DIG for Wednesday the 30th of August…..you can “do church” even when you are far apart…..Hebrews 10 v 24

There have been a couple of experiences in the last few days that have made me think about what it means to “do church”.

We know church is not about buildings but about people, but what does it mean to ”do church?”

While in the car yesterday I got a wonderful phone call from one of the Bible School students, who wanted to encourage me by saying that her studies at the school was changing her life.

This did indeed encourage me and it built me up.

I was in my car, she was in her car (I don’t know how far away), but at that time we were “doing church”.

Hebrews 10 v 24 and 25 quite rightly are used to encourage us to come to church and fellowship together, however they can be interpreted in a slightly different way as well.

To assemble does mean to get together in fellowship however it also means to build up and make something better.

Does anyone remember as a child taking lots of little pieces of Lego and assembling them build a car or house for example.

When my friend called me yesterday she was “assembling” me or building me up and improving things for me.

Her encouragement meant so much to me, showing that even for just one person I was making a difference.

So during this phone call we were “doing church”.

Is there someone you could call and “do church” with right now?

Speak this out today…..”Thank you lord for the fellowship of brothers and sisters in the Lord and thank you for church”.

Hebrews 10 v 24…..And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works

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DIG for Tuesday the 29th of August…..always with us, but no footprints…..Hebrews 13 v 5

I’m just back from a lovely walk along the beach with my darling Nunsy, and was reminded about a poem I used to see in Christian bookshops a number of years ago.

It was the “footprints” one; do you remember it?

The one where there were two sets of prints, except when He carried us.

It came to my mind as I was trying to catch up with Nunsy after taking some photos.

I was walking behind here on the sand and of course I saw her footprints.

Now, as I was pondering this “footprints” poster I had the thought that it was actually theologically unsound!

There of course would only ever be one set of footprints and that would be ours, as Jesus is not walking with us, He is in us via the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Wherever we go He goes; He said He will never leave us nor forsake us; He is always in us through His Holy Spirit (Hebrews 13 v 5).

We are His ambassadors here in earth representing Him everywhere we go simply by taking His presence with us (2 Corinthians 5 v 20).

I understand the sentiments on the “footprints” poem, but never really liked it to be honest.

I prefer the cartoon where Jesus said He hid us in a sand hole while He went for a hot dog (that’s a joke by the way).

The truth is that Jesus via the Holy Spirit is in us, and goes wherever we go, whether He leaves footprints or not is irrelevant.

If we are born again He is with us always, and that is a promise.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that you are always with me and thank you that you will never leave me nor forsake me”.

Hebrews 13 v 5…..Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, not forsake thee

DIG for Monday the 28th of August…..the Word is better than any experience…..2 Peter 1 v 19

As I was thinking about the DIG from yesterday my mind wandered to the “certain nobleman” who sought out Jesus to heal his son (John 4 v 46 to 53).

Jesus spoke about people needing to see miracles in order to believe, however this man simply believed the words of Jesus; he did not need to see miracles to believe.

I’m afraid to say I see a lot of people looking for and chasing miracles and “goosebumps” (or experiences) rather than getting into the Word of God.

Now before anyone replies to this in a negative way, I am not against miracles; I have seen many wonderful miracles.

However miracles are a signpost to Jesus but we find out the full truth about Him and his finished work in the Word (John 20 v 30 and 31).

Jesus pointed the disciples of John the Baptist back to the Word when they came with questions from John.

Jesus used the Word of God himself when He was being tempted by the devil.

Jesus said those coming after Thomas would be more blessed by believing (through the Word) rather than seeing with their eyes (John 20 v 29).

The Word is called a more sure word of prophecy and is seen as being better than even wonderful supernatural experiences (2 Peter 1 v 19).

So, back to the nobleman, the words of Jesus were enough for him to believe, this was all he needed.

And this should be enough for us!

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord for your Word and thank you that it is the agent of change in my life”.

2 Peter 1 v 19…..We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts

DIG for Sunday the 27th of August…..health is better than a miraculous healing…..3 John 2

In the message at church this morning Nunsy gave a great teaching from the start of Joshua.

However it was what she said about the difference between healing and being in health that really took my notice.

When the people were in the wilderness for forty years the Lord miraculously provided manna for them.

However in the Promised Land the country was “flowing with milk and honey”, or in other words there was a ‘supernaturally natural’ abundance waiting for them.

God’s best was in the provision already waiting in the Promised Land rather than miracle after miracle in providing manna.

This got me thinking and I am going to make a rather controversial statement here.

If you are always looking for miracles and are more interested in God’s miracles than His provision you are in the wilderness!

Chasing miracles is not God’s best; living in the ‘supernaturally natural’ provision through your understanding of the finished work of Jesus is His best.

It is better to live in health than to have a miraculous healing.

God’s best is for us to live in health, it is not for us to have to be healed with a miracle (3 John 2).

Yes, God has provided for our healing as and when we need it, but His best is for us to live in ‘supernaturally natural’ health.

It was better for the people to live in the Promised Land than with miracles in the wilderness.

What do you prefer? What are you looking for? Miracles or ‘supernaturally natural’ provision?

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that you have provided for my health and prosperity through the finished work of Jesus Christ”.

3 John 2…..Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth

DIG for Saturday the 26th of August…..the ultimate aim of sickness is to steal, kill and destroy…..John 10 v 10

There is an erroneous teaching in the body of Christ that says sickness can come from God in order to teach us a lesson or make us humble (see what people say about Paul’s thorn in the flesh).

This however is wrong teaching; sickness is not from God, in fact sickness originated at the fall along with death.

What people fail to realise is that sickness is a form of death.

Sickness is death in progress.

Not many in the church will now say that God will kill us however that is the ultimate aim of sickness.

Sickness is a killer, so how can we associate it with God?

It is the enemy who comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10 v 10).

Jesus came to bring us life and life in abundance.

Sickness is trying to steal from you, kill you and destroy you; sickness is never about life and life in abundance.

That is why we should always resist sickness and fight it (James 4 v 7).

When people who teach that sickness can be from God I always ask them the same question; “why do you go to the doctor then?”

If sickness was a good thing and from God you should stay sick and learn your lesson, even if it kills you.

But deep down even people who teach this nonsense know that sickness is inherently evil so try to get rid of it.

Sickness is of the devil and needs to be be resisted with all our strength.

We should submit to the truths in the Word of God and thank God for the healing that has been provided through the finished work of Jesus.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that you have already provided all the healing I will ever need”.

John 10 v 10…..The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly

DIG for Friday the 25th of August…..nothing will happen if you do not walk…..Joshua 1 v 3

I had wee bit of a revelation last night while listening to some teaching in our Bible study group at the house.

We were told that the devil would be crushed under our feet (Romans 16 v 20).

I was also reminded about Joshua where the Lord told him that he would possess everywhere that was under his feet (Joshua 1 v 3).

This is a picture of us possessing the good things provided for us by the Lord through our salvation.

Now I had the thought that neither of these two things would occur if we just stood still.

In order to crush or posses we need to walk, we need to move, we need to ‘do our bit’.

Standing still and not moving is not an option!

Lethargy, apathy and laziness is not an option for the born again believer; well they are not an option if you wish to crush the enemy and possess the good things of God.

In order to crush we need to move forward and attack.

In order to possess we need to move forward into the provision that has already been provided.

I am not talking about works, however we need to be pro-active and indeed simply active in our walk with the Lord.

Are you ready to move forward today?

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that you promised I could crush the devil and also possess the good things provided through my salvation”.

Joshua 1 v 3…..Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that I have given unto you, as I said unto Moses

DIG for Thursday the 24th of August…..a secular song about Jesus?…..John 1 v 17

I use many sources as inspiration for my DIG blog; most ideas obviously come from the Word and Biblical teachers, however I’ve also written recently on football and secular songs.

It was a secular song that has given me the idea for the DIG tonight.

Here are a couple of lines from the song in question.

“Pretty amazing grace is what you showed me, pretty amazing grace is who you are. You led me to that higher place and showed me that love and truth and hope and grace were all I needed”.

You would actually think that this was a song about Jesus!

Jesus showed many people grace (including the Samaritan woman at the well and the woman taken in adultery), but according to the Word He actually was grace.

We read that Moses gave the law, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (John 1 v 17).

In other words Jesus was truth and Jesus was grace.

And Jesus is indeed all we need.

He provides grace and truth, but also love and hope.

There is no hope in this life or in eternity without faith in Jesus, without hoping and trusting in His love, grace, and truth.

Jesus is the only way to the Father; He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14 v 6).

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that Jesus has provided all that I need for life, thank you that Jesus is grace and truth”.

John 1 v 17…..For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ

DIG for Wednesday the 23rd of August…..you are what you say…..Proverbs 18 v 21

One of the verses that I try to live by and try to teach the church fellowship to live by is Proverbs 18 v 21.

”Death and life are in the power of the tongue”, is one of the most important lessons we all must learn in life.

The words we speak out have a direct impact on our lives and on the lives of those around us.

I wrote about the comments of a football commentator yesterday and I am going to use something else he said tonight.

The Scottish team in question was winning well, but then lost 3 quick goals.

“Well”, the commentator said, “it’s always the same for Scottish football teams, we always do that”.

Even I have a ‘favourite’ phrase about the Scottish national football team; it is, “We are great at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory”. This is a phrase I need to stop using!

As a ‘race’ the Scottish people (in general) are great at talking themselves down; as a nation we seem to be gifted at this!

You may think but these are only words; well the words we speak, according to the Bible, are either death or life.

What are you speaking out over your own life and the lives of your family?

Indeed what are the words that you are speaking out over your nation?

Are they words of life or are they words of death?

They have to be one or the other as they are never neutral.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that I can have a positive impact on my life, on the lives of others and on my nation through speaking out positive and encouraging words of life”.

Proverbs 18 v 21…..Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof

DIG for Tuesday the 22nd of August…..football as important as the Bible, really…..2 Timothy 3 v 16 and 17

I was listening to some football commentary on the radio last night and heard the most amazing comment.

The guy said, “Those two goals were of Biblical proportions”.

Now, I love football (I have the honour of being the chaplain for the local team that I have supported man and boy), but I don’t think the game comes near the Word.

Yes, it is quite important but unlike many people, I do not think football is a matter of life and death.

What we read about in the Bible has eternal consequences, while football is just a game!

The Bible is filled with truths that if we understand, will change our life for the better.

The Bible is the inspired Word of God.

The Bible tells us about the love, compassion and mercy of Jesus Christ, and explains to us the significance of His finished work.

Even as a lover of the “beautiful game” I can see it comes nowhere near as important or significant as the Word of God, and to compare the two is ridiculous.

I actually started laughing when I heard that comment last night, but I really should not have done so, as I know people who think football is more important in their life than the Word of God!

I thank the Lord that my priorities have changed over the years, and that my life is heading in a better direction for it.

The Word of God, not a game, needs to be foremost in our minds and in our lives.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord for your Word and thank you that your Word is the agent for lasting and permanent change in my life”.

2 Timothy 3 v 16 and 17…..All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works

DIG for Monday the 21st of August…..cross for forgiveness for salvation…..Colossians 2 v 13

I’m back on one of my favourite topics this morning, forgiveness!

Reading Colossians 2 this morning I noticed this really important verse that confirms (yet again) that we have already received complete and unconditional forgiveness from God.

Colossians 2 v 13 says, “Having forgiven you all trespasses”.

Now before this verse Paul talks about our conversion process, what we were saved from and saved into (Colossians 2 v 10 to 13).

And just after his verse Paul talks about the finished work of Jesus on the cross (Colossians 2 v 14 and 15).

These verses explain when forgiveness was given and what the purpose of forgiveness was.

Forgiveness flowed at the cross as the blood of Jesus flowed (Ephesians 1 v 7 and Colossians 1 v 14).

And forgiveness was given so that men might be saved and made righteous.

We were forgiven (past tense) at the cross so that we could choose to be saved and made righteous.

Forgiveness and reconciliation were prerequisites for men to be saved; forgiveness was an essential forerunner for salvation.

You did not do anything to be forgiven; you were forgiven long before you were even born.

It is the performance of Jesus that WAS important for forgiveness; no one is being forgiven today, that has already been done!

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that I have already been forgiven for all my sins and trespasses, praise the name of Jesus”.

Colossians 2 v 13…..And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you of all trespasses