The Gospel Demands More Than Words—It Is A Call To You

Into the Unknown: Carrying the Gospel Where No One Has Gone

2 Corinthians 10:16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.

Understanding the Gospel's Expansive Call

The passage calls believers to extend the gospel of Jesus Christ into untouched territories rather than taking credit for work already established by others.  Paul's exhortation to you in 2 Corinthians 10:16, carries profound implications for how you understand and exemplify your Christian faith.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ as the Central Mission

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the core message of salvation—that through Christ's death, burial and resurrection, according to the scriptures you have access to redemption, adoption, and eternal life by the power of God. This isn't merely a doctrine to be intellectually assented to; it's a transformative truth meant to be proclaimed to every creature.

When Paul speaks of "preaching the gospel in the regions beyond," he's emphasizing that the gospel's reach should constantly expand into new territories, new generations, and new hearts. The gospel isn't meant to be confined to comfortable, established edifices or familiar audiences. It's a living, dynamic proclamation that pushes boundaries and dares to ventures into spiritual wilderness. 

The Danger of Spiritual Pride and Borrowed Glory

The second part of the passage warns against boasting "in another man's line of things made ready to our hand." This speaks directly to the temptation of taking credit for spiritual work.

The Holy Ghost of God is addressing a subtle but deadly form of spiritual pride: the tendency to build your ministry reputation on foundations laid by others. It's easy to:

• You settle into established congregations and claim credit for their spiritual health
• You incorporate conveniences into the ministries to inflate your growth
• You boast in numbers and successes by pilfering other fields
• You rest on your laurels

The gospel of Jesus Christ demands authenticity and integrity. When you take credit for another's labor, you dishonour both the sacrifice of Jesus  Christ and the Holy Spirit's perfect work. You also compromise the very gospel you claim to preach—a gospel rooted in humility, sacrifice, and the power of God.

The Call to Sacrifice

2 Corinthians 10:16, invites believers into evangelism the difficult, unglamorous work of taking the gospel where it hasn't yet reached. This might mean:

• Proclaiming Christ with those you work with
• Engaging with belief systems and worldviews hostile to the gospel of Jesus Christ
• Building bible studies from scratch
• Accepting the yoke of the gospel of Jesus Christ without guaranteed success

The gospel of Jesus Christ thrives where it's not yet rooted. It transforms hardened hearts, breaks the yoke of spiritual bondage, and creates children of God. But this work requires courage, humility, and willingness to labor without immediate recognition.

A Personal Reckoning

Here's where this becomes personal for you: You are being invited to ask yourself whether you're truly advancing the gospel of Christ.

Are you content to work within systems already built, taking comfort in established structures while the gospel remains unknown to those around you? Or will you have the courage to venture into your own "regions beyond"—the difficult conversations, the resistant hearts, the unfamiliar spiritual territories that God has placed within your reach?

The gospel of Jesus Christ doesn't need your boasting; it needs your sacrifice. It doesn't require that you build monuments; it demands that you lay down your reputation, your comfort, and your need for recognition at the feet of Jesus. When you do, you'll discover something extraordinary: that the deepest joy, the most authentic fulfillment, and the truest spiritual victory comes not from inheriting someone else's work, but from pioneering new ground for Christ's kingdom.

The question before you is this: Will you be faithful to preach where others have not yet gone, content to plant seeds in soil no one has yet cultivated, and willing to let Christ alone receive the glory? 

Away In a Manger 

1 Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head; the stars in the sky looked down where he lay, the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay. 

2 The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes, but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes. I love thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky and stay by my side until morning is nigh. 

 3 Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay close by me forever, and love me, I pray.  Bless all the dear children in thy tender care, and fit us for heaven, to live with thee there.

Your “Not Enough” Becomes More Than Enough with God

 Man’s Inability Is The Lord’s Opportunity

Joh 6:8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,
9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

Jesus and his disciples are faced with a massive crowd of people who are hungry and need to be fed. The disciples are concerned about how they can possibly provide for so many people, as there are about 5,000 men, not counting women and children.

The Power of Being Available

The key insights about service from this passage include:

• Willingness Matters More Than Quantity: The boy did not calculate whether his lunch was "enough". He simply made it available.
• Surrender Precedes Multiplication: When the boy gave his meagre resources to Jesus, its was multiplied to feed thousands.
• No Resource is Too Small: What seems insignificant to us can be miraculous when placed in the hands of the Lord.

You are encouraged to offer what they have to the Lord, trusting that even a little can make a substantial difference when combined with purpose and faith. When you focus on being available for service, you become part of a greater purpose, your inabilities or capacity no longer become factors.

Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

The Legacy of Diligence and Righteous Wealth

The Role of Diligence in Wealth Creation

Proverbs 13:22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just

Proverbs 13:11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase. (gain/return from honest effort)

The inheritance that endures is the one built through honest labour and biblical principles. The riches that pass from the wicked to the just are not gained overnight, but through faithful work and godly stewardship. In God’s economy, increase belongs not to those who chase vanity but to those who gather by labour faithfully, for their work aligns with His righteousness and He causes it to multiply into a legacy that blesses you and future generations.

Lasting Inheritance

There is a biblical principle that wealth derived from fleeting, dishonest, or lazy schemes (vanity) is unstable and will eventually disappear. In contrast, wealth earned through labor meaning diligence, persistence, and faithful effort is the kind that increases and acts as a template for those who follow.

The "good man" is the one who practices righteousness, the one who "gathereth by labour." Because his wealth is stable and increasing (from the first verse), he stands on biblical principles creating a legacy that extends to future generations.

The man who gathereth by labour (v. 11) is, by definition, the good man (v. 22) whose wealth will increase (v. 11), allowing him to leave a stable inheritance to his children's children (v. 22).

Summary:

The importance of working diligently and righteously, linking the gathering of wealth through labor to the broader principle of providing for future generations. The underlying message encourages you to strive for the mastery and earn success, which is a pattern that has lasting value for you and your children.

In All Things He Might Have The Preeminence

Before All, Beyond All, The Almighty God 

Psalm 36:7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

God's Superposition

In quantum mechanics, superposition refers to the principle that a quantum system can exist in multiple states simultaneously until it is measured. This concept can be metaphorically extended to theology where God's superposition is not just preeminent but implies that God exists in a state of infinite possibilities and potentialities, encompassing all aspects of space, creation and existence.

The Protection of the Lord

The passage from Psalm 36:7 highlights the trust and refuge that a Christian can find in God's word and promises. The imagery of putting their trust "under the shadow of thy wings" implies a sense of protection, care, and intimacy. The believer finds safety because the perfect God of the universe is everywhere and in every possible state and can help in every situation.

Science's Limitations

While science has made remarkable strides in understanding the physical universe, it often falls short in providing comprehensive explanations for certain fundamental aspects:

1. The Origins of the Universe: Science offers theories like the Big Bang, but it struggles to explain the initial conditions that led to the universe's creation. The concept of God's superposition suggests a God who transcends scientific explanation.
2. The Origins of Spoken Language: The emergence of spoken language in humans is a complex phenomenon that science has not fully elucidated. Theological perspectives might offer insights into the divine spark that enabled human communication.
3. Describing Consciousness: Consciousness remains one of the most enigmatic aspects of human existence. While neuroscience provides some understanding of brain functions, it does not fully capture the subjective experience of consciousness. The idea of God's superposition implies a deeper, spiritual dimension to consciousness that science cannot fully explain.

In conclusion, while science provides insights into the physical world, there are still significant gaps in its explanations, particularly concerning the deepest questions about existence, the origins of complex human language, and the essence of consciousness. 

Science, the floor is yours...

The Innocences of Halloween

It’s So Innocent...

Jeremiah 32:35 And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

The passage from Jeremiah 32:35 highlights the severe consequences of a neighbourhood, society or nation that engages in practices that clash with God’s law, particularly in the worship of Moloch (Molech). It showcases a grave concern over child sacrifice and idolatry, where the worshippers built high places for Baal and made their children "pass through the fire," reflecting deep spiritual distain and the lack of natural affection.

This resonates even more so with the custom and traditions of Halloween, a holiday often celebrated with seemingly innocent customs like costumes, trick-or-treating, and festive decorations—where innocent children celebrate death. However, both Halloween and the practices described in Jeremiah evoke deeper spiritual and historical layers woven with notions of sacrifice, death, and spirituality.

Spiritual Discernment

The parallel between Jeremiah's condemnation and Halloween lies in the spiritual compromise—a seemingly harmless practice of dress up as a ghoul or zombie or death potentially opens doors to spiritual influences contrary to God’s explicit commandment.

Halloween's Hidden Depths

While Halloween is often viewed as a benign celebration of fun and creativity, the echoes of Jeremiah 32:35 remind us that all festivities have historical and moral roots. The connection to child sacrifice and idolatry offers you a sobering lens through which to view all of the innocent practices surrounding Halloween.

The festivities may appear innocent, but they are built upon a foundation that grapples with our fascination—  horror—death and the supernatural. When you engage in these themes you invite powers that you do not fully understand and the ramifications that you cannot control into your house, life and heart. Halloween, in its revelry, warrants caution and deeper contemplation rather than carefree acceptance.