reflection

Reflection on Amos 7:1-17

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

amos

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Amos+7.1-17

Scripture

Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.”

Observation

The Lord gives Amos two visions of coming punishment for Israel. After each one, Amos intercedes for Israel, and the Lord relents. After a third vision, this time of a plumb line, it is clear that the Lord is determined to judge Israel.

The priest at the temple at Bethel warns King Jeroboam that Amos is propheying destruction. He then demands that Amos goes to Judah to prophesy. Amos replies that he is not really a prophet but a shepherd. The Lord has called him to speak the message.

Application

When God calls a person, it is not always straight forward or easy. Most people of God face challenges to their authority or their calling, particularly when the message they bring is unpopular.

People may demand that we stop or go somewhere else. They may even enlist the governmental authorities to stop our ministry.

When this happens we must find courage in Christ to keep going and to not abandon the call He has given.

With Martin Luther we must say, “Here I stand. I can do no other.”

Prayer

Lord, please help me to see that my worth is not dependent on whether people heed me, but only on my faithfulness to you. Amen.

Reflection on Luke 10:1-20

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

Luke10v1to20_2004

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10.1-20

Scripture

“Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Observation

Jesus appoints seventy disciples, sending them out to in pairs. He instructs them to stay in one place in any town where they are welcomed. They are to preach the kingdom and heal the sick.

If any town rejects them they are to shake the dust off their sandals and move on. Jesus goes on to pronounce curses on various town for rejecting Him and therefore the Father.

The seventy return rejoicing for even the demons submitted to them. Jesus tells them not to rejoice in this but to celebrate that their names are written in heaven.

Application

Jesus tells us to “go” with the word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. This may involve physically travelling from town to town or staying and engaging with our neighbours.

Healings and miracles are more commonly seen in the context of evangelism than in the comfort and safety of church meetings. The Lord’s commandment is to go ourselves and to also pray for the Lord to send more workers.

We might rejoice in our power over evil spirits and the gifts which the Holy Spirit equips us with, Our attention must never drift from the celebration of salvation- the greatest miracle of all.

Prayer

Lord Jesus you died to give me life, I thank you that my name is written in the book of life. Help me to share this Good News with my friends. Amen.

Reflection on Galatians 6:1-18

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

galatians69

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+6.1-18

Scripture

Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.

Observation

We are to do al that we can to restore a sinning brother or sister. This is one way that we can bear one another’s burdens and fulfil the law of Christ. We must all judge our own works rather than those of our neighbours.

Those who are taught must share all good things with their teachers.

We reap what we sow, so we must be careful to sow into the Spirit not the flesh. This should encourage us to keep on doing good things.

Finally we must stand firm against the “circumcisers”- the people who want to add legalism to the gospel. This just leads to boasting and pride. Circumcision or uncircumcision mean nothing. A new creation in Christ is everything.

Application

these final points in Paul’s letter cover a lot of ground- church discipline, tithing, legalism, good works.

In all of them, Paul is directing us to look to Christ. We must sow in the Spirit not in the flesh so that we can harvest God’s reward in the future.

We must not add anything to the gospel as this would bring aobut a works mentality. While seeming to be holy, these things subvert God’s grace.

Prayer

Thank you Lord that in you I am a new creation. Help me to live out the gospel in all that I do. Amen.

Reflection on 2 Kings 5:1-19

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

naaman

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+5.1-19

Scripture

But his servants approached him and said to him, “Father, if the prophet had told you to do something difficult would you have not done it?How much more when all he said to you was ‘Wash and be clean’?”

Observation

Naaman, a commander of the army of Aram suffers from leprosy. A Hebrew slave girl, captured by Naaman’s army, tells Naaman’s wife about Elisha’s ability to heal.

Naaman approaches his boss, the king of Aram, who writes to the king of Israel demanding that he heal Naaman. So Naaman comes to Elisha’s house. Elisha sends a messenger out to tell Naaman to go and wash seven times in the Jordan River.

Naaman is angry because Elijah has not acted in the way he expected, But his friends urge him to do this simple thing. Finally he is persuaded and he is healed.

Naaman responds to his healing by determining to worship no other god than the Lord. However he does seek Elijah’s blessing to accompany the king when he bows to idols.

Application

God doesn’t always act in the ways we think He should. He doesn’t answer prayers on our timetable and often he answers in ways that are beyond anything we would have imagined.

Miracles can be missed because we have fixed ideas about God’s methods and directions. The religious spirit deceives us into believing that the Lord is constrained by our words or actions.

Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and be humble and brave enough to do what He commands, whether it is something simple or something difficult.

Prayer

Lord help me to be open to your miracles, no mater how they come. Amen.

Reflection on Luke 9:51-62

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+9:51-62

Scripture

“Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

Observation

Jesus sets His face towards Jerusalem. He sends messengers ahead to prepare the way, but one village refuses tor receive Him. His disciples ask Him if they should command fire to come down to destroy the village, but He rebukes them.

Jesus calls people to follow Him, but they have excuses. He make sit clear that following Him must come first.

Application

People have all sorts of excuses for refusing to follow Jesus. It might be family commitments or the ties of home. For some, following Jesus conflicts with their career aspirations.

Jesus is clear- He must come first.

This might seem harsh and “unloving.” Jesus gave everything for us. He laid down His life to rescue us from sin/

Should He not expect the same from us?

Everything for Jesus, all surrendered to Him. This is the only reasonable response.

Prayer

Jesus you gave up everything for me. Please help me to receive you in my heart and give myself entirely to you. Amen.

Reflection on Galatians 5:13-25

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

images

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+5.13-25

Scripture
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace,patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. There is no law against these things.

Observation
Let the Holy Spirit guide your life and you won’t be walking in sin. Our sinful nature opposes the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit gives us desires that counteract our human nature. So, if we obey the Spirit we don’t need external agencies such as the Law of Moses to keep us on the path of righteousness.

The works of the sinful nature are evident: sexual immorality, selfishness, fighting and witchcraft. These things have no part in God’s kingdom. But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Those who belong to Christ have nailed these things to the cross. As people of the Spirit, we must live by the Spirit in every part of our lives.

Application
The true follower of Christ is constantly advancing, changing to become more like Christ. The Holy Spirit is transforming us away from our sinful self-directed ways and towards the Spirit-directed was.

We must be careful to yield every part of our life to Christ- home, family, work, leisure, friendships and so on. Every part of my life must be nailed to the cross, handed over to Christ. My repeated prayer must be, “Lord have your way in this aspect of my life.”

Sometimes the changes seem slow and imperceptible. Sometimes we face challenges that seem to throw us back into selfishness. As we daily seek to yield everything to the Lord, change will come and we will be people of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer
Holy Spirit, grow your fruit in my life. Please help me to turn away from my own desires and to let your desires grow in me. Amen.

Reflection on 2 Kings 2:1-14

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

elisha-watching-elijah-depart-1

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Kings+2.1-14

Scripture

Elisha struck the water with Elijah’s cloak and cried out, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” Then the river divided, and Elisha went across.

Observation

Elijah and Elisha travel to some of the key places in Israel. At each place, Elijah tells Elisha to stay while he travels on, but Elisha is determined to follow Elijah.

At each place, the local prophetic community come and tell Elisha that the Lord is going to take Elijah away that day.

Elijah and Elisha cross the Jordan near Jericho. Elijah asks Elisha what he can do for him. Elisha asks for a double portion of the Spirit that is on Elisha. Suddenly a chariot of fire appears, and Elijah is taken up in a whirlwind.

Elisha takes up Elijah’s cloak and crossed the Jordan.

Application

This is a story about spiritual sonship. Elisha, the son to Elijah, is determined to walk with Elijah to the end. Nothing will deter him. When asked what he wants from Elijah, Elisha asks for a double portion of the Spirit that is on Elijah- this is the language of inheritance not of arithmetic.

Everyone needs a spiritual father- someone whom they can love and learn from, serve and walk with. Out orphan society, in its obsession with individual fulfilment, misses the point that our biggest joys come in close relationships.

Elisha received the “double portion” and the cloak of authority precisely because of his love and commitment to Elijah.

Prayer

Lord help me to be a son/daughter to a spiritual father. May I walk in the grace of passionate commitment to the people you place me in relationship with. Amen.

Reflection on Luke 7:36-8:3

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

7-woman-at-jesus-feet

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+7:36-8:3

Scripture

“She has been forgiven all her many sins. This is why she has shown me such extravagant love. But those who assume they have very little to be forgiven will love me very little.”

Observation

A Jewish religious leader invites Jesus to dinner. A local prostitute joins the party. She falls at Jesus’ feet, washing His feet with her tears and wiping them with her hair. She then takes an alabaster jar of expensive perfume and anoints His feet.

Simon thinks that Jesus cannot be a prophet to accept this worship from this woman.

Jesus tells a story of two men who could not repay their debts. The banker forgives these debts. Jesus asks Simon who would be the most thankful. Simon replies, “The one who owed the most.”

Jesus then rebukes Simon for not even doing the minimum for Jesus as a guest. In contrast the woman had poured out her heart and her tears in love for Jesus. Her extravagant worship was because she knew she had been forgiven much.

Jesus then tells her that her sins are forgiven.

Application

We all carry a huge burden of sin. Some of us are more aware of this burden than others.

Some try to cure it with religion. They try to prove to God that they really are good people and not awful sinners. Religion might make us feel better about ourselves but it doesn’t deal with the real problem.

Only the free grace and love of Jesus can set us free from our sin. We cannot pay the debt we owe God, so He forgives the debt.

When we realise that, then our hearts are overwhelmed with joy and adoration.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for forgiving me. You have taken that burden of guilt away. Amen.

Reflection on Galatians 2:15-21

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+2.15-21

Scripture
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who lives but Christ lives in me.

Observation
Paul is a Jew by birth but he knows that it is faith in Christ, not the Law that makes him right with God. No one will ever be made right with God by obeying the Law.

Sin is not in following Christ but in seeking to rebuild the old system of Law. The Law condemns; Paul died to the Law and stopped trying to meet its demands.

His old self was crucified with Christ. He no longer lives but Christ lives in him.

Application
Many christians want to re-introduce various Old Testament laws and ordinances to make them super-christians, different and better than ordinary christians.

Paul makes it clear that the Law only brings condemnation and judgement. He should know as He was the Pharisee’s Pharisee, the champion of law-keeping.

There is nothing that we can add to grace to make God live us more. There is nothing we can do that will earn God’s favour. We already have it all through Christ our Lord.

Prayer
Thank you Lord for your deep and eternal love. I can do nothing to grow your love for me so I simply receive it in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reflection on 1 Kings 21:1-24

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+21.1-24

Scripture
Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give you my ancestral inheritance.”

Observation
King Ahab demands that Naboth sell his vineyard to him. When Naboth refuses because it is his ancestral land, Ahab gets all sulky.

Queen Jezebel, always a woman of action, arranges a public feast where some scoundrels are to falsely accuse Naboth of cursing God and the king. Naboth is stoned and Ahab gets the vineyard.

The Lord is angered by this. Elijah pronounces judgement against Ahab and Jezebel.

Application
We all exercise power and influence over others to some extent even though we are not all leaders of nations.

The issue here is how we exercise this power. Ahab and Jezebel used their power for purely selfish goals rather than for the good f their kingdom. They were not afraid to take the life of a man of integrity in order to get their way.

Our words and deeds can build people up or pull them down. Our actions may seem acceptable to us but destroy the livelihood, reputation or family of another.

The way of godly influence is through service, laying down our own rights and desires for the sake of others.

Prayer
Father help me to live a life of sacrifice and service to build others up and to glorify your name. Amen.