Lord you are my shelter
My dwelling place
In the storm
You are eternal
Older than the world
My life is fleeting.
Your anger consumes us
Your wrath against sin
Is unending and frightening
But you relent and forgive
All who turn to you
Trusting your infinite grace.
Scripture
For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the mighty deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.
Observation
Moses pronounces blessings on all the tribes of Israel and then climbs Mount Nebo. There the Lord shows him all the land He has promised to the people of Israel.
Moses dies there and the Lord Himself buries him, but no one has ever found the grave.
Joshua is filled with the spirit of wisdom, and the people accept him as Moses’ successor. No prophet has since been as powerful as Moses, nor has anyone performed the mighty deeds of Moses.
Application
Moses was exceptional in his fellowship with the Lord, meeting with Him face to face like a friend. He performed matchless acts of power and passionately pursued intimacy with God.
What God did in Moses, He will do in each of us. He has given us all the Holy Spirit. The Spirit dwells in every believer and releases His power in response to our need and our faith.
We don’t have to seek the Lord on special mountains because His Presence is always with us. As we surrender our hearts and minds to God, we will see mighty miracles take place.
Prayer
Holy Spirit thank you for the knowledge that you are with me. Help me to surrender entirely to you. Amen.
Scripture
Then He said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
Observation
The Pharisees and Herodians hatch a plot to trap Jesus with His words. They start with flattery before springing the trap: “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar?”
Jesus sees their evil intent, knowing that whichever way He answers will lead to trouble, either from the Roman authorities or the people.
He shows them a coin, asking whose portrait and inscription it bears. “Caesar’s”, they reply. He tells them to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is due to God
Application
Jesus has a way of cutting through arguments, traps and paradoxes to get to the heart of issues.
In this case the issue is not about courting popularity and political clout, as the Pharisees and Herodians thought.
The issue, as is so often the case, is about where our heart priorities are.
The coins bear Caesar’s portrait and inscription, so he has the right to as many of them as he wants..
But people have been created in God’s image and bear God’s inscription, so we belong to Him.
Sure, pay your taxes. At the end of the day, that is all the government is entitled to. But give God your whole life. He made you and He deserves you.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, please show me what I am holding back from you and help me to give everything I am to your service. Amen.
Scripture
We continually remember before our God and Father
your work produced by faith
your labour prompted by love
and your endurance inspire by hope
in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Observation
Paul is continually praying for the church at Thessalonica, as he does for many such churches.
The gospel came to them, not just with words but in power, the Holy Spirit and deep conviction.
The Thessalonians are legendary for the depth of their conversion from idolatry to serving the living and true God.
Application
What an awesome church this must have been! When Paul came to preach to them, they received the gospel with deep conviction. They repented from idolatry and served the living God. They took the message everywhere. Signs, wonders and salvations were occurring regularly.
This is not to say that the church was without flaws. However, they were deeply committed to following the way of Jesus and many people were impacted.
The challenge for us is to imitate their behaviour, letting the word of our testimony and the power of the Holy Spirit flow out from us to the world.
Prayer
May I be thoroughly converted Lord, with every gram of my being dedicated to you. Amen.
Exalt the Lord our God
and worship Him.
Praise the Lord our God
and lift His name high.
.
The Lord reigns
over all the nations
The Lord loves us
and answers every prayer.
.
The Lord judges
every heart and every nation
The Lord forgives
all who truly repent.
.
Exalt the Lord our God
and praise Him.
Scripture
The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Observation
Moses asks the Lord to show him who He is and how to continue to find favour with Him.
The Lord promises that He will send His Presence with Moses and the people.
Moses then asks to see the Lord’s glory. The Lord replies that He will hide Moses in the cleft of the rock before passing by as no one can see His face and live.
Application
Moses approaches the Lord with great boldness. He recognises that the task of leading Israel is too great and he needs the Lord’s Presence to lead and direct them. He also seeks a deeper revelation of the glory of God.
Every christian needs a greater knowledge of the presence of God and a greater revelation of His glory.
Unlike Moses, we have the Holy Spirit in us- God’s Presence is always with us. He has promised never to leave us or forsake us.
We should always be seeking a greater appreciation of the nature and character of God. He will give us that revelation if we seek Him with an honest heart.
Prayer
Lord, lead me in your ways and let me see your glory. Amen.
Scripture
“For many are called but few are chosen.”
Observation
The kingdom of heaven is like a wedding feast prepared for the son of a king. The people who were invited refuse to attend.
The king sends servants to tell the invitees that the feast is ready, but they ignore them, some even killing the messengers.
The king then sends his army to kill the murderers and then sends his servant out to bring in people from the streets, all they can find.
One of the guests refuses to wear proper clothes, and is cast out to the outer darkness.
Application
God is determined to have a party for His Son.
The people who were first invited failed to recognise that Jesus is the Son and so God invited the whole world in to celebrate with Him.
Some refuse the call. Some even kill the messengers, but the party continues with all who will feast with the King.
Prayer
Lord, today I say “Yes” to your invitation. I say “Yes” to your Son. Amen.
Scripture
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again- rejoice!
Observation
Paul exhorts the Philippians to stay true to the Lord. In particular, two women who have disagreed are to settle the matter.
Rejoice always, Paul tells us. We must nor be anxious about anything, but instead we should pray and trust the Lord.
We should fix our thoughts on what is right and honourable, lovely and admirable. And then we need to put into practice what we have learned.
Application
All the directions of our relationships need to be constantly worked on. Our relationship with God comes first and everything needs to be seen in that light. Prayer and faith lead to peace and joy.
By being consumed with negative things, our internal lives are damaged. We need to give our attention to what is good and honourable to allow our souls to be healed, and for godly values to flow out of our hearts.
If there are conflicts in our lives we need to reconcile them. It’s fine to disagree with others, but we must not allow that to break relationships, particularly with other christians.
When we put into practice the teachings of scripture we find that our lives are changed and we make a difference in the lives of everyone around us, including unbelievers.
Prayer
Thank you Lord for saving me and for the promise of peace in every situation as I submit myself to you. Please help me to lay everything at your feet in prayer. Amen.
Scripture
So the Lord changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people.
Observation
While Moses is up on the mountain receiving the Law, the people of Israel decide to make an idol. They go to Aaron and demand that he make them a god.
Aaron takes the gold from their earrings and fashions a calf. Then he builds an altar and declares the next day will be a festival to the Lord. The people burn sacrifices to the idol and engage in “pagan revelry.”
The Lord tells Moses to go down and see how quickly the people have reverted to idolatry. He threatens to kill them all and make a new nation from Moses. Moses intercedes on their behalf, and the Lord relents.
Application
Idolatry is always lurking in the human soul. We have infinite capacity for worshipping false gods. It is as if being in relationship is too big a gift for us to appreciate and receive.
Most christians do not worship golden calves or other explicit idols. We might find ourselves exalting other thins above our obedience to the Lord- family, church, denomination, sport, work.
There are many idols but just one God.
Prayer
Father, please rescue me from my tendency to put other things ahead of you. May I never give in to any form of idolatry. Amen.
Scripture
“The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing
and is wonderful to see.”
Observation
Jesus tells a parable about a man who develops a vineyard with every conceivable facility and then leases it. When harvest time comes he sends some servants to collect his share of the harvest. The tenants beat up the servants and send them away, so the owner sends a bigger group of servants with the same result.
Finally he sends his son. The tenants think that by killing the son they will gain ownership of the vineyard.
Jesus asks his listeners what they think will happen next. They reply that he will kill the tenants and lease the vineyard to someone who will give him his share of the harvest.
The leaders realise that the parable is a word against them. Ironically they respond by wanting to kill Jesus, but they are afraid of the people.
Application
The Jewish leaders had been entrusted with leading God’s people. But they had broken this trust by using their position for their own gain. Jesus says they will be dealt with by God.
Christians can feel entitled in the same way that these leaders did. We can be tempted to feel that God is blessed to have such good people as us in His kingdom. We might feel that following Jesus makes us better than non-christians.
God will surely judge all forms of pride and self-righteousness.
Prayer
Father, show me if there is any attitude in me that is based in false pride. I repent of these things and ask for your forgiveness. Amen.
New Life Narrabri 