God’s word for today

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With The Lions

19th & 20th September

Weekend Edition

“So at last the King gave his orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.” A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel.”

Daniel 6:16-17

Sadly, King Darius, seemed to have missed hearing the stories about God’s faithfulness towards Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. He also ordered a decree that anyone found guilty of praying to any other god beside himself, must be arrested and thrown into the lion’s den.

Daniel, fell into that category. As he did everyday, he went up to his room, opened his windows towards Jerusalem and prayed to God, giving thanks. However, little did he know that he was being trapped by the high officials and rulers who were jealous of Daniel’s influence over the king. At once the high officials reported Daniel’s law breaking actions to the King. Reluctantly, King Darius ordered Daniel’s arrest and threw him into a den full of hungry lions.

The next day as King Darius went to check on what had happened to Daniel, and he was astonished to see the him completely un-harmed with not even a scratch on his body.

Daniels trust in the one true God and his willingness to not to compromise, not only saved his life, but led King Darius to proclaim that not himself, or his pagan gods but Daniel’s God, is the one true God whose Kingdom and rule will never end.

King Darius was completely right. We still serve that same God today; the God was rescued Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the fiery furnace and rescued Daniel from the lion’s den. All four had one thing in common. A desire to honour and worship the one true God, despite the consequences. We too should strive to honour God in our daily lives whether at work or in our schools and homes, wherever it may be, let us always worship God faithfully. Let our witness be so great that people will also proclaim that our God is the one true God, whose kingdom will never end.

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In The Fire

18th September

 

“So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants (trousers), turbans, robes, and other garments. And because the king in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in.”

Daniel 3:21-22

Daniel was one of the most noble and God-fearing men to ever live in the Old Testament. He was faithful, a man of integrity but more than anything, he loved God and refused to compromise God’s holy standards. His God-fearing attitude was contagious. In fact so great was his contagious characteristics, that even pagan Kings came to recognise God’s greatness through his life. Furthermore, even his own friends were encouraged by his faith and persevering attitude, which almost caused their death.

King Nebuchadnezzar, was one of the most powerful kings to ever rule over the Babylonian Empire, yet his infatuation with power and wealth blinded his eyes to see who the ONE true God was. He foolishly built a statue out of pure gold, (that measured 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide), and ordered everyone to bow down and worship it. He issued an oath that anyone who refused to do so would be thrown into a fiery furnace. Of course, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were three men who refused to compromise.

Nebuchadnezzar anger was so great that his face became distorted with rage. So much so that he ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than it normally was. Even the guards who threw them into the furnace died because of the intense heat. Yet God had other plans for His servants who refused to compromise. Not only did God save them from the fire, but He also sent a divine being to stand in the fire with them, to comfort and protect them. In fact so great was their protection that when they left the fire, no hair on their head was singed and they didn’t even smell of smoke.

When we refuse to compromise God’s holy standards, sometimes danger awaits us. However, we danger does come, we can be sure that God will never leave us. Even in the midst of a fiery furnace, God still can send His comforting presence. He promised to never leave us nor forsake us. Although we may face great danger for living lives of integrity, the blessings that await, far out weigh the pain of suffering.

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Slow To Anger

17th September

 

“He revealed His character to Moses and His deeds to the people of Israel. The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with un-failing love.”

Psalm 103:7-8

During the Israelites trip to the promised land, after God had graciously set them free from their bondage at the hands of the Egyptians under the leadership of Moses, time and time again the people dis-honoured God, did not trust Him for their daily provisions or feared the worst when confronted with troubles. Yet what they didn’t realise or at least didn’t appreciate, is that for 40 years their shoes never got worn out and they were daily provided with manna and quail to feed them. Moreover, God was ever merciful with them and kept pouring His love over them, even when they didn’t deserve it. God truly revealed His character to Moses and His deeds of love and kindness to the people of Israel.

God hasn’t changed. He is still that same compassionate and merciful God that we saw in the Israelites Exodus. He is still slow to anger and is still full of un-failing love; even when we don’t deserve it. God is for us and not against us. He lives to be spur us on, not to trip us up. He is our God and worthy to be praised.

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Enter His Gates

16th September

“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. We are now seated with Christ in Heavenly place. God’s presence is no longer confined to a building with four walls, or a High priest who mediates for us, but rather He lives in us.

So often places of worship are seen as sanctuary’s to escape lives difficulties, places to find refuge and peace, places of security and sources of hope and joy. Yet what we now know because of Jesus’ resurrection, is that His very presence has made a home in our hearts. God’s presence is no longer confined to a building, but is found in us, His children.

When we enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise, it is an attitude of prayerful worship, thankfulness for His goodness, rejoicing in song and praising 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. The Lord is good and deserves to be praised.

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God Was and Is and Is To Come

15th September

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth!”

Genesis 1:1

There is no greater truth than knowing who created you and I and the world we are in. Genesis 1:1 boldly and plainly tells us that it was God, Elohim; the Hebrew name for the God-Head, symbolising the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Yet God did not labour day and night to create the world we live in, but simply spoke it into being by the very words of His mouth; light, darkness, the sun and moon, waters and mountains, creatures that fly and those that swim. Yet His greatest creation was mankind, whom He made in His own image. He breathed His own breath into us and gave us all a plan and a purpose.

This morning, take a reality check. Not only were you hand-made by the God who created the entire universe we live in, but you have the very breath of God inside you. You have been anointed to walk in God’s eternal plan for your life, written even before you were in your mother’s womb. You are completely loved by the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, as they work in perfect union as One, through you and in you. God thought about YOU… Even before time began, He had a plan to make you. Even when He knew that sometimes you would disobey Him, He still wanted to create you so He could shower His love over you. You are loved and created by the God of the universe. You were planned and you are part of God’s plan to show His love to the rest of the world.

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The Joy Of A Forgiven Heart

14th September

“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!”

Psalm 32:1-2

Every human has a desire and longing to be loved. Many try to satisfy that longing with drugs, drinking, womanising, and the like. Yet there is no greater joy than knowing you have been forgiven and accepted by your Creator; knowing that you have a purpose, a destiny and that God has a plan for your personally.

In 1678, John Bunyan released one of the most famous pieces of English Christian literature, the Pilgrim Progress. In his book, we follow the story of a man name Christian, who makes his perilous journey to Celestial city (Heaven). However, he carries on his back a huge bag like burden, which represent his sins. These burdens are finally relieved when he reaches the ‘place of deliverance’, a representation of Calvary’s cross. Although this story may be mostly allegorical, the truth remains that we are all on a journey. In life’s journey we may face dangers and temptations, yet the most liberating and life giving stage of our journey is when Jesus Christ sets us free from our sins. It truly is like a burden being lifted from our backs.

In today’s psalm, David also speaks of this joy, freedom and liberty that await a forgiven soul. Sin can so easily hold us down and feel like a huge weight on our lives. Yet when we are set free by the power of Jesus’ love, those chains are broken and we can walk upright in the power of His might and in the purpose and plan He has ordained for our life.

What joy awaits a forgiven soul, and those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt!!

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The Significance of Lazarus’ Resurrection

12th and 13th September

Weekend Edition

“Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus too, for it was because of him that many people had deserted them and believed in Jesus…..Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead and they were telling others about it. That was the reason so many went out to meet Him…..”

John 12:10-11, 17-18a

A day after Mary sacrificially and prophetically anointed Jesus’ feet with her precious and expensive oil, Jesus headed towards Jerusalem in what is known as the ‘triumphant entry’. Many of those gathered around to welcome Jesus, came because of the miracle they had seen, where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead after 4 days. Yet not all the people there were happy to see Jesus, riding on a colt, being exalted as the ‘King of Israel’. The Pharisee’s, jealous for the attention Jesus was getting and for the people leaving their teachings and following Jesus’, were angered and wanted to kill Jesus. Yet there were so many in the crowd, that they simply couldn’t get to Jesus.

Interestingly the Pharisees were so mad with Jesus, that they even started resenting Lazarus for being raised from the dead and wanting to kill him again, (possibly they missed the fact that Jesus had just miraculously raised him from the dead or maybe it hadn’t sank in it yet).

The significance of Lazarus’s resurrection was not only to show Jesus’ power over death for others, but also prophetically for His own death. Moreover, Jesus’ miracles, led many to believe in Him and His power over sin and death. Yet, most of the people who came to joyfully to welcome Jesus en-route to Jerusalem, were present at Jesus’ crucifixion, screaming out for His death at the hands of the Romans.

What is important to note, is that although Jesus’ miraculous power can lead many to Him, it is only a personal encounter with Him that can change lives. Many people had seen Jesus resurrect Lazarus from the dead, but how many of those people truly encountered Jesus personally for themselves. Have you heard of Jesus’ love, read of Jesus’ miracles yet never encountered Him personally? Now is your chance. It’s never too late. Where are not called children of God because of others experiences but because we have personally met with the resurrected Christ and experienced His life changing love. Will you?

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The High Priest’s Accurate Prophecy

11th September

“Caiaphas, who high priest at that time, said, “You do not know what you’re talking about! You don’t realize that it’s better for you that one man should die than for the whole nation to be destroyed.” He did not say this on his own; as high priest at that time he was led to prophesy that Jesus would die for the entire nation.”

John 11:49-51

A few verses before this passage in John 11, Jesus miraculously heals Lazarus after he had been dead for around 4 days. Jesus yet again showed that He was more than just a good teacher but the Son of God, a statement spoken by Martha, the sister of Mary and Lazarus.

However, the Pharisees were not happy with Jesus’ miracles. They did not deny that Jesus healed Lazarus and many others. Yet they were so worried about their own reputations, that people were following Jesus’ teachings and not theirs, and so worried about the Roman army, that they missed on who Jesus really was. In fact, their anger was so great that they wanted to kill Jesus.

Amazingly, the Holy Spirit put the words in Caiaphas the high priest’s mouth, that one man (JESUS) would eventually die to save the entire nation. The difference was that salvation was not from the rule of the Roman Army or the saving of the temple in Jerusalem, rather it was the saving of every nation’s sins, that all men could know God personally and intimately.

Ultimately, the Pharisees did get their way and Jesus was crucified. More importantly, however, is that God’s ultimate plan for mankind was fulfilled, when Jesus rose again. He really did save the whole nation of Israel; not just Israel but “all the children of God scattered around the world” (v52).

Will you stand with Martha and declare that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of God, the One who has come into the world from God”? Will you acknowledge that Jesus died not only for the entire nation’s sin, but also yours personally? Jesus is calling, what is your answer?

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Mary And Martha: A Prophetic Anointing

10th September

“Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.””

John 12:7

The anointing of Mary’s expensive perfume over Jesus’ feet may have seemed a waste to the likes of Judas (who wanted to profit for his own gain, v6), but it actually represented a greater purpose. This event actually took place only a few days before Jesus’ crucifixion. Although the text does not state that Mary’s intentions had anything to do with Jesus’ death, it is alluded to by Jesus Himself. He knew that in a few days He would sacrifice Himself for mankind. As was the tradition, after the person had been declared deceased, they poured anointing oil to avoid a bad smell until their burial. What Mary may not have realised, was that anointing Jesus was a prophetic act of preparing Jesus for His imminent death. Jesus knew that His hour would soon come.

Yet that was not the end. The fact that Lazarus, whom Jesus recently raised from the dead, was sitting with them at the table, highlights Jesus’ victory over sin and death. Jesus’ death was not the end, but the beginning of new life.

Let us remember today that our God is alive. His grace a sweet smelling aroma that flows through our own lives. Our priority should always be to put Jesus at the center of our lives, even it means that there is a great cost to pay. In truth, no cost can out-weigh the greatness of what awaits His beloved children. Jesus is not dead, He is alive. He love and grace in us is a sweet fragrance that should be smelt wherever we are. Let us put our lives back into perspective and re-align our selves with Christ at the center.

The relationship of Mary and Judas with Jesus provides two contrasts of true and false relationships. Mary completely sold out for Jesus, and Judas a liar and deceiver. Let us chose truth and give our lives completely to Jesus, running away from falsehood and deceit.

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Mary And Martha: Loving Without A Price

9th September

“A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honour. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate with Him. Then Mary took a 12-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping His feet with her hair…..But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray Him, said, “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to to the poor.””

John 12:2-5

Although this story may not have been directly after the previous story we read of in yesterday’s devotion, it bears a remarkable resemblance to it and highlights a very similar message. Yet again we read that Martha, the servant hearted sister, is busy serving and preparing food for Jesus and their guests. Although Martha’s servant heart may have been genuine and proper, Jesus’ once again commends Mary for her actions.

This time Mary takes an expensive perfume, which as Judas pointed out, was worth a year’s wages, and anoints Jesus’ feet, wiping it in with her hair. Again Mary’s actions would have been seen as completely inappropriate, un-cultural and wasteful. Yet Jesus doesn’t stop her. He realised that Mary was completely in love with Him (not in an erotic way but as her Master and Saviour). She knew that Jesus was so much more than just a Good Teacher.

As Mary let her hair down, (Jewish women never let their hair down in public except on their wedding day), poured the expensive ointment over Jesus feet and wiped it with her hair, she also showed that Jesus had more value to her than the perfume, than cultural dignity and people’s opinions. This a great lesson that we can learn too.

This is not to say that we should go and purposefully break cultural customs or waste expensive things in Jesus’ Name, rather it is an attitude that says ‘Jesus you mean more to me than my finance, my agenda, and my reputation; if I have to lose all for Your sake, then so be it!’. However, this attitude only comes from being completely sold out for Jesus, and willing to have a deep and intimate relationship with Him, through the Holy Spirit’s work of salvation.