One of the things Jesus wants to teach us—and it’s one of the most valuable things we can ever learn—is to consult Him in our decision-making. He wants us to hear from Him directly and personally, and then to act on what He shows us. That goes for big matters and everyday matters alike. He wants us to bring specific questions to Him so He can give us specific answers.
Hearing from Jesus and involving Him in our daily lives is something that can radically change things for the better. If we can learn to stop whatever we’re doing, bring our questions to the Lord, and listen to His instructions, that will solve many problems because we will find the answers we need.
If you haven’t learned to let Jesus speak to you, ask Him to teach you. He wants to and He will. It’s a gift that is yours for the asking. Then once He has given you the gift, you need to learn to put it to good use. That takes practice. You do that by giving Him many opportunities to speak to you.
I have learned that even after Jesus has initially shown me the way to go about doing something, He wants me to ask Him from time to time if I’m still proceeding in the right direction. He wants me to keep the channel open so He can speak to me in case He has some new information or new direction.
It’s not enough to pray at the beginning of a project, “Jesus, help me with this,” and then just go and do it. Unless you stop from time to time and ask Him if there is anything else He wants to tell you about that project and how to go about it, you can miss much of His help.
You need to keep checking back with Him, because sometimes He may want to adjust the course. It’s like you’re the helmsman of a ship, and Jesus is the captain. You head out to sea, and you know the general direction you’re supposed to go. If your destination is due west, you start going west. But then after a while the ship may have been carried off course by currents or a storm, so the captain, Jesus, who knows exactly where you are at all times, may tell you that you need to adjust your course to head a little northwest or a little southwest. But if you don’t check your present course with the captain, if you don’t open the channel for Jesus to speak to you and tell you the course modifications, you either won’t end up where He wants you to go or you will take a roundabout way to get there.
To receive Jesus’ instructions, you have to be open—you have to truly want to hear and be willing to follow what He tells you. The most important requirements for hearing from Jesus are (1) sincerely wanting to find and do what He knows will be best for everyone concerned, (2) asking Jesus to help you distinguish between His voice and your own thoughts, (3) believing the divine instruction that has already been given you, as recorded in the Bible, and following it to the best of your knowledge and ability, (4) believing that the message you receive directly from Him is from Him, and (5) having the faith to act on it.
This isn’t something you can learn overnight, especially if you aren’t already in the habit of taking your problems and questions to Jesus in prayer. It takes practice and discipline, but don’t let that discourage you. Start with a few small steps—baby steps if you will. Then as you learn to hear from Him step by step, you will save time, things will go more quickly and smoothly, you will make fewer mistakes, and more will get done.
—
2 Peter 1:19 ESV – And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,
1 Peter 2:2 ESV – Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.
James 1:18 ESV – Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Missed Saigon?
Musical is back on in the West End writes Claire Brine
The heat is on – not only in Saigon, but also in the Prince Edward Theatre in London, where a new production is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Miss Saigon. Best known for its Les Mis-style songs, including ‘The Last Night of the World’ and ‘Bui-Doi’, the musical follows the life of a Vietnamese girl named Kim after she falls in love with a US marine fighting in the Vietnam War.
It’s 1975 in Saigon. War is bloody. Having lost both her parents in the conflict, Kim becomes a prostitute in the sleazy Dreamland club. She meets Chris and the pair fall in love.
While Kim and Chris are growing closer together, Saigon is falling apart. Chris knows that it is only a matter of time before the Vietcong take the city, so he plans to fly back to America with the other troops. He promises to take Kim with him.
But then everything goes wrong. When Chris arrives at the Embassy, he is ushered onto a helicopter. By the time Kim arrives, the gates are too crowded and she cannot get through to meet him. Heartbroken, the pair are separated.
Three years later, Kim is bringing up her child in Bangkok. She dreams that one day Chris will return to her and finally meet their son, Tam.
But unbeknown to Kim, Chris has moved on. Believing he would never see his Vietnamese sweetheart again, he has married Ellen and started a new life back in America.
When Chris learns of Kim’s whereabouts and that he has a son, he travels to Bangkok to meet them. Kim is distraught to learn that Chris is married, then begs him to take Tam back to America so that he can experience a better life.
‘As long as you can have your chance,’ she sings to Tam, ‘I swear I’ll give my life for you.’
To give up her son is a gut-wrenching decision.
Chris knows that, whatever he does, Kim or Ellen will be hurt. Kim knows that a life without her son will be even bleaker than it was before. Is there any way this can end well?
Sometimes, whatever our backstory, life isn’t fair. Heartache is inevitable.
Our choices hurt people – but sometimes we have to make them anyway. At other times, we face a dilemma and don’t know what to do for the best or how to make a wrong situation right. There just seems to be no pain-free answers.
To be in the pits of despair is a lonely experience. Even if we try to tell people how we are feeling, they don’t quite understand, leaving us feeling worse than before. And when the magic wand to solve our problems doesn’t materialise, we may think all hope is lost.
It doesn’t have to end like that.
Unlikely as it may seem, there is always one more place to turn, one more person to call on. Whether we believe it or not, hope can be found in Jesus.
He makes us this offer: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28 New International Version).
When life looks impossible from every angle, we can trust that we are never alone. We can talk to Jesus and tell him everything. He listens. He understands. He comforts.
Our script can have a happy ending.
UK & Ireland War Cry 26 July 2014
The heat is on – not only in Saigon, but also in the Prince Edward Theatre in London, where a new production is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Miss Saigon. Best known for its Les Mis-style songs, including ‘The Last Night of the World’ and ‘Bui-Doi’, the musical follows the life of a Vietnamese girl named Kim after she falls in love with a US marine fighting in the Vietnam War.
It’s 1975 in Saigon. War is bloody. Having lost both her parents in the conflict, Kim becomes a prostitute in the sleazy Dreamland club. She meets Chris and the pair fall in love.
While Kim and Chris are growing closer together, Saigon is falling apart. Chris knows that it is only a matter of time before the Vietcong take the city, so he plans to fly back to America with the other troops. He promises to take Kim with him.
But then everything goes wrong. When Chris arrives at the Embassy, he is ushered onto a helicopter. By the time Kim arrives, the gates are too crowded and she cannot get through to meet him. Heartbroken, the pair are separated.
Three years later, Kim is bringing up her child in Bangkok. She dreams that one day Chris will return to her and finally meet their son, Tam.
But unbeknown to Kim, Chris has moved on. Believing he would never see his Vietnamese sweetheart again, he has married Ellen and started a new life back in America.
When Chris learns of Kim’s whereabouts and that he has a son, he travels to Bangkok to meet them. Kim is distraught to learn that Chris is married, then begs him to take Tam back to America so that he can experience a better life.
‘As long as you can have your chance,’ she sings to Tam, ‘I swear I’ll give my life for you.’
To give up her son is a gut-wrenching decision.
Chris knows that, whatever he does, Kim or Ellen will be hurt. Kim knows that a life without her son will be even bleaker than it was before. Is there any way this can end well?
Sometimes, whatever our backstory, life isn’t fair. Heartache is inevitable.
Our choices hurt people – but sometimes we have to make them anyway. At other times, we face a dilemma and don’t know what to do for the best or how to make a wrong situation right. There just seems to be no pain-free answers.
To be in the pits of despair is a lonely experience. Even if we try to tell people how we are feeling, they don’t quite understand, leaving us feeling worse than before. And when the magic wand to solve our problems doesn’t materialise, we may think all hope is lost.
It doesn’t have to end like that.
Unlikely as it may seem, there is always one more place to turn, one more person to call on. Whether we believe it or not, hope can be found in Jesus.
He makes us this offer: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28 New International Version).
When life looks impossible from every angle, we can trust that we are never alone. We can talk to Jesus and tell him everything. He listens. He understands. He comforts.
Our script can have a happy ending.
UK & Ireland War Cry 26 July 2014
Exodus 14 --- The Egyptians give chase, but the Israelites miraculously cross the sea and escape
Read Exodus 14
- V11&12, do we, too, quickly forget the power and sovereignty of God?
- V21&22, can we imagine what this must have been like?…over 1 million Israelites walking through a sea, protected by a cloud of fire, chased by the entire Egyptian army!
- V31, do we need to see miracles in our day in order to fear the Lord and put our trust in Him?...or is this history enough?...
- if you are in between a rock and a hard place, knowing that God can rescue you, and yet He doesn’t, what would you make of it?
- V11&12, do we, too, quickly forget the power and sovereignty of God?
- V21&22, can we imagine what this must have been like?…over 1 million Israelites walking through a sea, protected by a cloud of fire, chased by the entire Egyptian army!
- V31, do we need to see miracles in our day in order to fear the Lord and put our trust in Him?...or is this history enough?...
- if you are in between a rock and a hard place, knowing that God can rescue you, and yet He doesn’t, what would you make of it?
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Daily Devotional : Lifesaving Words
Bright sunlight streamed through my window as I pulled back the bed
covers, not suspecting that an unforgettable day was about to unfold. I
whispered a prayer, asking Jesus’ blessing on the abdominal CT scan I
was scheduled to have that morning. I also asked Him if there was
anything He wanted to tell me about the day ahead, and I heard His
familiar voice in my mind. “I will fight for you. I will face each
challenge with you.”
Those words were assuring, but also puzzling. Due to a mysterious digestive disorder, I had already been examined by nearly a dozen doctors in the past year and had undergone as many medical tests. None of the tests had been particularly challenging. Why would a routine CT scan be any different?
At the hospital later that morning, in order to get a clear image, a nurse injected me with a contrast agent, or dye, then stepped out of the room to avoid radiation from the CT machine. About halfway through the scan, the fluid entered my bloodstream. Searing pain tore through my body. Immense pressure gripped my lungs. I gasped for breath. I tried to scream, but my throat had closed so tightly I could barely get out a whisper.
The pain intensified second by second. My senses reeled, and my neck and face swelled. I could barely open my eyes. My sinuses tightened with unbearable pain. I had no idea what was happening. I tried to keep calm. It would pass, I told myself over and over.
This was an allergic reaction to the dye, I would find out later—a potentially life-threatening complication that can occur in asthma sufferers like me. Apparently my asthmatic condition had been overlooked when the hospital planned my CT scan.
Finally the scan was over and the nurse returned. I stumbled to my feet, coughing uncontrollably. My swollen face and neck were covered with red spots. The nurse realized something was seriously wrong, helped me onto a nearby bed, and summoned a doctor. When he asked me where I was hurting, I couldn’t move my jaw to tell him. “Get her to the emergency room immediately!” he ordered. “This is very serious!”
A doctor at the emergency unit examined me and passed his findings on to my dad, who was there at the hospital with me. “Her heartbeat is faint, her blood pressure is falling rapidly, and very little oxygen is passing through her lungs. She is in toxic shock.”
Dad phoned family and friends and asked them to pray for me. He squeezed my hand, and I saw desperation in his eyes. The doctor’s unspoken conclusion hit me: he didn’t know if I would make it.
Nurses rushed to hook me to a respirator and administer injections to counter the toxin. “Breathe!” they urged. I struggled desperately, but felt myself slipping into darkness—a silent, painless, overwhelming darkness.
Suddenly Jesus’ words came back to me. “I will fight for you. I will face each challenge with you.” Strength and determination that could have come only from Him pulled me from the darkness. I fought to open my eyes and take another breath.
The pain reached an unbearable new high. Convulsions shook my limbs. I couldn’t think, much less pray. A second wave of numbing darkness swept over me. Powerless to drive it back, I felt myself fading.
Again Jesus’ lifesaving words came to me. “I will fight for you. I will face each challenge with you.”
Clinging to those words, I found strength to keep fighting, to keep breathing.
Two intense hours later, I was out of danger. I had survived!
As Dad led me out of the hospital and into bright sunlight, I was still a bit dazed, but my heart overflowed with gratitude and joy. Jesus had saved my life! He truly is, as the Bible says, “the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
I am so glad that I took time that morning to ask Him to speak to me. It had seemed like such a small thing, almost an inconvenience, but the few words He spoke to me became my lifesaver.
1 Peter 1:25 ESV - But the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
1 John 1:1 ESV – That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life.
Those words were assuring, but also puzzling. Due to a mysterious digestive disorder, I had already been examined by nearly a dozen doctors in the past year and had undergone as many medical tests. None of the tests had been particularly challenging. Why would a routine CT scan be any different?
At the hospital later that morning, in order to get a clear image, a nurse injected me with a contrast agent, or dye, then stepped out of the room to avoid radiation from the CT machine. About halfway through the scan, the fluid entered my bloodstream. Searing pain tore through my body. Immense pressure gripped my lungs. I gasped for breath. I tried to scream, but my throat had closed so tightly I could barely get out a whisper.
The pain intensified second by second. My senses reeled, and my neck and face swelled. I could barely open my eyes. My sinuses tightened with unbearable pain. I had no idea what was happening. I tried to keep calm. It would pass, I told myself over and over.
This was an allergic reaction to the dye, I would find out later—a potentially life-threatening complication that can occur in asthma sufferers like me. Apparently my asthmatic condition had been overlooked when the hospital planned my CT scan.
Finally the scan was over and the nurse returned. I stumbled to my feet, coughing uncontrollably. My swollen face and neck were covered with red spots. The nurse realized something was seriously wrong, helped me onto a nearby bed, and summoned a doctor. When he asked me where I was hurting, I couldn’t move my jaw to tell him. “Get her to the emergency room immediately!” he ordered. “This is very serious!”
A doctor at the emergency unit examined me and passed his findings on to my dad, who was there at the hospital with me. “Her heartbeat is faint, her blood pressure is falling rapidly, and very little oxygen is passing through her lungs. She is in toxic shock.”
Dad phoned family and friends and asked them to pray for me. He squeezed my hand, and I saw desperation in his eyes. The doctor’s unspoken conclusion hit me: he didn’t know if I would make it.
Nurses rushed to hook me to a respirator and administer injections to counter the toxin. “Breathe!” they urged. I struggled desperately, but felt myself slipping into darkness—a silent, painless, overwhelming darkness.
Suddenly Jesus’ words came back to me. “I will fight for you. I will face each challenge with you.” Strength and determination that could have come only from Him pulled me from the darkness. I fought to open my eyes and take another breath.
The pain reached an unbearable new high. Convulsions shook my limbs. I couldn’t think, much less pray. A second wave of numbing darkness swept over me. Powerless to drive it back, I felt myself fading.
Again Jesus’ lifesaving words came to me. “I will fight for you. I will face each challenge with you.”
Clinging to those words, I found strength to keep fighting, to keep breathing.
Two intense hours later, I was out of danger. I had survived!
As Dad led me out of the hospital and into bright sunlight, I was still a bit dazed, but my heart overflowed with gratitude and joy. Jesus had saved my life! He truly is, as the Bible says, “the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
I am so glad that I took time that morning to ask Him to speak to me. It had seemed like such a small thing, almost an inconvenience, but the few words He spoke to me became my lifesaver.
—
John 10:27 ESV - My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.1 Peter 1:25 ESV - But the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
1 John 1:1 ESV – That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life.
It's Good To Be On The Safe Side
How often do we count our blessings? If it has been a while, here are a few that we may be able to start with – home, family, friends, food, health, sunshine and the beauty of nature.
Saying ‘thank you’ used to be a habit we learnt in childhood. It’s sad that so often these days grumbling and complaining have replaced gratitude. Ultimately, our attitude begins and ends with us. We are the only ones who can put it right.
Some of the Psalms, and other parts of the Bible, are used to bring comfort, especially on life’s sad occasions. But there are also many joyful passages that celebrate the goodness of our faithful Creator God.
Psalm 100, for example, tells us: ‘Make a joyful shout to the Lord … Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing. Know that the Lord, he is God; it is he who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture’ (Psalm 100:1–3 New King James Version). Or, as a modern paraphrase suggests: ‘Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence’ (The Message).
Whatever impression the news headlines may give, life is not all doom and gloom. There are still good things happening, even if we don’t always get to hear about them. There are still millions of people doing good things worth celebrating and thanking God for.
Why should we praise God? ‘For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endures to all generations’ (100:5 NKSV).
Living a day at a time can help us to cultivate the practice of counting our blessings. In the words of another Psalm: ‘This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it’ (Psalm 118:24). That means committing whatever is in the diary for that day to God – whether work, holiday, problems or difficult choices – and asking for his help. And even more importantly, thanking him when he gives it.
UK & Ireland War Cry 26 July 2014
Saying ‘thank you’ used to be a habit we learnt in childhood. It’s sad that so often these days grumbling and complaining have replaced gratitude. Ultimately, our attitude begins and ends with us. We are the only ones who can put it right.
Some of the Psalms, and other parts of the Bible, are used to bring comfort, especially on life’s sad occasions. But there are also many joyful passages that celebrate the goodness of our faithful Creator God.
Psalm 100, for example, tells us: ‘Make a joyful shout to the Lord … Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing. Know that the Lord, he is God; it is he who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture’ (Psalm 100:1–3 New King James Version). Or, as a modern paraphrase suggests: ‘Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence’ (The Message).
Whatever impression the news headlines may give, life is not all doom and gloom. There are still good things happening, even if we don’t always get to hear about them. There are still millions of people doing good things worth celebrating and thanking God for.
Why should we praise God? ‘For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endures to all generations’ (100:5 NKSV).
Living a day at a time can help us to cultivate the practice of counting our blessings. In the words of another Psalm: ‘This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it’ (Psalm 118:24). That means committing whatever is in the diary for that day to God – whether work, holiday, problems or difficult choices – and asking for his help. And even more importantly, thanking him when he gives it.
UK & Ireland War Cry 26 July 2014
Exodus 13 --- The firstborn are to be consecrated, and God guides the Israelites by a pillar of cloud and fire
Read Exodus 13
- V14-18, why were the firstborn to be consecrated?
- V19, Joseph believed in God’s promise, which was fulfilled 430 years later. What can we learn from this?
- V21, what effect do you think would have had upon the Israelites? What effect do you think it would have had later on when the pillar of cloud and fire no longer appeared?
- V14-18, why were the firstborn to be consecrated?
- V19, Joseph believed in God’s promise, which was fulfilled 430 years later. What can we learn from this?
- V21, what effect do you think would have had upon the Israelites? What effect do you think it would have had later on when the pillar of cloud and fire no longer appeared?
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Daily Devotional : The Acerola Principle
If you visit the tropics, you’ll want to try an invigorating glass of juice made from a small, red, natural marvel: the acerola fruit. Relatively unknown in the rest of the world, it has 32 times as much vitamin C as citrus fruit, as well as powerful antioxidant properties.
We once had an acerola tree in our yard—just one, but that one small tree gave so much fruit that there was almost always a pitcher of juice on the dinner table. I remember lazy afternoon moments spent plucking and eating the fruit straight off the tree, warmed and sweetened by the sun.
I also discovered an important similarity between my spiritual life and that tree. Like many tropical trees, the acerola tree doesn’t have a certain fruit-bearing season. At first it seemed to give fruit whenever it pleased. Sometimes the tree was speckled with hundreds of red dots; other times I had to hunt to find them. Why, I had no idea.
It was only after some time that a neighbor revealed the acerola’s secret: it bears fruit in direct proportion to the water it receives. After rainy spells, acerola trees are laden with fruit, but dry periods leave them bare.
We began watering our tree two or three times a day, and the tree produced more fruit than we could handle. But if we got too busy or forgot, production would grind to a halt.
From this perspective, there is no big mystery to having a fruitful spiritual life. The tree is our soul, and the water is God’s Word. The fruit is the results, the obvious effects this water has on us, and the amount of fruit we bear will be in direct proportion to how much “water” we give our “tree.”
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Does this list seem too good to be true of your life? Well, try investing a little more in that tree of yours. Try watering it frequently, and see if it won’t start producing these wonderful life- and world-changing fruits. It’s impossible to spend time close to the heart of God and not be transformed, just as it’s impossible to water the acerola tree and not soon see an abundance of delicious fruit adorning its branches.
—
Psalm 119:25 KJV – My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word!
John 6:63 NIV - The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you–they are full of the Spirit and life.
John 5:26 ESV – For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
We once had an acerola tree in our yard—just one, but that one small tree gave so much fruit that there was almost always a pitcher of juice on the dinner table. I remember lazy afternoon moments spent plucking and eating the fruit straight off the tree, warmed and sweetened by the sun.
I also discovered an important similarity between my spiritual life and that tree. Like many tropical trees, the acerola tree doesn’t have a certain fruit-bearing season. At first it seemed to give fruit whenever it pleased. Sometimes the tree was speckled with hundreds of red dots; other times I had to hunt to find them. Why, I had no idea.
It was only after some time that a neighbor revealed the acerola’s secret: it bears fruit in direct proportion to the water it receives. After rainy spells, acerola trees are laden with fruit, but dry periods leave them bare.
We began watering our tree two or three times a day, and the tree produced more fruit than we could handle. But if we got too busy or forgot, production would grind to a halt.
From this perspective, there is no big mystery to having a fruitful spiritual life. The tree is our soul, and the water is God’s Word. The fruit is the results, the obvious effects this water has on us, and the amount of fruit we bear will be in direct proportion to how much “water” we give our “tree.”
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Does this list seem too good to be true of your life? Well, try investing a little more in that tree of yours. Try watering it frequently, and see if it won’t start producing these wonderful life- and world-changing fruits. It’s impossible to spend time close to the heart of God and not be transformed, just as it’s impossible to water the acerola tree and not soon see an abundance of delicious fruit adorning its branches.
—
Psalm 119:25 KJV – My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word!
John 6:63 NIV - The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you–they are full of the Spirit and life.
John 5:26 ESV – For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
Exodus 12 --- Moses is given instructions for the Israelites, to prepare for the Passover.
Read Exodus 12
- V2, is this the Jewish calendar being defined?
- V11&13, Why is the meal called the ‘Passover’?
- V14, for how many years were the Jews to commemorate the Passover?
- V21-23, Do you think the Passover shows similarities with, or foreshadowed, any future event?
- V31-33, it seems that fear of God finally led to obedience and recognition of God. Where there is no fear of God’s judgement today, is it harder to preach the good news of the Gospel of salvation?
- V37, 600,000 men, plus women and children…and so probably over 1 million Israelites left Egypt. Can we imagine the impact this would have had on Egypt, on Moses, on the Israelites, and on the surrounding countries?
- V2, is this the Jewish calendar being defined?
- V11&13, Why is the meal called the ‘Passover’?
- V14, for how many years were the Jews to commemorate the Passover?
- V21-23, Do you think the Passover shows similarities with, or foreshadowed, any future event?
- V31-33, it seems that fear of God finally led to obedience and recognition of God. Where there is no fear of God’s judgement today, is it harder to preach the good news of the Gospel of salvation?
- V37, 600,000 men, plus women and children…and so probably over 1 million Israelites left Egypt. Can we imagine the impact this would have had on Egypt, on Moses, on the Israelites, and on the surrounding countries?
Monday, July 28, 2014
Exodus 11 --- God prepares Moses for a final plague which will prove successful
Read Exodus 11
- V3, why do you think the Egyptians now looked upon the Israelites and Moses in this way?
- V8, Knowing that this last plague would be successful, why do you think Moses became so angry?
- V3, why do you think the Egyptians now looked upon the Israelites and Moses in this way?
- V8, Knowing that this last plague would be successful, why do you think Moses became so angry?
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Daily Devotional : Time Out
My mind raced. Two o’clock. I had just finished my appointments and suddenly realized how little cash I had on me. At the mall with only a few cents and no ATM card in my pocket, I needed to attend a workshop at the voice academy later that afternoon. Without bus fare, I wasn’t going to make it. I didn’t even have enough money to get home.
I paced through the mall, frantic, desperate, frustrated. How did I get myself into this mess?
Then amid the inner turmoil came a familiar voice. Stop and listen.
To what? I fired back.
Listen to Me. And listen to yourself freaking out like that! The worst thing in the world is to keep on going when you don’t know what to do.
Jesus had my attention. Okay, You’re right.—I don’t know what to do.
Trust Me.
What did I have to lose? I stopped and prayed, “Dear Jesus, I’m trying to trust You. Please help me out.” What I wanted, of course, was to see some money appear out of nowhere. It doesn’t have to be a lot—just enough to get me to the voice academy and home.
I looked around. Nothing.
Trust Me, He said again. There’s plenty of time before your workshop starts.
Plenty of time? I wasn’t so sure.
I slowed my pace to “trusting” speed and hoped that would also calm my racing spirit. The frustration eased. I even started to sing to myself. The voice seemed to be directing my steps, telling me what corners to turn in the huge mall.
Then there they were, sitting inside a restaurant right in front of me! I had met Joy and Honey a few weeks before. They were commercial models and the only female identical twins in the local industry. They spotted me and waved, excited about this chance encounter.
Or was it chance?
An hour later, we said goodbye and I was on my way. Jesus had indeed dropped money out of nowhere, but in His own way. Joy had asked me to sketch them together and insisted on paying for the on-the-spot portrait.
I now had the cash I needed. I made it to my workshop with time to spare. I made it safely home. And I had that little voice to thank.
Now when my head is spinning out of control—How did I get myself into this mess?—I know that all I have to do is take a little time out to stop and listen and get Jesus’ help.
—
Psalm 40:1 NIV - I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.
Psalm 37:7-9 NLT - Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.
Isaiah 40:31 NKJV - But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
I paced through the mall, frantic, desperate, frustrated. How did I get myself into this mess?
Then amid the inner turmoil came a familiar voice. Stop and listen.
To what? I fired back.
Listen to Me. And listen to yourself freaking out like that! The worst thing in the world is to keep on going when you don’t know what to do.
Jesus had my attention. Okay, You’re right.—I don’t know what to do.
Trust Me.
What did I have to lose? I stopped and prayed, “Dear Jesus, I’m trying to trust You. Please help me out.” What I wanted, of course, was to see some money appear out of nowhere. It doesn’t have to be a lot—just enough to get me to the voice academy and home.
I looked around. Nothing.
Trust Me, He said again. There’s plenty of time before your workshop starts.
Plenty of time? I wasn’t so sure.
I slowed my pace to “trusting” speed and hoped that would also calm my racing spirit. The frustration eased. I even started to sing to myself. The voice seemed to be directing my steps, telling me what corners to turn in the huge mall.
Then there they were, sitting inside a restaurant right in front of me! I had met Joy and Honey a few weeks before. They were commercial models and the only female identical twins in the local industry. They spotted me and waved, excited about this chance encounter.
Or was it chance?
An hour later, we said goodbye and I was on my way. Jesus had indeed dropped money out of nowhere, but in His own way. Joy had asked me to sketch them together and insisted on paying for the on-the-spot portrait.
I now had the cash I needed. I made it to my workshop with time to spare. I made it safely home. And I had that little voice to thank.
Now when my head is spinning out of control—How did I get myself into this mess?—I know that all I have to do is take a little time out to stop and listen and get Jesus’ help.
—
Psalm 40:1 NIV - I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.
Psalm 37:7-9 NLT - Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.
Isaiah 40:31 NKJV - But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
Prayer Points
1. Please pray for victims, family and friends who are affected by the MH17 tradegy
2. Please pray for Koon Hock Sun, Hor Sek Lian, Fong Yen Wong and Willie
3. Please pray for one another in your prayer, especially those that are not feeling well.
4. Please pray for various ministry that going well bring forward fruitful result
5. Please pray for up coming event - Explore Weekend at Johor, Penang Open Day
6. Please pray for all that will be travelling during this festive season.
• Pray for our Territorial leaders, Cols Lyndon & Bronywn, Lt Cols Paul & Evelyn, as they direct and lead God's Army into the battle field.
• Stand in the gap for Majors Bo & Christina as they settle and begin their new appointment in Myanmar.
• Capt Ken and Neva will be pioneering work in Thailand. Ask God to strengthen them and seek Lord for His will for this startup.
• Pray for Major Irene and the Candidates Department as she prays for wisdom to assist Corps Officers in encouraging salvationists to respond to God's calls. Ask the Lord of Harvest to pour an anointing upon the Explore Weekend.
• Pray for all Salvation Army Churches in Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar. Pray God for faithful Local Officers and pray for God to raise up more Salvationist who will commit to ministry.
WORLDWILE PRAYER MEETING
http://smm.salvationarmyspirituallife.org
Facebook: Spiritual LifeDevelopment.SMM
2. Please pray for Koon Hock Sun, Hor Sek Lian, Fong Yen Wong and Willie
3. Please pray for one another in your prayer, especially those that are not feeling well.
4. Please pray for various ministry that going well bring forward fruitful result
5. Please pray for up coming event - Explore Weekend at Johor, Penang Open Day
6. Please pray for all that will be travelling during this festive season.
• Pray for our Territorial leaders, Cols Lyndon & Bronywn, Lt Cols Paul & Evelyn, as they direct and lead God's Army into the battle field.
• Stand in the gap for Majors Bo & Christina as they settle and begin their new appointment in Myanmar.
• Capt Ken and Neva will be pioneering work in Thailand. Ask God to strengthen them and seek Lord for His will for this startup.
• Pray for Major Irene and the Candidates Department as she prays for wisdom to assist Corps Officers in encouraging salvationists to respond to God's calls. Ask the Lord of Harvest to pour an anointing upon the Explore Weekend.
• Pray for all Salvation Army Churches in Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar. Pray God for faithful Local Officers and pray for God to raise up more Salvationist who will commit to ministry.
WORLDWILE PRAYER MEETING
http://smm.salvationarmyspirituallife.org
Facebook: Spiritual LifeDevelopment.SMM
Announcement
Old Testament 150 Reading Challenge within 7 months, reading just 5 chapters per week: Look out for it at the Church website.
Territorial Music and Arts School: Date: 15th - 20th September 2014, Age group: 13-30 yrs. Fees: RM100.00, Closing Date: 19th August 2014, Venue: Kin Tick Orchard Village Bukit Bentong
Cell Group Date: 1st Aug 2014, Time: 8:00pm Venue: Bro. Sunny & Rachel home
Thank you all who help out in the Flag Day collection.
Territorial Music and Arts School: Date: 15th - 20th September 2014, Age group: 13-30 yrs. Fees: RM100.00, Closing Date: 19th August 2014, Venue: Kin Tick Orchard Village Bukit Bentong
Cell Group Date: 1st Aug 2014, Time: 8:00pm Venue: Bro. Sunny & Rachel home
Thank you all who help out in the Flag Day collection.
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Daily Devotional : Take a Load Off
I have a riddle for you. What could seem to make a little more work now‚ but save much more work in the long run?
Here are some hints. It is mentioned repeatedly in the Bible, and those who have accomplished the most for God have all depended on it. It is a life-altering concept, but also one that is often hard to grasp because it goes contrary to natural reasoning.
The answer is “resting in Jesus.” That means stopping what we’re doing and taking a little time to get quiet and plug in to Jesus in spirit in order to be renewed and regenerated. Then we need to learn to take that restful spirit with us as we go back to whatever we were doing, so circumstances won’t weigh so heavily on us and eventually wear us out.
It sounds simple enough, but it’s not always easy to do, especially at first. One big reason is that it goes against our natural bent. When we have so much to do, the last thing we feel like doing is slowing down, taking time to pray and read God’s Word, and letting Him speak to us. That’s not what we feel like doing or what seems sensible when we have a deadline or life is speeding along all around us.
But if we look at the lives of those who have done great things for God, we find many examples of people who relied on this principle. In fact, Jesus Himself needed such times of resting and refilling, according to several accounts in the Gospels. One says that having risen long before daylight, He went to a solitary place to pray. Another says that He continued all night in prayer to God, and another that it was His custom to go to the Mount of Olives to pray.
Most of us need a major change of mindset in this regard. We need to stop thinking we have so much to do that we had better get started, and instead think, Wonderful! Jesus, here is an opportunity for You to step in and help as only You can.
We can’t learn to rest in the Lord if we’re not doing our part by pulling away from the fray. If we’ve been busy, busy, busy, then when our spirits need a rest we are usually swamped with thoughts about all there still is to do.
But if we can get in the habit of stopping our work long enough to turn our concerns over to Jesus and draw new strength and inspiration from Him, we won’t be so tied into the vicious cycle of pushing ourselves beyond our limits and falling further behind. Instead, we will create a positive cycle where He strengthens us for the tasks at hand, and as a result we will have more faith to place our burdens on His shoulders and trust Him to take care of things.
We all want to feel that peace and contentment and wisdom that Jesus can give us when we spend time with Him, but the test comes when we go back to work. All too often we leave the realm of calm and peace and infinite possibilities, and start trying to do everything we can—and before we know it, we’re back in the rat race.
Resting in Jesus means not trying to bear the burdens ourselves. It means continually putting them back on Jesus’ shoulders. It means doing our part in prayer, so He can do the heavy lifting. It means valuing our time with God enough to make time for it, and because of that, having more of His blessings and Spirit in everything we do, because we’ve given the weight to Jesus through prayer, rather than trying to carry it ourselves.
It’s easy to get on our own little “treadmill” and feel that we have to keep running to keep up, and yet feel like we’re not really getting anywhere. We need to have enough sense, before we get to that point, to step off and ask Jesus to help us get in step with Him again.
Making the change can start a cycle of strength, relief from pressure, and real progress. If we’re resting in Jesus‚ if we’re taking time with Him, if we’re pushing our burdens onto His strong shoulders and letting Him work in the spirit, we’ll have the strength and the time for anything and everything else we really need to do.
—
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV - Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 37:7 NIV - Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Here are some hints. It is mentioned repeatedly in the Bible, and those who have accomplished the most for God have all depended on it. It is a life-altering concept, but also one that is often hard to grasp because it goes contrary to natural reasoning.
The answer is “resting in Jesus.” That means stopping what we’re doing and taking a little time to get quiet and plug in to Jesus in spirit in order to be renewed and regenerated. Then we need to learn to take that restful spirit with us as we go back to whatever we were doing, so circumstances won’t weigh so heavily on us and eventually wear us out.
It sounds simple enough, but it’s not always easy to do, especially at first. One big reason is that it goes against our natural bent. When we have so much to do, the last thing we feel like doing is slowing down, taking time to pray and read God’s Word, and letting Him speak to us. That’s not what we feel like doing or what seems sensible when we have a deadline or life is speeding along all around us.
But if we look at the lives of those who have done great things for God, we find many examples of people who relied on this principle. In fact, Jesus Himself needed such times of resting and refilling, according to several accounts in the Gospels. One says that having risen long before daylight, He went to a solitary place to pray. Another says that He continued all night in prayer to God, and another that it was His custom to go to the Mount of Olives to pray.
Most of us need a major change of mindset in this regard. We need to stop thinking we have so much to do that we had better get started, and instead think, Wonderful! Jesus, here is an opportunity for You to step in and help as only You can.
We can’t learn to rest in the Lord if we’re not doing our part by pulling away from the fray. If we’ve been busy, busy, busy, then when our spirits need a rest we are usually swamped with thoughts about all there still is to do.
But if we can get in the habit of stopping our work long enough to turn our concerns over to Jesus and draw new strength and inspiration from Him, we won’t be so tied into the vicious cycle of pushing ourselves beyond our limits and falling further behind. Instead, we will create a positive cycle where He strengthens us for the tasks at hand, and as a result we will have more faith to place our burdens on His shoulders and trust Him to take care of things.
We all want to feel that peace and contentment and wisdom that Jesus can give us when we spend time with Him, but the test comes when we go back to work. All too often we leave the realm of calm and peace and infinite possibilities, and start trying to do everything we can—and before we know it, we’re back in the rat race.
Resting in Jesus means not trying to bear the burdens ourselves. It means continually putting them back on Jesus’ shoulders. It means doing our part in prayer, so He can do the heavy lifting. It means valuing our time with God enough to make time for it, and because of that, having more of His blessings and Spirit in everything we do, because we’ve given the weight to Jesus through prayer, rather than trying to carry it ourselves.
It’s easy to get on our own little “treadmill” and feel that we have to keep running to keep up, and yet feel like we’re not really getting anywhere. We need to have enough sense, before we get to that point, to step off and ask Jesus to help us get in step with Him again.
Making the change can start a cycle of strength, relief from pressure, and real progress. If we’re resting in Jesus‚ if we’re taking time with Him, if we’re pushing our burdens onto His strong shoulders and letting Him work in the spirit, we’ll have the strength and the time for anything and everything else we really need to do.
—
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV - Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 37:7 NIV - Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Daily Devotional : Preventive Maintenance
We all go through situations that leave deep imprints on our spirits. I had one such experience a couple of years ago.
While I was praying, Jesus told me, “Your faith will soon be tested, but don’t be afraid. This will be a time of readjustment.”
Ten days later, while on a humanitarian aid mission to a remote area of Burkina Faso, West Africa, I found myself upside down in a Land Rover that had run off the road and rolled into a ditch.
The next few days were a blur of hospitals, phone calls, recounting the accident, and thanking God for His protection. Five of us had been involved in what could have been a fatal accident, and the worst injury that any of us sustained was a broken collarbone.
God is able to bring some good out of every situation, and this accident was no exception. We experienced the hospitality and empathy that are common among African people; everyone from taxi drivers to doctors to ambassadors expressed sincere concern for our well-being. I also gained an even greater appreciation of my coworkers, who didn’t let their bumps, bruises, or broken collarbone stop them from delivering aid to orphanages and remote villages.
What left the deepest impression on me, however, was something God taught me about my spiritual life. Like the wheel alignment on the Land Rover, which had been faulty and caused our accident, my spirit also needs maintenance. If I don’t regularly check my spirit, it can get knocked out of whack by rocks and potholes in the road of life—problems, disappointment, loss, and so on. And if that spiritual misalignment is not corrected, when I hit another particularly rough spot I could lose control, veer off the road, and wind up upside down in a ditch.
Maintaining our spiritual lives through prayer, quality spiritual input, and godly living is as important to our happiness and well-being as servicing our vehicles is to safety on the road. When we work at keeping our spirits in good shape and are mindful of our strengths and limitations, we can respond better to whatever situation we find ourselves in. Our faith in God’s love and care, like shock absorbers, will lessen the bumps in the road; proper alignment will keep us on the straight and narrow; and our lives will take us where God wants us to go.
Have a safe trip!
—
John 15:4 ESV - Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
Matthew 4:4 ESV - But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
James 1:22-25 ESV – But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
While I was praying, Jesus told me, “Your faith will soon be tested, but don’t be afraid. This will be a time of readjustment.”
Ten days later, while on a humanitarian aid mission to a remote area of Burkina Faso, West Africa, I found myself upside down in a Land Rover that had run off the road and rolled into a ditch.
The next few days were a blur of hospitals, phone calls, recounting the accident, and thanking God for His protection. Five of us had been involved in what could have been a fatal accident, and the worst injury that any of us sustained was a broken collarbone.
God is able to bring some good out of every situation, and this accident was no exception. We experienced the hospitality and empathy that are common among African people; everyone from taxi drivers to doctors to ambassadors expressed sincere concern for our well-being. I also gained an even greater appreciation of my coworkers, who didn’t let their bumps, bruises, or broken collarbone stop them from delivering aid to orphanages and remote villages.
What left the deepest impression on me, however, was something God taught me about my spiritual life. Like the wheel alignment on the Land Rover, which had been faulty and caused our accident, my spirit also needs maintenance. If I don’t regularly check my spirit, it can get knocked out of whack by rocks and potholes in the road of life—problems, disappointment, loss, and so on. And if that spiritual misalignment is not corrected, when I hit another particularly rough spot I could lose control, veer off the road, and wind up upside down in a ditch.
Maintaining our spiritual lives through prayer, quality spiritual input, and godly living is as important to our happiness and well-being as servicing our vehicles is to safety on the road. When we work at keeping our spirits in good shape and are mindful of our strengths and limitations, we can respond better to whatever situation we find ourselves in. Our faith in God’s love and care, like shock absorbers, will lessen the bumps in the road; proper alignment will keep us on the straight and narrow; and our lives will take us where God wants us to go.
Have a safe trip!
—
John 15:4 ESV - Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
Matthew 4:4 ESV - But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
James 1:22-25 ESV – But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
Exodus 10 --- God sends the plagues of locusts, followed by darkness
Read Exodus 10
- V1 & 4, If God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, then does that mean Pharaoh didn’t have a choice and isn’t to blame?
- V15, Can you imagine what this would look/feel like?
- V16, What is the difference between regret, confession of sin, and repentance?
- V23, Yet again there is no mention of Pharaoh’s magicians being able to duplicate or reverse this miracle. Has anyone ever managed to create darkness (as opposed to creating a shelter from the light)?
- V1 & 4, If God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, then does that mean Pharaoh didn’t have a choice and isn’t to blame?
- V15, Can you imagine what this would look/feel like?
- V16, What is the difference between regret, confession of sin, and repentance?
- V23, Yet again there is no mention of Pharaoh’s magicians being able to duplicate or reverse this miracle. Has anyone ever managed to create darkness (as opposed to creating a shelter from the light)?
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Daily Devotional: Reaching Full Potential
One indelible memory from my childhood is of a boy about my age walking on crutches. Each time he took a step with his right foot, his left leg swung limply a few inches off the ground. He wore mismatched brown leather shoes, and the left was noticeably smaller than the right. “Polio,” my mother explained when the boy was out of earshot. “His short leg has stopped growing.” “Will it ever catch up?” I asked. “No,” she said, “the damage is permanent.” I imagined how that boy must have felt, knowing that his body would never be quite whole.
Most of us can thank God for two healthy legs. He also equipped us with two other “legs,” and those are even more important to our overall well-being—“who we are” and “what we do,” our character and our calling. As long as both develop at a steady rate, our lives have symmetry and balance. But if we concentrate on one to the neglect of the other, we lose that. And if it is “who we are” that gets neglected, which is often the case, we stop growing emotionally and spiritually as we should.
Fortunately, unlike physical handicaps caused by polio and other crippling diseases, such damage to our spirits is not irreversible. We can always work at bringing our lives back into proper balance, and God is always happy to work with us toward that end. In fact, He wants nothing more than to help us reach our full potential and become the people He knows we can be.
You are important to God, and so are your happiness and wholeness. You are His creation and dearly loved by Him, but you are also a work in progress.
—
John 1:12 ESV – But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Galatians 3:26 ESV - For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
1 Peter 2:10 ESV – Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Most of us can thank God for two healthy legs. He also equipped us with two other “legs,” and those are even more important to our overall well-being—“who we are” and “what we do,” our character and our calling. As long as both develop at a steady rate, our lives have symmetry and balance. But if we concentrate on one to the neglect of the other, we lose that. And if it is “who we are” that gets neglected, which is often the case, we stop growing emotionally and spiritually as we should.
Fortunately, unlike physical handicaps caused by polio and other crippling diseases, such damage to our spirits is not irreversible. We can always work at bringing our lives back into proper balance, and God is always happy to work with us toward that end. In fact, He wants nothing more than to help us reach our full potential and become the people He knows we can be.
You are important to God, and so are your happiness and wholeness. You are His creation and dearly loved by Him, but you are also a work in progress.
—
John 1:12 ESV – But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Galatians 3:26 ESV - For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
1 Peter 2:10 ESV – Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Exodus 09 --- God sends the plagues on the livestock, followed by boils and hail
Read Exodus 09
- V7, can you imagine how amazing this was?...imagine every animal being effected in your country, except for those in your county/state…AND having it predicted…wouldn’t you have been persuaded?
- V15-16, we are given the reason why this plan to free the Israelites had been so elaborate…and so is it reasonable to believe that sometimes even today God may use methods for purposes which are beyond our current understanding?
- V7, can you imagine how amazing this was?...imagine every animal being effected in your country, except for those in your county/state…AND having it predicted…wouldn’t you have been persuaded?
- V15-16, we are given the reason why this plan to free the Israelites had been so elaborate…and so is it reasonable to believe that sometimes even today God may use methods for purposes which are beyond our current understanding?
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
A Bible Devotion: Keep Your Word
PROVERBS 11:3 NLT
3 Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people.
God keeps His Word (Titus 1:2), and as His children we are to be like Him (Ephesians 5:1). God is dependable so His people should be dependable. Christians should be known as people of honesty.
PROVERBS 12:22 NLT
22 The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.
Keeping our word should be a priority. Our reputation should be more important to us than our feelings, our finances, or our comfort.
We should be like those mentioned in Psalm 15:4 who "keep their promises even when it hurts." People should be able to depend on us.
Will we do what we said we would do, even if it costs us? Or will we only do what benefits us? It is really a question of whether we will be selfish or whether we will walk in love.
But there is also another important reason to keep our word -- so our faith will work as it should.
MARK 11:23 NKJ
23 "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
Jesus taught that for faith to work effectively we must believe those things we say.
If you don't keep your word, it will affect your faith. If you want to walk in faith, and thus enjoy all the blessings God has provided for you, then you must believe what you say. Lying won't work!
Yet as humans, we all may sometimes find ourselves in situations beyond our control where it is impossible to keep a promise we have made. In such cases, we should apologize and go forward in life, asking God to help us do better next time.
SAY THIS: With God's help, I determine to tell the truth and keep my word.
3 Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people.
God keeps His Word (Titus 1:2), and as His children we are to be like Him (Ephesians 5:1). God is dependable so His people should be dependable. Christians should be known as people of honesty.
PROVERBS 12:22 NLT
22 The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.
Keeping our word should be a priority. Our reputation should be more important to us than our feelings, our finances, or our comfort.
We should be like those mentioned in Psalm 15:4 who "keep their promises even when it hurts." People should be able to depend on us.
Will we do what we said we would do, even if it costs us? Or will we only do what benefits us? It is really a question of whether we will be selfish or whether we will walk in love.
But there is also another important reason to keep our word -- so our faith will work as it should.
MARK 11:23 NKJ
23 "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
Jesus taught that for faith to work effectively we must believe those things we say.
If you don't keep your word, it will affect your faith. If you want to walk in faith, and thus enjoy all the blessings God has provided for you, then you must believe what you say. Lying won't work!
Yet as humans, we all may sometimes find ourselves in situations beyond our control where it is impossible to keep a promise we have made. In such cases, we should apologize and go forward in life, asking God to help us do better next time.
SAY THIS: With God's help, I determine to tell the truth and keep my word.
Exodus 08 --- God provides signs, and the plagues begin 2
Read Exodus 08
- V18-19, What impact do you think this might have had on the magicians?...could this be another reason why God’s plan was so elaborate?
- V22-23, if God can (and did) show such discrimination for those who loved Him…why does He let bad things happen to Christians today?
- V26-27, clearly Moses was far more persuasive and confident than he had previously given himself credit for!
- V18-19, What impact do you think this might have had on the magicians?...could this be another reason why God’s plan was so elaborate?
- V22-23, if God can (and did) show such discrimination for those who loved Him…why does He let bad things happen to Christians today?
- V26-27, clearly Moses was far more persuasive and confident than he had previously given himself credit for!
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Daily Devotionals : Silence
Our spiritual well-being is important to our overall well-being. When our spirits are calm and at peace, our bodies benefit.
The Bible tells us, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Inspirational music, reading, and praying out loud can all help us do that, but there should also be times when we commune with the Lord in silence. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
The goal of this spiritual exercise is to bring peace to your spirit by taking 10 or 15 minutes for silent reflection.
Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. You may want to read a Psalm or listen to or sing a hymn or gospel song to clear your mind of other business and help you “enter into His courts with praise.” Then reflect on one or more of the following thoughts.
From the world of sin and noise
And hurry I withdraw;
For the small and inward voice
I wait with humble awe:
Silent am I now and still,
Dare not in Thy presence move;
To my waiting soul reveal
The secret of Thy Love.
—Charles Wesley
Relax and let go of everything as you enter into the awareness of God’s presence. You can relax and let go of everything, precisely because God is present. In His presence nothing really matters; all things are in His hands. Tension, anxiety, worry, frustration all melt away before him, as snow before the sun. —James Borst
Be earth, with all her scenes, withdrawn;
Let noise and vanity be gone:
In secret silence of the mind,
My heaven, and there my God, I find.
—Isaac Watts
There is hardly ever a complete silence in our soul. God is whispering to us well-nigh incessantly. Whenever the sounds of the world die out in the soul, or sink low, then we hear these whisperings of God. He is always whispering to us, only we do not always hear, because of the noise, hurry, and distraction which life causes as it rushes on.
—F. W. Faber
—
Psalm 46:10 ESV - “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
Psalm 62:5 ESV - For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
Proverbs 17:28 ESV - Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
The Bible tells us, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Inspirational music, reading, and praying out loud can all help us do that, but there should also be times when we commune with the Lord in silence. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
The goal of this spiritual exercise is to bring peace to your spirit by taking 10 or 15 minutes for silent reflection.
Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. You may want to read a Psalm or listen to or sing a hymn or gospel song to clear your mind of other business and help you “enter into His courts with praise.” Then reflect on one or more of the following thoughts.
From the world of sin and noise
And hurry I withdraw;
For the small and inward voice
I wait with humble awe:
Silent am I now and still,
Dare not in Thy presence move;
To my waiting soul reveal
The secret of Thy Love.
—Charles Wesley
Relax and let go of everything as you enter into the awareness of God’s presence. You can relax and let go of everything, precisely because God is present. In His presence nothing really matters; all things are in His hands. Tension, anxiety, worry, frustration all melt away before him, as snow before the sun. —James Borst
Be earth, with all her scenes, withdrawn;
Let noise and vanity be gone:
In secret silence of the mind,
My heaven, and there my God, I find.
—Isaac Watts
There is hardly ever a complete silence in our soul. God is whispering to us well-nigh incessantly. Whenever the sounds of the world die out in the soul, or sink low, then we hear these whisperings of God. He is always whispering to us, only we do not always hear, because of the noise, hurry, and distraction which life causes as it rushes on.
—F. W. Faber
—
Psalm 46:10 ESV - “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
Psalm 62:5 ESV - For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
Proverbs 17:28 ESV - Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
Exodus 07 --- God provides signs, and the plagues begin
Read Exodus 07
- Do you think the signs from God were for Pharaoh’s benefit, for the benefit of Moses so that he would trust in God’s power, for the benefit of the Israelites who would have heard about these miracles, or all of the above?
- V1, Moses was God’s representative. Do we realise how today, we are the closest that some people have to knowing God? Do we recognise that we represent Him whether we are aware of it or not, and that the idea of there being a God, and what His character is like, is being observed through how we act?
- V2-5, why do you think this plan to rescue Israel was taking so long? Could God not have set a ‘sign’ to successfully convince Pharaoh the first time? Is this explained by proving that Pharaoh’s had freewill, or is there a bigger perspective which clarifies why the 10 signs were needed and beneficial for the Israelites? - V7, is anyone too old to be mightily used by God?
- V11, 12, & 22, Have we ever considered how the story of the Exodus wasn’t just about the freedom of the Hebrews physically, but also about spiritual warfare against Satan and some powerful adversaries?
- Do you think the signs from God were for Pharaoh’s benefit, for the benefit of Moses so that he would trust in God’s power, for the benefit of the Israelites who would have heard about these miracles, or all of the above?
- V1, Moses was God’s representative. Do we realise how today, we are the closest that some people have to knowing God? Do we recognise that we represent Him whether we are aware of it or not, and that the idea of there being a God, and what His character is like, is being observed through how we act?
- V2-5, why do you think this plan to rescue Israel was taking so long? Could God not have set a ‘sign’ to successfully convince Pharaoh the first time? Is this explained by proving that Pharaoh’s had freewill, or is there a bigger perspective which clarifies why the 10 signs were needed and beneficial for the Israelites? - V7, is anyone too old to be mightily used by God?
- V11, 12, & 22, Have we ever considered how the story of the Exodus wasn’t just about the freedom of the Hebrews physically, but also about spiritual warfare against Satan and some powerful adversaries?
Monday, July 21, 2014
A Bible Devotion : What Does God Desire?
Does God desire a company of people who will obey the ten commandments, give ten percent of all their income to Him, and faithfully attend worship services each week?
NO!
That was the Old Covenant. If God was happy with what was happening then, He would have never instituted a New Covenant.
If that was all God desired, He could have stayed with the Old Covenant. Why bother with Jesus dying to bring in a New Covenant?
God said the New Covenant is NOT like the Old Covenant.
JEREMIAH 31:32 NET
32 It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I delivered them from Egypt. For they violated that covenant, even though I was like a faithful husband to them," says the LORD.
The Old Covenant was primarily dependent on human effort. The New Covenant is primarily dependent on what God has done through Jesus Christ. That is why the Old Covenant was weak. Humans are fallible, but God is not.
God does not change, but His covenants do change.
God wants to live in you, and be able to express Himself through you (2 Corinthians 6:16, Colossians 1:27). God wants you to give yourself to Him unreservedly, just like He has given Himself to you.
Would you be satisfied if your spouse visited you once or twice a week and gave you ten percent of their income? What kind of relationship would that be? Would you want a part-time spouse that you shared with several others? Maybe one that just visited you on Sundays? God gave you His all, His best. God made a total commitment to you and His desire is for you to reciprocate His love and commitment.
Jesus did not die for you so you would give Him ten percent of your money or your time. Jesus expressed His love for you by giving His all. Nothing less than giving your all to Him is a decent response to what He did for you.
Does this mean you must give everything you own to a church, or to the poor? No. But it does mean you should be ready and willing to trust Jesus and obey whatever He guides you to do.
SAY THIS: God desires for me to love Him just like He loves me.
NO!
That was the Old Covenant. If God was happy with what was happening then, He would have never instituted a New Covenant.
If that was all God desired, He could have stayed with the Old Covenant. Why bother with Jesus dying to bring in a New Covenant?
God said the New Covenant is NOT like the Old Covenant.
JEREMIAH 31:32 NET
32 It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I delivered them from Egypt. For they violated that covenant, even though I was like a faithful husband to them," says the LORD.
The Old Covenant was primarily dependent on human effort. The New Covenant is primarily dependent on what God has done through Jesus Christ. That is why the Old Covenant was weak. Humans are fallible, but God is not.
God does not change, but His covenants do change.
God wants to live in you, and be able to express Himself through you (2 Corinthians 6:16, Colossians 1:27). God wants you to give yourself to Him unreservedly, just like He has given Himself to you.
Would you be satisfied if your spouse visited you once or twice a week and gave you ten percent of their income? What kind of relationship would that be? Would you want a part-time spouse that you shared with several others? Maybe one that just visited you on Sundays? God gave you His all, His best. God made a total commitment to you and His desire is for you to reciprocate His love and commitment.
Jesus did not die for you so you would give Him ten percent of your money or your time. Jesus expressed His love for you by giving His all. Nothing less than giving your all to Him is a decent response to what He did for you.
Does this mean you must give everything you own to a church, or to the poor? No. But it does mean you should be ready and willing to trust Jesus and obey whatever He guides you to do.
SAY THIS: God desires for me to love Him just like He loves me.
Exodus 06 --- God repeats His promise to the Israelites
Read Exodus 06
- V9, does ‘anguish’ sometimes get in the way of our belief in God’s promises? For example, does pain and suffering cause us to doubt God’s care?...Does the evil we see in society cause us to doubt God’s justice?...Does ridicule and mockery cause us to doubt God’s existence?
- V30, Do our weaknesses cause us to doubt whether God can use us?...or do we use our weaknesses as an excuse not to serve and obey?
- If faith and trust in God can overcome all these doubts, how would it impact our lives?
- V9, does ‘anguish’ sometimes get in the way of our belief in God’s promises? For example, does pain and suffering cause us to doubt God’s care?...Does the evil we see in society cause us to doubt God’s justice?...Does ridicule and mockery cause us to doubt God’s existence?
- V30, Do our weaknesses cause us to doubt whether God can use us?...or do we use our weaknesses as an excuse not to serve and obey?
- If faith and trust in God can overcome all these doubts, how would it impact our lives?
Sunday, July 20, 2014
A Bible Devotion : Be Content With Food And Clothing?
1 TIMOTHY 6:8 NKJ
8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
The word translated "content" here does not mean to accept and be satisfied with lack, and give up on any effort to improve our situation. It means "to be strong enough and have enough to help others."
If all we have is food and clothing we should not see ourselves as poor, for God is our Father and source of supply. We have His promise to take care of us. That gives us the sufficiency to look outward and help others.
We should be thankful if all we have is food and clothing. But we should not be lazy and accept lack as being God's ideal either.
We cannot be satisfied when others still have unmet needs. Yet to truly help others as we should, we must have more than we need. So accepting poverty is a selfish act, not a loving act.
It is wrong to love money. But it is not wrong to have money. The more money we have, the more people we can help.
If being wealthy is evil, then God would be the most evil one of all.
SAY THIS: Because of my union with Christ, I always have enough to help others.
http://adevotion.org
8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
The word translated "content" here does not mean to accept and be satisfied with lack, and give up on any effort to improve our situation. It means "to be strong enough and have enough to help others."
If all we have is food and clothing we should not see ourselves as poor, for God is our Father and source of supply. We have His promise to take care of us. That gives us the sufficiency to look outward and help others.
We should be thankful if all we have is food and clothing. But we should not be lazy and accept lack as being God's ideal either.
We cannot be satisfied when others still have unmet needs. Yet to truly help others as we should, we must have more than we need. So accepting poverty is a selfish act, not a loving act.
It is wrong to love money. But it is not wrong to have money. The more money we have, the more people we can help.
If being wealthy is evil, then God would be the most evil one of all.
SAY THIS: Because of my union with Christ, I always have enough to help others.
http://adevotion.org
Announcement
Old Testament 150 Reading Challenge within 7 months, reading just 5 chapters per week: Look out for it at the Church website.
Territorial Music and Arts School: Date: 15th - 20th September 2014, Age group: 13-30 yrs. Fees: RM100.00, Closing Date: 19th August 2014, Venue: Kin Tick Orchard Village Bukit Bentong
Music Class Date: 23 July 2014, Time: 8:00pm Venue: Worship Hall
Thank you all who help out in the Flag Day collection.
Territorial Music and Arts School: Date: 15th - 20th September 2014, Age group: 13-30 yrs. Fees: RM100.00, Closing Date: 19th August 2014, Venue: Kin Tick Orchard Village Bukit Bentong
Music Class Date: 23 July 2014, Time: 8:00pm Venue: Worship Hall
Thank you all who help out in the Flag Day collection.
Prayer Points
1. Please pray for victims, family and friends who are affected by the MH17 tradegy
2. Please pray for Bro Soon Bee and Family
3. Please pray for one another in your prayer, especially those that are not feeling well.
4. Please pray for various ministry that going well bring forward fruitful result
5. Please pray for up coming event - Explore Weekend at Johor, Penang Open Day
• Pray for our Territorial leaders, Cols Lyndon & Bronywn, Lt Cols Paul & Evelyn, as they direct and lead God's Army into the battle field.
• Stand in the gap for Majors Bo & Christina as they settle and begin their new appointment in Myanmar.
• Capt Ken and Neva will be pioneering work in Thailand. Ask God to strengthen them and seek Lord for His will for this startup.
• Thank God for Col Lyndon, Major Kong Yee, the Cadets as they start a new journey today into the Second Year of Officer Training.
• Pray for all Salvation Army Churches in Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar. Pray God for faithful Local Officers and pray for God to raise up more Salvationist who will commit to ministry.
WORLDWILE PRAYER MEETING
http://smm.salvationarmyspirituallife.org
Facebook: Spiritual LifeDevelopment.SMM
2. Please pray for Bro Soon Bee and Family
3. Please pray for one another in your prayer, especially those that are not feeling well.
4. Please pray for various ministry that going well bring forward fruitful result
5. Please pray for up coming event - Explore Weekend at Johor, Penang Open Day
• Pray for our Territorial leaders, Cols Lyndon & Bronywn, Lt Cols Paul & Evelyn, as they direct and lead God's Army into the battle field.
• Stand in the gap for Majors Bo & Christina as they settle and begin their new appointment in Myanmar.
• Capt Ken and Neva will be pioneering work in Thailand. Ask God to strengthen them and seek Lord for His will for this startup.
• Thank God for Col Lyndon, Major Kong Yee, the Cadets as they start a new journey today into the Second Year of Officer Training.
• Pray for all Salvation Army Churches in Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar. Pray God for faithful Local Officers and pray for God to raise up more Salvationist who will commit to ministry.
WORLDWILE PRAYER MEETING
http://smm.salvationarmyspirituallife.org
Facebook: Spiritual LifeDevelopment.SMM
Saturday, July 19, 2014
A Bible Devotion : The holy spirit is your helper 2
JOHN 15:26 NKJ
26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
Never forget that the Holy Spirit's desire and purpose is to help you -- not to hinder you.
Also, remember that the Holy Spirit is a person, and should be treated with the utmost respect.
Here are some ways the Holy Spirit desires to help you, and will help you when you allow Him to.
Teaches Us All Things
JOHN 14:26 NKJ
26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things . . . .
Tells Us Things To Come
JOHN 16:13 NKJ
13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, . . . He will tell you things to come.
Abides With Us
We are not facing life all alone -- as an orphan would. The Holy Spirit is with us continually -- living with us. When we need help He is never far away, but always right with us, waiting for us to call on Him for His help.
Empowers Us To Be Witnesses
ACTS 1:8 NKJ
8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Brings Life And Healing To Us
ROMANS 8:11 NKJ
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Encourages Us
ROMANS 8:16 NKJ
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
2 CORINTHIANS 13:14 NKJ
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
SAY THIS: Thank You Holy Spirit that You are my Helper! Thank You for helping me!
http://adevotion.org
26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
Never forget that the Holy Spirit's desire and purpose is to help you -- not to hinder you.
Also, remember that the Holy Spirit is a person, and should be treated with the utmost respect.
Here are some ways the Holy Spirit desires to help you, and will help you when you allow Him to.
Teaches Us All Things
JOHN 14:26 NKJ
26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things . . . .
Tells Us Things To Come
JOHN 16:13 NKJ
13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, . . . He will tell you things to come.
Abides With Us
We are not facing life all alone -- as an orphan would. The Holy Spirit is with us continually -- living with us. When we need help He is never far away, but always right with us, waiting for us to call on Him for His help.
Empowers Us To Be Witnesses
ACTS 1:8 NKJ
8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Brings Life And Healing To Us
ROMANS 8:11 NKJ
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Encourages Us
ROMANS 8:16 NKJ
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
2 CORINTHIANS 13:14 NKJ
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
SAY THIS: Thank You Holy Spirit that You are my Helper! Thank You for helping me!
http://adevotion.org
International Conference of Leaders Welcome Meeting to be Streamed Online
SALVATIONISTS and friends from around the world will be able to share in worship and celebration with Salvation Army leaders – including General André Cox and Commissioner Silvia Cox (World President of Women's Ministries), the Chief of the Staff (Commissioner William A. Roberts) and Commissioner Nancy Roberts (World Secretary of Women's Ministries) – through the live-streaming of the welcome meeting to the International Conference of Leaders in Singapore. The meeting, to be held at Singapore Central Corps (church), will take place at 4.45 pm local time on Sunday 20 July 2014.
The service will be live-streamed through the International Headquarters (IHQ) website at sar.my/2014icl, which will also be the address for updates from and information about the conference. The page includes a helpful countdown clock so that international viewers can see what time the event will start where they live.
David Giles (Web Manager, IHQ) says: 'The live-stream will be an interactive event. I would encourage online participants to add prayers and comments throughout the meeting.' These can also be made on Twitter, using the hashtag #2014ICL – which will continue to be the hashtag used in social media updates throughout the conference.
The last ICL took place in Toronto, Canada, in 2012. During the past two decades, ICLs have also been held in London, UK (2009), New Jersey, USA (2004), Atlanta, Georgia, USA (2000), Melbourne, Australia (1998), and Hong Kong (1995).
The service will be live-streamed through the International Headquarters (IHQ) website at sar.my/2014icl, which will also be the address for updates from and information about the conference. The page includes a helpful countdown clock so that international viewers can see what time the event will start where they live.
David Giles (Web Manager, IHQ) says: 'The live-stream will be an interactive event. I would encourage online participants to add prayers and comments throughout the meeting.' These can also be made on Twitter, using the hashtag #2014ICL – which will continue to be the hashtag used in social media updates throughout the conference.
The last ICL took place in Toronto, Canada, in 2012. During the past two decades, ICLs have also been held in London, UK (2009), New Jersey, USA (2004), Atlanta, Georgia, USA (2000), Melbourne, Australia (1998), and Hong Kong (1995).
Friday, July 18, 2014
A Bible Devotion : The Holy Spirit Is Your Helper
JOHN 15:26 NKJ
26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
The Holy Spirit's desire and purpose is to help you -- not to hinder you.
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity of God. It is difficult for humans to understand how there can be only one God, as the Scriptures teach, yet He can reveal Himself as three persons. So do not let it be an obstacle for you.
The Holy Spirit is a person, not just a force. He should be treated with the utmost respect and shown the utmost gratitude.
Following are a few of the ways the Holy Spirit desires to help you, and will help you if you allow Him to.
In Prayer
ROMANS 8:26 NKJ
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
One weakness of humans, compared to God, is in our limited knowledge. We do not even know what is happening on the other side of a wall, let alone the other side of the country. We also do not know what people are planning to do, but the Holy Spirit knows everything. And He will help us to pray accurately and effectively.
One way the Holy Spirit helps us in prayer is by giving us utterance in a language for prayer which we have never learned. Thus we can bypass our minds with their doubt and lack of understanding of what is best, and pray according to the perfect will of God.
Guides Us
The Holy Spirit will, if allowed, guide you in every area of life; from the words you should speak, to the spouse you should marry, to the investments you should make.
JOHN 16:13 NKJ
13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you . . . .
SAY THIS: Thank You Holy Spirit that You are my Helper!
http://adevotion.org/
26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
The Holy Spirit's desire and purpose is to help you -- not to hinder you.
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity of God. It is difficult for humans to understand how there can be only one God, as the Scriptures teach, yet He can reveal Himself as three persons. So do not let it be an obstacle for you.
The Holy Spirit is a person, not just a force. He should be treated with the utmost respect and shown the utmost gratitude.
Following are a few of the ways the Holy Spirit desires to help you, and will help you if you allow Him to.
In Prayer
ROMANS 8:26 NKJ
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
One weakness of humans, compared to God, is in our limited knowledge. We do not even know what is happening on the other side of a wall, let alone the other side of the country. We also do not know what people are planning to do, but the Holy Spirit knows everything. And He will help us to pray accurately and effectively.
One way the Holy Spirit helps us in prayer is by giving us utterance in a language for prayer which we have never learned. Thus we can bypass our minds with their doubt and lack of understanding of what is best, and pray according to the perfect will of God.
Guides Us
The Holy Spirit will, if allowed, guide you in every area of life; from the words you should speak, to the spouse you should marry, to the investments you should make.
JOHN 16:13 NKJ
13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you . . . .
SAY THIS: Thank You Holy Spirit that You are my Helper!
http://adevotion.org/
All Change
Transformers. They are ‘robots in disguise’, able to take the shape of a truck or a supercar or a helicopter. But some things never change and in 'Transformers: Age of Extinction' - the fourth instalment of the film series, released at cinemas on Thursday (10 July) - the good transformers, Autobots, are still trying to save humanity from its enemies.
The leader of the Autobots, robot-cum-truck Optimus Prime, has passed many a test of his courage in battles with the evil Decepticon transformers. But when he is discovered in truck guise, broken down and gathering dust in a ruined building, he looks as if he would struggle to pass his MoT.
Not realising the truth about the truck, off-the-wall robotics inventor Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) takes it home to his workshop to see what he can make of it. He is amazed when - to the consternation of his angsty daughter Tessa and his slacker employee Lucas - the vehicle turns out to be an Autobot. Suddenly, there’s a lot to get angsty about. Having Optimus in his workshop alerts a CIA black ops team, which arrives in force.
Optimus is not in the mood to submit. He hits the road. The CIA’s interest in him is not friendly. Although the Autobots have defended humanity, maverick CIA man Harold Attinger is fed up with Transformers coming here, fighting battles, living on our planet. He wants them to go back where they came from. And he’s in cahoots with Joshua Joyce, a fanatical businessman who wants to use the programmable matter known as Transformium to monopolise the robotics industry. Harold’s vision is to create a US Army of Autobot-like soldiers that will rule the world.
Optimus and his fellow Autobots decide to help Cade, Tessa and her boyfriend Shane stop Harold and his gang from doing something stupid. It seems that the Autobots need to save humanity from itself. As one Autobot asks: ‘What’s wrong with you humans?’
The answer is: quite a lot. They care too much for power, they are happy to deceive others and themselves and are terminally selfish. They - rather than the Autobots - need to be transformed. It’s no wonder the Autobots talk in terms of humanity needing atonement.
Despite all the ways in which the Transformers story imaginarily alters the world as we know it, there’s no disguising the reality of its theme that humans are capable of causing mayhem for themselves. It has been obvious for centuries that we need to change. It is why one Bible writer urges readers: ‘Be transformed by the renewal of your minds’ (Romans 12:2 Revised English Bible).
The Bible insists that God revealed his life-changing love for us through Jesus, who pointed out the direction in which we need to take our lives but also, when he was murdered by the state, demonstrated God’s willingness to forgive us for what is wrong with us. As another of the Bible’s writers says: ‘He is himself a sacrifice to atone for our sins’ (1 John 2:2).
The message is that if we put our trust in God, a new future begins to take shape. He will transform us.
UK & Ireland War Cry 12 July 2014
The leader of the Autobots, robot-cum-truck Optimus Prime, has passed many a test of his courage in battles with the evil Decepticon transformers. But when he is discovered in truck guise, broken down and gathering dust in a ruined building, he looks as if he would struggle to pass his MoT.
Not realising the truth about the truck, off-the-wall robotics inventor Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) takes it home to his workshop to see what he can make of it. He is amazed when - to the consternation of his angsty daughter Tessa and his slacker employee Lucas - the vehicle turns out to be an Autobot. Suddenly, there’s a lot to get angsty about. Having Optimus in his workshop alerts a CIA black ops team, which arrives in force.
Optimus is not in the mood to submit. He hits the road. The CIA’s interest in him is not friendly. Although the Autobots have defended humanity, maverick CIA man Harold Attinger is fed up with Transformers coming here, fighting battles, living on our planet. He wants them to go back where they came from. And he’s in cahoots with Joshua Joyce, a fanatical businessman who wants to use the programmable matter known as Transformium to monopolise the robotics industry. Harold’s vision is to create a US Army of Autobot-like soldiers that will rule the world.
Optimus and his fellow Autobots decide to help Cade, Tessa and her boyfriend Shane stop Harold and his gang from doing something stupid. It seems that the Autobots need to save humanity from itself. As one Autobot asks: ‘What’s wrong with you humans?’
The answer is: quite a lot. They care too much for power, they are happy to deceive others and themselves and are terminally selfish. They - rather than the Autobots - need to be transformed. It’s no wonder the Autobots talk in terms of humanity needing atonement.
Despite all the ways in which the Transformers story imaginarily alters the world as we know it, there’s no disguising the reality of its theme that humans are capable of causing mayhem for themselves. It has been obvious for centuries that we need to change. It is why one Bible writer urges readers: ‘Be transformed by the renewal of your minds’ (Romans 12:2 Revised English Bible).
The Bible insists that God revealed his life-changing love for us through Jesus, who pointed out the direction in which we need to take our lives but also, when he was murdered by the state, demonstrated God’s willingness to forgive us for what is wrong with us. As another of the Bible’s writers says: ‘He is himself a sacrifice to atone for our sins’ (1 John 2:2).
The message is that if we put our trust in God, a new future begins to take shape. He will transform us.
UK & Ireland War Cry 12 July 2014
Exodus 05 --- Moses approaches Pharaoh and, as predicted, the King refuses to let the
Read Exodus 05
- V1-3, was Moses asking Pharaoh to let the Israelite slaves go completely free?...or something for much less demanding?
- V22, Moses already had God’s promise, and yet here he seems to be doubting God’s timing. Do we do this today?...aware of His promises, do we sometimes doubt His timing?
- V1-3, was Moses asking Pharaoh to let the Israelite slaves go completely free?...or something for much less demanding?
- V22, Moses already had God’s promise, and yet here he seems to be doubting God’s timing. Do we do this today?...aware of His promises, do we sometimes doubt His timing?
Thursday, July 17, 2014
A Bible Devotion : Into All Truth
JOHN 16:12-13 NKJ
12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
"Into all truth" in verse thirteen is translated "into the full truth" or "to the complete truth" in other Bible translations.
At the very end of His earthly ministry, Jesus told His disciples there were many things He still needed to teach them. Then Jesus told them the Holy Spirit would guide them into a full and complete understanding of the truth after He left.
It took me a long time to understand this. But I finally realized that because Jesus ministered under the Old Covenant, He was not able to communicate everything we need to know about the New Covenant during His earthly ministry. Only after His death and resurrection, which brought in the New Covenant, was the Lord able, through the Holy Spirit, to explain all He had accomplished for us.
So if we believe Jesus, we must realize it is impossible to be led into all truth by reading and studying only the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
This is not to say the four Gospels are not truth, for they are. They are very important for they reveal Jesus to us. But they do not, and cannot, give us the complete and full picture of truth. For Jesus plainly said the Holy Spirit would guide His disciples into all truth only after Jesus left them -- and the four Gospels primarily cover the earthly ministry of Jesus.
So it is only in the Letters (also called Epistles) to the Church (Romans through Revelation) that we finally get the complete picture of the New Covenant and understand what Jesus has accomplished.
Jesus did not give us the full, complete truth during His earthly ministry. Without the revelation of what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection, we don't have the whole picture. This information was only given to us after Jesus' resurrection, and is found only in the Letters written to the Church.
The Letters to the Church in the New Testament are also the words of Jesus, speaking to us from Heaven through the Holy Spirit, and written down by His apostles.
It is right for us to honor the words of Jesus recorded in the four Gospels, but it is a mistake to think we should place them on a higher level than the revelation Jesus gave His church after His resurrection.
What we have in the Epistles are not just the words of men, but the Words of God, written down by the Apostles of Jesus. This is where we must look to be led "into all truth" which Jesus promised His disciples would be revealed after He left them and sent the Holy Spirit.
If you are going to understand truth fully, you need divine illumination. You need help from God. Human effort and study is not enough. You need a "Guide" to lead you into all truth.
SAY THIS: The Holy Spirit will guide me into the full picture of truth by giving me understanding of the New Testament Letters to the Church.
http://adevotion.org/
12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
"Into all truth" in verse thirteen is translated "into the full truth" or "to the complete truth" in other Bible translations.
At the very end of His earthly ministry, Jesus told His disciples there were many things He still needed to teach them. Then Jesus told them the Holy Spirit would guide them into a full and complete understanding of the truth after He left.
It took me a long time to understand this. But I finally realized that because Jesus ministered under the Old Covenant, He was not able to communicate everything we need to know about the New Covenant during His earthly ministry. Only after His death and resurrection, which brought in the New Covenant, was the Lord able, through the Holy Spirit, to explain all He had accomplished for us.
So if we believe Jesus, we must realize it is impossible to be led into all truth by reading and studying only the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
This is not to say the four Gospels are not truth, for they are. They are very important for they reveal Jesus to us. But they do not, and cannot, give us the complete and full picture of truth. For Jesus plainly said the Holy Spirit would guide His disciples into all truth only after Jesus left them -- and the four Gospels primarily cover the earthly ministry of Jesus.
So it is only in the Letters (also called Epistles) to the Church (Romans through Revelation) that we finally get the complete picture of the New Covenant and understand what Jesus has accomplished.
Jesus did not give us the full, complete truth during His earthly ministry. Without the revelation of what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection, we don't have the whole picture. This information was only given to us after Jesus' resurrection, and is found only in the Letters written to the Church.
The Letters to the Church in the New Testament are also the words of Jesus, speaking to us from Heaven through the Holy Spirit, and written down by His apostles.
It is right for us to honor the words of Jesus recorded in the four Gospels, but it is a mistake to think we should place them on a higher level than the revelation Jesus gave His church after His resurrection.
What we have in the Epistles are not just the words of men, but the Words of God, written down by the Apostles of Jesus. This is where we must look to be led "into all truth" which Jesus promised His disciples would be revealed after He left them and sent the Holy Spirit.
If you are going to understand truth fully, you need divine illumination. You need help from God. Human effort and study is not enough. You need a "Guide" to lead you into all truth.
SAY THIS: The Holy Spirit will guide me into the full picture of truth by giving me understanding of the New Testament Letters to the Church.
http://adevotion.org/
Is God To Blame?
A week is a long time in politics. Thirty seconds was the start of eternity for more than 200,000 people killed in an earthquake measuring 7 on the Richter scale in Haiti on 12 January 2010. Sadly, such massive casualties are not unique. In a matter of minutes on Ascension Day 1902, the entire population of about 30,000 people in St-Pierre, Martinique, died when Montagne Pelée volcano poured a cloud of burning ash and gases across the town. To complete an unholy trinity of earthquake, fire and flood, on 12 November 1970, 500,000 people drowned when the Bhola cyclone hit the Ganges Delta region of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Although seemingly the most mundane of disasters, floods are the world’s biggest killer.
What can we say in the face of such mind-numbing statistics? For Christians, they raise the insistent question of why an all-powerful, loving God can allow such disasters to happen. For secularists and atheists, they challenge the self-confidence that, in this technological age, humankind can control its environment. Despite an explosion in scientific knowledge, the numbers of people affected or killed by disasters is increasing relentlessly. It is likely that before long an earthquake will occur that kills more than one million people. Since 2010, more than half the world’s population has lived in cities, where people are extremely vulnerable to disasters.
We are accustomed to calling such catastrophes ‘natural’ disasters, as if humans play no part in them. Yet once we scratch beneath the surface, it becomes clear that almost always it is the actions, inactions or neglect of humans that turn natural processes into disasters. To this extent, ‘natural’ disasters is highly misleading.
Far from being unwelcome intrusions, earthquakes, volcanoes and floods are essential to the wellbeing of this planet. They are what make the earth a fruitful, habitable place where humans, and indeed the whole biosphere, can thrive. Without them, Earth would be a barren planet without life as we know it.
If there had never been any volcanoes on Earth, then the main geological source of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would be missing. The likely result is that the planet would have been frozen for most of its history. Volcanic eruptions - explosively fatal to humans caught up in them - produce volumes of minerals essential for life. Volcanic islands, such as Hawaii, are some of the most biodiverse areas on the planet.
Floods distribute fertile soils. For millennia, it was the annual flood of the Nile that enabled Egypt to prosper. When the Nile flood failed in 1784, one sixth of the population died.
Without earthquakes there would be no plate tectonics or mountain ranges. The continual building and erosion of mountains provides a steady supply of nutrient-rich sediments that allows life to thrive. Mountains also trigger rainfall, which makes the surrounding areas fertile. The Himalayas cause annual monsoons that provide water for one billion people in India.
Although natural processes are beneficial in generating a suitable home for humanity, when humans interact badly with them, an otherwise beneficial natural process can turn into a disaster. Unfortunately, it is often the actions of humans that make the scale of disasters worse.
An identical earthquake to the one that killed 200,000 people in Haiti occurred 20 years earlier in Loma Prieta, California. Yet it killed only 57 people. California had building codes that required buildings to be earthquake-proof. In contrast, people died in Haiti when their poorly built concrete slab houses situated on landslide slopes collapsed on top of them. It is no coincidence that Haiti is the poorest nation in the western hemisphere. It could be argued that 99.98 per cent of the Haiti fatalities were due to human factors - largely derived from decades of endemic corruption, misrule and poverty.
In Hurricane Katrina, a disproportionate number of those Americans killed were infirm, elderly or poor. A report by the University of Louisiana concluded that ‘failure of the NOFDS [New Orleans flood Defence System] was a predictable, predicted, and preventable catastrophe’, and that ‘this catastrophe did not result from an act of “God”. It resulted from acts of “People”.’
The common factor in these disasters is that it is the poor and voiceless people who suffer most. That is also true for one of the most pervasive causes of disasters that humans are wreaking on the Earth - global climate change. Many disasters are directly or indirectly related to climate change, including heatwaves, floods, droughts, landslides and changes in weather patterns that have an impact on agriculture and may lead to famines. Those of us in the high-income countries who have benefited from burning cheap fossil fuels - thereby causing global climate change - have a moral duty to help those in low-income countries, who largely are the people who suffer from climate change. At the very least, they deserve our assistance to help them adapt to the inevitable changes that result.
The problem of suffering is one which has exercised humanity from the earliest times. There are no easy answers. But there are some things we can usefully say about disasters that may help us to respond to them. The first is that ‘nature’ is not a force separate from God. As John Wesley wrote when reflecting on the 1755 Lisbon earthquake: ‘What is nature itself, but the art of God, or God’s method of acting in the material world?’ Natural processes occur under the overarching sovereignty of God, and so too must natural disasters.
Some Christians have tried to get round the apparent problem of natural disasters by saying that processes such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and floods did not occur before the Fall, when humans chose to disobey their Creator. But this is not borne out by the evidence. There is no doubt from geological evidence that all those events occurred on Earth long before humans first walked on it. Indeed, it is those very processes that have made - and continue to make - the Earth habitable.
At the Fall, humans chose to put themselves - rather than God - first. As a result, they broke their intimacy with their Creator and spoilt the relationship between themselves and the rest of creation. It became toil to wrest food from the land. In Genesis 1:28, God gives humankind dominion over all living things. He sets humans to rule over the Earth on his behalf. In the present age of environmental degradation, species annihilation, widespread pollution of the sea, land and air, of all the changes wrought by unprecedented rapid global climate change, our misrule is not hard to see.
As we contemplate disasters, it might be helpful to see how God responded to the trials of Job. Job was a righteous man. Yet he suffered grievously at the hands of Satan, losing all that was most dear to him, including his possessions, flocks, family and even his own health. Some, at least, of the disasters were due to natural processes, such as the wind that blew down his eldest son’s house and killed all his ten children (see Job 1:18, 19). Job’s friends tried to rationalise the disasters that had befallen him, as being the result of some sin or failing on his part. Job rightly rejected those suggestions, but still he wanted an explanation from God.
When that day finally came, and God spoke to Job ‘out of the whirlwind’, he didn’t give any tidy explanations. Instead, God spoke majestically of his power over all his creation, the stars, the sea, the weather and all the animals. Perhaps most tellingly, God showed himself to be sovereign over the most fearsome of animals, the Leviathan. Humans could not deal with Leviathan: ‘When it rises up, the mighty are terrified’ (41:25 New International Version). It is likely that the Leviathan represents Satan himself. Yet God had complete control over him. God’s power is unsurpassably greater than that of Leviathan. We can be reassured from the story of Job that God knows all there is to know about evil, that he constrains its reach and is ultimately sovereign over it.
Though God vindicates Job and indeed praises him, Job finally understands that God’s purposes cannot be thwarted and that God’s knowledge and wisdom are far beyond anything to which Job could aspire.
The lesson for us, perhaps, is that this side of Heaven we should not, and cannot, expect to understand all of God’s dealings - but we can, and should, hold on to God’s faithfulness and goodness, however dire our circumstances seem to be. Though we may not understand fully why disasters happen, or what God’s plans in them might be, we can hold on to the certainty of God’s sovereignty over this present world and that in the fullness of time this creation will be renewed.
The Kingdom of God to which Christians look forward is not just a psychological prop or wishful ‘pie in the sky’. It is a reality that can inform everything about the way we live in the here and now, including our attitude and response to the disasters which plague this world. We are living in the in-between times - between the first coming of God to earth as the man Jesus, and his return, when all things will be renewed in a new creation. That is, when he will make this world the place he intended it to be, free from all death and mourning, free from all that has been made twisted and out of order by the rebellion of humankind against its Creator.
It is natural to wish that disasters wouldn’t happen. But humankind has the capability to construct earthquake-proof buildings. We can detect and track storms, typhoons and hurricanes. We can monitor and predict volcanic eruptions. We should be able to prevent the great majority of casualties from these natural processes. It is a sign of God’s goodness that the world is stable and understandable and that we can use the fruits of science and technology for the good of others. We could prevent disasters and alleviate or lessen the harmful effects of some of our actions, such as burning large quantities of fossil fuels. The fact that we don’t do so as much as we could or should is a sign of our selfishness - what the Bible calls ‘sinfulness’.
The Christian perspective sees the reality of the brokenness of this world and the reality of God’s sovereignty over it and of his ultimate plans for a new creation. That does not mean that we need not strive to improve things now. Rather, it should drive us towards a better scientific understanding of disasters, an enabling of communities to build resilience against them and a striving to remove the unjust disparities in wealth and resources that mean it is so often the poor who suffer the most.
Even though we may not be able to prevent every last casualty of the next disaster, there is an enormous amount we can do from our present understanding of natural processes to reduce the impact of disasters.
• Bob White is Professor of Geophysics at Cambridge University and a Fellow of the Royal Society. He is also Director of the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, Cambridge. His book, ‘Who is to Blame?’, is published by Monarch
UK & Ireland War Cry 12 July 2014
What can we say in the face of such mind-numbing statistics? For Christians, they raise the insistent question of why an all-powerful, loving God can allow such disasters to happen. For secularists and atheists, they challenge the self-confidence that, in this technological age, humankind can control its environment. Despite an explosion in scientific knowledge, the numbers of people affected or killed by disasters is increasing relentlessly. It is likely that before long an earthquake will occur that kills more than one million people. Since 2010, more than half the world’s population has lived in cities, where people are extremely vulnerable to disasters.
We are accustomed to calling such catastrophes ‘natural’ disasters, as if humans play no part in them. Yet once we scratch beneath the surface, it becomes clear that almost always it is the actions, inactions or neglect of humans that turn natural processes into disasters. To this extent, ‘natural’ disasters is highly misleading.
Far from being unwelcome intrusions, earthquakes, volcanoes and floods are essential to the wellbeing of this planet. They are what make the earth a fruitful, habitable place where humans, and indeed the whole biosphere, can thrive. Without them, Earth would be a barren planet without life as we know it.
If there had never been any volcanoes on Earth, then the main geological source of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would be missing. The likely result is that the planet would have been frozen for most of its history. Volcanic eruptions - explosively fatal to humans caught up in them - produce volumes of minerals essential for life. Volcanic islands, such as Hawaii, are some of the most biodiverse areas on the planet.
Floods distribute fertile soils. For millennia, it was the annual flood of the Nile that enabled Egypt to prosper. When the Nile flood failed in 1784, one sixth of the population died.
Without earthquakes there would be no plate tectonics or mountain ranges. The continual building and erosion of mountains provides a steady supply of nutrient-rich sediments that allows life to thrive. Mountains also trigger rainfall, which makes the surrounding areas fertile. The Himalayas cause annual monsoons that provide water for one billion people in India.
Although natural processes are beneficial in generating a suitable home for humanity, when humans interact badly with them, an otherwise beneficial natural process can turn into a disaster. Unfortunately, it is often the actions of humans that make the scale of disasters worse.
An identical earthquake to the one that killed 200,000 people in Haiti occurred 20 years earlier in Loma Prieta, California. Yet it killed only 57 people. California had building codes that required buildings to be earthquake-proof. In contrast, people died in Haiti when their poorly built concrete slab houses situated on landslide slopes collapsed on top of them. It is no coincidence that Haiti is the poorest nation in the western hemisphere. It could be argued that 99.98 per cent of the Haiti fatalities were due to human factors - largely derived from decades of endemic corruption, misrule and poverty.
In Hurricane Katrina, a disproportionate number of those Americans killed were infirm, elderly or poor. A report by the University of Louisiana concluded that ‘failure of the NOFDS [New Orleans flood Defence System] was a predictable, predicted, and preventable catastrophe’, and that ‘this catastrophe did not result from an act of “God”. It resulted from acts of “People”.’
The common factor in these disasters is that it is the poor and voiceless people who suffer most. That is also true for one of the most pervasive causes of disasters that humans are wreaking on the Earth - global climate change. Many disasters are directly or indirectly related to climate change, including heatwaves, floods, droughts, landslides and changes in weather patterns that have an impact on agriculture and may lead to famines. Those of us in the high-income countries who have benefited from burning cheap fossil fuels - thereby causing global climate change - have a moral duty to help those in low-income countries, who largely are the people who suffer from climate change. At the very least, they deserve our assistance to help them adapt to the inevitable changes that result.
The problem of suffering is one which has exercised humanity from the earliest times. There are no easy answers. But there are some things we can usefully say about disasters that may help us to respond to them. The first is that ‘nature’ is not a force separate from God. As John Wesley wrote when reflecting on the 1755 Lisbon earthquake: ‘What is nature itself, but the art of God, or God’s method of acting in the material world?’ Natural processes occur under the overarching sovereignty of God, and so too must natural disasters.
Some Christians have tried to get round the apparent problem of natural disasters by saying that processes such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and floods did not occur before the Fall, when humans chose to disobey their Creator. But this is not borne out by the evidence. There is no doubt from geological evidence that all those events occurred on Earth long before humans first walked on it. Indeed, it is those very processes that have made - and continue to make - the Earth habitable.
At the Fall, humans chose to put themselves - rather than God - first. As a result, they broke their intimacy with their Creator and spoilt the relationship between themselves and the rest of creation. It became toil to wrest food from the land. In Genesis 1:28, God gives humankind dominion over all living things. He sets humans to rule over the Earth on his behalf. In the present age of environmental degradation, species annihilation, widespread pollution of the sea, land and air, of all the changes wrought by unprecedented rapid global climate change, our misrule is not hard to see.
As we contemplate disasters, it might be helpful to see how God responded to the trials of Job. Job was a righteous man. Yet he suffered grievously at the hands of Satan, losing all that was most dear to him, including his possessions, flocks, family and even his own health. Some, at least, of the disasters were due to natural processes, such as the wind that blew down his eldest son’s house and killed all his ten children (see Job 1:18, 19). Job’s friends tried to rationalise the disasters that had befallen him, as being the result of some sin or failing on his part. Job rightly rejected those suggestions, but still he wanted an explanation from God.
When that day finally came, and God spoke to Job ‘out of the whirlwind’, he didn’t give any tidy explanations. Instead, God spoke majestically of his power over all his creation, the stars, the sea, the weather and all the animals. Perhaps most tellingly, God showed himself to be sovereign over the most fearsome of animals, the Leviathan. Humans could not deal with Leviathan: ‘When it rises up, the mighty are terrified’ (41:25 New International Version). It is likely that the Leviathan represents Satan himself. Yet God had complete control over him. God’s power is unsurpassably greater than that of Leviathan. We can be reassured from the story of Job that God knows all there is to know about evil, that he constrains its reach and is ultimately sovereign over it.
Though God vindicates Job and indeed praises him, Job finally understands that God’s purposes cannot be thwarted and that God’s knowledge and wisdom are far beyond anything to which Job could aspire.
The lesson for us, perhaps, is that this side of Heaven we should not, and cannot, expect to understand all of God’s dealings - but we can, and should, hold on to God’s faithfulness and goodness, however dire our circumstances seem to be. Though we may not understand fully why disasters happen, or what God’s plans in them might be, we can hold on to the certainty of God’s sovereignty over this present world and that in the fullness of time this creation will be renewed.
The Kingdom of God to which Christians look forward is not just a psychological prop or wishful ‘pie in the sky’. It is a reality that can inform everything about the way we live in the here and now, including our attitude and response to the disasters which plague this world. We are living in the in-between times - between the first coming of God to earth as the man Jesus, and his return, when all things will be renewed in a new creation. That is, when he will make this world the place he intended it to be, free from all death and mourning, free from all that has been made twisted and out of order by the rebellion of humankind against its Creator.
It is natural to wish that disasters wouldn’t happen. But humankind has the capability to construct earthquake-proof buildings. We can detect and track storms, typhoons and hurricanes. We can monitor and predict volcanic eruptions. We should be able to prevent the great majority of casualties from these natural processes. It is a sign of God’s goodness that the world is stable and understandable and that we can use the fruits of science and technology for the good of others. We could prevent disasters and alleviate or lessen the harmful effects of some of our actions, such as burning large quantities of fossil fuels. The fact that we don’t do so as much as we could or should is a sign of our selfishness - what the Bible calls ‘sinfulness’.
The Christian perspective sees the reality of the brokenness of this world and the reality of God’s sovereignty over it and of his ultimate plans for a new creation. That does not mean that we need not strive to improve things now. Rather, it should drive us towards a better scientific understanding of disasters, an enabling of communities to build resilience against them and a striving to remove the unjust disparities in wealth and resources that mean it is so often the poor who suffer the most.
Even though we may not be able to prevent every last casualty of the next disaster, there is an enormous amount we can do from our present understanding of natural processes to reduce the impact of disasters.
• Bob White is Professor of Geophysics at Cambridge University and a Fellow of the Royal Society. He is also Director of the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, Cambridge. His book, ‘Who is to Blame?’, is published by Monarch
UK & Ireland War Cry 12 July 2014
Exodus 04 --- God becomes angry at Moses’ reluctance!
Read Exodus 04
- V1, “What if…?”, is this a question which sometimes stops us from doing the things we should? Why? And what can we do about it?
- V8, can you imagine what impact these signs might have on you if performed today?
- V10-17, why do we highlight our weaknesses as an excuse to not do what God asks? Do you find it easy to tell people about Jesus and what He has done for you, and what He can do for others? How did God respond to God’s reluctance and what can we learn from this?
- V13, does this request sound familiar to you?...does it demonstrate the extent of our trust in God’s power?
- V1, “What if…?”, is this a question which sometimes stops us from doing the things we should? Why? And what can we do about it?
- V8, can you imagine what impact these signs might have on you if performed today?
- V10-17, why do we highlight our weaknesses as an excuse to not do what God asks? Do you find it easy to tell people about Jesus and what He has done for you, and what He can do for others? How did God respond to God’s reluctance and what can we learn from this?
- V13, does this request sound familiar to you?...does it demonstrate the extent of our trust in God’s power?
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
A Bible Devotion : What You Say Is What You Get
MARK 11:23 NKJ
23 "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, `Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says.
Jesus said that you will have whatever you say -- dependent on believing and not doubting. Think of that. What you say determines what you get in life. It did for the children of Israel. And the Bible says the things which happened to them are lessons for us.
NUMBERS 14:28 NKJ
28 "Say to them, `As I live,' says the Lord, `just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you:
PROVERBS 6:2 NKJ
2 you are snared by the words of your own mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth.
Words can get you in trouble. And words can deliver you (see Revelation 12:11 and Romans 10:10). Words control your destiny.
All of us face trouble in life and it can sometimes be tempting to wonder why God does not help us sooner and in greater measure. While there is much that we don't understand, we must, on the basis of what Jesus said, realize we are responsible for what happens because of the words we have spoken.
SAY THIS: Jesus said I will have whatever I say if I believe it.
http://adevotion.org/
23 "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, `Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says.
Jesus said that you will have whatever you say -- dependent on believing and not doubting. Think of that. What you say determines what you get in life. It did for the children of Israel. And the Bible says the things which happened to them are lessons for us.
NUMBERS 14:28 NKJ
28 "Say to them, `As I live,' says the Lord, `just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you:
PROVERBS 6:2 NKJ
2 you are snared by the words of your own mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth.
Words can get you in trouble. And words can deliver you (see Revelation 12:11 and Romans 10:10). Words control your destiny.
All of us face trouble in life and it can sometimes be tempting to wonder why God does not help us sooner and in greater measure. While there is much that we don't understand, we must, on the basis of what Jesus said, realize we are responsible for what happens because of the words we have spoken.
SAY THIS: Jesus said I will have whatever I say if I believe it.
http://adevotion.org/
Help Is Available When Going Gets Tough
What do we do when faced with a crisis? Go into panic mode? Put the kettle on? Phone a friend? Everyone has their own way of dealing with emergencies, whether big or small. Newspapers and magazines are full of stories about people who get caught up in serious and life-threatening situations. We can only wonder how they survived to tell the tale, and thank God that it wasn’t us.
The writer of Psalm 46 had his fair share of troubles and disasters. Like us, he lived in turbulent and uncertain times. Unlike us, he didn’t have the benefits of modern technology to update him when circumstances had improved.
The one sure and constant thing in his life was the awareness he had of his Creator. It was this that enabled him to say with confidence: ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging’ (Psalm 46:1-3 New International Version).
The psalms were written by ordinary people who voiced their feelings of joy, sorrow, frustration, anger and fear. Their circumstances and lifestyle may have been very different from ours, but their feelings and honest reactions were not. That’s why their words often speak volumes at life’s big occasions, such as weddings and funerals.
Bad things such as earthquakes and floods do happen. They always will. We can’t understand or explain them or make them go away any more than we can always understand why friends fall out, relationships break down or families separate.
The psalm writer puts these things in perspective, asserting: ‘The Lord Almighty is with us… He says, “Be still, and know that I am God’” (46:7, 10). In other words, we would do well to concentrate on appreciating the positives, rather than bemoaning the negatives. God hasn’t left us. He is in control.
UK & Ireland War Cry 12 July 2014
The writer of Psalm 46 had his fair share of troubles and disasters. Like us, he lived in turbulent and uncertain times. Unlike us, he didn’t have the benefits of modern technology to update him when circumstances had improved.
The one sure and constant thing in his life was the awareness he had of his Creator. It was this that enabled him to say with confidence: ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging’ (Psalm 46:1-3 New International Version).
The psalms were written by ordinary people who voiced their feelings of joy, sorrow, frustration, anger and fear. Their circumstances and lifestyle may have been very different from ours, but their feelings and honest reactions were not. That’s why their words often speak volumes at life’s big occasions, such as weddings and funerals.
Bad things such as earthquakes and floods do happen. They always will. We can’t understand or explain them or make them go away any more than we can always understand why friends fall out, relationships break down or families separate.
The psalm writer puts these things in perspective, asserting: ‘The Lord Almighty is with us… He says, “Be still, and know that I am God’” (46:7, 10). In other words, we would do well to concentrate on appreciating the positives, rather than bemoaning the negatives. God hasn’t left us. He is in control.
UK & Ireland War Cry 12 July 2014
Exodus 03 --- Moses speaks with God at a bush which is on fire but which doesn’t burn up!
Read Exodus 03
- V1, Moses’ father-in-law seems to be known as both Reuel and Jethro…is this legitimate, or is it a contradiction?...can you think of anyone else in the chapters we have read so far who was known by 2 different names?
- V2, was the angel of the Lord in the bush, or in the fire?
- V10-11, do we sometimes respond this way when God asks us to go and tell people about how they can be saved from the slavery of sin?...what was God’s response?
- V16-21, from God’s eternal perspective, did the Pharaoh have any freewill?...what is the difference between something being ‘pre-known’ and something being ‘pre-destined’?
- V1, Moses’ father-in-law seems to be known as both Reuel and Jethro…is this legitimate, or is it a contradiction?...can you think of anyone else in the chapters we have read so far who was known by 2 different names?
- V2, was the angel of the Lord in the bush, or in the fire?
- V10-11, do we sometimes respond this way when God asks us to go and tell people about how they can be saved from the slavery of sin?...what was God’s response?
- V16-21, from God’s eternal perspective, did the Pharaoh have any freewill?...what is the difference between something being ‘pre-known’ and something being ‘pre-destined’?
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
A Bible Devotion : How Faith Works
Faith is what you believe. (In the Bible, faith is the noun form and believe is the verb form of the same word.)
Faith (a belief) is always a decision, based on some evidence, resulting in some action.
Faith in God is a choice to believe what God says is true. It is accepting God's Word as evidence worthy of acting upon.
Faith in God and His Word operates on the same principles as faith in anything else. There are no special rules. It is all a matter of what you believe.
All humans operate on a belief system
As we go through life we are constantly being presented with information which is evidence that we must evaluate and judge. Whenever we choose to accept the evidence presented to us as sufficient to accept as truth, then that belief is added to our belief system.
Unless and until we are presented with new evidence that causes us to decide to believe differently about a subject, we keep the same belief
Then as we go through life, we always act (often sub- consciously) on the basis of our belief system. Sometimes we face situations in life where there is not time to think, and immediate action is required. These actions are always governed by the beliefs we have already determined (which form our belief system).
The Bible is major evidence to change your beliefs. It is a message from God, the Creator, who knows how everything works.
As we receive new evidence from the Bible, it may conflict with some of our previous beliefs. But we know that God cannot lie, and whatever He says is truth and will happen
MARK 11:22-24 BBE
22 And Jesus, answering, said to them, Have God's faith.
23 Truly I say to you, Whoever says to this mountain, Be taken up and be put into the sea; and has no doubt in his heart, but has faith that what he says will come about, he will have his desire.
24 For this reason I say to you, Whatever you make a request for in prayer, have faith that it has been given to you, and you will have it.
Mark 11:22 literally says "Have God faith." Jesus was teaching us how to use our faith the same way God does. "God faith" speaks the desired result and never allows anything to change that statement. (Mark 11:23) We are God's children, made in His image and likeness, and He is training us how things work in His creation. Once God makes a statement, He never changes it. There are words God spoke thousands of years ago, which are not yet fully manifest to us in time. But God never chooses to say anything different. God believes what He said will come to pass!
"Doubt" in Mark 11:23 does not mean "have questions." It means a judgment (decision) that completely separates. So it would mean accepting some new evidence presented as sufficient to reverse your previous decision and statement of faith.
Receiving new evidence and deciding whether it is sufficient to change our belief is a never-ending cycle. We can be in faith one minute, and in un-faith (unbelief) the next minute -- if we make a new decision based on the evidence being presented to us. The disciples had faith in John 2:11 (close to the beginning of Jesus' ministry), and did not in Mark 16:14 (at the end of Jesus' earthly ministry).
Fear is the opposite of Bible hope. Bible hope is a positive expectation based on and supported by a belief in God's Word. Fear is a negative expectation based on and supported by a belief in something bad. Both involve the imagination, the seeing part of our thinking, the ability to visualize something before it happens, or after it happens.
Faith in God produces Bible hope – expecting good to happen. Faith in bad things produces fear – expecting bad to happen. Faith is the support, the foundation, the underlying thing under both hope and fear. You cannot have hope (which is a positive vision) without faith (which is a choice to believe) in something. You cannot have fear (which is a negative vision) without faith (which is a choice to believe) in something bad.
It is your belief that supports, undergirds, and provides the basis for your hope or fear. The belief was a choice you made. Then it became part of your belief system. That provides the basis for your hopes or your fears.
Faith is released and put into action by speaking what you believe with your mouth.
The primary action of faith toward God is speaking in agreement with God's Word. And then we stand in that position of faith, regardless of feelings or circumstances, no matter how long it takes.
http://adevotion.org/
SAY THIS: Faith in God works by accepting God's Word as truth and acting on it.
Faith (a belief) is always a decision, based on some evidence, resulting in some action.
Faith in God is a choice to believe what God says is true. It is accepting God's Word as evidence worthy of acting upon.
Faith in God and His Word operates on the same principles as faith in anything else. There are no special rules. It is all a matter of what you believe.
All humans operate on a belief system
As we go through life we are constantly being presented with information which is evidence that we must evaluate and judge. Whenever we choose to accept the evidence presented to us as sufficient to accept as truth, then that belief is added to our belief system.
Unless and until we are presented with new evidence that causes us to decide to believe differently about a subject, we keep the same belief
Then as we go through life, we always act (often sub- consciously) on the basis of our belief system. Sometimes we face situations in life where there is not time to think, and immediate action is required. These actions are always governed by the beliefs we have already determined (which form our belief system).
The Bible is major evidence to change your beliefs. It is a message from God, the Creator, who knows how everything works.
As we receive new evidence from the Bible, it may conflict with some of our previous beliefs. But we know that God cannot lie, and whatever He says is truth and will happen
MARK 11:22-24 BBE
22 And Jesus, answering, said to them, Have God's faith.
23 Truly I say to you, Whoever says to this mountain, Be taken up and be put into the sea; and has no doubt in his heart, but has faith that what he says will come about, he will have his desire.
24 For this reason I say to you, Whatever you make a request for in prayer, have faith that it has been given to you, and you will have it.
Mark 11:22 literally says "Have God faith." Jesus was teaching us how to use our faith the same way God does. "God faith" speaks the desired result and never allows anything to change that statement. (Mark 11:23) We are God's children, made in His image and likeness, and He is training us how things work in His creation. Once God makes a statement, He never changes it. There are words God spoke thousands of years ago, which are not yet fully manifest to us in time. But God never chooses to say anything different. God believes what He said will come to pass!
"Doubt" in Mark 11:23 does not mean "have questions." It means a judgment (decision) that completely separates. So it would mean accepting some new evidence presented as sufficient to reverse your previous decision and statement of faith.
Receiving new evidence and deciding whether it is sufficient to change our belief is a never-ending cycle. We can be in faith one minute, and in un-faith (unbelief) the next minute -- if we make a new decision based on the evidence being presented to us. The disciples had faith in John 2:11 (close to the beginning of Jesus' ministry), and did not in Mark 16:14 (at the end of Jesus' earthly ministry).
Fear is the opposite of Bible hope. Bible hope is a positive expectation based on and supported by a belief in God's Word. Fear is a negative expectation based on and supported by a belief in something bad. Both involve the imagination, the seeing part of our thinking, the ability to visualize something before it happens, or after it happens.
Faith in God produces Bible hope – expecting good to happen. Faith in bad things produces fear – expecting bad to happen. Faith is the support, the foundation, the underlying thing under both hope and fear. You cannot have hope (which is a positive vision) without faith (which is a choice to believe) in something. You cannot have fear (which is a negative vision) without faith (which is a choice to believe) in something bad.
It is your belief that supports, undergirds, and provides the basis for your hope or fear. The belief was a choice you made. Then it became part of your belief system. That provides the basis for your hopes or your fears.
Faith is released and put into action by speaking what you believe with your mouth.
The primary action of faith toward God is speaking in agreement with God's Word. And then we stand in that position of faith, regardless of feelings or circumstances, no matter how long it takes.
http://adevotion.org/
SAY THIS: Faith in God works by accepting God's Word as truth and acting on it.
Exodus 02 --- Moses is born, raised, and then flees to Midian.
Read Exodus 02
- V2, how easy do you think it was to hide a baby for 3 months!
- V3, do you think the baby was placed in this location at random, or in the knowledge of it being a place where he may be seen by someone who could protect him?
- V6, how do you think they could tell that the boy was a Hebrew?
- V7, do you think the sister came up with this idea by herself, or that this was all a part of the plan?
- V10, so what relation would Moses have been to the Pharaoh?
- V11, how do you think Moses became aware of the fact that he was a Hebrew?
- V15, Pharaoh tries to kill Moses, was this a key turning point in Moses’ life?
- V23, clearly this chapter covers a great deal of time, and yet there is little mention of how much thought Moses gave to God. Is it possible that his early years within the Hebrew family would have also been his most formative and helped set the foundations of his spiritual life for what was to come?...if so, what can this teach us about the importance of the early years?
- V2, how easy do you think it was to hide a baby for 3 months!
- V3, do you think the baby was placed in this location at random, or in the knowledge of it being a place where he may be seen by someone who could protect him?
- V6, how do you think they could tell that the boy was a Hebrew?
- V7, do you think the sister came up with this idea by herself, or that this was all a part of the plan?
- V10, so what relation would Moses have been to the Pharaoh?
- V11, how do you think Moses became aware of the fact that he was a Hebrew?
- V15, Pharaoh tries to kill Moses, was this a key turning point in Moses’ life?
- V23, clearly this chapter covers a great deal of time, and yet there is little mention of how much thought Moses gave to God. Is it possible that his early years within the Hebrew family would have also been his most formative and helped set the foundations of his spiritual life for what was to come?...if so, what can this teach us about the importance of the early years?
Monday, July 14, 2014
A Bible Devotion : God Gives You Ability To Get Rich
DEUTERONOMY 8:18 ICB
8 But remember the Lord your God! It is he who gives you the power to become rich. He keeps the agreement he promised to your ancestors. So it is today.
I don't want to be critical, but so many preach, using this verse, that God wants to prosper people for one sole purpose: to give the money to God so He can afford to proclaim the Gospel to all the world. But I just don't buy it.
I do believe God desires His people to be givers. And clearly we should proclaim the Gospel to everyone. Being selfish is the worst thing you can do. And usually the biggest enjoyment you can get from something is to give it away to someone who is thrilled with it.
But surely God is not waiting around till we get enough money to finance Him. And surely God is not worse than normal earthly parents. What earthly parent would give their children toys on Christmas, then tell them the ONLY reason they were given those gifts is so they could give them away to the neighbor kids?
I already said selfishness is wrong. If you are not a giver, you are not in God's will. But God does not give you things only for the purpose of giving them all to someone else.
Deuteronomy 8:18 is simple: it says God is the One making you rich, and He is doing it because He said He would -- not because we deserve it!
I especially like:
1 TIMOTHY 6:17 NKJ
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
God is not the kind of being who will make you just barely scrape by -- He gives us RICHLY all things to ENJOY. God gives to us because He enjoys it and because He keeps His word!
SAY THIS: I trust in the living God, Who gives me richly all things to enjoy. He gives me the power to prosper because He said He would.
http://adevotion.org/
8 But remember the Lord your God! It is he who gives you the power to become rich. He keeps the agreement he promised to your ancestors. So it is today.
I don't want to be critical, but so many preach, using this verse, that God wants to prosper people for one sole purpose: to give the money to God so He can afford to proclaim the Gospel to all the world. But I just don't buy it.
I do believe God desires His people to be givers. And clearly we should proclaim the Gospel to everyone. Being selfish is the worst thing you can do. And usually the biggest enjoyment you can get from something is to give it away to someone who is thrilled with it.
But surely God is not waiting around till we get enough money to finance Him. And surely God is not worse than normal earthly parents. What earthly parent would give their children toys on Christmas, then tell them the ONLY reason they were given those gifts is so they could give them away to the neighbor kids?
I already said selfishness is wrong. If you are not a giver, you are not in God's will. But God does not give you things only for the purpose of giving them all to someone else.
Deuteronomy 8:18 is simple: it says God is the One making you rich, and He is doing it because He said He would -- not because we deserve it!
I especially like:
1 TIMOTHY 6:17 NKJ
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
God is not the kind of being who will make you just barely scrape by -- He gives us RICHLY all things to ENJOY. God gives to us because He enjoys it and because He keeps His word!
SAY THIS: I trust in the living God, Who gives me richly all things to enjoy. He gives me the power to prosper because He said He would.
http://adevotion.org/
Exodus 01 --- The descendants of Israel become oppressed slaves in Egypt
Read Exodus 01
- If you add v6, v7, and v8 together…do you get the reason for the Israelites becoming slaves in Egypt?
- Why do you think anti-Semitism is still so prevalent today?
- Do you think the persecution of Christians worldwide can be a result of fearing their message?
- Is it possible that closer to home, ridicule, mockery and even aggression toward Christians is rooted in a kind of ‘fear’ of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
- V15-22, such disregard for the value of a tiny baby’s life may seem outrageously cruel, but are there similarities within our culture today?
- If you add v6, v7, and v8 together…do you get the reason for the Israelites becoming slaves in Egypt?
- Why do you think anti-Semitism is still so prevalent today?
- Do you think the persecution of Christians worldwide can be a result of fearing their message?
- Is it possible that closer to home, ridicule, mockery and even aggression toward Christians is rooted in a kind of ‘fear’ of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
- V15-22, such disregard for the value of a tiny baby’s life may seem outrageously cruel, but are there similarities within our culture today?
Sunday, July 13, 2014
A Bible Devotion : Read Your Letters
1 THESSALONIANS 5:27 HCSB
27 I charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brothers.
The Bible contains both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The New Testament contains the four Gospels (Matthew through John), the book of Acts, the Letters to the Church (Romans through Jude) and the book of Revelation.
All the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and as such is an important message to us today. However, not until the resurrection of Jesus Christ did the New Covenant start, which changed everything.
God never changes, but His covenants (and thus His way of dealing with people) did change. There was an Old Covenant God had with the people of Israel. Now there is a New Covenant. And the New is not just a continuation or amplification of the Old, but is radically different.
The New Covenant did not begin until after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So everything said and done before the resurrection of Jesus was before the New Covenant started. (Even the four Gospels, although placed in the New Testament section of the Bible, are primarily a record of Jesus' ministry before His death, which means they mostly happened before the New Covenant started.)
God is now dealing with people based on the New Covenant. If we go back and read God's message to people who lived under the Old Covenant we cannot expect all that was said to them to apply exactly to us today.
You can learn something reading a letter written to someone else, but it is not nearly as instructive as reading a letter written directly to you.
So my top recommendation for Bible reading, especially for new believers, is to read the Letters to the Church. (Epistles is another word for Letters.) There are 21 Letters with 121 chapters. So by reading just one chapter each day, you can read all the New Testament Letters three times in a year.
If you are considering reading the Bible, this is an excellent way to start. If you are a new Christian, I strongly recommend that you start reading the Bible using this plan.
Although everyone should read the entire Bible, it is not best for you to do that until you are solidly grounded in the truths of the New Covenant, which are revealed in the Letters to the Church.
When a new Christian starts reading the whole Bible from the beginning by starting with the Old Testament, without having a clear understanding of what Jesus has provided for us with the New Covenant, confusion is likely to result.
2 CORINTHIANS 3:14-15 HCSB
14 But their minds were closed. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ. 15 However, to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts,
Reading the Old Covenant, also called the books of Moses -- without the knowledge of the New Covenant -- is like trying to see something with a veil over your eyes. You see glimpses of truth, but you can't clearly see the whole picture.
JOHN 1:17 HCSB
17 for although the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Once a believer has a clear understanding of God's message to the Body of Christ, the Church, then we can read the rest of the Bible without as much chance of getting confused.
Some people recommend that a new Christian start their Bible reading with the Gospel of John. That is a good way to get acquainted with Jesus. But it still can cause confusion for someone who does not clearly understand what Jesus accomplished for them through His death and resurrection.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:14,17 HCSB
14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is without foundation, and so is your faith.
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, there is no New Covenant, and we are all still lost in sin.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ, and thus the start of the New Covenant is a great dividing line in history. What Jesus accomplished for us changed everything.
So read your letters and find out what Jesus accomplished and what God has said directly to you!
SAY THIS: I will spend more time reading the Letters God sent to me.
http://adevotion.org/
27 I charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brothers.
The Bible contains both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The New Testament contains the four Gospels (Matthew through John), the book of Acts, the Letters to the Church (Romans through Jude) and the book of Revelation.
All the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and as such is an important message to us today. However, not until the resurrection of Jesus Christ did the New Covenant start, which changed everything.
God never changes, but His covenants (and thus His way of dealing with people) did change. There was an Old Covenant God had with the people of Israel. Now there is a New Covenant. And the New is not just a continuation or amplification of the Old, but is radically different.
The New Covenant did not begin until after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So everything said and done before the resurrection of Jesus was before the New Covenant started. (Even the four Gospels, although placed in the New Testament section of the Bible, are primarily a record of Jesus' ministry before His death, which means they mostly happened before the New Covenant started.)
God is now dealing with people based on the New Covenant. If we go back and read God's message to people who lived under the Old Covenant we cannot expect all that was said to them to apply exactly to us today.
You can learn something reading a letter written to someone else, but it is not nearly as instructive as reading a letter written directly to you.
So my top recommendation for Bible reading, especially for new believers, is to read the Letters to the Church. (Epistles is another word for Letters.) There are 21 Letters with 121 chapters. So by reading just one chapter each day, you can read all the New Testament Letters three times in a year.
If you are considering reading the Bible, this is an excellent way to start. If you are a new Christian, I strongly recommend that you start reading the Bible using this plan.
Although everyone should read the entire Bible, it is not best for you to do that until you are solidly grounded in the truths of the New Covenant, which are revealed in the Letters to the Church.
When a new Christian starts reading the whole Bible from the beginning by starting with the Old Testament, without having a clear understanding of what Jesus has provided for us with the New Covenant, confusion is likely to result.
2 CORINTHIANS 3:14-15 HCSB
14 But their minds were closed. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ. 15 However, to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts,
Reading the Old Covenant, also called the books of Moses -- without the knowledge of the New Covenant -- is like trying to see something with a veil over your eyes. You see glimpses of truth, but you can't clearly see the whole picture.
JOHN 1:17 HCSB
17 for although the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Once a believer has a clear understanding of God's message to the Body of Christ, the Church, then we can read the rest of the Bible without as much chance of getting confused.
Some people recommend that a new Christian start their Bible reading with the Gospel of John. That is a good way to get acquainted with Jesus. But it still can cause confusion for someone who does not clearly understand what Jesus accomplished for them through His death and resurrection.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:14,17 HCSB
14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is without foundation, and so is your faith.
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, there is no New Covenant, and we are all still lost in sin.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ, and thus the start of the New Covenant is a great dividing line in history. What Jesus accomplished for us changed everything.
So read your letters and find out what Jesus accomplished and what God has said directly to you!
SAY THIS: I will spend more time reading the Letters God sent to me.
http://adevotion.org/
Prayer Points
1. Please pray for Bro Francis, Sis Maggie, Fernando
2. Please pray for one another in your prayer, especially those that are not feeling well.
3. Please pray for various ministry that going well bring forward fruitful result
4. Please pray for Major Tan/Brenda as they return to HK during this time of breavement
• Pray for our Territorial leaders, Cols Lyndon & Bronywn, Lt Cols Paul & Evelyn, as they direct and lead God's Army into the battle field.
• Stand in the gap for Majors Bo & Christina as they settle and begin their new appointment in Myanmar.
• Capt Ken and Neva will be pioneering work in Thailand. Ask God to strengthen them and seek Lord for His will for this startup.
• Thank God for Col Lyndon, Major Kong Yee, the Cadets as they start a new journey today into the Second Year of Officer Training.
• Pray for all Salvation Army Churches in Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar. Pray God for faithful Local Officers and pray for God to raise up more Salvationist who will commit to ministry.
WORLDWILE PRAYER MEETING
http://smm.salvationarmyspirituallife.org
Facebook: Spiritual LifeDevelopment.SMM
2. Please pray for one another in your prayer, especially those that are not feeling well.
3. Please pray for various ministry that going well bring forward fruitful result
4. Please pray for Major Tan/Brenda as they return to HK during this time of breavement
• Pray for our Territorial leaders, Cols Lyndon & Bronywn, Lt Cols Paul & Evelyn, as they direct and lead God's Army into the battle field.
• Stand in the gap for Majors Bo & Christina as they settle and begin their new appointment in Myanmar.
• Capt Ken and Neva will be pioneering work in Thailand. Ask God to strengthen them and seek Lord for His will for this startup.
• Thank God for Col Lyndon, Major Kong Yee, the Cadets as they start a new journey today into the Second Year of Officer Training.
• Pray for all Salvation Army Churches in Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar. Pray God for faithful Local Officers and pray for God to raise up more Salvationist who will commit to ministry.
WORLDWILE PRAYER MEETING
http://smm.salvationarmyspirituallife.org
Facebook: Spiritual LifeDevelopment.SMM
Announcement
Old Testament 150 Reading Challenge within 7 months, reading just 5 chapters per week: Look out for it at the Church website.
Territorial Music and Arts School: Date: 15th - 20th September 2014, Age group: 13-30 yrs. Fees: RM100.00, Closing Date: 19th August 2014, Venue: Kin Tick Orchard Village Bukit Bentong
Cell Group Date: 18 July 2014, Time: 8:00pm Venue: Bro Tan home
Senior Citizen Fellowship Date: 19 July 2014, Time: 8:00am Venue: Dim Sum Farlim
Territorial Music and Arts School: Date: 15th - 20th September 2014, Age group: 13-30 yrs. Fees: RM100.00, Closing Date: 19th August 2014, Venue: Kin Tick Orchard Village Bukit Bentong
Cell Group Date: 18 July 2014, Time: 8:00pm Venue: Bro Tan home
Senior Citizen Fellowship Date: 19 July 2014, Time: 8:00am Venue: Dim Sum Farlim
Saturday, July 12, 2014
A Bible Devotion : God is a father
EPHESIANS 3:15 AMPLIFIED
15 For Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named -- [that Father] from whom all fatherhood takes its title and derives its name.
I have included these different translations, with the notes from the margin, to show that the Bible says that all fatherhood derives from God. In other words, God is the original Father. Everything good that fathers are, was in God first. All earthly fatherhood is but a replica of what was first in God.n
EPHESIANS 3:14-15 NIV
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father,
15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
NIV NOTE: Or whom all fatherhood
EPHESIANS 3:14-15 NRSV
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.
NRSV Note: Gk fatherhood
One mission of Jesus on earth was to show us what God was like, to reveal Him to us. Jesus introduced the concept of God as Father. The Jews did not know God as Father because the Old Testament does not teach it. No other religion had looked to God as a Father. Instead God was generally thought of as a judge at best, and often as a despicable character who could only be trusted to let you down; someone who would play tricks on you just for his amusement, and delight in disappointing you.
Concepts of God haven't really changed much, have they!
But Jesus revealed to humanity that God was not like they thought -- He was a good Father. Not someone who would do them wrong, but someone who would take care of them with their best interest always at heart. Someone who would love them more than they loved themselves.
How do you think of God?
SAY THIS: God, I am glad to know You are a Father. Please help me to always remember that.
htto://adevotion.org
15 For Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named -- [that Father] from whom all fatherhood takes its title and derives its name.
I have included these different translations, with the notes from the margin, to show that the Bible says that all fatherhood derives from God. In other words, God is the original Father. Everything good that fathers are, was in God first. All earthly fatherhood is but a replica of what was first in God.n
EPHESIANS 3:14-15 NIV
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father,
15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
NIV NOTE: Or whom all fatherhood
EPHESIANS 3:14-15 NRSV
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.
NRSV Note: Gk fatherhood
One mission of Jesus on earth was to show us what God was like, to reveal Him to us. Jesus introduced the concept of God as Father. The Jews did not know God as Father because the Old Testament does not teach it. No other religion had looked to God as a Father. Instead God was generally thought of as a judge at best, and often as a despicable character who could only be trusted to let you down; someone who would play tricks on you just for his amusement, and delight in disappointing you.
Concepts of God haven't really changed much, have they!
But Jesus revealed to humanity that God was not like they thought -- He was a good Father. Not someone who would do them wrong, but someone who would take care of them with their best interest always at heart. Someone who would love them more than they loved themselves.
How do you think of God?
SAY THIS: God, I am glad to know You are a Father. Please help me to always remember that.
htto://adevotion.org
Friday, July 11, 2014
A Bible Devotion : I Don't Agree With Other Preachers
1 CORINTHIANS 13:9 NLT
9 Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture!
I don't know one single person on earth I agree with completely on every single thing they believe.
That does not make me right, or make them wrong.
It just means that we are all in a process of learning, so of necessity we are not all at the same place in our thinking.
There are some who know more than I do about a subject, and there are some who know less than I do about that subject.
I should not fight or argue with those who know less about a subject than I do. Neither should I be proud because of my knowledge. For everything I have learned, I have been taught. I was not born with superior knowledge.
And you may find, as I have from time to time, that I thought I had knowledge of a subject, only to find out later that I was wrong.
In order to keep learning, I need to stay open to what others have to say. I need to truly listen to others.
However, if I once believed what someone is teaching, but the Lord corrected me, then it would be foolish to waste my time continuing to listen to them on that subject. I don't need to criticize or condemn them. But I don't need to keep listening to them speak on that subject, either. Yet, there may be other subjects that I could still learn from them.
SAY THIS: Everyone is still learning, and I can learn something from everyone.
http://adevotion.org/
9 Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture!
I don't know one single person on earth I agree with completely on every single thing they believe.
That does not make me right, or make them wrong.
It just means that we are all in a process of learning, so of necessity we are not all at the same place in our thinking.
There are some who know more than I do about a subject, and there are some who know less than I do about that subject.
I should not fight or argue with those who know less about a subject than I do. Neither should I be proud because of my knowledge. For everything I have learned, I have been taught. I was not born with superior knowledge.
And you may find, as I have from time to time, that I thought I had knowledge of a subject, only to find out later that I was wrong.
In order to keep learning, I need to stay open to what others have to say. I need to truly listen to others.
However, if I once believed what someone is teaching, but the Lord corrected me, then it would be foolish to waste my time continuing to listen to them on that subject. I don't need to criticize or condemn them. But I don't need to keep listening to them speak on that subject, either. Yet, there may be other subjects that I could still learn from them.
SAY THIS: Everyone is still learning, and I can learn something from everyone.
http://adevotion.org/
Genesis 50 --- Joseph buries his father in Canaan, and lives to a great age before making the Israelites promise to bury him in Canaan too
Read Genesis 50
- V1-14, with so many Israelites making this journey to bury Israel in the land of Canaan, why do you think this opportunity wasn’t taken to move everyone back to the promised land at this time?...do you think Joseph felt responsible to continue to serve Pharaoh?...or reluctant to leave a comfortable life with high status?...or are there other possible reasons you can identify?
- V24-26, Joseph still believed in the promise of the return to the promised land in Canaan, but, unlike his father Israel, he does not ask to be buried back in their homeland immediately, but to be taken when the Israelites left Egypt together. Why do you think he made this different request?...was it more of a request which demonstrated faith in God’s promises?...was he expecting the Israelites to leave Egypt soon?...or was it the opposite perhaps?...would his body’s presence in Egypt (embalmed in a coffin) be intended to be for the benefit of the Egyptians to remind them of their debt to Joseph?
- V1-14, with so many Israelites making this journey to bury Israel in the land of Canaan, why do you think this opportunity wasn’t taken to move everyone back to the promised land at this time?...do you think Joseph felt responsible to continue to serve Pharaoh?...or reluctant to leave a comfortable life with high status?...or are there other possible reasons you can identify?
- V24-26, Joseph still believed in the promise of the return to the promised land in Canaan, but, unlike his father Israel, he does not ask to be buried back in their homeland immediately, but to be taken when the Israelites left Egypt together. Why do you think he made this different request?...was it more of a request which demonstrated faith in God’s promises?...was he expecting the Israelites to leave Egypt soon?...or was it the opposite perhaps?...would his body’s presence in Egypt (embalmed in a coffin) be intended to be for the benefit of the Egyptians to remind them of their debt to Joseph?
Thursday, July 10, 2014
A Bible Devotion : God Really Does Love You
1 JOHN 3:1 NIV
1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
Yes, you have heard it before. No, you don't understand it yet.
Ephesians 3 mentions praying that believers would know the love of Christ -- which is really beyond knowledge. In other words, you need a divine revelation to understand God's love for you.
EPHESIANS 3:19 ICB
19 Christ's love is greater than any person can ever know. But I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with the fullness of God.
Yes, you know that Jesus died for you, that God watches over you, protects you and provides for you. But that does not really give you insight into how God feels about you. He could do all that just because He felt obligated to take care of you because He created you.
No. That is not the whole story. God LOVES you.
"But why would God love me? I don't even love myself" you may say. Well, pray for a divine revelation -- that is really the only way to know.
However, for those of you who are parents, this may help give you a little insight. Think about the love you have for your children. Can you adequately communicate how you feel to them? Well, our human love for our children is just a shadow of God's love for you, as His child.
SAY THIS: Father God, please help me to understand how much you love me.
1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
Yes, you have heard it before. No, you don't understand it yet.
Ephesians 3 mentions praying that believers would know the love of Christ -- which is really beyond knowledge. In other words, you need a divine revelation to understand God's love for you.
EPHESIANS 3:19 ICB
19 Christ's love is greater than any person can ever know. But I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with the fullness of God.
Yes, you know that Jesus died for you, that God watches over you, protects you and provides for you. But that does not really give you insight into how God feels about you. He could do all that just because He felt obligated to take care of you because He created you.
No. That is not the whole story. God LOVES you.
"But why would God love me? I don't even love myself" you may say. Well, pray for a divine revelation -- that is really the only way to know.
However, for those of you who are parents, this may help give you a little insight. Think about the love you have for your children. Can you adequately communicate how you feel to them? Well, our human love for our children is just a shadow of God's love for you, as His child.
SAY THIS: Father God, please help me to understand how much you love me.
Genesis 49 --- Israel gives individual blessings to all his sons before dying
Read Genesis 49
- V1, why do you think Israel was so sure of what would happen to these sons in the future?
- V2-27, do you think Israel enjoyed giving this prophecy, or do you think some of the things were hard for him to be saying to his own sons?
- V18, to what is this referring?...to Dan specifically?...to the Israelites leaving Egypt?...to the future Messiah Jesus?
- V1, why do you think Israel was so sure of what would happen to these sons in the future?
- V2-27, do you think Israel enjoyed giving this prophecy, or do you think some of the things were hard for him to be saying to his own sons?
- V18, to what is this referring?...to Dan specifically?...to the Israelites leaving Egypt?...to the future Messiah Jesus?
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
A Bible Devotion : To Die Is Gain
PHILIPPIANS 1:21-23 NKJ
21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.
23 For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
A Christian should not be afraid to die. Dying is a promotion for a Christian into a better situation -- something to look forward to, not to dread.
Too many Christians are still controlled by the fear of death. It stops them from doing the will of God. Fear keeps them from walking in faith, because they are afraid to die.
For example, there are places where they say the Gospel of Jesus cannot be preached. According to their laws, it is punishable by death. But why should that stop Christians from obeying God's Word to preach the Good News about Jesus to every person?
The fear of death should never control our lives!
What a privilege and honor it would be to die for our wonderful Lord Jesus Christ! Instead of fearing that, we should rejoice about the idea, the possibility of it happening.
REVELATION 12:11 NLT
11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.
For us to always walk in total victory, we can't walk in fear.
HEBREWS 2:14-15 NKJ
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Through His sacrifice Jesus set us free from bondage to the fear of death. Jesus removed the sting from death for us. Now death for us is just a promotion into a better place.
When someone who believes in Jesus Christ leaves their body in what we call death, they immediately go to be with Jesus in heaven.
And heaven is wonderful beyond your wildest expectation. No one who has gone to heaven would ever prefer to come back to earth. Heaven is vastly superior! You will love it!
SAY THIS: I have no fear of death.
21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.
23 For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
A Christian should not be afraid to die. Dying is a promotion for a Christian into a better situation -- something to look forward to, not to dread.
Too many Christians are still controlled by the fear of death. It stops them from doing the will of God. Fear keeps them from walking in faith, because they are afraid to die.
For example, there are places where they say the Gospel of Jesus cannot be preached. According to their laws, it is punishable by death. But why should that stop Christians from obeying God's Word to preach the Good News about Jesus to every person?
The fear of death should never control our lives!
What a privilege and honor it would be to die for our wonderful Lord Jesus Christ! Instead of fearing that, we should rejoice about the idea, the possibility of it happening.
REVELATION 12:11 NLT
11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.
For us to always walk in total victory, we can't walk in fear.
HEBREWS 2:14-15 NKJ
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Through His sacrifice Jesus set us free from bondage to the fear of death. Jesus removed the sting from death for us. Now death for us is just a promotion into a better place.
When someone who believes in Jesus Christ leaves their body in what we call death, they immediately go to be with Jesus in heaven.
And heaven is wonderful beyond your wildest expectation. No one who has gone to heaven would ever prefer to come back to earth. Heaven is vastly superior! You will love it!
SAY THIS: I have no fear of death.
Wuthering Bikes
The Grand Départ has arrived in Yorkshire. The riders will push off from Leeds on Saturday 5 July on the first stage of the Tour de France. Over the next two days, spectators will line the roads of Leeds, Harrogate, York and Sheffield and places in between to catch a glimpse of last year’s winner Chris Froome and a whole peloton of potential winners and team riders.
For weeks, the area has been gearing up for Le Tour with bike-themed plays, exhibitions, films and other art projects. In Leeds City Museum, photographer Casey Orr, writer and musician Boff Whalley and arts producer Jenny Harris are taking an un-Tour-isty look at cycling in the Bicyclism exhibition. Jenny tells 'The War Cry' that the bike has pushed social changes that gave greater freedoms to women and working-class people.
‘Cycling was democratising, because you didn’t have to have a huge amount of money to ride a bicycle,’ she says. ‘At one point it had power to change people’s lives. So we wanted to make an exhibition about ordinary, everyday cycling.’
New portraits and crowd-sourced photographs from family albums - ranging from Victorian pictures, through faded Polaroids to digital images - show what cycling represents to people. ‘There is a point in your childhood when you realise you can cycle off, even if it’s only round the block,’ says Jenny. ‘We’ve picked up lots of stories from people about that moment when you realise you have this ability to leave your parents behind.
‘The Tour de France is focused on Lycra and speed and men,’ says Jenny. ‘Our exhibition is adjacent to the start of the Grand Départ and we wanted to say there’s a whole other side of cycling which is about simply getting around, pleasure, community and companionship.’
Some people are also looking out for another side to Le Tour. Encouraged by Rod Ismay, a member of the Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers who describes himself as a ‘bellringer and Tour de France addict’, churches along the route plan to ring their bells in celebration before the cyclists pass.
And churches are opening their doors to fans. As well as staying open for anyone who wants to park their bike, seek shelter from the weather or find a quiet place, All Saints Ilkley is running a sports café and showing Le Tour on a big screen to enable spectators to see what happens to the riders when they’re not speeding past its doors. The Rev Patrick Bateman, Vicar of All Saints, says: ‘For us, the Tour is about more than cycling; it’s about community. Our church wants to show hospitality, care and love.’
The church’s motivation to show love is linked with its desire to help people find connections with God - who, says one Bible writer, ‘is love’ (1 John 4:8 Good News Bible).
Over the course of history, many people have found that God’s love helps them whether what they’re going through is a pleasure or an uphill struggle; forgives them for the ugly attitudes they have shown in the past; and offers them a hope for the future that cannot be punctured. They have discovered the truth that we can trust God - at every stage of our lives.
UK & Ireland War Cry 5 July 2014
For weeks, the area has been gearing up for Le Tour with bike-themed plays, exhibitions, films and other art projects. In Leeds City Museum, photographer Casey Orr, writer and musician Boff Whalley and arts producer Jenny Harris are taking an un-Tour-isty look at cycling in the Bicyclism exhibition. Jenny tells 'The War Cry' that the bike has pushed social changes that gave greater freedoms to women and working-class people.
‘Cycling was democratising, because you didn’t have to have a huge amount of money to ride a bicycle,’ she says. ‘At one point it had power to change people’s lives. So we wanted to make an exhibition about ordinary, everyday cycling.’
New portraits and crowd-sourced photographs from family albums - ranging from Victorian pictures, through faded Polaroids to digital images - show what cycling represents to people. ‘There is a point in your childhood when you realise you can cycle off, even if it’s only round the block,’ says Jenny. ‘We’ve picked up lots of stories from people about that moment when you realise you have this ability to leave your parents behind.
‘The Tour de France is focused on Lycra and speed and men,’ says Jenny. ‘Our exhibition is adjacent to the start of the Grand Départ and we wanted to say there’s a whole other side of cycling which is about simply getting around, pleasure, community and companionship.’
Some people are also looking out for another side to Le Tour. Encouraged by Rod Ismay, a member of the Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers who describes himself as a ‘bellringer and Tour de France addict’, churches along the route plan to ring their bells in celebration before the cyclists pass.
And churches are opening their doors to fans. As well as staying open for anyone who wants to park their bike, seek shelter from the weather or find a quiet place, All Saints Ilkley is running a sports café and showing Le Tour on a big screen to enable spectators to see what happens to the riders when they’re not speeding past its doors. The Rev Patrick Bateman, Vicar of All Saints, says: ‘For us, the Tour is about more than cycling; it’s about community. Our church wants to show hospitality, care and love.’
The church’s motivation to show love is linked with its desire to help people find connections with God - who, says one Bible writer, ‘is love’ (1 John 4:8 Good News Bible).
Over the course of history, many people have found that God’s love helps them whether what they’re going through is a pleasure or an uphill struggle; forgives them for the ugly attitudes they have shown in the past; and offers them a hope for the future that cannot be punctured. They have discovered the truth that we can trust God - at every stage of our lives.
UK & Ireland War Cry 5 July 2014
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