Relaxing the Fibres

What do I mean – relaxing the fibres?

When a garment, or fabric, is washed it often comes out looking puckered up. The fibres are tight and distorted. This is particularly so in the case of a cotton garment or fabric.

The way to relax the fibres is to iron the garment or fabric. In other words you need to apply heat and pressure via the iron’s soleplate to ease the distorted fibres. When the fibres are relaxed and no longer distorted the garment or fabric will look normal again.

With the modern steam and dry iron the steam setting also helps to ease the distorted fibres. The hot steam softens the fibres and makes the ironing process easier.

Now what sort of application could this refer to in our lives?

Notice the garment is already clean. It’s like a new born again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ; that person is clean in God’s sight. However, God has much work to do in that soul’s life. There may be prejudices, wrong attitudes, hypocrisies, pride or any number of conditions in the person’s life to sort out.

Their salvation is secure; but they have much to learn in ‘the school of God’s grace’.

Hebrews 12:5, 6, “(5) ...My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him: (6) for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”

This chastening is like the hot iron relaxing the fibres of the fabric. It is easing the distortions and smoothing out the puckering.

Hebrews 12:11, “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruits of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Sometimes in our lives the chastening is applied harder; like when we iron a garment and come to a difficult, unwelcome crease in the fabric. More heat and pressure is required to remove the crease. Sometimes steam, or dampening the crease with water, is needed to remedy the situation.

Always remember – “...whom the Lord loves He chastens...” The chastening is for our benefit; for God the Father is conforming us into the image of His Son. (Romans 8:29). He is relaxing the fibres of our being; so that the finished product is splendid in His sight.

Jon Peasey

Biblical Perspectives blog  www.jon-peasey.blogspot.com 

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version]

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The Nurture and Admonition of the Lord

At first glance the words nurture and admonition appear to be disparate, but are they?

Collins Concise Dictionary defines nurture as:

1.       The act or process of promoting the development etc. of a child

2.       Something that nourishes

3.       To feed or support

4.       To educate or train.

Collins Concise Dictionary defines admonition as:

From the verb admonition

1.       To reprove firmly but not harshly

2.       To warn; caution.

Now let’s look at the verse in the Scriptures where we find these two words linked together.

Ephesians 6:4, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath; but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” [KJV]

Here is a distinct charge to fathers; not to provoke your children and make them angry.

Fathers have you ever made your child, or children angry by false accusation of wrong doing? I know I have been guilty of this; by blaming a child for what one of his brothers did wrongfully. Have you ever made a child angry by jumping to conclusions and not listening to his or her story and finding out the true facts? Regrettably, this seems to be a failing with many fathers.

What do the Scriptures encourage us to do? We are exhorted to bring up our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

The Greek word used for nurture is paideia. Paideia encompasses the training and education of children focussing on their mental, moral and spiritual upbringing. It also includes the care and training of their bodies.

The Greek word used for admonition is nouthesia which means admonition or exhortation.

Notice that this nurture and admonition is “of the Lord”.

What do we have in the world today? There is plenty of nurture and admonition but it is not “of the Lord”. Even so called Christian countries are turning their backs on God and His teachings in the Holy Bible. Western society is increasingly departing from its Christian foundations. The result is an ever increasing downward spiral in moral standards.

Fellow believers in the Lord Jesus Christ – we do not have an option! Our way is clear, and that is to bring our children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Jon Peasey

Biblical Perspectives blog  www.jon-peasey.blogspot.com 

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version except as noted]

[You are welcome to comment on this blog post by clicking on the comment section at the end of the post.]

Christ - The Image of God

It is an interesting fact that man – a human being, is made in the image of God. Genesis 1:26, “...Let Us make man in Our image, according to likeness...”

So in what way is man made in the image of God? Notice our verse reveals the plurality of God – “Let Us – Our image.”

Indeed, the New Testament clearly reveals - that the true and living God, is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Three in One and One in Three; our Triune God!

Man is also three in one and one in three; for we are composed of spirit, soul and body.

2 Corinthians 4:4, tells us that, “...Christ...is the image of God...”

Matthew 16:13, 16, 17,” (13) When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ’Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am’?...(16)Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ (17)Jesus answered and said to Him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven’.”

Hebrews 1:2, 3, “(2) [God] has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed Heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; (3) who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high.”

Notice Christ is not just a likeness, but the express, or exact, image of God; for He is God the Son!

The risen and glorified man, Jesus Christ is both Lord and God.

Christ as man is made in the image of God. He is truly man. Christ as the Son is truly God. So He is truly man and truly God!

Do you want to know God? God is revealed in Jesus Christ! John 10:30, states “I and My Father are one.”

All we need to know about God is revealed in and through Jesus Christ; for He is God the Son.

Philippians 2:5-11 tell us, “(5)...Christ Jesus: (6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (7) But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (8) And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (9) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name; (10) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (11) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (KJV)

Yes indeed, Christ is the exact image and true representation of God.

Jon Peasey

Biblical Perspectives blog  www.jon-peasey.blogspot.com 

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version, except where noted]

[You are welcome to comment on this blog post by clicking on the comment section at the end of the post.]