Quick Thoughts

In the early church there were some who did not believe in the promised resurrection from the dead. (1Corinthians 15:12) Paul was even persecuted for bringing this teaching.(Acts26:6-8) If there is no resurrection then what purpose would there be in our life? God’s people need to surround themselves with those who believe in and live in the expectation of the resurrection as promised by God through Jesus Christ

In Isaiah 40 we are given word pictures and encouraged to lift our thinking up high to try and comprehend the magnitude, magnificence and splendour of God. Whilst this is really beyond our capacities, what we can do is appreciate no matter how ‘big’ God is, He is prepared to come inside us by His Holy Spirit and then we can have an individual and very personal relationship with Him. And then, as written in Psalm 46, God becomes our refuge and strength and very present help in times of trouble.

The pinnacle of man’s wisdom is found in King Solomon of the biblical Israel nation. When God said to him, ‘ask what I shall give you’, King Solomon asked for an understanding heart to be able to judge God’s people and so he could discern between the right and wrong. King Solomon became so famous for his wisdom that the Queens of Sheba travelled to see him. People will naturally gravitate to the wisdom of man. And even more so in our era of the internet where the ‘wisdom’ of man is on tap for all to find. However, is this the ‘wisdom’ that God’s people should be gravitating towards? Jesus Christ made reference to the magnitude of the wisdom of Solomon and then stated that ‘a greater than Solomon is here’. Of course, he was referring to himself and the wisdom of God that comes by the Holy Spirit.  Instead of seeking out the wisdom of man, God’s people, and anyone else for that matter, should be seeking out, and applying the wisdom of God.

When a person receives the Holy Spirit it is described as a treasure in an earthen vessel. (2Corinthians 4:7) And, when a person receives the Holy Spirit it is for the purpose to show the life of Jesus that is now in them. (2Corinthinas 4:6-11) Jesus Christ is the Word of God made flesh. The Word of God is the only true light that is everlasting and reveals to us the very nature and plan of God. Jesus Christ, in his life on earth, demonstrated to us genuine humility, obedience, compassion and service. As a result of this, Jesus was exalted to sit on the right hand of His Father. At times a Spirit-filled person may have moments of difficulty and find it is a struggle between the frailties of the earthen vessel as opposed to the power of the treasure inside. (Romans 7:18-25) Through prayer in the Spirit, fellowship, reading God’s Word and speaking to others about God’s Word, a Spirit-filled person is well able to truly show the life of Jesus Christ in them as the treasure inside shines forth.

Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

God’s Word is full of treasure. The Holy Spirit gives us the word of knowledge and of wisdom. Spirit-filled people are encouraged not to just scratch the surface but to dig deep into God’s Word to find the real treasure of revelations that are in the Word of God.

These were the words of Jesus Christ at a time when His disciples were in the midst of a storm whilst travelling by boat. Even though the storm ceased and the waters calmed when the Lord uttered these words, He wasn’t saying them to the storm. He was saying them to His disciples who could only see the problem and were feeling anxious and fearful. This is a wonderful message to God’s people that no matter what ‘storm’ of life they find themselves in, Jesus Christ is right with them by His Holy Spirit. This understanding is where the true peace that passes understanding emanates from and the God-given ability to ‘be still’ is in faith and trust that the Lord will never leave nor forsake us.