David Hathaway

Perseverance and wisdom / James Bible Study (Part 2)

“Perseverance must finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything.” The difference between childishness and maturity is perseverance. It’s only through perseverance that you get to maturity. In verse 5 James says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all men liberally and doesn’t criticise, upbraid, or reproach, but gives to all men generously without finding fault with you!” If we lack wisdom, we need to ask! I do this all the time. I know what job God has given me to do, but I’m always asking, “How do I do it?” It’s not just a question of perseverance in the doing but finding out how to do it! That comes with every task. We have to become skilled in our persevering, we have to learn how to do the job! I marvel at some ladies who can put together a meal without reference to a cookery book - but they have experience, it makes it easier. So it is in our spiritual experience. It’s the maturity that comes with experience, when we don’t always have to look back at the instruction book.

Persevere to win the prize / James Bible Study (Part 1)

James says, “Know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance!” It’s faith in something in which we can persevere. So many people run well for a time, but drift away. It’s so sad - I don’t find enough teaching in our Christian life today about persevering, not giving up, not quitting.
Do you understand what perseverance is?!! Perseverance is the idea that you have a job and you’re not going to stop until it’s done. I have to laugh: married men have a reputation of starting a job and never finishing! Well, I built my own houses with help, yes, and I finished it. But I also start jobs I don’t finish! But perseverance means you finish the job you start! What a challenge!

Embraced by the love of Christ / Philemon Bible Study (Part 3)

Let us love one another, not just in words, but in action, in what we do! In Philemon 1, Onesimus, a runaway slave, a thief, has found Christ. In v15, Paul is saying to Philemon, 'Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for ever – no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.' This Scripture shows how we should receive one another with love: we are brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Captive to the love of Jesus / Philemon Bible Study (Part 2)

Paul is in prison as he writes to Philemon, but throughout the New Testament, he often refers to himself as a ‘prisoner of Christ’. The relationship he has with Christ is more than being a follower, it’s such a strong relationship, it’s as if he is captive to the love, to all that Jesus is. If we could only see ourselves in this relationship – captives, almost prisoners, to the drawing power and the influence of the love that is in Jesus!

Our faith and love for Christ and each other (Philemon Bible Study) Part 1

It's our faith and our love that should be such a hallmark of who we are in Christ. This is key – our trust in Jesus. Our faith is in HIM. As Christians the most important thing in our lives is trust. And it’s not just faith, it’s love for Christ – and our love for all the saints. The relief work we do in war-stricken Ukraine is an expression of our love.

Devote yourselves to prayer, watchful, faithful and thankful (Colossians Bible Study) Part 15

'Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.' (Colossians 4)

Continue in prayer / Colossians Bible Study (Part 14)

“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” This theme runs right through Scripture, watching, praying – with thanksgiving – faithfulness in prayer! There is a big responsibility for us in this. Paul says in Colossians 4:3, “Pray for us that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ for which I am in chains.” There must be constant prayer from me and from you – pray! Just like Paul, I need prayer that God will open doors. 

Our reward for obedience / Colossians Bible Study (Part 13)

'And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him... Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.' (Colossians 3.18-25)
Paul is addressing workers in secular jobs, slaves, servants, employees, telling them to obey their employers, not as men pleasers, with eyeservice, but with singleness of heart, fearing God; whatever you do, do it heartily as unto the Lord, and not as unto men! You see, even in the secular world we have to serve a secular master – as if he were the Lord! But, v24, the Lord will reward us! So we must be faithful in whatever job we do.

Deeper and Higher with Jesus (February Audio Newsletter)

Be encouraged, God is at work! I am experiencing it in my life even more as I get older! There is always opposition, but significantly, I have always found that, if Satan attacks, it means that something big is about to happen! We need your support both in prayer and with finance more this year than ever. We are all living in a difficult time economically, but the seed which you sow will reap an even larger harvest in eternity because God Himself will reward you!

One family in Christ / Colossians Bible Study (Part 12)

The new life that we have in Christ is a renewed one, in a new image – the Image of Christ. Christ should be in us! That’s what Paul often says, “Christ in you, the hope of Glory!” The Life, the very essence of Christ – in us! When a child is born, that new life comes from father and mother – in their image! come on! By faith, you are born of God. It’s the Life of Christ in you that now makes you who you now are! Paul says in Galatians 4:19, “I travail until Christ be formed in you.” You are in Christ!
But v11 reveals complications: in this new Image, there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision or uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free. Paul is saying there’s no difference between any of us in Christ. There is no difference between cultures, between Jew and Gentile, no difference between those who obey the Jewish law, and those who don’t, no difference between a slave and a free person. Christ is in all. There is absolutely no difference. No difference between black and white, no difference whatever country you are from, whatever colour or creed you are – we are one in Christ!

Your new life in Christ / Colossians Bible Study (Part 11) Chapter 3:5-10

When Christ appears, we shall appear with Him. When a Christian dies, your body dies, but YOU are not dead! And when the Day of Resurrection comes, we shall rise with Christ with new Resurrection bodies! Where Christ is, there we shall be. With Him!
The new life that we have in Christ is a renewed one, in a new image – the Image of Christ. Christ should be in us! That’s what Paul often says, “Christ in you, the hope of Glory!” The Life, the very essence of Christ – in us! When a child is born, that new life comes from father and mother – in their image! By faith, you are born of God. It’s the Life of Christ in you that makes you who you now are! Paul says in Galatians 4:19, “I travail until Christ be formed in you.” You are in Christ!

Raised to new life with Christ / Colossians Bible Study (Part 10)

“If you are then risen with Christ…” You can ONLY have this experience of being ‘risen with Christ’ – IF you have died with Him! Being dead to the old life is the theme that runs throughout the Gospels and the Letters! Water baptism is the symbol of this! We’ve got to die to the old life. It’s got to be finished. Once we’ve had this experience of repenting of our sin and dying to the old, the devil can hold nothing against us. It’s gone! Dead! Buried! The past is gone, you are a new man, a new woman in Christ. 

Christ has disarmed powers and authorities / Colossians Bible Study (Part 9)

Our salvation consists in the fact that Christ, in His death, blotted out all accusation against us! When He, Christ, nailed our sin on the cross, He ‘spoiled’ principalities and powers, He disarmed the powers and authorities – and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross, v15! Christ triumphed over all the powers of Satan and all the powers of evil that are against us and attack us! When Christ died on the cross, He did not only forgive our sin, but He broke the power the devil had against us.
The NIV translation sums up this triumph in a military sense: Christ on the cross, disarmed the powers and authorities! He disarmed the devil! That’s what the Ukrainians are trying to do with the Russians – to smash all their arms and ammunition depots, all their weapons and tanks and armaments and to disarm the enemy! And when they’re disarmed, they can’t fight! Christ has done for us what the Ukrainians are doing – disarming the enemy!

Walking in fellowship with Christ / Colossians Bible Study (Part 8) Chapter 2:6-12

“As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” Walk in Him! To fulfil our Christian experience and calling, it’s not just a matter of the moment we receive Christ, which is the beginning of our salvation, but it’s the ‘going on’! Walking in fellowship with Christ. This is a daily walk! Not something that happens when you go to church on a Sunday, a prayer meeting or a Bible study. This is a daily experience of fellowship with Christ. I can see the depth of what Paul is saying here, that although he’s not present in the flesh with the believers in Laodicea and others whom he has never met personally, yet the link in the Holy Spirit, in the fellowship of love, makes him one with them! Just as, in our relationship with Christ – whom we have never seen in the flesh – it is our love and our unity in love in Him and with one another, that enables us to receive Christ’s blessings.

The treasures in Christ / Colossians Bible Study (Part 7) Chapter 2:1-6

The treasures of God are hidden in Christ. ONLY when we understand the person of Christ, can we begin to fully understand what the blessings of God are. The blessings of God come to us not from the Father alone, but through Christ. This is the importance of Jesus Christ to us! Yes, the Scripture tells us to ask God the Father for our needs, but Jesus said this: Whatsoever you ask God the Father IN MY NAME, I – Jesus – will do it. John 14:13,14. It is He who has the ability, the right to mediate and pass on the blessings of God to us. Although God is our Father, we still come in the Name of His Son in order to receive the blessing.

Christ in you, the hope of glory / Colossians Bible Study (Part 6)

'Christ in you, the hope of glory!' Writing to the Colossians, Paul is saying that Christ living in us is the living demonstration and proof of what is to come! CHRIST IN US! We have, within our new born-again bodies, the living evidence of ALL the Power, ALL the Glory of the Gospel – it is INCREDIBLE what God has done! Paul concludes here, v28ff, “This is what we preach, warning every man, teaching every man – that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” When we get into the Kingdom of God at the time of Christ’s Second Coming, He will present us before the Father – and He will say, “Father, this is the evidence of My Work”!!! Do you realise?!! On the day of our bodily Resurrection, we come before the Father; Jesus will be there, and He’ll say, “Father, this man, this woman, this person – the life that they lived, who and what they are – is the evidence of My Work!!!” We are the living demonstration of Christ’s Work in us.