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How can we maximise our nutrition from the bible? In Part 2 we considered what Jesus meant when he said, ‘I am the bread of life’ and saw that we absorbed from Jesus the bread of life, his life, his character, his example, his teaching i.e. food for our souls. We need to feed on God’s word (bible) every day of our lives because it contains the nourishment we need for our souls. Today in Part 3 we consider how can we maximise the benefit from what we can take from our daily bread? We now consider the practice of Christian meditation on the word of God (bible). Does anyone have a favourite scripture or keynote verse? Psalm 1 is the keynote scripture for my life. 1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. When Psalm 1 was written the law was most of the bible that existed at that time. We can extrapolate it today to include all the bible (word of God). The Hebrew word for meditate means ‘moving the lips’ or ‘mutter’. In a sense we talk to our ourselves about the verse. Another analogy is that we should be like a cow chewing the cud i.e. we chew the food and swallow then let it come back up so we can chew it again and again. In practice this means that we should choose a verse or portion of scripture and keep chewing on it until its meaning becomes clear to us. I did this with the verse ‘I am the bread of life’ that Jesus spoke in John 6. What does bread do, what does life mean and so on? Ask yourself about the meaning of the passage of scripture you are reading. Here are some other scriptures that show believers taking God’s word into themselves. Jeremiah 15:16 When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty. Ezekiel 2:8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” 9 Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, Rev 10:9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’” Joshua 1:8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. So, the idea of eating or taking God’s word into yourself is thoroughly biblical. Let's do it! Amen Personal Prayer

I am the Bread of Life In Part 1 of our mini-series ‘Give us today our daily bread’ we saw that we need both physical bread to nourish our bodies and spiritual bread to nourish our souls. The spiritual bread is the word of God that we read in the bible. We need to feed on the bible each day. In Part 2 we begin to explore what Jesus means when he says that ‘I am the bread of life’. John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. When we ‘feed’ on Jesus who is the Word that was made flesh, it somehow satisfies the hunger and thirst of our souls. John 6:48 I am the bread of life. When we partake of Jesus by the reading the bible (God’s word) it brings life into our souls and bodies. The zoe life described here is both physical and spiritual. All life (2222 /zōḗ), throughout the universe, is derived – i.e. it always comes from and is sustained by God's self-existent life. Jesus the bread of life sustains our physical and spiritual lives. John 6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” God sustains us physically and meets the less tangible needs of this life. More than that, He fulfils our spiritual needs. He is the bread that satisfies our spiritual hunger. He sustains our hearts. When we ask God for our daily bread, we are humbly acknowledging Him as the sole giver of all we need. We are living day by day, one step at a time. We are exercising simple faith in Him to provide just what we need, when we need it – for every area of life. Natural nutritional value: Breads are rich in complex carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are an important part of our diet as they provide us with energy. Our bread contains various B vitamins, including Thiamine (B1), Niacin (B3), and Riboflavin (B2) which are essential for releasing energy from food. Bread also contains proteins, fibre, calcium, and iron. Spiritual nutritional value: if you are what you eat, when we eat the bread of life (Jesus) he becomes part of us, his life, his character, his example, his teaching etc. Jesus says we are becoming one with Him through our daily bread. We become integrated (one) with Jesus when we eat his flesh and drink his blood (communion). In summary as we feed on Jesus by reading the bible, our souls are nourished and we begin to grow and mature as Christians. Amen Prayer

Give us today our daily bread Today we begin our new 3 part mini-series named 'Give us today our daily bread'. You will recognise our topic is part of the Lord’s prayer. Matthew 6:9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread.12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one…’ As human beings we have basic needs for our body, our soul, and our spirit. Our bodies need food and water, clothing, and shelter. Our souls (minds) need emotional stability, confidence, and the correct degree of self-esteem. Our spiritual needs can only be met by Jesus. When we pray for "daily bread" we pray for all that we need to sustain life, not just our food and clothing, but all that we need for the wellbeing of our mind and soul and for our spiritual needs. It is a prayer of dependence, admitting that God is our provider. Jesus after a 40 day fast in the wilderness was then tempted by Satan, who told him to turn the stones into bread. Jesus’ reply was very instructive. Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Notice that man shall not live by bread alone, does indicate that we also need our physical daily bread to nourish and feed our bodies. Jesus is quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. We find that ‘every word’ coming from the mouth of God is contained in the bible. In the same way as we need physical bread to feed us, we need a daily portion of God’s word to nourish and sustain our souls. In Deuteronomy 3 there is a clear parallel in gathering a supply of manna each day and us needing to seek and feed on a portion of the bible. If you want to follow Christ, then this feeding on the word is essential. 1 Peter 2:2 tells us that we ought to Like new-born babies, crave pure spiritual milk (of the word), so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, When we take in God’s word and act on it, we will grow spiritually. Are you taking it in and acting on it? Amen Please note that the Lord is also calling the more experienced believers to renew their love affair with the bible! Prayer For full text for printout and access to other parts 'Our daily bread' click below https://www.psalmonesermons.com/post/our-daily-bread-part-1

Hebrews 10:19-25 The world is changing fast today, and it often seems that the historical Christian faith is under attack from many directions and worst of all sometimes the historical faith is attacked from inside the church. When the storms of life spring up, we can seem like ships that are tossed to and fro by the wind and waves and we feel that we are in danger of being shipwrecked. We must remember to hold fast to God’s word and his promises which are like an anchor to our soul and keep us fixed and safe no matter what the storms of life try to do to us. Talking of 'holding fast' several years ago my son-in-law asked me to join him going on the the world's fastest roller coaster, the Formula Rossa [1] in Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi. I had to hang on for dear life, I lost a shoe, and my hair was standing on end. In hindsight this gave me gave some insight into what it means to hold fast. What does it mean to hold fast to something? “Holding fast” in the Bible means to hold your position or fix your gaze and not lose sight of what is true. So this means that our attention -and therefore our actions- are fixed on God. After that, we need to obey His instructions — which is really the next logical step if your gaze and heart are locked on God. There are a number of scriptures that tell us to hold fast. The key scripture for this study is found in Hebrews 10:19-25. Hebrews 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. God has made a new and living way into his presence for believers and encourages us to draw near to him confidently knowing that our hearts and minds have been cleansed from sin. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith [2] without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) Based on these wonderful facts, what must we do now? We must not lose our nerve but rather declare the hope that we hold in eternal life because that is what Jesus Christ promised us and he is completely faithful to his word. No need to waver, no need to doubt because We can trust Jesus, we can trust all his promises to us. 24 And let us consider one another to provoke [3] unto love and to good works: The practical results of our unwavering faith and hope in Christ should be that we set an example to the Christian community stimulating each other to show love in action which results in Holy Spirit led good works such as charity, compassion, and kindnesses. 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together [4], as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Another practical outworking of holding fast to our confession of faith is that we will actively encourage the believers to assemble and thus be mutually encouraged. As Christians we need to know what to hold fast to: 1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things: hold fast to that which is good. Prove all things means don’t just accept everything you hear, test it against the bible, discuss it with people you trust. Once you believe something is true then hold fast on it. Proverbs 4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her for she is thy life. We receive instruction from the bible and from our pastors/ ministers, we need to grasp that which is good teaching and apply it to our lives for it keeps us living right. 2 Timothy 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. Paul tells Timothy to hold fast to the good doctrine that he had been taught by Paul for it was given in the faith and love of Jesus Christ. Revelation 2:25 and 3:11 Jesus tells two [5] of the seven churches to hold fast what they have that no one steals their crown. To the faithful remnant in Thyatira who had not fallen into Satan’s depths Jesus tells them to hang on to receive their great rewards. To the faithful in Philadelphia Jesus says he knows their good works , and that they have a little strength left , they have kept his word and have not denied his name. Conclusion The Lord is calling each one of us today to hold fast onto all that is good in our lives. Hold fast onto the Lord himself. Hold fast to the word of God in the Bible. Hold fast onto all the good Christian practices that you have learned over the years. Hold fast onto your own personal faith in Christ. Amen Personal Prayer Footnotes [1] Ferrari World Abu Dhabi for example is home to a pair of record-breaking roller coasters, and one of them, the Formula Rossa, just happens to hold the Guinness World Record for the World’s Fastest Rollercoaster — clocking in with a blistering max speed of 240 km/h and traveling 52 meters into the sky in just 4.9 seconds. [2] Ellicott’s Commentary: Let us hold fast the profession/confession of the (Christian) hope (rather than faith). Hope here refers to eternal life as God’s children and heirs of Christ which we can rely upon since God is faithful to all his promises. [3] Original meaning of ‘to provoke’ means ‘to arouse,’ ’to excite,’ or ‘to call to action’ our fellow believers. [4] Hebrews 10:25 The most obvious interpretation of ‘assembling’ is ‘for public worship’ see Barnes Notes on the Bible. [5] The churches of Thyatira and Philadelphia, respectively.

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood... In various places in the Bible we catch glimpses of the unseen spiritual realm. A good example of this is found in 2 Kings 6 when the King of Syria send soldiers to capture Elisha and his servant. 2 Kings 6:14-17 There is also a fascinating story over in Daniel 10 in which Daniel has been praying and fasting for three weeks or so. Daniel 10:12-14 In this chapter we find angels battling through with the answer to a man`s prayer. In the New Testament a passage which gives us great insight into the spiritual realm is found in Ephesians 6:10-18. 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; The bad news is that the heavenlies [1] are teeming with a huge host of organized malignant spirits who hate God and his people. The good news is that Jesus Christ has completely defeated them with his victory on the cross, and by his resurrection and ascension. Colossians 2:9-15 Verse 15; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. By His victory [2], Jesus has made it obvious that these evil spirits were powerless to prevent his resurrection, and because of this, this verse shows us that we should not fear death as he is able to resurrect each believer in turn. He has also given us a full suit of amour [3] to stand against the devil, which in essence is just living a deliberate holy lifestyle. So, as we are in a battle with these wicked spirits (they are the ones who stir up persecution and write the scripts that set the standard for what goes in society), we must continue to struggle against them and their influence on individuals and groups. But let us not forget that Jesus disarmed them by taking away their ability to put the fear of death into God`s people and hence we can stand against them and bring in God`s will into any particular situation. Amen Personal Prayer Explanatory footnotes [1] The church is engaged in a spiritual war, and its enemy is Satan and a host of unseen angelic and celestial enemies whose power vastly exceeds our own. With a few exceptions, our enemies remain invisible to our eyes, but they nevertheless are real, and so is their opposition. These celestial enemies come in various forms, as is suggested by the variety of terms used by Paul to identify them: “rulers ” these are the 5 star generals, “powers,” “world forces of this darkness,” “spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places”. In this war Satan employs a variety of strategies to oppose and to defeat the Christian. Paul does not speak of one single “scheme”, but of his many “schemes” (plural), likewise, there are different parts of God’s armour that we must put on to counteract each of them. Satan’s opposition against the church is not a frontal attack, but a subversive attack through intrigue, deception, and trickery, so we must remain prayerful and alert (Eph 6:18, 1 Peter 5:8). [2] Victory with the devil under our feet Psalm 110:1The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” Victory over demons Colossians 1:15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. Victory over sin and the ability to pull down strongholds 2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. [3] When we put on the armour, we are putting on Christ. Of course, the whole armour of God is describing a day-to-day lifestyle lived in the knowledge of all that God has provided to protect us. Please note we should always be praying. Sometimes we can extend the shield of our faith over others, what do you think? It is important to remember that when we put on the “full armour of God” we are putting on Christ (Rom. 13:14) Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (Eph 4:23) to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Our protection against Satan’s attacks is assured only when we take up the full armour of God. Satan’s schemes are many, and he attacks us at any point where we are weak. Our armour must be complete. We cannot pick and choose what parts of the armour we prefer, but rather we must put all of it on. We must be completely equipped, or we will be vulnerable to his attacks.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 Protecting your thought life Do you think that politicians and local government are influenced by public opinion? Of course, they are, if not they would soon be voted out-of-office. But who influences public opinion and where do the ideas come from? Public opinion says it is ok to gamble, to live together before marriage. Public opinion says it is ok to practice same sex relationships. Public opinion largely supports abortion. Public opinion no longer supports the family. Public opinion has growing support for euthanasia. Who is the script writer for public opinion? If most people in your country are unbelievers, and if they are, then their opinions and beliefs will be influenced by the world, the flesh, and the devil. The word of God is alien and incomprehensible to them. We as believers in Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God, must not be deceived by the opinions and ideas of the world. The aim of this message today, is to remind the church, to continue to question popular beliefs and public opinion to find out where their source lies. Going beyond this, we need to begin to pull down mental barriers and strongholds in our minds, so that our thinking continues to conform to the truth, the truth of God`s word. Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to world`s standards. Do not be conformed to world`s ideas. Do not be conformed to world`s morals. Do not be conformed to world`s thinking. Do not let the world squeeze you in its mould. Be transformed into the image of Christ. Be transformed from glory to glory. Be transformed into the full stature and maturity of Jesus Christ. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Renew your mind by reading God`s word. Renew your mind by meditating in the scriptures. Renew your mind by listening to voice of Holy Spirit. Renew your mind by reading and obeying God`s word. Then, and only then... You will know and prove what is good. You will know the truth and it shall set you free. You will know where every idea, whether public opinion, or the private opinion of yourself and others, whether it comes of God or not. All our lives before we were being saved, when we were children, the world, the flesh, the devil sowed wrong ideas and thoughts into us, which grew up in us and became wrong beliefs that are contrary to God`s word and God`s will for our lives. Is this part of your life story or testimony? Do not tell your kids that “they will never amount to anything” for this is a self-fulfilling prophecy. God wants to break down such mental barriers (stronghold: castles in our minds). He wants to make the ‘unthinkable’ to become ‘thinkable’. I`d could never do… God can enable you I`ll never be able to give up this bad habit …Says who? Not God, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not God, the Son. Not God, the Holy Spirit. We need to ask; says who? and only accept God’s true words and thoughts! We have the mind of Christ, the Creator’s mind. We should hear the voice of Spirit. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; God has given us mighty weapons, given us power in the name of Jesus Christ. Given us power to bind and to loose, power to tread on the enemy! Are you using it! 2 Corinthians 4:2-4; Blinded minds cannot see truth, blinded by the preconceptions and ungodly ideas. Strongholds examples: My husband/wife and I will never be able to get on... Says who? I`ll never be a leader… Says who? I`ll never have a ministry…Says who? I`ll never speak in church… Says who? I`ll never be able to pray like so and so…Says who? I`ll never become a mature believe... Says who? I`ll never be able to quit drinking and smoking etc. … Says who? The devil does not need to limit your opportunities. If he has limited your mind with mental barriers to stop you progressing in God, then here is what you need to do… 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Test every thought or idea that pops into your mind, do not be pushed over by wrong thoughts! Check it against God`s word. If it passes, act on it. If it fails, use the word of God as the sword of the Spirit on it to demolish it. If you are tempted to steal use the sword of the spirit on the temptation… It is written thou shalt not steal. Jesus did this three times when tempted by Satan in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). Strongholds- are mental prisons, or chains that bind us to wrong behaviour/thoughts. My husband/wife/dad/mother will never get saved… Says who? If you believe this, you`ll stop praying and witnessing, and your church will not grow... Do not let your thoughts allow poison seeds to be planted in your mind from the enemy of your soul. Ephesians 6:12;Put on the whole armour of God including the helmet of your salvation. The armour can be viewed as daily lifestyle lived in the revelation of your identity in Christ. We take every thought captive and only release the good seeds (thoughts) into our minds after first testing them. This will bring us, and our brother and sister into maturity as believers. Summary We need to keep strict control over our thought lives. Not just new ideas and thoughts that pop into our minds but also established habits thought life and test them versus God`s word. Do not let the devil sow poisonous seeds and weeds in your mind. They are tomorrow`s strongholds, cast them out now. Amen Prayer

The battle between Bios and Zoe The battle between Bios (natural biological life) and Zoe (abundant life from God) is fought in the mind and each decision is made by our will, which should always be for Zoe to win. This battle between the life of God in us and the old sinful nature of the flesh is being fought out in our being everyday of our lives. Zoe will transform us into sons of God Bios will transform us into selfish failures Who do you want to win, Zoe or Bios ? You get to choose. If Bios wins you will be a carnal Christian, lukewarm in your faith. Concerned not so much with God`s will as your own convenience, You will become a self-pleaser or a man-pleaser rather than a God-pleaser. You will not be prepared to make any sacrifices since Bios always looks after No. 1. You will take part in envy, strife, and division. You will gradually fall away from God. If you choose Zoe, you will grow spiritually and develop into a full maturity in Christ. You will manifest the fruit of the spirit in your life such as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and self-control. You will fulfill all your destiny in Christ Jesus and become a son of the Living God. Our Bios natural life must be crucified for Zoe to have the victory. Look to the Master Jesus Christ, he was rejected of men, lead a life of humility, he was misunderstood by his closest family, betrayed by an intimate friend, jeered at, beaten by the Roman authorities, tortured, and finally executed by death on the cross, just the perfect way to kill the self-life! Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. The joy set before him is part of Zoe. The joy opened the way to be able to endure the suffering shame and death. What was the Joy set before him? 1. His obedience to Father 2.His salvation of his Church “Follow me” says Jesus Christ. Will you endure crucifixion of your bios life for the joy set before you? John 6:67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Do you also want to go away now that you know that you will have to co-operate with God in the crucifixion of your natural life? It is not going to be easy! Or do you say with Simon Peter in John 6:68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life (Zoe). Amen Personal Prayer

Zoe life vs Bios life What quality of Life do you have today? What kind of Life has God? What quality of Life does God enjoy? We know both from scripture and by experience that “God is Love.” his being, his life is Love with the Father and the Son in a dynamic loving relationship. A relationship full of joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, and self-control. In God`s life there is no sin, no pride, no envy, no injustice, and no selfishness. God`s life is full of creative power, power to create the Heavens and earth, power to create plants and animals, power to create man in his own image. On the day that you believed in Jesus Christ the very life of God entered your being. The uncreated life of God dwells inside each believer shedding abroad love, joy, and peace in our hearts (Romans 5:5). This is the abundant Life Jesus came to give to his church. In the New Testament there is a special Greek word for this abundant Life of God is named Zoe. You may have heard it as a girl`s name; what a beautiful name, meaning “Life as God lives it.” All human beings who are alive possess “Bios” that is the natural biological life. But only those who are born again of God`s Holy Spirit possess Zoe life (together with Bios). The word Zoe (although we derive words like zoology from it) has been given a special meaning by God in the New Testament This is similar to the way that agape (the Love of God) has a special meaning in the New Testament and is different in meaning from phileo (brotherly love). So what does Zoe mean. Zoe (Definition): The main thrust of word in New Testament is... Zoe is Life in the absolute sense. Zoe is the uncreated life. Zoe is life as God lives it. Zoe is eternal life. Zoe is the life the Father and the Son have in themselves. Bios is natural life; is flesh life, and is the mere animal life. Zoe life left Adam on the day he sinned against God. Zoe life entered into you on the day that you believed in Jesus Christ. Key Scripture: John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life (zoen) and have it to the full." Jesus came to give us Zoe life. Zoe life is superabundance, life in excess, overflowing, more than sufficient, profuse, and abundant life, and life as God lives it. Zoe life rising within you brings fullness of joy, peace, longsuffering, goodness and kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Most of us will know by now that Zoe and Bios are at war within us. The Bios the natural (sinful) life of the flesh is selfish, wants to be coaxed and praised, often takes advantage of others, exploits people and situations for its own benefit or selfish purposes. Bios hates Zoe and wants to avoid its influence like the plague. The natural Bios life recognizes that Zoe is much stronger than it and given half a chance Zoe will crucify Bios. Thus Bios fights Zoe every inch of the way as in Mark 14:34-36. Mark 14:34 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” 35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that, if possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” v34-36 we see Jesus' natural Bios life responsding to the upcoming crucifixion. Yet at the end of v36 we see the Zoe life of Jesus empowering him to say ''Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Amen Personal Prayer In Part 2 we will continue to look at the battle between Zoe and Bios.

Zoe life vs Bios life What quality of Life do you have today? What kind of Life has God? What quality of Life does God enjoy? We know both from scripture and by experience that “God is Love.” his being, his life is Love with the Father and the Son in a dynamic loving relationship. A relationship full of joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, and self-control. In God`s life there is no sin, no pride, no envy, no injustice, and no selfishness. God`s life is full of creative power, power to create the Heavens and earth, power to create plants and animals, power to create man in his own image. On the day that you believed in Jesus Christ the very life of God entered your being. The uncreated life of God dwells inside each believer shedding abroad love, joy, and peace in our hearts (Romans 5:5). This is the abundant Life Jesus came to give to his church. In the New Testament there is a special Greek word for this abundant Life of God named Zoe. You may have heard it as a girl`s name; what a beautiful name, meaning “LIFE AS GOD LIVES IT.” All human beings who are alive possess “Bios” that is natural biological life. But only those who are born again of God`s Holy Spirit possess Zoe life (together with Bios). The word Zoe (although we derive words like zoology from it) has been given a special meaning by God in the New Testament This is similar to the way that agape (the Love of God) has a special meaning in the New Testament and is different in meaning from phileo (brotherly love). So what does Zoe mean. Zoe (Definition): The main thrust of word in New Testament is... Zoe is Life in the absolute sense. Zoe is the uncreated life. Zoe is life as God lives it. Zoe is eternal life. Zoe is the life the Father and the Son have in themselves. Bios is natural life; is flesh life, and is the mere animal life. Zoe life left Adam on the day he sinned against God. Zoe life entered you on the day that you believed in Jesus Christ. Key Scripture: John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life (zoen) and have it to the full." Jesus came to give us Zoe life. Zoe life is superabundance, life in excess, overflowing, more than sufficient, profuse, and abundant life, uncreated life, and life as God lives it. Life rising within you full of joy, peace, longsuffering, goodness and kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Most of us will know by now that Zoe and Bios are at war within us. The Bios the natural (sinful) life of the flesh is selfish, wants to be coaxed and praised, often takes advantage of others, exploits people and situations for its own benefit or selfish purposes. Bios hates Zoe and wants to avoid its influence like the plague. The natural Bios life recognizes that Zoe is much stronger than it and given half a chance Zoe will crucify Bios. Thus Bios fights Zoe every inch of the way as in Mark 14:34-36. Mark 14:34 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” 35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that, if possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” The battle between Bios and Zoe The battle between Bios and ZOE is fought in the mind and decision is made by our WILL which should be for ZOE to win. This battle between the life of God in us and the old sinful nature of the flesh is being fought out in our being everyday of our lives. ZOE will transform us into sons of God Bios will transform us into selfish failures Who do you want to win, ZOE or Bios ? You choose. If Bios wins you will be a Carnal Christian, lukewarm in your faith. Concerned not so much with God`s will as your own convenience, You will become a self or man pleaser rather than pleasing to God. You will not be prepared to make any sacrifices since Bios always looks after No. 1. You will take part in envy, strife, and division. You will fall away from God. If you choose ZOE; you will grow spiritually and develop into a full maturity in Christ. You will manifest the fruit of the spirit in your life such as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and self-control. You will fulfill all your destiny in Christ Jesus and become a son of the Living God. Our Bios natural life must be crucified for Zoe to have the victory. Look to the Master Jesus Christ, he was rejected of men, lead a life of comparative poverty, he was misunderstood by his closest family, betrayed by an intimate friend, jeered at, beaten by the Roman authorities, tortured, and finally executed by death on the cross, just the perfect way to kill the self-life. Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. The joy set before him is part of Zoe. The joy opened the way to be able to endure the suffering shame and death. What was the Joy set before him? 1. His obedience to Father 2.His salvation of his Church “Follow me” says Jesus Christ. Will you endure crucifixion for the joy set before you? John 6:67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Do you also want to go away now that you know that you will have to co-operate with God? in the crucifixion of your natural life? It is not going to be easy! Or do you say with Simon Peter in John 6:68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life (Zoe). Amen Personal Prayer

How to live with singleness of heart How do we live with integrity? Firstly, we must know God’s word, this is His righteous standard for our lives. Often our own ideas and thought have been shaped by the world and it is only reading and obeying God’s word that our minds are renewed and transformed. We also need to be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Most of us believers at one time have had a check in our spirit when proposing to take a certain course of action. It is important to acknowledge this and take another look at the proposed course of action. Sometimes it is not as dramatic but as this, but you lose your peace over the matter, maybe tossing and turning in your bed at night. Again we need to take heed of any loss of peace. Pray through any major decision that might compromise your integrity. Another time to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit is when we take communion. Paul says let a man examine himself before partaking. We need to ask God regularly if we are missing it or displeasing Him in any area of our lives. Sometimes when I do this I see a face or situation come before me and I know that I need to repent before I partake of the Lord’s table. There will be times when we need to take Godly counsel. Psalm 1 says ‘how blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly’. Only take counsel from a brother or sister who is trying live a life of integrity before God. If something is doubtful then do not do it! Hindrances to integrity Fear of man and respect of persons. James 2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? When we show preferential treatment to people based on their ouitward apprearance then we are not walking in integrity. As you know God looks at each person's heart not their clothing. God commands us to love Him with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength. For us to be able to do this we must adopt a uniform approach to our life. That is we must put His way, His word and His will as our first priority. If our choice is to please ourselves, our relatives, friends, or God , then integrity of heart and singleness of life demands that we please God . What about you today, are you a man-pleaser or a God-pleaser? Matthew 12:46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. Jesus counted those people who obeyed God's will as much as his close family. Backlash When we walk in integrity of heart there often is a backlash, people attack you and your stand but who are you going to please? Remember the disciples after being beaten and forbidden to preach in Jesus name any more. They asked should we obey man or God, what about you? The backlash sometimes comes from within the church, Satan sometimes inspires jealousy or mistrust in us to get us to persecute the person who is refusing to compromise. All that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution! The backlash is to try to stop you showing integrity the next time a similar situation arises. Conclusions Integrity of our heart demands that we apply the same righteous standard of life and conduct consistently to every situation irrespective of who or what is involved. We must know God’s word to know what His will is in any particular situation. As we read and meditate on the word we are being trained to walk in integrity. As we pray and fellowship with God, we become more sensitive to the voice and prompting of the Holy Spirit. We must search out suitable sources of godly counsel when we need it. Then we must walk in the light of the truth that we have at that time. We can then begin to lead a daily life of refusing to compromise but with humility. Integrity of heart and life is God’s will for each one of His children and when we walk in the integrity and singleness of our hearts we will touch many lives inside and outside the church. Amen Personal Prayer

Integrity is living with singleness of heart A useful example to illustrate the idea of integrity is to consider a 30-mph speed limit sign. It is always 30 mph when you pass by it. It does not vary with the time of day, the weather or is altered by whether it is a rich or poor person who is driving past. Can we say today that we handle God’s word in such a way, uninfluenced by our mood, our health or with respect to who it is the has done something contrary to God’s word? Do we say, yes, it is wrong for others to do this, but I do allow myself to do it! There is a great temptation for Christians to indulge themselves and their families or friends when we ought to be confronting the situation in love and humility. Nathan the prophet displayed great wisdom and integrity when he confronted David with his sins of adultery and murder. He did not let David’s position as king or the fact that he might be killed, stop him from confronting David. Would you be willing to risk your life as a matter of integrity? or how about a friendship or relationship? or even your popularity? Too often believers give tacit approval to open sin by saying nothing just in case they might ruffle a few feathers! God does not want us to have two sets of rules or standards either for ourselves or our loved ones. There have been times in my life that I have let the Lord down and have not walked blamelessly before Him, but I am convinced that it is His will that we adopt a lifestyle with a singleness of heart before Him that is a lifestyle of integrity. Definition of Integrity: The state of being complete or undivided [1]. Terms which occur in parallel with integrity (Hebrew tom, tomim) suggest it has shades of meaning including: righteousness (Ps. 7:8). uprightness (Ps. 25:21). without wavering (Ps. 26:1).[2] blameless (Ps. 101:2).[3] Examples of persons of integrity Here are five examples of Old Testament characters who were designated persons of integrity: Noah (Gen. 6:9) Abraham (Gen. 17:1) Jacob (Gen. 25:27) Job (Job 1:1,8; 2:3) David (1 Kings 9:4) English translations frequently render the underlying Hebrew as perfect or blameless. Perhaps the inclusion of Jacob is surprising since he is also known for his deceit.[4] English translators describe Jacob as a plain (KJV), or a peaceful, or a quiet man in other translations.[5] New Testament In the New Testament, integrity occurs only at Titus 2:7 in reference to teaching [6]. The idea of singleness of heart or mind is frequent: see also Matthew 5:8; 6:22; James 1:7-8; 4:8. Walking in integrity is an example. Proverbs 20:7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him. The bible says, ‘train up a child in the way to go and when he is old, he will not depart from it’. One of the most effective ways of training people is by example! The parent who says do as I say but does not do it themselves is likely to exasperate his children. What a legacy it is for our children when they see us consistently applying God’s word and ways in our day to day lives. They are doubly blessed, to see our example and to be free from the consequences of our otherwise disobedience to God. When we walk in integrity, we are an example to the whole church. It is a sad thing to see when a new believer sees an experienced believer compromise on God’s word and then tries to justify it, thus setting a bad example for the new believer. This scripture will also apply to our ‘spiritual’ children, those recent converts who will follow our example of walking in integrity. Their Christian walk will be blessed by our example. Psalm 101:2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. Amen Personal Prayer Footnotes [1] Strong's Hebrew: 8537. תֹּם (tom) -- completeness, integrity, also part of the high priest's breastplate. [2] Found in the NRSV, NASB, and NIV [3] Found in NRSV in this verse the Hebrew uses tom twice, otherwise translated integrity. [4] Jacob’s deceitfulness (Gen. 27:5-27; 30:37-43; 33:13-17). [5] In various translations such as the NASB, NRSV, NIV, and REB. [6] Found in translations such as the NRSV, NIV, and REB). In Part 2 we consider how we can live our lives with integrity.

Comfort one another with these words When we believers go through challenging times, we can become a bit earthbound and be affected by what we see and hear. It is easy to become a little forgetful of the enormous comfort [1] that we receive from God’s word concerning our eternal destiny. Recently a brother was wondering what it would be like in heaven. He expressed the opinion that the bible had little to say about heaven and eternity. I disagreed with him on this, as I find all through Scripture there are clues and tantalising hints about what we believers shall be like and what will happen in heaven in the hereafter. So, today my fellow believer, you are invited to relax and permit me to share with you some of these glimpses from scripture of your eternal destiny in Christ Jesus. The format of this message [2] is not a formal bible study but an opportunity to meditate on and eagerly look forward to your eternal reward! You hear the shout! [3] The voice of the Archangel! it is the Lord himself! The King of Kings! The Lord of Lords! He is descending from highest heaven with the sound of the trumpet. The dead in Christ are arising. We, who are alive, are changed in the twinkling of an eye! Our corrupt bodies become incorruptible! Our mortality is swallowed by immortality! And we are like Him! Yes, like Him! and we are caught up to be with Him, Him who our souls love, Our Lord Jesus Christ. We were told to comfort each other with these gracious words. We then see that we are indeed surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, our fellow saints and we shall be with Him forever! Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament and those who turn many righteousness like the stars forever and ever. Our citizenship is in heaven, no longer eagerly waiting, our lowly bodies transformed and conformed to His glorious body. We are like Him, with glorious bodies. We are with Him! – oh the joy for in His presence is fullness of joy and He is allowing us to share in His glory! And to some of us, the ultimate accolade and the sublime reward of “well done thou good and faithful servant.” With baited breath, we watch as our work is tried by fire [4], some suffer loss, as the wood, hay and stubble is burnt, yet, there is great joy for the gold, silver and precious stones – the Lord’s reward to His faithful. As Abraham’s servant led Rebecca to Isaac with bracelets and ornaments, so the Holy Spirit lifts up the Church and brings us to Christ in the air, bestowing on us precious jewels and ornaments on us that Jesus might present us to the Father without spot and without blemish. We are clothed in splendour, with the robe of righteousness! Next, we attend the marriage supper of the Lamb! Hallelujah! For the Lord, our God the Almighty reigns. We rejoice and are glad and give the Glory unto Him, for we are come to the marriage supper of the Lamb, and we have made ourselves ready, we are clothed with fine linen, bright and clean, which is the righteous acts of the saints. Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. These words we can now see are true. We await the new heaven / earth with no more sea, and the new Jerusalem descending out of heaven. He wipes away every tear, no more death, mourning, crying pain. Eye has not seen, nor ear heard or what has entered the heart of man. All that God has prepared for those that love Him. And we have received the Spirit from God that we might know the things freely given to us by Him. Meanwhile let us not grow weary in well doing for in due time we shall reap that harvest and receive or eternal reward! Amen Personal Prayer Footnotes [1] 1 Thessalonians 4:18 [2] This message is written from a pre-millennial rapture point of view. You of course are free to construct your own ‘glimpses of things to come’ from your own eschatological point of view. [3] 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 [4] 1 Corinthians 3:12-13