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Reflection on Romans 8:6-14

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Life and Death

Scripture

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

Observation

If we set our minds on the things of the flesh we will die, but if we set our minds on the things of the Spirit we will have life. We are no longer in the flesh because the Spirit of God dwells in us.

If the Spirit of the one who raised Christ from the dead dwells in us, then we too will be raised to eternal life.

Application

To set our minds on Christ and on the ways of God means that we are consistently orienting our hearts to eternal life. When we get caught up in the sinful ways of the flesh and of the world then we are desiring the things that will lead to death.

The test for anyone who claims to be following Christ is where do our desires come from? Am I wanting to let every part of my life be surrendered to Christ? Or do I want to hold parts of my life for my own pleasure?

The choice is the choice between life and death.

Prayer

Lord please help me to give everything to you you, to direct my heart and mind to the things of the Spirit rather than the flesh. Amen.

Reflection on Ezekiel 37:1-14

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the_valley_of__the_dry_bones

Scripture

“I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes the Lord has spoken.”

Observation

The Spirit of the Lord takes Ezekiel to a valley full of dry bones. The Lord tells Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones commanding them to come together.

So the bones are gathered together, and flesh, sinews and skin cover the bones. But there is no life in them.

The Lord then tells Ezekiel to call out to the wind to come and fill the bodies. The bodies stand up, alive like a great army.

The Lord tells Ezekiel to prophesy to Israel and to promise that the Lord will bring them back from exile and He will put His Spirit in them.

Application

There is nothing more dead than dry bones. But God can turn death into life when we trust Him.

The people of Israel were in exile and had abandoned all hope of returning home. But God said, “You will go home.”

Whatever hopes or dreams we have that seem to be as dead as dry bones can be brought to life by the Holy Spirit.

The only condition is that we trust God to do it His way.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, come and bring life to the dry bones of my lost dreams. Come and bring life where there is no life. Amen.

Reflection on Ephesians 5:8-14

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light

Scripture

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.

Observation

We once darkness, but now we are light. Therefore we must live as children of the light and live to please the Lord.

We must have nothing to do with the deeds of darkness, except to expose them. What is exposed to the light becomes visible.

Therefore we must arise and let the light of Christ shine on us.

Application

Christians must live lives that are very different from those of unbelievers. The fruit of the Christ-filled life is righteousness, and that righteousness must shine out of us like light in the darkness.

The ways of the world are darkness. Even respectable people, people of good repute in the world, live by sin. They have no reason not to lie or deceive in business, no reason not to take up sexual relationships, and so on,

Christians must live holy lives- lives marked by the standards and character of Christ Himself.

The world pressures us to compromise, to conform to its standards. But Christ demands “No compromise!”

Prayer

Lord Jesus let your light shine through me today. May every word and deed show your righteousness. Amen.

Reflection on John 9:1-41

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Duccio_di_Buoninsegna_-_Healing_of_the_Blind_Man_-_WGA06779

Scripture
“If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

Observation
Jesus and his disciples come across a man born blind. The disciples ask who sinned for this man to be blind. Jesus replies that it is not about sin but for the purpose of glorifying God.

Jesus spits, makes some mud with the saliva and rubs it on the man’s eyes. Jesus tells the man to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam, which he does and he is then healed.

The Pharisees investigate the healing, questioning the man and his parents. The man testifies that he doesn’t know much about Jesus but he does know that he was once blind but now he can see.

Application
Religion makes us blind to the activity of God. Like the Pharisees, we can be so intent on protecting God’s reputation that we miss what He is actually doing.

Healing a man born blind was one of three miracles that only the Messiah could perform. The Pharisees needed to make sure that this healing was authentic. But their fear of promoting a false Messiah prevented them from seeing what the true Messiah had actually done. They rejected the man’s testimony and they rejected Jesus.

Some Christians are so afraid of being misled by counterfeits that they discount all miracles, healing and spiritual gifts. They then miss out on what God is doing all around them and run the risk of attributing God’s works to satan.

Jesus is still healing people and He is still performing all kinds of signs for those who will see them. We need to open our eyes, using spiritual discernment to separate God’s works from the devil’s.

Prayer
Show me Jesus what you are doing in the world now. Let me be open to the works of your Spirit. Amen.

Reflection on Psalm23

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Van_Gogh_-_Shepherd_with_a_Flock_of_Sheep

You Lord are my shepherd

Like a sheep, I follow

Listening to your voice

Attending to your call

Trusting your direction

For you are good

Providing all I need

Like green pastures

You take me through life

I lack no good thing.

Lord you will protect me

When death stares me down

And enemies surround.

You will lead me to heaven

To the feast prepared for your people.

Reflection on Romans 5:1-11

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romans5_5

Scripture

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Observation

Our faith in Christ makes us right with God, and Christ brings us peace with God- reconciliation with the Father.

Because of the grace of God, we can boast about our hope of glory- it is all gift. But we also boast about our suffering which produces endurance, character and hope.

While we were weak, that was when Christ died for us. God’s immense love for us is shown in the fact that Christ died for us while we were still sinners.

We are reconciled to God through the death of His Son while we were still sinners. We can therefore be sure of our salvation.

Application

My salvation does not depend on my being holy or on my deeds. It’s not about me being good enough. It’s about Christ being good enough to bring rebels like me back to relationship with God.

Christ was crucified long before I knew about it. When He called out from the cross, “Father forgive them,” I was included in that prayer.

Peace with God is not something we achieve, but a free gift from an awesome, loving God.

Prayer

Thank you Father for your great love. Thank you that you love me even when I stray from you. Amen.

Reflection on Exodus 17:1-7

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water-181600_640

Scripture

He called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarrelled and tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Observation

The whole of Israel travel through the wilderness as the Lord leads them.

At Rephidim there is no water to drink, and the people start grumbling against Moses. Moses then calls out to the Lord.

The Lord tells Moses to go with the elders to the rock and to strike it with his staff, and water will flow from the rock.

Moses obeys the Lord.

Application

It seems that Moses had to have faith for a whole nation. He is the only one who sees that God will provide for them.

Rather than grumbling and complaining when things are not the way we would like them, we need to look to the Lord.

Moses knew that the Lord had brought them to this place and that He would provide what was needed.

The life of faith means trusting God to lead, provide and protect us in every moment.

Prayer

Father, as I look back on my life, I can see many occasions where you have provided what was needed at the exact right time. Please help me to trust you today. Amen.

Reflection on John 3:1-17

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rebirth

Scripture
“God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”

Observation
Nicodemus, a member of the ruling council, comes to see Jesus at night. He acknowledges that Jesus is a teacher sent by God because of the signs He has performed.  Jesus says to him, “You cannot see the kingdom of God until you are born again.”
Jesus goes on to teach Nicodemus that to be born again, one must be born of the Spirit.  Jesus is more than a teacher but He is the Son of Man come down from heaven.
God loved the world so much that He sent His one and only Son to give us eternal life. The  Son came into the world to save it not to condemn it. This salvation comes through believing in Jesus.

Application
To be born again is not a religious experience but a truly spiritual one. When we come to Jesus and ask Him to forgive us, the Holy Spirit comes into our spirit and brings it to life. We are then born of both flesh and the Spirit.
Jesus came into the world and gave up His life to bring freedom from sin, to forgive us and to give us a new life in which God comes first.
You can’t be saved by a religious experience, a ritual or a spoken prayer alone. To be saved means casting everything aside and trusting Jesus to pay the price for our salvation.  It is a life change based on a decision that we will follow Jesus in everything we do.

Prayer
Lord Jesus  I come to you now to lay my whole life at your feet. I confess the things I have done that are wrong and I ask you to forgive me. Thank you for dying for me on the cross. Come now and raise me to a new life, life in the Spirit. Amen.

Reflection on Romans 4:1-25

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grace-and-faith-st

Scripture

He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Observation

Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. When we work for something, our wages are not a gift. But If we trust God for our salvation, this is a gift.

Although this gift of salvation was given to the Jews first (“the circumcised”), it was not for them alone because Abraham received righteousness, and that was before he was circumcised.

The promise of righteousness comes by grace, and we receive it through faith in the Lord Jesus.

Application

It is impossible for us to win God’s approval by our own efforts, whether by good deeds or charitable giving or religious duties. These things do not impress God at all, because they are what is expected of us any way.

God’s favour comes to us because He chooses to give it, because He loves us. His grace is far greater than we imagine and never runs out.

All we need to do is receive His grace by trusting in God. Then we are counted as if we had never sinned.

Prayer

Father, thank you for your limitless grace. Thank you for setting me free from the prison of sin. Amen.