Bible Study 2024
THURSDAY 19th DECEMBER 2024
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DEVOTIONAL FOR THE “WORSHIP EXPERIENCE.”
God delights in pointing us to His Son.
Even in this busy and chaotic time of year, we are to fix our gaze on the Saviour, Jesus.
We are to keep our focus exactly where it belongs - on God’s Son.
What is one thing that excites you most about this Advent time/Christmas season ?
The colours, lights, giving and receiving gifts, or maybe families/friends coming together to celebrate ??
Even Mary on that first Christmas time, filled with excitement points praise to the Lord.
She has an angelic encounter and is told that she is carrying the Son of God.
READ LUKE 1:46-49
I am sure that there have been some special moments in your life that took your breath away.
The special moment that filled you with a sense of awe could have been when you received an unexpected gift.
Or you received an undeserved blessing, answered prayer, or a surprise celebration.
It rendered you speechless.
There was a sense of feeling overwhelmed combined with joy and unworthiness.
Eventually, that excitement spills out in the form of tears, shouts, dancing, or like in Mary’s case singing.
You see it is in that moment of celebration - what you say or do - shows how you view yourself and our God.
God chooses this young woman to be the mother to the world’s Saviour.
And in this poetic song of Mary, we get a glimpse of her humble heart.
She declares adoration for God. She says, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord..’ She is glorifying, exalting or ‘speaking highly of’ God.
To be told by that you are carrying the Son of God would be enough to inflate her ego.
Instead Mary points praise to the Lord.
She admits that it’s only because of Gods gracious nature that she has received this honour.
She acknowledges that the Mighty One has done such great things.
She shows understanding of her role as God’s humble servant in relation to the Holy One.
So she exalts the Lord. She demonstrates humility like that of John the Baptist as he exalted Jesus.
In John 3:30, he declares of Jesus : "He must become greater; I must become less important."
The emphasis is on making Jesus greater, then there will be less room for the self-life.
For centuries, God’s people were expecting the promised Messiah.
Mary understands the eternal impact of the life developing in her womb (verse 48b).
Mary knows that the baby she is carrying is the Saviour - hope incarnate - whom her people were waiting for all those years !
Fast forward more than 2,000 years later, and here we are celebrating Jesus.
We are rejoicing in God’s gift to Mary and to all mankind.
Like Mary, may such joy lead us to worship Jesus ! - the Saviour, the Lord Who reigns, and King of Kings !
Our focus must be exactly where it belongs … on Jesus.
Jesus was born so He could die that we might live.
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THURSDAY 12TH DECEMBER 2024
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The Advent season is a season of Hope.
In the midst of challenges in life, there is hope for the Christian.
Some individuals have been battling discouragement, feelings of isolation, and sadness.
Others are grieving and broken-hearted.
You can become disappointed when you get news that is the exact opposite of what you were praying for.
We can find great encouragement for uncertain times from digging into the account of our Saviour’s miraculous birth.
There are Truths that you can embrace If you are fighting really hard to keep the faith.
If you are trying to figure out what is next when things don’t work out, here are some Truths you can hold onto
this Christmas time and into the New Year.
READ LUKE 2 :1-14
THREE UNCHANGING TRUTHS TO HELP US WITH HOPE IN UNCERTAIN TIMES :
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Unchanging Truth 1 - We have hope because the Lord rules over every circumstance.
Luke 2 Verses 1-5 : Joseph and Mary’s plans are seemingly disrupted by Caesar’s decree -
the government-mandated census.
They had to leave everything they knew during Mary’s pregnancy in Nazareth for the uncomfortable trip to Bethlehem.
They are displaced from the comforts of home. They are trusting God’s plan for their lives.
Can you relate to this messy, uncomfortable situation ?
Maybe this year you found yourself in the hardest season of your life.
The reassuring thing for the Christian who is in the middle of difficult circumstances is this :
We can rest in the fact that it is not a mere man who decrees. It’s the Lord who decrees over all the details.
He is Sovereignly directing our steps.
Some scriptures that can encourage us greatly and that emphasise this Truth -
We have hope because the Lord rules over every circumstance - are :
PSALM 115:3 “But we know our God rules from the heavens and he takes delight in all that He does.” (TPT)
This means His will is always accomplished in every situation.
PSALM 103:19 “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, His kingdom rules over all.”
So we can trust God who is firmly enthroned and reigning over all my circumstances.
He is Lord over every season and every situation.
COLOSSIANS 1:3-5 (READ)
Paul says when we place our faith in Christ, we gain a hope that is ‘reserved and waiting’ for us in heaven.
COLOSSIANS 1:16-17 (READ)
Creation came into being through the Word, Jesus. And in Him all things are sustained.
So God is holding ALL things together. This should bring comfort to us when life feels overwhelming.
Unchanging Truth 2 - We have hope because the Lord receives us and welcomes us as His very own.
Luke 2 Verses 6-7 : Mary gives birth in a less-than-desirable location because there is no guest room available for them
How do you think Joesph and Mary must have felt ?
Has there been a time in your life when there was no place for you ?
Like in relationship or in a role where you thought you were really needed but were not ?
Sometimes we can feel really insignificant and face rejection.
In verse 6, there are three words - ‘the time came.’ God appointed this as the right time for Jesus to be born.
When we face disappointment because of how people respond or don’t respond we can still trust the Lord.
The Lord is the One who determines our destiny.
What we view as rejection often opens the door for God’s grace to unfold in our story and circumstances.
PSALM 147:3-5 (READ)
God heals the broken-hearted. He who numbers and names the stars has more than enough power and understanding
to lift us up so that we may praise Him. He is great and has infinite understanding of everything.
We can trust His timing. He keeps the earth on its axis. He knows my name and I am His precious creation.
My times are in His Almighty hands.
PSALM 147:11 (READ)
The Lord delights in those who fear Him; those who put their hope in His unfailing love.
He places us where we are just as He placed every star that shines in the sky.
JOHN 14:2 (READ)
Jesus says how He is in heaven and He is preparing a permanent place for us and no one can take that away.
There is a place for you reserved in Heaven.
Unchanging Truth 3 - We have hope because the Lord our Shepherd has promised to restore what sin has broken.
Luke 2 Verses 8-14 : the greatest newsflash in history takes place in front of shepherds.
The shepherds were a despised class of people. Yet God included them in His plan of restoration.
They received the news, the truth that the Messiah is born, the Saviour is here ! Hope is born.
Sadly, in this fallen world sin and death impacts our perspective of people. Divisions form, pride replaces compassion. Conflicts arise and this can lead to isolation.
But we can trust the Good Shepherd of our souls. He always cares, provides the way, and restores.
Some other Bible verses that are relevant to this last Truth are :
JOHN 10:10 and 11 (READ)
Jesus exposes the devil’s true nature. Jesus came to impart His life, not religion.
Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd, the One who gives His life for those who are His sheep.
I PETER 5:4 and 10 (READ)
When the Chief Shepherd returns, we will receive the eternal crown of His glory - a crown of never-ending glory and honour.
Yes we will have to suffer and face the cost of obedience to Jesus first.
Yet we can rest in the promise that our Good Shepherd will restore what sin has broken.
REVELATION 7:16-17 (READ )
The relationship with God that was broken by sin will be restored.
At the end of the age, God fulfils all of His promises and will be ever-present with His people.
Can you count the number of tears you have cried in your lifetime so far ?
God knows every one of them.
One day believers in Christ will feel His presence and His compassion as He wipes the tears away.
TO WRAP UP :
Your hope is not in positions, people, plans, or places. Your hope is in the person of Jesus.
You may be walking through overwhelming circumstances, but Your Saviour overcame sin and death to save you.
Hard things will happen, but they are temporary.
Spend time with Him and His Word daily. This is the best way to hold onto hope.
This hope we have in Jesus is eternal and it lasts forever !
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THURSDAY 5th DECEMBER 2024
The Advent season or Christmas time usually brings out a lot of different emotions for us.
Introduction :
What are your feelings or emotions like towards this Advent season ?
There is excitement, a feeling of being stressed out because it gets so busy and chaotic.
Perhaps you are worried because of your financial situation.
Maybe you have lost a loved one and you are sad and grieving. Facing this holiday time is hard for you.
Some key people in the Bible showed different emotions as they learned about the first Christmas.
We are going to look briefly at four of them.
The beautiful thing is that even in all their different emotions, these individuals responded
to the coming of the baby Jesus in an honest, God-honouring way.
AIM : as you look at their circumstances/stories, this will encourage you to respond
to Jesus in an honest, God-honouring way this season :-
1 - MARY (Luke 1:26-38)
The angel Gabriel tells the virgin Mary that she would miraculously conceive the Son of God.
This information turns Mary’s world upside down. It is going to change everything for her from now on.
Verse 29 : Observe, “Mary was greatly troubled at his (angel’s )words…”
Are you greatly troubled or distressed by something that perhaps is rocking your world this Christmas-time ?
The first step is acknowledging that ‘you are troubled’. It is like half the battle.
Verse 34 : Mary questions the angel : ”How will this be since I am a virgin ?”
What do you think she is saying by asking such a question ?
“I believe you, but I do not completely understand it. Can you help me to understand this, Gabriel ?”
Mary’s response is humble, honest, and full of faith. Her heart is submissive making her the perfect choice to be Jesus’ mother
In your situation, it is good to remember the humble faith of Mary.
Ask God to help you understand what He is allowing when your world is turned upside down.
2 - JOSEPH (Matthew 1:18-24)
An angel informs Joseph that Mary’s conception is from the Holy Spirit.
Notice the words that describe Joseph :-
Verse 19 : (TPT) “Her fiance, Joseph, was a righteous man full of integrity and he did not want to disgrace her,
but when he learned of her pregnancy he secretly planned to break the engagement.”
So here is a good man with kindness in his heart. He is hurt as it appears that Mary his fiancee is cheating on him.
How does he respond ?
He has a legal right to stone her under the old law. He does not do that. He makes up his mind to do what is best.
He is not a pushover. And he does it quietly.
It is noteworthy that Joseph’s life seemed to be lived by this word in Verse 19: ’quietly.’
There are no direct conversations like is the case with Mary, Elizabeth and the angel in the narrative.
There are no quotes from the mouth of Joseph.
Yet God uses him in a special way as the earthly father caring for the Saviour.
Being quiet is not a disqualification in God’s kingdom.
In Joseph’s dream, what happens after the visit from the angel ?
Verse 24 : (AMP) "Then Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him,
and took Mary - to his home - as his wife."
He obeyed.
He said “yes” to God even when God asked him to do something ‘out of the ordinary.’
An apparent set back for him in Mary’s pregnancy turns out to be an eternal set-up to save humanity.
Joseph responds with kindness even in an uncomfortable situation for him.
And he becomes the earthly father caring for the Saviour.
God uses all kinds of people; the quiet and the not so quiet individuals for His purposes.
God will use you too. The key is simply being obedient to the Lord.
3 - ISAIAH (Matthew 1:22-23 and Isaiah 7:14)
The virgin birth of Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy of Immanuel.
(Read Isaiah 7:14)
This prophecy is rather interesting/unique as it took place 700 years before the actual birth of Jesus !
Verses 22-23 of Matthew 1 : (TPT) "This happened to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through his prophet :
Listen ! A virgin will be pregnant, she will give birth to a Son, and he will be known as “Emmanuel,’’
which means in Hebrew , “God became one of us.” "
You could say that the prophets of the Old Testament also received the Christmas message.
They could not see the whole picture.
God told them that He would make a way for His people.They still received the promise with that hopeful anticipation.
What about you ?
You might be having a hard time because you can only see a small piece of the bigger picture of what God is doing in your life.
Are you struggling to see God’s plan or to see Him working all things for your good ?
Be encouraged by the hopeful anticipation of the prophets.
4 - ELIZABETH (Luke 1:41-45)
Through the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth blesses Mary and the baby inside her.
Mary goes with haste to visit Elizabeth when she (Mary) found out that she is having a baby.
Elizabeth has no idea that an angel had visited Mary or that she would have a baby.
Observe Elizabeth’s reaction as Mary walks in to greet her.
Verse 42 : 'In a loud voice she exclaimed : “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear !”
The baby leaped in her womb and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Elizabeth now knows what is happening to Mary. She makes the exclamation with a loud voice.
It just shows that when we keep in step with the Spirit, we recognise God’s work.
Three times in these verse 42 and 45, Elizabeth cries out "blessed" : blessings on Mary, blessings on Jesus,
and blessings on faithful women in general.
Elizabeth’s response to Jesus with all her emotions is to bless others.
When our eyes are on Jesus, we realise how blessed we are.
Christmas is a reminder of all our blessings as we keep our eyes on Jesus.
We are given God in Jesus.
This awareness starts to spill blessings on us and through us to others as we keep in step with the Spirit.
Look around and see how much you have to be thankful for.
And like Elizabeth bless others too.
As you consider these responses/reactions of Mary, Joseph, Isaiah, and Elizabeth,
how can they encourage you to respond to Jesus in an honest and God-honouring way during Advent ?
Which one of these can you identify with ?
No matter what emotions you are feeling this Christmas season, keep your eyes on Jesus.
Be honest with Him and let Him by the Holy Spirit use you to bring glory to Him and bring peace to your soul.
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THURSDAY 28th NOVEMBER 2024
DIALOGUES WITH GOD - from the Book of Habakkuk
Applying truths learned from this study to seasons we experience, where we just don’t understand what God is doing.
Think about seasons of your life.
Have you ever been through a season that felt so broken you could’t see how God would fix it ?
Habakkuk could not understand how God did not intervene to judge the ungodliness of His people, Judah.
He got even more frustrated with the response God gave to his questions.
God response : that He was going to use the Babylonians - a more wicked people - to judge His people.
There are truths gleaned from this short Book of Habakkuk that we can all apply to help us endure season in our own lives :-
Truth 1- God is just in every situation, even those that don’t seem fair to you
Psalm 89:14 (Read)
What does this say about God’s character ?
It is perfect. God’s steadfast love and His faithfulness are paired together.
It describes God as being absolutely dependable to fulfil His promises.
God is not flawed in His actions. He determines what is just and He sets the standards, so He could never be unjust.
Psalms 9:8 (Read)
NKJV renders it : "He shall judge the world in righteousness,
And He shall administer judgement for the peoples in uprightness."
The Hebrew translation of "righteousness" refers to what is just.
This means what is right, honourable, holy in every situation whether it is good or bad.
The word "uprightness" means fairness, evenness in equity.
It is like balancing scale : so the season you are in may not be fair, but it’s part of God’s work in our lives.
The weights on the scale are like God’s works. His balance is just and perfect.
And as He works out His purposes, God remains righteous.
He is allowing the situation in your life for a purpose -for your growth and for His greater purposes.
Truth 2 - God’s idea of judgement and being just is different from yours
We see God’s judgement as dread and fear because of our sin. God sees judgement differently to us.
God’s judgement is the way to make things right. Judgement in God’s eyes is the cost to bring about restoration.
This is so beautiful !
Romans 8:22-23 (Read)
In a way like Habakkuk, all of creation is groaning, crying out because the pain is too much.
Although the Spirit is already at work with us, we long for the the time when we will go to be with the Lord.
Redemption and restoration are what we long for.
Psalm 9 (Read verses 12b, 16b, and 18)
In this Psalm, King David shows a good understanding of God’s justice.
He calls out clearly situations that would not be forgotten.
Situations that will be redeemed.
These verses are a sampling of situations that will be redeemed/restored.
Can you see any more examples in this Psalm or remember any other verse from the Bible ?
How can we approach God when we don’t understand or when we have questions like Habakkuk ?
Like Habakkuk, and like David here, we can remind God of the situation you face.
You can say to Him, "God, I know that You are not going to forget about this in my life."
God’s judgement and ways of justice are all about setting things right in our lives and indeed throughout the whole earth.
Truth 3 - God leaves nothing undone in every season of your life
This is a principle repeated throughout Scripture … right up to Revelation.
This is what Habakkuk was longing for.
Habakkuk concluded that when we long for God to intervene in our lives and fix what is out of balance -
like the balancing scales - we are really longing for justice.
In Jesus, the ultimate Redeemer - we see how God redeems every wrong in our lives.
And one day Jesus will bring justice to this messed up, fallen world when He returns.
John 5:22-30; Acts 10:42 (Read)
What do these verses tell us ?
That Jesus will take His throne as the rightful judge.
And then when that happens, everything will be made new in the new creation.
Revelation 21:4 (Read)
In the new creation, there will be no more death, grief, or pain, for there will be no devil or rebellion against God’s authority.
"It is done." This statement Jesus made on the cross, it is 'evident' when His judgements are complete.
This verse reminds us that God leaves nothing undone. Justice always brings restoration.
SO THEN … What does this mean for us ?
Firstly, seasons are places God brings us into - for that time - it is God’s will .
Think about the four climate changing seasons : spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
Winter, for example causes the earth to rest.
That rest means that spring can bring new life.
Secondly, when we go through seasons we don’t understand, we cannot get lost in them.
Thirdly, our justice will always be flawed.
If we try to take revenge or do "anything out of season" we will be stepping out of God’s will.
Seasons bring growth and purpose into our lives.
It gives us a personal assurance in God’s perfect character and an opportunity to 'soak our faith' in God more.
Habakkuk 3:17-19 (Read)
This is such a powerful declaration/response. Habakkuk gives his unthinkable situation to the Lord.
Habakkuk determined in his heart to trust God’s sovereignty and justice in every season of his life.
He remembers God’s faithfulness in the past and believes God can restore again.
Your hard season might be like something like this :
"though my relationship is falling apart"
"though my body aches or illness ravages it"
"though I am grieving or there is no money."
"I will not complain, I will come to God."
"I will not grow bitter and give up. I will choose to grow in God’s grace and give the season to the Sovereign Lord,
Who is my strength."
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THURSDAY 21st NOVEMBER 2024
DIALOGUES WITH GOD : from the Book of Habakkuk
Today, we would like to explore the theme of ‘JUDGEMENT AND MERCY’ based on Habakkuk’s experience.
INTRODUCTION :
What kind of films do you prefer to watch ?
Some people like comedies over action movies, because they can’t cope with the suspense element.
Some people like films for kids because it always turns out okay in the end.
These kinds of movies appeal to one’s innate/natural sense of justice.
There are like the good guys and the bad guys. We all want the good guys to win.
The plot may have twists and turns - the good guy suffers or the one who was thought to be the good guy
turns out to be the bad guy.
But in the end, the good guy wins. And the bad guy gets what he deserves. And you are happy !
The Babylonians were the bad guys. Habakkuk wrestles with the fact that God was going to use these bad guys
to punish His people. We also learned that judgement will also come to Babylon.
Sometimes we might look at the wickedness of others and conclude they deserve judgment.
And we think we don’t because we are not as bad as the evil ones.
We are going to study some verses from Habakkuk through two lenses :
Firstly, through the lens of God’s judgement — what sin deserves, whether it is the sin of the Babylonians
or our own.
Secondly, through the lens of God’s mercy - what we have been given in Christ Jesus;
the blessings instead of the judgement.
Habakkuk Chapter 2 (read verses)
THROUGH THE LENS OF GOD’S JUDGEMENT :
Verse 4 : there is a contrast between the arrogant, wicked man AND the faithful, righteous man.
We see details of the description of the wickedness of the Babylonians reflected in the woes in Verse 6-19.
Verse 5 : The Babylonians tried to gather more for themselves. This greed was never satisfied and led to sin.
Verses 6-8 : Their reign of terror would not last forever. They would meet a violent end.
Verses 9-11 : They sought security in what they built for themselves.
This was misplaced trust and it would lead to their downfall.
Verses 12-14 : Everything they were working for was temporary.
"They exhaust or weary themselves for nothing" - it had no eternal value.
Verses 15-17 : A time would come when their ‘glory days’ would end. They would drown in shame.
You might exclaim how the wicked have wasted their lives ! Ultimately it ends in judgement, destruction, and death.
Through the lens of God’s judgement, we might think the Babylonians deserved God’s judgement
and that’s what they got.
But think about that as we read from Ephesians 2 in the New Testament :-
Ephesians 2:1-3 (READ)
The harsh truth of these verses is that apart from Christ, we are just like the Babylonians.
Personalise these verses by putting “I” or your name.
Our sin, like every other sin committed, deserves God’s judgement.
Thank God that is not the end of the story. Good news follow !
Ephesians 2:4-5 (READ)
God’s mercy means that He does not give us the punishment/judgement we deserve.
Note that it is not just a little bit of mercy…it’s extravagant.
‘He is so rich in compassion and mercy even when we were doomed in our sins, God united us into the very life of Christ.
He saved us by his wonderful grace !’ (TPT).
THROUGH THE LENS OF GOD’S MERCY :
So we have been spared judgement we deserve.
As we look at these same verses from Habakkuk 2, we will see what God has given us in the riches of His mercy
in Christ Jesus.
Verse 5 : The wicked were alway striving for more.
Those in Christ are given perfect rest and satisfaction (READ MATTHEW 11:28-30).
Verses 6-8 : we saw the wicked will get what is coming to them.
In a world plagued by injustice, we have the benefit of seeing God’s perfect justice in the life, death, and resurrection
of Jesus (READ 1 PETER 2:24).
Verses 9-11 : showed us that the wicked seek security through plotting ruin and shaming their enemies publicly.
Those who belong to Christ have a solid and sure foundation.
They have lasting security with Christ as the cornerstone (READ 1 PETER 2:6 ).
Verses 12-14 : Habakkuk warned the people about striving after the perishable instead of what is of eternal value.
He described the wicked as those who ‘exhaust themselves for nothing.’
As God’s redeemed children, we are to seek after lasting treasure.
The knowledge of the glory of God is worth pursuing (READ MATTHEW 6:33).
Verses 15-17 : a time would come when Babylon would have to drink from the cup of ‘God’s wrath.’
Thank God for those in Christ Jesus, the cup of “God’s wrath’’ was poured out on Jesus when He died in our place.
Jesus drank the cup of God’s righteous anger and His holy justice against sin for us.
Now we receive a cup of blessing (READ ROMANS 5:5).
Returning to the idea of watching an action film with the good guy and the bad guy :-
The twist in the plot is this : Like the Babylonians, you and I are bad guys too but we will not die.
The only good guy, Jesus, died in my place so I can live eternally.
This is the best happy ending ever ! Eternity in heaven with Jesus our Saviour and Lord !
God’s character is perfect. So let’s praise Him for who He is including His just judgement for sin and
worship Him for the mercy He has shown us in Jesus.
As we grow spiritually, I pray that :-
1 - we will have a greater understanding of the seriousness of God’s judgement.
2 - we will embrace more and more the preciousness of God’s mercy.
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THURSDAY 14th NOVEMBER 2024
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DEVOTIONAL FOR OUR ‘WORSHIP EXPERIENCE’
PSALM 99 (read all 9 verses)
Imagine a concert featuring an iconic, talented musician/singer.
Imagine the people/fans crying, falling, bodies trembling, people yelling as they pressed against each other …
desperate to get near the professional singer/artiste.
The fans had given this singer/musicians a place of such high regard and exalted him/her in their hearts
that it produced this kind of response in the iconic singer’s presence.
Introduction :
The psalmist writes here in Psalm 99 of a similar physical response.
And it’s not just people trembling, but the whole earth quakes (v.1).
The response here is not merely because of a talented person, but because of the holiness of God.
The psalm opens with the proclamation that “The Lord reigns’’ - He is on His throne.
Or as the Message version puts it “God rules. On your toes everybody!”
It magnifies the Sovereign rule of our great and awesome King.
It is noteworthy that “holy is He” or the description that God is holy is repeated in verses 3,5, and 9.
The short definition of holy is ‘to be set apart, totally different, distinct from everything else.’
God is set apart in righteousness, absent of any sin or imperfection. He is pure; we are polluted.
Everything about God flows from His holiness. It is His nature. It is Who He is.
His holiness impacts our lives because :-
1 - God’s holiness exposes our hopelessness.
The prophet Isaiah records a scene similar to what is being described in this psalm.
He sees the Lord as King, sitting on a throne. Isaiah, in chapter 6, describes the foundations of the heavenly Temple shaking. And he hears the angels calling out, “Holy, holy, holy ...”
And in the midst of God’s holiness, Isaiah cries, “Woe is me!”
“I am doomed, there is no hope for me. I am a sinful man I have filthy lips …”
Can you imagine how Isaiah must have felt as he stands in God’s presence addressing his guilt and the guilt of the people :
“Woe is me … I am a man of unclean lips ... I live among people with unclean lips,
and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty,”
When we get a glimpse of the gory of God’s holiness, we see clearly our hopeless state as sinners. We need a Saviour.
2 - God’s holiness magnifies His grace to us.
You know when a person selflessly sacrifices his life for another, we ascribe honour to them
(like we did on Remembrance Sunday). We call them 'heroes.'
But when a holy God, perfect and exalted takes on flesh and becomes the sacrifice for our sins, it’s hard to find words for that.
In Jesus, God replaces our hopelessness with the hope of Christ.
We can come boldly to His throne of grace and find forgiveness, as God executes His justice and righteousness.
We experience God’s gracious forgiveness in Jesus despite having to bear the consequences of sin (read Verse 8).
3 - God’s holiness triggers a reasonable response from us
The psalmist here exalts and worships God. We can praise God too with our lives. God calls us to be holy.
In this life we will never be set apart exactly like God.
Yet we can intentionally choose to submit to holy living more and more by remaining obedient to His commands.
That involves taking our everyday lives and presenting them to God as a living sacrifice for His glory and his purposes.
In Romans 12:1, Paul begs the believers to present their bodies, the whole person - body, mind, and soul - to God.
We are to offer what we do in addition to our thoughts and motivations that are related to those actions.
Paul is begging believers to do this because of all that our holy and merciful God has done for us in Jesus.
If we truly comprehend and value our relationship with God, our hearts willingly surrender
and overflow with devotion and worship.
In doing so we are participating in our reasonable and essential act of worship to our holy, loving, merciful, and gracious God.
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THURSDAY 7th NOVEMBER 2024
DIALOGUES WITH GOD - from the Book of Habakkuk
REVIEW :
In Chapter 1, the prophet starts his dialogues with God.
He is frustrated with God’s tolerance of the spiritual and moral decay around him.
He asks questions : Why does evil in Judah, among God’s people, go unpunished ?
Why is God not intervening to judge ungodliness ?
How can a just and holy God use the wicked Babylonians
to punish a people more righteous than the Babylonians themselves ?
In Chapter 2, God answers Habakkuk, revealing His purposes and judgment through what are called the “five woes.”
This gives God’s people hope. God responds to Habakkuk ’s cry of “that’s not fair!” by sharing the “five woes.”
God replies that Babylon will be punished and faith will be rewarded as they wait (Ch.1 verse 4).
You could say the prophet was having a pity party.
Have you ever had a pity party ?
Habakkuk seems to have forgotten that the power of God and His might are still relevant.
So, too, for us today. God has not changed.
CHAPTER 3 (read): Habakkuk offers a heartfelt prayer - it’s written as a psalm or a poem
By Chapter 3, the pity party is over. Habakkuk is resolute/unwavering to trust God.
Now he is in a different place than when he started his dialogue with God.
He sings this psalm with a sense of victory and emotion.
Verses 1-2 (read) What is the prophet asking God ?
For God to move again. He begins to picture God’s faithfulness in the past.
Habakkuk is saying basically, “Lord I have seen/heard the things that You have done. I respect Your power.
Please do great things like that again in this time of deep need. Do them again. Revive Your work. Do it again for us to see.
Yes the Babylonians are coming. In Your wrath, remember mercy (compassion and love).”
Verses 3-7
Habakkuk shows his understanding that God is the Sovereign King, mighty, and awesome. He comes to His people in majesty.
What do you think Habakkuk is doing as he sees this vision or sings and worships his great God ?
He recalls or remembers God’s faithfulness and His mighty deliverance.
The prophet emphasises God’s gift of His presence to His people.
“God came” in verse 3 refers to God coming down and promising to be with His people .
Teman and Mount Paran are the region where the Israelites camped after God delivered them from Egypt.
As they faced a turbulent future, God’s people are comforted by the truth of God’s continued presence.
Fast forward to the New Testament : Jesus came as a baby - a major development in God’s presence -
and lived among His people.
How does God dwell with His people today ?
We have the precious gift of the Holy Spirit living in us (1 Corinthians 3:16).
God Whose splendour covers the heavens promises to be with us always.
The Spirit comforts, encourages, and brings peace in times of uncertainty.
Verses 8-16
The theme of remembrance continues. Habakkuk is remembering the actions of God as he worships and sings.
Perhaps he has just realised, that this is the Almighty God that he has been dialoguing with.
He gives human characteristics to elements of the natural world. The prophet is showing the magnitude of God’s power.
Examples of this : (in NKJV) verse 10 - the mountains have eyes to see the glory of God and tremble.
The waves of the oceans yield with upward hands.
Verse 11 - the sun, moon, rest motionless. All the universe bows to God’s command.
In verses 8,11, and 15 the prophet references God’s mighty deeds of the Old Testament.
In particular, he remembers the Egyptian Exodus and Who God is.
He worships the One who parts the Red Sea, pauses the sun in the sky, and stops the flowing waters of the Jordan.
God, the Holy One, disapproves of sin and rebellion.
God the Deliverer rescues even from sin. Yet in His mercy He works to restore and bring salvation through Jesus.
Verse 16 - How does the prophet respond ?
As he hears how God works he is afraid at first.
Why would God use their enemies to punish them ?
Then as he recalls the faithfulness of God, he is in awe and responds by saying he will wait patiently
or rest in God to see Babylon punished.
He will trust God’s promises. He shifts his focus/perspective.
But first God’s people will be judged for their own sin and evil practices.
Verses 17-19
How does remembering God’s character help Habakkuk ?
He is seeing nothing good in what is to come. The Babylonians will come and destroy the land.
God’s faithfulness, blessings in the past, God’s truth, might, and love helps him to resolve to trust God.
How can recalling God’s character help you in the worst case-scenario of your life ?
In the hardest seasons of life, we must with great conviction decide that circumstances
will not dictate our trust in the Sovereign, faithful God.
“I will not argue, complain, or grow bitter or give up. Like Habakkuk, I will rejoice in the Lord, my salvation and my strength.”
This is how we grow in faith or live by faith, as we establish a personal assurance in God’s character.
God has not changed and He can do it again for you.
Verse 19 - Why should we depend on God’s strength ?
Habakkuk shows dependence on God’s strength because He is Sovereign.
The prophet wants the people to know that by operating in their own strength, they are choosing their own desires and
they would continue to experience more of the same tragedy they already had.
We live in the heights of His love, as we walk in His strength and obedience.
Wait on God.
Live by faith in God.
Recall God’s faithfulness.
Declare His joy is your strength. Declare that He is your Saviour and Hope.
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THURSDAY 31ST OCTOBER 2024
"DIALOGUES WITH GOD" - from the Book of Habakkuk
Introduction :
Habakkuk is honest with God about his struggles. He is dialoguing with God about the problems.
Review of Chapter 1 : The prophet is trying to understand the ways in which God is going to intervene.
He wrestles with the question of, if God is in control, why does so much evil existing the world.
Why does God not seem to be doing anything about it ?
CHAPTER 2 (read )
“Wait for it”- a catchphrase often used to create suspense or direct our attention to what is to come.
Now, as in verse 1, Habakkuk is strategically positioning himself to “wait for it.”
He stands on the top of a watchtower giving God his full attention while WAITING for a response.
This is often a challenge - WAITING. Do you like to wait ?
It can be challenging to fully trust God when His answers are not what we expect.
Or like the prophet, when we are serving God but our lives takes a confusing twist.
An acronym for the word WAIT is : Why Am I Talking ? Does this resonate with you ?
We can talk so much about our problems, but never take the time to stop and wait prayerfully before the Lord.
Being on the top of the watchtower, Habakkuk has a broader view. It is set apart or detached.
Sometimes it is necessary for us to detach ourselves from the the problem and reposition ourselves in God’s presence.
As we wait here for God to act, this gives a godly perspective to our situation.
VERSES 2-20 : GOD'S ANSWER - BABYLON WILL BE PUNISHED, AND FAITH WILL BE REWARDED
VERSES 2-3 : we read the Lord’s response to the prophet’s grievance as regards Babylon’s harsh treatment
towards God’s people.
Why was it necessary to write down the vision/revelation ?
God’s divine communication was significant enough to herald it - spread the message so that others could benefit from it.
Verse 3 : What do you think "the end" refers to ? “the end” could be the end of the Babylon exile or the end of the world
when final events as recorded in Revelation will occur.
For the people then and for us now, the revelation encourages us to WAIT patiently.
Verse 4: How are the righteous characterised ?
By humble trust and faithfulness - “the righteous shall live by his faith.” (ESV)
What does that mean ?
This is a dependent trust in relation to God and His ways of working.
It’s about striving less and trusting God more and more. Let God be Sovereign.
It is in the waiting time that Habakkuk realised the truth of the fact that "the righteous will live by his faith."
In the midst of all the uncertainties of the world, the stability for God’s people is rooted in their faith in Him.
How important is faith for you ?
God repeated it three times in the New Testament : Romans 1:17; Hebrews 10:38; Galatians 3:11.
When we are faced with challenges in life, there is “no greater compass to keep us from getting lost in discouragement”
than faith in a faithful God.
So unlike the Babylonians, we are to be guided by faith and not pride.
Pride led to the downfall of Babylon.
Observe some of the descriptions in Verse 5 - a greed that never satisfies as they conquered nations, arrogant.
Babylon’s greed for more would lead to their downfall. In contrast, God’s people’s faithfulness to God would be their salvation.
As God’s people we need to remember that as eternal beings, we can never be satisfied by the temporal things of this world.
As a result of his godly perspective and insights, the prophet sees only woe for all the unjust extortioners,
oppressive rulers and pagan idolaters.
Habakkuk knows where his faith lay - namely in the fact that the Lord ‘is in His holy temple' (verse 20).
He knows that one day, "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea."
VERSES 6-19 : FIVE WOES GOD GIVES TO HABAKKUK IN RESPONSE TO HIS CRY OF ‘THAT’S NOT FAIR !’
God knew that His people might think that God had abandoned them. They might conclude that He is unjust.
So these woes give Habakkuk and the people of Judah hope - hope that God is still righteous, just, all-powerful,
and faithful to His promises.
In response to Habakkuk’s cry of “That’s not fair!” God gave him these five woes.
These were given to God’s people to speak as a taunt to the enemy, Babylon.
It was meant to reassure God’s people and give them peace knowing how Babylon’s story would end.
The enemy’s/Babylon’s victory was temporary; God’s victory would be complete and eternal.
Verse 6 - Babylon’s greed is condemned. The wicked prosper, but are never satisfied.
Life is unfair. “We need justice..” The prophet cries.
Because God is holy, He has to show His righteous wrath against the sinfulness of man.
This is why God sent Jesus to take the wrath we deserved .
Verse 9- Babylon’s pride in building is condemned.
They seek false security and set themselves high above others through wickedness.
Worldly security is fleeting. In Jesus, we have a solid and eternally secure foundation.
Verse 12- Babylon’s earthly splendour that they built by bloodshed and injustice is condemned.
They thought their empire was indestructible.
In Jesus, we are to strive after the imperishable. The knowledge of the glory of God is worth pursuing. It is of eternal value.
Verse 15- Babylon’s pure evil and humiliation to others - the cup they offer to their neighbours - is condemned.
A time would come when it would be Babylon’s turn to drink.
This time it is “the cup in the Lord’s right hand’’ (verse 16c). It is referred to as the cup of "God’s wrath."
Thank God that Jesus drank this cup of God’s righteous anger and His holy justice against sin for us, sinners.
Verse 19 - Babylonian idolatry is condemned.
The prophet argues how someone can look at a wooden object they fashioned and ask it to arise and become alive.
The people were turning to lifeless statues instead of trusting in the very One who gave them life.
Idolatry is a painful, pointless pursuit.
These woes paint a sad picture of how the wicked have wasted their lives.
We are treasured by God. So He deserves our unwavering devotion. We cannot let our desire for /devotion to people, status, bank accounts and social media be taken to the extreme of worship.
We are to firmly fix our devotion /affections on our Lord.
Verse 20 reminds us that God deserves our complete reverence and attention. God reigns as King over all the earth.
All the earth is to keep silent before Him
What can you do when you are silent ?
You can listen; so hear what God is saying.
As people who live by faith, we can rest in His Sovereign rule now and forever.
We must wait on Him and choose to worship Him.
What if we started replacing the habit of rehearsing our problem with the practice of reading God’s Word ?
What if instead of pacing with worry, we praise God for His character and declare His promises ?
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THURSDAY 24TH OCTOBER 2024
‘’DIALOGUES WITH GOD -from the Book of Habakkuk”
Introduction :
Why does God remain silent when there’s so much suffering in the world ?
Maybe when your life is falling apart you have felt like asking “why is God not helping me ?!”
How can a good God allow evil to exist ?
These are questions we have asked or thought about along life’s road.
The prophet Habakkuk wrestles with similar kinds of questions. His name, in fact, means “to embrace” or “to wrestle.”
This is appropriate since this book wrestles with some of the ways God chooses to act.
This book is unique. Typically, prophets would hear from God.
They would then give this message to the people so they can get their act together or face divine consequences.
In fact the reverse takes place here. Habakkuk hears the complaints from the people.
Habakkuk then has the uncanny responsibility to present their message/case to God.
It’s an honest dialogue between God and the prophet.
So these three short chapters in Habakkuk record the prophet’s conversation with God.
The prophet Habakkuk had been crying out to God for help. He brings his big questions to God.
God does not give him the answers he is hoping for. He is frustrated by the lack of response.
CHAPTER 1 (read)
Context : God’s people are drifting away from Him and morally too. Babylon is increasing as a world power.
There is corrupt leadership and violence. From Habakkuk’s perspective, seemingly God is doing nothing !
VERSES 1-4 Habakkuk’s first complaint : why does evil in Judah go unpunished ?
What is Habakkuk lamenting for ? Sin among his people. The spiritual decline in Judah continues. Backsliding.
Justice is not being served. He states that wickedness is "paralysing the law."
And that any judgement that did happen was "perverted"
God is not intervening.
Sometimes we may feel like this. Patience is running out. God is not bothering with our cries. His silence can be deafening !
It’s in these times we need to remind ourselves such feelings do not represent the nature of God.
VERSES 5-11 God’s answer : The Babylonians will punish Judah
It’s not the answer the prophet is expecting in his dialogue with God.
VV. 5-6 How does God, fully aware of Judah’s wrongdoings, intend to address the issues ?
God is raising up the Babylonians, evil and corrupt, as an instrument of judgement against Judah.
This is because of their continued rebellion against Him. God has something big planned !
So before things would get better, the faithful ones in Judah had more suffering to endure.
Verse 8 - notice the animals used to describe the horses the Babylonians would ride in on.
Leopards, wolves, and eagles are all predators that hunt down and devour.
This imagery would have struck great fear in the hearts of God’s people.
How can a good and loving God allow His people to face this kind of terror and pain ?
The people would have been warned. God had already said clearly that if they obeyed Him faithfully, that He would bless them.
If they chose the path of disobedience, there would be consequences (refer to Deuteronomy 28:49-50).
This might have broken God’s heart . But the ultimate cost of their sinfulness — eternal separation from Him —
was far greater than anything they would face on this earth. So getting their attention was imperative.
Sometimes how we might define divine intervention is not what God has in mind.
God is intervening -not by sending revival but by retribution (punishment is 70 years of captivity).
God has it all under control. We must never mistake God’s perceived silence for God’s absence.
There is a sense in which He is always speaking. His Word speaks every day to those who read and listen to it.
What can you do when you face doubts or struggles like this prophet who wrestled with God’s ways ?
Let go of our assumptions and hold tight to God’s Truth.
What truth or Bible verse do you cling to when you are struggling to trust God’s plan or His timetable ?
VERSES 12-17; 2:1 > Habakkuk’s second complaint :
How can a just and holy God use the wicked Babylonians to punish a people more righteous than themselves (Babylonians) ?
So what is God doing ?
He appoints the Babylonians to punish His covenant people. Note the word “them’’ (Babylonians) in verse 12.
How does Habakkuk react to this ?
In paraphrase, Habakkuk says, “Lord we are your covenant people. Granted we are bad.
But those guys, Babylonians, they are worse.You are using them to punish us ? Surely You wouldn’t do that, GOD”
Note verse 13 - The prophet makes some valid point as he pleads with God.
It seems inconsistent for God who’s is good and holy, to use a more wicked nation to punish a less wicked nation.
What can you do when you are tempted to question God’s ways ?
Think about what God was doing with Habakkuk.
When Habakkuk wanted an explanation, God gave Habakkuk a revelation.
Habakkuk did not get the answer he was hoping for, but God revealed His plan to the prophet.
God by doing so revealed more of His character to Habakkuk.
GOD’S CHARACTER REVEALED—> MY VIEW OF GOD EXPANDS—>MY UNDERSTANDING OF GOD’S NATURE GROWS-->TRUST GOD
TO WRAP UP :
2:1 Habakkuk is going to watch and wait for what God will say. Then he will answer the people.
How wise is this move ?
It is good when you don’t understand to just stop and think about the issues.
Do it in the presence of God reminding yourself of what you know about God .
In verse 12 Habakkuk reminds himself of Who the Lord is.
It is great and reassuring for us to have the privilege as believers in Jesus to converse with the God of the universe.
God also shows us how we are to keep trusting in Him as our Lord and King.
The challenge for all of us when we’re feeling discouraged, defeated, or disconnected is maintaining an accurate perspective, both of the situation and of God.
Think about the cross that Jesus endured. This was a heartbreaking crucifixion of Christ.
Yet God was actually performing the greatest act of redemption. Satan meant it for evil.
God used it for our ultimate good in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
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THURSDAY 17TH OCTOBER 2024
DIALOGUES WITH GOD
Can anyone think of any dialogues with God mentioned in the Bible?
We’re going to consider a few examples this morning from the Old Testament.
We see God’s heart for us from the beginning of time in the Garden of Eden when He created Adam & Eve.
He gave them authority over everything He had created & a literal paradise for them to enjoy.
God had created the perfect scenario in His original plan for us : I will be your God & you will be My people.
Adam & Eve were God’s people & they knew Him as Almighty God & perfect Father.
When God asked them not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil, He gave them a command but also a choice.
God loved us from the very beginning, but He gives us the choice to love Him in return.
In Genesis 3:1-8, the Fall of Man occurs when Eve & then Adam are tempted by the serpent & they succumb to the temptation by eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good & evil which God had specifically told them not to eat from.
First of all, God dialogues with Adam & Eve, & the serpent in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3:9-24.
What initial thoughts do you have when you consider this interaction between God, Adam & Eve, & the serpent?
For everything mentioned in this passage, there are causes & consequences :-
Cause : The serpent tempted Eve who then tempted Adam.
Consequences : Adam & Eve disobeyed God.
Adam had to work hard to keep the land, whereas before it was a pleasure.
Eve & all women after would have severe pain in giving birth.
There would always be enmity between the serpent & the woman & her offspring.
Adam & Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden.
Did you hear the joke about where blame originated from in the Bible?
Adam blamed Eve
Eve blamed the serpent
& the serpent didn’t have a leg to stand on!
Or the joke about the first Apple computer?
it had limited data, as it only had one byte!
Every day, you & I have a choice to renew our covenant with the Lord.
Often our first inclination is to bristle under the word obedience, rather than see the beauty in it.
What if instead we choose to approach our obedience to God as the first step in being amazed at what He can do in our lives?
By the approaching the throne of God from this perspective, we would see that our obedience to Him
accomplishes these things :-
It establishes a firm foundation.
It creates greater intimacy with God.
It attracts the attention of the Lord.
It leads to our amazement.
These four principles are essential if we want to see God not just to bless us but to knock our socks off just like He did when He created Eden & set man & woman to dwell there!
Satan dialogued with God twice,
regarding God’s servant Job.
Firstly, in Job 1:6-12, which we will now read.
What questions does God ask Satan?
(Verses 7-8)
“Where have you come from?”
“Have you considered My servant Job?”
What questions does Satan ask God?
(Verses 9-10)
“Does Job fear God for nothing?”
“Have you not put a hedge around him & his household & everything that he has?”
Next we will read in Job 1:13-19 the things that happened to the livestock, the servants,
& to the sons & daughters of Job.
Note that God gives Satan permission to take things & people away from Job!
We then read Job’s response to what happened in verses 20-22.
What is Job’s response? (Verses 20-22)
‘At this Job got up & tore his robe & shaved his head (as a sign of mourning)
then he fell to the ground in worship & said’ :
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb & naked I shall depart.
The Lord gave & the Lord has taken away;
may the Name of the Lord be praised!”
‘In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.’
What do you think that your own response would be should such things occur in your own life?
How have you reacted to difficult situations in your own life?
Secondly, Satan dialogues with God in Job 2:1-7 :-
This time as a result of the dialogue, Job is afflicted with painful sores all over his body.
He tries to scrape them to make the pain go away.
Job 2:8-13 records the various responses that follow from Job & other characters in this story.
What different responses can you see in each of the characters mentioned in Job 2:8-13?
Job’s wife saying to him “to curse God & die!”
Job calling his wife “a foolish woman.”
Job’s integrity by not sinning & by saying,
“shall we accept good from God & not bad?”
Job’s friends : Eliphaz, Bildad, & Zophar, they went to be with Job to comfort him & to sympathise with him.
When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognise him, they began to weep aloud,
they tore their robes & sprinkled dust on their heads.
They sat with him on the ground for seven days & seven nights.
They didn’t say a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.
At this point, they acted wisely.
The next chapters, chapters 3-36, take a turn for the worse as Job’s three friends take it in turn to rebuke Job
& believe that he has committed some sin or other against God.
One of the longest dialogues probably recorded in the Bible is that of when God dialogued with Job,
as it spans several chapters!
Job 38:1 - Job 42:6 to be precise, where he questions Job about various things.
We won’t read these today, but you can take time at home to read them for yourselves.
God briefly dialogues with Job’s friends in two verses! Job 42:7-8.
Job’s friends go to see Job in verse 9.
Job’s fortunes are restored Job 42:10-17,
note that this took place after he had prayed for his friends in verse 10!
In verse 11, Job’s family also comfort & console Job.
Let’s read Job 42:10-17, so that we see the outcome of Job’s life-story.
What stands out to you most from these closing verses in Job? (Job 42:10-17)
For me, one of the things that stands out most is that in a culture that promoted sons
it is Job’s 3 daughters that are mentioned by name &
that they received an inheritance along with their brothers.
Another, was that God restored double portions to Job, regarding his wealth & the livestock that he owned.
He was also blessed to have seven sons & three daughters, just like he had originally in the story.
Job lived to be 140 years old.
In that time, he saw his children & their children to the fourth generation!
Wow! I haven’t heard of anyone nowadays living to see the fourth generation!
Application
What things can we take away from our Bible Study this morning?
God gives us choices in life, but there are consequences to our choices.
Obedience is a key element in our relationship with God.
God often acts in ways that are different than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9, reminds us of this fact).
Faith in God is rewarded by Him.
God is a God of redemption & restoration.
Max Lucado wrote these words :-
‘The circumstances we ask God to change are often the circumstances God is using to change us.’
This ties in with the verses I just mentioned (Isaiah 55:8-9).
God’s way & His perspective is often different from ours,
but we need to continue to trust in Him to work all things together for our good & for His Glory.
As we will sing later these words in our two closing songs :-
‘You take what the enemy meant for evil
You turn it for our good & for Your Glory.’
‘You give & take away
My heart will choose to say, “Lord, blessed be Your Name.” ‘
Habakkuk also has quite long dialogues with God -
in fact the whole of the Book of this Minor Prophet is a dialogue with God!
We will explore this book in detail over the course of the next few weeks.
THURSDAY 10TH OCTOBER 2024
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DEVOTIONAL FOR THE ‘WORSHIP EXPERIENCE’
"STRENGTHENED BY GOD”S GREAT LOVE"
When you need to move something like a package, piece of furniture that’s really heavy, you would ask for assistance.
The fact is we all need help.
And when the burdens of life go beyond the weight of of a piece of furniture or a really heavy package,
they require a level of strength beyond our own.
DANIEL 10 :11 -12 (TPT) He said, “Daniel you are greatly loved and precious treasure to God.
Now stand up and understand the words that I am about to say, for God has sent me to you.’’
So I rose to my feet, still shaking like a leaf.
He reassured me saying, “Daniel, don’t be afraid, for I have come to bring you the answer to your prayer.
From the first day you sought to understand the revelation and humbled yourself before God,
your words were were heard in heaven…’’
For three weeks Daniel had mourned the struggles of his fellow Jews in exile. Daniel perhaps felt this kind of heavy burden.
Then God sends Daniel a heavenly messenger.
(V.10) With one touch of heaven’s power, Daniel falls to his hands and knees trembling...
When he stood back up, he did not do it on his own.
Daniel strength is renewed as the messenger tells him that he is “greatly loved” by God.
There are two other times when Daniel heard that God greatly loved him : Daniel 9:23;10:19.
O how we need that kind of reassurance too, as we face what we struggle to understand.
Like Daniel we may stand trembling… but we never stand alone.
God is with us.
God shows His love for Daniel by the way He answered Daniel’s prayers. God heard Daniel’s prayers.
God hears our prayers too when we ask in accordance with His will.
And even though there was some spiritual opposition or warfare going on, God made sure that the answer reached Daniel.
God allowed the answer to be delayed but God’s purpose and plan were nor denied.
This situation developed Daniel’s faith and his heart connection with God. The same can happen for us too.
As we choose to trust God regardless of what we see , our faith grows and we experience victory
Like Daniel, we are greatly loved and precious to God and nothing can cancel God’s great love
Today, God’s great love has been fully demonstrated in the giving of His Son , Jesus, for our sins.
We don’t have to wonder if help will come when we are burdened or overwhelmed with a heavy load of care.
In Christ we know help is here
We have the Helper, the Holy Spirit ,who lives in us.
God is always at work even when you don’t see it through your human lens.
So today receive renewed strength as you navigate through the circumstances and uncertainties of life.
In your time of waiting for God to intervene, focus on an attribute of God that you find helpful as you wait for answer to prayer.
Praise Him for that attribute. Worship Him for Who He is.
Attributes include goodness, power, knowledge, majesty, faithfulness, and the truth that He does not change.
Remind yourself that you are greatly loved by a faithful God.
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THURSDAY 3RD OCTOBER 2024
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‘ENCOURAGEMENT FOR YOUR HARDEST HOUR’
Jesus knew throughout His entire earthly ministry what his final goal was.
He ministered to the needy and proclaimed the Good News.
He lived knowing that He came to lay down His life - to die on the cross to save us from sin.
Then he would be raised victoriously. This is amazing !
There is much we can learn about how Jesus handled His hardest hour.
INTRODUCTION : This is a true story of a couple who were dealing with something painful and overwhelming.
During their ‘hardest hour' some people looked at them as if they were foolish.
What they were hoping to accomplish seemed ridiculously impossible to these ‘spectators.'
The couple felt attacked and misunderstood at times.
They even thought, "Why bother? Why bother if it costs so much and everyone seems to be against us?"
This couple felt defeated and felt like giving up.
In their hearts, they were the only two people fighting for what they knew would honour God.
Have you ever felt similarly ?
AIM - to learn how Jesus’ words and actions in His hardest hour can encourage us to not lose heart when we face distress.
READ JOHN 12:23- 50
This is about Jesus’ journey to the Cross.
From some of the verses, three things we can unpack today to gain encouragement are :-
1) Jesus stayed focused on His Father (read John 12:27-28a)
Jesus was totally committed to honouring His Father.
He knew God the Father had a grander purpose for His suffering.
God’s glory was Jesus’ goal.
This can be a great challenge for us.
It challenges us to take our eyes off how hard our experience is and to focus on God’s plan in the pain.
How can you honour God in suffering ? How do you respond to suffering ?
You can choose to focus on trusting that your heavenly Father is faithful ,steadfast and true.
You can keep looking to Him because He promises that He will ultimately get the glory through your suffering.
In Jesus’ suffering, His death on the cross was not the end of the story. Jesus knew the resurrection was coming.
This would lead to redemption of all of us who put our faith in Jesus.
And so too, what you are walking through right now in your hardest hour is not the end of your story.
The resurrection principle holds true for us in our suffering too. (Refer to 1 Peter 4:12-19).
Read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Paul challenges us not to lose heart. Yes we are wasting away physically but daily our inner self is getting stronger spiritually.
What is Paul’s encouragement ?
To view affliction in light of eternity… keep our eyes on Heaven.
Then we begin to see our hardest hour from a different perspective.
2) Jesus looked around at all of us and loved us (read John 12:44-46)
This is some more encouragement for your darkest hour.
Jesus knew His suffering would not only bring glory to the Father but it would be visible to the world.
Jesus is the Light of the World.
These are some of Jesus final words of public ministry.
Jesus shows love as He shouts out that by believing in Him we are granted access to the throne of God the Father.
This would help us to move from death to life.
So no matter what the future holds, we can hold on to Jesus and trust Him to lead us one step at a time.
Refer again to 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.
Paul gives an analogy of how we are like jars of clay that have cracks in them.
And the afflictions we face make us feel broken.
We don’t feel beautiful because we have been through so much suffering.
But Paul says there is treasure inside these jars of clay. It is through these cracks that the light of Jesus shines out !
The resurrected Christ lives in us.
So as we keep our focus like Jesus, our brokenness, suffering - like the cracks - serve a grander purpose.
As Christ -followers, we not only walk in the Light and believe in the Light,
we become filled with the Light to radiate in this dark world.
How can we keep our focus on Jesus - 'stay filled up with Jesus’ - during our hardest hour ?
By worship to our Lord. By allowing His Word to renew us.
In our hardest hour we can become afraid, doubt and get anxious.
So we have to be intentional - to stop and remember we need Jesus to flood our hearts with His peace and His light
as His Spirit leads us to push past the darkness.
3) Jesus spoke the Father’s words - Truth- under authority even when this was hard (read John 12:47-50)
Jesus knew people would reject Him. So He continued in obedience to His Father’s plan.
His focus was not on people’s responses.
Jesus was acting under the authority of God Almighty. He spoke the Father’s words and depended on Him completely.
V.49 - Jesus says, “the Father who sent Me has told Me what to say and even how to say it.”
So Jesus is emphasising here the importance of speaking and proclaiming Truth.
So, too, we must remember in our hardest hour that we have the authority to speak or declare God’s Word.
This will greatly encourage your faith.
Speaking Truth or appropriating it to your own life, and others for whom you pray and share the gospel,
will enrich you spiritually beyond measure.
RESPONSE :
Right now you may be walking through an experience that you consider your hardest hour ever.
Why not pause, slow down, and find encouragement from your Saviour ?
Jesus understands your distress. So spend time with Him. Fill yourselves up with Him.
Only Jesus can help us all in our darkest hour. He is the Light.
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THURSDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER 2024
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"HOW TO LIVE PREPARED’’
What happens at your house when you learn or know that someone - a relative, an important guest will be visiting soon ?
You begin to prepare to receive them. Lots of cleaning and making sure everything is neat and tidy. Right ?
If it’s early morning, then you get dressed … you don’t want them to see you in your pyjamas !
What about if you were not prepared for their impending visit ?
In Matthew 24, over and over again Jesus describes His return as imminent.
As regards the Lord’s return, Jesus tells us that we have no idea as to when He is coming back. It can be at any moment.
Jesus was responding to a question from His disciples as in Matthew 24:3
“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,’’ they said,
"when will this happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age ?`’’ "
So how can we prepare well for Jesus’ return ?
Let us look at some verses from Matthew 24 and 25.
READ MATTHEW 24:36-51 and MATTHEW 25:1-13
What are some initial observations you can make about Jesus’ words here ?
>Jesus’ gracious replies were not just to satisfy curiosity. He wants His disciples to be ready for His coming.
>In Noah’s day, people were living normal lives and had no idea that a great flood would come suddenly.
They were unprepared, caught unaware, and they were destroyed.
>There will be a clear division between believers and non-believers (vv.40-42)
>If we become lax because we think Christ’s return will be delayed, we can become hypocritical like the evil servant (vv.48-49).
>Jesus describes an unwise response to what we might view as a delay of His return. We can grow weary in the waiting.
And instead of living prepared we can get complacent and sometimes even spiritually lazy. (As in 24:48 and 25:5).
About two Sundays ago Pastor Rachel said in her message :
"So we are not viewing a movie preview of a film that is ‘Coming Soon.’
‘Coming Soon’ is not about a film preview or a main attraction or event.
It’s about the Lord Jesus Christ Who is Coming Soon, but not to a cinema near you !
He is Coming Soon as the Bridegroom seeking a Bride who has made herself ready for her wedding day.
He is coming back for a pure & spotless Bride, one without spot, wrinkle, or blemish.
We as a Church, are His Bride. Are we ready ?
For ready or not He will come soon in Majesty & in Glory.
And He will come quickly & not delay.
The Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) serves as a reminder of the need for us to be alert,
ready & watchful, for we do not know what hour or day when Jesus our Bridegroom will return."
Jesus graciously gives us some advice to help us prepare well for His coming :
THREE THNGS NOT TO DO WHILE YOU ARE WAITING FOR JESUS’ RETURN
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1 - Be careful ... do not be deceived
Matthew 24:4-5 (read) The word ‘deceives' has the idea of causing to wander, be misled, go astray into error.
So if you listen to a lie, you can then make the wrong judgement instead of standing firm in the Truth of God’s Word.
This shows how important it is to grow in our understanding of God’s Word.
What do you need to remember if you don’t want to be deceived ?
Truth will always elevate Christ - He is our focus.
Ref: Colossians 2:6-8.
2 - Don’t be alarmed by wars and rumours of wars
Matthew 24:6 (read) - here Jesus tells us another thing we should avoid doing as we prepare for His return.
The word ‘alarmed’ gives the idea of being thrown into an emotional uproar;
agitated or like screaming out loudly because you are troubled.
Jesus wants us to know there is no reason to fear because our trust is in Him.
When the world seems to be falling apart, we don’t need to fear.
We can trust Jesus’ words that He is preparing a place for us and will be back for us (ref: John 14:1-3).
3- Don’t let your love grow cold
Matthew 24 :12 (read) the third thing we can avoid is a love that has little or no warmth.
The Greek word translated ‘cold’ here implies not just being chilled, but a love that is waning or declining.
The excitement, that passion for wholehearted devotion to the Lord is lost.
In Revelation 2:4 we read these words - “you have forsaken the love you had at first,”...
That love for Christ and one another that was once manifested is no longer exhibited.
How can we have a love that abounds and is not cold ?
We can pray to God who is the author of love. He can help us to love Jesus and to love like Jesus.
And to see this love increase more and more.
TWO THINGS TO DO IN PREPARATION FOR JESUS’ RETURN
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1 - Keep persevering to the end
Mathew 24:13 (read)’ "But the one who endures to the end will be saved," (NLT).
The Greek word ‘endure’ here means to remain steadfast under pressure, stand firm, to persevere in the face of adversity.
What does ‘enduring to the end’ look like ?
Refer to Hebrews 10:35-39 (from The Truth Version)
“So do not throw away now the confidence you had then. Your continuing faith will be richly rewarded !
You must persevere in faith so that, having done God’s will, you will receive the promised inheritance.
You will not have to wait long for, “The One who is coming (JESUS) will not delay His coming.
But he who is at one with God will live by faith. If he shrinks away from the truth because of fear, I will not be pleased with him.”
However we do not belong to those who shrink away and are destroyed.
We are counted among those who believe and are saved !”
(what an affirmation every Christian will be able to make !)
2 - Stay alert and stay awake
As you prepare fo Jesus’ return we should :
Matthew 24:42 (read) - Jesus says to "stay awake’’ because you do not know when the Lord will return.
Matthew 25:13 (read) - Jesus says keep “watch’’ or be on the alert because you do not know
the day or time when the Bridegroom will come for you !
Interesting note ! the words ‘stay awake’ (24:42) and ‘watch’ (25:13) - which are used in the English Standard Version (ESV) - are from the same Greek word used in both verses.
What does it mean ?
The idea here is to stay aware, attentive, be mindful and vigilant. So stay in relationship with Jesus.
How do we do that when we can become is easily distracted ?
The best way to live prepared in these difficult and tumultuous times : take your eyes off the troubles of this world
and keep looking up to Jesus. He is the author and Perfecter of your faith (Hebrews 12:2).
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THURSDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 2024
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The miracle of the feeding of the five thousand is recorded in all four Gospels.
Apart from the greatest miracle of all -Jesus being risen from the dead- this is the only one recorded in all four Gospels
This incredible event can be found in MATTHEW 14:13-21; MARK 6:30-44; LUKE 9:10-17; JOHN 6:1-13.
There is a story of a puppy who had a strange obsession with eating everything except food.
She ate things like socks and balloons.
Sometimes her stomach had to be scanned. She lacked basic nutrition filling herself with things that can’t satisfy -
that can’t ultimately nourish her.
"YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT’’
Do you struggle with your appetite ?
What have you been craving for lately ? (any one craves salad ?!)
The truth is that we often desire foods that bring instant pleasure, but often lack vital nutrients.
In this familiar miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, the truth we are focusing on is this :
When we focus only on satisfying our physical appetites, we can miss the One who longs to satisfy our spiritual hunger. (Moving us from full bellies to satisfied souls !)
Jesus knows we have physical, mental, emotional, and all sorts of spiritual needs.
Jesus longs to meet all our needs. Ultimately He wants to satisfy our spiritual hunger.
So as we look at aspects of this miracle from the different Gospel writers’ perspectives, the AIM is :
to discover or remind ourselves WHO JESUS IS and to believe that He is better than any of our quick fixes.
READ the Gospel account from Mark 6 :30-44 .
We will refer to the other Gospel writers’ account too to see who Jesus is :-
1- JESUS IS THE DIVINE NOTICER
The disciples and Jesus are in grief as Jesus’ cousin and ministry partner John the Baptist has been beheaded
by King Herod. Jesus and His disciples are tired.
There is a large crowd coming toward Jesus, because Jesus has been doing miracles.
John 6 :5 (READ) In the Greek the construction is : Jesus lifted His eyes and noticed the people and their need.
He has compassion on them for they were hungry. His compassion leads Him to action.
In Mark 6:34 - Jesus also sees them as sheep without a shepherd.
What is one thing we can take away from this ?
Jesus is God.
Jesus in His resurrected place at the right hand of the Father, notices the needs of your life.
He is interested in humanity.
What does Jesus notice about your needs as He lifts His eyes in your direction ?
Maybe think about stories like these and praise Him as you present your needs to Him,
so that it does not become all about you.
Whatever season you are in, know that rest is found in Him who is God and not other quick fixes.
He is the Son of God,Who lifts His eyes to notice us in our struggles or what is happening in our world.
2 - JESUS IS THE HEALER AND TEACHER
Matthew (14:14) and Luke (9:11) record that in His compassion, Jesus heals the sick among the crowds.
Jesus shows both the power and the love of the Son of God.
Mark (6:34) notes that Jesus teaches the people many things.
Luke records Jesus teaching specifically about the Kingdom.
What is Jesus doing ?
He gives them miraculously bread and fish for their physical needs, but Truth for their spiritual diet.
John 6:6-9 (READ) Jesus is having a conversation with His disciples (having decided already what He needed to do).
He does this to test their faith, to teach them.
Philip is doing the arithmetic, calculating the amount of people, money needed and the amount of work needed
to get that kind of money. He looks at the enormity of the problem, leaving Jesus out of the equation.
Andrew - has a scarcity mindset - is focused on the scarce resources - only five barley loaves and two small fish !
The disciples consider the natural circumstances. Jesus looks on the situation supernaturally.
Jesus teaches His disciples to take into account God’s supernatural power that is always available to them.
Where might God be doing this in our lives ?
In what way have you been so focused on ‘doing’ that you forgot to include Jesus,
to think bigger and let your problems become an opportunity to get closer to Jesus ?
3 - JESUS IS A GENEROUS HOST
This account is usually referred to as the feeding of the five thousand. This figure represented men.
The actual number of people could have well been over 10,000 including men and women.
Jesus supernaturally provides, heals and feeds this massive crowd. Jesus is a generous Host.
John 6:5-6 (READ) Jesus had already decided what He needed to do to meet the physical need of the crowd.
Luke 9: 12-15 (READ) Even when the disciples said to Jesus to dismiss the crowd so they can find food and shelter,
Jesus tells His disciples to have the people sit down in groups of about fifty.
It is remarkable that Jesus would feed them. Jesus gives lavishly.
All four Gospel accounts mention that the people ate until they were satisfied.
Reading Gospel accounts like this should help realign our thinking that Jesus cares about our physical needs,
as well as our spiritual ones.
We may not have all we want today, but we have all we need. We can be satisfied with His abundant provision.
How can you express gratitude to Jesus ?
Thank Him that you can be satisfied in Him - the generous Host who takes good care of us.
4 - JESUS IS THE GATHERER
The Gospel writers tell us that there were 12 baskets leftover.
John 6:12 (READ) What is the reason that John gives for gathering the leftover fragments ?
John tells us the reason that Jesus gives for the twelve baskets leftover : Jesus says that nothing was to be lost.
Jesus, in doing the works the Father sent Him to do, gathers His people for an eternity with Him … for eternal glory.
He wastes nothing.
He won’t waste anything in your life : your pain, suffering, your leftover pieces of broken relationship,
your consequences of poor choices. All of this Jesus will gather and use it for your good and His glory.
More than feeding the crowd a meal, Jesus wanted them to discover who He is - their Messiah.
Jesus wants to give so much more as we serve Him.
More than the miracles,He longs to satisfy our spiritual hunger with Himself.
PONDER : What are some ways you can nourish your soul with more spiritual food ?
CHALLENGE FOR YOU : What about asking God to give you an appetite for Him to want Him,
as much as you desire chocolate, etc. to crave His Word like you would crave one of your favourite TV shows.
Don’t trade your intimacy with Jesus - what you desire most - for any of your quick fixes - what you want now.
Jesus promises to satisfy completely.
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THURSDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER 2024
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DEVOTIONAL FOR WORSHIP EXPERIENCE : From Protest to Praise
HABAKKUK 3:17-19
The writings of Habakkuk is somewhat unique in that it does not include a message to Israel.
Rather it is a dialogue between this prophet and God.
The prophet questions God. He argues with God over God’s ways which appear difficult to understand
and unjust.
So much hardship, wickedness, idolatry and oppression is rampant in Judah,
yet God seems to do nothing. Habakkuk is perplexed.
When he is told that the Lord is preparing to do something about it through the “ruthless” Babylonians, the prophet is more confused.
You can hear him asking God : "How can You who is 'too pure to look on evil'?" (1:13)
appoint the evil nation to execute judgement on a people “more righteous than themselves?”
It’s not his idea of a good plan.
It’s probably the worst plan Habakkuk could imagine : an invasion from a wicked foe.
The suffering seems to have no end date.
Now in Chapter 3 we see a shift in Habakkuk’s perspective.
He is in a different place now than when he started his conversation with God.
The prophet Habakkuk recalls God’s character and resolves to trust in Him.
He is unwavering and intentional in remembering who God is. Habakkuk worships God.
He remembers the Lord’s past faithfulness, like :-
God rescuing His people by parting the Red Sea,
God pausing the sun in the sky for Joshua ,
God stopping the flowing waters of Jordan.
He recalls that God is mighty, awesome, holy, majestic, eternal, sovereign, and loving.
He remembers God’s character and so resolves to trust God’s plans.
The prophet paints a picture of desolation and distress : READ verse 17
I am sure we can all identify with similar painful experiences, like :-
Though the money is gone…
Though my relationship is falling apart…
Though illness ravages my body…
In seasons like these, it seems hard, maybe impossible to trust God.
Like Habakkuk, we might complain or argue with God, grow bitter and even want to give up.
Despite such devastating realities, we can follow Habakkuk’s response : READ verse 18.
AMP version says “Yet I will choose to rejoice in the Lord; I will choose to shout in exultation
in the victorious God of my salvation!”
Habakkuk is no longer questioning God, complaining to God. In fact his complaints turn into confession, his protests turn into praise - "yet I will rejoice in the Lord ! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation !"
He continues in verse 19 to declare : "The Sovereign Lord is my strength !"
His focus is on the Lord the One upon whom he is dependent.
He praises the Lord.
He is showing us what genuine faith looks like as he moves from fear to faith/trust in God.
He wades through uncertain times with the Lord’s strength and waits for God to act.
So too we can rejoice and focus on Jesus the One we worship.
We can rejoice in the LORD :-
in the Giver of all things - even though there is no money and the next meal is uncertain.
in the relationship we have with our heavenly Father -
even when our relationships might be falling apart.
in God ’s purposes for us - even when we have to endure the unthinkable and life does not make sense.
in our Lord’s provision - even when we don’t know what the future holds.
When we remember who God is - His character - we can determine to trust Him.
Let’s continue to declare who God is - speak truth into your situation.
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THURSDAY 15th AUGUST 2024
INTIMACY WITH GOD
THURSDAY 8TH AUGUST 2024
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DEVOTIONAL FOR THE ‘WORSHIP EXPERIENCE.'
DANIEL 6 : 25-28
Praise and Proclaim God’s Power
In the current Olympic Games, individuals are excelling in events. Some are even breaking records.
For example in the athletics, you see how amazingly fast some athletes are as they compete.
They do what I cannot do and I am amazed (awed) at their special talent/skill.
When others tackle, what to me are some seemingly - impossible tasks, they gain my attention and admiration.
King Darius comes face-to-face with a task he is not able to complete : As King, he issued a decree that he cannot change.
He cannot rescue Daniel from the den of lions ... He worries and is not eating that night. He cannot sleep that night too.
In the morning - at daybreak - King Darius hurries to the lion’s den. He calls out to Daniel. (READ verses 20-21).
Daniel is unharmed in the lion’s den.
King Darius is ‘beside himself with joy’ and orders that Daniel be taken out of the lion’s den.
The king then proclaims praise to the eternal King for accomplishing what he - the earthly king - could not do.
He uses his royal position to point people to the superior power of Daniel’s God.
King Darius calls all the nations of the earth to respond in holy fear and reverence before the God of Daniel.
The God whom Daniel worships.
(READ THE VERSES)
We see in these verses some reasons why King Darius issues this decree :
1 -The living God has an eternal dominion and a Kingdom that will never be destroyed.
2 - Unlike earthly kings, God reigns from eternity past through all the years to come.
God reigns forever and ever (Revelation 11:15).
As Christians, we look forward to the day when all people/nations will acknowledge God’s powerful reign.
3-God rules powerfully from His throne. He cares personally for you just like He took care of Daniel in the lion’s den.
He rescues and saves.
He performs astonishing miracles
He is the eternal King yet He is our Father. He is always at work, tending to the needs of His children.
And no power in the universe can separate you from His love.
How are we to respond to God’s powerful reign ?
It demands a response just like how King Darius responded. Exalt the living God. Seeing God at work leads us to worship Him.
When we fear God, we seek to honour Him through a sacrifice of praise and loving obedience to Him.
When we understand God’s holiness and our sinfulness, we stand in awe and holy reverence before the Holy One.
You might be waiting for God’s rescue from your troubles.
You are hearing the lions snarling, aggressively growling and feel that your deliverance is delayed.
This is truly a hard place to be !
Let’s thank God that in Christ we have a rescue to celebrate. Jesus rescued us from the devil’s grip and reconciled us to God.
Let’s praise God that we can come boldly to the King’s throne of grace and find real help in our time of real need.
Keep praising Him. Keep proclaiming His salvation to all. He alone has the power provide the rescue you need.
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THURSDAY 1ST AUGUST 2024
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Today we are studying some verses from Lamentations 3.
Introduction:
The writer of Lamentations (many believe it’s Jeremiah) is recording, processing and expressing the hard and deep emotions
of Jerusalem. The book is written out of hard circumstances and hearts that were filled with pain.
There is lament by the Jewish people over the devastation of Jerusalem by Babylon.
Those who survived were taken away to Babylon.
The author understands that the raw and painful emotions being expressed are in response to God’s judgement because of sin. The Babylonians were merely the human agents of divine judgement.
Sin alway leaves behind a mess of death and pain.
What are some emotions that can come from living in a broken sin-filled world ?
Examples are fear, sadness, feelings of loneliness and anger
MAIN FOCUS : How can we process our emotions and thoughts in a Biblical way ?
Read LAMENTATIONS 3: 19-26 (ESV)
>Read VERSE 19 - begins by asking the Lord to "remember my affliction and wanderings, the wormwood and gall.”
The writer expresses some feelings :
What is affliction ?
It is a hard place to be and includes misery, a wound or sickness, injustice, defeat, trouble.
The word “wandering" implies feeling lost.
This has more to do with when you have no idea what to do with your life, where it’s headed or where you belong
(rather than when GPS on your phone stopped working !).
"Wormwod and gall" - gall is a bitter or even poisonous substance.
Wormwood is an unpleasant substance which might make you sick (Strong’s Hebrew dictionary).
What kind of picture is the writer painting here?
This description is like saying the situation you have been handed is almost too hard for you to swallow. It is bitter.
Can you relate to any of these descriptions about seasons of hardships/pain leaving a bitter taste in your mouth ?
Be honest about your feelings
(refer to verses 1-9 for more named feelings like bitter, victimized, unheard, blocked from future success..)
>Read VERSE 20-How do we respond typically when we experience these hard feelings ?
Notice how the writer honestly describes his response :
"My soul continually remembers them and is bowed down within me" (AMP).
There is a tendency to ruminate - repetitively think about the negative feelings/distress.
Bad stuff is taking up a lot of brain-space.
Intrusive thoughts - ideas/images come into our minds uninvited.
We perceive the present as negative and so we feel more helpless about the future.
>Read VERSES 21-23
What can we do when we find ourselves stuck in this negative thought pattern (which can lead to negative emotions) ?
“..this I call to mind..” The writer is intentionally going to take action.
He deliberately reminds himself of what is true : God’s steadfast love never ceases. His mercies are new every morning.
He declares truth. He is interjecting Eternal Truth into his temporary circumstances.
Why is this important ?
Lies can take over your emotions and dictate your reactions. The enemy loves when we miss out on truths of God.
>Read 2 CORINTHIANS 10:5. Take every thought captive by deliberately recalling God’s faithfulness in the past.
>Read VERSES 24-26
The writer’s/Jeremiah’s lament turns to hope in God: "But this I call to mind."
This is a reminder to stop and think, recall, even rehearse the words of Scripture.
This is the key when life throws tough stuff at us.
Here we find hope that we need to make it through whatever life throws our way.
God’s Truth is so vital to living in victory. God’s Word helps you to acknowledge the pain and hurt you experience.
It can also remind you that there is hope beyond your hardest season.
For each feeling we have that can tempt us to believe the suffering and hardship will never end,
we can counteract it with the Truth of Scripture.
EXAMPLES FROM LAMENTATIONS 3 :
>FEELING : ‘I am the man who has seen affliction ( 3:1)
TRUTH : I will see God’s goodness (Psalm 27: 13-14 )
>FEELING : ’Surely against me, (God) turns his hand again and again the whole day long’ ( 3:3 )
TRUTH : God’s hand is always at work for good (Genesis 50:20, Isaiah 41:10)
>FEELING : ‘He has made me to dwell in darkness’ (3:6)
TRUTH : God delivers us from darkness (Colossians 1:13 )
FEELING : 'He has made my chains heavy’ (3:7).
TRUTH : with Jesus, my burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30).
FEELING : ‘He has made my paths crooked’ (3:9).
TRUTH : Even when we don’t understand, God leads His people on the right path (Proverbs 3:5-6).
What is one truth from God’s Word you can cling to when you feel trapped or suffering is unbearable ?
What is amazing is that Jesus chose to identify Himself with us in these emotions like shame, rejection,
humiliation and loneliness.
>Read HEBREWS 4:15
Our Great High Priest understands our struggles. He understands when fallen-world circumstances overwhelm us.
Now we can bring all our emotions and lay them down before Him. He understands.
Our feelings are neither prefect nor permanent. Our faithful God is.
What a gift this is !!
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THURSDAY 25TH JULY 2024
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Review :-
Promises of God are assurances given by God in His Word. They are not to just think about and say “Oh, that’s nice.”
They are what we hold on to as we navigate through life.
The FIRST promise is found in Genesis 3:15. It can be viewed as the first announcement of the Gospel.
God promises His plan of redemption
The LAST promise in Scripture is from Revelation 22:20. Followers of Jesus eagerly wait for the fulfilment of this promise.
This promise will bring God’s redemptive plan to its eternal completion.
All of God’s promises can be viewed through the lens of these first and last promises.
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THE PROMISE OF GOD’S PEACE
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What is your idea of peace ? Is it a good nap ? Is it sitting in a comfy chair with a book near the fire or near a pool or the sea ?
Two definitions of peace that largely the world has accepted as to what it means to have peace :
1- a state or period in which there is no war or a war has ended.
2 - freedom from disturbance, tranquility.
Peace according to God’s Word is more comprehensive than these definitions. It is not just about ‘freedom from disturbance’.
It includes our relationships with both God and others.
In the film “What About Bob” there are these three characters- a doctor, his patient and the patient’s son.
So the doctor is not getting any sleep as the patient and his son are making noise in his house.
Finally in a rage, the doctor says, "All I want is some peace and quiet !”
The patient says ,"OK, I’ll be Quiet.” The patient's son then says, “I’ll be Peace.” They then both burst out laughing.
What does Jesus say about peace ? Read JOHN 14:27 (our focus verse)
Two observations from this verse :
1- Jesus calls the peace He is leaving with the disciples HIS PEACE.
He differentiates it from the normal cultural definition of the world. It is out of this world.
Jesus imparts His peace as a gift.
2 - there seems to be a link between the PRESENCE of Jesus’ peace and then the ABSENCE of being troubled -
Peace in the absence of anxiety.
Read PHILIPPIANS 4:6-8
Again, we see the connection to peace (inner tranquility based on peace with God )and its ability to dispel anxiety.
How is this achieved ? By prayer -the tranquility that comes when we commit all our cares/worries in prayer to the Lord.
Read MATTHEW 6: 33-34
Jesus is showing an alternative to anxiety, worry and cares.
So we are not simply told ,"Stop worrying.That’s sinful; just don’t do it.”
We are actually told how to stop worrying.
How do we stop worrying ?
By striving or aiming for, seeking the Father’s kingdom and His righteousness.
This is the first and most important thing to do. It is the heart of the matter.
We have to CHOOSE to set our minds and our hearts ,slow down and spend time with God.
This brings a refreshing of the peace that is ours in Jesus.
The word “peace" that Jesus uses and that He gives to us has a deeper meaning.
It reflects the Hebrew word "Shalom.” It encompasses your total well-being and goes beyond you to others.
What does this look like ? What is the answer to having more peace in our lives and in the world ?
‘This is more than the absence of anxiety and making requests to God and having inner peace’
(according to G.Walter Hansen’s commentary)
It means that we have to consider our relationship with God first and foremost.
As a follower of Jesus, we have peace with God now and forever. You have a relationship with God.
God welcomes you as perfect because the sacrifice of Christ on the cross was perfect, and sufficient.
(JOHN 14:27 ) “Peace..my peace”- speaks of what Christ’s redemptive work will achieve for His followers.
You are forgiven so you walk in that forgiveness. You are loved so you continue to walk in love.
How is this outworked ? Through the way we engage in relating to others.
God has given us forgiveness so we are to forgive others. God has shown us mercy, so we show mercy to others.
Similarly we have peace with God so we think about peace with others.
Our vertical relationship with God becomes increasingly evident in our horizontal relationship with fellow humans.
Any examples ? What’s your attitude like when you’re in a supermarket or a car park ?
Impatient, hostile, angry with someone because they took ‘your’ car space ?
The point is that you can’t share about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection
when you are annoyed that someone took your place in the queue.
It’s much better when you are not the grumpy one !
The peace of God, our "Shalom’’ has it’s basis first in our relationship with God and then in our relationship with others.
What is the answer to peace ?
Read MATTHEW 22:34-40 >>> I suggest the answer is found in loving God and then loving others just as Jesus taught.
His love is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.This love is expressed in obedience to God as we relate with others.
Response :
Let us be intentional people who desire peace, as the writer of Hebrews says:
Read HEBREWS 12:14 (NLT) "Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life,
for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.’’
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THURSDAY 18TH JULY 2024
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We are continuing today on our short study series on Promises of God.
BRIEF REVIEW : A promise is an assurance given by someone that they will do something
or that something specific will happen. So there is an expectation of some action or you anticipate a certain result.
Promises of God are assurances given by God in His Word.
For examples, there is the promise of God’s strength, guidance and God’s comfort.
THE PROMISE OF GOD’S HOPE
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When we are waiting for God to intervene in a difficult situation, we know that it will not last forever.
It’s a season that God is taking us through.
Yet it is during that season,- “the in between"- that can be unbearable, perhaps dangerous and hard.
How can we as believers in Jesus 'keep the hope going’ or remain hopeful when we endure trials,
sufferings and pain in this fallen world ?
Here are three ways to help us focus on and strengthen our faith during difficult times :
1 -WHEN LIFE IS HARD, BE CAREFUL NOT TO DRIFT FROM GOD
HEBREWS 2:1 (read from AMP)
When life is disrupted, there is great danger in drifting in our faith.
“Drifting from God is exactly like being in a boat that has broken free from the dock.It floats farther and farther away
from the shores as the waves crest with the wind.”
Sadly sometimes we don’t realise we are drifting until it’s too late.
What are some ways that we can drift in our spiritual lives ?
Example 1 - think about compromising and the disobedience we can drift towards when we are apathetic
or indifferent to our own sin or sin around us.
Example 2 - a big deterrent is busyness : on a busy day, there may be the tendency to omit “quiet times”
so our hearts are not open to receiving what God has for us.
How can you avoid drifting away ?
By diligently applying your mind and paying close attention to God’s instructions.
Stay close to Jesus
What does this look like ?
Not neglecting for examples, Bible study/time in the Word, worship and prayer time.
If you neglect these spiritual habits, you can find yourself in bondage apart from God.
ROMANS 5:3-5 (read from AMP )
God’s promises are true.
What are trials designed to produce in us ?
Hope - An eternal benefit. The blessed assurance of Jesus’ return and our future destiny with Him.
And that is why hope does not disappoint. So in the hard times, this ‘hope keeps us going’ and in turn keeps us from drifting.
2- WHEN LIFE IS HARD, YOU MUST NOT ISOLATE YOURSELF FROM THE BODY OF CHRIST
PROVERBS 18:1 (read)
Isolation is very dangerous.
This verse refers to isolating ourselves from others out of selfishness.
What do you think this means ?
This means we purposely disconnect or separate our thoughts from people and their opinions.
Isolation can take on a form of stubbornness for rebellion that shows an unwillingness to receive God’s Truth.
To cut ourselves off for any reason from other Christians who can speak God’s Truth/wisdom into our hearts
is a detriment to our spiritual life.
When we pull away from other Christians/the Church, our focus will drift from Truth and we will lose hope.
ECCLESIASTES 4:9-10 (read) "Two are better than one….’’
In ancient times the roads were not paved or level. So travellers would fall or hurt themselves.
Sometimes there were hidden rocks and pits. Travellers would trip over these hidden rocks and fall into pits.
So this verse reminds us that it is good to have a friend /fellow traveller who can help us when there is injury
or pull us out of the pit.
“Don’t be a lone-ranger Christian.” Resist the tendency to isolate in difficult seasons of life.
Practically, how can things change when you choose to ‘live in community” and not isolate ?
You may receive spiritual encouragement and reassuring messages on your phone. Your focus is on God’s Truth.
Others can pray with you. It reminds you that you are going to be OK as your battle rages.
Yet you know others are coming alongside you and this helps to ‘keep the hope going.’
3 - PRAISING GOD IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES WILL KEEP YOUR FOCUS ON JESUS AND NOT THE PAIN
ACTS 16:22-25 (read)
Paul and Silas are imprisoned for casting a demonic spirit out of a young girl.
This girl was a fortuneteller and her slave owners get angry because Paul and Silas cast this demonic spirit out of her.
The slave owners can no longer earn money.
Paul and Silas are beaten and truly tortured. In prison, they cannot not move their legs. They cannot sleep.
It is a very uncomfortable position.
VERSE 25 —What was Paul and Silas’ response IN the circumstances they found themselves ?
Undaunted, they prayed and sang hymns of praise to God.
Their response to adversity, opposition from the enemy was to praise the Lord.
God used their hardship to further His Kingdom purposes.
Why should we embrace praise/worship to God ?
When we choose to praise God we are choosing faith instead of feelings.
It is choice we make especially when life looks despairing.
Such faith releases the supernatural power of God. Praise invites His presence to renew and refresh us.
It takes the focus off ourselves and puts it back on God.
God meets us supernaturally in pain and suffering through our worship to Him.
SUMMARY :
How do you ‘keep hope going’ when you are at your lowest point ?
Be aware of drifting when life is hard.
God created us to live in community with others. Don’t isolate when suffering and pain come.
Choose to praise/worship God. This allows him to invade our hearts and minds with a supernatural peace and comfort.
God uses everything for His good…even hard seasons of life.
Dr. Billy Graham said: “True hope comes by trusting God even when circumstances are difficult.” Stay hopeful !
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THURSDAY 11TH JULY 2024
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This is a devotional on worship as we focus on encountering our Lord through worship
LUKE 10:38-42 (Read from AMP)
WORSHIP - THE ONE THING NECESSARY
Jesus is visiting His friends at their home. Martha, Mary and their brother Lazarus live there in Bethany.
>> Have you ever anticipated the presence of Jesus so much that you almost missed Him?
This is what is happening to Martha.
Martha - homemaker extraordinaire - is (perhaps standing, pacing back and forth), making all the preparations for Jesus’ visit.
No doubt she wants to make a good impression. God is having dinner with them !
Mary is sitting at Jesus’ feet. She wants to make the most of this opportunity.
You can just imagine her saying, "God is in my house, I want to know what He has to say.
I want to look at Him and listen to Him. I want to take in everything so I will just sit at His feet.”
It strikes me that Martha may be the woman of action. She is busy serving.
Mary is the woman of adoration…sitting at Jesus’ feet.
Martha is distracted with much serving.
Indignantly she is even questioning whether Jesus cares that Mary has left her to do all the work.
Have you ever said that to God ?—“God you don’t care?"
Note also that Martha’s complaint to Jesus has many references to herself :
Verse 40- as she makes preparations, Martha says : ’MY’ sister has left ‘ME’ to do the work by ‘MYSELF’
(as if Mary is not in the house).
‘Tell her to help ‘ME’
A lot of "MY…ME…MY…”
When you are distracted, you tend to begin to look at yourself rather than focus on the Lord.
Martha’s generous hospitality seems to be more about herself than their Guest of honour, Jesus.
It is so easy to become so consumed with serving God that we lose sight of the One we are serving.
We have missed the Guest of honour.
What is worse is that Martha tells Jesus what to do : "Tell her to help me !’’ (perhaps it’s a prayer).
Now she wants Jesus to chastise and rebuke Mary for not helping her.
Jesus gets to the heart of the problem. He sees no problem in Martha wanting to serve in hospitality.
He speaks with Martha, not Mary.
In fact, Jesus says her name twice, "Martha, Martha." To say a name twice was to invite a person closer.
It’s like Jesus is saying to Martha : "I am speaking to you on an intimate term..Martha, Martha..we know each other.”
You remember :
— when Moses saw the burning bush, God said “Moses, Moses ... take the sandals off your feet.”
— when Jesus stood over the city of Jerusalem and said,
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem ... how often I have longed to gather your children together,
as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…”
(Vv. 41-42) "Martha, Martha," Jesus says, "you are worried and upset over all these details !’’
"There is only one thing worth being concerned about and Mary has discovered it…’’ (NLT).
The one thing: It is to come closer to Jesus.
The prime concern for every follower of Jesus is to listen intently to Jesus’ words and then obey.
Psalm 27:4 >> David says, (TPT) “Here’s the one thing I crave from Yahweh (God), the one thing I seek above all else :
I want the privilege of living with Him every moment in His house, finding the sweet loveliness of His face, filled with awe, delighting in His glory and grace.I want to live my life so close to Him that He takes pleasure in my every prayer.”
If you had to choose Martha’s hospitable actions to Jesus or Mary’s adoration of Jesus, what would you choose ?
They are both important.
Consider that if you sit at Jesus’ feet now, you will be able to stand later during the trials, tests you may face.
A pastor said : "Work without worship produces worry.’’ "Action without adoration produces aggravation.”
Mary did the one thing necessary by sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to Him.
She was focused on Jesus and not letting distractions get in the way (…like what others would think).
TO PONDER : When have you missed or almost missed Jesus ?
Maybe spending much time on social media instead of being still before Jesus.
Will you accept the invitation and choose to sit at His feet ?
To have such an abiding heart that you understand more of the character of God.
To understand more and more that the One who died for us and rose again, Jesus,
... He wants to walk with you through any circumstance you are facing.
He is able to restore and redeem any situation for His Glory.
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THURSDAY 4TH JULY 2024
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The Promises of God are assurances given by God in His Word that we can cling to in our time of need.
Promises are what we hold on to today and every day. They are not something we think about and say ‘Oh that’s nice.’
They are meant to be what stabilises us, sustains us, and sets our feet on solid ground — no matter what we face in life.
AIM : It is hoped that we will grow in our understanding of all of God’s promises.
Today we are studying :GOD’S PROMISE OF COMFORT. It is based on 2 CORINTHIANS 1:1-11 (Read)
The Apostle Paul praises the “God of all comfort" for comforting him through the many trials and sufferings
he endured while preaching the gospel.
It is through his personal experiences of deep physical, emotional and mental distress, Paul bore witness
that God is the true source of ALL comfort.
A quick glance at 2 Corinthians 11: 23-27 reveals how much suffering Paul endured over his years of ministry.
This is a follow-up letter to Paul’s previous warnings against sins that were hurting the church at Corinth.
They were deeply grieved when they realised the mess they were in.
Now he is using their grief to help them depend on the “God of all comfort.” (The God who raises the dead, verse 9).
VERSE 3 - Notice the word “all.” He is not just the God who provides some comfort. He is the GOD OF ‘ALL’ COMFORT.
What are some kinds of comforts the world offers (comforts in the form of escapes) ?
We escape to movies, shopping malls, chocolate, vacations, affirmations from friends. These are temporary.
But ‘’one drop of God’s comfort is better than an ocean of the world’s temporary comfort.’’
What do you think the title/description of ‘the God of all comfort' means ?
Paul uses the Greek word ("paraklesis") to describe the Father as the “God of all comfort.”
This word conveys the idea of God coming alongside His children to console and encourage us in our affliction.
The Latin root word for “comfort" means "strength and bravery’’. Comfort does not mean sympathy but “to give strength to.”
The beautiful picture Paul paints here of the “God of all comfort” is this : God is the ultimate source of consolation, encouragement and strength in our times of suffering.
VERSE 4 - ‘God ..who comforts us in all our affliction…’ (ESV/NASB).
The Greek word for ‘affliction’ is ‘thlipsis’. This carries the idea of pressure in suffering. Paul is very familiar with this pressure.
Even in our own seasons of profound pain, we can experience the strength and comfort of Christ.
As we do so, we often come to an increasing awareness of Christ’s agonising death on Calvary.
This brings us into greater intimacy with Jesus as we ‘share’ in His sufferings.
What are we to do with the strength and comfort we receive from God ?
God’s comfort is not just meant to be received. We are to be good stewards of His comfort, passing it on to others.
The promised comfort God has poured into us, we are to pour willingly into others who are going through trials.
God strengthens us so that another person in turn will be enabled to endure patiently whatever suffering
that person has to face.
“God does not comfort us to make us comfortable. He comforts us to make us comfort-ABLE..able to help others.”
(Lysa TerKeurst)
VERSES 5 and 6- How does Paul view suffering and comfort ?
Even as Paul’s sufferings increased, he experienced an overflow of God’s comfort.
Out of the difficulties the believers faced, they would have received renewed strength and grace
As the sufferings that Christ endured spill over into our lives ; in the same way His strength overflows through us
into the lives of others.
YOU SUFFER DISTRESS —>POSITIVE EFFECT ON YOU AND OTHERS—->
YOU RECEIVE GOD”S STRENGTH AND SAVING GRACE
How has God revealed His comfort to you during a time of pain and suffering ?
Perhaps by an indescribable peace in the circumstances.
Maybe by an encouraging scripture or Bible verses.
LUKE 2:25-26 (Read)
The Holy Spirit told Simeon that he would not die until he saw the Messiah, or the "consolation of Israel.”
This was a Messianic title for Jesus (derived from Isaiah 40:1-2 ).
Simeon was at the temple when Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to present Him to the Lord.
The Greek word translated ‘consolation' in Luke 2:25 is “paraklesis”—the same word as the word for ‘comfort.'
So the COMFORTER - the Holy Spirit - told Simeon he would witness the COMFORT of Israel : Jesus.
So we see the Trinity at work. God the Father - is the God of all comfort.
He sends the Son to be the Messianic comfort of Israel. And the Holy Spirt is the Comforter.
Through God’s amazing grace, God deems the comforting of His people a high priority.
CONCLUSION:
How can we experience God’s comfort ?
Through His Word, His presence, prayer and worship.
God can also sometimes use people as instruments of His comfort.
How do these verses redirect your thoughts about God and how He comforts you when you suffer ?
We can keep trusting the God of all comfort who comes alongside us to strengthen us in our struggles and trials.
Jesus has made the way to enter the Eternal Kingdom where there will be no more sorrow and weeping.
Keep Eternity in mind. Paul had a positive faith attitude.
Verse 10 says : "we have set our hope on God no matter what we have to face in the future.”
Hope relates to the future.
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THURSDAY 27TH JUNE 2024
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We are continuing to study some of the Promises of God.
THE PROMISE OF GOD’S GUIDANCE
Definition of the promises of God for the purposes of our study : an assurance given by God in His Word.
(It is something that someone says that you can count on to come true).
Included in these are God’s promises of strength (studied on June 13th 2024), comfort, security, guidance and peace,
for examples.
The FIRST promise in the Bible is found in Genesis 3:15 (READ).
This is viewed as the first announcement of the Gospel.
In response to humanity’s sin, God gave consequences for disobeying Him. God also promised His plan of redemption.
The LAST promise in Scripture comes from Revelation 22:20a (READ).
Those who follow Jesus eagerly wait for the fulfilment of this promise that will bring God’s redemptive plan
to its eternal completion. Through faith in Jesus, we who were once enemies of God get to be God’s children forever.
All of God’s promises can be viewed through the lens of these two - FIRST and LAST promises.
THE PROMISE OF GOD’S GUIDANCE : in this lesson, we take a deeper look into God’s promises
that His guidance that never fails.
What has been your experience when using a GPS (global positioning system) to get directions ?
Has it ever let you down, taking you around in circles and you got lost ?
READ EXODUS 14 : a picture of how God speaks guidance to Moses in a stressful situation -
even when it does not make sense.
God made a way for Moses to guide His people through the Red Sea while their enemies hunted them down.
VERSES 15-16 > Observe God tells the people simply to move forward (toward the sea) or ’to get moving’ (NLT).
They wanted to go backward. They were giving Moses a hard time, accusing him of misleading them.
It was like ‘road rage’ as they travelled in the wilderness.
Read verses 11-12
What happens when we want to go a different way than God is leading ?
Our perspective gets cloudy.
Being a slave in Egypt was definitely not better than following God even in the wilderness.
God’s strategies and goals are not the same as ours.
God’s direction for the Israelites was not just to show them where to go. He wanted to show Egypt that God was the Lord.
And when we go our own way, we miss God’s will and best for us
SOME PRECIOUS TRUTHS ABOUT APPLYING THE PROMISES OF GOD”S GUIDANCE :
1. Trust God’s guidance :- you must continue to believe God’s guidance never fails.
Turn to Him for guidance before turning to others or your own plans. We are fallen and fallible. God is not.
How does it feel in those times when you choose to trust God’s guidance no matter what is going on around you ?
Feels counterintuitive/contrary to logical expectation.
It is just like God leading Moses to the Red Sea. Yet it will always be in line with His purposes and best plan for us.
2. Follow the directions already given : this prevents you from going off-course and getting lost.
What was God’s clear direction in verse 14:15b ?
To go forward.
We have God’s Word - the ‘road map for our lives’.
God has provided us with principles to give us guidance for the thing we are seeking direction on.
>> As we follow God’s direction, the beauty is : God shows us the way by walking the same path He asks us to walk.
Read Exodus 14: 19 -this verse reminds us that God is leading the way and goes before us.
He surrounds us as we seek to follow His way.
3. Don’t let distractions get you off-track : life has constant distractions.
For the Israelites, their massive distraction was the Egyptian army coming to attack them.
So, too, attacks from others can cause us to shrink back in fear.
We are so paralysed that we are distracted from seeking God’s direction.
Moses could not see a way forward as he looked at the Red Sea. He said ‘going through it’ seems like an impossibility.
But when we cannot see a way forward, God gently guides us by shedding light on the path we need to take.
God still wants to take us through the conflict. There are no shortcuts to His will. Stay focused.
FOR REFLECTION : What has been your experience with God’s promises in your life ?
In this seemingly unmatched situation, God’s promises of guidance gave hope to the Israelites when they felt lost :-
GOD PROMISED to be with them, giving then protection (Exodus 14:19-20).
GOD PROMISED to fight for them. Even their enemies acknowledged that God did exactly that (Exodus 14:14; 14:25).
GOD’S PROMISES were rooted in His sovereignty.(Exodus 14:4 ;14:31).
In this passage, what we do NOT see is the ‘promise' of a problem-free life.
APPLICATION : How to determine God’s direction for your life ?
You may not get a pillar of cloud and fire by night ! But we have not been left without God’s guidance.
Firstly, you can start by praying. Prayer gives you an expectant heart as you look to God to answer.
Secondly, through circumstances in life. They can literally point you in a particular direction.
Thirdly, through God’s Word. Just being in God’s Word, the Holy Spirit can reveal an answer to you.
Finally, by the presence or absence of peace.When you have that sense of God’s peace about a particular situation.
So it’s really about seeking God and surrendering, not striving.
Say, “Lord I’m letting go of my direction and I am clinging to Your guidance in my life…in Jesus’ Name, Amen."
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Thursday, 20th June 2024
Thursday 13th June 2024
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THE PROMISE OF GOD’S STRENGTH :
What is a promise ?
An assurance given by someone that they will do something or that something specific will happen.
So there is an expectation of some action or you anticipate a certain result.
Definition of the promises of God : an assurance given by God in His Word.
For examples, there is the promise of peace, comfort and hope
Today we are ‘digging deeper' into the the promise of God’s strength.
What does the Bible say about strength ?
Read 1 Samuel 30:6
David is running around, fighting battles.
The Amalekites has raided a city, burned it down and taken all the women including some of David’s own family. So this is bad. The people are upset. They blame David and talking about stoning him.
How does David react to this ?
He strengthens himself in the Lord. He knew where his strength came from. It was not from within him.
So David is actually doing something here.
The Hebrew word that’s used for “strengthened himself in the Lord”
means “to become strong, grow firm and be sore.”
This sounds a lot like when you do physical exercises !
So using the analogy of exercising, there is a way that that we can grow stronger in God’s strength.
Here are some ’soul-strengthening exercises’ that we can do that that leads us into God’s strength :
1 -Choose joy (“jog/walk towards joy”)
Read Nehemiah 8:10
We find strength in choosing joy.
If you ever spend much time around a negative person, you know how draining and exhausting that can be !
What about if that negative person lives in your own head ?
You are thinking about ‘what ifs, getting anxious, etc.
So how do we move toward joy and strength ?
Start with baby steps. It may not look like much but over time it will add up.
Just like you start slowly and build up in physical exercising.
Choose joy by naming one thing that you can be thankful for. Gratitude to God leads us into God’s strength. When you are in the hard place, it ’s easy to ask “why God, why ??"
Instead think about one thing to be thankful for. It shifts your perspective back to God.
Your circumstances may not change.
Yet gratitude reminds you that God is bigger than those circumstances/challenges
2- Be Still and find God’s strength (“do plank hold stillness").
Planks are hard to do. You get down on the ground and you are on your toes and hands and elbows..
or variations of this. You have to hold your abdomen in, and stay still.
You just hold it and as you do you think it’s taking forever.
But that exercise/technique strengthens the abdominal muscles.
So how can we be still ?
Read Isaiah 30:15 - ‘in quietness and rest shall be your strength…’
Read Isaiah 40:31 - ‘But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.’
Like when doing the plank hold exercise, sometimes the hardest thing is hold steady in the waiting.
But it is the strongest thing.
We love a quick fix. To wait, to be still and let God take care of the situation - that is hard.
Yet if we want to be strong we need to learn how to wait.
Can you think of any Bible examples when people did not want to wait ?
Abraham and Sarah promised a son by God.
They took matters into their own hands and a very draining and messy situation followed.
Can you recall a time when you found strength in stillness and in waiting ?
What does it mean to be still ?
It does not mean doing nothing.
Rather its is actively doing something to remind yourself that God is God while you wait.
So you read verses from the Bible to encourageyou and pray (e.g. Psalm 46:10).
Taking matters into our own hands is not strength.
Sometimes the hardest and strongest thing that you can do is be still and let God be God.
Using the analogy of ‘plank hold stillness’, our WAIT strengthens/renews our spiritual muscles.
3- Receive God’s strength in your weakness (“Bench -press your weakness”)
Bench pressing is basically where you lie on an exercise bench and lift a heavy weight on a bar repeatedly.
It strengthens some of your core muscles and you gain more strength in your upper body
as you lift the heavy weight .
Read 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness…’’
"For when I am weak , then I am strong."
Being weak is how we find God’s strength.
Like with this physical exercise, spiritually you only get stronger when you are lifting something
heavier than you are used to. There is no way round it.
You gain endurance when you are pushed a little farther than where you have been.
The WEIGHT strengthens your spiritual muscles
So in situations in life where we feel weak, those are hard moments where God is growing us
and making us stronger.
Moments like when you wake up and you have annoying pain or you get irritated with the traffic.
What can we do with those weak times, hard or heavy moments ?
Just like the heavy weight, lift the moments, the weakness before God.
Weakness is what makes us strong in God.
So lift it up ,raise it up to heaven repeatedly.
You may find that you are becoming stronger in the Lord. You might be tired but you are getting stronger.
As we lean into God, the hard places of our lives become holy places.
Pray and ask God to show you which soul -strengthening exercise you need to work on
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
God wants to make us a stronger version of ourselves.
Maintain the spiritual workout.
You only get stronger when you are lifting something heavier than you are used to.
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Thursday 6th June 2024
Devotional : Spiritual encouragement as we engage in worship to our Lord
Isaiah 29 :13 The Lord says :
“These people come near to Me with their mouth and honour me with their lips,
But their hearts are far from Me.
Their worship of Me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.’’(NIV)
‘Heartfelt Devotion’
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Isaiah prophesies against these people (of Judah).Their worship appears to be right.
But they are worshipping with man-made rules and not from the heart.
They are more focused on appearance rather than attitude.
Imagine a weary yet insistent mother sitting in a park bench. She is speaking to her wilful young child.
The child has done something wrong for which the child needs to apologise :
…’Mother : You should apologise. You know that was not right !
Child : But I don’t want to ! They deserved it !
Mother : That doesn’t matter. You owe them an apology
Child : Fine. Sorry…..’
Now this is not exactly a heartfelt apology. The words appear right.
But there is a harsh tone, contradictory actions and a resistant attitude. All wrong.
These people in this verse treated God like that. For many years, they offered God lip service.
The meaningless words overflowed from proud, uncaring hearts.
Their outward expressions of devotion do not reflect the true condition of their hearts.
Outwardly they worshipped.
Inwardly their hearts remained distant from God, lacking genuine love, reverence and devotion.
They might have sang songs, paid tithes or even confessed, but without the right attitude.
V13c : Their reverence for God is a tradition that is learned by rote - without any regard for its meaning (AMP)
We might ask -
What’s an apology without remorse or repentance ?
What is a gift without a joyful heart or declaring love to God without sincerity ?
How is true worship defined ?
This verse reminds us that true worship is not defined by external ritualsor verbal declarations alone.
The posture of our hearts before God must be right.
In Mark 7 , Jesus quotes this verse - Isaiah 29:13 - as He confronts the religious leaders of his day.
He exposes their hypocrisy. They set aside the commands of God, preferring man-made traditions.
Jesus shows how He values the heart above all else.
This verse reminds us that worship begins in the heart. It encourages us and/or beckons us to ask :
‘Is your heart close to God ?’
Close to God in such a way that you fear Him, you revere Him and you are in awe of who He is ?
This verse encourages us to draw near to God so that we are captured by His heart, love for us.
Our worship should be rooted in genuine love and devotion to God.
It begins in the heart.
It should be a lifestyle for God’s glory.
Let us ask God to draw our hearts closer to Him today than it was yesterday.
THURSDAY 30TH MAY 2024
“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses.
For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us
with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
Romans 8:26-27 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/rom.8.26-27.NKJV
Has anyone ever needed the Holy Spirit to give them strength to overcome an area of weakness in their life?
It would be great to hear some testimonies about when this has happened in your life.
Please take this opportunity to share with us all.
Can anyone name any Characteristics of The Holy Spirit?
‘The Holy Spirit is your Helper.’
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away,
for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you,” (John 16:7).
He helps you to do the Father’s will.
'The Holy Spirit gifts you for ministry.'
‘The Holy Spirit gives us different gifts’
‘There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.
There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord.
God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.
A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice;
to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.
The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing.
He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy.
He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit.
Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages,
while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.
It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts.
He alone decides which gift each person should have,’
(1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
‘The Holy Spirit imparts love.’
‘Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame,
because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us,’
(Romans 5:3-5).
‘The Holy Spirit gives hope.’
‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit
you may abound in hope,’ Romans 15:13.
‘The Holy Spirit teaches and gives insight.’
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things and
bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you,” (John 14:26).
‘The Holy Spirit guides your prayers.’
‘Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought,
but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words,’
(Romans 8:26).
‘The Holy Spirit uses you for evangelism.’
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth,” (Acts 1:8).
‘The Holy Spirit bears fruit in our lives’
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control. Against such there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/gal.5.22-23.NKJV
Today, I’d like us to spend some time in prayer interceding for those who we know that are suffering :
physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually.
THURSDAY 23RD MAY 2024
Lord, help us learn that we do not press on toward our goal by our own effort but through prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Apart from You, we can do nothing. Work in us today, we pray. Amen!
The great story of redemption has, from the beginning, been a work of our God :
Planned by the Father, accomplished by the Son, & applied by the Holy Spirit.
Parallels & contrasts are evident between the Feast of Pentecost in the New Testament &
the Feast of Weeks in the Old Testament. The Feast of Weeks is the same feast that the disciples observed in the New Testament, known as the Feast of Pentecost.
At the first Feast of Weeks, God provided the Law. God had given the children of Israel freedom from bondage & slavery, so He then gave them the Law to provide guidelines for daily living.
When they were living as slaves they were told to do by their Egyptian masters,
in their new-found freedom they needed guidance from their new Master, the Lord God of Heaven.
Take note that God gave them freedom from slavery, before He gave them the Law.
Keeping the Law was not conditional in order for them to receive their freedom;
it was rather a response to God’s Grace in setting them free.
At the first Feast of Pentecost in the New Testament, God provided His Holy Spirit for guidance.
The Feast of Weeks/Pentecost celebrates God’s provisions for life. This feast is observed during the time of the wheat harvest, a major provision of the Lord.
In Leviticus 23:15-16 God told the Jews :
“You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day when you brought
in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete Sabbaths.
You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath;
then you shall present a new grain offering to the Lord.”
According to these verses in Leviticus, the Jews were commanded to start counting fifty days
from the day of the Feast of the Firstfruits to the next feast, the Feast of Weeks/Pentecost.
During the forty-nine days of this count, which they call “the counting of the omer,”
the wheat crop is in the ripening process.
By the end of the omer count, the crop is ready for harvest, & the firstfruits of the wheat crop
can be brought to the temple for Pentecost on the fiftieth day.
“Shauvot,” the Hebrew name for this Feast means “seven weeks.”
This concludes the festival season, which began at Passover.
Just as Firstfruits celebrate the ripening of the barley crop,
Shauvot celebrates the ripening of the wheat crop.
The Remembrances All of the Feasts have a significance in history.
The Feast of Passover is a remembrance of the slaying of the Passover Lamb.
The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt.
The Feast of Weeks is a remembrance of the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai.
The seventh day after Passover, according to the tradition, reminds the Jews of
the crossing of the Red Sea.
The counting of the omer is regarded as a remembrance of the intervening days
between the Exodus from Egypt & the revelation at Mount Sinai.
That is why the Feast of Weeks became known as the anniversary of God’s appearance at Mount Sinai. On the first Feast of Weeks, signs & wonders accompanied the giving of the Law.
We read in Exodus 20:18 : ‘All the people perceived the thunder & the lightning flashes & the sound of the trumpet & the mountain smoking; & when the people saw it they trembled & stood at a distance.’
Thomas Lancaster, Pastor of Beth Immanuel Sabbath Fellowship in Winconsin,
talks about the Midrash - an expansive Jewish Biblical exegesis using rabbinic mode of interpretation prominent in the Talmud.
The Talmud is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism &
the primary source of Jewish religious law & theology.
This makes mention of what took place at the Feast of Weeks when the children of Israel
heard the voice of God giving the Law from Mount Sinai.
He states that according to the Midrash, a collection of Jewish oral traditions of historical events,
the people in the camp saw sound waves in the form of fiery substances.
Each commandment, as it left God’s mouth, circled the whole camp &
eventually rested on each Jew personally.
He also noted from the Midrash that the people heard God’s voice in many different languages.
Exodus 19:16 makes mention of this in the following way :
‘So it came about on the third day, when it was morning,
that there were thunder & lightning flashes & a thick cloud upon the mountain &
a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.’
The parallels are quite fascinating when we read Acts 2:2-6 :
‘And suddenly there came from Heaven, a noise like a violent rushing wind,
& it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves,
& they rested on each one of them.
And they were filled with the Holy Spirit & began to speak with other tongues,
as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.
And when the sound occurred, the crowd came together, & were bewildered
because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language.’
We cannot prove that everything recorded in the Midrash happened, but it is possible that all the people who were in the Upper Room in Acts 2 were familiar with these events.
They could make the connection between the Feast of Weeks &
their present experience on the day of Pentecost as God working through signs & wonders.
The Filling of The Spirit
The concept of the filling of the Spirit in Greek comes from two different words for the process.
In Ephesians 5:18 the Greek word for filling is ‘Pleroo,’ which implies the notion of growth to maturity
or being moulded by the Word of God.
If we compare Ephesians 5:18 to Colossians 3:16, which discusses the same subject
we can see that ‘be filled with the Spirit’ uses the same word as used when it says
‘Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you.’
These are written in the present continuous tense, so they both relate to ongoing processes
or experiences.
So they could literally say ‘Keep on being filled with the Spirit’ or
‘Let the word of Christ continue to richly dwell within you.’
On the other hand, ‘pimplemi’ in Acts 2:4 indicates a singular use.
This implies being empowered for a specific work or service.
Today since the Holy Spirit dwells in us as believers in Jesus,
we can be empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfil our respective ministries.
So the Holy Spirit is fulfilling two major things within us :
empowering & equipping us for acts of service & maturing us.
When the people rebelled & had Aaron fashion a golden calf for them to worship in Exodus 32
as they thought Moses was taking too long to come down from Mount Sinai
we read in Exodus 32:28 that three thousand men died that day when the Law was given.
By way of contrast in Acts 2:41 we read that three thousand people were saved
on the day the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost.
What a contrast!
The Law brought death, while the Spirit brought life! The Spirit still brings life today.
It is also interesting to note that the entire Godhead was involved in the fulfilling of the spring feasts.
The Father honoured & fulfilled the Feast of Firstfruits by raising Christ up from the death & the grave.
The Holy Spirit honoured & fulfilled the Feast of Weeks/Pentecost by His descent fifty days
after the Resurrection of Christ.
The Law brought death, but the Spirit brought life.
That remains the same truth that we experience today.
Life, real life, is walking hand-in-hand with Him by living & being filled continually by the Holy Spirit
just as the first followers of The Way were on the Day of Pentecost that we read about in Acts 2.
We too can continually be equipped & empowered by the Spirit & continually be matured believers.
Throughout the Old Testament, it was mainly the Father who was centre stage.
When Jesus, the Son, came to live on earth, He was at the front of the stage.
When Jesus ascended into Heaven, the Holy Spirit steps into the spotlight.
‘When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind,
and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues,
as the Spirit gave them utterance.’
Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV)
The Father sent the Son, & the Father & the Son sent the Holy Spirit.
God Himself now dwells in the hearts of us as His children
through the pouring out of His Holy Spirit.
Pastor Philip mentioned this from the Scripture verse Romans 5:5 on Sunday morning.
‘Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts
by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.’
Romans 5:5 (NKJV)
Christ has made His dwelling place in us because He has poured His Spirit into our hearts.
Can anyone think about a place in the Old Testament where the New Covenant is mentioned?
The New Covenant, promised in Ezekiel 36:26-27 :-
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;
I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes,
and you will keep My judgments and do them.”
Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NKJV)
The New Covenant was also promised in Jeremiah 31:31-34 :-
““Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord.
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord:
I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God,
and they shall be My people.
No more shall every man teach his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord.
For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.””
Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NKJV)
This was fulfilled at Pentecost.
It accomplished what the Old Covenant could not, holiness of life that was made possible
because the Holy Spirit now dwells in our hearts as believers in Christ.
And the Holy Spirit does not only dwell in individual believers in Jesus,
but the Spirit dwells in the corporate people of God.
“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners,
but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together
for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”
Ephesians 2:19-22 (NKJV)
What significance do these verses have for you?
That which the Spirit builds, He also fills.
The dwelling of God is no longer only with us as His people, but also in us as His people.
And that means that He resides in your heart & in mine! Wow!
(Turning Point with Dr David Jeremiah)
‘Perhaps it happened to someone you know:
a radical transformation after meeting Jesus Christ.
Every life changes, but sometimes the change is so dramatic
that it’s like the person was, well, born again -
like the apostle Paul who went from murderous persecutor to missionary apostle.
Nowhere was that change more evident than in the band of Christ’s disciples.
Before Pentecost they were fearful; after Pentecost they were fearless.
What happened at Pentecost?
The fulfilment of Jesus’ promise to them:
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you shall be witnesses to Me...to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
The Holy Spirit filled the disciples and empowered them to live as bold witnesses for Christ.
One of those disciples, Peter, in his second letter wrote that :-
‘His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.’
2 Peter 1:3 (NKJV)
If you are Christ’s today, you have power by the Spirit.
You can do all things through Him.
The Apostle Paul stated it in this way in Philippians 4:13 :-
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13 NKJV
‘When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind,
and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues,
as the Spirit gave them utterance.’
Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV)
How would you describe Pentecost?
Pentecost was not a calm and serene experience .
Men and women were seized, gripped and overshadowed by the mighty power of God.
A mighty sound out of heaven
A strong rushing wind
The house filled and shook
A tongue of fire sat upon each one of them
A new gifts of speech and language were given
The Holy Spirit came first in sound, wind, fire, shaking, and speaking unlearned languages.
The challenge for us all today is this :-
Am I - are you - brave enough to ask the Holy Spirit for fresh filling today?
Are we willing to stay in one place long enough for this to happen?
We often sing the following words :-
‘To be in Your Presence
To sit at Your feet
Where Your Love surrounds me
And makes me complete.
This is my desire, O Lord
This is my desire
This is my desire, O Lord
This is my desire.
To rest in Your Presence
Not rushing away
To cherish each moment
Here I would stay.
This is my desire, O Lord
This is my desire
This is my desire, O Lord
This is my desire.’
As our response this morning, let’s be intentional to do this through singing the following two songs :-
‘There Must Be More Than This (Consuming Fire)’ & ‘He is the Lord & He Reigns on High.’
THURSDAY 16th MAY 2024
THURSDAY 9th MAY 2024
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Psalm 91 is a wonderful depiction of God's love and care.
As we have been reminded in verse 1, we have to be intentional about abiding / dwelling in the ‘shelter of the Most High’.
As we trust and stay in relationship with God in Christ Jesus, His love and power is our source of safety.
REVIEW :In previous studies we unpacked :
***Verses 1-4 : God is our refuge.
Observe the names of God (vv. 1-2) and the vivid imagery of the protection God provides (vv. 3-4)
***Verses 5-13 : God will protect His people.
Observe some of the fears mentioned. We are not to fear because God is with us night and day. (vv. 5-6).
<<<<<Today, we will ‘dig deeper’ into verses 14-16 (read Psalm 91)>>>>>
***Verses 14-16 : God’s people have a relationship with Him.
Observe that the Lord ‘Most High’ is speaking. Look at the assurances/promises that the LORD makes. (vv. 14-16)
What are some promises the Lord makes to the godly/the person who loves Him ?
God will rescue. God will protect. God will answer, honour, show His salvation.
So God will either spare us from dangerous circumstances or He will bring us through the danger.
>There is no need to fear for in Christ we cannot fall (vv. 5-10), and He cannot fail (vv.1-4).
The Almighty himself speaks. There is a tone and theme of intimacy with God.
V.14 in the NKJV : ‘Because he has ‘SET HIS LOVE’ upon Me, therefore I will set him on high,
because he has ‘KNOWN MY NAME’.’
—‘Set His love’ has the idea of being attached to, to cling, have a delight.
—‘Known my name’ - the word ‘to know’ (Hebrew ‘yada’) refers to a close intimacy with God
that enables you to trust God and at the same time perceive what He is doing.
What does it mean to know God intimately?
To understand and experience the essence of who He is - His character, attributes, and nature.
This comes out of developing a deeper and personal relationship with God.
1 John 4:19 (The Living Bible) says, “so you see, our love for Him comes as a result of His loving us first.”
Intimacy with God is a two- way relationship. Look at some of the pronouns being used for example :
“HE will call on ME..I will rescue HIM..I will protect HIM for HE knows MY name.’ (v.14).
How is God's love seen in action here ? God shows you His love by these blessings :
Verse 14 - rescuing and protecting His people.
It does not mean that Christians never get sick or die. We live in a broken world.
You can rest in His love rather than fear because He rescues and protects.
Verse 15 - answering the prayers of those who are dwelling in His presence (in relationship)
God gives His children 24/7 access to His throne room.
The reminder is that God answers with ‘yes’, ‘no’, or ‘wait.’
Verse 16 - giving eternal life to those who are in relationship with Him.
The truth is this is God's greatest gift to all Christians.
The most urgent deliverance man needs is from the ultimate danger of separation from God forever.
In John 10:28, Jesus says to those who belong to Him: (AMP)
“And I give them eternal life , and they will never ,ever perish ; and no one will ever snatch them out of My hand.”
What that means is that even when you are ill or you die, you are still in God's hands.
It is God who has made you righteous in Christ Jesus. You are justified ,forgiven and you have life in Christ Jesus.
Either way, you are a winner!
So God's promises are to be viewed with eternity in mind.
“Doctors may aim to add years to your life. God adds life to your years and makes that life worthwhile.” (W.Wiersbe).
SUMMARY :
As you look over this psalm, take note of all the things it says God will do (promises) :
- He will deliver you (verse 3); He will cover you (verse 4).
- It will not come near you - God is with you no matter how bad life gets (verse 7).
- Evil shall not be allowed to befall you (verse 10).
- He will command His angels to guard you (verse 11).
- I will deliver you (verse 14); I will protect you (verse 14).
- I will answer you (verse 15); I will be with you (verse 15).
- I will rescue you (verse 15); I will honour you (verse 15).
- I will satisfy you with long life (verse 16); I will show you my salvation (verse 16).
You may look at such promises and question ‘does God really do that?’
Consider that God will cause even seemingly bad things which happen to us to accomplish good,
in our lives or the lives of others.
Our responsibility is to strive for greater intimacy with God our Father.
Then we can embrace the transformative power of these promises.
_______________________________________________________________________
THURSDAY 2nd MAY 2024
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Psalm 91 addresses the theme of the dangers of life. The world can be a threatening place. Dangers in life are real.
A few weeks ago, we discussed the first four verses (1-4) of Psalm 91.
We saw that when we abide or stay in God's presence, we are maintaining intimate relationship,
close communion with God our Father through Jesus Christ.
There is the promise of protection and security for the Christian who dwells in the ‘shelter of the Most High’.
It is personal- ‘my refuge, my fortress…under His wings, YOU will find refuge..’
It is the source of our safety - His love and power keeping us as we trust in Him.
Theologian’s quote : ‘We cannot rest in God until we nest in God.
To nest is to settle/abide.’
FOCUS VERSES : Psalm 91:5-13 (read)
The emphasis on these verses is that the Lord and His angels watch over us.
>Verses 5-8 : what are some fears mentioned here ? Terror of night, pestilence, plagues, the wicked.
“Do not fear”- is one of the repeated commands in the whole Bible.
What are some reasons why we are not fear from theses verses?
We are not to fear as a Christian because :
Vv.3-4 : God covers us with His wings. This is wonderful imagery of a mother bird protecting her children.
This is exactly what God did for us by sending Jesus to die in our place.
Vv 5-6 : God is with you night and day ( refer to Psalm 121:3-6 ). God is always at work.
He stays awake at nights which means you don't have to... worrying about circumstances of life.
He is present with you as you go about your day’s activities.
Vv 7-8 : God is with you no matter how bad life gets. The relationship we have as Christians with God is so special.
It can be described like a Father/child family relationship.
Whether a thousand or more things are happening to you, God is there in this special way still loving you and protecting you.
>Verses 9-13 : we are to put our confidence and look to God for protection.
What are some promises the psalmist mentions here?
ADDITIONAL PROMISES for you as you abide under the shadow of the Almighty :
*No harm will overtake you (vv. 9-10) when you are in Christ, dwelling in the shadow of the Almighty,
no disaster will come near you ;
*His angels will guard you in ALL your ways (vv. 11-12). This is like God's personal security team for you.
*You have God's power over the enemy (v13).’ Lions and cobras, dangerous enemies, are images of Satan.
The enemy’s aim is to steal, kill and destroy. Knowing that you are safe in God's care, you need not fear.
You can boldly confront and trample ‘lions and cobras’ or danger.
God's means of PROTECTING US us are so much greater than Satan's means of OPPOSING US.
PLEASE NOTE : God promises protection from harm, not foolishness.
We can sometimes be foolish and use these promises to test the Lord.
In Matthew 4:5-7 (read ), Jesus defeats Satan in the wilderness. Satan misused these verses 11-12
by saying ‘if you are the Son of God, throw yourself down….’( something the Father never commanded).
So don't be foolish and test the Lord ( Jesus counters with Deuteronomy 6:16 !)
Do you think sometimes these promises appear to be unrealistic ?
God's promises are not limited to this life.
If we limit theses promises to this life, we will tend to think that ‘toe-stubbing’ for example is never part of the Christian’s lot.
We will tend to think falsely that Christians do not suffer or get ill. We know this is not true.
So yes we will stumble BUT not fall. Yes we will have trials BUT triumph because we are in God's faithful care.
**You need to look ahead , keep eternity in mind when you are in your ‘Gethsemane of suffering’.
Jesus was focused in His suffering on doing the Father's will.
**When you are in Christ, no matter what happens God is with you. God is taking care of you.
**Keep looking to Him - the Most High, the Almighty, “my refuge and my fortress”
as you allow His will, not yours, to be done.
_______________________________________________________________________________
THURSDAY 25TH APRIL 2024
Winning the Battle for Your Mind (2)
“THEREFORE, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus,
who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit. [John 3:18.]”
Romans 8:1 (AMPC)
https://www.bible.com/8/rom.8.1.ampc
Don’t receive condemnation when you have setbacks or bad days.Each of us will fail at times, as we are all human!
The devil will try his hardest to stop you in this area of renewing your mind.
He knows that he is no longer in control, when you choose right thoughts & reject wrong thoughts.
Note Before : There is a difference between conviction of sin & condemnation.
Conviction of sin comes from the Holy Spirit & will guide you into all truth.
Condemnation will make you feel like a failure & result in you feeling guilty, this comes from the devil.
Smith-Wigglesworth stated it in this way :-
‘Condemnation leads to self loathing and is a general feeling of unworthiness. It is a religious spirit.
Conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit, it is always specific regarding the thing that was done and
points to the blood of Jesus.
The difference between the two is worlds apart.’
Or Lance Wallnau said it in a slightly different way :-
‘Conviction feels different than condemnation. The latter makes you feel self-contempt.
Conviction makes you feel like “You are called to more than this.”
This truth. For me. For you.
Our Lord doesn’t whisper shameful condemnations.
Spiritual convictions, yes.
Personal condemnations, no.
May His voice drown out all of the other voices in our lives right now—including our own.
May we hear Him clearly above all the noise.
And may He help us discern between His convictions and the devil’s condemnations.
When you do fail, it does not mean that you are a failure.
Satan again is trying to bring you down.
The sons of Korah were well aware of this & mention it in Psalm 42 :-
“Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me?
Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, my Help and my God.
O my God, my life is cast down upon me [and I find the burden more than I can bear];
therefore will I [earnestly] remember You from the land of the Jordan [River] and the [summits of Mount] Hermon,
from the little mountain Mizar. [Roaring] deep calls to [roaring] deep at the thunder of Your waterspouts;
all Your breakers and Your rolling waves have gone over me.
Yet the Lord will command His loving-kindness in the daytime,
and in the night His song shall be with me, a prayer to the God of my life.”
Psalm 42:5-8 (AMPC)
https://www.bible.com/8/psa.42.5-8.ampc
What can we learn from this Psalm of the sons of Korah? How did they handle discouragement?
When they were feeling discouraged they remembered God. So can we.
They praised God. So can we.
They remember how God had helped them previously. So can we.
This gave them hope in difficult times. So it should also give us hope.
They remembered the command of the loving-kindness of God in the daytime. So can we.
God’s Song was with them during the night, like a prayer to them.
His Song can also be with us during the night like a prayer to us.
The Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians, while he was isolated in prison. Often it is called the letter or epistle of ‘joy.’
The first chapter contains these encouraging words in verses 3-6 :-
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.
In every prayer of mine I always make my entreaty and petition for you all with joy (delight).
[I thank my God] for your fellowship (your sympathetic cooperation and contributions and partnership)
in advancing the good news (the Gospel) from the first day [you heard it] until now.
And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue
until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return],
developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.”
Philippians 1:3-6 (AMPC)
https://www.bible.com/8/php.1.3-6.ampc
How can in prison & yet at the same time be so full of joy?
Paul thanks God when he remembers the Philippian believers.
We should remember each other & give thanks to God for each other too.
He looks forward to the day of Jesus Christ.
Why is Paul thankful for the Philippian believers?
Because they co-operated & partnered with him in the sharing & spreading of the Gospel.
We also partner & work together to share the Gospel.
God began a good work in them & would carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
God has begun a good work in each one of us too. He will fulfil His promises & purposes in our lives too.
What He has said, that He will do!
“Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs],
but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude],
so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God,
even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].”
Romans 12:2 (AMPC)
https://www.bible.com/8/rom.12.2.ampc
How can our minds be transformed to God’s way of thinking?
Our thinking needs to change & this results in new ideals & attitudes.
This will in turn enable us to form good habits, rather than continuing in bad habits.
By developing better habits this will have a positive impact on our behaviour & eventually our lifestyle as well.
How is it possible for us to prove what the good, acceptable, perfect will of God is for us?
Jesus has made this transformation possible by His death & resurrection.
When we trust in Him as our Lord & Saviour, He helps us to accomplish this.
I’m often reminded of an illustration that I heard about a caterpillar.
A caterpillar is earthbound & crawls about on the ground.
(I have fond recollections as a young child of reading the book
‘The very hungry caterpillar’ - but that’s beside the point!)
Until the caterpillar dies to self it cannot change. It will always remain earth-bound.
Yet its destiny is to fly in the sky.
Therefore it has to go into a chrysalis for a period of time & later break out of this mould before it becomes a butterfly.
Then it has wings & can fly in the sky. Its destination has changed. It is no longer earth-bound.
It is now heaven-bound or homeward bound (but not like in the song by Simon & Garfunkel!)
Someone has likened it to Jesus when He lived on earth (earth-bound for a while),
died & was buried (like in a chrysalis), & broke & defeated the powers of death & hell through His resurrection.
Then He ascended into heaven (like emerging transformed like a butterfly in some ways, heaven-bound).
When we become Christians we are then heaven-bound.
We are citizens of heaven.
Heaven is our true home & one day we will go there to be with Jesus,
if we have accepted Him as our own personal Lord & Saviour while we are citizens here on earth.
Another enemy to our mind which we need to engage in constant combat or battle against is ‘fear.’
The Apostle Paul writes the following verse to his son in the faith, Timothy :-
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear),
but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.”
2 Timothy 1:7 (AMPC)
https://www.bible.com/8/2ti.1.7.ampc
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
https://www.bible.com/114/2ti.1.7.nkjv
Elisabeth Elliot once said this, ‘Fear arises when we imagine that everything depends on us.’
Ann Voskamp once defined it in this way :-
‘Fear of missing out can drive you into a life that misses out on what matters.
Let go of the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) for the Joy Of Connecting Often (JOCO).
Joy of Connecting Often (JOCO) is greater than Fear of Missing Out (FOMO).’
A useful acronym for FEAR, we heard mentioned many times when we were at
Kingdom Faith Training College, Roffey was this :-
‘False
Expectations
Appearing
Real.’
How does fear adversely affect us?
Fear would try to paralyse us.
Fear would try to make us timid.
Fear would try to make us believe that the worst case scenario imaginable will happen to us personally.
Whereas, statistics have proven that only 90% of things that can go wrong will actually go wrong.
Or we could choose an alternative, more positive acronym. The one based on FAITH :-
‘Forsaking
All
I
Trust
Him.’
Or someone else described the acronym for FAITH in this way :-
‘Forwarding
All
Issues
To
Heaven.’
What does this faith look like in practice?
The Holy Spirit gives us His power.
The Holy Spirit gives us His love.
The Holy Spirit gives us a sound or well-balanced mind.
A mind that is calm, disciplined & self-controlled.
In summary :-
We can be convicted of sin & this is from the Holy Spirit.
We are not condemned, as this is from the devil.
We can fail at times, but we are not failures.
We can remember God’s faithfulness & loving-kindness to us.
Therefore, we can continue to have hope.
We can have joy because of Jesus.
We can give thanks to God for each other.
We continue to partner together in sharing the Gospel.
We can know Jesus as our own personal Lord & Saviour.
We can be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
We can be assured that our destiny/our citizenship is in heaven.
With God’s help we can train our thinking.
We do not have to live in fear. We can live in faith.
The Holy Spirit enables us to live empowered, in His love & with a sound, well-balanced mind.
That means we can have minds that are calm, disciplined & self-controlled.
Again, remember think about what you’re thinking about.
A Scripture verse for us to declare over ourselves, as we close this morning’s Bible Study :-
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
https://www.bible.com/114/2ti.1.7.nkjv
Our closing prayer :-
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.
In every prayer of mine I always make my entreaty and petition for you all with joy (delight).
[I thank my God] for your fellowship (your sympathetic cooperation and contributions and partnership)
in advancing the good news (the Gospel) from the first day [you heard it] until now.
And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you
will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return],
developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.”
Philippians 1:3-6 (AMPC)
https://www.bible.com/8/php.1.3-6.ampc
THURSDAY 18TH APRIL 2024
Winning the Battle for Your Mind (1)
‘For the weapons of our warfare are not physical (weapons of flesh & blood),
but they are mighty before God for the overthrow & destruction of strongholds, (inasmuch as we) refute arguments
& theories & reasonings & every proud & lofty thing that sets itself up against the (true) knowledge of God;
& we lead every thought captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),’ 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (Amp.)
Through careful strategy & cunning deceit, Satan attempts to set up ‘strongholds’ in our minds.
A stronghold is an area in which we are held like a prisoner or captive in prison due to a certain way of thinking.
In this passage the Apostle Paul tells us that we have the weapons that we need to overcome Satan’s strongholds.
So what weapons do we readily have at our disposal, in order to overcome Satan’s ‘strongholds’?
First of all, a weapon which Paul clearly defines for us is :-
That we must know the Word of God well enough to be able to compare what is in our mind with what is in the mind of God;
and thoughts that attempt to exalt themselves above the Word of God we are to cast down &
bring into the captivity of Jesus Christ.
Other ‘weapons’ we can effectively make use of are :-
The Word of God received through preaching, teaching, private & public Bible Study.
Two other weapons available for us to use are praise & prayer.
A good example of both of these can be found in 2 Chronicles 20, which I recommend that you look through
in greater detail to carefully consider & study its content later on today.
Another verse to consider relating to the impact of prayer is 2 Chronicles 7:14.
The mind is the starting block where everything begins - whether negative or positive thoughts - are formulated there.
Romans 8:5 makes it clear, ‘For those who are according to the flesh & are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on &
pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit & are controlled
by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on & seek those things which gratify the Holy Spirit.’
So what is most dominant in your thinking & in mine?
Negative thinking? or Positive thinking?
Let me briefly give a personal example, to help us understand this in more detail :-
Several years ago, I studied & gained a Counselling Certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
Basically how you think affects the way in which you behave.
It can be summed up by the following pattern :-
If you think negatively, it can become a negative attitude,
then that negative attitude becomes a negative habit &
then that negative habit becomes a negative lifestyle!
This results in speaking negative words over yourself & others.
Then bad things may start to happen & it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of doom & gloom.
It’s like you set yourself up to fail!
Whereas, if you think positively, it can become a positive attitude,
then that positive attitude becomes a positive habit &
then that positive habit becomes a positive lifestyle.
You speak positive words over yourself & others.
Your actions &/or behaviour becomes positive as well.
Does anyone have a testimony of how their thinking has either had a positive or negative effect upon their behaviour?
“Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice! [Ps. 37:4.]
Let all men know and perceive and recognise your unselfishness
(your considerateness, your forbearing spirit). The Lord is near [He is coming soon].
Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything,
by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.
And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ,
and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace]
which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honourable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious,
if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me,
and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.”
Philippians 4:4-9 AMPC
https://www.bible.com/8/php.4.4-9.ampc
What positive things can we focus our minds on from this passage?
To rejoice in the Lord always. Joy is not based on our circumstances.
Whereas, happiness depends on what happens.
Having an unselfish, considerate, forbearing spirit.
The fact that the Lord is coming again soon.
To delight ourselves in the Lord.
To gladden our hearts in Him.
Through prayer & petition God gives us His peace which passes all understanding & is ours through
our personal relationship of knowing Jesus Christ as Lord & Saviour.
(That peace is like a garrison or as secure as the Beefeater guards posted as sentries at Buckingham Palace,
protecting the King of England).
Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
What negative things are mentioned in this passage?
Fretting
Being anxious
How can they be resolved/overcome?
Through prayer & petition, resulting in peace.
Peace or ‘Shalom’ meaning total well-being, wholeness, peace that passes all understanding.
A thought check (based on Philippians 4:8).
Is what I’m thinking about :-
True?
Noble?
Just?
Pure?
Lovely?
Of good report?
Virtuous?
Praiseworthy?
If no, STOP & think about something else.
Train your thoughts.
A few examples of Scriptures you can choose to to meditate on are as follows :-
Romans 8:1-8
Romans 12:1-2
Philippians 4:8
2 Corinthians 10:1-5
Colossians 3:1-3.
What is achieved by focusing on Scripture?
We are not condemned.
We are set free from the law of sin & death.
When our minds are controlled by the Holy Spirit, we know true life & peace (total well-being, wholeness).
We are not conformed to the patterns of this world.
We are transformed by the renewing of our minds.
We can focus on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous & praiseworthy.
We can use the weapons we have have been given by God to demolish strongholds.
We can set our minds on things above.
We have the mind of Christ.
Someone once phrased it in this way :-
‘Fill your mind with God’s Word & you won’t have room for Satan’s lies!’
May the voice of the Lord drown out
all of the other voices in our lives right now—including our own.
May we hear Him clearly above all the noise.
And may He help us discern between His convictions and the devil’s condemnations.
Jesus said, “If you abide in My Word (hold fast to My teachings & live in accordance with them), you are truly My disciples.
And you will know the Truth, & the Truth will set you free,” John 8:31-32.
Jesus Himself is The Way, The Truth, & The Life (John 14:6, tells us this fact).
‘For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin, no matter how it comes or where it leads) has overtaken you &
laid hold on you that is not common to man (that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance & that is not adjusted & adapted & belonging to the human experience, & such a man can bear).
But God is faithful (to His Word & to His compassionate nature), & He (can be trusted) not to let you be tempted & tried
& assayed beyond your ability & strength of resistance & power to endure,
but with the temptation He will (always) also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place),
that you may be capable & strong & powerful to bear up under it patiently,’
1 Corinthians 10:13.
So what is God doing throughout this process?
God doesn’t abandon us & leave us helpless. God is faithful to us & is there with us.
He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear, but with every temptation He will also provide the way out
&/or the means of escape.
God is building up our resilience levels & prompting us to listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit who will lead us into all truth.
In summary :-
So remember to think about what you are thinking about!
Fill your minds with Scripture.
Fill your mouths with Scripture & declare those words over yourself & others.
This will take time, as positive thinking & habits don’t just happen overnight!
Be encouraged & learn Scriptures to build yourselves & others up.
A closing Scripture to encourage our hearts & minds :-
“THEREFORE, SINCE we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith,
let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favour)
in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God.
Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings,
knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.
And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity).
And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.
Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out
in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.”
Romans 5:1-5 AMPC
https://www.bible.com/8/rom.5.1-5.ampc
THURSDAY 11TH APRIL 2024
How to win spiritual battles - Help me with my thoughts!!
One of the ways you can live victoriously is by understanding the power of God’s Word to transform your mind and the way you live. In this study, we'll help you find answers in scripture to common questions about spiritual warfare, the battle for your mind, and how to win these battles.
What does the Bible say about the mind?
In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, Jesus tells opponents that evil thoughts come from the heart, meaning the deepest part of the mind. Their problem was that their thinking was controlled by the “god of this world,” because they did not believe the gospel:
…the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
(2 Corinthians 4:4)
The “god of this world” is Satan, of course.
But as Christians, we have been given a new nature along with the gift of the Holy Spirit, who helps us to assert that new nature as we depend on his power.
So there’s hope!! There’s a solution to a mind whose thoughts are hostile to God, whose thoughts are like everyone else’s thoughts in the “world” with the society’s morals and attitudes. Faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ reconciles us to God, and equips us to overcome ungodly thoughts and beliefs.
You don’t have to stay trapped by thoughts that drag you down in despair, without hope in this world. When you believe the gospel and are set apart to God, the Holy Spirit dwells in you to give you power to change.
The mind can be transformed by renewing the way we think. Romans 12:2 lets us know that our mind can be transformed to live in a deep relationship with God.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
(Romans 12:2)
But I’ve believed the Gospel? Why do I still think the way I do? I’m so frustrated!
The problem is that now there’s a struggle for your mind, called spiritual warfare. It is a battle in which the enemy knows that if he can influence your mind, he can affect your actions. In this spiritual warfare, he seeks to get your focus off of God’s truth so he can sidetrack and destroy your life. Satan wants you to think thoughts contrary to God’s Word.
So how do I protect my mind in spiritual warfare?
You can protect your mind from spiritual warfare when you understand that the battle will come in personal attacks, trust that you have protection from God with the “spiritual armour” listed in Ephesians 6, and which is the focus of our study today.
The primary way Satan attacks us personally is through our mind, our thoughts:
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
(2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
How can I protect my mind?
To help us protect our mind in spiritual warfare, God has given us His spiritual armour. Ephesians 6 describes the components of the armour God has given us to stand strong in spiritual battles.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
Put on the full armour of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Therefore, take up the full armour of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
So, as we dive into our study, let's list quickly the 6 pieces that go together to make the armour of God
The Full Armor of God
Loins girded with truth
Breastplate of righteousness
Feet covered with the shoes of the gospel of peace
Shield of faith
Helmet of salvation
Sword of the Spirit (The Word of God)
As we studied in our group, I asked people to throw out their questions and comments.
You may be asking, “What does it mean to stand firm in spiritual warfare?” or “What are loins girded with truth? I know I like beef sirloin, but I've never seen them on the menu!”
As we shared different ways we'd learned of applying the truths in Ephesians 6 we were very encouraged.
Memorising verses of the Bible to recall when we're under attack was one way.
With helmet of salvation in mind, we talked about the importance of confessing our salvation, including the promise of salvation in the Bible. Proclaiming these truths aloud has particular power.
Claiming the peace that only the Lord can give was also mentioned. This is particularly effective in the face of anxiety.
We agreed that the greatest weapon that is used against us is that of discouragement. With that in mind, we were all really grateful for having been able to meet and be encouraged, just as we pray you find the same encouragement in reading these words.
Chris Herman
THURSDAY 4th APRIL 2024
This is a devotional as we engage in worshipping
the risen Lord and aligning ourselves to His will and kingdom purposes
——————————————————-
PSALM 91 : 1-4 ( Read the whole psalm )
The author ( unknown- some scholars think it's Moses ) writes this psalm as a glowing testimony to the security of those who trust in God. It is like the “9-1-1” you can go to when faced with storms of life !
Dangers of life are real. The world can be a threatening ,dangerous place. The psalmist warns about things like deadly traps of the enemy, pestilence and plagues ( v6 ).Even poisonous snakes and lions are mentioned ( v13) ..perhaps symbolic references to satanic power.
Yet in this psalm we read of God's promises for you - the believer in Jesus Christ. You can take comfort in God's promises because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross and by His resurrection.
Dangers are real. But God's protection is real. His love for you is too great to leave you on your own
FOCUS VERSES 1-4 : the phrase ‘he that dwells’..is key to understanding God's promises. It implies action, becoming intentional to dwelling with God.
What does it mean ‘to dwell’ ? To make one’s home , to abide or live, to take up permanent residence. The psalmist reminds us to stay in His presence ( like we are today in worship ). We are to remain in the relationship where Jesus lives in us by Holy Spirit and we live in Him.
In doing so, you are trusting unreservedly in the great love of God and His power to give you everything you need to do His will and to glorify His name. You are having fellowship and communion with Him ,depending on Him to live an obedient life as you serve Him
> Question to ponder : do you live in God's presence daily or do you visit only on Sundays for about an hour or so ?
The promise of protection and security therefore is for the Christian who dwells in the ‘shelter of the Most High’
It is for the one who can confess / declare ( loudly ) that the Lord is the hope that holds you, your refuge and your fortress.
It is personal : ‘My refuge’ - God gives me shelter, comfort in trouble as I seek to abide in Him.
‘My fortress’ - God is my fortified place of protection for exceptional security where no fear has access to. Fear or trouble cannot come into the fortress
This is the Lord (as in verse 2) who is the covenant -making ,faithful God.
Observe the names of God used here in verses 1-2 :
the ‘Most High’ - describes His supreme authority and sovereignty
the ‘Almighty’ - emphasises His position and unlimited, absolute power and might
the ‘LORD’ ( Yahweh )- emphasises God as eternal, unique , unchangeable and always present
my God - implies your personal recognition of Him as real and true, you are in relationship with Him
These are all great encouragement for you as you stay dwelling in and trust God. He is more than capable of providing sufficient shelter for His people who seek refuge in Him.
Verses 3-4 give vivid imagery of the protection our God provides.
“He will rescue you from every hidden trap of the enemy, and he will protect you from false accusation and any deadly curse.
His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you. You can run under His covering of majesty and hide. His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm.”( TPT )
Another version, the NLT renders verse 4 thus : “He will cover you with His feathers . He will shelter you with His wings .His faithful promises are your armour and protection.”
What a description ! Our God is tender like a mother bird but is also strong and unyielding as battle armour .
And the Christian who abides in the shelter of God will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Picture yourself sitting close to a tree to benefit from its shade when the sun is scorching hot . So we have to position ourselves near to God if we desire His comfort, protection and deliverance
It does not mean bad things will not happen.After all we live in a broken world.Yet like the psalmist here we can place out trust in God.
We can draw nearer to God. We can encounter Him in His holiness through worship and prayer and see His will be done in and through our lives.
———-Amen ———-
________________________________________________________________________________
THURSDAY 21st MARCH 2024
———————————————-
Today we are studying some verses that are related to the theme of ‘The Battle For Your Mind’
We are in a spiritual battle and we have to counter the enemy's attack / lies with truth from God's Word.
Pain and struggles in life are real. We can learn to be honest with God about our feelings ( emotions ).Yet there is the hope we can embrace and declare over the battles we encounter.
The aim today is that we will all be reminded and encouraged to confess and declare verses from the God's Word as the spiritual battle continues.
Read Lamentations 3 :19-25
The verses 22-24 are ‘like an island of hope in an ocean of despair’. They are in the centre of the five chapters of the book.The book is considered a poem of lament
In this book the writer (?Jeremiah ) describes one of the darkest periods in all ancient Biblical history.The Babylonians ( in 586 B.C.) have come and taken over the city of Jerusalem. The temple of God's people is burned, homes are destroyed. Thousands of people living in the city are taken into exile to Babylon. The time 586 BC may not mean much to us , but to the Jews it was like their ‘September 11th’
The writer laments or mourns these atrocities.The book is written out of hard circumstances and hearts heavy with pain
Verses 19-21 :show us how we can process our emotions and thoughts in biblical ways.
How is the writer (or poet ) expressing how he is thinking / feeling ? He is remembering (or asking the Lord to remember) his affliction and wanderings
He uses words like - affliction : this can mean misery, sickness, injustice or trouble
- wanderings : this could refer to their homelessness.It could mean being restless. So it's about feeling lost
Have you ever felt lost where you have no idea what to do with your life, where it's headed or where you belong ?
Observe the imagery shown by the use of the words ‘bitterness (or in some versions
‘wormwood’ ) and gall’.
Wormwood was an unpleasant substance which could make you sick.Gall is a bitter or even poisonous substance
So this is like saying the situation you have been handed is too hard for you to swallow…
It's too bitter…beyond words !!
When we have those feelings, what is our typical response /natural instinct ?
Verse 20 - captures the response perfectly. The writer ‘continually remembers these negative things and his soul is bowed down.’ He is stuck in a negative thought pattern
It is interesting what the mind remembers : so many of the negative thoughts ( intrusive thoughts )we have and those negative feelings that we repetitively think about ( ruminating )
How do you deal with these negative thoughts which can lead to strong emotions ?
Verses 21-24 : The writer / poet intentionally takes actions against these unhealthy thought patterns.
V21- he begins to ‘call to mind’ what is true. Hope springs up as he recalls deliberately the times when things worked out because of the faithfulness of God in the past. This is what we need to do too
Recall hope , love , mercy faithfulness. In the midst of hardship we have an example here of the things to think about
Vv 22-24 :he confesses / declares truth : (NLT) “The faithful love of the Lord never ends ! His mercies never cease.Great is His faithfulness ; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my inheritance ( share ); therefore I hope in Him !”
The steadfast love of the Lord never left. It has always been there even in the worst of times.
The writer interjects eternal Truth into his temporary circumstances
David recalled past victories of the Lord as one of the ways to overcome / unlearn fear.
Read 1 Samuel 17: 33-37 - declare verse 37
Response :
Dealing with our emotions in Biblical ways is not easy. Yet it is so good
Remind yourself of how God has walked with you in very tough times in the past. And you can trust Him to be faithful again
Loudly declare (favourite ) Bible verses to help refocus your anxious, negative thoughts. So you begin to think new thoughts instead of worrying thoughts
Make them personal, e.g. Verses 24 and 25, Isaiah 26:3-4 ( read ) - you can say, ‘God I will remain in perfect peace because my mind is (my thoughts are ) fixed on You. I will trust in You always for the Lord God is my eternal Rock’
Don't let lies steal your peace .“When we set our minds on the TRUTHS of God, we have direct and immediate access to the PEACE of God” ( Lysa Terkeurst )
____________________________________________________________
THURSDAY 14th MARCH 2024
—————————————————
We are continuing our study on the theme ‘The Battle For Your Mind’
In February, we studied the topic of ‘Fear’.
We studied the familiar narrative of David and Goliath from 1 Samuel 17. We considered how fear works and how it can be conquered or defeated ( refer to ‘Bible Study’ on website churchlanzarote.com
Fear intimidates - it can have a frightening or threatening effect
Fear debilitates -it hinders and make you weak
Fear breeds squabbling - argue over something in anger
(like a stressful environment—>perceived threat—>frustration—>lead to verbal / physical aggression)
Fear requires conquering ( taking control of )
Definition: what dose it mean to be afraid ? It can be defined as a distressing emotion aroused by impending threat or danger, pain, ,etc. This threat can be imagined or real. It's one of the most paralysing of all human emotions. It can rob us of reason and faith
Read 2 Timothy 1:7
As Paul faces imminent death in a Roman dungeon , he writes this letter to Timothy. He is encouraging Timothy to carry on the ministry and faithfully guard the gospel even though there is persecution and suffering
Why ?
‘For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind’(NKJV)
1-What does this verse say ? What are the facts / truths Paul states here as he writes to Timothy
( look up other versions like AMP or NIV )
The Spirit of God has given us a spirit of power, love and sound mind. God has not given us a spirit of fear
2- What does this mean ? What are some lessons we can draw out of this verse ?
It seems that Timothy lacked confidence. And Paul encourages him by this powerful verse so that Timothy can become bold in what God has called him to do. If we are afraid we cannot fulfill God’s plans.
Paul urges Timothy and other believers to embrace God's gift of limitless power, God's gift of love and the gift of a sound mind.
Read 1 John 4:4- “the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world…’ Paul is reminding Timothy that the Spirit of God lives in him so he need not fear.
So the picture here is of boldness - a humble confidence in God ( not ourselves).It is a picture of God giving power to overcome fear ,to consistently love in a world of uncertainty, and to demonstrate self - control, clarity of thought ,when you have no control over the things around you.
God's intention for His people is that we live in confidence and trust and not be paralysed by fear. Fear keeps us from living the life that God has for us
God's power : what does this look like ? It is not just physical strength but a divine power to face difficult times and grow spiritually . In hard times you have God’s strength /power so that you don't retreat in fear
God’s love : this is central to who God is. The Spirit of God produces love through us which changes lives. ‘It's Christ living His life through the believer’? His love enables us to live in His freedom
God gives self -control or a sound mind : The Spirit empowers believers in Christ with clarity and sound judgment / sensible behaviour
3 - What does this verse mean to me now? How can I apply it ?
You can ask yourself ‘what will rule your life and dictate actions ?’ Will it be fear or boldness in God's Word ?
God has so much ‘more’ for you as you serve him.Don’t be satisfied living a safe, timid life.
Use these gifts God has given you
Ask God to give you boldness where you need to be bold.
Dr Caroline Leaf : “Science is finally catching up with the Bible, showing us the proof of …2 Timothy 1:7. For now, rest in the assurance that what God has empowered you to do with your mind is more powerful and effective than any medication, threat, sickness or neurological challenge. The Scripture of 2 Timothy 1:7 is clear on this”
Thank God that He has equipped you ,as the Spirit lives in you, with a spirit of power, love and self- control.
Thank Him that your thoughts, actions and relationships are guided by this empowerment even in the face of fear and difficulties
Thank Him that you can put your confidence in Him who is ever present with you
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THURSDAY 7th MARCH 2024
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This is a devotional to encourage our hearts as we “Meet the Lord in Prayer and Worship”
HEBREWS 4:12
‘For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.’
How important is the Word of God to you ? Does it guide your decisions and influence your words, actions and lifestyle into holy living ?
Today we are reminded just how vital God's Word is to our well- being and spiritual growth
This verse expresses in great detail the power of God's Word. It's alive, active, sharp. Right now we are reading this…this is not a dead word.
It is ‘living and active’ - Scripture penetrates to our very core and sifts through ‘the thoughts and intentions of the heart.’The Word of God actually DOES things..accomplishes things for God's glory as we experience God's gift of life
We need God's Word to show us our hearts - what's wrong spiritually . If we think we can diagnose our spiritual condition on our own, we are fooling ourselves
Often we might try to put up defences or try to justify some ungodly action / behaviour. Sometimes we may even make excuses. God's Word can cut straight through those defences, justifications, excuses or even ignorance to expose what we cannot see.
It can be uncomfortable when the light of God's Word shines in the darkest places of hearts. Yet with the help of Holy Spirit we can face our flaws and failures now rather than when we stand before God to answer for our choices and actions
The purpose of God's Word is to expose our weaknesses so that we acknowledge them.In this way we can be made strong through His truth and promises to us as we saturate ourselves with God's truths and promises.
The beauty and power of Scripture is that it does not only show us our sin.It also enables us to deal with it - cut it away- and leave it behind as you move forward with Jesus
The intention of this sharp “two- edged sword” is not to harm you or punish you. Rather it is to cleans and restore ,to bring healing of wounds. It is for your good and God's glory
Psalm 119:45 - the psalmist says, ‘I will walk with you in complete freedom, for I seek to follow your every command’ ( TPT )
When you follow the example of the psalmist here, you will walk in true freedom wherever you go
Response :
Read , meditate and soak in His words daily. Let God's Word impact your heart and bring change and growth
Confess and declare living truths (from the Bible ) as you resist the enemy like Jesus did and live in His victory
When worshipping, use Scriptures to declare His worth and to keep your focus on Jesus
“God’s Word represents both the incarnate Word ( Jesus ) and the inspired Word ( the Bible ). Let that be the utmost authority for your life.”
(Kelley Brown -Bible teacher )
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THURSDAY 29TH FEBRUARY 2024 Led by Eve Haddow
FREE GIFTs …Alex Haircut/Eve Ralph finding free gifts for Grannies attic in the recycling/ Jew and a Scot free gifts are greatly received
MAIN HEADINGS
Transformation/Salvation & Forgiveness 2 Cor 5 v 17
Eternal Life Romans 6 v 23
Community & Fellowship 1 John 1 v 7
Peace & Comfort John 14 v 27
Access to God Ephesians 3 v 12
Holy Spirit giving purpose and direction Romans 5 v 5
Transformation Salvation and Forgiveness Jesus transforms our hearts and minds. We aim become more like Him, growing in love, kindness, and compassion. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Eternal Life: Appears 41 times in the NT The ultimate benefit is eternal life with God. Following Jesus leads us to an everlasting relationship with Him.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. OT says work for an Everlasting life appears 48 times but no guarantee Yom Kippur Jews strive for everlasting life by living purposefully, practicing kindness, and maintaining a strong connection to their faith and community.
Community and Fellowship: Being part of the body of Christ, we experience community and fellowship with other believers. We are not alone in our faith journey. 1 John 1:7This verse highlights the importance of fellowship among believers in Christ. When we walk in the light, we are able to have true fellowship with one another as we are all connected through our faith in Jesus Christ. This fellowship is also made possible through the cleansing power of Jesus’ blood, which washes away our sins and brings us together in unity and love.
Peace and Comfort: Following Jesus grants us inner peace and comfort. Even in challenging circumstances, we can find solace knowing that He is with us. ……Peace I leave you, my Peace I give to you …..let your hearts not be troubled John 14:27
Access to God: Through Jesus, we have direct access to God. We can approach Him boldly in prayer and experience His love and guidance.
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. Ephesians 3:12 …..in Him and thru Faith in Him we may approach God ….. the apostle Paul reminds us of the incredible gift of salvation that comes from God’s grace. This verse emphasizes that our salvation is not something we can earn through our own efforts or good works. It is a gift freely given by God to those who place their faith in Him.
Holy Spirit giving Purpose and Direction: Jesus gives our lives purpose and direction. We discover our identity and calling as we follow Him. Hope and Joy: Our hope rests in Jesus. His resurrection assures us of victory over death, and His presence fills us with joy.
Romans 5:5 …And Hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the HOLY SPIRT
Time of Prayer and/or Praise in small groups
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THURSDAY 22ND FEBRUARY 2024
PSALM 37 - Part 2
Last week we looked at Psalm 37:1-6, and this week we will look at Psalm 37:7-11
Psalm 37:7-11
These verses follow on from the first 6 that we looked at last week and which we summarized as follows:
DON’T:
fret or be envious
DO:
trust, do good, dwell, enjoy, take delight in the Lord, commit your way to the Lord.
In the following verses we find more “do’s and don’ts”.
After being told to commit our way to the Lord and trust in Him in V.5 and by doing so God, our Vindicator, will clear us of everything we have been accused of falsely, what does David tell us to do next?
V.7 – Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.
This Hebrew word for “be still” here means “do not make a noise” as well as “do not move”. The idea is that we will not speak to vindicate ourselves; we will trust in God us clear us of all blame or suspicion.
What does “wait patiently” actually mean?
Patience is the capacity to tollerate challenges or delays without getting upset.
We have all heard that patience is a virtue, and I’m sure we have all asked God for patience at some point in our Christian lives: “Dear Lord, please give me patience and give it to me NOW!”
In the same verse (V.7) we are told yet again not to fret. This time what are we not to fret over?
When others have success in carrying out their wicked schemes. This is the second time we are exhorted not to get all hot and bothered when the wicked seem to prosper.
Why is this?
The answer is in v.8. David wisely advised the man or woman of God to give up anger, wrath, and fretting. This is STRONG language. What are the differences between these three terms?
Anger: a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility. Wrath: great anger which expresses itself in a desire to punish someone. In the Roman Catholic church, wrath is classed as one of the seven deadly sins.
We often read about the wrath of God. What do we understand about God’s wrath?
The wrath of God is, according to John Stott, “His steady, unrelenting, unremitting, uncompromising antagonism to evil in all its forms and manifestations.”
Then for the third time in 8 verses we are told not to fret (get all hot and bothered), According to David, what does fretting lead to?
Evil!
Strong language!
Anger, wrath and fretting accomplish nothing except harm. They are the opposite of delighting oneself in the LORD and patiently waiting upon Him. In fact, when we get angry with someone it usually leads to trouble.
Spurgeon said this: “Cease from anger: “Especially anger against the arrangements of Providence, and jealousies of the temporary pleasures of those who are so soon to be banished from all comfort. Anger anywhere is madness, here it is aggravated insanity.”
V.9 tells us that the evil will be destroyed.
Can you define what evil is?
Dictionary definition: evil involves human destructiveness, people who take pleasure in intentionally hurting others and behaving in ways that harm, abuse, demean, dehumanize, or destroy the innocent.
Can anyone here say they have NEVER done an EVIL act towards someone else based on this definition? A rhetorical question.
We all know the motivation in our hearts behind what we do or say at times.
Does that make us evil people?
John Piper says this: “The ”Do what you want – just don’t hurt anyone else” mantra is alive and well in our society. But to find your superior satisfaction anywhere else but in God is the essence of evil....... The real evil if you hurt somebody is that they’re in the image of God....... If you taste from God’s never ending fountain of all-satisfying water and you say “I don’t like it, I’m going to dig a well”, then you are an evil person.....Evil is tasting God and preferring something else.”
Jeremiah 2:12-13 (NKJV)
“Be astonished, O heavens, at this; and be horribly afraid; Be very desolate,” says the Lord,“For my people have committed two evils: They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn (dug out) themselves cisterns - broken cisterns that can hold no water.”
What happens to those who hope in the Lord?
Those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.
Once again David is encouraging his fellow Israelites to stay put and to hope in the Lord for their reward – inheriting the land.
V.10 reiterates what was said in V.9:
The evildoers have their day of prosperity, but it is short-lived. Soon the wicked who are often the famous and praised in this world will be of no notice or standing at all.
David this time talks about God caring for and rewarding the meek.
What does the word meek mean?
Late twentieth-century Western culture does not hold meekness to be a virtue, in contrast to the ancient Near East and the Greco- Roman world, which placed a high premium on it. This dramatic shift in values is problematic for contemporary biblical translation. Most modern versions replace the noun "meekness" by "gentleness" or "humility.”
Meekness is therefore an active and deliberate acceptance of undesirable circumstances that are wisely seen by the individual as only part of a larger picture. It is not a resignation to fate or a passive and reluctant submission to events. Meekness does not identify the weak but more precisely the strong, who may have
been placed in a position of weakness, but where they persevere without giving up.
Where do we read this concept in the New Testament?
Jesus quoted this line in the Sermon on the Mount, in the third beatitude (Matthew 5:5).
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Isaiah 66:2 says this:
Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “These are the ones I look on with favour: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.”
The Message translation of verses 7-11 of Psalm 37 reads:
7. Quiet down before God, be prayerful before him. Don't bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top. 8. Bridle your anger, trash your wrath, cool your pipes - it only makes things worse. 9. Before long the crooks will be bankrupt; God-investors will soon own the store. 10. Before you know it, the wicked will have had it; you'll stare at his once famous place and – nothing! 11. Down-to-earth people will move in and take over, relishing a huge bonanza.
Let’s close by reading another four verses from Psalm 37 which illustrate the advantages of delighting in the Lord, and as we meditate on them may the simple truths they communicate become our own to live by, so that in whatever situation we may find ourselves, we can delight in the Lord and inherit the land He has prepared for each one of us. :
V.23 The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; V.24 though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
V.25 I was young, and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
V.26 They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.
THURSDAY 15TH FEBRUARY 2024
PSALM 37 - Part 1 Background to Psalm 37
David wrote Psalm 37 for Jewish settlers who had moved into new land during David’s expansion of the kingdom of Israel.
However, the children of Israel had never completely driven out the Canaanites who were living there before, and as a result, these Canaanites had such an influence on the Israeli people that they sinned in an even worse way than the Canaanites had done.
As a result of this, a righteous man would be tempted to abandon the land God had called him to. David himself did that temporarily when he fled from Saul to the king of the Philistines, and that period was not a good one for either him or his men. (1 Samuel 27)
Can you think of anyone else who had left the land of Israel to try to improve their situation, only to find it got worse?
Naomi, her husband and her two sons come to mind.
So, in the midst of the temptation for the Jewish settlers to leave the land, David writes Psalm 37 to encourage his fellow Israelites to stay put and do good.
Let’s read V.1-6
The psalm starts off with two “do nots” : “Do not fret......or be envious.....”
What does the word “fret” mean?
The Hebrew word for fret here is “charah”, which means to grow warm, blaze up, be angry or be incensed.
Just like when something happens to make us upset and our heart starts pounding and we go all hot. That is part of “charah”.
What does “envious” mean?
Envy means a discontented longing for someone else’s advantages.
So who are we not to fret about? Those who are evil.
And who are we not to be envious of? Those who do wrong.
But as good, born again Christians, surely we would never fret over evil people or be envious of those who did wrong, would we?
Have you ever thought:
“Why do things go right for them and not for me?” “Why don’t they get what they deserve?”
and the classic “It’s not fair!”
“Why did he get promoted when I have far better qualifications?” “How come my work colleagues always get away with only doing half their job and I have to finish off THEIR work?
and so on!
What is David actually telling us here?
The F.B.Meyer Commentary summarizes this, noting that David is “grappling with the problem of the inequality of human life and the apparent failure of God to reward His servants and punish His enemies as they deserve.”
We can ALL relate to that, It is a core part of human nature to look around and compare our lives to those of other people, which is a wide and easy path to both envy and self-righteousness, and it leads us to being anxious, instead of fixing our eyes on God.
What does Psalm 37 tell us to do instead? V.3 TRUST in the Lord and DO GOOD.
Why does TRUST come first?
Because trust makes us feel secure. Doing good is a consequence of trusting.
C.H.Spurgeon said:
““Faith cures fretting.” Sight is cross-eyed and views things only as they seem, hence her envy; faith has clearer optics to behold things as they really are, hence her peace.
“And do good”. True faith is actively obedient. Doing good is a fine remedy for fretting. There is a joy in holy activity which drives away the rust of discontent.””
DWELL in the land and ENJOY safe pasture. What does “dwell” mean?
To live in or at a specified place.
To remain for a time.
What is David’s message here?
STAY WHERE GOD HAS PLACED YOU.
ENJOY safe pasture.
Enjoy has two meanings:
a) take delight or pleasure in and activity or occasion.
eg. I enjoy watching good films. b) possess and benefit from.
Here David is saying that if we stay where God has placed us, (dwell in the land) we can benefit from God’s promise to provide for us and take care of us (enjoy safe pasture).
V.4 TAKE DELIGHT in the Lord.
What does to take delight mean?
To be very happy because of something To be gratified by
To very much enjoy
Synonyms: admire, adore, appreciate, cherish, indulge in, relish, revel in, savour.
These are all very LAVISH terms.
David is telling us to REVEL IN the Lord. What is the result?
He will give you the desires of your heart.
So does this mean that if I consciously enjoy the Lord, He’ll respond by giving me everything I want?
OR
Does it mean that as I intentionally enjoy the Lord – His Word, His fellowship etc. - then He will actually change my desires to the point where my desires are also His desires, and He’ll be pleased to grant them?
V.5 COMMIT your way to the Lord.
How do we do that?
Literally this means “Roll your path upon the Lord”. Our life is like a path that we walk on every day. For the person who feels stuck in a bad situation, like David’s audience was, that person is still on a path, but that path can be heavy or burdensome. That’s why we’re told to roll that path upon the Lord – to commit it to Him – to place it in His hands and no longer carry that burden. As we do this and “trust in Him... He will do this:”
V.6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
What does “vindication” mean?
The action of clearing someone of blame or suspicion.
Proof that someone or something is right, reasonable or justified.
Spurgeon says this: “The Lord will clear the slandered. If we look to His honour, He will see to ours”.
Summary
DON’T:
fret or be envious.
DO:
trust, do good, dwell, enjoy, take delight in the Lord, commit your way to the Lord.
THURSDAY 8th FEBRUARY 2024
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Today is our Worship Experience.
Here is a devotional to encourage our hearts as we worship of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 12:28-29 ( NKJV ) -“Therefore since we are receiving a Kingdom which cannot be shaken,
let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
For our God is a consuming fire”
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Sometimes in life when something is taken from us, it can leave us feeling shaken.
Sometimes we invest in things that don’t last, and when we lose it, we experience confusion with the unexpected loss.
It is so easy to allow our identity to become connected to earthly things.
Therefore we need reminders of eternal truths so we can hold on to these truths instead.
In these verses, the writer of Hebrews writes to encourage the persecuted Christians then.
Maybe they wondered whether Jesus was really worth all the pain they were suffering for the Kingdom.
Maybe they thought about going back to their old ways, bowing to religious sacrifices and rituals
Today the writer encourages us to pursue, ‘go after, follow’,God's unshakable Kingdom.
The Lord reminds us that a greater Kingdom exists so that we don't over-focus on building our own
or returning to old ways of thinking.
There is a need for us to realign to eternal values so we don't feel quite so shaken when things get taken.
You might lose a job opportunity, affection in a relationship or even material possessions.
In our humanity, we might cry, grieve and become anxious, fretful with these earthly setbacks.
Yet God's Word, His love ,His Son and His Holy Spirit are ours forever if we trust Jesus as Lord !
God's eternal Kingdom is secure.The Scripture says “ it cannot be shaken.” It is His gift to us.
The natural response to this gift is to express gratitude and praise to our eternal King.
Worship the all-powerful One with reverence and godly fear.
This is a fear that draws us to Him. It is not repulsive or intimidating.
It is a godly fear that draws us to love what He loves, and hate what He hates. It shapes our intentions, thoughts,
words and actions.
In the end, this unshakable Kingdom we are receiving will remain.
So let's embrace this perspective as we live for the glory of Jesus. It is all about Jesus.
Response :
What has been shaking your world lately?
How can you cling to God's unshakeable Kingdom in the midst of negative circumstances?
-Focus our minds and hearts on the hope of our returning King who rules triumphantly.
-Keep an eternal perspective so you are focused on what matters most.
-Worship Him with reverence and holy fear even in your lifestyle as you live to glorify the King of Kings.
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THURSDAY 1st FEBRUARY 2024
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We are continuing the study series “The Battle For Your Mind”.
The topic we are studying today is Fear
What is Fear / or what does it mean to be afraid ? It can be defined as a distressing emotion aroused by impending threat or danger, pain, etc.This threat can be imagined or real.
It's one of the most paralysing of all human emotions .It can rob us of reason and faith
Let's consider how fear works and by what means it can be defeated. We are studying verses from 1 Samuel 17 - the very famous battle between two individuals namely David and Goliath. Some truths about irrational Fear : it can be intimidating.It can be debilitating.It breeds squabbling.It requires conquering
1 Samuel 17: 20 -50
>>FEAR IS INTIMIDATING ( a frightening or threatening effect ) - Goliath, a champion from the Philistine camp is outstandingly tall ( like 9 feet !) . He shouts to the Israelite camp to choose a man to fight him.( vv8-9 )
Verses 11 / 23-24 :How did the the Israelites respond to this challenge? Dismayed and terrified or greatly afraid.
> From an article in the magazine ‘Psychology Today’: ‘people who are tall, loud or outgoing- type A personalities- often bring intimidation with them.This causes others to be afraid.’
How does David react to Goliath’s challenge ? David does not see a giant.He sees a big ,easy target that he cannot miss.
“WHAT we see is often a matter of HOW we see”.Saul and the Israelites are afraid of this big giant Goliath.David is not intimidated; his confidence is in God. We have two different responses
>>FEAR IS DEBILITATING ( hinders and makes you weak )
V16 ( read ) Goliath comes out to defy Israel.Goliath repeats the challenge :‘give me a man to fight, come on let’s fight.!.what are you waiting for you cowards..?’
How many times does Goliath do this ? Forty days , morning and evening = 80 times !
> if you heard this kind of defiance, would that demoralise you or make you despairing?
This is so much like the tactics of the enemy of our souls..the devil. Repeatedly the devil tries to intimidate. He comes closer, trying to take advantage if we don't resist him
This is how fear works :as it increases, you have irrational thinking and it keeps you awake at night. You might be obsessed with ‘what if’ thoughts. For example ‘what if this relationship does not work , what if this disease gets worse ..?’
V24- what did the men of Israel do when they saw this intimidating giant Goliath ? They fled. This is like the ‘flight’ reaction in the “flight or fight” response to great fear. They were dreadfully afraid , overcome or crippled with fear ( freaked out ! )
>>FEAR BREEDS SQUABBLING (arguing over something in anger )
When someone is afraid they do something with their fear. David sees the issues clearly as he speaks to the men about Goliath
V28 -Eliab is in the army and the oldest brother of David.He was the first brother in the family to be rejected as king by Samuel. Eliab’s anger is aroused against David.
Observe the questions he asks David.
What do you think is Eliab ‘s motive ?He is trying to put David down by saying in effect , “I am in the army, not you.All you do is keep sheep. Who's is taking care of those sheep ?”
Eliab lashes out at David in fear. Fear can turn into anger in a stressful situation. Combined with a perceived threat ,one can become frustrated and often one can lash out.
Vv29-30 How does David respond ? He turns away from his brother .He was not there to fight his brother. The enemy would love that.
>For us as God's children, we don't fight the brother / sister. We engage in warfare with the enemy of our souls. David knew who to fight - the enemy. David was there to fight the beast called Goliath
>>FEAR REQUIRES CONQUERING (overcoming or take control of )
Vv 45-47 : David is ready -with sling and 5 stones -to face the giant in the name of the Lord Almighty.
You can conquer fear ( overcome / unlearn fear ) by :
>V33- 37 : remembering past victories. You conquer present fear by recalling past victories of the Lord
>V38 -40 : using the armour /gifts / abilities that God has given you to fight. David is not used to Saul’s armour. This is like a 12-year old wearing his daddy's suit.
>V45 : relying on your powerful God for it is His battle .Goliath is attacking God's army / people.,not just any army.
God gets hot and bothered when the enemy messes with His people
Response:
When you magnify the Lord , fears go away. Remind yourself of the size of your God.
Israel is going ‘poor us’. David is going ‘poor Goliath’ !
Don't fight life’s battles in your strength. Our confidence and competence come from the Lord.
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THURSDAY 25th JANUARY 2024
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We are resuming a study series on ‘The Battle For Your Mind’.
In November 2023, we started this series ( please visit churchlanzarote.com and click ‘Bible Study’)
As we have said before, your mind is a battlefield where most of life's battles are won / lost. The life you have is often a reflection of the thoughts you think. The topic today is Depression
Depression - describes an experience / condition where there is low mood and this impacts on your ability to function in your daily routine. It affects how you feel, think and how you act
Today we are studying the great Bible character of Elijah and his episode of depression
1 KINGS 19: 1-18 ( Read )
Context - Elijah, a great man of God, has just emerged victorious in a contest at Mt Carmel (18:39 ).He achieved great exploits of faith in God's name. King Ahab tells Jezebel about Elijah’s victory.
V2- How does Queen Jezebel react ? She is undaunted by Elijah's victory at Mt. Carmel. She sends a messenger (? maybe with a note ) with a death threat to Elijah.
Verses 3/4 : V3- NKJV - ‘when he saw that’… reading note from messenger. He is focussed on the letter of threat or message from Jezebel the queen. His eyes are not on the Lord .“We steer in the direction we stare”. He begins to live by sight.
V4- How does Elijah respond ?
He is in danger. He runs away for his life from this angry woman Jezebel.Fear grips his heart. He has been standing for long hours on Mt . Carmel until the grand finale.
He is very likely anxious and physically exhausted / fatigued after running 70-80 miles south of Mt Carmel. He goes into the wilderness, sits under the shade of a low lying desert shrub (juniper tree ) He is in isolation.
He is despairing - perhaps he is thinking his work is not fruitful so life is not worth living.
He lacks sleep. He is not caring for his body . “I’ve had enough,Lord” ,praying that the Lord take his life .He wants to die.Unable to cope. He isolates himself from others. He is feeling really bad about himself
These are indicators or triggers for depression.Simple tasks become difficult. Negative outlook.They lose hope.
>>This is a different view of Elijah. One day, full of faith he speaks boldly to King Ahab about having a contest to see which God will answer by fire. The next day he gets discouraged and wants to die, to quit.
V5- How did God answer Elijah's prayer ? As he lay under the the tree, he fell asleep. God did not take his life.The Lord did not answer him in the affirmative but in the negative. He spared him.
Question to ponder : how would you feel / respond if God did not answer ‘yes’ to your prayer ?
Vv 6-7: What happens while Elijah is asleep ? He is touched and awakened by an angel. Fresh,hot bread is provided and also a jar of water. This happens twice ! God is tender with Elijah and compassionate towards him
> the point here is that in such times providing in a practical way is more important.
Some Christians would say that if you're a true believer in Christ, you will not suffer depression.Some of the godliest people in the Bible suffered with depression. God is graciously taking care of Elijah in his low time
V8 - so Elijah receives God's great room service of food and drink. God intervenes miraculously by providing him with sustenance. He has to travel for 40 days and 40 nights to Horeb ( Mt Sinai )
Vv 9 -18 : an interaction takes place between the Lord and Elijah to help him re-focus . This is triggered by the Lord asking Elijah, “What are you doing here,Elijah ?” ( vv 9, 13 )
Elijah is not answering the question- he is deflecting in his responses, self - focussed and looking at the deficiencies in the other prophets who are not there. God allows Elijah to vent his feelings
Yet Elijah is not the only one left .In v18, there are seven thousand who are God -fearing and faithful. A perfect number symbolic of completion !
V12- God finally gets his attention by a still , small voice…a gentle whisper. God did not speak to him by wind ,earthquake or fire ; this did nothing to Elijah
The Lord gives Elijah a second chance ; this time with the right perspective
Vv15-18 : the Lord gives Elijah some tasks to anoint three people. These two kings and Elisha will help purge the nation of idolatry/ Baal worship.
Application : how can you help a depressed person ?
By treating them tenderly and compassionately - the Lord did not say “get over it Elijah!”
By engaging in conversation to help the depressed person re- focus on what really matters
In practical ways - God provided food and drink ( twice !) for Elijah.
Encouraging them to listen in to God's still ,small voice and reading God's Word
Prompt them into doing small tasks. This adds structure to their day and boosts their confidence
Pray because you recognise that we are helpless without Christ
Jesus says “come aside and rest.” “Come unto Me ,Rest in Me.”
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THURSDAY 18th JANUARY 2024
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This week our focus is on Prayer, Fasting and Drawing nearer to Jesus.
Today as we spend time in worship, this is some further encouragement from God's Word.
Devotional : Acts 16:14
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After Paul receives a vision from God ( to go to Macedonia), he makes his way together with Luke and other travel companions to Philippi. This was a leading city of the district of Macedonia
They go outside this city and down to the riverside for a prayer meeting. It is Sabbath day so they are are expecting to find others gathered for prayer. They join a group of women who are there. They are speaking with the women - sharing the good news of Jesus
Verse 14 highlights one of these women, namely Lydia.
( v14) “One of those listening was a woman of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth.She was a worshipper of God.The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message.”
Lydia is described as a worshipper of God.Wow ! She has her priorities right ! Even in her busy life of exclusively trading purple cloth, she was not focussed on herself.
The phrase ‘worshipper of God’ carries the idea that she shows reverence and awe to God.To hold in high regard and reverent fear ( to revere )
The spotlight is on God not her wealth or successful business. This is what worship is - shifting the focus - off ourselves and onto another. In Lydia's case, it is all about God.
For us ,it should be the same
Lydia understood the importance of intentionally setting aside time to pray and worship God
One pastor said ‘the cure for ‘it's all about me” is worship whereby ‘it's all about God’.The cure for narcissism is theism.’
Worship is the one activity we do now and which we will do in heaven too.
It is the proper response TO God FROM the heart whereby we place God ABOVE everything and everyone else. “Because you have loved me, I worship you genuinely ,I love You Lord….”
As Lydia listened to Paul sharing the good news, “The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message”.
The word ‘opened’ ( from the Greek ) carries the idea of to ‘open up completely, all the way’. It means to “open thoroughly what had been closed. To open one’s soul, to rouse in one the faculty of understanding and the desire of learning.”
In those precious moments down by the riverside, God gives Lydia a fresh revelation of Jesus. He gives her a desire in her heart to learn MORE about the gospel of grace. She takes the next step and trusts Christ as Saviour ( the first European convert to Christianity !)
So for us too as we seek God, as we worship Him. Let us ask God to pry our hearts wide open so completely, we receive a fresher revelation of Jesus.
Let us long to know Him more no matter how much we think we know about Him.
Let us spend time to discover God's truths and rejoice in His promises for us
May this be our desire today and every day !
Prayer : Lord Jesus, pull back the veil so I can see You more clearly and hear You more distinctly. Give me the desire , the strong urge to spend time with you intentionally and in daily in worship. Help me by the power of your Holy Spirit to embrace who You are more ( your character) and to trust in what you can do more ( your capability )
Thank You Lord that You are able to do infinitely more than my greatest request .Indeed You are able to exceed my wildest imagination ! I worship You .
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THURSDAY 11th JANUARY 2024
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Devotional to guide and encourage you
during these two weeks of Prayer, Fasting and Drawing nearer to Jesus
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Romans 8:26-27 (Read)
Our focus is on prayer.
It is in prayer and spending time with God that we as believers express our relationship with God.
God listens to our prayers and answers them.
We have God's promises that we can cling to with faith as we pray.
When we pray, our prayers are like sweet-smelling incense to our God.
Paul shares some truths here about the role of the Holy Spirit when we pray.
The Holy Spirit groans with us in our weaknesses, burdens and sufferings.
Additionally, the Holy Spirit is praying for us as He groans,
so that we will be led into the perfect will of God.
We seek God because we desire His will. We don't always know how to pray.
So the Spirit intercedes for us, bringing us into alignment with God's will
despite the sufferings and trials we are facing.
“Do we pray for a cure or for strength and perseverance?
Do we change our location or pray for a change in our attitude?...
I really don't know Lord what to pray.”
God’s got it !!
“The Spirit helps us in our weaknesses” -
note verse 26 does not say ‘the Spirit helps in our perfection,
or when we aren't anxious or peace- filled.’
This means we are dependent on the One powerful enough to help us. He covers us with grace. God does not turn us away.
God gives us the ability to trust Him so that we would not depend on ourselves
When we don't understand, God our Father,
by the Spirit is interceding effectively and sympathetically for you His child.He prays for you not just on your behalf but in our place. God searches our hearts and certainly knows what He causes His Spirit to pray for us ,His people .
The Spirit intercedes between me - the one who does not know - and God, the One who does know the answers
When we pray the Holy Spirit will interpret that correctly in accordance with God's will.
As we pray in the Spirit we can use the gift of tongues -
we can groan - as we communicate with God.
So draw nearer to God. Let God continue to rule and reign in your hearts by faith.
Jesus makes it clear that the Father wants to give to us; He wants to answer prayer. This is to be seen in a life that submits to God’s will and lives in intimate relationship with Him ( John 15:7 )
Thursday 4th January 2024
A Devotional on Faithfulness
“When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord
(as it is written in the Law of the Lord,
“Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord” ),
and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord:
“a pair of doves or two young pigeons.””
Luke 2:22-24 (NIV)
Faithful Obedience to God & Sacrifice
A little bit of background information.
Following the birth of a son, the mother had to wait 40 days at home for a male child before going to the temple to offer sacrifice for her purification according to the law of Moses.
If she could not afford a lamb & a pigeon or dove,
then two pigeons or doves would be acceptable.
This sacrifice could be done only at Jerusalem & required a journey there. The sacrifice offered was the less expensive one, permitted to poor people - a deliberate reference to the humble status of Joseph & Mary.
Jewish law required that a firstborn child had to be redeemed, bought back.
All firstborn creatures were seen as consecrated to God.
This was expressed by sacrificing the firstborn of animals &
by making a payment of five Israeli shekels or twenty Roman denarii
in lieu of children when they were a month old.
It’s worth mentioning here that this would have been equal
to the income for twenty days of work for a man at that time.
Every firstborn son was to be consecrated or dedicated to the Lord
for two reasons :
- To remember the firstborn sons who were rescued from the final plague in Egypt &
- To honour the promise of the substitutionary atonement of the firstborn of God Who would redeem humankind (Exodus 13:2,12; Numbers 3:12).
Jesus was present because Mary seems also to have made
a special offering of her child to God for His service,
just as in the Old Testament Hannah had given Samuel to God
in the Temple.
In these ways all possible requirements of the law were fulfilled.
Faith & Fulfilment of Promise
‘O Lord, in the morning You hear my voice, in the morning
I lay my requests before You & wait in expectation,’ Psalm 5:3.
No doubt both Simeon & Anna would have been familiar
with this verse from the Psalm of David.
“Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon,
who was righteous and devout.
He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, & the Holy Spirit was on him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die
before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.
When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him
what the custom of the Law required,
Simeon took Him in his arms and praised God, saying:
“Sovereign Lord, as You have promised,
You may now dismiss Your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared
in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
& the glory of Your people Israel.”
The child’s father & mother marvelled at what was said about Him.
Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, His mother:
“This child is destined to cause the falling & rising of many in Israel,
& to be a sign that will be spoken against,
so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.
And a sword will pierce your own soul too.””
Luke 2:25-35 (NIV)
‘The story of Simeon in Luke 2:25-35
is a beautiful picture of the faithfulness of God.
Simeon was a very elderly man but He had a promise from God
which he had held on to for many years.
He was a devout man. He knew that in God’s time that this promise
would be fulfilled & that was sufficient for him.
He faithfully served as a priest while he waited
in eager anticipation for this prophecy to be fulfilled.
Or in English we might say ‘he waited with bated breath.’
God had told Simeon that He would not die
until He had seen the Lord’s Christ, the Messiah.
He lived in a place of expectation that God would be faithful to His Word
& then one day the Bible tells us
that the Holy Spirit prompted Simeon to go to the temple.
Being the devout man that he was Simeon would have been to the temple many many times before,
but without knowing it this day was going to be very different.
At the precise moment he entered the temple enclosure,
so did Mary & Joseph with baby Jesus.
They were there doing what every other Jewish parent did back then & brought their baby to the temple to be dedicated.
God as the ultimate divine connector used
this seemingly normal occurrence to fulfil His promise to Simeon.
Simeon, Joseph, and Mary met in the temple enclosure & under the unction of the Holy Spirit, Simeon knew he was looking at the Messiah.
Following the small promptings of the Holy Spirit are usually the key
to receiving the blessings of God & the next step in our journey with Him.
Simeon could have ignored the prompting, he could have allowed
other things to come to the forefront of his mind.
He could have stopped to chat to others on his way to the temple or
he could have gone into another part of the temple.
He could have put off going to the temple at that precise moment
& chosen to go later, but God.
God had a plan to connect Simeon with Mary, Joseph, & the Messiah
in order to fulfil His promise to Simeon.
All of them had to be in the right place at the right time,
doing the right things.
They were all led of the Holy Spirit, so that is exactly what happened.
Everything worked in perfect alignment.
In what ways have you personally experienced
the faithfulness of God, as you have stepped out in obedience?
Is there anyone like to share a short testimony
that highlights this fact?
The Song of Simeon (Nunc Dimittis)
‘Lord, now You let Your servant go in peace :
Your Word has been fulfilled.
My own eyes have seen the salvation :
Which You have prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal You to all nations :
And the glory of Your people Israel.
Glory to the Father & to the Son :
And to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now :
And shall be forever. Amen.’
In the words of Simeon, which we know as the Nunc Dimittis,
we too can commit ourselves in faith & joy to God.
‘We wait in hope for the Lord, He is our help & our shield.
In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name.
May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord,
even as we put our hope in You, ‘ Psalm 33:20-22.
When we encounter unexpected moments in life,
may God teach us how to stay faithful to Him.
Our faithfulness to God will never be in vain.
A life that is fully devoted to Him is always worth living.
We may encounter challenges along the way, but God is faithful to us.
May we learn to stay faithful,
even when we go through difficult seasons in life.
Then we move on to our next character : Anna.
“There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel,
of the tribe of Asher.
She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years
after her marriage, & then was a widow until she was eighty-four.
She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting & praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God
and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward
to the redemption of Jerusalem.”
Luke 2:36-38 (NIV)
Luke refers to Anna, a prophetess who had been devoted for most of her life
to serving God through the ministry of prayer.
‘She never left the temple, but worshipped night & day, fasting & praying.’
Herod’s temple was quite large & included rooms for various uses,
& Anna may have been allowed to live in one of them.
So Anna probably spent her waking hours attending & worshipping in the temple.
Life had dealt a cruel blow to Anna,
as she was widowed after only seven years of marriage.
Yet she had not become bitter or resentful,
or allowed her circumstances to overwhelm her.
She continued to trust in God & in His promises.
When Moses blessed the tribes of Israel before his death
he said of the tribe of Asher ‘Your strength will be equal to your days,’
& ‘the Eternal God is your refuge & underneath are the Everlasting Arms,’ Deuteronomy 33:25b & 27.
Anna was the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher,
she showed in her life the beauty & the reality of those words
spoken many years before by Moses.
The years spent in relationship with the Lord
had allowed Anna to be in tune with the Holy Spirit.
So much so that the very hour the baby Jesus came into the temple
she felt it in her soul.
Each day of her life was lived to the full in praise & worship,
her source of strength & security being firmly founded in God & His Word.
She lived to see God’s Word ‘made flesh.’
For, like Simeon, her eyes too saw God’s salvation
in that child named Jesus, & she shared her joy with all who would listen,
all those who were also looking forward to the One Who would come,
Who had now come.
Sensing her Saviour’s nearness, something welled up inside of Anna :
overwhelming gratitude.
She could not hold back her praise & immediately began giving thanks to God
(Luke 2:38).
Coming up to Mary & Joseph, Anna gave thanks to God & spoke about the child
to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Simeon & Anna were ‘young at heart’ in spite of being in their eighties or nineties.
They were also both strong in faith & love, as they saw their longing fulfilled.
Would anyone like to share an instance
where they have recently been encouraged
& given thanks to God for something that has been
a direct answer to one of their prayers?
Summary
Mary & Joseph demonstrated faithful obedience
by presenting the appropriate sacrifices required for poor people
after the birth of Jesus in the Temple, in line with Jewish Law.
Simeon & Anna were both in their eighties or even nineties at least
& remained faithful to God waiting for the promised Messiah to come.
Because of their faithfulness, they were able to live
until He was dedicated in the temple
& see that promise of the Messiah in the flesh in their lifetime.
The same is true for you & for me.
God has a plan to fulfil His promises to each one of us as individuals.
He knows exactly when, where, why, & how He is going to do it.
It could very well happen in the ordinary everyday things that you & I are doing,
but as we follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit day-by-day
God will connect us with people & places & will lead us into situations.
Then we will realise that they are ‘God-incidences’
or another way of phrasing it is also that they are ‘Divine appointments.’
Be encouraged today by the faithfulness of God to Simeon & Anna.
What God did for them He can also do for you & me, as He is no respecter of persons.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.
In the ordinary everyday things that you & I are doing
God is orchestrating things to position us to receive
the manifestation of His plans, promises, & purposes.
May we also trust & follow the leading of the Holy Spirit just like Simeon & Anna did.
May we too be constant, steadfast, & unwavering in our faith.
May we continue to spend our lives cultivating a lifestyle of worship & prayer.
May we be as wholeheartedly committed & devoted as they were
in serving the Lord on a day-to-day, run-of-the-mill basis.
May their examples be an inspiration for us
to continue developing a habit of prayer & to grow
& become more mature believers in Christ,
reflecting His character & attitude in all that we think, say, & do.
May we live with our ultimate goal being to praise, glorify,
& honour God in all things. Amen!
In response, let’s sing together :-
‘I Love You Lord, & I Lift My Voice’ &
‘Lord, the Light of Your Love is Shining (Shine, Jesus, Shine)’
Closing Prayer
Thank-You, Lord for Your Word that leads us into wisdom & truth about Who You are.
Thank-You for the years that Your love has kept & guided us.
We are grateful for Your faithfulness to us. May we remain faithful & obedient to You.
Help us to continue to look to You when we read Your Word,
knowing that being in a relationship with You
will allow us to have the veil of our sinfulness removed
so that we can one day see You face-to-face.
We thank-You for Your Holy Spirit Who continues to guide us into all truth
& remind us of Your teaching, Jesus.
As we have just celebrated Your first coming,
may we long for Your Second Coming with an ever-increasing passion & zeal.
Thank-You God, for all the years You have given us -
Your love which has sustained us, Your grace which has supported & carried us,
& all Your blessings which have enriched & empowered us.
Help us, Lord, to stay close to You, so close that we can sense Your nearness,
& that it causes us to rejoice with thanksgiving from hearts filled
with an attitude of gratitude for Who You are & for all that You have done for us.
May our lives reflect more & more of You, Jesus,
as we grow to show & share Your Light & Love with those we meet.
Thank-You for this time of joy & celebration,
& to You be all praise & glory for ever & ever Jesus Christ, our Lord & Saviour. Amen!