reflection

Reflection on Genesis 28:10-19

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genesis28

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+28.10-19

Scripture

Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”

Observation

Jacob comes to a certain place and lies down for the night. He dreams of a ladder reaching from earth to heaven and angels ascending and descending on it.

The Lord appears to Jacob and repeats His promises to Abraham and Isaac. These are promises of land, offspring and blessing.

Jacob wakes from his sleep and says, “Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place and I did not know it. This place is the house of God.” He anoints the stone he slept on and names the place Bethel, that is house of God.

Application

We christians have the Holy Spirit in us, and so every place we go is Bethel, for we are each one the house of God.

There are times when the Lord surprises us, perhaps speaking to us or acting for us in ways we did not expect.

The presence of God becomes obvious to us in these moments. Every day in all that we do, we should try to be aware of God. He is with us in all the moments of all our days.

Many years ago a monk known as Brother Lawrence wrote a book called “Practising the Presence of God.” The title itself is a clue- we need to practise listening and discerning God’s presence with us in the minutiae of daily life.

We can learn to take the opportunities to seek out the Lord in our daily routines. I know of one lady who assigns a prayer point to each household task. Others take a minute each hour to stop and ask “Lord what are you saying to me right now?”

It is so easy to miss appointments with God when we lose ourselves in the world. We need to seek out God in the unlikely places of our lives and declare with Jacob, “Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.”

Prayer

Father in heaven, help me to seek you in everything I do. Please reveal yourself to me in my daily life. Amen.

Reflection on Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

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Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+13:1-9,18-23

Scripture

He told them many things in parables, saying “Listen! A sower went out to sow.”

Observation

Jesus is surrounded by many people, so He goes on to a boat to preach. He tells the crowds the story of a sower who sows seed onto four different types of soil- a path, rocky soil, weedy soil and good soil. These different soils produce different yields.

He then explains to His disciples that the seed represents the word, while the soils represent the hearts of men. While many obstacles might prevent people from taking hold of the gospel, the ones who do run with it yield a huge return for God’s kingdom.

Application

Jesus tells us to Listen! He is still telling us to listen.

There are many people wanting us to listen- musicians, entertainers, advertisers, politicians, activists.

There is much talking past each other, but precious little listening.

To listen means that we value someone, that they are worth the time and that their words and thoughts are important to us.

This morning I spent two hours listening to an inter-state truck driver. He loves the Lord but struggles with anxiety from time to time. This morning he needed to be listened to and encouraged in his dreams and visions for the future.

We also need to listen to Jesus. He is talking to us all the time- directing, encouraging, building up. We need to hear His voice in our daily life.

It is hard to remember to listen to Jesus because He doesn’t always get in our face and shout “Listen to me!” We hear Him in the Scriptures, in the words of others and in the quiet voice in our heart.

Jesus says “Listen!”

Prayer

Lord help me to be still and listen. Speak to me so that I can lean my life on your wisdom. Amen.

Reflection on Romans 8:1-11

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romans8

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8.1-11

Scripture

But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him.

Observation

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The law of the Spirit of life has set us free from the spirit of death and sin.

Those who live by the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are in the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

If the Spirit of God dwells in us, then we have the Spirit of the one who raised Christ from the dead and we can be confident that this same Spirit will raise us to life in Christ.

Application

The mark of the true disciple is that we have the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit is not in a person then they are not born again.

The Holy Spirit shows Himself in a variety of ways, primarily in the manifestation gifts of 1 Corinthians 12 and the fruit of the Spirit of Galatians 5.

My life must be a journey of becoming ever more like Jesus. If I do not show evidence of this then the Holy Spirit is not in me, and I do not belong to Christ.

If the Spirit of God is in me, then I have the responsibility to set my mind on the things of the Spirit rather than the things of the flesh.. The Spirit brings life, but the flesh brings death.

As always in the mystery of spiritual life, there is a paradox. On the one hand, the Spirit comes as a free gift at salvation and is released in power when we are baptised in the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, I must pursue the ways of the Spirit and set my mind on the Spirit.

For those who have tasted the joy of the indwelling peace of God, this is not burdensome. I change the direction of my thinking and desiring from self to God, and He meets me with such joy and love, far greater then anything the old fleshly nature could ever provide.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the gift of life in your Spirit. Lord it is so true that the flesh leads to death but your Spirit brings life. May I always pursue you and not be swayed by the lures and temptations of the flesh. Amen.

Reflection on Genesis 25:19-34

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Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+25.19-34

Scripture

Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Observation

Isaac, Abraham’s son, marries Rebekah. He prays to the Lord for a child as she is barren. She then becomes pregnant with twins.

The children struggle within her womb, so Rebekah prays and the Lord tells her that she has two nations inside her, and the elder will serve the younger.

When the twins are born, the first-born is covered in red hair so she names him Esau. The younger is clutching Esau’s foot so they name him Jacob.

Many years later, Esau returns from hunting one day to find Jacob cooking up a red stew. He demands some from his brother, but Jacob requires Esau to give his birthright to him, which he does.

Application

Esau despised his birthright. He was so driven by his flesh that he was willing to trade off his inheritance and position in the family for a bowl of stew.

It can be dangerously easy for christians to trade off their spiritual inheritance for some potentially short-lived fleshly desire. It might be sexual sin, an addiction or greed that leads us into a place where we are willing to give up our relationship with God, eternal life even, for some worldly gain.

The problem is that we see with our physical eyes rather than the eyes of faith, physical vision not spiritual vision.

Unlike Esau, the birthright can be regained if only we will confess our sins and walk in fellowship with the Lord.

The Lord has a birthright for every one of His children. We must not despise it.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, please protect me from every temptation to despise my birthright, the inheritance that I have in you. Let my eyes not be tempted by anything that leads me away from you. Amen.

Reflection on Matthew 11:16-30

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burden

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11.16-30

Scripture

“My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Observation

Jesus compares the generation to children complaining that their friends don’t dance to wedding songs or mourn for funeral songs. They rejected John as being demonised because he fasted, but criticise Jesus for being a “glutton.” He then passes judgement on the towns that had rejected Him despite the miracles He performed there.

The Father has entrusted all things to the Son. Only the Father and Son know each other, apart from those to whom the Son reveals them. Jesus then invites all who are burdened to come to Him and enter His rest.

Application

There are people who believe that they can work out salvation on their own terms. Some people think that they can encounter God through nature.

Jesus says that we can’t work it out on our own. Sure, we might be able to figure out who God is and what He is like, but we cannot enter into an intimate relationship with the Father unless we get that revelation from the Son.

He then invites all who are burdened to come to Him. The revelation of the Father being talked about here is not a mystical vision given to a select few. It is the ability and desire to receive Christ’s invitation to fellowship.

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. He is the only way to the Father. There is no other means of salvation.

All we need is the faith to say “Yes” to Jesus.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I thank you that you welcome all who say “Yes” to you. Help me to live in an ever deeper fellowship with you and the Father in the grace of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Reflection on Romans 7:15-25

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Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+7.15-25

Scripture

I love God’s law with all my heart, but there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.

Observation

Paul shares a dilemma that we all have. We know what is right, but we don’t do it. In fact often when we try to act God’s way, we end up sinning.

Nothing good lives in our sinful nature, and so the good we want to do we cannot do. It is as if a power called sin dominates our mind and body.

Who can set me free from this state of warfare? Only our Lord Jesus Christ.

Application

A person is only a christian in theory, or a person who said “Yes” to Christ only in his mind, is going to struggle with this law of sin and death.

We know what we should do in order to please God, but the unredeemed nature gets in the way over and over again.

The answer is in Christ, but not just as a theory.

Jesus told us that to follow Him we must take up our cross and die to ourselves. That means all of our desires, ambitions and dreams need to be put to death. Every sentence that starts with “I” must die.

The christian life, the way of salvation, is not about changing our lifestyle. It is about letting Christ change us from the inside out.

The problem with sin is in our mind. This is where the war takes place. We must surrender ourselves entirely to Christ, especially our way of thinking.

This process of dying to ourselves does not take place instantly when we get saved. It is a life-long process of letting go of everything that stands between us and the Lord.

Every day we have an opportunity to die again. The refiner of our hearts brings the flames to purify us. The true follower of Jesus embraces the flames rather than running away from them.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, you are the answer to the war with sin. You are the victory. I lay my life at your feet. Take all of me and let my mind be transformed by your refining fire. Amen.

Reflection on Matthew 10:40-42

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cuppa

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+10.40-42

Scripture

“Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple- truly I tell you none of these will lose their reward.”

Observation

Jesus says that whoever welcomes us welcomes Him and the Father. Likewise anyone who welcomes a prophet or righteous person in His name will receive the reward of that person. Just serving an “insignificant” christian will bring eternal reward.

Application

God delights in blessing His faithful servants far beyond our ability to fathom. Jesus is saying here that if you welcome a prophet in His name, or a righteous person, you get the same reward they get in heaven.

So if I welcome Prophet Bigboots into my home and share with him, I get his reward in heaven. If he is going to get a mansion, I get one too just by being his friend.

Even if I just share a cup of coffee with Brother Unknown or Sister Hasnothing, I get an eternal reward for that act of kindness, which nothing can take away.

We really don’t know who is important in God’s kingdom. Abraham unwittingly served lunch to the Trinity. So this person of poor means in front of me today could be the leader of a revival tomorrow- or maybe not.

When Jesus is saying there is a reward for people who show hospitality or love to other christians He is really saying this: when you share your life with other people, regardless of their status, you are showing that your heart is with me.

This little passage puts meat onto the commandment of Jesus, “A new commandment I give you that you love one another as I have loved you.” It shows us what christian community is about.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, help me to take on board what it means to give a drink to the “little ones.” Show me how to share my abundance with your people. Amen.

Reflection on Romans 6:12-23

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romans

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+6.12-23

Scripture

Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead but now you have new life.

Observation

We have new life in Christ and so we must not allow sin to control our bodies. Sin is no longer our master.

God gives us freedom, so we have a choice. We can be a slave to sin or we can choose to obey God. Now that we are set free from sin, we can receive God’s gift of righteousness and eternal life. The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Application

Following Jesus is not about following a set of rules, We have been raised to new life in Christ. Our life is now about burying ourselves in Him so that His life is expressed in us.

We do not do good things to gain eternal life. The good we do flows from the life that is now in us through Christ.

When a person dies, the whole body dies. It is not as if the stomach keeps running independently of the rest of the body. The whole body dies.

When we come to Christ, we die to our old nature- the whole body is put to death, so to speak. We are raised to new life, so we cannot allow any part of our body to be remain committed to sin. That thing died with the rest of the old nature.

My whole being- body, soul, spirit- is alive in Christ, and so my whole being needs to express that righteous, holy life.

I am not under a law that says “Thou shalt not do xyz.” I am in a life where doing xyz is foreign to me.

Sin is no longer a violation of a law. It is a violation of life, a cancer in my resurrected life.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, I thank you for your gift of life. Please help me to live as a person of eternity no longer slave to sin. Let my whole body be submitted to you. Amen

Reflection on Psalm 13

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howlong

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+13

Scripture

How long O Lord?

Will you forget me forever?

How long

will you hide your face from me?

Application

Sometimes as we walk through life, God seems so distant. When we are going through trials and troubles, through grief and despair, all we can see is the unending black tunnel.

“How long O Lord? Will you forget me forever?”

Even when we know God is there, and that we are safe in His hands, sometimes we find it hard to sense His presence.

There are people who find that God speaks loudest in their times of pain. Others say that He seems to have fled from them at their time of greatest need. A person may move between these two extremes from day to day.

Later in the psalm we read the words:

“I trusted in your steadfast love,

my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.”

This is the response of faith. In the present darkness, we remind ourselves of our decision to trust in Christ, and then look forward to rejoicing again in Him.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the knowledge that even when my life seems out of control, you are here with me. Help me to face trials with confidence in you. Amen.

Reflection on Genesis 22:1-14

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Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+22.1-14

Scripture

Abraham named the place Yahweh- Yireh which means “the Lord will provide.”

Observation

The Lord tests Abraham’s faith. He tells Abraham to take his son Isaac to the mountain to be a sacrifice to the Lord. Abraham does this.

Along the way, Isaac notices that they are missing an animal for the sacrifice and asks his father about this. “The Lord will provide,” Abraham declares.

Abraham builds an altar and places Isaac on it. Just as Abraham is ready to kill Isaac, an angel appears and stops him. Abraham looks up and sees a ram caught in a thicket.

Abraham names the place, Yahweh-Yireh, the Lord will provide.

Application

Isaac was God’s answer to years of prayer. He was provided by the Lord. He was literally Abraham’s hope for the future and the embodiment of every promise that the Lord had given to him.

Sometimes God calls us to sacrifice the things we hold dear, or things which represent long-awaited answers to prayer.

We must let go, for the blessings He gives us are not always ours to keep.

It could be a marriage, a dream job, a fulfilling ministry. Even though it seems cruel to have to yield it, the only way to grow in our faith is to let go.

When we do this we find that the Lord truly is our provider. Everything we give up for His sake is restored to us. It may not be exactly the same thing that we gave up but it will be better.

It is God’s nature to be our provider. This is who He is. This is what it means to call Him Yahweh Yireh. He restores what is taken from us and gives more as well.

Yahweh Yireh- the Lord will provide. For Abraham it was a sacrificial ram. For others it is what is needed in the moment.

My role is to trust and obey. I obey what God tells me to do, always trusting that He will provide what is needed.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for this example of faith by Abraham. Just as you provided what Abraham needed at that point of sacrifice, I know that you will provide for me as I seek to obey you. Amen.