By God’s Spirit

 

“Not by might nor by power,
but by my Spirit”
says the LORD Almighty.
(Zechariah 4:6)

 

Reflection:
Next Sunday the Christian Church celebrates the Day of Pentecost. It commemorates how on a real day, in a real room, in a real city, real men and real women, received a real blessing and a real experience that impacted and changed their lives in a real way.

In fulfilment of the promise of both Jesus Christ and the Father, and as prophesied by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit entered into the lives of the believers. It was at once the final act of the saving ministry of the Lord Jesus (before His second coming) as well as the inauguration of the new era of the Holy Spirit.

It marks another crucial moment in the history of humankind. For without it, without the presence and ministry of the Holy Spirit, the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus would no longer have any real and personal relevance in the lives of people today.

Nothing of significance happens without the Holy Spirit. He was present and involved in all of the great acts of God, as evidenced in the accounts of

• the Creation [Genesis. 1:2]
• the Annunciation [Luke. 1:32]
• the beginning of Jesus’ ministry [Luke. 3:21-22]
• the beginning of the Church’s ministry [Acts 2:1-4]
• the new birth of believers {John 3:5]

We see the Holy Spirit repeatedly engaged in His activity of making the will and word of God into a reality. He is the One who continues to do so today and our lives as Christians are blessed, enriched and given a new purpose and worth through His ministry.

Not all that He does is at the level of the great acts referred to above, for He works in the lives of individual believers in both small and intimate ways as well as in ways that leave us breathless with amazement. He is the ever present reality of the Living God within us – you and me.

Response:

Blessed are You, creator God,
to You be praise and glory for ever.
As Your Spirit moved over the face of the waters
bringing light and life to Your creation,
continue to pour out Your Spirit on us today
that we may walk as children of light
and by Your grace reveal Your presence.
Amen.

———————-

Advertisement

God touches me

“While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him”
(Luke 5:12-13)

 

Reflection:
The next person we meet is a man ‘covered with leprosy.’ Unclean in terms of the Jewish Law he was forced to live away from other people. Dressed in rags he was required to call out “Unclean, Unclean” as a warning to anyone who came near to him. He was banished from his family and all society and would have come to see himself as disgusting to everyone, including the religious leaders and so too to God. He would have been disgusting even to himself.

He sees in Jesus his last hope and comes and falls down before Him crying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Two more things stand out for us,

• He does not ask for healing but for cleansing – for it is being unclean that has separated him from family, friends and other fellowship.
• He does not question Jesus ability – only whether He is willing.

Jesus response is beautiful.  He reaches out His hand and touches the man – touching the untouchable and recognising his humanity and loneliness. Then He follows it with the wonderful words, “I am willing.” And immediately the leprosy left the man. He was cleansed and healed in that moment.

Sin can be like a leprosy – making us unclean, and even disgusting, in the eyes of ourselves, others and even God. But the wonder of His love and grace revealed in Jesus Christ is that He has come to find us, reach out to us, and cleanse us from all sin, stain and guilt. And we, who were also the untouchable ones, find ourselves touched by the wonder of His cleansing and healing sacrifice – and bathed in the warm life-giving light of the risen Son.

Response:
Draw near to Him – He is not only able but very willing to restore you to true life.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I come to You with all the weakness and darkness and stains that have clouded my life and relationship with You, and with myself. Cleanse me too Lord that I may walk with You in the glorious light of  Your Life. Amen.

————————

God accepts me

“Then Jesus declared,
 “I who speak to you am he”
(John 4:26)

 

Reflection:
Yesterday we looked at the account of Hagar who met ‘The God who sees me.’

Today we recall another meeting between a lonely and rejected woman and God. This was a Samaritan woman who, after five failed marriages, was living with a man who was not her husband. She left her town to draw water at an outside well. The inference is clear – the local woman who met to talk and draw water at the well in the town square wanted nothing to do with her.

When she reached the well she found Jesus waiting for her. Not only did He surprise her by talking to her – for Jewish men would not talk to Samaritan women – He also asked her for help. He wanted her to give Him a drink of the water she drew from the well. He went on to talk to her about her life, showing just how much He knew about her, and then revealed His real identity. Amazed she ran back into the town and told everyone about her encounter with the man who could be the Messiah. As a result many of the townspeople became believers. Suddenly and unexpectedly her life had changed. And if she had been asked to give Him a name she might well have called Him ‘The God who accepts me.’

This is the amazing truth of the love and grace of God. Because of Jesus Christ no one has become too unacceptable to God. Anyone who looks to Jesus Christ and puts their faith and trust in Him as their Saviour and their Lord becomes acceptable to God –no matter what their past has been like. In a glorious and wonderful moment of transformation we become forgiven and cleansed and reborn as the daughter or son of God.

He is the God who accepts you and accepts me right this moment– as we are and with all out past and baggage – and draws us into His great, transforming and eternal love.

Response:
In Jesus Christ you are an accepted one – believe it and live it.

Prayer:

O my wonderful Father, my precious Lord Jesus, and life-renewing Holy Spirit, thank You so much for making me acceptable to You – and rejoicing over me. Help me to believe, receive and rejoice in this wonderful truth. Amen.

—————————-

God on Friday

God on Thursday

God on Wednesday

God on Tuesday

God on Monday

 

“I am with you always”
(Matthew 28:20)

Right now
and wherever I am today
the Lord Jesus is with me
 – my Lord, my Saviour, my Shepherd –

Good morning Lord.
Thank You for  Your presence.
I will walk with You today
and You with me.
Amen

———————–

(Photo: (c) Catherine Bondonno)

Forgiven

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus”
(Romans 8:1)

Reflection:
For those who have entered into the new life in Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour there is now no condemnation – we have been set free from the law of sin and death. Sin has been dealt with and forgiveness established for our sins.

• “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more” (Isaiah 43:25)
• “In him (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7)
• “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28)

Jesus died for all sin and sins – past, present and future – of all humankind – past, present and future. Having fully dealt with the reality and penalty of sin no further action was needed. His was a ‘full, perfect and sufficient sacrifice.’ All that is left for us is to enter by faith into the salvation that He provided in His death and resurrection.

He recognised that we would still continue to sin and fall short of God’s standard of holiness – but having dealt with sin itself He likened this to the dirt that we would pick up as we walk through the world. This was part of the significance of the washing of the disciples’ feet at the Last Supper. He told them that through their association with Him they were already ‘clean’ and only needed their feet to be washed, not their whole bodies.

• “Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean” (John 13:10)
• “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9)

When as Christians we sin our response then is to turn to God in repentance – which is acknowledging that we have sinned. We ask for forgiveness – which is acknowledging both that He alone can forgive sins and also that such forgiveness has already been provided in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We then acknowledge our entry into that forgiveness by thanking Him.

Jesus made it clear that in this life there is no limit to the forgiveness of God – by teaching that there must be no limit to our own preparedness’ to forgive others.

• “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:21-22)

The reality is that Jesus Christ has provided total forgiveness for me – and He expects me to live by faith within that forgiveness. When sin occurs in my life, or is recognised, it can and should be dealt with in terms of what He has already done for me –not what I hope He will still do!

Response:
Amazing and wonderful God!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus help me to put my complete faith and trust in You –and to live and walk in the liberating knowledge of the forgiveness of my sins. Amen.

——————————-

Loved

“The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying:
“I have loved you with an everlasting love”
(Jeremiah 31:3)

Reflection:
I am eternally Loved.

This is not some touching human emotion, but the promise of the Everlasting God for all Eternity. It is borne out for us in the great love statements of Scripture.

• “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16)
• “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love” (John 15:9)
• “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him” ( 1 John 4:16)

God does not put up with us or regret us. He loves us – and He loves us with the same love that He has for His Beloved Son. This is an unlimited, unconditional and creative love that is prepared to give everything for the well-being and blessing of the one loved. And no matter where we may be or have been, when we turn to Him His joy knows no bounds.

His door is always open to us – day and night. There is no need for anyone to approach Him for us. We can enter into His presence at any time and in any state – certain of an open-hearted welcome. We can share our hearts with Him – our hopes and joys, our fears and shame, our longings and hurts. He will listen to them, treasure them and respond to them. And when we listen we might also hear Him sharing Himself with us.

God is Love – there is no better word to describe Him.

Response:
Ask Him to help you to receive His love – and trust His response.

Prayer:

Father God, I need Your Love – I so much want to be loved with Your love – please pour Your love into my heart by the Holy Spirit whom you have given to us, and help me to know, receive and respond to Him. Amen.

———————————-