Life Words

The True Bread of God’s Presence

Bread is a consistent and powerful image through the Bible, a symbol of physical sustenance, divine blessing and community. It serves as the central element of hospitality, and beyond food, it represents the spiritual nourishment and the covenant of deep intimacy between YHWH and his people. The bread of God's presence, the true 'bread' of heaven - communing with Jesus, the 'bread of life' (Jn 6:51).  In Ezekiel, as a result of their choices to not value intimacy with YHWH, the people of Judah ended up separated from him, symbolically eating defiled bread that could not sustain them. Likewise, some settle for second hand bread which is an over-reliance on other people's intimacy with Jesus that we partake of without ever going to Jesus - the source. The invitation in this message is to pursue the presence of YHWH, feast on his bread so that we offer the world something more than religion.

Continue ReadingThe True Bread of God’s Presence

The Kingdom of God (Part 3) – From the smallest seed

God's kingdom is of heaven, but in Jesus and through his ministry God's kingdom is becoming manifest on the earth. To illustrate this, Jesus told a story of how God's kingdom is like the planting of a tiny seed that grows (initially in secret) and becomes something far greater that changes the environment around it, creating blessing and benefit where it flourishes.

Continue ReadingThe Kingdom of God (Part 3) – From the smallest seed

The Kingdom of God (Part 1) – Now and Not Yet

  • Post author:

The New Testament talks a lot about the Kingdom of God. It is a key theme in the gospels (especially Matthew and Luke) and numerous times in other NT letters. In many occurrences in the New Testament, the Kingdom of God is referred to as a present reality under the reign of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, who has now ascended to the right hand of the Father. Scripture declares that Christ has conquered sin and death and that his Kingdom has been inaugurated, but there is no denying that the Kingdom of God is not yet seen or expressed in its fullness and completeness. We still experience suffering, sickness and death in our bodies. This is a part of our still being physically located in the 'present age'. Many of us might have a hard time digesting all that the bible says about the Kingdom of God and then being able to articulate just how His kingdom outworks in…

Continue ReadingThe Kingdom of God (Part 1) – Now and Not Yet