Monthly Archives: March 2008

Staying Alert – Matthew 26:36-46

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“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (NIV)

We are weak as much as we do not like to admit it.  There are occasions where we have given into temptation dispite knowing we am doing wrong.  Often its because we have been convinced by the lie of that temptation, that we will feel good for doing it, that we will be satisfied.  As Jesus said, the body is weak.  We alone lack the strength to resist temptation, to go the right course, that is why it is so important we have help.  Some tempt ation c

an creep up on us and get us when we are particularly vulnerable.  Other temptation can be in front of us for a long time, if we know it or not, slowly breaking us down should we become tempted by it.

The Lord in His great wisdom provided us with a helper.  His Holy Spirit whom guides and strengthens us to do the right thing.  We need to keep ourselves spiritually fit and active so we are not lulled into any false sense of security before sin pounces on us.  How can we do that?  Sounding like a broken record from many of my past posts the main ingredients are always regular Bible Study, Prayer, Worship and Fellowship.  Keeping ourselves fixed on the word, and continuing to develop our relationship with our Saviour is vital if we are to be prepared for any battle.

We need to understand and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of All, it is the Lords strength that allows us to resist temptation, not our own.  And any time we resist, it is for His glory and not to pat ourselves on the back saying, “didn’t I do well?”

Before I sign off on today’s reading, I am also reminded of the importance of rest (including sleep).  Yes the disciples were not being alert when the time required them to be.  We need to also remember however that rest and sleep are important tools in spiritual warfare.  When we have had too little (and the same affect can be had from too much sleep), we are not as quick to react, we are tired, vulnerable, and that is when Satan can pounce to try and steer us from the right path.  Remember satan is like a prowling tiger, waiting to pounce.  We need to be well rested, alert, full of the Spirit, and have fed on the Word regularly.

Broken for You and Me – 1 Cor. 11:23-26

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This Easter time, people will be exchanging Easter Cards, purchasing and consuming Easter eggs, having Easter egg hunts, visiting family and generally enjoying the time off that the Easter season allows for.  I am reminded of a poem I ususally hear most Christmases however it it still very apt even now:

” Jesus

is the reason, for this season”

Like Christmas people often forget the true meaning of what is becoming more commonly known as the “Holiday Seasons”. Yes, many large companies are now taking on the term “Holiday Seasons” to avoid a direct relationship with Christian Celebrations so as not to offend others.  Television adverts during Easter concentrate on chocolate, and at Christmas, Santa and gifts!

Easter is the time we remember when our Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins on the cross.  He was the perfect sacrifice.  A lamb to the slaughter, untouched by sin, clean and yet he was willing to take the punishment we each deserve!  The part of Easter that fills me with joy is the fact that Jesus rose again.  Showing he had power over death and has gone ahead to prepare a place for each one who believes.

This Easter time, I pray that we don’t get carried away with chocolate and games, and forget the true meaning of Easter.  Of course chocolate and games are fun and I would highly recommend both, however we do need to make sure we spend time with the Lord, thanking Him for what he has done for us.  What he did was the most amazing gift of love.

Thank you Jesus.

Spend Spend Spend – Luke 12:13-21

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“Spend Spend Spend”, the famous words of a British woman in the 1960s who won today’s equivalent of 3 Million pounds!  That is certainly what she did, and quite literally until it was all gone!

We live in a society that is encouraged to live beyond its means.  Credit is freely available to all no matter what credit rating you have.  Images on advertisements, television etc all show us how we are meant to live, and show us the possessions we are meant to own to be fulfilled in life.  Perfumes that will attract the perfect man, designer jewellery that will make you look rich and prosperous, holidays to far off locations, the latest model of car you just have to own.  The list is endless!

In this passage of scripture, Jesus is talking to the crowd when a man who’s brother had inherited a fortune, asks Jesus to get his brother to share it.  Jesus responded;

14Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

We can’t add true value to our lives with possessions!  That perfume will not attract the “perfect” man, and that car will not satisfy us.  Possessions are simply our way of trying to make ourselves feel better.  If they could truly satisfy, then we would be content with the ones we have and would not feel the need to stretch ourselves for the next big thing.

Jesus goes on to tell a parable about a rich man who has a good crop one year.  So he decides to build bigger barns to store everything for himself.  The God tells him he will die that night!  This was simply to highlight the fact the possessions are useless to a man who is about to die also!  You have heard the old saying

“You can’t take it with you”.

Well its true.  Your car won’t go to heaven with you!  Instead we need to be storing up our treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20)!  For when we arrive we will reap the blessings of those treasures for eternity as our earthy treasures will be no more.

By living our lives to glorify the Risen Lord, being generous, loving, patient and kind, by telling others of His

saving grace, spending time with the Lord in prayer and the Word, through fellowship with other Christians we can build up lasting treasures in heaven that we will enjoy when we meet the Lord one day.  Not only that, but by doing these sorts of things during our time of this earth, we will feel fulfilled, satisfied and no longer thirsting for the things of the world that are temporary

but seeking after what is eternally His.

Praying the Word – Jeremiah 1:12

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The reading in the Word for Today looks at Praying the Word.  There are many occasions when I have absolutely no idea what to say when I pray, and I tend to ramble on, trying to cover many subjects without actually praying into the needs of them.  That is not to say that that is wrong, or that God doesn’t understand!  No matter what we say in prayer, Jesus intercedes for us Romans 8:34.  He knows our hearts, and even when our words are not reflecting what our hearts mean, the Lord

knows our exact needs and wishes.

The Word is Gods word!  When we are trying to find the words to say something, we should take a look in the Bible.  Gods word is so clear, so perfect, so wonderful.  Everything in it is right.  The Bible is full of the Lords promises, so praying them into your issues not only clarify them to you and the Lord, but encourage you with the reminders of his promises.

It helps us focus on the Word.  Whilst we are looking through scripture, for passages that have meaning to our situation and praying them to the Lord, we are also able to learn from the Word, get guidance, comfort, encouragement.  As above, reading his promises help to build us up and equip us for the times ahead.

The Word for Today looks at habitual sin and the hold it has on peoples lives.  Habitual sin can hold us back in our spiritual growth.  It does not build up or edify.  Whilst we are slave to Sin, we miss out on the blessings of a close relationship with the Lord.  For those caught up in habitual Sin, pray the Lords promises into the situation.  Seek freedom so that you may have a renewed relationship with the Lord, so that you may be freed from the chains, and free to follow Gods amazing plan for your life.

Here is a list of promises from todays reading to consider:

Psalm 91:15  |  Romans 8:2  |  James 4:7  |  2 Corinthians 10:5
2 Peter 1:4  |  Ephesians 3:14-21

Go with the flow – John 14:27

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Looking today at the Word for Today from UCB, we read John 14:27.

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.

I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Firstly, to put this verse in context.  Jesus is speaking with His disciples at this time, and during this conversation promises the Holy Spirit.  It is extremely important when looking at any single verse, that we ensure we read things in context else they could be easily misunderstood.

Considering the points raised in the Word for Today, I am reminded of how “quick to flip” I can be when it comes to those things in life that irritate me!  For example our lovely dog has a terribly annoying habit of being scared of rain, wind and pretty much any weather condition that makes a noise!  This can lead to some interesting nights where I find her scratching doors or hanging off baby gates with the gate swinging backwards and forwards!  At 2am in the morning, I am never at my best!

Other times I may flip is when our young baby daughter wakes up in the middle of the night.  Other time more recently when a utility bill arrives and is far more money than I expected!  To be honest, the list of things that get me wound up are probably endless.

Considering however each and every time… What have I gained from shouting the odds, from stomping around the house and sounding like a teenager who is grounded?  Nothing. Well, I have probably entertained my wife at times, but not only is it not a good example to her or my family, its also non-productive! By getting stroppy, I can’t reverse the specific situation therefore I need to deal not only with each situation as it happens, but also my reactions!

I pray that when an issue arises that would normally flick my “react” button, that the Lord, through the power of His Holy Spirit, will enable me to remain calm.  To deal with each problem level headedly and with love.  To know His peace that he promises us in this scripture.

Go with the flow.  The times I haven’t been so “quick to flip”, things have been resolved quickly and easily!  I think we can all learn a thing or two from today’s reading.  Check it out at:  http://www.ucb.co.uk/index.cfm?itemid=88&testdate=16%20Mar%202008

Get Ready – Luke 19:29-40

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31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’ (NIV)

The Lord has plans for our lives.  What an exciting thought.  Be it something small that will still have impact or be it something that takes up many years, there are still plans that the Lord has for you and me.  Of course we don’t always know what these plans are going to be, so our responsibility is to get ready, to be prepared for whatever it is that the Lord has planned

for us next!

There are so many ways we can serve including sharing our faith with others, hospitality, discipleship, teaching, worship, the list is endless.  So whatever our calling, if you are already doing it, you should continue to throw yourself into it, continuing to seek the Lords guidance through prayer, His word and fellowship with other. If on the other hand you are waiting to know what it is the Lord has planned for you, then its time to get ready!

How can we get ready, especially if we have no idea what His plan is?

It is so important to regularly spend time with the Lord.  We need to read His word as often as we can, as He can and will speak to us through His word.  We also need to ensure we spend regular time in prayer.  I myself struggle with this often and have to remind myself that a marriage will struggle with no communication, therefore my relationship with the Lord will not always be as strong as I would like without me regularly communicating with Him!  The amazing thing about prayer is, if you listen, there are times the Lord speaks back!  If and when he does write it down!!  I could kick myself for forgetting some things I have heard in prayer.

Being part of the Church is also important.  Using whatever skills you have to benefit the church is not only wonderful service to the Lord, but you will find opportunities to grow and learn, all fantastic preparation for the things the Lord wants from us.

It is so exciting that our Lord and Saviour wants us to do things to glorify His Kingdom!  It is an honour and a privilege to serve Him.  I pray that the Lord will continue to use us all, and will bless everything we do for Him.

Get Ready….  Already doing it?  Keep Going…!

Refuge and Strength – Psalm 71:1-16

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1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 (NIV)

When things go wrong who do we turn to?  In the past friends could have let us down, our work and colleagues could have let us down, even people at church.  When people attack us, again who do we turn to?  In lifes stresses and strains, who can we turn to for strength, for rest, for relaxation, for sanctuary, for protection, for comfort, for wisdom, for everything we need to move on and conquer any issue.

Our help comes from the Lord:

 1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?

 2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 121: 1-2 (NIV)

God truly is our refuge and strength.  With Him on our side, we can meet and exceed all the demands in life.  After all he is the Creator God who made all things!  In this fast paced life, we can often forget to seek the Lords help in situations, and we can complete yet another day without stopping for a moment

and asking for His help, without focusing on Him and the Word for refuge, strength, guidance and comfort.

When the going is tough, we should seek Him in his Word (the Bible), in prayer and in Fellowship.

Honesty – Acts 5:1-11

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A short while ago Stuart led a discussion on Obedience at our Lifegroup. One of the passages was this very passage about Ananias and Sapphira, who sell their land to give the money to the church, and yet they secretly try to keep back some of the money for themselves. The result of their actions is very difficult to read, and I can imagine this is not the most popular portion

of scripture in the Bible! Stuart emphasised though that we should not pick and choose what portions of scripture we read and obey, but we must consider the entire Bible, and strive to do all the Lord asks of us.

3Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal

? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.” (NIV)

The Our Daily Bread picks up on Ananias and Sapphira’s lack of honesty. And although the result of their dishonesty is very extreme, it acts as an example / reminder of the consequences of sin and the need to be completely honest with God. God is everywhere. He knows all and sees all therefore we should not consider trying to hide things from Him, or trying to lie to Him.

In any situation in life we need to be honest, not only with each other, but to our Creator God. There is not half way house for honesty, we can’t be 90% honest, and keep something back for ourselves, or to protect ourselves. Is not honesty a key part of any loving relationship? How much more so, is honesty important with our God?

Honesty is a requirement, therefore we must be obedient to God. I will end with a quote from today’s Our Daily Bread:

There are no degrees of honesty.

Dealing with Loss – Ruth 1:8-17

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16 “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.

17 Where you die I will die, and there

I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”

Despite being faced with the loss of her husband, Ruth was adamant that she was going to stick with Naomi.  She didn’t give in, run away, and leave her old life behind her.  Ruth put her relationship with God, and others first looking beyond what had just transpired, and contemplating the future.

We can learn a lot from this.  When we have lost a loved one, or something in life we hold dear, we need to turn to the Lord for strength.  He will wrap his loving tender arms around us, and comfort us.  He will give us strength to cope and to begin to look toward the future.  And even to start to step out toward that future, instead of being stuck still in sadness and hopelessness.

I pray that I can emulate the strength, character and determination that Ruth displays in these verses.

Prodigal Son – Luke 15:11-24

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This is one of my favourite stories that Jesus told. In a nutshell a Son who has wronged his father returns after he messes up his life, expecting not to be welcomed and seeking to simply become one of the servants so he can at least live more comfortably than he had been. Yet the father, seeing him from the distance, jumped up and ran to him.

21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

And although his son had stolen from him, rebelled against him and run away, the fathers love and forgiveness knows no bounds.

22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

We were once that son. We had rebelled against God. We were living for ourselves, and yet when we came to the point of realisation that we needed our Father God, and we took that first step, He came running to us with arms stretched wide open! There is a party in heaven for every lost Son/Daughter who comes to the father.

This morning, I am reminded too of the fact that although at a young age I had come to the father, I once again went out on my own, living for myself and freezing God out of my life. They were trying times, and a year ago, I finally came to the prodigal Son realisation again, that I can’t live without God in my life, and thus I began to take baby steps back toward him.

He came running to me, and over a period of a few months I was in a new church, with amazing new Christian friends who have all since helped to build me up, encourage me and help me in my relationship with the Lord.

For those of us who have never accepted Jesus into our lives, or for those reading this who have backsliden, the Lord is sat outside His house like the father in this story, and he is waiting to see you on the horizon so he can come running to you, and throw the biggest party ever at the return of His Son or Daughter. Check out my “Believe” Page.

What amazing grace our Lord has.  He is willing to forgive us ALL our sins, and welcomes us as part of His family.  Not as slaves, or as acquaintances, but as Sons and Daughters!  Heirs to His Kingdom!  It is so incredible to think that our Creator God, Almighty and Powerful God, loves each one of us that much!

If you have lost your way, take that step back to the Lord.  He is waiting to throw a party for you and to bless you.