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Reflection on 1 Peter 3:18-22

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Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3.18-22

Scripture

Those flood waters were like baptism that now saves you. Baptism is more than just washing your body. It means turning to God with a clear conscience because Jesus Christ was raised from death.

Observation

Christ died for our sins, an innocent person dying for the guilty. He did this in order to bring us to God.

Christ preached to the spirits in prison. These were the people who disobeyed God while Noah was building the ark.

The flood of Noah’s time was like baptism, in which God brings us safely to new life in Christ.

Application

Baptism, Peter tells us, is similar to Noah’s flood. We go through the water, dying to our old nature, and Christ brings us through to new life in Him.

Baptism is about death and life rather than cleansing the body. When we go under the water, it is as if we drown the sinful nature. We are lifted out of death to be united with Christ who reigns over all things.

In many Muslim countries where the punishment for apostasy from Islam can be death, the persecution of new christians often only starts after they are baptised. These people see that baptism is, in a sense, a cutting off the past life and an attachment to the new life in Christ.

While baptism in itself does not save us- only faith in Christ can do that- it imparts a great spiritual power that releases the believer to live the christian life.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of water baptism and its representation of the new birth in Christ. Thank you for setting me free from sin and death. Amen.

Reflection on Genesis 9:8-17

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Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+9.8-17

Scripture

“I promise every living creature that the earth and those living on it will never again be destroyed by a flood.”

Observation

After Noah and his family emerge from the ark to a literally new world, the Lord makes a covenant with Noah.

The promise is that the Lord will never again send a world-wide flood to destroy all life. The rainbow will be the sign of this promise- both to the Lord and to Noah.

Application

We are not told of the emotional impact of the flood on Noah and his family. Seeing the destruction of every person and every creature in the world, apart from those on the ark must have been extremely distressing.

Now the Lord makes that promise to never again destroy the world by flood. The rainbow would be the sign of this promise.

The promise, together with the “reminder” of the rainbow, was a source of hope for Noah’s family as they set about living as the only inhabitants on the planet. None of them would have to go through such an ordeal again.

God doesn’t guarantee us freedom from tribulation. He does give us reminders of His love and signs for hope. Even in the darkest times of our lives we can look at a rainbow and find hope, or remember the other promises that God has given us.

Prayer

You Lord are the Father of all hope. Help me to trust you in the dark times of my life. Amen.

Reflection on Mark 1:29-39

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Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+1.29-39

Scripture

Jesus healed all kinds of terrible diseases and forced out many demons.

Observation

Jesus and His disciples leave the synagogue to go back to Simon and Andrew’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law is sick with a fever. Jesus heals her and immediately she gets out of bed to serve them a meal.

That evening all who are sick or have demons are brought to Jesus. He heals all kinds of terrible diseases and casts out many demons.

Early in the morning Jesus goes away to pray. Simon and his friends go to find Him because the crowds are looking for Jesus. Jesus then begins travelling all through Galilee preaching the message of the Kingdom.

Application

Jesus has not changed. He is still the same yesterday, today and for ever. Therefore He is still healing people of all kinds of diseases and setting them free of evil spirits.

In the West we tend to put our trust in doctors and drugs rather than in Jesus. When we get sick our first response is to reach for the paracetamol and call the doctor. With relatively cheap health care this is cost free most of the time.

I am thankful for modern medicine because it relieves so much suffering. But for christians, our dependence on health care systems diminishes our trust in God and therefore can become an idol to us.

I rarely catch a cold or flu because as soon as symptoms arise I claim healing in Jesus’ name. Others sneeze and feel miserable but I am victorious. Yet I take tablets every day for high blood pressure and I am yet to get a victory over that.

I have seen miraculous healings over many years. I know that Jesus still heals every kind of terrible disease. Praise the Lord!

Prayer

Lord Jesus you are still in the business of healing diseases and casting out demons. Please help me to grow in faith to believe that you will heal my diseases. Amen.

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 9:16-23

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Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+9.16-23

Scripture

I don’t have any reason to boast about preaching the Good News. Preaching is something God told me to do, and if I don’t do it, I am doomed.

Observation

Paul does not preach the Good News because he wants to or because he gets paid. The Holy Spirit drives him onward, and because God has commanded him to preach, he feels doomed if he doesn’t.

He is not by nature a slave, but he enslaves himself to everyone in order to win them. So he lives as a Jew when he is among Jews and as a Gentile when he is among Gentiles. He does all this for the Gospel so that he can share in its blessings.

Application

Paul had no reason to boast about preaching the gospel. It was God’s command for him to do this so he was compelled to do it.

When I stepped out of ministry with the Uniting Church to plant a new church, it was not a decision that we made lightly. We knew that God had commanded us to do that. One colleague said it was the bravest step of faith he had ever witnessed. But to my thinking it would be far braver to say “No” to God, knowing that you are being deliberately disobedient.

Sometimes God backs us into a corner, forcing us to say “Yes” in the hope of greater blessing.

For Paul the blessings were not always obvious. He was badly beaten, imprisoned, ship-wrecked and ultimately executed because of his obedience. Yet it was in these times that he knew the greatest sense of the presence of Christ.

For most of us the steps of obedience come in small daily decisions that lead us inexorably to the presence of Christ. We learn to obey and it feels like choosing a curse to do anything else.

Prayer

Lord you always lay before us the choice of life and death, obedience and sin. Help me to choose your way every day. Amen.

Reflection on Isaiah 40:21-31

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Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+40.21-31

Trust the Lord, all you people

Again I say, Trust the Lord

It is He who made all things

Above the world, above the sky

And rules the world

The affairs of men.

—

Presidents and kings, rulers and bosses

All serve at His pleasure.

They think they’re so big

But they are flowers in the sun.

—

“What about us?” you say

“God controls the stars, but He forgot me”

No! If you are weary

Wait on Him.

He will lift you up

And give you strength for the marathon.

Reflection on Mark 1:21-28

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Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+1.21-28

Scripture

Everyone was amazed at his teaching. He taught with authority and not like the teachers of the Law of Moses.

Observation

Jesus goes into the synagogue in Capernaum and teaches with great authority. A demonised man comes in and calls out, “Jesus of Nazareth, what do you want with us? You are God’s Holy One.”

Jesus commands the spirit to leave the man, which it does. Everyone is amazed at this authority. News of Jesus spreads throughout Galilee.

Application

Jesus taught and ministered with authority. His authority came from His relationship with the Father.

There are many bible teachers who know lots abut the Scriptures- the languages, the history, the authors, how different parts fit together. But these people can lack authority because they have not lived in the presence of the Lord.

Every pastor, indeed every christian, should have such a close relationship with the Father that their words and actions carry His authority, His grace, His power.

Jesus cast out demons and performed many miracles because of His relationship with the Father. We can do the same things that Jesus did, even “greater things” (John 14:12) because it is the Holy Spirit in us not us by ourselves.

The key is intimacy with God. We need the presence of God. This can only come through vibrant prayer and listening, together with regular reading of the Bible.

Prayer

Come and fill me with your Spirit, Lord. Teach me how to walk close to you so that I carry your authority and your grace. Amen.

Reflection on Deuteronomy 18:14-22

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Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+18.14-22

Scripture

“You will know, because if the Lord says something will happen, it will happen. And if it doesn’t, you will know that the prophet was falsely claiming to speak for the Lord. Don’t be afraid of any prophet whose message doesn’t come from the Lord.”

Observation

Moses is addressing the people of Israel. He tells them that they are entering a land where the people practise magic and witchcraft. But they are not to do these things. Instead the Lord will give them a prophet just like Moses.

God’s prophet will speak the Lord’s message, and anyone who disobeys this message will answer to the Lord.

A prophet who falsely claims to speak for the Lord, or a prophet who speaks on behalf of another god, must be put to death. The Lord will validate His prophets by ensuring that what they predict will come to pass.

Application

The ministry of prophet is misunderstood by the church today as much as it was by Israel in the past.

There are many so-called prophets who are not prophets at all and do not speak for the Lord. We know this because they make predictions that do not come to pass. The Lord says we should not “fear” them. That is, we should not pay attention to their words or recognise their self-appointed role as prophets.

Where people claim to be speaking for the Lord, whether as prophets, preachers or teachers, we must exercise the spiritual gift of discernment of spirits. We should ask, “Is this person speaking by demonic spirits, by human thought or by the Holy Spirit?”

The enemy seeks to devour the people of God, and one of the key ways of doing this is to use false authority to lead people astray.

This is not to say that we should abandon all prophecy. The existence of false prophets implies the existence of true prophets. These are the humble, faithful speakers of God’s word. They hear God and speak it out to the church.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, let my heart and mind be truly open to you. If I am speaking may I only speak your words. If I am hearing may I discern when it is you speaking through them. In all prophetic experience may your name be glorified. Amen.

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 7:29-31

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Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+7.29-31

Scripture

It won’t make any difference how much good you are getting from the world or how much you like it. This world is now passing away.

Observation

The Lord is coming soon so everything will change. Being married or single count for nothing. Our economic status and our position in the world are totally irrelevant in heaven.

Application

We spend so much time and energy in worldly matters. Our education, job, marriage (or otherwise), family, money, possessions can all dominate our thinking. Christians are not exempt from this.

It is important that we carry out our responsibilities diligently, but none of the things that we get anxious about carry any importance in heaven.

Money cannot save you.

Politicians cannot save you.

A nice house and secure job cannot save you.

We worry about these fleeting things that are inconsequential and neglect the issues of eternity and salvation.

At the gates of heaven we will not be asked, “Did you live in a nice house?”. No it will be, “Do you know Jesus and were you faithful to Him?”

The Lord is preparing us to be citizens of His kingdom. If we incest our love and affections on the things of this world, we cannot be listening to His lessons about eternity.

It’s all about priorities really. Do I live as if this life is all there is? Or do I see a vision of eternity, a distant city on a hill bathed in light that calls me home?

Prayer

Lord the cares of this life threaten daily to strangle my faith in you. Please help me to die to this life and to live for you. Amen.

Reflection on Jonah 3:1-10

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Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+3.1-10

Scripture
When God saw that the people had stopped doing evil things, he had pity and did not destroy them as he had planned.

Observation
After Jonah’s sojourn in the fish, the Lord again tells him to go to Nineveh to warn the people of imminent judgement.

This time Jonah obeys the Lord and goes to Nineveh. In the heart of the city, Jonah warns the people “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed.”

The people believe the message and repent of their sins with fasting and by wearing sackcloth. The king hears what is happening and decrees that everyone, even the animals, must fast and pray.

The Lord sees that the people of Nineveh have repented so He does not destroy the city.

Application
A whole city repents, from the lowest of slaves right up to the king. This is a supernatural act by the Lord.

A whole city turns from its evil ways and seeks the Lord. As a result, judgement is averted.

What does it take for a city or a nation to turn to God? In this case it was a reluctant prophet sent to the city with a message of judgement. One man obeying God changed a city.

We never know how God will use our obedience. We so thing because we believe God is telling us to do them with no sense of anything great. Often we lay foundation which God uses to build something on.

The important message of Jonah is this: We must obey God even when we don’t want to, or it is inconvenient or difficult. When we do that, God can amplify our feeble efforts and transform a nation.

Prayer
Help me Lord to be faithful to you each day. Even when serving you is hard or unpleasant, please help me to follow your way. Amen.

Reflection on 1 Samuel 3:1-20

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Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+3.1-20

Scripture

In those days the Lord hardly ever spoke to people, and he didn’t appear to them in dreams very often.

Observation

Samuel is serving in the house of the Lord. One night, as Samuel is sleeping on a mat near the Ark of the Covenant, the Lord calls his name. Samuel thinks it is Eli calling him, so he goes to ask Eli what he wants. This happens three times. Finally Eli works out that it is the Lord, so he tells Samuel that next time this happens he should say, “I am listening Lord, what do you want me to do?”

So the Lord calls Samuel again, and he asks Him What so you want me to do?” The Lord says that He is going to punish Eli and his family for disrespecting the sacrifices.

As Samuel grows up his reputation as a prophet increases across Israel.

Application

In the days before Samuel, the Lord rarely spoke to His people. This should have been a cause for some discomfort for the people of Israel, but we tend to accept things too readily.

The Lord is always speaking to us. His heart is to have relationship with us. If we are not able to hear from Him, the problem is on our side.

For some people the problem is simply lack of practice at listening. For others it might be fear or shame that makes them think that God does not have anything to say.

To start the process we might have to go back to basics. Like Samuel, we should ask, “Lord what do you want me to do?” It helps to write down what you think God is saying to you.

“Be still and know that I am God!”

Be still- and let God speak to you.

Be still- and listen to the Holy Spirit

Be still.

Prayer

Lord, what do you want me to do? Help me to learn to hear your voice, the still small voice of your Holy Spirit. Amen.