11^th April

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

John 15:13

Yesterday, we looked at Judas’ dramatic yet simple betrayal of Jesus, by a kiss; a damning sign of false affection. Yet Jesus’ response to Judas completely blows the mind of the reader and shows us exactly what Jesus was like; what our God is like. Jesus says to Judas ‘My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for’¹ Isn’t that an astounding statement. Even in those words, the love and grace of a merciful God flows so freely.

Jesus could have easily turned round and caused a raucous, screaming and shouting ‘JUDAS, how could you betray Me. You know who I am. I have loved you and taught you and blessed you!’ One would think these words would be a reasonable response from a man who was just betrayed by one of His twelve closest friends (Jesus was 100% human too, as well as 100% God). Yet Jesus didn’t say that at all. Instead, like a humble lamb led to the slaughter, He purposefully and sacrificially allowed Himself to be arrested and accept the betrayal by Judas.

Jesus showed us that He was freely laying down His life, as the greatest act of love, for people just like Judas; people who didn’t do anything to gain God’s love and favour, but were freely given it. We too are radically loved, by the sacrificial death of our Lord. His life was the greatest act of love, not only shown by His words to Judas, but throughout history, to us and to all mankind. Our choice – to accept it or reject it!

10^th April

“So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss.”

Matthew 26:49

This Easter Sunday, many Christians around the world will be celebrating Jesus’ victorious resurrection over sin and death, the ultimate act of love. As we lead up to the victorious Sunday, it often gives us a time to reflect on what we have been saved from, as if to almost review our lives through the lens of grace that was so freely given at the cross.

Today’s verse tells us of the moment that the disciple Judas, betrayed Jesus with a kiss. One can only imagine what was going through Judas’ mind at that time. Of course scripture tells us that this was not a spontaneous idea but a premeditated action, previously arranged with the leading priests in exchange for thirty pieces of silver. We also know according to scripture, that Judas probably didn’t just act on his own, but allowed satan to influence his thoughts, and enter his mind¹. Yet the ‘not so talked about’ part of Judas’ life is the regret and remorse he had knowing that he had just betrayed an innocent man with the kiss of death. His remorse was so deep, that not only did he try to return the ‘blood’ money, but he also eventually hanged himself.

Friends, as we reflect on our lives, on the things that we have done wrong, even the actions we have done that may even blatantly deny Christ, know that there is still forgiveness for you. You don’t need to die in condemnation, because you can live in freedom from guilt and shame. Don’t let you actions lead you to hate yourself so much that you can’t live with what you have done. Jesus’ forgiveness was for all mankind, and His love reaches even the darkest places in our lives. Turn to Him. Repent of your sins and accept the renewing and restoring work of the blood of Christ, freely shed to wash you clean.

8^th – 9^th April

^{Weekend Edition}

“For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.”

Titus 2:11-14

Life can be hard sometimes. Feelings of giving up, of throwing the towel in and feelings of defeat may often enter your mind. But you were not created to be on the loosing side. You are adopted into the victorious family of Christ, of whom the author and creator of our very breath, is the God, Father and Head of the house. We are promised that one day Christ will return. That is our glorious hope. That day when Christ returns in all His glory to rid this world of evil once and for all and take us home to live with Him eternally!

Although that day has not yet come, we can still have victory in Christ in this life, on this earth. Read what Paul says to Titus in verse 14, ‘He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people…..’ Yes we are living in an evil world, full of sinful pleasures and temptations, but we have victory over them, through the sacrificial death and victorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is in His resurrection that we can live sanctified and purified lives, with ‘wisdom, righteousness and devotion to God’.

Friends, may we rejoice, in the glorious hope that awaits and in the victory we now live in!

7^th April

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as My prophet to the nations.”

Jeremiah 1:5

Jeremiah was an Old Testament prophet who had the hard job of speaking God’s truth to a world which simply had turned its back on Godly living. Moreover, he had the un-desirable job of telling his people that they would be invaded because of their rebellion against God’s ways. It was a job that was sometimes to much for Jeremiah. Hence why he was given the name ‘weeping prophet’.

Yet right at the very beginning of his life, when God commissioned Jeremiah, God spoke these clear and precise words to him, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as My prophet to the nations.” God’s plans for Jeremiah’s life started long before he was even conceived. And it was these words that kept Jeremiah going, even through really hard times.

Today, God says the same to you. He has a plan and purpose for you. He thought about you before you were even a thought! Don’t give up on your life. God wants to use YOU. Why? Because He made you to be used! We may have days when it all seems too much, like Jeremiah did, but our trust and hope is in knowing that we have been individually designed but Almighty God, to be used for His glory in a perfect relationship with Him.

5^th April

“Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our Salvation. Let us come to Him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to Him. For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods.”

Psalm 95:1-3

Our great God, Jesus Christ, stepped down from Heaven, became and lived as one of us, died and rose again victorious, so that we might be saved from our sins.

Does this statement excite you? Does it make you want to sing for joy? Or does it feel a little boring because you have heard it so many times? The marvellous gospel, the truth and purpose of why we live, is so that we can fully understand the above statement and let it completely transform our lives. Even the writer of today’s psalm couldn’t help but be filled with praise and adoration for God’s mercy and greatness; and he didn’t even live in the fullness of God’s grace, shown to us by Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. How much more should we be filled with joy, at the greatness of the Rock of our salvation.

We must never let the truth of the gospel fill our lives with complacency, but rather, look at what God has saved us from, rejoice in His regenerative work in our lives, and His daily outpouring of grace in us and through us. We are children of His glorious and unconditional love. Let us too sing psalms of praise to Him. For He is a great God, the King above all gods. He is the Rock of YOUR salvation.

4^th April

“The Lord says, “Shout and rejoice, O beautiful Jerusalem, for I am coming to live among you. Many nations will join themselves to the Lord on that day, and they, too, will be My people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies sent Me to you.”

Zechariah 2:10-11

And He shall be called Emmanuel – God with us

When Jesus was born, He fulfilled this prophecy written about Him by the prophet Zechariah! Although in its context, the prophet is talking about the return of the people of Israel back to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon! However, it is also a clear picture of Jesus coming to live amongst His people, calling all nations to Himself, to also become His bride, His children and His people.

We are now living in that fulfilment. We live in the promise of this verse. We too are called out of exile, we are released from sin’s grasp, and are now called into God’s kingdom as part of His church and body. God Himself, not only lives amongst us, but lives in us. He came for us. Moreover, He is calling all nations, irrespective of tribe, language and culture, to Himself, so can all be ‘one body’, united in Him.

Whatever you are facing today, if you have any doubts and fears, know that God is with YOU. It is His promise. To walk alongside His people. To live amongst us. God, Emmanuel, lives in you and is with you. He will never leave you. He is by your side. You are not alone. You are united with the King’s Heavenly Armies, and with the King of Kings Himself.

3^rd April

“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.”

2 Corinthians 4:16

Friends we have an eternal hope in Christ Jesus. Our hope is that one day all our fears, worries and cares will be eternally swept away by the power of Christ’s love forever. We will be in a place where our bodies will not grow old and weak, where we don’t have to live in trials and tribulations; a place of complete peace and joy.

Perhaps as you read this, you are yearning for that place. You may feel like your body is dying, problems are mounting up, bills need paying, kids need feeding, and job stresses are rising. THEN STOP! You don’t have to give up. God is with you right now! The same God of eternity, the same God who promises us eternal peace and joy, is the same God who offers those blessings now!

Although our bodies grow old and weak, and our cares and problems rise, God is renewing our spirit every day. His blessings are new every day. We do not have to live in yesterday’s blessings, feeding off every last drop of it, we can have a fresh anointing today! He is with us now, willing us on, filling us once again with His blessings and increasing our capacity to receive His love and all He has for us! Re-charge in Christ. Don’t give up!

30^th March

“For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers, as you still do.”

Hebrews 6:10

There truly are some warriors for Christ amongst us. Those people, who it’s never too late to share hospitality with a brother or sister. Those who continually and prayerfully support the needs of God’s church. They serve without reservation, give without expecting return, love with an open heart and don’t need recognition for sacrificially giving of themselves. These people are the pillars of the church. No doubt you know someone like this. Perhaps that person is you. Well, as the writer of Hebrews says, God has not forgotten about you. He has seen the sacrifices you have made for His bride and Kingdom, He has seen the love and care you have shown to the believers. He is a just God and will reward you accordingly.

Sometimes when you are constantly giving out, it feels as if you are emptying yourself, running low on energy. But God wants you to know, that He sees and will reward you. He will fill you up with more of His love and strength, so that you do not become ‘spiritually dull and indifferent’ (v12), but rather you will be an example for those inheriting God’s promises. Keep going with faith and endurance. Don’t give up serving the people of God. God sees and He is pleased.

29^th March

“So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know Him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

2 Corinthians 5:16-17

Isn’t it encouraging to know that in Christ, our old life has gone and a new life has begun! We are born again, new creations, with a new identity and purpose, not for sinful and worldly living but for Christ-like, Godly living. Jesus now, is no longer just a character from the Bible, or ‘theory’, He is our God, our Friend, and our King. We know Christ deeper than just through a humanistic point of view. We have a relationship with Him.

We can take courage that whatever our past, whatever our sins, Christ is ready to give us a new start. He is waiting patiently for us to turn to Him, to be transformed into His likeness. That is why we were created. We can rejoice in the fact, that our old lives have gone, and look forward to living a new life in Christ. Be encouraged. Your new life is here. God has a great plan for your life. Go and live it!