Month: May 2016

Reflection on Romans 8:12-17

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holy-spirit-fire

Read passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8.12-15

Scripture

All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

Observation

We are debtors, not to the flesh, but to God’s Spirit. If we live by the works of our flesh (our unredeemed natural self) then we will die. But if we allow the Holy Spirit to put to death the sinful ways we will live.

Everyone who is led by the Spirit is a child of God. When we first believed we received the spirit of adoption that calls out “Abba Father.”

The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God and therefore heirs with Christ.

Application

One of the great works of the Holy Spirit is to teach us that we are sons and daughters of God. We don’t have to prove how good we are to Him because He has adopted us into His family. He already loves us.

Many people have an orphan heart. That is, they have been badly hurt by the lack of a father in their life or by abuse by their father. This makes it hard for them to receive the love of the heavenly Father.

The Holy Spirit is given us to reveal to us how much we are loved by the Father.

Prayer

Father I thank you for your never-failing love. Help me to receive your love and to walk in it every day. Amen.

Transition

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During our last Prayer Weekend, the Lord gave me this word for our church

Transition- a process of moving from one condition or state to another.

This is transition time, the butterfly is emerging. It is difficult, tough, confronting, uncomfortable and more.

There is a destination in view. That is the point of transition. It is not chaos for the sake of chaos.

The transition is not a change in structure, but a change in perception of the Lord. We are going to learn to hear the voice of the Lord, how to see what He is doing so that we can join in.

This is why it feels like there is so much passive resistance again. The enemy has amplified the chaos in people’s minds and blinded them to the destination.

We are walking through sand like in a desert. It is hard going, but we must keep going until the journey is done and we get to the green fertile valley.

Don’t be afraid. My rod and staff will comfort you in the journey.

Reflection on Acts 2:1-21

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holy-spirit-fire

Read passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2.1-21

Scripture

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them the ability.

Observation

On the Day of Pentecost, the disciples are together in the one place when the Holy Spirit comes with a noise like a violent wind and the sight of flames like tongues. The Holy Spirit fills all of them and they begin to speak in tongues.

At the commotion, people from around rush to see what is happening. They are amazed to hear these uneducated Galileans praising God in various languages. They are amazed, but some of them sneer saying, “They are drunk.”

Peter stands up and preaches, showing how this is the promise of the Spirit prophesied by Joel.

Application

The Holy Spirit is power- the mighty rushing wind that disrupts our comfortable existence.

The Holy Spirit is fire- burning away the sin and vain lifestyles of sinful people.

The Holy Spirit is language- prayer language bringing us into the throne room of the Father.

The Holy Spirit is confidence to preach with conviction and power to bring people to salvation.

Prayer

Come Holy Spirit. Come and fill me so that every action, every word, every minute speaks of the glory of Jesus. Amen.

Love For God And One Another

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This morning I was studying John 17:20-26 and I was struck by an interesting chain of logic in this section of Jesus’ prayer.

The logic runs like this:

  1. Jesus and the Father are one- one heart, one mind, one purpose
  2. His desire is that His followers will be one with Him in that same way
  3. Then they will be one with each other- one heart, one mind, one purpose
  4. Then the world will know Jesus and the Father

A similar thread runs around the word glory. In John’s gospel it is on the cross that Jesus is glorified, and this is happening right before the crucifixion.

  1. The Father gave His glory to Jesus
  2. Jesus has passed this glory to His followers
  3. The result is that they will be one
  4. Jesus then prays that they will see His glory

When christians argue and refuse to love one another it is a sign that they don’t love God enough and have not seen His glory. If you do a search on almost any well-known Christian leader you will quickly find a thousand or more pages about why that person is a heretic or not even saved.

Those pages betray a problem with their authors- they don’t love God enough.

The positive side of this is that if we pursue God with pure passion, then He will give us a greater love for His people. I have seen that in my own life. Each morning as I pray for the people in my church, the Lord gives me a deeper appreciation and love for each one. Lately He has directed me to pray for the other pastors in the town and I am finding the same process at work. I actually like these men and women!

If we want to see our town and our nation turn to Christ we first must learn to love one another more. But to do that we must love God more. The starting place has to be worship, both personal and corporate, reading the Scriptures and praying for our brothers and sisters in the Lord. As we do these things, He will show us people to pray for and give us the love to serve them.

In the midst of all these things, if I read John 17 correctly, we will start to see the glory of God released and flowing out from us to the world.

That is how revival starts.

Reflection on John 17:20-26

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Read passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+17.20-26

Scripture

“The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one.”

Observation

Jesus prays for His disciples- those He already has and those yet to come.

He asks that they will have the same kind of unity with Himself and the Father that He and the Father have with one another so that they will be one with one another.

The world does not know the Father, but the disciples do. As they understand the Father they will grow in love and in Him.

Application

Everything comes down to our oneness with Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit. They are one and they invite us to one in Him.

As we go deeper into relationship with the Three-in-One God, we will discover a deeper love for those who also seek a deeper walk in Him. Love for God transfers into love for God’s people.

Unity in God is not about agreement on doctrine of worship styles. It’s not aobut a structural unity. No, this is about love for one another, a genuine affection based onj mutual love for the Lord.

Prayer

To grow in love, Lord, I need to go deeper with you. May I become one with you, so that your love and holiness grow in me and flow out into the world through me. Amen.

Reflection on Revelation 22:12-21

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463015431c5aa7bed919a42af21b0398

Read passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+22:12-21

Scripture

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come”

And let everyone who hears say, “Come”

And let everyone who is thirsty come

Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.

Observation

Jesus is the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega, and He is coming.

Those who wash their robes can freely enter the city and access the tree of life. Those who love sin remain outside.

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come Lord Jesus”, and everyone who is thirsty may come to Him.

Application

The Bible ends with two invitations to come. First there is the request, the passionate call for Jesus to come and take full possession of the earth. Paul tells us all things must be put under Him.

Perhaps surprisingly there is also the invitation for everyone who is thirsty to come and drink. Right at the end of the Bible, at the conclusion of the end of the created order, there is sill an invitation to come. The New Jerusalem is a place of welcome and fulfilment for all who thirst for Jesus.

The work of the gospel never stops. The Lord is not willing for any to perish. The invitation to “come” must keep going forth.

If you are thirsty for the Lord, for justice, for righteousness, for forgiveness, for LIFE- then come and drink the living water.

Prayer

Lord I look forward to your return. Come Lord Jesus. But I look forward also to seeing your glory being shown in more and more people turning to you. May they say “Yes” to your invitation to come. Amen.

Reflection on Acts 16:16-34

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paul-silas

Read passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+16.16-34

Scripture

They said to him, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Observation

A demonised slave girl follows Paul and his team, calling out a testimony that Paul has a message of salvation. Paul grows tired of this and commands the demon to come out of her.

With the spirit of divination gone, the slave now has lost her earning potential. Her owners have Paul and Silas dragged before the magistrates, who have them flogged and thrown into prison.

About midnight, Paul and Silas are praising God. Suddenly there is an earthquake and the prison doors are opened. Expecting the prisoners to have escaped, the gaoler is about to kill himself, but Paul tells him that they are all still in there. Paul then tells him the gospel, and his entire family is baptised.

Application

When the power of the Holy Spirit is revealed, people are forced to react one way or another. Those who are in bondage to the things of the world will react with violence, but those who are looking for salvation will eagerly receive the gospel.

It is no good preaching the Good News without prayer and without the presence of the Holy Spirit. The message is just heard as a jumble of words unless the Holy Spirit is working in the hearts of the listeners. Then their whole world is shaken and put right.

Prayer

Lord let me be a Paul, led by your Spirit, directed in all my paths and testifying powerfully to your salvation. Amen