5^th and 6^th July

^{Weekend Edition}

“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”

Psalm 27:14

The great teacher of the book of Ecclesiastes once told us that for ‘everything there is a season, a time for every activity under the sun.’ (3:1) Yet the hardest thing in life, is knowing that God has called you do to something, or has promised something, and waiting for God’s timing to do or receive it. It can so often feel like a long process and sometimes we wish that God would work to our time schedules, as if we know best. However, the truth is that God always knows best and everything always works out according to His perfect timing, not ours.

The Psalmist too, knew about waiting patiently for God’s divine plans. He was anointed to be the King by the prophet Samuel, after the kingship was ripped away from the rebellious Saul. Yet from the time David was anointed to be king, to the moment he actually became King, commentators say was around 15 years. During that time, he had to deal with Saul’s jealously towards, the constant threat of death, traitors in his own camp, and a rebellion from his own family for his kingship. If anyone is qualified to write about waiting for God’s timing, then surely it is David. Yet here in today’s verse, David advises his readers to not rush God’s timing but to wait patiently for the Lord to pull through.

Today if you are waiting for God’s direction, then wait patiently for His perfect timing. Be brave. Be courageous. God will come through. Just trust Him. “Yes, wait patiently for the Lord!”

4^th August

“Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a head cloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap and let him go!””

John 11:43-44

Death is a horrible thing. It deprives us of loved ones and it takes away future memories together. Yet, as believers, death is not the end. It is the beginning of a new and painless life with Christ for eternity; an eternal life promised as an inheritance of our salvation by Jesus Himself. Throughout the New Testament, Jesus demonstrated time and time again, His authority over the enemy, over evil, over sin and ultimately over death, including His own death. Paul alludes to this in 1 Corinthians 15:55 and says, “O death, where is your sting.” He then continues and exclaims that God “gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ,” implying that death’s sting, the pain of loosing someone, although it is hard, is not the end.

It is through Jesus’ victory over His death and in His resurrection, that we too find victory over our deaths. Furthermore, not only do we have victory over our physical death’s, but also we find new life in Christ spiritually too. Jesus came not only to raise the physically dead, like lazarus in today’s story, but also to raise the spiritually dead and give new life to us all. He came so we would have life and life in all of it’s fullness. He came to breath life into our dry bones.

Friends, if you have lost someone recently, then we mourn with you for your loss. But we want you to know, that it is not the end but the beginning of a new life in Heaven with Christ. A life that is freely available to all who ‘believe in Him’ so that none ‘perish but have eternal life’ (John 3:16).

3^rd August

“This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety (fortress); He is my God and I trust Him.”

Psalm 91:2

Isn’t it such a comfort to know our hope and trust is in Almighty God. The Psalmist knew that his hope and refuge was in God alone. He knew that God was his place of refuge, his safety and his fortress. He knew that no matter what circumstance he faced, both big and small, he could find peace and security. We too as children of God, can take the same comfort knowing that Jesus is in control of our lives; That no matter what evil or hardship we face, Jesus in our refuge, our fortress and our safety and will deliver us from the snare of the fowler.

Yet more than just knowing is the declaration of that fact. Will you join the Psalmist this morning and declare that the Lord alone is your refuge and strength. Will you boldly declare that He is Lord over your life.

Lord, I declare that my hope and trust is in You. I declare that You are my fortress. I declare that You are my hope and refuge. Lord You are my safety. In You alone is my my salvation.

Amen

2^nd August

“But the father turned to his servants and said, “Quick! Bring the best robe we have and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet.”

Luke 15:22

Who are you? What is your identity? Do you identify with being a sinner or is your identity renewed and restored? So often, and sadly so, many Christians mis-understand the depth and truth of grace. Instead of acknowledging the truth that they are free, children of God, they slowly fall back into the hole of condemnation and believe the lie that they are sinners, not worthy to enter into God’s presence. Yet that is completely not the truth. If we have confessed our sins, if we have been forgiven and joined into God’s Kingdom, then our identity is no longer as a sinner but as a child of God.

Let’s think about the story of the prodigal son. The father let the son squander his inheritance, dine with pigs and live a wreck-less lifestyle. Yet when the son confessed (even though he actually didn’t finish his repentance confession; such is the extent of grace), the father completely welcomed the son back into his family, making no mention of the past and adorned him with clothes, sandals and a ring to emphasise the sons forgiven and restored status.

Friends that is our status too. The Father no longer makes mention of our wreck-less past, He no longer remembers our sins, because we are forgiven. We have been given a new status. Yes we still sin, but we are not sinners. Yes we are not worthy, but we are not worthless!! We are forgiven sons and daughters, welcomed into God’s family.