devotionals

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God’s Workmanship Is Marvellous

24th & 25th September

Weekend Edition

 

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvellous – how well I know it.”

Psalm 139:13-14

David had such a wonderful way of putting things. He had a deep yet simple comprehension of who his God was and who he was in God. What if David had been alive in today’s age, where we have MRI scans, CT scans, Ultrasounds and X-Rays. It’s guaranteed that he will be even more thankful and filled with praise when he could truly see the amazing way God has created us through the eyes of modern technology.

It is good to praise God for how He has made us; The care He has taken in designing us and the blessings our lives are in Him. If God cared so much to individually design you, create you and knit you together in your mother’s womb, then your life is super precious right?! Yet more than us, it is God’s workmanship that should get the praise. If God cared so much about designing us, and we wholeheartedly believe that, then surely that means that we can trust Him; Trust Him with healing the body He made for us. Trust Him with our lives and future. Trust Him in our work situations, financial situations and family situations.

God is our Creator, Sustainer and Provider. We can trust Him with our bodies and our lives. He is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving.

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A Blessing From The Book Of Psalms: Re-Visited

23rd September

“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. Be blessed!

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

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The God Who Lives Among Us

22nd September

“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty Saviour. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

Zephaniah 3:17

God is in the business of renewal. He wants you to succeed and wants to renew you, forgive you, redeem you and make you whole. Today’s verse is taken from the book of Zephaniah, an Old Testament prophet, who was delivering God’s words of judgement to the nation of Judah for their rebellious and evil actions towards the One True God. Yet God always promises a way out. He always leaves His hand open to reconciliation and forgiveness. And He always promises a new life for those who turn back to Him. Today’s verse is one of those promises, and also a clear pointer to the coming of Jesus Christ.

Who is the God who lived among us? Emmanuel, Jesus Christ. Even Jesus’ own name means Saviour (or the Lord saves). His perfect love does casts our all fears of judgement (1 John 4:18) because He renews us with His love and took our punishment for us. He sings joyful songs over us and delights in us with gladness. What an amazing picture of a God who wants to set us free from judgement and liberate us with His love. That love came in the form of Jesus Christ, who freely and purposefully laid down His life for us and gave us freedom from judgement. Now He rejoices over us, His children. He literally sings joyful songs over us. That is how much He delights in us.

Today’s verse is not only a promise of new life for the nation of Judah but a promise for all eternity for those who out their trust in Him. Be encouraged, God lives among us and He is our Saviour!!

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Victory Over Death

21st September

“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).

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Every Knee Will Bow

20th September

“When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw Him, ran to meet Him, and bowed low before Him. With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are You interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the Name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!””

Mark 5:6-7

As Jesus arrived in Gerasenes, a demon possessed man came out from ‘a cemetery to meet Him.’ This man had so many demons in him, that not even chains or shackles could keep him down. Yet there was one thing that could. Jesus’ presence. Jesus came and the man possessed by the demon fell at His feet. He acknowledged who Jesus was and fell in submission to Him. Isn’t that a great picture who our God is? This is the God we serve friends. Even demons can’t help but fall to the feet of Jesus in submission. There was no fighting. There was no arguing. There was no physical contact. It was just Jesus’ presence that caused ‘legion’ to submit to Jesus’ authority. In the previous chapter, in Mark 4, Jesus demonstrated that even the wind and waves submitted to His voice when He calmed the storm with just His word ‘Silence’!

When we understand the God we serve, every circumstance we face, every opposition we meet, both physically and spiritually, that seems to tower over us, falls into submission to our powerful God. This powerful God, this King Jesus, is our God and our King. He is on our side. There is nothing or no-one, no circumstance or opposition that can even stand against the power of Jesus. Submit all to Him, invite Jesus’ presence into your situation and watch the victory you have in Him.

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Practical Spiritual Warfare

19th September

“For though we walk in flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God….”

2 Corinthians 10:3-5a

(NKJV)

‘Spiritual warfare’ is often a word that scares people or conjures up images of dark rooms fighting off evil spirits. So to begin, there is one thing to encourage you with…. There is nothing to fear. We have Jesus Christ on our side, and, at the Name of Jesus Christ, every knee will bow, both flesh and spiritual. In Him we have the victory over every power, spirit, demon and even over the enemy!! You are a son and daughter of victory.

That being said, we are in a spiritual battle and we do need to equip ourselves with the right ‘weapons of warfare’. Yet we do not fight from a place of trying to win, because the battle has already been won when Christ rose victorious from the dead. We fight, to invite that victory into our lives, into our communities, into our circles of friends and family and into our world. We fight to break down the strongholds the enemy has built up, both in the spiritual realm and in the physical.

So how to we do that practically? Through Prayer and through inviting Jesus into our everyday situations. We pray ‘Let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it in Heaven’. That is praying in the victory of Christ and that is spiritual warfare. When we live in the victory of the cross, we are actively and practically engaging in spiritual warfare. We are inviting the Mighty Lion of Judah, our King and Saviour, Jesus Christ to rule and reign wherever we go and beyond. We ask Jesus to remove the darkness and replace it with light. We ask that strongholds be torn down, that people’s false images of who God is will be changed and that ‘every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God’ will fall to its knees in surrender of the one true God, Jesus Christ, our Messiah.

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Your Great Name

17th – 18th September

Weekend Edition

“Lost are saved, they find their way at the sound of Your great Name

All condemned feel no shame at the sound of Your great Name

Every fear has no place at the sound of Your great Name

The enemy – he has to leave at the sound of Your great Name

Jesus, worthy is the Lamb that was slain for us,

Son of God and Man

You are high and lifted up and all the world will praise Your great Name

All the weak find their strength at the sound of Your great Name

Hungry souls receive grace at the sound of Your great Name

The fatherless – they find their rest at the sound of Your great Name

The sick are healed and the dead are raised at the sound of Your great Name

Redeemer, My Healer, Lord Almighty, My Saviour, Defender, You are my King.”

Above is a fantastic song sung by Natalie Grant. This song talks of the power of Jesus’ Name to overcome all things. As you read or listen (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuuLBPOYcI8), be reminded of the power of Jesus’ Mighty Name, the name you carry as an ambassador of Christ. He is our God, He is our Lord and worthy to be praised. Start your weekend by telling Him how great He is.

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At Your Great Name

16th September

“One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. ….she followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.” This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of JESUS CHRIST to come out of her!!” And instantly it left her.”

Acts 16:16-18

In Jesus’ name, we have the power see healing, deliverance, people set free from addictions, from hurts, pains and mental issues. We have the power to take back stolen ground, to take back deceived hearts and to bring life where there is death. This power does not come from ourselves but is from the power that is in the name of JESUS CHRIST.

Paul and Silas too, first hand, experienced the power of Jesus’ name on a regular basis. One example is the one found in today’s key verses. Paul and Silas, en-route to Macedonia, had stopped over in town near Philippi and were on the way the place of prayer. There they met a demon possessed girl that clearly had one purpose; to disrupt Paul and Silas’ mission. Day after day she shouted out that Paul and Silas were men of God and carried with them the message of salvation. Of course, on first looks this is a good thing right?! But a demon possessed woman would most assuredly not be an advocate for salvation. After all, salvation in its fullness means deliverance from evil. So we can most probably assume that she was not advertising Paul and Silas’ mission in a positive way.

After days and days of this provocative shouting, Paul, completely exasperated, turned to her and in JESUS’ name, cast out the demon within her. What happened next? The demon immediately left. This action eventually meant that Paul and Silas were arrested as the demon possessed girl made lots of money for her master. No spirit. No money for the master.

There are many layers and messages to this story, but something that stands out above all, is the power of the name of JESUS CHRIST. Truly nothing can stand in opposition to JESUS. He is victorious in all situations. This is the God we serve and the Man we call King.

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Pushing Back Strongholds

15th September

“Only by Your power can we push back our enemies; only in Your Name can we trample our foes. I do not trust in my bow; I do not count on my sword to save me. You are the One who gives us victory over our enemies….”

Psalm 44:5-6b

As Christians, we are equipped with the power to not only stand up to the enemy’s advances, clothed with the armour of Christ, but we are also called to push back the enemy’s territory. We often can settle for a ‘self defence’ mentality as believers. We think, yes in Jesus’ Name ‘we have the power to stand firm against the enemy’s advances’ and then draw the line there. But we are not just called to be defenders but we are called to shine Jesus’ light and take back what the enemy has stolen. We are soldiers for Christ, fighting in His army. Jesus says of a believer that we are the “light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.” Jesus encouraged the believers to shine their light so bright that it would light up everything around it. Where bright light shines, darkness has to recede.

The Psalmist also alludes to the victory that is found in God. The power of God not only gains victories, but ‘pushes back the enemy…and tramples our foe!’ This was most probably written for a physical context but the same principal can be applied spiritually. We are not called to stand and watch the enemy destroy our nation but we are called to actively stand in warfare and push back the enemy’s strongholds.

How do we do this…. Through prayer. Our prayers through faith in the victory of Jesus, breaks down strongholds, and pushes back the enemy’s hold on peoples lives, on families, on governments, on schools and even in our communities. Take heart. Be strong and courageous in Christ. Victory is ours through the blood of the LAMB.

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Fasting From Food: Feasting On Jesus

14th September

“Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty…..So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.”

John 6:35, 53

For many, fasting has the connotation that you are depriving yourself of food or other comforts to almost twist God’s arm into giving you what you want or to answer your prayers. Of course this is not the case, but it is an important spiritual discipline. So why do we do it and what is the significance? Well first of all, it is mentioned as a spiritual discipline throughout the Bible, and also goes hand in hand with Jesus’ teaching about prayer, just after He taught us the ‘Lord’s Payer’ in Matthew 6. Notice that Jesus says, and “when you fast…”1, almost implying that it is normality and is expected of a believer. Yet what is the significance of fasting?

Well, fasting is a discipline not to get God’s attention, but to put your attention back to God. We already have God’s attention. We are His children. Fasting is for us. It helps us to re-focus and re-align our thoughts and put Jesus back at the centre of our prayers. Yet fasting was never meant to be just giving up something and carrying on with our lives. Fasting is feasting on Jesus; Giving up food or other comforts and replacing that ‘time’ or ‘meal’ with feasting on Jesus by spending time with Him.

Jesus said of Himself that He is the ‘Bread of Life’! In order to aid our spiritual growth, we must feast on Him. Of course Jesus “isn’t endorsing cannibalism..,” but rather “….using ‘eating’ and ‘drinking’ as a metaphor – as symbolism – for believing in Him – for faith in Him.”2 “Feasting on Jesus means turning to Him, trusting Him, hoping in Him, following Him, and loving Him. Feasting on Jesus means NOT feasting on alternatives to Jesus to satisfy the eternal hunger of our souls.” Just as we need to feed ourselves with physical food to survive, so we need to feast on Jesus for spiritual lives to grow and prosper. As you fast, remember to feast on Jesus!!

1Matthew 6:14a

2Quoted text taken from article http://creekroad.org.au/feasting-on-jesus/