Monthly Archives: January 2008

Leadership – Exodus 18:13-24

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I am really re-assured by these verses for it gives a biblical basis for the way our church is setup. We have a leader, whom also has a team around him offering supports guidance and help. We then all split off into house groups of which each has a leader. In each group then each leader looks after the members, as the church leader looks after them.

If we did have the house groups we would all be going to one man with our questions and asking one man for support. For a small church, it could work, but as a church grows, this becomes impractical.

The main leader of the church will become weary, as will those simply waiting for the opportunity to speak with him!

With the network of house groups we have, we are all members of a group where we can share things with each other, support each other. We can ask for help from our small group, and within minutes get answers, make phone calls, meet up with people.

The leadership of our group is a couple who are strong in the Lord. As Moses respected his father in-law who was older and wiser, I pray that I will respect what our leadership has to say to me. I also pray for our leadership that they may continue to be blessed with wisdom, health, happiness and be filled with His Spirit

and Grace.

No More Tears – Revelation 21:1-7

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I got quite excited when I read this.  The devotional today focuses on how it is comforting it can be to have a Christian Brother of Sister with us during times of trouble who will love and support us.  The same applies to a close family member whom would do the same.  This is inspired by the verse:

Revelation 21:4 – He will wipe every tear from their eyes.

When we become Christians we become his children, and he becomes our father.  I often forget that his is our loving father, and can sometimes view the Lord as a distant friend whom I speak to now and again.  Because of that I dont always benefit from the fact he is my loving father who wants to share everything with me, and give me comfort when I need it, and laugh with me when things are good!  As in my previous readings I am challenged to continue to seek to know him better through these daily readings and through prayer and I

pray that you reading this would also feel challenged.

As in past readings and devotionals it really emphasises the need to not try and tackle things by ourselves.  As a human being, I have many many flaws and completely lack the strength and wisdom to be able to deal properly with man awkward situations, to resist temptations, to live for him, however He, like in this passage where he comes down to earth and makes all things new, will come down to us, and be with us.  He makes our hearts a new, and fills us with strength and wisdom to bear anything that is thrown at us.

Its not by any good deed that we have done, but by grace.

What Will They Say? – Matthew 11:7-19

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Sounds like a depressing title!

The Daily Bread reading today has picked up on funerals and how someone has to give a speech on the departed ones life. In this passage Jesus is in essence giving a tribute about John the Baptist.

The Daily Bread reading then asks us a very stirring question: “What will others say about me when it is time to say goodbye”?

Jesus said great things about John the Baptist. John was a faithful servant, he suffered for his beliefs, he dedicated his life in service to the Lord, telling all he could the good news of Jesus’ coming to earth. He stuck to it even in the face of death. What an Obituary he should have!

Other readings have stressed ways of living for the Lord, including imitating him, regular time of reading the word, worship, prayer and fellowships. This reading itself challenges you to think of what you leave behind, and I hope to leave behind a eulogy that is pleasing to the Lord.

Power of Prayer – Exodus 17:10-13

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I am reading the book titled “Too Busy Not To Pray” by Bill Hybels, as the Holy Spirit has been convicting me of my lack of prayer time, and I want to learn best practices for praying, and even how to pray as sometimes my prayers can be a jumble of words, that sometimes I don’ t even unders

tand!

In the spirit of Journaling what I learn from my times with the Lord, I would like to share this.

Bill talks about the power of prayer and how power flows through prayer.  Take a look at Exodus 17:10-1.  Here we see the power of prayer really in action!  When Moses has his arms raised in prayer, the battle is going their way, however when he stops, they begin to loose.  Thus he perseveres and keeps his arms out stretched and prays.

They win the battle!

Not only therefore does this passage highlight the power of prayer, but also the need for persistence in prayer.  We see the end result that the prayer is answered.

It reminds me that not only should I pray regularly, but also those things I do pray about, need not be prayed about once, but can be brought before the Lord again and again, and in his time, not ours he will respond.

Lord teach me to pray.  Amen

Standard Issue – Ephesians 6:10-18

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An Army will have a “Standard Issue” uniform and weaponry.  This is given to them for protection on the battle field.  It would hardly make sense, like in todays reading, to send out your army equip with simple sticks and stones to protect your country from modern day armies.

Its the same for us Christians!  We settle ourselves with meer sticks and stones (i.e. Our our strength) to ward off evil, to ward off temptation and other attacks.  The problem is, the enemy is powerful, and on our own we lack the strength to succeed.  The only way we can win any battle is through Jesus, and by donning his Standard Issue Battle Armour.

How can we don this armour?  By living in him.  Reading his word, praying and fellowship with other Christians.

Trying to fight a battle alone without your armour?  Then sign up to the Lords army and fight side by

side for the winning team.

Envy – Psalm 37:1-11

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Being envious of others achievements gets us now-where.  The Psalm talks of being envious of evil men whom succeed, but from the devotional today, and my own thoughts, I think we can apply this to any situation where someone else succeeds in something where perhaps we would fail, or we have not had the right opportunities.

For example, I feel when a Christian brother or sister succeeds on something, we should rejoice and see it as proof of the promise of the Lord that he will,

“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)

When we focus ourselves solely on him and living for his glory and by his grace, he will equip us to do great things for him.  His desires become our desires as we feast on the word, and spend time in

our relationship with him.

  Many of the past few readings I have done have really emphasised the importance of time with the Lord, and I see this as yet another positive reminder of the benefits of really spending time with him.

I pray that I will find the strength to make more time to be with the Lord, in Bible Reading, in fellowship with others, in evangelism and also in prayer.  I am about to read a book called “Too Busy Not To Pray” by Bill Hybels, in which I hope to learn even more of the importance of prayer, and ways that I can indeed make more time with the Lord.  I will be sure to journal what I learn on the site soon.

Eat, Drink – John 6:44-58

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Todays devotional focuses on the situation around Jesus’ speech and the reaction of the people listening.  Jesus didnt wrap up his words in pretty paper and say everything that people wanted to hear.  He told the truth, and sometimes in ways that people could find upsetting.  I think he told them this way for impact, and so that people would remember what he said.

Of course, the audience thought that he literally meant head his physical flesh and blood, and the puzzled at his words.  We on the other hand know the significance of what he was saying due to his death on the cross for our sin and his resurrection.  We can now feed on him daily through his word in the Bible, through fellowship with o

ther Christians and through prayer.

So I think the point to the devotional and the story is, don’t try and get from the Bible what you selfishly want to hear, but listen to his word and obey it.  Feed on his word as often as you can, and you will grow in him.  Crops don’t grow on happy thoughts and baking sun, they need water to live and to grow.  Drink the living water of Jesus and you will never thirst.

A lesson in patience? – Exodus 6:1-9

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There are many situations that I have prayed about, and not received an “instant answer” or “instant fix” to.  This passage is a reminder that although it doesnt always look like the Lord is doing something about our situaton, I think you will find he already has a plan.

The Israelites, despite calling on the Lord for freedom, were experiencing worsening conditions because Moses was demanding for them to be let go.  The people began to grumble and complain, they “were better off” before all this began!  We on the other hand can see if we read further on that the Lord does indeed deliver them from Egypt.  He kept his promise.

You see I think this is a big lesson in patience.  He has plans for every situation and has the knowledge and wisdom to let situations take their course.  We always become stronger a wiser from any situation that is thrown upon us.  The Israelites waiting and complaining did not finish after they were delivered from Egypt!  Read on and you will see them wandering the wilderness for 40 years waiting to find the promised land…. 40 years!!!!  Think about that!!!!!  And yes they complained, the rebelled, however at the end of 40 years, there will still Israelites with Moses!

Do I have that much faith and patience in God?  Could I wait 40 years for an answer to prayer?  After all:

Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

40 years?

Living Water – John 4:7-15

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This is one of my favourite stories in the New Testament.  My daily devotional today is focus ing

on needs.  How we as humans have very basic needs, food, water, shelter etc, but in life we have many wants!  To  survive as a Christian we have an absolute need, and that is to drink the living water, to feed on his word so that we may grow.

What I find special about this story if you read on, is you find this woman has been drinking water of the world, for example trying to quench her thirst with many relationships.  We could class this as drinking sea water which does not quench the thirst.  There is also some strong imagery that jumps out at me here.  If you imagine her jar as her old self, and the water in the well as the worldly water that she needs to keep drinking as her thirst is never satisfied, then read this verse:

John 4:28

She leaves her old self behind, she turns her back on it and goes to tell others.  If we have something in our lives that we are drinking and never satisfied with, we should leave it

with Jesus, turn our backs on it, and drink the living water so that we may never thirst, so that we may grow as Christians, and that we may be equip to do his will.

Prayer and Witness – Colossians 1:3-14

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There recently in many of my daily devotionals seems to be a common theme.  How we live our lives is one of the most important witnesses to the lost we can give.  In Colossians, we find them praying for their brother that he may have strength and wisdom.  Checkout this verse:

Colossians 1:10 – …And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God… (NIV).

Here they pray that their brother may live a life worthy of the Lord.  Not conforming to localised peer pressures, or becoming captive to sin, but living in the light and knowledge of the Lord that he may bear fruit.  His actions are a witness to those around him.

How this passage differs from previous sections on “imitating” God and living like him, is the emphasis on prayer.  It is a strong reminder that we cant live for him, or live like him without his help!  Go it alone and you will fail.  However if you have him with you at all times, you will bear fruit.

I am reminded of a verse in Revelation 22:1-3, …Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.

And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

3 No longer will there be any curse…

I can envisage that the crops and trees were growing and bearing fruit as they were feeding from the living water flowing from the throne.  We as Christians can bear fruit by drinking the living water, in reading the word, in prayer and in living for him (you cant pick one of them, they are linked).