God is Almighty

“For nothing is impossible with God”
(Luke 1:37)

 

Reflection:
God created everything from nothing. And whilst God is everywhere within His creation He is not bound by it. He is also around and beyond it. In fact His creation only continues to exist because He wills it and sustains it. He could extinguish it at any moment without damage to Himself – for He is God and He is Supreme.

He is the God who brought the plagues upon Egypt by His word. He brought the Israelites out of Egypt, saved them by parting the waters of the sea and closing them again over their enemies. He  looked after them for the forty years in the desert – providing them with food and drink – and brought them safely to and into the Promised Land where He established them.

In and through Jesus Christ He continued to show His absolute power and authority by healing the sick, raising the dead, giving sight to the blind, cleansing the lepers, empowering the lame to walk, casting out demons, walking on water, calming the storms, feeding the crowds and raising Jesus from the dead into eternal life.

Again and again, from “Let there be light” to “Get up and walk” He has shown us that He has only to say the word for His will to be done.

• “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11)
• “The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed” (Matthew 8:8)

Truly, as the angel said to Mary, “Nothing is impossible with God.”

Response:
Think on these things – is this your God?

Prayer:

“I do believe! Help my unbelief.”  (Mark 9:24)

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God is Creator

“In the beginning God created
the heavens and the earth”
(Genesis 1:1)

Reflection:
God is Creator. This is affirmed throughout Scripture.

• “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3)
• “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth” (Psalm 33:6)
• “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible” (Hebrews 11:3)

What He has made He has also sustained and continues to sustain.

• “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3)

Where Science seeks to discover how things were made the Scriptures very simply and clearly focus on Who made them. They do not delve into process but confine themselves to simple Truth. And yet, just as any work of art reveals something of the artist, there is within creation a revelation of the power and glory and majesty of the Creator.

• “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20)

One day I stood and looked in awed appreciation at the sun sparkling on the deep blue swell of the surging sea, and I said quietly, “0 God, but that’s beautiful!” And deep within me a voice responded, “I like it too.” And it was very good.

Response:
Look and Listen  – sense the life and beauty all around.

Prayer:

Lord God, how You must have enjoyed creating the seen and the unseen – everything in its vast array. Help me to pause and see, hear and feel, and marvel that I too am a precious part of it. Amen.

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God is Real

“So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them”
(Genesis 1:27)

Reflection:
God is Real. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves of it – for we can fall into the state of treating Him as a faceless and feelingless object out there somewhere. But He is the foundational and ultimate reality, for

“In him was life, and that life was the light of men” (John 1:4)

At one level our own existence – and continued existence – is a testimony to the reality of God. For He created us in His own image. He is personal and He relates to us and with us, as persons – and we in turn relate to Him as persons and on a very personal level.

This is most wonderfully underlined for us in the history of God’s dealings with His people. From His seeking out Adam and Eve, calling Abraham, Moses and David, His use of the prophets and His sending His Son to us, everything has emphasised the personal nature of our relationship with Him. Jesus Himself continued with this revelation in all His dealings with those whom He called and those who came to Him for help.

God is a Real Person. You are a real person. And Jesus call to us is issued at that level – so that the real you may come to and find the Real God and know His real reassurance and help.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”  (Matthew 11:28)

Response:
Let your prayers be very natural and personal, and with Paul “keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better” (Ephesians 1:17)

Prayer:

Father I come to You in prayer – help me to know that You bend toward me to listen and to hear what I say. Amen.

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Open Hands

“Remember this:
Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”
(2 Corinthians 9:6)

 

Reflection:
We are sowing all the time. At every moment and in every situation we are distributing something into our contexts and into the lives of others. It flows from our expressions, our words, our attitudes, our actions and our reactions. There is not one of us, whether introvert or extrovert, of whom this is not true.

As we realise this we come to see also that we have a choice with regard to what is sown. It can be positive or negative, helpful or unhelpful, encouraging or discouraging, up building or degrading. We also have a choice as to how much we sow – minute quantities, sparingly or lavishly – and whether we so do willingly or unwillingly.

Years ago as I walked past the public Library gardens on my way to work I often met a man walking across my path. He was a fairly large man with a round and generally smiling face and, as he walked, he sang out loud in a resonating bass voice. I did not understand the words which were not in English but the song, and the beaming joy with which it was sung, was a wonderful blessing bringing smiles to the faces of almost everyone who met him. What a gift it was!

We all have within us the ability and the wherewithal to sow some blessing and encouragement into the lives of those around us. In a world in which the focus is turning increasingly inwards all it takes is the decision to be aware of others and – even for a day – to decide to seek ways of giving a blessing rather than looking for one ourselves. The wonderful thing is that so often sowing kindness brings it back again in some way – even in an immediate smile on the face of the recipient.

Cultivate the habit of sowing love, light and life in your situation. It can change lives – including your own.

Response:
Look – listen to the expressions of others – do something.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus You blessed the lives of so many people. Help me to do the same and to be excited about it. Amen.

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Trust and Obey

“I am the Lord,
and there is no other”
(Isaiah 45:6)

Reflection:
In the uncertainties and pains of this world remind yourself of three things

God is still God, He is still in control and He always will be.

• “I am the Lord, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:6)
• “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please” (Isaiah 46:10)

Jesus Christ His Son is, and always will be, the Answer to all life’s challenges and needs – in each and every situation.

• “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6)
• “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND Lord OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:16)
• “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28)

We are called to live in faith and obedience to God. Faith is an active response and it is revealed through our obedience – whilst to disobey is a rejection. So we start by putting our faith and trust in Him, and continue by expressing it in our obedience.

• “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (John 6:29)
• “If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:16-17)
• “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him”  (John 14:23)

Whatever the state of our lives at this moment we need not be alone. The Lord God, the Almighty Father, is with us, the Crucified, Resurrected and Ascended Saviour is with us, and the Life-giving, Fruit-growing and Transforming Holy Spirit is within us.

Response:
Acknowledge Him, Speak to Him, Listen to Him, Trust and Obey Him

Prayer:

You are God and there is no other. You are the God of my life and my situations. Bless me Lord for I need You so much. Guide me, strengthen me and grow me in faith and obedience and the knowledge of Your love. I entrust You with me in my today and tomorrows. Amen.

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Encouragement

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,
who loved us and by his grace gave us
eternal encouragement and good hope,
encourage your hearts and strengthen you
in every good deed and word.”
(2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

 

Reflection:
Paul never thought that God was a disinterested spectator in the affairs of the world, of His Church and of His people individually. His learning and his experience taught him otherwise. His encounter with the living Jesus, his experience of the Holy Spirit and the way God opened his eyes to the Scriptures convinced him of God’s presence, purpose and commitment. He lived his life accordingly.

Christian life and ministry can, at times, be very lonely and insecure. We may wonder where God is and if what we are about has any significance or value in the greater scale of things. We need to remember that Jesus gave His life, and His ongoing commitment, to the people who would believe in Him and continue His work and ministry. Every aspect of it, whether thought, word or deed is of importance and, if of God, contributes towards the building and extension of His Kingdom. Each one of us does indeed have a Circle of Influence, far wider in today’s world than we would at first imagine. God encourages us to use that influence to bless others and bring glory to Him.

If God desires something to happen, whether on an international or personal front, then He will support and empower it. If God wishes you or me to lead a particular type of life – a holy life – then He will support, empower and encourage it. Because He wants us to reflect Him in our world He will inspire and strengthen us. He will also stand with us when the enemy attacks us and attempts to scare us into inactivity or lead us astray. He will be both our strength and our refuge.

Jesus great promise is to be with us always. He undertook also that the Holy Spirit would be within us and be the one to  bring God’s love into our hearts. We are not alone – God is at work within and around us even when we are blind to His presence.

Response:
Remind yourself of Jesus’ presence. Involve Him in everything.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus do help me to remember that  You are with me always. Please help me to acknowledge You and  to think, speak and act in ways that honour You – and strengthen and encourage me every step of the Way. Amen

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Good News

“The gospel of God- the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God, by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith”
(Romans 1:1-5)

Reflection:
At the very beginning of his great letter to the Romans Paul gives a very concise, clear and complete description of the gospel. There are six key elements that he brings out,

Firstly, it is ‘the gospel of God.’ That is it had its origin in God the Father. And, as the Scriptures make very clear, this took place before the creation of the world. It was a part of God’s plan and purpose from before the beginning.

Secondly, it is totally focussed on Jesus Christ. It is ‘the gospel  … regarding His Son …Jesus Christ our Lord.’ It is centred on Him and on His life and purpose, His ministry and meaning, and His death and resurrection and coming again.

Thirdly, the gospel is the fulfilment of the prophecies in the Old Testament. Both Jesus and the apostles used these Scriptures as a a foundation for their proclamation of Jesus as Saviour and Lord.

Fourthly, the scope of the gospel is the whole world. Paul refers here to ‘all the Gentiles’ which would have included every person who was not a Jew. And in the Great Commission Jesus sends the disciples to take the gospel ‘to all nations.’

Fifthly, the immediate purpose of the gospel is to ‘call people .. to the obedience that comes from faith.’ This means to a new life and way of living centred on faith in Jesus Christ and in accordance with His teachings.

Finally, the ultimate goal of the gospel is for ‘His names sake’ – that is for the greater glory of the name of Jesus Christ. We look ahead to the day when

“at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11)

It is ‘The gospel of God – promised .. through His prophets … regarding His Son … Jesus Christ our Lord … for His Names sake .. to call people from among all the Gentiles .. to the obedience that comes from faith.’

Response:
We do this by our thoughts, words, prayers and the lives that we live.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, may Your gospel of Jesus Christ be proclaimed in and through me to the greater glory of His Name. Amen.

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