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Reflection on Matthew 2:1-12

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wisemen

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+2.1-12

Scripture

And, having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Observation

Some wise men come from the East looking for a child who is to be the King of the Jews. King Herod is very perturbed about this and asks his own “wise men”- the priests and scribes- where the Messiah is to be born. They tell him Bethlehem.

Herod sends the wise men to Bethlehem and tells them that when they find the child they are to let him know so he can come and pay homage.

The wise men go to Bethlehem where the star leads them to the house where Jesus’ family is staying. They worship the child and offer their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Then they return home by a different road.

Application

These wise men were Magi, wealthy and respected astrologers and soothsayers from Babylon. They were most likely descendants of the wise men of Daniel’s day and may well have been aware of Daniel’s prophecies which indicated the time of the Messiah. Today these people would be the gurus and elites of the New Age movement.

It is interesting that the first worshippers of Jesus were the poor deplorable shepherds and the Gentile idolaters.

The Magi used their human wisdom and common sense to get them to Bethlehem. They knew from their astrology that a king had been born in Israel. They naturally went to the powerful people at the palace. Then the star led them to the child they were seeking.

But, after encountering the Lord, they were warned in a dream from the Lord to go a different way home and not to go back to Herod.

An encounter with Jesus will change your course.

Common sense, human wisdom and what we know will take a person so far in the christian life. It is only when we meet Christ, have an encounter with the living God, only then are our lives truly changed. Inly then can we go by a different road.

The way of religion is to make myself right with God. Say the right prayers, live a good life, go to church. Religion may change what we do but it does not change our hearts.

It is when I realise that I cannot make the grade, that I am hopelessly trapped in my sin, only then can I reach out to God and receive His gift of salvation in Christ.

It is a choice that sends our lives along a different road; a road of grace and freedom in Christ,

Prayer

Lord Jesus I pray today for my friends and family members who do not know you. Please give them an encounter with you that will change the path they are on. Amen.

Reflection on Hebrews 2:10-18

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heb2

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+2.10-18

Scripture

Because [Jesus] was himself tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

Observation

Jesus is not ashamed to call us His sisters and brothers. He regards us as the gift of the Father to Him.

If we are children to Christ, sharing flesh and blood, it was necessary for Him to also take on flesh and blood in order to die and defeat satan, the one who has the power of death.

He became like us in every way in order to become our High Priest to make an atoning sacrifice on our behalf. He was tested by what He suffered, and is therefore able to help those who are tested.

Application

Jesus was in every way human, just like us. We often think of Him sailing serenely through life on His way to the cross. But He suffered all of the same trials, tests and temptations that we face, but remained without sin.

Jesus got hungry, thirsty, tired, happy sorrowful, frustrated and angry, but did so without sinning.

Jesus was subject to all of the limitations of human flesh in order to be just like us. He did this so that we can relate to Him and know that He knows what it is like to be human.

The Greek word translated “tested” also means “tempted.” In the wilderness Jesus was tempted by satan and was victorious. In Gethsemane and on the cross itself, He was tempted to give up and disobey the Father, but He remained firm in His resolve.

We think of testing and temptation as negative words, but they in fact are positive. Temptation makes us stronger by driving us into the arms of the Father.

We live in a world where tests of faith abound in every direction. Almost every minute we are faced with a choice- to follow our sinful nature or to trust God’s better plan. As we make these daily choices to stay faithful to the Lord, we set in place a habit of thinking in which we prioritise God’s pleasure above our own.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I thank you that you faced testing and temptation on an even greater level than I do. Just as you remained faithful to the Father’s will, please help me to do the same. Amen.

Reflection on Isaiah 63:7-9

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nativity

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+63:7-9

Scripture

It was no messenger or angel but His presence that saved them.

Observation

Isaiah remembers the praiseworthy acts of the Lord for His people Israel. He loved them and showed them His great favour.

The Lord said, “These are my people, my children.” He became their saviour. It wasn’t an angel who saved God’s people; it was the Lord Himself.

Application

No messenger or angel can save us. Only God’s presence can do that. We need no other Saviour, no other Redeemer than the Lord.

At Christmas, we have just celebrated the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ into the world. Emmanuel, God is with us.

This is the greatest miracle the Lord could ever give us. God, our Lord, the Creator of all things entered into His own creation- weak, frail and ready to show the world what a saviour really looks like.

Some christians – and even some non-christians- become fascinated by angels. Angels are awesome creatures, but they are not God.

God did not send an angel into the world to save us because an angel could not do this. No angel could pay the price for our sin on our behalf. Only God can do that.

He didn’t send a preacher or prophet to save us. They are merely human and an only point us to the Saviour.

God has saved us. God has redeemed us. God has killed death and sin.

Now He makes His dwelling place in the hearts of men and women. Emmanuel- God is with us.

God is with me! God’s saving presence is with me!

This is the most amazing Good News.

Prayer

Lord, it is true that no angel or messenger could save me from my sin. It was only your presence in the form of Jesus that saved me.

Thank you for saving me. Thank you for making me a new creation through Jesus your Son. Amen.

Reflection on Isaiah 7:10-16

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pharisees1-720x300

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+7.10-17

Scripture

But the king refused. “No,” he said. “I will not test the Lord like that.”

Observation

The Lord sends a message to King Ahaz inviting him to ask God for a sign. But the king refuses, saying he will not test the Lord.

Isaiah responds that the lord will send him a sign anyway. A virgin will conceive and bear a son who will be called Immanuel. By the time the child grows up, he will be eating yoghurt and honey because the lands of the kings that Ahaz fears will be deserted; it will be a time of peace and prosperity.

Application

There is a religious spirit that blinds the heart of its victim to the grace of God. Everywhere there are people who despise the mercy of God, preferring to prove their own righteousness.

If the Lord tells you to ask for a sign, it is because He wants to show you something amazing. It is arrogant and stupid to refuse to do what the Lord tells you to do on the grounds that you are too religious. Who are we to think that we are more righteous than God?

In Acts 10, Peter has a vision of a sheet containing all sorts of animals considered unclean. A voice tells him to eat, but Peter refuses because they are unclean. God rebukes him for calling unclean what He has declared to be clean.

We are not saved by religion. We are not put right with God by following rules. God forbid that we should ever get to the place where we start to believe that we know more than God about what pleases God! But this is the distortion that the religious spirit bring to our thinking.

Often our refusal to obey God comes from fear of people. We fear what people may say about us. We fear people more than we fear God.

The Lord wants us to break out of the prison of blind adherence to rules and regulations in order to walk in the freedom of the Holy Spirit.

True faith comes from at the point where we delight in the will of the Lord, regardless of religious fear or the fear of man.

Prayer

Holy Spirit come and make me more sensitive to your commands. When you tell me to do things that offend the religious spirit, may I have the grace to obey you. Amen.

Reflection on Matthew 11:2-11

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greater

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+11.2-11

Scripture

“I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.”

Observation

John the Baptist is in prison and he sends his disciples to Jesus to ask Him, “Are you the Messiah?” Jesus’ response is to point out the miracles and the healings and the preaching of the gospel.

Jesus then tells the crowd about John. He asks them “What did you expect him to be?” He tells them that John is more than a prophet- he is the messenger preparing the way of the Lord.

Jesus concludes that there was no one greater than John until the present day. But even the least important person in God’s Kingdom is greater than John.

Application

What does It mean to be great? Why is John the greatest of all men until the Kingdom?

John was great because he saw and recognised Jesus the Messiah. He was uniquely called to proclaim “The King is coming!” His greatness was in his calling.

All the prophets in the Old Testament saw a partial picture. Looking back we can see that they saw the coming of the Messiah and how it would happen.

Nobody, until John, saw the fullness of the Kingdom of God. Even John had his doubts.

John was greater than Moses, Abraham, David, Isaiah and Elijah.

But the least in the Kingdom is greater than John.

Me in my ordinary humdrum existence, far from perfect, not always hearing God’s voice– I am greater than John the Baptist, greater than Moses, David, Abraham and all the “heroes” of the Old Testament.

Goodness in God’s Kingdom is not about heroic deeds and famous sermons. It’s about walking with God and listening to the Holy Spirit, determined to live the best life I can for Jesus.

Prayer

Lord it is too marvellous for words to think that you consider me to be greater than John the Baptist. Show me how to be even greater as I walk in surrender to you. Amen.

Reflection on James 5:7-10

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ben_cramer_0.jpg

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+5.7-10

Scripture

Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.

Observation

James encourages us to be patient as we wait for the Lord’s return. We should be like farmers who wait for the rain to bring on the harvest. We must have that kind of patience because the Lord is coming.

We must not grumble about our fellow believers, because the Judge- Jesus- is standing outside the door and about to come in to bring judgement.

Application

Faith and patience go hand in hand. Sometimes God intervenes quickly and miraculously. Often He intervenes slowly and gently. We see the goal of our prayers and want Him to act immediately, but God moves more slowly than we would like.

There is a right time for our prayer to be answered. It may be today, next year or 20 years away. Will my faith and persistence in prayer last over that time scale?

The farmer looks for the rain because his livelihood depends on that water coming down from heaven. The farmer cannot control the rain, and so his life is literally in God’s hands. He calls out to the Lord, believing for the rain that will bring life.

All of this waiting and praying is about the valuable harvest. The harvest is more than money in the bank- it is fulfilment and vindication of a lifestyle and a season of work. Every farmer I know will pluck a head of grain, sniff and taste it. They know by looking if the crop is good, but they need the personal touch- the taste and smell of their beautiful harvest.

We have a beautiful harvest- not our own but the Lord’s harvest. A harvest of souls who are coming into the kingdom. This harvest cannot be brought in my machines. It needs the personal touch- every head of grain individually touched and brought in.

Prayer

Lord I understand that your time scales are not the same as mine, that you deal by generations while I live in minutes. Help me to stay in step with you. Show me the harvest that is waiting to be brought in. Amen.

Reflection on Romans 15:1-13

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romans-15_7-accept-one-another

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+15.1-13

Scripture

Therefore accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.

Observation

We who are strong must always be considerate of those who are sensitive to different issues. We must seek to serve them and build them up.

We must accept our fellow believers just as Christ accepted us. Christ came as a servant for the sake of both Jews and Gentiles.

Application

Accept one another as Christ accepted you.

Accepting can be a loaded word. Do I accept everyone who claims to be a christian? How far do I go in “accepting” them?

We are very good at conditional acceptance. “I accept Anglicans, but…” “I accept charismatics, but…”

We may have doctrinal differences or issues over worship styles with some people. We accept them but with an unspoken condition that they aren’t quite as good as we are. Perhaps we see them as the “weaker believer” that Paul talks about in this chapter.

“Accept one another just as Christ accepted you.”

When I was saved, Christ accepted me whole-heartedly. No conditions. No “buts”. Total acceptance.

That means I must accept all christians in that unconditional way. No “A-class” and “B-class” people. They are all “A-class” to Jesus.

When people refuse to accept me because I don’t measure up to their standards, I have to accept them anyway. My responsibility is to receive people as they are. If they are not able to see that they have the same responsibility then that does not let me off the hook. The commandment is unconditional.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I thank you for accepting me into your kingdom. I am not perfect, but that does not stop your love. Help me to treat other people in exactly the same way. Show me those whom I overlook or reject and help me to love them with your love. Amen.

Reflection on Isaiah 11:1-10

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new_growth_from_cambium_root

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah+11.1-10

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 where he lives will be a glorious place

Observation

A Branch will come out of the stump of David’s family. The Spirit of the Lord will be on him- the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and might, of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will give justice to the poor. Even the natural order will be changed so that deadly enemies will live in peace together.

The heir to David’s thrown will be a banner of salvation to all the world.

Application

The great and mighty tree that was the royal line of Judah, the house of David, seemed dead. Like a mighty tree cut down and poisoned, just a stump remained. But, Isaiah says, that stump is going to spring forth a Branch who will bear fruit.

Jesus is the Branch. He is the one who comes out of David’s line bearing the Spirit of the Lord, and judging in righteousness and gentleness, and winning the whole world to His side.

Jesus carries the banner of salvation. He is the banner of salvation. This flag shows how to come back to the Lord. It is a sign of redemption, reconciliation, grace, forgiveness. We were far from God, but now Jesus is this banner, and the whole world rallies to Him looking for the miracle of restoration into the Kingdom of God.

Jesus is our King, a royal conqueror who over comes the world with His grace. What kind of King conquers with love? What kind of King wages peace on His enemies?

King Jesus- the Son of God, Son of David, redeemer of all.

Prayer

Jesus you are my King. No longer a branch growing from a stump, you are the banner of salvation to the nations. All who come to you will be free of the tyranny of sin. Thank you. Amen.

Reflection on Romans 13:11-14

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tailor

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+13.11-14

Scripture

Clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

Observation

Time is running out. The day of salvation is closer than when we first believed. We belong to the light and should put away all the deeds of the darkness.

We must live decent lives and have nothing to do with wild parties, immorality, or quarrelling and jealousy. Instead we must put on the presence of Christ and train our brains not to think about indulging sin.

Application

Every morning I put on my clothes, and everywhere I go they go also. I don’t think about it, they just follow me.

I need to put on the presence of Christ in the same way. Every morning I seek His presence, surround myself with Him, letting Him cover me with His goodness. Then everywhere I go, He is there too, directing, encouraging and leading me in His ways.

Of course, it’s not that straight forward. Our minds want to indulge the flesh. Satan stirs up desires in our hearts, and we look for ways to serve ourselves not Christ.

Paul tells us we have to train our brains to indulge holiness not sinfulness. If I want to remain clothed with Christ, I must learn to think like Him, to decide to follow His way, not my way.

We find ways to excuse our sin. But Paul tells us we need to not only say “No” to sin but to also say “No” to the desire itself.

When the thoughts come up, I must say immediately “This is not Christ. This is not worthy of a Son of the King.”

And praise God- this is not just my responsibility alone. It is the grace of the Holy Spirit dwelling in me and making me holy. He will give me strength to change my thinking and reorient my desires towards Him.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, I clothe myself in you now. Come and cover me, surround me. Let my heart and mind be clothed in you so that I think and will your thoughts and your will. Help me to banish all desire for evil and only desire you. Amen.

Reflection on Isaiah 2:1-5

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l_16f5dcd33d_1650

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+2.1-5

Scripture

Many people will come and say:

“Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord

to the house of the God of Jacob.

He will teach us his ways

so that we may walk in his paths.”

Observation

In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s Temple will be established. People from around the world will flock to Zion to learn from the Lord

Individuals will learn from the Lord how to walk in His ways, and disputes between nations will be settled by the Lord and not by war.

Application

We are living in the end times, and we already see many of these prophecies being fulfilled.

The mountain of the Temple, Jerusalem and Zion refer to the people of God- the church. All over the world people are flocking to the house of the Lord to seek His ways. Excluding some Western countries, this is literally the golden age of the church. Never before has the gospel been preached and accepted by so many people.

Despite the constant bad news coming out of Syria and a few other countries, there have never been so few wars. Some people attribute this to the McDonalds effect, but it is more likely the Holy Spirit laying an era of peace and prosperity in the world as the Kingdom of God grows.

This is the age of the Holy Spirit as more and more people listen to the “still small voice” and to prophecies and words of knowledge in order to learn of the ways of the Lord.

All of this is not without cost- the “birthpangs of the Kingdom.” Satan is enraged that his plan for undermining the Kingdom of God is coming to nothing.

The seeds planted many years ago are bearing fruit in many different ways. The fields are white to harvest, but satan looks for ways to stop the harvest coming in- from apathy to persecution.

But our God will prevail. The Kingdom of God will continue to grow,

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you told us to pray that workers will go out into the harvest field. So Lord as the harvest field is right before us, as you draw people to “Zion” and “Jerusalem,” may the gospel be preached in power and even more lives saved. Amen.