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Reflection on Ephesians 1:15-23

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eph1-17

Scripture

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus, and your love for all the saints, I have never stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

Observation
Paul prays constantly for the people of Ephesus. He asks that God will give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation and that they may know the hope to which He has called us.

God’s power at work in us is like the force He used to raise Christ from the dead, lifting Him up to heaven where He now reigns over all things and is the head of the church.

Application
When life is overwhelming us, we can lose sight of our real purpose. Our concentration is taken up by the physical world and we lack insight into the spiritual reality.

The truth is that God’s power, the power that raised Christ from death, is at work in us. He is changing us from glory to glory, even if it doesn’t feel like it.

Even if our world feels like it is out of control, Jesus is reigning over it all, and God will bring His purposes to pass.

Prayer
Father, give me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that I may know you better. Amen.

Reflection on Ezekiel 34:11-24

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Scripture

“I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down,” declares the Sovereign Lord.

Observation
The Lord will remove the false shepherds who have fed themselves on His sheep. The Lord Himself will be their shepherd. He will gather the sheep from all around the world and bring them back to Israel. He will give them rich pasture and search for the lost.

The Lord will judge His own sheep. The sheep who have pushed themselves forward to get the best feed will be judged. The Lord will rescue the flock, but He will also judge them.

Application
God declares that He is the true shepherd for His people, a metaphor that Jesus also uses. The Lord promises to rescue the sheep from the rulers who have oppressed them and to care for them Himself.

The rescue comes at a price- God will now judge those who push themselves past others to get the best stuff, and those who drive away by force those who are weaker.

Followers of Jesus cannot be self-centred or self-promoting. We must not pursue our own interests at the expense of other people.

Selfishness is an entirely natural human trait. And God promises that it will bring His judgement. The good news is that He also has the capacity to change our heart’s from self to Him and thence to others.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, forgive my selfish ways. Open my eyes so that I can see my sin and give me grace to repent. Amen.

Reflection on Matthew 25:14-30

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burymoney

Scripture

His master replied, “Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

Observation

Jesus tells the parable of the talents in which a master entrusts his property to some servants, giving them respectively ten, five and two talents of money.

On his return, the master calls in his servants to settle accounts with them. He is pleased to discover that two servants have doubled the money entrusted to them. He gives them greater responsibility.

The third servant, the one entrusted with two talents, had taken the money and buried it, thus earning no return. His money is given to the servant with ten talents, and this servant is cast out.

Application

We often overlook the fact that this parable is about management of money and not about personal ability or gifting.

In Australia we have been blessed with great wealth and many resources. We need to ensure that all we do is directed towards God’s kingdom and gaining a return on His investment in us.

Too many christians are like the third servant. We are reluctant to invest ourselves and our resources into the Kingdom.

Each of us needs to find out what the Lord is requiring of us and to invest all that we are into serving His purposes.

Prayer

Father, show me where you are wanting me to invest my time, energy and money for your Kingdom. May I be found to be “good and faithful.” Amen.

Reflection on 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

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1_thessalonians_title

Scripture

You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

Observation

Paul does not need to talk about the dates and times for the Lord’s return because they know that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

We should not be surprised. We are children of the light not of the night. Therefore we need to life as children of the light.

God did not appoint us to wrath but to salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that we can live with Him.

Application

We don’t know when Jesus will return and we should not obsess about looking for signs and working out timetables.

We need to be ready to meet with Jesus at any time. That means ensuring that our hearts are right with him and that we are living as children of the light.

A life of obedience and surrender to Him are the kind of readiness He is looking for.

Prayer

Father is today the Day, or tomorrow? Only you know. Help me to live every day as if it is the day for Jesus’ return. Amen.

Reflection on Judges 4:1-24

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*Scripture*

On that day, God subdued Jabin, the Canaanite king, before the Israelites.

*Observation*
The Israelites sin against the Lord who sends another foreign king to oppress them. The prophetess Deborah is leading the nation at the time, and she sends for Barak to tell him it is time for Israel to be free.

But Barak is afraid and says he will only go if Deborah goes with him. She agrees, and they go to Kedesh where Barak raises an army. The Lord defeats Sisera the Canaanite general, and all the troops are killed. Sisera abandons his chariot and flees on foot.

Along the way, Sisera seeks refuge in the tent of Jael. She invites him in, and while he is sleeping she drives a tent peg through his head.

*Application*
Barak’s words are very similar to those of Moses: “If you go with me I will go, but if you don’t go with me I won’t go.”

While Moses said these words to the Lord, Barak addressed them to Deborah.

God places leaders, prophets, pastors and teachers in the church, but when we are more dependent on them than on the Lord that is idolatry.

We need to honour those over us in the Lord, but we also need to make sure that we are listening to the Lord on our own behalf, pursuing Him and not just relying on another person’s relationship with Him.

*Prayer*
Lord it is awesome to know that you desire friendship directly with me. May I always put my primary trust in you rather than in other people. Amen.

Reflection on Matthew 25:1-13

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virgins

Scripture

At midnight the cry rang out: “Here is the bridegroom. Come out to meet him.”

Observation
Jesus tells a parable about being ready to meet Him.

Ten young women are waiting for a bridegroom. Five have brought spare oil for their lamps, but five have no oil. The bridegroom is late arriving and when he finally does arrive, the five foolish girls have to go and obtain oil for their lamps.

The bridegroom comes while the unprepared girls are absent. The wise girls accompany the bridegroom into the banquet but the others are locked out.

Application
The foolish girls in this story failed to provide for themselves what was needed in order to serve the bridegroom.

We must all make sure that our own relationship with God is right. Oil speaks of the Holy Spirit, light of the revelation of the gospel.

Nobody can rely on the faith of another person whether it be a parent, a spouse, a pastor or some other person. We all need our own relationship with the Lord, now before He comes.

Prayer
Father I pray for those who do not know you. May they have a revelation of your love and come into their own relationship with you. Amen.

Reflection on 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

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Scripture

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Observation
Christians should not grieve over those who die in the same way as people who have no hope. Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that those who die in Him will come back with Him.

The Lord will come down from heaven with a loud shout, the voice of an archangel, and the trumpet call of God. Then the dead will be raised and the living will go to meet the Lord.

Application
What hope there is for those who trust in the Lord. Those who have no faith have no hope. But those who have faith know that death is not the end of the story.

In the final days we will be united with Christ and reunited with those christians who have already gone before us.

What a joy this is, what comfort to know that death is not the end of life but a new chapter.

Prayer
Thank you Lord Jesus for dying for me that I could enter into eternal life. Please help me to keep this truth as a cause for hope. Amen.

Reflection on Joshua 24:1-33

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Scripture

And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and worship him.”

Observation

Joshua gathers together all the leaders of Israel at Shechem, where he recounts to them what the Lord has done for them in bringing the out of Egypt and into their own land.

He encourages them to serve the Lord, but if that seems too hard they must decide which gods they will serve. They reply that they will serve the Lord.

Joshua warns them that if they choose to serve the Lord but later turn away from Him, then He will judge them. They say again, “We will serve the Lord.” They then make a covenant there to always serve the Lord.

Later on, Joshua dies at the age of 110.

Application

The people of Israel were positive in their assertion that they would serve the Lord. Subsequent generations moved away from that certainty.

It isn’t always easy to follow the Lord. The “gods” of this age demand our worship, and our flesh is quick to acquiesce.

When we fall, there is forgiveness, but it is better not to fall. We must try to keep our heart pure and stay alert for the tricks of the enemy. We need to wear the full armour of God (Ephesians 6) so that there is no room for undermining by satan.

Prayer

Father, you have called me to serve you and to walk in your ways. Help me to keep my focus on you alone at all times. Amen.

Reflection on Matthew 23:1-12

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Scripture

“The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Observation
Jesus tells his followers that the Pharisees and teachers of the Law are the interpreters of the Law so it is right to obey their teaching. However they are hypocrites whose example must not be followed.

The teachers love attention and adulation. They love the titles of honour.

Followers of Jesus must not chase titles and positions. Rather Christian leaders must firstly be servants. Everyone who raises themselves up will be pulled down, but those who humble themselves will be lifted up.

Application
I noted just last night how nobody in our church calls me “Pastor.” The closest we get to a title is the kids who call me “Mr Keith.”

The fact is that nobody is any more exalted than anybody else in God’s Kingdom. Sure some have leadership roles, but that does not make them any more important than the people struggling to keep their life together.

To build true community means that we all have to be in it together. Nobody gets to be the boss, at least not in the sense of making burdens for other people to carry. A true leader listens to everyone’s opinion and then sets the direction.

We share the mission. We share the burdens. We share the decisions.

Prayer
Thank you Father for the gift of community, a body of followers of Jesus who commit to love you and each other. Please help those of us charged with leadership to always stay humble and focussed on serving you. Amen.