all that it symbolizes in the work of redemption accomplished by Christ, the conundrum of the cross is a conundrum no more. The cross becomes the meeting place of a wayward heart and life with a loving Father God longing for relationship restored for eternity.

THE CRUX OF THE MATTER

"Have You Heard Of The Four Spiritual Laws?" 
Yes, it is a question you may wish to ponder for the answers to true purpose in your own life, but it also is the title of a small booklet, written in 1952 by Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade For Christ to present the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ "in a nutshell". According to Campus Crusade History, this little booklet with very basic illustrations, each law being supported by several relevant Scripture verses - has been the most widely distributed religious booklet in history, with upwards of 2.5 billion printed in all major languages of the world.
What are these Four Spiritual Laws?
They are, according to Bill Bright, as follows:

Law 1.

God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life
(John 3:16; John 10:10)

Law 2.  

Man is sinful and separated from God.

Therefore, he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life

(Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23

Law 3.  

Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man's sin.

Through Him, you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life

(Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3-6; John 14:6)

Law 4.

We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord; 

then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives

(John 1:12; Ephesians 2:8,9; John 3:1-8; Revelation 3:20)

Some have criticized this as being a simplistic presentation, and that it does not tell the whole story of the Christian life - that it leaves out the realities of suffering and tribulation which are the lot of the true disciples of Christ. However, personally, from a starting point of introducing a person to the Gospel, I believe it has been a very effective tool in leading many (probably in the millions) people to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ at the start of their journey of faith.

I remember being given a copy of this little booklet when I committed my life to Christ at a Christian coffee shop outreach on Queensland's Gold Coast way back in 1967. As mentioned above, the laws were illustrated by simple drawings, simple in their design but which had a profound impact on my mind and spirit. 

The second law states that Man is sinful and separated from God. This was illustrated by two line drawings depicting Man trying in vain to reach out to God through his own efforts through good works, philosophy or religion.

The third law shows again the two entities illustrated by line drawings - God above and Man below, but this time with the separating gulf being bridged by a large Cross with Jesus printed on the cross beam - showing that the Cross of Christ is the only means of Man's restoration to God, As Paul the Apostle wrote in 1 Corinthians 5:21 "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousess of God in Him."

As Jesus said of Himself in John 14:6 "I am the way,the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me".

Also speaking of His death on the Cross, He said: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me". John 12:32
There are a number of Old Testament scriptures which directly speak about the crucifixion of Christ.
Several of these are as follows:
Psalm 22:14-16 - "My life is poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid Me in the dust and left Me for dead. My enemies surround Me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on Me. They have pierced My hands and feet."
Zechariah 12:10a - "Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on all the people of Jerusalem. They will look on Me whom they have pierced and mourn for Him as for an only son."

It is little wonder that Paul said concerning the emphasis of his own ministry, in 1 Corinthians 2:1,2  And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.
For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Not every person has or will embrace the message of the Cross of Christ, as Paul, again states in 1 Corinthians 1:18,19 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.
For it is written:
                         "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
                          the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." ( from Isaiah 29:14)
That leads us to the Conundrum of the Cross, which I shall address in the next part of this blog.

THEY SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES

(CONTINUED)

One of my Facebook friends, himself a Pentecostal pastor, made an interesting comment following my second part of this current blog. He said: "You don't hear much about speaking in tongues these days." When he said that, I knew he was right. He was stating a reality which my wife and I sensed was so, but perhaps would not have been willing to categorically state. This man, having been a pastor for some decades now, in a major Pentecostal movement in Australia, had obviously become aware over time of the apparent diminishing importance given to the experience by Pentecostal and Charismatic churches and movements. Most of these churches would still have in their Statement of Beliefs a clear indication that one of their core beliefs is that subsequent to salvation or being "born again", the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues is available to every believer.
Again, as in previous blog posts on this topic, I think of the prophecy of Joel, some eight hundred years BC, confirmed by Peter on the Day of Pentecost as being fulfilled at that time, where the prophet said: "And it shall come to pass afterward
                      That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
                       Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
                       Your old men shall dream dreams,
                       Your young men shall see visions;
                       And also on My menservants
                       And on my maidservants
                       I will pour out My Spirit in 
                       those days."
After quoting this prophecy, Peter, empowered and inspired by the Holy Spirit, added: "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." Acts 2: 38,39. NKJV
The "gift of the Holy Spirit" referred to here by Apostle Peter is the Baptism in the Holy Spirit the 120 in the Upper Room had received that day, with the manifestation of speaking in other tongues - in that particular instance, languages unknown to the speakers, but known languages recognized by the hearers from other countries gathered together in Jerusalem at that time.
Peter said the Promise is "to you and your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." He was saying that the Promise of the Gift of the Holy Spirit, with the accompanying evidence of speaking in tongues was to all believers in every era, every generation, to those of all ages, all races, all backgrounds - in fact, to everyone, Jew or Gentile - who would repent of sin, and receive the salvation offered through Jesus Christ.
With the restoration of this truth to the church in the twentieth century, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 were also restored to the church. These nine gifts or manifestations of the Spirit include: the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith (the gift of faith), gifts of healings, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, different kinds of tongues (in public gatherings) and the interpretation of tongues (in public gatherings). (Words in italics added by me.)
The fact is that we, as Christians, are in a war- a battle for the hearts and souls of men, women and children. One of my favourite verses in the book of Isaiah, speaking prophetically down through the ages to the day in which we live, says: So shall they fear 
                                                                                      The name of the Lord from the west,
                                                                                       And His glory from the rising of the sun;
                                                                                      When the enemy comes in like a flood,
                                                                                      The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a 
                                                                                        standard against him.
.
Dennis Bennett, the Episcopal Rector in California who, in 1960 became a catalyst for the beginning of the Charismatic Movement, when he announced to his church congregation that he had been baptized with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, stated, that for a Christian to be born again and not baptized in the Holy Spirit would be like sending a soldier to Vietnam without a rifle. In these times of ever-increasing darkness covering the earth, the church needs to avail itself of every provision the Lord makes available to us. That provision includes the Baptism in the Holy Spirit subsequent to the salvation experience, with the provision of the ability to speak in tongues, not as some quirky aberration of Christian experience, but to better equip the believer for effective ministry for our King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Lord Jesus Christ.

TESSA'S TESTIMONIES

Our cat died recently. He had been a faithful friend for over thirteen years. I know that adults and children suffer and die daily through wars and other forms of abuse.

    But the pain over the loss of the cat was still real to me. I remembered his beauty as he ran along the top of the fence, like a living flame in the sunlight glowing like molten gold. I remember the way he waited hours at the window for our car to return home. How he followed me around the garden, even when ill.

Awake last night, I looked at the stars so clear, so still, so remote and unbidden the words of the Bible came to me from Deuteronomy 31: The eternal God is your refuge

                            And underneath are the everlasting arms.

I am so grateful that in a world of constant, often painful, change, God is our refuge, a place to be still and regroup.  He cares so much for our individual lives and our transient griefs, no matter how deep-etched.

AN ALLEGORY

By Tessa

Once and again there was a spider who wasn't quite the same as all the others.  He watched as they spun lovely webs in the sunshine.  Over and over he tried to do the same.  And failed. For a time he gave up and nearly died. He just existed.

Then one day, with God's help and a friend's encouragement, he made a beautiful web.  It danced in the sunshine, shone in the wind and laced the mist together in tiny pearls of water. In the dew the light flashed like jewels.

He thanked God and lived again.  Most didn't notice or care, but his friend did.

Let's encourage those who are a bit different.

-----------

"And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say unto you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to Me."'

THEY SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES

(CONTINUED)

Some years ago, while we were living in Launceston in Northern Tasmania, I attended a Holy Spirit teaching seminar with meetings held over about three days, from memory. The speakers were Doug Duncan, a pastor with a high degree of credibility in the realm of prophetic ministry, and Stewart Rae, who at the time was pastoring a Charismatic Baptist church in Geelong, Victoria.
During one of the sessions, Doug Duncan shared an amazing incident which happened in the life of another Pentecostal pastor in New Zealand by the name of Kindah Greening some years before that time. I believe he is now pastoring successfully on Queensland's Gold Coast.
As the story goes (and I believe it to be a true account), Kindah Greening was in Invercargill in the very south of the South Island of NZ, when on a particular day, he entered a local post office. He saw a man standing at one of the counters, and felt impressed by the Holy Spirit to approach the man and to start speaking in tongues. As one could imagine, this is not something a person would normally do, for fear of being thought more than a little mentally-challenged.He hesitated, wanting to make sure this prompting was from the Holy Spirit. The impression would not leave him, so in the end, he obeyed this prompting to approach the stranger and he began to speak in tongues - a language he had not learned. As Kindah Greening began to speak, the most amazing and wonderful thing happened. Tears began to well up in the eyes of the stranger, and he broke down and cried.
The stranger was, as it turned out, a former Christian minister from a European country who was away from the Lord. As Kindah Greening spoke in tongues, the stranger was so moved because Pastor Greening was actually speaking in the stranger's native European language. 
Basically, the Lord was reaffirming His love for this man who was so many thousands of miles from his homeland with the words, which he heard in his native tongue: "THOUGH YOU RUN TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH TO THE ISLES OF THE SEAS, YOU CANNOT RUN AWAY FROM ME!" This was a message of encouragement which I believe was a turning point in this man's experience to bring him back to a close relationship with the Lord.
The operation of Speaking in Tongues may be in a known language, or it may be a "heavenly language." The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13:1, at the beginning of what is referred to as the Love Chapter in this particular book, states: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal."
Those who are not able to accept that speaking in tongues is for the church today would argue that, if the spoken tongue is not a known language, it is just gibberish, or speech that is nonsense. I would refute that argument most vigorously, as I believe there is ample Biblical evidence to show that speaking in other tongues does not have to be in that of a known human language, and if it is not a known language but one given by the Holy Spirit, it is a language known in heaven and perfectly understood by God.
Romans 8:27,28 says Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 
When we pray in tongues, using what probably amongst most Pentecostal and Charismatic believers today is praying or speaking in tongues which are not known languages, we can be praying the will of God into situations and circumstances of which we know nothing.
In 1 Corinthians 14:14,15 the Apostle Paul in addressing the Corinthian church on the correct use of the vocal gifts of tongues, interpretation and prophecy in public gatherings makes the point: "For if I pray in a tongue (in public), my Spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
What is the result then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding."
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:2 He who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. What a great prayer tool God has given us, to be speaking mysteries - in the spirit, as the Holy Spirit inspires our speaking forth in other tongues.
Speaking in tongues or "praying in the Spirit" has the benefit for the one speaking of edifying or building up of the believers faith. 1 Corinthians 14:4a says He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself.
This is re-stated in Jude 20, 21 where the writer says: But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit (that is, praying or speaking in other tongues)
keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
This is a wonderful provision in the life of the Spirit-filled believer, the person who has experienced the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. While bringing correction to the Corinthian church concerning the abuse of this practice in church life, the Apostle Paul did admit to the importance he placed on speaking in tongues in his own prayer life when he said in 1 Corinthians 14:18, 19 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;
yet in the church I would rather speak five words with the understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

To be continued.......................

THEY SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES

(CONTINUED)

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4 NKJV
The Day of Pentecost was one of three major Jewish feasts, also known as the Feast of Weeks, it was celebrated fifty days after Passover. Today, Christian churches remember Pentecost in the Church Calender fifty days after Easter.
The Day of Pentecost recorded in the second chapter of Acts which saw the outpouring of the Holy Spirit - or Baptism with the Holy Spirit on the 120 of Jesus' disciples and followers, was the day the New Testament church began. It was on this day when Peter boldly stood and proclaimed to the crowds assembled in Jerusalem from all parts of the then Roman Empire, at the conclusion of his powerful Gospel message: "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." Acts 2:38,39 NKJV
The Bible also records in this chapter that around three thousand people who heard Peter's words, responded to his message and were baptized. 
Verse 42 says: They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Sounds like church to me!
The 120 in the Upper Room had been waiting in anticipation for the Lord to move in a new way in their midst in response to the words of Jesus after His resurrection from the dead as recorded in Luke 24:49 "Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."
THIS WAS IT! Or,as the Apostle Peter himself said in his message on this day: "THIS IS THAT which was spoken by the prophet Joel...." In the first part of this blog, I quoted the verses from Joel 2:28,29 spoken by Peter.
The gift of speaking with other tongues was not to be just a one-off manifestation in the life of the Church. In the Book of Acts, there are three more recorded accounts of people being baptized in the Holy Spirit. These accounts are recorded in Acts 8:14 onwards, when after Phillip had preached the Word of God at Samaria, Peter and John went there and prayed for the new believers to receive the Holy Spirit;  Acts 10:44-48, after Peter had preached salvation through Christ to the Gentile centurion, Cornelius and his household;  and Acts 19:1-7,  when the apostle Paul prayed for believers in Ephesus to be baptised in the Holy Spirit. In the last two of these accounts, the baptism of the Holy Spirit was clearly stated to be evidenced by the gift of speaking with tongues, that is, with a language the speakers had not learned.
Were these accounts of speaking with tongues similar to that recorded in Acts 2 where the hearers from various countries heard the speakers in their own languages (known languages) "the wonderful works of God?"
Maybe - maybe not! In Acts 10:44-46, it is recorded that, when the members of Cornelius' household believed the Word of God through the mouth of Peter, that the Holy Spirit fell upon them, and those Jews who had accompanied Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on Gentiles also. Then it says in verse 46: For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. This is my personal thought, for what it is worth, but I wonder if the speaking in tongues in this instance was like that on the Day of Pentecost- in a known language, as the Jews heard the new believers speak in tongues and magnify God.
As to the last account in the Book of Acts in Chapter 19, when the twelve or so men who were baptized in the Holy Spirit after the laying on of hands by Paul the Apostle at Ephesus, I wonder if their experience of speaking with tongues was not in a known language, because the account says in verse six that the Holy Spirit came upon them,. and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

To be continued.............................