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Reflection on Matthew 3:1-12

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Matthew3

Scripture
“I baptise you with water, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Observation
John the Baptist appears in the wilderness proclaiming his message of repentance. People come from all over to be baptised by him and to confess their sins.
John denounces the Pharisees and Sadducees who come for baptism. He sees their true motives and warns them to produce fruits of righteousness. They must not presume to have God’s favour for being descendants of Abraham, for God is about to lay the axe at every tree that does not bear good fruit.
John baptises people with water for repentance, but one is coming who is greater than he and who will baptise with Holy Spirit and fire.

Application
There are many who claim to follow Jesus but their hearts are far from Him. They claim to have repented yet do not produce the fruits of following Jesus.
What are these fruits? Firstly a changed life in which sin is being overcome and godliness is evident. Secondly, the baptism in the Holy Spirit- a relationship with God  in which prayers are answered, other lives are changed and miracles are manifest. Thirdly a baptism of fire in which the things which distract from Christ are burnt away- worldly pursuits of all kinds being replaced with a passion for Christ.
We need to constantly reflect on our path through life. Is my life becoming more like Jesus or less? Am I showing the gifts and the fruit of the Holy Spirit in my daily walk? What needs to change in my habits and attitudes?

Prayer
Lord Jesus baptise me with the Holy Spirit and with fire and give me the grace to align my life with your priorities for me. Amen.

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Reflection on Romans 15:1-13

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romans1513

Scripture
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Observation
Paul tells us that we need to be considerate of the faith of others, considering their sensitivities in areas that are not fundamental to the faith. We should seek to build others up, just as Christ lived for others.
We should accept one another as Christ accepts us. Then we will receive hope from the Holy Spirit, the source of all hope.

Application
Living as a christian is not meant to be just “Jesus and me.” Our focus must be on both Jesus and those around us. To those who don’t know Jesus, our love should be a sign of His love for them. To those who do know Jesus we need to accommodate the weak and accept all brothers and sisters in the faith.
This does not mean there is no space for correction or that what anyone wants to do should be acceptable. It does mean that we need to be discerning what is important and what is less vital, and then allowing the Holy Spirit to bring us all to maturity.

Prayer
Father please help me to be conscious of the needs of other people. Let me never be a hindrance to those who are seeking to grow in you. Amen.

Reflection on Isaiah 11:1-10

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Family-Camp-2013-29

Scripture

In that day the heir to David’s throne

will be a banner of salvation to all the world

The nations will rally to him

and the land here he lives will be a glorious place.

Observation

A new Branch, a shoot from the stump of Jesse will come, carrying the Spirit of the Lord- a Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might knowledge and fear of the Lord.

This man will be wise like Solomon and walk in justice, looking at truth not appearances. Yet his words will shake the whole world and judge the wicked.

He will affect the while of nature as well as human society. Lions and lambs will lie together, babies will play with snakes. The whole earth will be full of people who know the Lord, and nations will rally to the heir of David.

Application

As Christmas time draws near, we look to prophecies such as this one which speak of anticipating the Messiah. Jesus is the Branch coming out of the stump. He is the one on whom the Spirit of the Lord uniquely rests and who shakes the whole world with His words.

Part of this prophecy is not yet fulfilled. One day the whole of the natural realm will be transformed as the life of God overcomes the power of death and natural enmities will come to an end.

The truth of the earlier part of the prophecy is like a deposit that guarantees that the promises of the later part will one day come to pass.

Christmas reminds us that God is ultimately in control of human history. Much as we might feel overwhelmed by the signs of destruction and evil in the world, God is at work to put it all right.

Prayer

Come Lord Jesus, come. Come and complete the work you started back then. Help me to understand my part in your plan. Amen.

Robin McMillan: A Presence-Based Life Will Restore Cities and Is the Ultimate Purpose of the Anointing

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The first recorded sermon Jesus spoke originated from Isaiah 61, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor” (verse 1).

In subsequent verses Jesus articulates the other benefits of that anointing: healing for the brokenhearted, freedom for captives, an experiential “jail-break” for prisoners, the year of our being delightfully accepted by God based on His vengeance having been fully satisfied, comfort for all mourners, and the divine exchange: beauty for ashes, joy for the mourning ones, and the garment of praise for all who are depressed.

The recipients become oaks of righteousness as God’s special planting that the great God might receive glory. The prophet Isaiah identified the ultimate goal of this anointing.

The newly anointed ones would be ones who “rebuild the old ruins”, “raise up the former desolations”, “repair the ruined cities”, which were the “desolations of many generations”.

 

Read the full article here

 

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How December 25th Became Christmas

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How December 25 Became Christmas

 

Andrew McGowan   •  12/07/2012

 

A blanket of snow covers the little town of Bethlehem, in Pieter Bruegel’s oil painting from 1566. Although Jesus’ birth is celebrated every year on December 25, Luke and the other gospel writers offer no hint about the specific time of year he was born. Scala/Art Resource, NY

 

On December 25, Christians around the world will gather to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Joyful carols, special liturgies, brightly wrapped gifts, festive foods—these all characterize the feast today, at least in the northern hemisphere. But just how did the Christmas festival originate? How did December 25 come to be associated with Jesus’ birthday?

 

The Bible offers few clues: Celebrations of Jesus’ Nativity are not mentioned in the Gospels or Acts; the date is not given, not even the time of year. The biblical reference to shepherds tending their flocks at night when they hear the news of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:8) might suggest the spring lambing season; in the cold month of December, on the other hand, sheep might well have been corralled. Yet most scholars would urge caution about extracting such a precise but incidental detail from a narrative whose focus is theological rather than calendrical.

 

The extrabiblical evidence from the first and second century is equally spare: There is no mention of birth celebrations in the writings of early Christian writers such as Irenaeus (c. 130–200) or Tertullian (c. 160–225). Origen of Alexandria (c. 165–264) goes so far as to mock Roman celebrations of birth anniversaries, dismissing them as “pagan” practices—a strong indication that Jesus’ birth was not marked with similar festivities at that place and time.1 As far as we can tell, Christmas was not celebrated at all at this point.

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‘Clown epidemic’ in Norfolk prompts police warning

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Am I missing something here? A clown “epidemic”? Alarming people?

What sort of society produces people who are alarmed by the simple appearance of people dressed in unusual clothes? Is Britsh society simply too pampered, too protected? I’m sure people in Syria would welcome an epidemic of clowns to be afraid of rather than something trivial such as bombs and chemical weapons.

‘Clown epidemic’ in Norfolk prompts police warning

by Gia Armstrong
 

People dressed in full clown outfits with red suit and red hair chasing ‘alarmed’ members of public

One-Minute Read LAST UPDATED AT 11:49 ON Fri 29 Nov 2013

POLICE in Norfolk have warned members of the public to ignore anyone dressed as a clown in the street following a number of “alarming sightings”.

One person contacted the police after spotting a clown in Gaywood, near King’s Lynn, on Tuesday evening. The suspect was described as wearing a “full clown outfit” with a red suit and red hair.

Two clowns wearing “Halloween-type” clown masks were spotted the following night near a skate park in the town. In both cases, the callers said they were alarmed and were chased a short way up the road, reports the Eastern Daily Press.

“Nobody has been assaulted and it appears that the people involved are waiting for a passerby to be startled by their appearance and run away, and then the clown runs after them for a short distance,” said Superintendent Carl Edwards.

He stressed that “it isn’t against the law to dress up as a clown” and said it is “important to gain a perspective on these incidents” but added that the police appreciated it can “worry people, especially the young or elderly”.

The superintendent said officers would be patrolling areas where the reports had been made and would offer “strong words of advice” to anyone dressed as a clown.

“The most effective way to behave if you are to see someone dressed up is to give no reaction – because that’s what they are after,” he added.

The Guardian says Norfolk’s “clown epidemic” follows recent reports of the circus characters scaring people in Northampton. Footage of the Northampton clown, who waved at passersby, appeared online and was circulated around the world before he was unmasked last month as a 22-year-old student. Since then, copycat clowns have appeared in towns around the country. · 

Reflection on Matthew 24:36-44

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matthew-2442

 

Scripture

“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming!”

Observation

Jesus teaches His followers that they need to be ready for His return. No one except the Father knows when this will be. Everyone will be living normally, not giving any thought to the Lord. Like in Noah’s day, this will result in God’s swift judgement.

 So we need to be ready. The Son of Man will return as unexpectedly as a burglar entering a home.

 Application

Christians cannot afford to get sucked into the world’s way of thinking. People who don’t know Jesus scoff at any thought that the world as they know it is coming to an end and that they may face the judgement seat of the Lord. Christians also can be deceived into focussing on the concerns of this life.

 Our focus needs to be on Jesus, always. The end could come tomorrow. Even if Jesus is not returning any time soon, we all face the reality that our earthly lives may come to an end at any time.

 Prayer

Lord help me to keep my eyes on you, to serve you in all things and to live the life you call me to. Let me be found ready for the return of the King. Amen.