Living under the authority, and within the culture of the Roman Empire, the Apostle Paul often wrote to those he had entrusted with the care of believers. Most of his letters were meant to address cultural habits that were infiltrating and seducing Christians from their heavenly goal.

The Roman army was prized for its athleticism, born on the back of strength and stamina, both of which require training. Roman culture also created spectacles of physical performance where much time, money and energy were put into developing the body. Unfortunately, when balance is not maintained this comes at a cost to the development of the mind (learning) and soul (worship).

In our modern culture this physical ideal is still held high where not only exercise but beauty products, surgery and dieting all take centre stage through advertising and social media. The more knowledge increases, the more competition exists to create a perfect body and the more time is dedicated to these pursuits.

This verse encourages believers to maintain the correct priority putting godliness ahead of the physical. It then encourages a balance of soberness in our life activities. Paul, as a scholar, knew that we are a three-part being and require three aspects to our development – body, mind and emotions. He did not say ‘don’t exercise’ but that it should not be placed ahead of our godliness. He did not say it did not profit at all, only that the gain is for the ‘here and now’ and will not go on into eternity.

God has gifted to us a body to maintain and has even commanded that we should not defile it, as it is now the temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” A healthy body, therefore, is required to exercise godliness. If we are tired or hungry it is difficult to concentrate on anything else.

After the garden of Eden, God set in place that man should work by the sweat of his brow and science now reveals God’s design by understanding the need to move and increase heart rate to maintain cardiovascular fitness of the heart and lungs. God also instructed moderation in all things including the intake of food and drink by counselling against overindulgence. Our modern lifestyle means we have both decreased physical activity required to earn our daily bread and increased the caloric value of the food we eat.

Whilst it may only profit a little, we should remain active for our health’s sake. Above all focusing on the pursuit of godliness.

God has already used the most unusual instruments to begin a good work and carry it through to completion. He does not require those who He takes into His service to have a faultless past. The woman who spoke to Jesus at Jacob’s well could not refer to her walk of life as being untainted verse 17-18 “The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.” The Lord spoke to her quite openly about this. The Samaritan woman did not react by becoming angry or disheartened but went into the city and testified of what she had experienced. She then requested of her audience: “Come, see a man, which told me all things that I ever did: is not this the Christ?” She must have been very convincing because the people followed her out of the city to where Jesus was. After they themselves had heard the Son of God, they asked Him to remain in their city. The Lord granted them their wish and remained there for two days.

The inhabitants of the city did not gain acknowledgement that Jesus was truly the promised Christ, the Messiah, from the words spoken by the woman; for this to happen a meeting with the Lord Himself was necessary. And yet the testimony of the Samaritan woman was very important because it prepared the way for the meeting with Christ.

Today, too, sinful man can bring testimony of Christ. If we wish to wait until we have become perfect, we will never be able to invite anyone to come and meet the Lord. We do work upon ourselves and try to overcome our bad characteristics; however, our weaknesses should not prevent us from joyfully extolling the work of God in our present time. We are, nevertheless, well aware that our testimony alone cannot bring about faith and acknowledgement. This can only be done by Jesus Christ who reveals Himself in His Apostles and Ministry through the word of God spoken by the inspiration of the Spirit. When this word is heard, it can create faith in souls that are prepared to accept Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

That Samaritan woman was completely convinced: “I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ.” When the same immovable conviction lives within us, “I know that Jesus Christ will return!”   then our testimony too will be convincing. We are then able to show others the way to the Lord and His work

This verse refers to Abraham, the father of many nations, who demonstrated remarkable faith in God’s promises despite seemingly impossible circumstances. In the preceding verses, Paul, the author of Romans highlights Abraham’s unwavering faith as an example for believers who place their faith in Jesus Christ and His Grace.

Abraham’s story is one of profound trust and obedience. Despite being well beyond the age of childbearing, he believed God’s promise of a son and descendants as numerous as the stars. Despite the odds, Abraham’s faith remained steadfast.

The phrase “he did not waver through unbelief” emphasizes Abraham’s resolute trust in God. Even when faced with obstacles or uncertainties, Abraham’s faith remained firm. His faith was not shaken by doubt or fear but was rooted in confidence in God’s faithfulness.

Furthermore, the verse mentions that Abraham “was strengthened in his faith”. This suggests that Abraham’s faith grew stronger over time. Through the ups and downs of life, Abraham’s trust in God deepened, strengthening his resolve to believe in God’s promises. Finally, Abraham’s response to God’s faithfulness was to “give glory to God”. Despite his own doubts and weakness, God always fulfilled His promises. His life became a testament to God’s faithfulness, and he acknowledged God’s sovereignty and power.

In essence, Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God”. We are encouraged as believers to emulate Abraham’s unwavering faith and trust in God’s promises. It challenges us to persevere in faith, even when faced with difficulties or uncertainties. Like Abraham, we are called to give glory to God by trusting in His faithfulness and relying on His powers. John 14: 6-7 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him”.

Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”

Heart, soul, mind, and strength mentioned above signify emotions, will, thinking, and doing which, we see, encapsulates the very essence of being human.

Humankind is made in the image and likeness of God, Genesis 1:26 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them”. God is the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost and these three are one. V29, “And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:”1 John 5:7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word (Christ), and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one”. Similarly, mankind is body, soul and spirit and God made a ‘being’ who operates in thoughts, words, and deeds. The threefold aspect of our identity provides us with a uniqueness.

Animals experience a variety of basic emotions (grief, anger, happiness) but come nowhere near the complexity of human feelings and oft times mixed emotions. Likewise, animals communicate with each other, but they do not have a formal system of language. Many animals and mammals in particular, can learn specific tasks but they do not have a prefrontal cortex which enables reasoning or the ability to think as humans can. Finally, non-domesticated animals act mainly on instinct and follow a path destined for their kind whereas humankind has the Godlikeness of free will.

This capacity for us to choose against God’s intent is, at the same time, magnificent and yet catastrophically scary. What if we choose our will over Gods?

For this reason, when one of the clever scribes asked Jesus, the Word of God, “What is the first commandment?” – and He responds as quoted by Mark above – we should listen and take note.

Let us hear it again to help us make the right choice for our thoughts, words and actions.

Mark 12:30 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”

Whenever we look around and think that the wicked are prospering, don’t start fretting and don’t do anything foolish. The Lord is on our side, and “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) In Psalm 37:16 – 20 God gives us all the assurance we need to have peace in our hearts. “A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked.” (v-16).

Here’s our first assurance: God knows how much we need, and all of His wealth is available to each of us. What good is it to have a million-dollar house if it’s not a home? What good is it to have a huge bank account if our values are not right? David was telling us that it’s better to have a little and have God (because then we have everything) than to have much and not have God. Look at verse 17: “For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholdeth the righteous.”

The second assurance is that God knows how much we can take, He knows how great a burden we can bear, how fierce a battle we can fight. When God puts us in the furnace, He always keeps His eye on the clock and His hand on the thermostat, like what He did to Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego.  (Daniel 3 – 26) “Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.”

Third, God knows the days that we will live. “The Lord knoweth the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever” (v-18). God has a plan for our life. That sounds like a Christian cliché, doesn’t it? But it’s true. Whenever we’ve gone on trips it has always assured me to know that the tour guide knows where he’s going and what he’s doing. I can just sit back and let him do the driving and the worrying. That’s how God wants us to live.

He wants us to leave everything with Him; because we’re assured that He knows how much we need, how much we can take and what will happen each day we live. Don’t worry, just live a day at a time. God’s Word says very clearly, “As thy days, so shall thy strength be” (Deut. 33:25). Trust God today. AMEN!

We recognise this as part of Apostle Paul’s teachings on his first visit to Athens, at that time regarded as the capital of the world for arts and knowledge. We see this teaching can be seen to highlight ‘values’ in our life. Already back then, the Apostle said the poets had recognised this in their writings. On a recent visit to a community a brother also gifted in poetry gave me some of his words and said they could be used if thought to be an uplift to others. One was on Values and is shared below

VALUES

THE VALUE OF OUR LIFE

THE VALUE OF OUR SOUL

THE VALUE OF A PRIVILEGE

IN LIFE TO GAIN A GOAL

THE VALUE OF A MOTHER’S LOVE

A FATHER’S GUIDING HAND

THE VALUE OF CONTENTMENT

OF A HAPPY FAMILY BAND

THE VALUE OF CREATION

ALL THINGS THAT WE DO SEE

GIVEN FOR OUR GOOD PLEASURE

IN SKY, ON LAND AND SEA

THE VALUE OF OUR TALENTS

WHETHER GREAT OR SMALL

BE OUR WORK, OR BE OUR PLAY

GREAT VALUE ARE THEY ALL

THE VALUE OF GOOD HEALTH

THE VALUE OF OUR FOOD

THE VALUE OF ALL PEOPLE

WHO WORK FOR COMMON GOOD

THE VALUE OF A FRIEND

SOMEONE NEAR TO OUR SIDE

TO LAUGH OR CRY TOGETHER

IN WHOM WE CAN CONFIDE

THE VALUE OF GOOD DISCIPLINE

AND OF HIGH MORALS TOO

THE VALUE OF A STRAIGHT LINE

IN ALL WE SAY OR DO

THE VALUE OF A GREETING

THE VALUE OF A SMILE

THE VALUE OF A THANK-YOU

MAKES OUR LIFE WORTHWHILE

THE VALUE OF FREEDOM

OF PEACE AND LOVE

THE VALUE OF FAITH

IN GOD ABOVE

GOD BLESS US WITH GOOD VALUES

GIVE US THE STRENGTH TO TRY

TO ALWAYS KEEP THESE VALUES

UNTIL THE DAY WE DIE

As we ponder on these words, let us also remember the words in Psalm 139:17-18.

“How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.”

We live in a world where many people refuse to serve God, do not recognise God or His existence and where the appearance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as the Messiah is questioned and challenged. For them the freedom to do exactly what they desire without obligation to God or Godly interference is too important. They see and utilise the wonder of the creation, but do not attribute it to the work of God’s Almighty Hand. One can define this as a spirit of selfishness and one that will do and believe almost anything other than God to ensure independence — A rebellious nature. Scripture declares this foolish behaviour. Psalm 53:1 “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good”.

There are also those that serve God reluctantly, with human reservation, half-hearted and no real commitment and unwilling service. Despite accepting and acknowledging the Triune God, they are noncommittal and show limited dedication or labour in His House and often begin to develop some resentment. They are often upset that they cannot live life purely according to their own desires and devices and therefore service is often rendered out of pure duty and not necessarily out of love — often thought of as pointless to serve and not recognising the benefits and reward of serving God, Malachi 3:14-15 “Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what  profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?”

It is imperative that we do not judge nor condemn the above described people, but rather pray that they are enlightened and by the Grace of God find their way to Godliness in James 4:12 “There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?”

Fortunately, there are those that Willingly Serve God, are Delighted to do His Holy Work and are a sweet and pleasant savour of Jesus Christ unto God, 2 Corinthians 2:15 “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:”

It is a wonderful gift to have a Willing Spirit based on deep heartfelt love for God and His Son Jesus Christ (like a mother towards her child – despite there being a lawful obligation, a mother does this because she loves her children). Serving God in this way allows us to develop our Spiritual Gifts, experience Miracles, Joy and Peace, increase our Faith, experience God’s Presence in many new ways and above all, it is Good for our souls!

For all who serve the Lord, that have tasted the Heavenly Gift of God, that are partakers of the Holy Sacraments, there is a stern scriptural warning to remain steadfast in the Household of God in Hebrews 6:4-6 “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame”.

Which of these behaviours do we identify ourselves with or do we recognise in those that are close to us? Proximity to those that are willing and are delighted to serve God is utterly important — who do we mix with and how do we spend our time?

The prophet was foretelling of our day, where that veil is thrown over the whole world, this gloom of death has now been taken away, and there will be given unto those people in the mountain the fats and the food that will allow them to be sustained. This is the spiritual revelation of God shown unto us through His Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, and revealed to us today through the power of the Holy Spirit. This veil is taken away and no more are men fearful of death, for we now understand that there is one who has these keys, who has the power and is willing to direct us unto a new place for those who will follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, so death and hell no longer hold any fear for the true believer. Those who follow the Lord there is a great promise and hope, for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the first fruits, and the first fruits would not leave His church, the head would never go without making arrangements for the body to come, and He was the first fruits from the grave and we in our time shall follow Him. What a wonderful promise!

Who fulfilled this prophecy? Who is the One that we should now say this is our God whom we waited; this is the One to whom we owe our salvation? If we place that in any other being on earth, if we think any of us are capable to use the key, then we are saying that they are our Lord, and they are our God. We must look openly to the Almighty God as our God, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as our Lord of salvation, and when we do that then we will begin to see that He has proven Himself, that He is the One whom we can follow. We see a pattern put into place by Christ, to prove Himself. We can read how He told His disciples that it was He that would lay down His life in the confidence and trust of His Heavenly Father, knowing that He also then had the power to lift it up again. He was the only One who ever dared to defy death in that way. What other man or what other god created by man, could make the challenge to the world? He proved through His trust in God that He had that power.

We as the living body of Christ on earth, should have that confidence in Him that even if we lay down our life, He has the power to lift it up again. He showed to the people that He did have that power, for we can read where He heard that the daughter of the ruler in that province had passed away. And they called Christ to come to the ruler’s house, and He saw the wailing and the bands as was the Jewish tradition, and He told them she only slept. They mocked Him and made ridicule of Him. He put them all out of the room and He said to her, “Daughter arise”, and she rose and joined once again with her family. We see that what God does in secret is something we should believe in faith. We should believe that although at the death of this body, the soul is destined to go to a place of waiting, that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has the power to say “Arise” and allow it to go to a pleasant place prepared by Him, which is paradise. The world mocks and scorns the Christian people for believing in this, but those that mocked and scorned on that day, they were proven wrong.

We read where our Lord walked through the streets and there was a poor widow that had lost her child. As was the custom in those days, those from the village laid him on a litter and carried him through the village to place him to rest, and as they passed by our Lord, He placed His hand on that litter and instantly those men that were carrying him stopped, showing that He has the power to stop the destiny of where the dead should be going. He touched the young man and He said “Arise”. He arose and his mother was filled with rejoicing. He proved that His Father was to give Him these keys. We see the final example set by Him when His friend Lazarus passed away. He came to the house and there was much wailing. The grave had already been sealed, for it was four days since he passed away and Christ spoke to them, He ordered the stone be rolled away, and many fled, for they said that he will stink after four days. Our Lord said, “Lazarus come forth”, and he came forth. Again, He proved that it does not matter how long we are in the grave. He has the power and He alone to enter into that realm and bring back that soul. He then proved the greatest example by His own life, death and resurrection. The Lord has certainly swallowed up death in victory. Let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.