The Lord reigns!
Everyone rejoice!
He sits in the glory cloud
Fire and smoke hide Him
The Lord is mighty
He rules over the earth
Come on, let’s worship Him
Come let’s praise His name
Teach me Lord
To seek your presence
Let your glory fall
Here as on Mt Sinai
Scripture
Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel.
Observation
Moses and Aaron and the elders of Israel approach the mountain, and they see God. The Lord tells Moses to come to the top of the mountain, so he takes Joshua and they ascend.
As Moses goes toward the summit, the glory of God covers it. The Lord calls to Moses from the glory cloud which appears to be like devouring fire.
Application
Words cannot describe the glory of God- it’s a cloud, smoke, devouring fire.
The presence of the Lord defies our minds to describe. To the believer it is a cause for wonder. To the unbeliever it is a cause for fear.
The presence of God was what drove Moses on. His heart’s desire was to know the Lord ever more intimately.
That same desire should drive us also. Prayer, Bible study, and other disciplines are dry and deadly unless we are pursiong the presence of the Lord. But when we truly meet with the Lord- what glory we find and what joy.
Prayer
Lord make me like Moses who desired above all the be in your presence. Give me that same passion. Amen.
Scripture
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Observation
In the past, people decided that “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” was an acceptable level of revenge, but amongst people of the Kingdom forgiveness and non-retaliation are the rules. Go further than you have to in order to bless even those who are against you.
We must love our enemies and pray for our persecutors in order to be true sons and daughters to our Father. If we love only those who love us there is no virtue- anyone can do that. No, we are to be perfect like our Father.
Application
The desire for revenge runs deep in the human soul. The law of “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” was meant to out a cap on revenge by stating that we can go so far and no farther.
Jesus tears all of this up by commanding us to love our enemy and extend grace to those who hurt us.
This is a radical extension of the idea that God will judge all people and so we do not have to. We offer no retaliation, just blessing.
Prayer
Lord, this is a hard command to put into practice. Grant me grace to bless those who cause me pain. Amen.
Scripture
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
Observation
Paul compares himself to an expert builder who lays a foundation for others to build upon. What we build on that foundation will be tested by fire on the Day of the Lord.
We are God’s temple and God’s Spirit dwells in us. No more boasting about men and who we follow! We don’t have to be divided by personalities and celebrities. We have all things in Christ.
Application
As followers of Jesus we are all meant to build on the work of Christ. The extent to which we build in the strength of the Holy Spirit determines the value and longevity of what we build.
Many people are building for themselves or in their own strength or giftedness. They are like people building with straw. It will just disappear when examined on the fiery day of judgement.
We, the people of God, are God’s temple being built in Him and for Him. As we invest our time and energy in the things of God, He builds His presence in us.
Prayer
Show me Lord how to invest myself in your kingdom. May I build with gold, silver and precious stones. Amen.
Scripture
“Speak to the whole assembly of Israel and say to them: `Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.’ “
Observation
This chapter consists of various laws and commandments. Some of them are about how to bring sacrifices to the Lord. Others talk about personal relationships. Still others talk about living justly in a civil society and how to treat neighbours.
Application
God does not divide our lives into sacred and secular. Every part of our life is meant to be holy and dedicated to the Lord.
This means that I must worship God with integrity, being attentive to the kind of worship that pleases Him.
I must also honour family members and treat other people with respect and consideration.
Over all of these things is love for my neighbour. That means letting go of offence for the sake of the Lord.
Prayer
Forgive me Father for any time when I have separated a part of my life as mine and not yours. Help me to live with love and integrity in all I do. Amen.
Scripture
For we are God’s servants working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.
Observation
Paul was not able to feed the Corinthians solid food because they were acting like people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.
The sign of their immaturity is the fighting and jealousy amongst them. They have split into camps claiming to follow different leaders.
Paul points out that he and Apollos are just servants of the Lord called to different roles in the Body of Christ. They work together for God, not in competition.
Application
Unity in the Spirit within the church is a basic sign of maturity according to Paul. From this judgement nearly all christians in the West are of the flesh because the church is so fragmented.
There is nothing wrong with having multiple congregations in a town or neighbourhood. The problem comes when a congregation thinks of itself as the only true expression of the church, or when congregations compete for followers.
Division within a faith community is even more destructive. To prefer one leader over another is to play into the hands of satan who, loves to bring division into the Body.
We must always keep our eyes on Jesus the true shepherd of the flock.
Prayer
Lord Jesus please bring the church to a true place of unity where we recognise your presence in all congregations and your Spirit in all believers. Amen.
Scripture
“No the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe.”
Observation
Moses exhorts the nation of Israel to choose the way of the Lord which is life. He says the commandment is not too hard and not too distant. They will not have to cross the sea or go up to heaven to receive it because God has placed it in their mouths to recite and in their hearts to obey.
It is a choice. Obedience brings life and prosperity. Disobedience brings death and adversity.
“Choose life,” he implores, so that they and their descendants will live long in the land they will enter.
Application
Although christians are no longer under the Law of Moses, there are principles here that apply to us.
Obedience to God brings life and prosperity. If we follow the way of Jesus, choosing to obey rather than rebel, we will know fullness of life.
Obedience is a choice, and so life is a choice. In the daily decision we make, large or trivial, we can choose to honour God or to choose the way that feels comfortable. The sum total of our decisions takes us either closer to God or further away from Him. The choice is mine to make.
God’s ways are not difficult to understand. We don’t need to chase the latest guru or study for years at theological college. God has placed His word in our heart. We have the Holy Spirit. All that is needed is to listen to Him.
Prayer
Today Lord I choose you and your abundant life. Help me to make decisions which bring me closer to you. Amen.
Scripture
“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.:
Observation
Following from the Beatitudes, Jesus goes on to tell His followers that they are salts and light for the world. Salt must retain its saltiness and the light must be allowed to shine forth. We must let people see our good works so that they may give glory to our Father in heaven.
Jesus came to fulfil the Law not to abolish it. The Law will not pass away until all is accomplished. Our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees if we are to enter heaven.
Application
As followers of Jesus, we must make a difference in the world. We are the light of the world and salt for the earth. The love and righteousness of God should be shining out in our lives bringing people to a place where they glorify God because they recognise that we are empowered and motivated by God, not by our own nature.
We must not blend into the background, living lives that are outwardly the same as everyone else. Neither must we withdraw into a christian “ghetto” where we are completely cut off from the rest of the world.
The kingdom of heaven grows as we live our lives out in public and demonstrating a radically different life to the general population. The only way to do this is to pursue an ever deeper walk with Jesus.
Prayer
Lord, teach me to live for you in all things. May I truly be light and salt in the world today. Amen.
Scripture
My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom but on the power of God.
Observation
Paul did not come to Corinth with lofty words and human wisdom. He had decided to know only Christ crucified. He wanted the church there to see the power of God and just trust Him rather than human wisdom.
There is a wisdom that comes from God, but it is not accessible to the rulers of the age. God’s wisdom comes as a revelation from the Spirit of God who searches everything even the deep things of the Lord.
We have received the Spirit of God rather than the spirit of the world. And the words to describe these hidden things of God must be words from the Spirit not the words of human wisdom.
The unspiritual reject spiritual gifts because they do not understand them. But we have the mind of Christ.
Application
This is one of those difficult passages that one needs to wrestle with to really understand.
Paul is trying to draw a distinction between human wisdom and the wisdom that comes from the Spirit of God. They are totally opposed to each other.
As christians we need to be led by the Holy Spirit, relying on the gifts of the Spirit and not just human wisdom. When we were saved we received the Holy Spirit not the spirit of this world, so why rely on worldly thinking when we have the mind of Christ.
The christian life is about depending on the Holy Spirit for all things, learning to discern the voice of God, learning to minister in the power of God and with the grace of God.
Prayer
Holy Spirit come and overwhelm me. Grant me your wisdom and the grace to daily depend on you alone. Amen.
“Return to me” says the Lord
“Come back in repentance
You sin without knowing
Transgress without a care.
You fast and boast
“Repent” outwardly
But your heart is unchanged
Judgement will come
Change your life
Feed the poor
Free the oppressed
Pay your workers
Then you will shine
People will praise you
The Lord will grace you with
Healing and salvation
