PASTURE DESCRIBES THE SUPERABUNDANT NEW LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN

OUR SUPERABUNDANT NEW LIFE IN PASTURE

Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.” Ezekiel 47:12

We come in and out of the House of the Lord through the prayer of Worship & Rest and find Pasture. Jesus leads us in Pasture.

Pasture is our habitat or habit. Habit comes from the Latin “habitus” which means ‘way of being’. We are ‘creatures of habit’.

Pasture and the World are two habitats which are sympatric. The term 'sympatric' comes from the Greek words 'syn' (together) and 'patra' (fatherland or country). Pasture and the World are in the same place at the same time.

Things are not so simple, so black and white, there is that murky grey spectrum of habitats which are a hybrid of the two. Sadly, some Christians inhabit grey habitats and Jesus finds these detestable. People in these murky grey habitats think they are in Pasture but they are not. Jesus is dismissive of them, even those who do good works. Jesus says to these depart from me I do not know you.

Pasture is a gift of God to us. It is the way of life we choose and our attitude of being. Jesus touched on the subject in His discourse on the beatitudes ( be – attitudes)’

Pasture is the ‘Way the Truth and the Life of Jesus’.

The activities of this Sacred Assembly wholly take place in Pasture as does our whole life thereon in.

For some, the activities of this Sacred Assembly are a way to bring them back into Pasture.  

We turn from the habitat of this world and its values to the habit of Pasture and its values.

Pasture is exemplified at some length below.

©     Pasture[i] is a gift[ii] of God to us.

©     True believers who worship God in Spirit and in Truth dwell in Pasture[iii].

©     Pasture infuses the world but is not of the world[iv]. It is a spiritual place[v]. It is a way of life and an attitude of being[vi], you are the be-attitudes[vii].

©     In Pasture we know we have an intimate personal relationship with God[viii], we know and experience that we are loved beyond measure by God as we love Him in return[ix].

©     It is knowing the Creator[x] of the universe and appreciating His creation[xi].

©  It is knowing why you were created[xii], to love and be loved in return for all eternity[xiii].

©   In Pasture we do the will of the Father. We are led by Jesus[xiv], and we are empowered by the Holy Spirit[xv].

© We follow the Father’s example in showing mercy[xvi], compassion[xvii], forgiveness[xviii] and kindness[xix].

©     We follow Jesus’s example in showing gentleness and humility[xx], and in being a servant of one another[xxi].

©     Together, we are one in Christ Jesus[xxii], with one accord[xxiii]. We are in the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace[xxiv]. We are one Church[xxv]. We have no divisions amongst us and are united in mind and thought[xxvi].

©  Pasture is a place of faith, hope and love[xxvii]. We love God[xxviii], our fellowship members[xxix] and our neighbour[xxx].

©     We offer a sacrifice of praise to God[xxxi]. We are actively involved in communal worship[xxxii].

©   We are not anxious or afraid, in confidence we let our requests be known to God[xxxiii], and they are always answered in the will of the Father[xxxiv].

©     We are equipped for each day, as we pray, “give us this day our daily bread, forgive us our sins, lead us not into temptation, deliver us from the evil one”[xxxv].

©   We receive the Word of God in Scripture, the broken hearted are healed, captives are set free, and prisons are opened for those who are bound[xxxvi].

©     We are empowered to be witnesses to Jesus[xxxvii] and are given the gifts of the Spirit to serve others and build the Church[xxxviii]. We are encouraged to pray for others[xxxix].

©    We are led into quiet and stillness to be with God and know Him more deeply[xl].

©     Pasture is a place of living water[xli], river, still water[xlii] and spring[xliii], which is the presence of the Holy Spirit[xliv], giving us bountiful provision.

©     The Holy Spirit’s presence is with us through baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire[xlv], and in us, through baptism with water and the Holy Spirit[xlvi].

©     The Holy Spirit rests upon us. He gives us wisdom and understanding, counsel and strength, knowledges and awe and wonder of our God[xlvii].

©     We receive the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law[xlviii].

©     We love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, and pray for those who spitefully use us[xlix].

©     To him who strikes us on the one cheek, we offer the other also[l].

©     From him who takes away our cloak, we do not withhold our tunic either[li].

©     We give to everyone who asks of us[lii].

©     From him who takes away our goods we do not ask them back[liii].

©     Just as we want men to do to us, we also do to them likewise[liv].

©     We love our enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return[lv].

©     We are kind to the ungrateful and evil[lvi].

A Prayer

Lord, thank you for living in Pasture. Thank you that you help me view all around me through the beliefs, values and norms of Pasture. Help me not to imbibe the beliefs, values and norms of the World. If I have any beliefs values and norms of this world, particularly in relation to self, forgive me, heal me and blot them out of my life. Amen

REFERENCES (134)

[i] Psalm 23:2, Psalm 79:13, Psalm 95:7, Psalm 100:3, Ezekiel 34:14, Ezekiel 34:31, Micah 2:12, John 10:9

[ii] Psalm 23:1-2, Jeremiah 31:12

[iii] John 4:23-24

[iv] John 15:19

[v] Psalm 23:1-3, Isaiah 40:11

[vi] Romans 12:2

[vii] Matthew 5:1-11, Luke 6:20-23

[viii] Psalm 46:10

[ix] Psalm 18:19, Zephaniah 3:17, Psalm 37:4, Isaiah 58:14, Jeremiah 31:3, Romans 8:38-39, 1 John 3:1

[x] Genesis 1:1, Psalm 148:5, Isaiah 40:28, Colossians 1:16-17

[xi] Psalm 8:1, Psalm 19:1, Psalm 104, Revelation 4:11

[xii] Revelation 4:11, Colossians 1:16, Genesis 1:27, Genesis 1:28, Psalm 8:6, Isaiah 43:7

[xiii] Jeremiah 31:3, 1 John 4:19, Matthew 22:37, 1 John 4:16, John 3:16, Revelation 21:3-4

[xiv] John 10:27, Luke 10:16, Matthew 7:24, Revelation 3:20, Psalm 27:8, Isaiah 30:21

[xv] Acts 1:8, Ephesians 3:16, Romans 8:4, Galatians 5:22-23

[xvi] Lamentations 3:22-23, Micah 7:18, Luke 6:36, Psalm 145:8, Exodus 34:6-7

[xvii] Psalm 145:8, Psalm 103:13, Isaiah 49:13, Exodus 34:6

[xviii] Psalm 103:12, Micah 7:18, Matthew 6:14-15

[xix] Psalm 31:19, Psalm 145:8, Psalm 103:13, Matthew 7:11

[xx] Matthew n11:29

[xxi] Galatians 5:13

[xxii] Galatians 3:28

[xxiii] Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

[xxiv] Ephesians 4:1-6

[xxv] Ephesians 1:22-23

[xxvi] 1 Corinthians 1:10

[xxvii] 1 Corinthians 13:13

[xxviii] Mark 12:30

[xxix] John 13:34-35

[xxx] Mark 12:31, Luke 10:25-37

[xxxi] Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:4

[xxxii] Hebrews 10:25, Psalm 95:6, 1 Corinthians 14:26, Psalm 133:1, Ephesians 5:19-20

[xxxiii] Philippians 4:6-7

[xxxiv] Matthew 7:7, 1 John 5:14, John 15:7

[xxxv] Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4

[xxxvi] Isaiah 61:1

[xxxvii] Ephesians 4:15, 2 Corinthians 3:18

[xxxviii] 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45, Romans 12:10, Galatians 5:13, Ephesians 4:12

[xxxix] 1 Timothy 2:1

[xl] Psalm 23, Matthew 11:28-29, Mark 6:31

[xli] Ezekiel 47:13

[xlii] Psalm 23:2, Isaiah 12:3

[xliii] Isaiah 35:7, Isaiah 41:17-18, Isaiah 49:10

[xliv] John 4:14, John 7:37-38, Acts 2:38

[xlv] Matthew 3:11, Luke 3:16

[xlvi] Matthew 28:18-20

[xlvii] Isaiah 11:2

[xlviii] 1 Corinthians 5:22-23

[xlix] Luke 6:27-28

[l] Luke 6:29

[li] Luke 6:29

[lii] Luke 6:30

[liii] Luke 6:30

[liv] Luke 6:31

[lv] Luke 6:35

[lvi] Luke 6:35