reflection

Reflection on James 5:13-20

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prayer

Scripture

Confess your sins to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Observation

Regardless of our situation we should pray. In hardship, pray. In happiness praise God. In sickness, get the elders to pray for you.

Confession and healing go together. Some sickness is caused by, or related to, sin. We should seek God’s forgiveness and then prayer for healing.

Righteous people pray powerful prayers. Elijah was just a man, but his prayers controlled the rain.

Application

One of the keys to receiving healing is to make sure that we are right with God. Nobody is perfectly righteousness and so, in that sense, we can be prone to attacks from the enemy at our weak places. Confessing our sins enables the Holy Spirit to work more effectively in our lives.

When we are right with God and walking in humble obedience our prayers release the grace of God in powerful ways.

Elijah listened to the voice of the Lord, and so he was able to command drought and rain. He didn’t do things presumptuously, but always in the context of a close relationship with God.

We must turn away from sin and pursue the Lord more passionately and more intentionally, so that we are able to be channels of His grace.

This is not a religious thing where we have to live in a certain way, constantly following rules laid down by somebody else. This is about loving our Father and wanting to be about His business.

Prayer

Lord, I confess my sins to you now. I ask for your forgiveness and for the ability to live in righteousness so that I can be an instrument of your grace. Amen.

Reflection on Mark 9:30-37

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servant-leadership.jpg

Scripture
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

Observation
Jesus and His close disciples go to a secret place so that He can spend some time teaching the,. They come to Capernaum, and He asks them what they were arguing about along the way. They do not want to admit that they were arguing about who was the greatest.

Jesus tells them that anyone who wants to be first must be last, the servant of all. He then takes a child and says that whoever welcomes a child in His name welcomes Him.

Application
The world often equates leadership with power- whether military, political, financial or positional power. Whoever can get to the top gets to write the rules and exercise power for their own ends.

In God’s kingdom, the power equation is reversed. We lead by serving, go higher by becoming lower, exercise authority by being the least.

This doesn’t make sense in the world, which is used to selfish leadership.

In a community in which the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love one another, the world’s rules must be reversed.

The world says, “Look after Number 1.” But God says, “Serve everyone else and trust me to provide what you need,”

Leadership comes when we serve others. Influence comes in helping people. It is not something we seek, for what we seek is to serve. In serving the opportunity may come to lead.

I used to joke that I spent three years at theological college to learn how to vacuum and wash dishes. The qualification for being a pastor, or any other christian leader, is not a college degree but a heart that serves in whatever way is necessary.

Prayer
Lord please help me to seek nothing more than to use my abilities to serve you and your people. Amen

Reflection on Proverbs 31:10-31

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proverbs-31.jpeg

Scripture

Charm is deceptive and beauty does not last,

but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.

Observation

The book of Proverbs ends with a poem celebrating the ideal wife. A virtuous and capable wife is more precious than rubies.

The ideal wife is hard working, successful in business and able to order her household. She spins thread, makes clothes and always speaks wisely. She is truly a person of talent and integrity.

Application

While many women aspire to the title of “Proverbs 31 Woman,” and many men aspire to catch one, this is clearly an idealised version of an upper class woman in a very different setting to our own.

There are several qualities that women and men should still aim for in God’s grace.

1. To be virtuous. This is about doing what is good and godly as a reflex action. We no longer need to ask “What would Jesus do?” because following the way of Jesus has become automatic. In most situations we don’t need to pray because God’s way is evident to the one who has spent years seeking His will.

2. Work hard. Like being virtuous, this is not a popular ethic in our culture. We waste so much time being entertained, preferring to watch TV rather than study God’s word, for example.

3. Sacrificial love for our family. Because we are brought up to exalt selfishness, it can be difficult to walk in the way of sacrificial self-giving.

4. Wisdom in all things. Wisdom is knowing how to make life work effectively for ourselves and the people who look up to us.

These qualities do not come easily to any of us. They are grown in us as we seek to follow the Lord each day.

Prayer

Lord, may I become like the Proverbs 31 woman. Develop these qualities in me, I pray. Amen.

Reflection on Mark 8:27-38

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marley.jpeg

Scripture

“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”

Observation

Jesus asks His disciples who people say He is. They offer various suggestions, and then Jesus asks, “Who do you say I am?” Peter replies, “You are the Christ.”

Jesus then begins to teach them that He must be crucified. Peter begins to rebuke Him. Jesus tells Him, “Get behind me Satan!”

Jesus then tells the crowd that whoever wants to follow Him must take up their cross and deny themselves. If anyone is ashamed of Him now, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in His glory.

Application

There is a stark choice that confronts every disciple of Jesus. Will I seek the comforts of the world or will I be faithful to Christ?

Jesus says that it is pointless to gain the whole world but to lose your soul.

The world offers many temptations and attractions. We might pursue a career that offers us a comfortable lifestyle. If this involves compromising the gospel or denying a call that God has on our lives, then it is the wrong choice and a futile reward.

What is the benefit of a million dollar lifestyle if we end up in hell? Surely the goal of this life is to prepare for eternity lived with God. To exchange eternal joy for a few years of fame and fortune is the height of foolishness.

My calling is to follow Jesus regardless of where He leads me. He promises that if I seek first Him and His Kingdom in all I do, then He will make sure my daily needs are met.

Given a choice between the call of Jesus and the pleasures of this world, Jesus always comes first.

Prayer

Lord, there are so many temptations and distractions in this world. Please help me to remain faithful to you always. Amen.

Reflection on Proverbs 1:20-33

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proverbs.jpeg

Scripture

“But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.”

Observation

Wisdom calls to all who will stop to listen. She calls to the crowds on the streets, appealing to fools and mockers to change their ways.

Wisdom has called out so often to no avail, so now she will give up and leave the fools to their fate. But all who listen to her will live in peace.

Application

In this passage, wisdom is personified as a woman calling out to people. The description here is in some ways similar to that of a prostitute in other places in Proverbs. Whereas engaging in illicit sex leads to ruin, engaging with Wisdom brings prosperity and peace.

Wisdom is a metaphor for devotion to the Lord. We are told in several Scriptures that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

To gain wisdom we must start by seeking the Lord.

When we do that we walk in peace- peace of mind and soul.

We live in a culture that is distinguished by fear. Political leaders and commercial interests promote fear for their own interests.

The person who trusts the Lord is not troubled by fear. We know that we are safe in His hands and our eternal destination is assured.

Jesus tells us not to be anxious for our heavenly Father knows what we need. We simply need to trust in Him.

Prayer

Thank you Father for the peace that comes from following you. Please help me to trust you in every circumstance. Amen.

Reflection on Mark 7:24-37

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mark7

Scripture

The people were absolutely beside themselves and astonished beyond measure. They began to declare, “Everything he does is wonderful! He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Observation

Here we have descriptions of the healing of two Gentile people.

In the first, a Syrian Phoenician woman comes and pleads with Jesus to heal her daughter who is demonised. Jesus banters with her at first, seemingly to test her faith. He then declares that the daughter is healed.

In the second incident, a def and mute man is brought to Jesus and receives healing. The people are amazed at the power that Jesus has, and they declare that everything Jesus does is wonderful.

Application

Everything Jesus does is wonderful. That should be our testimony.

We can find sometimes that the pressures and disappointments of life can take our attention away from Jesus. Perhaps prayers go unanswered and we start to suspect that Jesus is less than wonderful.

Faith clings to Jesus and says hat everything He does is wonderful.

We must regain that sense of astonishment at a God who heals even deaf and mute people.

He healed the Gentile woman’s daughter; will He not heal my daughter? He healed a deaf man; will He not heal me of my affliction?

Everything Jesus does is wonderful. He still raises the dead, removes demons, gives life to sinners, and heals the sick.

All of these wonderful deeds are signs that the Kingdom of God is already here in our midst.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, everything you do is wonderful. I thank you for dying for my sins. I thank you for healings received in the past and healings to come in the future. You are awesome in grace and power. Hallelujah! Amen.

Reflection on Song of Songs 2:8-13

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song-of-songs

Scripture

My lover said to me,

“Rise up my darling!

Come away with me, my fair one!”

Observation

The young woman’s lover is coming over the mountains. He calls out to her, “Come away with me! It is spring and the flowers are springing up. Come away with me!”

Application

We have so many hang-ups with the Song of Songs today. Partly it is because the church generally does not do poetry well, tending to be literalistic when it comes to the Bible. Also our culture is entirely obsessed with sex and cannot make a distinction between romantic love and sex.

So here we have an entire book of the Bible that is one long poem about romantic love, and our brains freeze!

If we see the man in the poem as representing Jesus and the woman as His church, and use our imagination, then we can see something beautiful in this passage.

The man- the lover- comes from a long way to pursue his love and invites her to come away with him.

Jesus has done just that. He came “across the mountains” into the place of our captivity to sin. He showered us with His blessings and invited us to come away with Him.

God’s love always comes first, and we respond. He loved you before you were born, before the world began. He set about wooing you, inviting you to respond to His love,

The call, whether you knew it or not, was to a journey. The flowers are blooming and the birds are singing, and His invitation to you is “Come away with me!”

He promises to never abandon you. Just walk with Him on this journey and He will be with you always.

Prayer

Thank you Lord Jesus for your never-failing love, for the grace that empowers us for the journey of faith. Please help me to trust you and to receive your love. Amen.

Reflection on John 6:51-58

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bread-wine

Scripture

“Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day.”

Observation

Jesus is the living bread from heaven and He gives eternal life to all who eat of Him. To have eternal life, we must eat His flesh and drink His blood.

Anyone who eats His flesh and drinks His blood remains in Christ and Christ remains in them.

Application

The language in this passage can be hard for us to decode because it is so foreign to us.

Jesus is saying that He is the bread from heaven which gives eternal life. This is a reference to the manna which came to the children of Israel in the wilderness and fed them for forty years.

This manna was a shadow of the real thing- Jesus who gives us eternal life.

Jesus says we must eat His flesh and drink His blood to receive eternal life.

One application of this is that we must enter into an intimate relationship with Him so that we remain or abide in Him and He abides or remains in us.

This is a process of discipleship that leads to our lives being totally identified with the life of Christ. We must live in daily prayer, that is open sharing with Him with no hiding or pretending. We must meditate on the Word so that the Scriptures change us. Our focus must become God’s will not our own will.

Bread and wine also remind us of Holy Communion. We need to live in a worshipping community of faith. The sacrament is a physical sign of our desire to experience Christ more closely. As a body we can encourage and exhort each other to be more faithful in our walk together.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you are the true bread of heaven. Teach me how to feast on you and to let your life fill me in every way. Amen.

Reflection on Ephesians 5:15-20

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wine.resized

Scripture

Don’t be drunk with wine because that will ruin your life. Instead be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves and making music to the Lord in your hearts.

Observation

We are to be careful how we live, asking what God wants from us rather than pleasing ourselves.

Instead of over-indulging in drink, we must be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing songs of worship and praise to the Lord.

Application

The people of the world think that getting drunk on the weekend is a great way to unwind from the stresses of life. Depending on alcohol or other drugs will ultimately wreck a life.

As christians we have a far better way of dealing with problems, and that is seeking the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

Don’t be filled with drink; be filled with the Holy Spirit instead.

Unlike alcohol and drugs, which merely desensitise us to life, the Holy Spirit is life in its fullest. We were made for fellowship with God, so fullness of Holy Spirit is fullness of life.

As we seek the deeper life with God, worship and praise will be the path we take. Whether we sing the Scriptures or hymns and worship songs, or even “spiritual songs”- that is allowing the Holy Spirit to create a new song in us- singing has many benefits in the Spirit-filled life.

  • Music bypasses our logical thinking and opens our soul to the presence of the Holy Spirit.

  • The words keep our minds focused on God’s glory.

  • Songs can keep ministering in us long after we stop singing, as the words and music amplify each other in our thoughts.

  • Songs can provide us with new words and phrases to express our love for Jesus

Prayer

Holy Spirit, fill me and re-fill me. May me whole life become a symphony of worship to you. Amen.

Reflection on 1 Kings 3:1-14

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004-solomon-wisdom

Scripture

“Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself can govern this great people of yours?”

Observation

Solomon goes up to Gibeon to worship God and offer 1000 burnt offerings. The Lord appears to Solomon in a dream and asks him to name what he wants and the Lord will give it to him.

Solomon asks the Lord for wisdom to rule His people and to know the difference between right and wrong. The Lord promises that He will give him the wisdom he asked for and the wealth and fame he did not ask for.

Application

We all need God’s wisdom, an understanding heart as Solomon describes it. Whether it is leading people, relationships or work, we need wisdom to navigate through life.

This passage shows clearly that God will give wisdom to all who ask Him for it. The problem is that our prayers are often for God to fix what might have been prevented through wisdom.

Ask for wisdom and God will give it to you.

We need wisdom at home to order our households well- wisdom to deal lovingly with spouse and children, wisdom to budget and spend our income wisely, wisdom to know what activities are good and which are bad.

At work we need wisdom to know how best to serve our employer, wisdom to administer our responsibilities well.

At church we need wisdom to know what to volunteer for and what to pass by.

Much wisdom comes from handing our cares to the Lord and listening for the still small voice of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer

Father I thank you that you give wisdom to all who seek it from you. Help me Lord to listen to your Spirit in every situation so that I will learn your wisdom. Amen.