daily readings

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The Fool Says There Is No God

12th February

“Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.”.”

Psalm 14:1a

The Psalms are known for their beautiful poetic writings expressing how wonderful and faithful God is, written mostly by a man who knew first hand how great the God he served was. Yet there are plenty of Psalms that are ‘hard to read’ for their strong and explicit vocabulary and content. Today’s short verse is just one of them.

Imagine you have just discovered the greatest treasure in the world. You are so excited, that you want to share it with everyone you meet right? And you would probably think that those who reject that truth or who simply don’t believe are crazy? Much is the same with David’s statement in today’s verse. He knew that people needed a Saviour. Yet instead of looking to the Lord, the One true God, people put their trust in bows and arrows, in gods unknown and in human power and might. Yet all those things will fail, and David knew that. He knew that hope was only found in God Almighty, who created the Heavens and the earth and all that is in it. David’s treasure was in knowing that God was real and with him always. To others it was foolishness.

Much is the same today. We have great news. God is real. Look around you and see the wonders of creation. Look closer at your own body, how intricately God has made you. How much detail and care He has taken to design the physical body. God is the creator of the world and the sustainer of it. He holds the planets in His hands and controls the universe with the power of His words. Moreover, that same God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to earth in the form of a human, to suffer at the hands of His own creation, to restore us to our true identity and restore a right relationship between God and man. That is our treasure. Yet for those who don’t believe, as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:18a ‘the message of the cross is foolish.’

We have such wonderful good news. The creator of the world loves you. He laid down His life and rose again for you. He can set you free from sins, burdens, pains and sorrows. All you need to do is accept it. That is Great news. Don’t be a fool and reject it.

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The God Who Hears

11th February

“O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will You look the other way? How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? . . . . . But I trust in Your unfailing love. I will rejoice because You have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because He is good to me.”

Psalm 13:1-2,5-6

David, in this wonderful psalm, uses some very strong wording to describe his feelings during his time of persecution. In fact, they are so strong, you almost feel like cringing and asking, ‘are you really talking to God?’ Yet if we look further into the Psalmist’s words, we soon begin to realise that actually, David was just like one of us.

If we are honest, then we too can probably say that we have cried out the same words as David did. Perhaps there are moments in your life, when you too feel alone, feel abandoned and feel like God is looking the other way. However, and probably most importantly, although David felt alone and felt sorrow in his heart, he knew that even there, God was never too far from him.

David was so confident in the Lord, that he even thanks God for the victory he has not yet won. Verse 5 exclaims “I will rejoice because You have rescued me!” Isn’t that an amazing gem found in the middle of what seems like a gloomy and hopeless situation. It can be assumed, as not stated in the text, that his victory had not yet been won, yet so firm was David’s trust in the Lord, that he knew God would rescue him. In addition, David says that he can “rejoice” and “sing” to the Lord, because He had been good to him.

It is in knowing God’s faithfulness in our lives that carries us through times of uncertainty and worry. We know God is faithful. We know that God is good. Yet if we are honest, there are times in our lives when we do feel like God is not answering prayers or that He feels distant. Yet, it is in those times that our praises should increase, as we remember the faithfulness of Almighty God and the unconditional love we receive from Him. He promised to never leave us and God never breaks His promises. He is with you. Keep trusting. Keep praising.

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Make It Personal

10th February

“I love you, Lord; You are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my Saviour; My God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.”

Psalm 18:1-2

Fame is such a temporary and an empty void that so many people seek after. In truth you are only famous if you are recognised and known by people. For example, if Queen Elizabeth, dressed in normal attire and went for a walk in the Amazon Forest, how many people would recognise her? How about in the streets of Manila in the Philippines? Answer: – probably not many. Yet, there is no doubt they would have heard or at least read about her somewhere…..right?

Sadly this is the same truth when it comes to God. Many people know of Him or have heard about Him through a secondary source, yet in actual fact, they have not taken the time to truly get to know Him. Do you know that God does actually reveal His character to us, both through His word and as we experience His daily faithfulness throughout our lives and in the situations we battle through? God’s characteristics are not some hidden secret that only an elite group can find. His word is full of expressive descriptions about His character. None more so, than in the book of Psalms.

Today’s psalm is a perfect example of someone who daily experienced the faithfulness of Almighty God and knew who He was. David knew that he could stand firm against his enemies because God was on his side. He knew God was his fortress, his rock and protection. Yet he didn’t just know this about God from a far distant, it was personal; He knew first hand.

Today, will you take some time to learn something new about the God you serve or remind yourself of His characteristics. Will you make Psalm 18:1-2 a declaration for your own life and live in its promises. Make it personal. Don’t just know of God but take time to get to truly know Him!

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God’s Mirror

9th February

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and then forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.”

James 1:22-25

Yesterday we looked at the power of God’s word as a double edged sword, having the ability to tear down the strongholds of the enemy, and the ability to expose our sins and make us accountable before God through His word. Today’s message further highlights the power of God’s word to transform our lives. After all, the Word is living and has throughout generations brought people closer to Jesus through the revelation of God’s character.

James adds that God’s word should be like a mirror for us. We should be able to look into His word and see our lives reflecting the character of Jesus and reflecting His perfect law (i.e. righteous living). Rick Warren, the author of the best selling ‘Purpose Driven Life’ book, shares his reflection on James’ wise words and summarises James’ message with the following points:-

  • Read your Bible. “… whoever looks intently …” (look carefully..)

  • Review the Bible. “… and continues in it …” (do what it says..)

  • Remember the Bible. “… not forgetting what they have heard …” (don’t forget it..)

  • Respond to the Bible. “… but doing it …” 1 (do what it says..)

Simply put, reading God’s word should not become a religious act of reading one verse and then moving on with your day, forgetting what you have read and not even letting it transform your life. Reading God’s word, is about intentionally giving time to God, to allow Him to speak to us, reviewing what He is saying, remembering it and responding by putting into practice in our lives. It is then that we can experience true freedom and receive all the blessings God has in store for us.

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God’s Word

8th February

“For the Word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”

Hebrews 4:12

Often today’s verse is used to explain how we can fight the enemy using God’s word – which as Hebrews tells us is a double edged sword. Now while this is true, God’s word truly is our weapon to stand firm against the enemy, it is also a reminder for ourselves too. Notice that at the end of verse 12, the writer indicates that it also ‘exposes our innermost thoughts and desires’. Moreover, in the following verse, the writer of Hebrews tells us that nothing in all of creation is hidden from being accountable to God through His word.

For example, have you ever had the experience where you have read a passage of scripture and your hearts starts beating, you begin to read it over and over again, and realise that God is actually talking to you through His word. This is what it means when it says God’s word is as sharp as a sword. It also cuts through our pride and sin, helping us to realise where we have fallen short and gives us a way to turn back to Jesus and the comfort and reconciliation that that brings.

Today, may we open our hearts to be receptive for God’s mighty word. May we be accountable to Jesus through the revelation of scripture and indeed, welcome God’s speaking to us through His word. His word is alive and powerful.

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Thankfulness

6th – 7th February

Weekend Edition

“Acknowledge the Lord is God! He made us, and we are His……Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His Name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and His faithfulness continues to each generation.”

Psalm 100:3a,4-5

Praise God, that we are not only His, but that through Jesus Christ we have a way to literally enter into His very throne room and to worship Him freely without the weight of guilt and shame, which has been washed away through Jesus’ sacrifice for us. We are now seated with Christ in Heavenly places. God’s presence is no longer confined to a building with four walls, or a High priest who mediates for us, but rather our High Priest lives in us and ever stands a mediator between us and the Father.

When we enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise, it is an attitude of prayerful worship and thankfulness for His goodness, rejoicing in song and praising in His Name. Why? Because the Lord is good and His unfailing love continues forever. When we wake, thankfulness should be on hearts. When we sleep praise should be on lips. There is so much we have to be thankful for.

Moreover, we can enter His presence because we are thankful; Thankful because of all He has done for us and thankful because we can enter His presence. The Lord is good and deserves to be praised.

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Once And For ALL

5th February

“Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but He was raised to life in the Spirit.”

1 Peter 3:18

Rejoice. Your sins are forgiven. Picture this; In the story of Jesus’ crucifixion in the gospels, the writers tell us that when Jesus breathed His last breath, the curtain that separated the ‘most holy place’ from the rest of the temple was torn into two. The significance? It physically demonstrated to us that the separation between God and man was no longer bound by religious works but that by Jesus’ substitutional sacrifice, we could and can enter freely into His Holy presence.

Peter describes it as Jesus making a way for sinners to come home. What a great picture. When Adam and Eve sinned, it is like humanity took a wrong turn in life’s journey, yet when Jesus came, He re-routed us back on the right path and showed us the way home. Notice that Peter says that Christ suffered for sin ‘ONCE’ and ‘FOR ALL TIME’. It wasn’t a sacrifice for that day, or for a specific moment in time, it was for all time. Christ came, died in our place, was raised to life again by the power of the Spirit, once for all time, so that we might be forgiven and find our way home… Praise be to Jesus.

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The Holy Sanctuary Of God

4th February

“Who may worship in Your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter Your presence on Your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking truth from sincere hearts.”

Psalm 15:1-2

In David’s time the ‘temple or ‘holy sanctuary’ was the sole place that God’s tangible presence could be felt and was a place where people would gather to pray to God and worship Him. It was a place that travellers and worshippers a like could find rest, peace and a place of shelter. For us living in the age of the resurrection power of Jesus, we can too experience this awesome sense of God’s presence, yet the amazing thing is, is that it is not limited or confined to a building. We have the very presence of God living in us. When we call on His Name, He is with us.

When David asks the rhetorical question who can enter “Your sanctuary” or enter into “Your presence”, he simply is stating that those who have acknowledged their faults and confessed their wrongdoings can experience the fullness of all God has for them and enjoy the beauty of intimacy with God. He is not saying that those who have not confessed theirs wrongdoings, can’t enter a “church building”. On the contrary; God never pushes people away but rather gives us all an opportunity to receive His love, grace and acceptance. However, it those who are aware of who God is and who live in His grace and mercy, that will fully experience the fullness and nearness of His presence.

Come as you are into His presence and let His grace lead you to live blameless lives, doing what is right and hating what is wrong! Accept His love and forgiveness and be transformed by His endless grace. Who can enter His presence??? YOU can!

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A Blessing From The Book Of Psalms

3rd February

“But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread Your protection over them, that all who love Your Name may be filled with joy. For You bless the Godly, O Lord; You surround them with Your shield.”

Psalm 5:11-12

David knew the benefits of God’s gracious love. He knew that he could call upon the Lord in both his time of need and in peace. He had full security in who he was in the Lord. Moreover he had full assurance that because of God’s unfailing love towards him, he could enter into God’s presence and rejoice in the fullness of God’s love.

We too can have that same assurance, security and peace knowing that we are loved by the creator of the universe. We are protected by the Saviour of the world. In addition, we can find rest for our weary souls, in the refuge of our Father’s loving arms.

May David’s blessing, in today’s verse, be relevant for your life. May God truly bless you. May you find refuge in God’s presence. May joy fill your heart. And may you find protection from the enemy as you are surrounded with the Lord’s shield. The Lord is for you and not against you.

May “all who love Your Name may be filled with joy.”

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Goodbye World – I’ll Stay No Longer With You

2nd February

Goodbye World – I’ll Stay No Longer With You

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you the love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from the world.”

1 John 2:15-16

There is a famous song people sing at their baptism and the words are as follows:

“Goodbye world, I’ll stay no longer with you,

Goodbye pleasures of sin, I’ll stay no longer with you,

I’ve made up my mind to go God’s way for the rest of my life.”

Much like today’s verse, it is a declaration to move away from a lifestyle of saying yes to sin and it’s cheap and superficial pleasures, and instead, saying yes to a life of fullness in Jesus Christ. Let us be clear that the word ‘world’ is not talking about the people in it, otherwise that would contradict Jesus’ words to love the world. Rather, the word ‘world’ is more the system of living for self-gratification, pride, and selfish ambition. It a system that denies who God is and lives in the opposite spirit to Godly living.

When John writes, do not love this world, he is not saying don’t love people, but rather saying don’t love the things that offer temporary pleasure. These things only lead to disappointment and a separation from intimacy with the Father. As John writes, the world‘s attractions are cheap frills that promise to satisfy our cravings for pleasure, yet all they do is leave us empty. Moreover, they are in conflict with how our Father wants us to live. Friends, only God can satisfy. Only God can fill our hearts with acceptance, joy and love. Will you reject the enemy’s cheap lies and say ‘goodbye’ to the world and the pleasures of sin?! Will you make a decision to live for Jesus and go God’s way?!