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Total commitment to the Lord We now consider what it means to be totally committed to the Lord. It can be summed up in these verses.   Matthew 22:35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ Loving the Lord your God with all your heart all your soul and all your mind means we are to be totally committed with our whole being to the Lord in the following ways: To the Lord personally and to His commandments and will. Loving your neighbour as yourself means being as totally committed to your neighbour's wellbeing as to your own. The sea captains of old were so committed to their ships that when the ship sank, they went down with it. Marriage without commitment will not last. A sports team without commitment will not be successful. A business without commitment is unlikely to succeed. What about your church fellowship? We must commit ourselves to the Lord and to each other for our fellowship to succeed. Learning Points If you want anything to succeed you must invite the Lord into it. When we commit our ways to Him, and keep trusting, it will happen. When we commit our works to Him, our plans will be established. Remember the examples of commitment from the bible e.g. Noah Remember committing usually starts with a prayer, and we keep trusting until the result comes c.f Philippians 4:6-7. Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God ; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Always remember to consult the Lord before starting any battles, projects, or campaigns. Loving the Lord with your whole being expresses our total commitment to him. Loving our neighbour as ourselves shows that God’s love is in us and moving through us. Amen Personal Prayer

Everything we need to know for the marathon of the life of faith The Race of Faith This message is a word of encouragement for us in our Race of Faith! Our key scripture is from Hebrews 12:1-3 which tells us that we are in a race, but not a race in the sense of racing to work or to the shops to get that item we forgot. Our race is a lifelong race of faith which is a marathon not a sprint! Since our context is the book of Hebrews, we will recall that the two of the main themes of Hebrews (unknown author):  1. Jesus Christ is elevated as superior to anyone and anything else, in order to show that he is worthy of our total trust and devotion. 2. All believers are challenged to remain faithful to Jesus despite persecution. This helps us to keep our reading of the scriptures in context. Hebrews 12:1-3 1.Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking* unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3.For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. Our race of faith that began the moment we asked Jesus into our lives, whom the author of Hebrews calls both “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” So, the race we are running requires. v1 So like any athlete, we will need to be disciplined; to stay focused and to make sacrifices in order to finish the race in the way Jesus intends us to. The race we are running is the race of faith that began the moment we asked Jesus into our lives, whom the author of Hebrews calls both “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” So, the race we are running has: ✓a starting line, where Jesus is present (coaching us for the race ahead / firing the starting gun) as the pioneer of our faith ✓and a finish line, where Jesus is waiting for us (cheering us on) as the perfecter of our faith. ✓And on top of all that there is a prize (eternal life) that will help us be serious in running our race to finish it well. Obstacles in our Race of Faith Hebrews 12:1 …let us lay aside every weight , and the sin which so easily ensnares us… a.      Weights: are otherwise legitimate things that hinder us in our race towards God b.      Sin c.      Losing the plot Let us consider these three points; — First, There are hindrances on our race which are not necessarily sins. Secondly, If we would run, we must put aside these. And lastly, If we would put them aside, we must look to Christ. The Greek word "ogkos" refers to a weight or burden, suggesting that believers must identify and eliminate distractions or hindrances in their spiritual journey. As we all know too well, life itself will provide us with plenty of obstacles along the way, distracting us with all that the world wants to offer us - things that seem more appealing and alluring. This could include our amusements, entertainments, pastimes, and hobbies etc. Self-examination is required. And then there is outright sin - the sin in our lives holding us back, entangling us as if somebody had tied the shoelaces of our running shoes together when we weren’t looking, it's sin that comes to entice us with the promise of something more gratifying or rewarding, but in the end it’s real aim is to disqualify us completely and take us out of the race. In the meantime, perhaps some of us will not have even realised we are actually in a race, wondering why everything is so tiring and why we have not progressed in our faith as we would have hoped to; others will be running at a good pace, calm, focused on Jesus for the distance. We must keep our eyes and focus on Jesus otherwise we might lose the plot and not finish our race of faith. Amen Personal Prayer In Part 2 we find the tremendous encouragement that the Lord has provided for our race of faith.

God has provided all the encouragement we need to succeed The Race of Faith Encouragement in our Race of Faith The writer of Hebrews in 12:1 tells us that “… since we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses …"  Have you ever wondered who this great cloud of witnesses might be? Sometimes people today assume, that this cloud are those who have died who we all know family, friends, and acquaintances, and they are watching us from above ... but this is not what the Bible tells us. The "great cloud of witnesses" mentioned here are actually those first introduced to us in Chapter 11 of Hebrews. The ones who have run the race before us, living lives of faith and dependence on God, until they crossed the promised finish line.  We might picture the scene that we toward the end of our marathon of life have entered the last few laps of the race and entered into the stadium for the grand finish. The life examples of these heroes of the faith cheer us on to complete our race of faith by giving us encouragement to finish. Who are these heroes of faith in the Book of Hebrews Chapter 11? Here are some examples. Abel: First Martyr in the Bible. ... Enoch: The Man Who Walked With God. ... Noah: A Righteous Man. ... Abraham: Father of the Jewish Nation. ... Sarah: Mother of the Jewish Nation. ... Isaac: Father of Esau and Jacob. ... Jacob: Father of the 12 Tribes of Israel. ... Joseph: Interpreter of Dreams. Many others; see verses 30-40… Every person named and some not named in Hebrews Chapter 11 give different examples of from their lives of faith by which they served and glorified God. Let us now consider why their names are recorded in the scripture. They were all fallible people just like you and me. Because they all put their trust in God and watched Him do amazing things - in God’s eyes they are all champions Today, we all are running that same race of faith now, in whatever way God has called us to serve Him, so let us stay faithful as they stayed faithful! Amen Jesus’ Race of Faith Hebrews 12:2 looking* unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame,  and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Run the race of faith like Jesus did! The scripture says Jesus went to the cross for you and for me, despite the shame and humiliation he chose to run His race, He kept His eyes on the prize. “Why?”  verse 2 says, “for the joy set before Him” He saw the prize! His prize - He completed His mission to save us sinners (you and me) and to accomplish the will of His Father, and He is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hallelujah! Encouragement to stay the full course of our race of faith. Profiting from our trials  James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. In James 1:2-4, we as followers of Jesus in the race are encouraged to stay the course: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." More encouragement to stay the full course of our race of faith. Look to Jesus  … and win the prize! Let us make Jesus our only prize, our aim, our life.   Colossians 1:18 says that He is to have first place in everything . We are to set our eyes on Jesus always - confident in the knowledge that there is no better trainer who could have prepared us, no better coach who could be cheering us on, and no better champion gone before us and waiting for us at the finish line to catch us, than Jesus himself! Yet More encouragement to stay the full course of our race of faith.  1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. God always provides an escape hatch when we are tempted. Sometimes we need to ask the Lord ‘where is the escape hatch from this temptation’? So with the help of the Holy Spirit let us stand on this truth - God does not abandon us because we have weaknesses. He works through our weaknesses because He knows we are a work in progress.  Learning Points for our race of faith 1. We are in a life-long race of faith which is a marathon. God has surrounded us with a great cloud of witnesses whose lives are an example to us. 2. We must set aside all our hindrances, weights, and distractions –anything that takes our eyes off Jesus. 3. We must repent and forsake all sins that would hinder our race. 4. We must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus at all times in the race until we run into his arms at the finish line. Amen Personal Prayer   Materials Consulted Jacky Wilson: Blog Post ‘Surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses' www.psalmonesermons.com Derek Prince: Commentary of Hebrews 11 and 12 YouTube. David Guzik: Hebrews 12:1-4. YouTube. Alexander MacLaren: Weights and Sins (Hebrews 12:1) Blue Letter Bible Commentary.

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood... 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 imp ortant 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. Amen Personal Prayer

An Advent story Today our topic is an Advent message: What happened to the baby in the manger? Advent, (Latin adventus , “coming”) in the Christian church calendar, is the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas and of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ. In Western churches, Advent begins on the Sunday nearest to November 30 and then runs for a total of 4 full weeks of Sundays. In 2024 advent starts a four-week observation beginning on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, which began on December 1 this year and will finish on Sunday the 24th of December. The Advent Season is all about reflecting on how we can prepare our hearts and homes for Christ's birth in the world as it is today. It is a time for faith communities and families to remember, through prayer, reflections, special music, and charitable deeds what the true meaning of Jesus' birth is. At this time of year many people think of the baby in the manger, and it is good to reflect on the beautiful story of the nativity. However, Jesus Christ did not remain a baby but became the mighty King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Saviour of the world, and the Bridegroom of his church. So often we can focus in on the wonderful meekness and humility of Jesus (the suffering servant of Isaiah 53; the crucified Messiah) and yet neglect His power and majesty as the mighty conquering King! Through the blood of the cross He defeated him who had the power over death and having risen entered the holy of holies and presented once and for all His holy sinless blood on the mercy seat as a propitiation (turned away God's wrath) for the sin of man. We are now going to consider Jesus Christ as the conquering hero. Psalm 45 is a didactic psalm i.e. Maschil is a psalm that teaches us (about the power and majesty of God). This is a delightful psalm bursting with royalty and nobility, power, and majesty. This is about the Messiah. The first part of the psalm is about Jesus the conquering hero (vv.3-6) and the second part about Jesus the Bridegroom (vv.9-14) see link below for the second part. 3 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. 4 And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth, meekness, and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach these terrible things. 5 Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee. 6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Comments v.3 Get ready for battle with the sword of the spirit, for the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. In the wilderness Jesus defeated Satan with the word of God and at the end of time He will destroy His enemies with the breath of His mouth. O most mighty, there never was anyone else who was able or worthy to this title, the one who defeated Satan, death, and hell by His death on the cruel cross and now has the keys of death and hell. O most mighty Jesus Christ. The Lamb of God is the only one worthy to open the scroll in the book of revelation. v.4 When Jesus preached the Gospel He rode on the Word of Truth and meekness and righteousness not only proclaiming these but living them out before the very eyes of men. The glorious eternal Gospel was His chariot to bring salvation to fallen man. The Gospel prospered, turning certain peoples’ worlds the right way up! Jesus at the right hand of God brings salvation to the humble but a terrible and everlasting condemnation to the unrepentant wicked. There is no hiding place from the Son of God. v.5 His words are arrows and never miss the mark! No one can stand against Him and survive. We are also His arrows in His quiver for he fires us out at the lost so that as we preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ by His spirit, he pierces their hearts with conviction of sin of righteousness and judgement! Some enemies fall convicted leading to salvation others refusing to repent to eternal condemnation. We were once His enemies but now are of His royal household! v.6 This most mighty warrior is none other than God Himself, God the Son, Jesus Christ, the eternal word made flesh, He who was in the beginning was the eternal Word and was with God and was God. It is Him who has an eternal throne not like any earthly king but a divine and everlasting Kingship. Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Praise his holy name. he who was once a babe in a manger shall rule the nations with a rod of iron. His rule, His sceptre is the only right and lawful rule that is fitting to stand for eternity. Soon He is coming for his bride. Even so come Lord Jesus. Amen Conclusion That same baby in the manger is now the risen Lord, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, is seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. Therefore the Christmas story is so very wonderful. Amen.

Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23 Isaiah 7:14 says The Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel. Permit me to explain These gracious words were spoken by the Hebrew prophet Isaiah about 700 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. This prophecy like some other old testament prophecies seemed to have a double fulfilment. That is the prophecy was fulfilled in the days around when it was first given for King Ahaz. However, its second and much greater fulfilment came several hundred years later when Jesus Christ was born. We know this Immanuel prophecy about was about Jesus because the Gospel of Matthew 1:23 quotes the Isaiah 7:14 scripture as follows Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Please note that both spellings are acceptable that is Immanuel and Emmanuel. So, what does Emmanuel or ' God with us ' mean? Emmanuel in a sense is an overview of God's full plan of salvation for mankind. First God becomes a actual man of flesh and blood, he can feel pain and the full range of human emotions. This brings God in a new way into a full identification with mankind. He now knows exactly what it is like to be a human being. This baby born in a manger, grows up to become the Messiah the Saviour, who at the end of his life saves mankind from our greatest foe...not the Romans, not the Egyptians, not the Russians… mankind's biggest foe is sin or we could say acting against God's wishes. This unique baby went on to provide a way back to God for mankind for a ll of us have gone astray. Imagine that, God the Son was with us and is still with us! What does that mean to you? Yes, that little baby in the manger, grew up to become the suffering Messiah who has provided a way back to God for all who want it. We can rejoice in Emmanuel We rejoice that God is with us. We can rejoice in God’s greatest ever gift Christmas gift- Immanuel, Jesus Christ who came to take our sins. If this is new to you then check out the teaching below 'How to be born again'. Amen Personal prayer

Why should we celebrate Christmas? As you all know there are two major festivals about to be celebrated shortly, Xmas the world’s version of Christmas but with the Christ taken out of it, includes Santa, Xmas, reindeer, snowmen, Christmas cards, tinsel, stockings etc. For many Xmas is a time of some happiness but Xmas is a very pale imitation of the real Christmas, the celebration of the birth of the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. As we reflect on the birth of our Saviour today, I pray that immense joy will be your portion today and forever. Let us look at the occasion of the giving of God’s greatest gift to humanity. Luke 2:1-20 Verse 10 ; Good news of a great joy for all the people Verse 11 ; What is this good news that brings great joy, a Saviour, the Saviour of all mankind has been born. After some 4,000 years the promised seed of the woman who would bruise (strike a deathblow to) the serpent's head had arrived. Verse 25-32 ; The consolation of Israel, the Saviour has come to comfort and encourage the few righteous. Isaiah 49:6 The long-promised Messiah, the anointed one had come. Isaiah 9:2-3, 6-7 The promised child called Mighty God That God had become a man, God with us Immanuel. John 1:14 The Eternal Word was made flesh. In the fullness of time, in the exact place named by the prophet Micah that which the blessed Mary conceived of the Holy Spirit was born. Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God was born. About the Saviour So the goods news of great joy was, and is, that the Saviour of all humanity has been born. A Saviour has been born; To save us from the wrath to come. A Saviour has been born; To save us from eternal separation from God. A Saviour has been born, Who restores our souls. A Saviour has been born, Who delivers his people from evil. A Saviour has been born, Who gives eternal life to his people. A Saviour has been born, Who brings justice and righteousness. A Saviour has been born, Who purchased us by the Holy sinless blood of his cross. A Saviour has been born, Who delivers us from the penalty of sin, the power of sin, from the presence of sin. A Saviour for all humanity, for all who have sinned [ Romans 3:23 ]. That Saviour is Jesus Christ the Lord. Romans 5:6-11 ; The Saviour came at the right time to die for our sins, rebellion, unbelief, disobedience. A Saviour Jesus Christ who saves through His blood. A Saviour who saves us from wrath of God. A Saviour who brings the reconciliation of sinful man to God. So what are we going to do with this good news? Romans 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? We can tell them how this good news of Jesus can be theirs. We can tell them it’s for all people. We can tell them God is making Jews jealous through this gospel. The Saviour, God made man, came to die for their sins and whoever will call upon him will be saved. That Saviour is Jesus Christ. Let us celebrate today the good news of the Gospel of Jesus, as partakers in it and also be sharing the good news. Amen Prayer

Psalms for Christmas As we stated Part 1 few people in the western world do not know nativity story. But let us just have a refresh our memory. Luke 2:8-20 Verse 10 ; Angels announce good news, tidings of great joy Verse 11 ; The birth of the Saviour, Christ the Messiah Verse 12 ; The babe will be found in a manger The ‘world’ today is happy to focus on the baby. He is no threat to their lifestyle, whilst in manger. Yet we in the church are filled with awe and wonder. The eternal word made flesh and yet even we can be caught up with tradition by focusing only on Jesus’ nativity. In our joy and celebration we must not forget the reason the Christ child came to earth. So why did he come? What was the mission of Jesus Christ, the Messiah? It can be put in different ways. To save man from sin To restore fellowship with God To destroy the works of the devil 1 John 3:8b... For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. It is this direction we want to remember today. You may be wondering what it has to do with Christmas, but I hope to show you that this aspect of Jesus life and mission is really at the heart of the Christmas story. And may have greater importance than the traditional view of ‘Baby Jesus’. I first came across the underlying ideas as to why is Christmas is so thrilling to Christians whilst reading “ Reflections in the Psalms ” by C.S. Lewis. In this book I was surprised to find that the Anglican prayer book had appointed 4 Psalms for reading on Christmas day. [ Psalms 110, 45 (covered in Part 1) , 89, and 132 ] We are going to look briefly at one of these Psalms now to see if we can discover any connection between Christmas and the Psalm 110. In Psalm 110 there is not a lot about peace and goodwill or anything from the nativity. This Psalm appears to be a coronation poem/song for a new king or perhaps is a song addressed to a king on the eve of a battle. It predicts victory and empire. Some Christians call it David's creed; because it has has many elements of Christian faith in it. Verse 1 ; Right hand - enemies’ necks under foot. Verse 2 ; Sceptre of authority – ruling Verse 3 ; His people – the church Verse 4 ; Melchizedek – combined priest/king Verse 5 ; Shatter kings – enemies’ death, fallen beings Verse 6 ; Dead bodies abound – chief men shattered Verse 7 ; Samson at Lehi – drank head down at death, lifted in resurrection So what has Psalms 110 got to do with Jesus? Two main things. Jesus quoted it of himself in Matthew 22:44 ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ’? Jesus seemed to identify with this Son of David. 2. The Mention of Melchizedek in Ps110:4 (now see Hebrews 7:14-17) 14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning [ c ]priesthood. 15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17 For He testifies: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” Lets remind ourselves about this mysterious Melchizedek from Genesis 14:18-20 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all. Things to note about Melchizedek; No details of where he comes from Blesses in name of the Mighty Holy God Assumes superiority over Abraham Ministers bread and wine A wonderful mysterious character but the fact that He is King/Priest made him the character in the whole Old Testament most like Jesus Christ. Psalms 110:4 links Messiah to Melchizedek's priesthood and not to an Aaronic or Levitical priesthood. Psalms 110 with the 3 other above psalms restore the ‘ Balance in Seeing Jesus Christ ’ as the victorious King of kings, our conquering hero not just a baby in the manger. Further study Let’s look very briefly at parts of the other ‘Christmas’ Psalms. Psalms 45:3-7 ; Note threatening tone to enemy. Verse 5 ; Sharp arrows in heart Psalms 89:20-29 Verse 23 ; Enemies crushed before Him Verse 27 ; Receives whole earth Psalms 132:17-18 Verse 18 ; Enemies shamed, and His crown is flourishing. These Psalms are very militant with Messiah as a champion, a giant killer, a hero King to fight and defeat death, hell, demon, and hordes. For this purpose Jesus Christ appeared to destroy the works of the devil. If you look at all the Old Testament scriptures quoted by Jesus, the evidence is that this is how he looked on Himself. Not in terms of His infancy but as the all-conquering King yet in gentleness and humility. Paradox: The Messiah came to destroy? Praise His Holy name that is exactly what he did. He defeated death, Satan all the powers and principals cancelled out our debts. Nailing them to the cross disarmed the enemy and publicly triumphed over them. Lead captivity captive ascended on high, gave gifts to men and sat at Fathers right hand far above all rule and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this but in the age to come and is head of His church. Hallelujah!! So when we remember the ‘Baby in the manger' let us also remember the all-conquering, victorious hero King who came and completely fulfilled His mission. Amen Prayer

The dictionary definition of Advent states that it is: - a) The coming or arrival of something or someone that is important or worthy of note b) An arrival or coming, especially one which is awaited So who is coming? And who is waiting? Most sources say that Advent is a four-week season in the church calendar dedicated to anticipating the arrival, or “advent” of Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah and King”. This means that Advent is an occasion for the church and we’re waiting for the arrival of Jesus? But we know that Jesus was born, and died, and rose again. He is our living Saviour. Although yes, He is coming back again. He is also the long-awaited ‘Messiah’ and ‘King’. Messiah? That’s Hebrew for ‘anointed’ is משיח – the anointed one. The Saviour/Deliver. That’s an odd concept – we are waiting for the arrival (birth) of King Jesus, knowing that He has already been born! And the Messiah is the promised deliverer of the Jewish nation prophesied in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible – Old Testament). Christians are awaiting the second coming of Jesus. Jews are waiting for His first coming. A number of years ago as we approached the season of Advent, I looked for a study on it, so that I could prepare. We tend to go in and out of Christmas without giving much thought to the actual birth of Jesus. In church our focus is often on the fact that He came, to die for our sins. I wanted to think deeper about the actual birth aspect and not being able to find a good study, I decided to write one for myself. This meant I had to do some research. I will share some of the thoughts I had, and what I discovered. Why was Jesus born? To fulfil scripture. The Tanakh/Old Testament has numerous passages prophesying His birth. Jesus would be ‘from the seed of Abraham’ (Gen 22:18/Matt 1:1); promised through Isaac (Gen 21:12/Lk 3:34); from the Tribe of Judah (Gen 49:10/Micah 5:2/Lk 3:33); from the family of Jesse (Is 11:1/Lk 3:32); from the House of King David Jer 23:5-6/Lk 3:31); born in Bethlehem (Mic 5:2/Lk 2:4-7); born of a virgin Is 7:14/Matt 1:18); worshipped and presented gifts by Kings (Ps 72:10/Matt 2:11); Worshipped by shepherds (Ps 72:9/Lk 2:8,9); there would be weeping for the children Jer 31:15/Matt 2:16). he would flee to Egypt (Hosea 11:1/Matt 2:13-14); he would be called Lord (Ps 110:1/Lk 2:11); He is the Son of God (Ps 2:7/Lk 3:22/Matt 3:17/Mk 1:11). These are just a few. His mother and father were Jewish. The lineage of both of them can be traced back to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Matt 1:1-16 & Lk 3:23-28). His real name is Jewish – YESHUA – which means ‘He will save’. He was circumcised on the 8th day after His birth. His mother took 2 pigeons to the Temple in Jerusalem as a sacrifice, according to Jewish law (Lev 12:2-8/Lk 2:21-24). Simeon was waiting for the ‘the Consolation of Israel’ (Lk 2:25-32) and the prophetess Anna ‘gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem’ (Lk 2:36-38).   After the birth of John the Baptist, his father Zacharias prophesied about Jesus (Lk 1:68-79). Look at verses 72 and 73 ‘…….and to remember His Holy Covenant, the oath which He swore to our father Abraham’. It is interesting to note the meaning of the names of John’s parents. Zacharias (Z’kharyah זכריה) means ‘The Lord Remembered’ and Elizabeth (Elisheva אלישבע) means ‘God’s oath’. So God remembered His oath! It’s important to remember though, that the Messiah also came for the Gentiles (non-Jews) and we are included throughout the Tanakh, beginning in Genesis. In fact, there are 4 Gentile women mentioned in the lineage of Mary, in Matthew’s Gospel, and Simeon’s prayer mentions the Gentiles (Lk 2:29-32).   When was Jesus born? Well, not on 25th December as we know! Some people say Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles). Some say Pesach (Passover). Apparently, it all began in Babylon and was the date of Nimrod’s birthday. Then it was adopted by various other pagan religions over the centuries to be the birthday of their pagan gods, until the Emperor Constantine decided that we would celebrate the birth of Jesus on that day. It doesn’t really matter. We celebrate the birth of the Light of the World around the time the Jewish people celebrate Hanukah – the festival of lights, on 25th Kislev. Hanukah is about light, a miracle, God’s provision. Just to throw another spanner into the works, Jesus was born between the years 4-6BC! So our calendars are wrong. The main thing to remember is that we are celebrating the birth of a wonderful, incredible, amazing Saviour!   Where was Jesus born? That we are certain of. Bethlehem. To fulfil Micah’s prophecy. It is also mentioned in the Talmud (the Jewish Oral Writings) that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Bethlehem in Hebrew is Beit Lechem – בית לחם – which means ‘the house of bread’. One of the names of Jesus is ‘the Bread of Life’. The sheep which were used for the Temple sacrifices were born and reared in Bethlehem. Jesus was our sacrificial lamb.   My vicar in England told me that he loved the season of Advent because it gave him a great opportunity to speak about Israel. The first two weeks he would preach on the first coming of Jesus, the last two on His second coming. He said you can’t speak about the second coming without mentioning Israel. Why? Because when Jesus comes back, He is coming back to Jerusalem! There are many Scriptures to confirm this, but too much to put in here. My favourite Advent hymn is O come, o come, Immanuel. ‘O come, o come Immanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear’ Amen Personal Prayer by Guest Blogger Batnabas aka Linda Morris

Romans 11:1-36 Daddy God has not forgotten His kids in Israel It was always God’s intention to bring together a remnant of the Jews and a proportion of the Gentiles into one family through Jesus Christ. This chapter outlines the process through which God has led the Jews and Gentiles to get them to becoming one family. The Remnant of Israel 11:1 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me” [a] 4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” [b] 5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. Despite the disobedience and hard-heartedness of most of the Jews yet God has not totally rejected all Jews for all time because they were His special treasure, and His covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Paul speaking as a Jew himself from the tribe of Benjamin says ‘absolutely not’ [1] . Paul shows that he himself is living proof that as a direct descendant of Jacob’s son Benjamin and as a true blooded Jew, elect and chosen by God, that he is indeed one of God’s special remnants in Israel. Paul goes on to give further evidence that God is not finished with all of Israel but always preserves a remnant. He reminds his readers that even when Prophet Elijah thought that he himself (unlike those killed by Jezebel) was the only godly man left in Israel. It was then that the Lord reminded him that He had 7000 true believers in hiding. So too with Sodom and Gomorrah and Noah’s ark etc. So how do you get to be one of God’s remnant, well it is His call of grace and there is absolutely nothing we can do to earn or deserve it. 7 What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, 8 as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.” [ c ] The Jews always sought to achieve right standing with God through keeping the Law and of course were unable to do so. Only the elect remnant of the Jews achieved right standing with God through faith but the others, the majority in some ways were hardened by the influences of God. Paul now gives examples of this hardening from Moses and David. Moses spoke of a spirit of stupor that produces mental and spiritual apathy that was still working on the unbelieving Jews in Paul’s day. 9 And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. 10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.” [ d ] David continues a similar theme in Psalm 69 where he invokes curses on all who hate his belief in and close relationship with God. Such people would be filled with moral and spiritual blindness. David implies such people deserve their fate. God hardens those who harden themselves. Ingrafted Branches 11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! So does this mean that once a Jew had hardened himself and was in turn hardened by God then they were absolutely doomed and with no way back? Paul declares absolutely not [2] ! Since the Jews had rejected the gospel then God bringing good out of evil rolled out His offer of salvation to the Gentiles. Abba Father planned to make the Jews jealous of the wonderful relationship with God that the Gentile converts were now beginning to display. God was using this ‘tactic’ as blessing to the Jews to bring them to their senses. Only God can bring good out of a great evil. The Jews' sin opened the door for the rich gift of salvation for the Gentiles bringing the spiritual riches of life in the Holy Spirit to the elect Gentiles. Surely the day will come when all the spiritual riches of life in the Holy Spirit will come to each remnant of the House of Israel i.e. the elect Jews. 13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the part of the dough offered as first fruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy ; if the root is holy, so are the branches. Paul turns his attention to the Gentile Christians in the congregation telling them he is delighted to have them as the main thrust of his ministry but with the bonus of knowing that as God worked through the Gentile Christians this might well stir up the interest of some Jews and hopefully lead them to Christ. Even those Jews who had hardened themselves against the Gospel might in some way driven by envy to embrace what God was already doing with the Gentiles. In the same way as a cake or a plant are a holy offering to the Lord, they represent the whole harvest or tree as far as God is concerned. God is not finished with the Jewish remnant. 17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches , he will not spare you either. Paul cautions the Gentile believers to humbly remember that Israel was the natural tree and only because God allowed some Jewish branches to be broken off was it possible for some Gentile believers to be grafted into the tree. Paul is warning the Gentile believers against pride and is telling them, ‘remember it is the Jewish natural olive tree they have been grafted into. God deals with sin irrespective of our ethnic origin. 22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God : sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! Paul warns the Gentile Christians to keep the faith and continue to walk in the kindness God lest they come under God’s discipline. He then turns his attention back to the unbelieving Jews and says that if they turn to God in faith then it is possible for them to be grafted back into the natural olive tree. When the elect Jews repent and turn to God, they will fit into the natural olive tree more easily than the Gentile believers since they were previously reared on the soil of Judaism. All Israel Will Be Saved 25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not think you are superior: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way [ e ] all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. 27 And this is [ f ] my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” [ g ] The story so far is that the unbelieving Jews have stumbled and fell with the result that God had the Gospel preached to the Gentiles. The elect Gentiles got saved and this somehow drove the elect Jews to turn to Christ in line with God’s plan. Once the God appointed numbers of Gentiles have been saved then God’s focus will return onto the full remnant of the elect Jews coming to salvation though faith and all that remnant will be saved. All Israel will be saved is interpreted in different ways by different people. The most widely accepted theory is that most Jews living in the end times when the full number of the Gentiles having been already converted, will then be saved. Critics of this view point out that it is hard to believe that only Jews living on the earth at that time will be saved. Also the Greek does not support a time frame interpretation. They think Paul was looking at his day and beyond when he wrote this. The idea of a time of mass conversion of the Jews does not fit well with other things Paul wrote. Calvin’s theory : ’All Israel’ refers to the total amount of saved people throughout history i.e. both Jews and Gentiles. It seems unlikely that @All Israel’ should include the Gentiles. A third theory ; held by various theologians [3] that ‘All Israel’ means the grand total all elect Jews throughout the ages. My own preference is for this theory. Jesus Christ a true Israelite came to set mankind free from the bondage of sin and bring them into God’s wonderful salvation through His wonderful New Covenant. 28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now [ h ] receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. Paul explains that the unbelieving Jews became God’s enemies so the Gentiles could be saved. Then in turn when those Jews who are elect are provoked to jealousy by seeing the Gentiles saved then they become (no longer enemies) friends of God. The gifts and call of God on lives are never lifted off by God. God has remembered His covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Daddy God has it all under control knowing just when and to whom to pour His mercy onto. Doxology 33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and [ i ] knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor?” [ j ] 35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” [ k ] 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. Paul’s heart and soul are filled awe and joy at seeing the wisdom of God’s plan for all His elect people through time. God’s plans and thoughts are beyond even the best human mind. Almighty and amazing God is no man’s debtor, nor does He need any man’s advice. All our salvation comes from God and Him alone and it is He who must receive all the glory for this forever. Amen Footnotes: [a] 1 - [k] 11 Romans 11:3 1 Kings 19:10,14 Romans 11:4 1 Kings 19:18 Romans 11:8 Deut.29:4; Isaiah 29:10 Romans 11:10 Psalm 69:22,23 Romans 11:26 Or and so Romans 11:27 Or will be- Romans 11:27 Isaiah 59:20,21; 27:9 (see Septuagint); Jer. 31:33,34. Romans 11:31 Some manuscripts do not have now. Romans 11:33 Or riches and the wisdom and the Romans 11:34 Isaiah 40:13 Romans 11:35 Job 41:11 Footnotes [1] - [3] [1] Meganoito ; Good heavens no! That is the Greek way of expressing a strong negative wish, may it not come to be, good heavens no. Or as Ken Boa puts it; your premise is correct, but your conclusion is wrong! [2] ibid [3] H Bavinck, L Berkhof etc. as quoted in pages 381-382 W Hendriksen’s Commentary on Romans. For full text for printout and access to other chapters please click below https://www.psalmonesermons.com/post/romans-11-1-36

Let us consider the question of Jerusalem and Israel's relevance to the church of Jesus Christ. Firstly let us look to the Psalms for some context. Psalm 122 1 I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord. 2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. 3 Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together: 4 Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. 5 For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David. 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. 7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. 8 For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. 9 Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good. Verse 6 The Psalmist tells God’s people to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and invokes prosperity on the lovers of Jerusalem and Israel. But you say that was the old covenant, what does the new covenant say to the church about Israel? Romans Chapter 11 addresses this issue in depth (to see my personal commentary please go to https://www.psalmonesermons.com//post/romans-11-1-36). Very briefly in Romans Chapter 11 We find that Abba Father has not forgotten the Children of Israel. It was always God’s intention to bring together a remnant of the Jews and a proportion of the Gentiles into one family through Jesus Christ. This chapter outlines the process through which God has led the Jews and Gentiles to get them to becoming one family. The Jews always sought to achieve right standing with God through keeping the Law and of course, were unable to do so. Only the elect remnant of the Jews achieved right standing with God through faith but the others, the majority in some way were hardened by the influences of God. Paul now gives examples of this hardening from Moses and David. Moses spoke of a spirit of stupor that produces mental and spiritual apathy that was still working on the unbelieving Jews in Paul’s day. God is not finished with his people Israel Zechariah 12:10 I will bring them (Israel) again also out of the land of Egypt and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them.11 And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away. 12 And I will strengthen them in the Lord; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the Lord. Here is something wonderful for the church from Psalm 122:6 (see above) . Jerusalem means the ‘possession of peace.’ Today the church of Jesus Christ is also a ‘possession of peace’. The New Jerusalem Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. The heavenly Jerusalem is prepared as a ‘bride’. Spiritually speaking, Jerusalem can be likened to the church God is building, which ties in with Zion. Remember that our bodies are temples of Holy Spirit, in other words, God’s dwelling place. A place of giving praise and thanks. This Psalm 126:6 is a special prayer for both Israel and the church. Let us take the actual words of the above scriptures and turn them into our prayer; Lord, in Jesus’ name we pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We pray, for Jerusalem that peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy palaces. Peace be within thee and we shall seek thy good always. Amen Shalom

By fasting Last time in Part 4 we looked at the Lord’s prayer and saw that we must forgive people who have done us wrong, otherwise we ourselves will not be forgiven. I n this our 5th and final part we consider fasting. Generally fasting means going without food for a period of time for spiritual purposes. We can also fast from other things that give us personal pleasure such as watching television etc. Matthew 6:16 “When you fast, do not look sombre as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. v16-18 Motive is crucial here, if you outward appearance is to let people know you are fasting than there is no further reward from God. Like giving and praying, fasting is best kept secret and hidden from people. All forms of our self denial should be covert and not paraded before men but rather done directly before the gaze of our Lord. Matthew 9:14-17 Time to fast? 14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?" 15 And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." v15 Jesus the bridegroom was still with the disciples at this point of time. This was not the time for mourning and fasting but that time would come later. A good general guide as to when to fast is when you feel that the Bridegroom (Jesus) is absent or distant. v17 We need to be born again so that our new wineskin can accommodate the new wine of the Holy Spirit. Do you fast on a regular basis my brother, my sister? I must confess that I find fasting exceedingly difficult to do, so I tend to fast only when the chips are down, and I need clear direction from the Lord (please pray for me). Things to remember about fasting Our fasting does not move God Our fasting does not impress God Our fasting simply helps us put our flesh under so that we can hear what God is saying! Our fasted prayer may help us to do correct actions that may lead to a better witness for Jesus Christ. Amen Personal Prayer