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In The World But Not Of It

13th March

“Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Romans 12:2

Did you know that when a salmon is ready to start spawning, it returns from the great ocean, swims upstream and returns to the place that it itself was spawned. Sometimes the distance it swims from the ocean to the river, can be almost around 900 miles (1400km)1. The ‘Salmon run’ often can be used to describe the life of a believer returning to our real home. We are born in this world, but as Jesus says in John 17 verse 14, ‘we are not of this world’! Our home is heaven. Although we are not of this world, we do live in it. Yet just because we live in it, it doesn’t mean that we have to follow its ways. The writer of Romans encourages us to be like the ‘salmon’ and to actually swim against the currents, the behaviours and customs of this world, by letting God transform us! How does God do this? By changing the way we think.

As we grow in our walk with God, He becomes all we think about. When we focus on Him, the behaviours, patterns and customs of this world, fall away as we are transformed into Godly living. If truth be told, it is much easier to live the way everyone else lives, following their sinful lifestyles. But God has called us to swim against that current and to stand firm against things that try to push us away from Him. Moreover, Jesus Himself prayed for us that we would have the strength to stand firm. He prayed ‘not that we would be taken out of the world’ but rather that we ‘be kept safe from the evil one’2. As you swim upstream, as you swim against the currents and behaviour patterns of this world, know that the King of Kings is willing you on. Be strong and courageous. Be blessed. Let your mind be transformed by Jesus!

2Paraphrased from John 17:15

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How To Get Eternal Life?

11th & 12th March

Weekend Edition

“For You have given Him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one You have given Him. And this is the way to have eternal life – to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One you sent to earth.”

John 17:2-3

Millions of people have searched endlessly and tirelessly to find the answer to today’s question in the title of this devotion. Un-told films have been made, countless songs written and even religions invented to try to get the answer of eternal life. Some say you have to do ‘this ritual or that ritual’ to get eternal life, some say you don’t have to do anything at all other than be in a constant meditative state of self cleansing.

Yet if people would just look to God, the source of all truth, they would find the answer they are looking for. There is no hidden text that needs to be decrypted by an Indiana Jones type quest. They is no need even for it to be for debate.

The answer is simple; so simple that even children can understand. Jesus said plainly and clearly, in His prayer to His Father, moments before He would be betrayed by Judas, that the way to eternal life is ‘by knowing the Father’ and ‘Jesus Christ’. Eternal life is found in knowing the Godhead. This also is not some mystic path to follow but an invitation to accept. God helps us to get to know Him – He invites us to get to know Him. He gave us His Holy Spirit so that the Spirit would lead us into a deeper relationship with Him. Praise God, that we can have eternal life through our relationship with Him.

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The Grace Of God Leads To…

March 10th

“For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people.”

Titus 2:10

Grace. Grace is one of those words, that even when you say it, it sounds loving, kind and accepting (perhaps that’s why it is used so much in people’s names). And that is all grace is. It is the loving, kind and accepting gift of God, that turns us from our sins and leads us to His everlasting life. It is God’s revealed grace that leads to salvation.

God’s grace is unlimited and is always available to those who call on His Name. God’s grace says, you get what you don’t deserve (salvation and forgiveness), and don’t get what you do deserve (punishment). God’s grace says yes you have messed up but here, I forgive you; have another chance to put it right. God’s grace says, I have chosen you to be my child. It is God’s grace that sustains the universe and everything surrounding us. Yet above all, God’s grace is birthed from His love for us. His grace empowers us to live righteously for Him.

Friends, God’s grace is readily available. It is never too late to turn to Him. His grace is impartial and not dependant on if you deserve it or not. Let God’s grace lead you to salvation and fill your heart with love, kindness and acceptance.

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Trust In The Lord

9th March

“Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.”

Isaiah 26:4

Whom have we but the Lord? Whom else can we trust? Who else holds our lives in the palm of their hands? Who else is sovereign, mighty, powerful and majestic? Who else can be a solid foundation when storms come, other than the Lord God almighty? There really is none other than our God. Yes He is our God, on our side, fighting for us, interceding for us, healing us, saving us and making us more like Him. There is no one else who can be consistently faithful like God is. Why put your trust in anyone or anything other than God?

Even Isaiah knew this truth. He knew that if the people of Israel surrounded themselves in the shelter of Almighty God, then no harm would come to them, no enemy will be able to prevail against them. No-one will be able to come between their relationship with God. Friends that promise is real today too. Put your trust in the King. He is our eternal Rock! Nothing can shake us from the foundation we have in Him.

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The Pain Won’t Last

8th March

 

“I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to Me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.”

John 16:20

Jesus’ death truly does conjure images of grief and mourning amongst believers. It is sad that Jesus had to physically be beaten and tortured to pay for our sins. It is sad that an innocent man had to die for us. It is sad that our God and King was made a mockery of. BUT, as Jesus said, our weeping and mourning is now over, and our grief has been turned into wonderful joy, because He has been resurrected!! He is alive!! Jesus likened this pain and joy to the metaphor of a woman giving birth. When a woman is in labour, giving birth to her child, she suffers with great pain. But, as soon as the child is born, the pain is quickly swept away with the emotion of joy and happiness at the sight of their new born child.

Friends, don’t stay mourning for a dead man, but rejoice in a resurrected King. He is no longer in the grave. He is alive and He lives in us. Let us cast our pains and burdens to Him, because He lives. Let receive and walk in the joy that comes from worshipping our resurrected King.

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The Spirit Has Come

7th March

“When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own but will tell you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring Me glory by telling you whatever He receives from Me..”

John 16:13-14

We are so blessed to be living in a time where the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us because of Jesus’ ascension, is stirring up people’s hearts and opening them to the person of Jesus Christ. It is because He is alive and living that we can have a personal revelation of Jesus’ salvation and His substitutional sacrifice for us on the cross. Moreover, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, reveals God’s character to us and reveals more of God’s plans for our lives. Yet there is even more; He guides us into all truth, helping us to discern right from wrong and sin from righteous living. He even reveals God’s plans for our futures, for the future of this world and His future plan in the Heavenly realms.

The Holy Spirit is not some magical trick, but part of the Triune God we serve. He is God. So when we pray, let us pray for more of the Holy Spirit in our lives. More of His revelation; of both who God is and His plan for our lives. His love, truth and guidance is available for all who ask.

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In Spite Of Persecution, Press On

6th March

“I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith. For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. This is because they have never known the Father or Me.”

John 16:1-3

You may read the title of today’s devotion and the Bible verse and think this is a little heavy for a Monday morning, but persecution is a reality that many believers around the world face. Sadly, throughout church history, many Christians have too been persecutors of both those outside the faith and even those inside of it, thinking they are doing a ‘holy service for God’. However, persecution doesn’t always come in the form of physical abuse, like the early church faced. Persecution takes on many forms. Verbal abuse, condemnation, family and friends disowning you and so on. BUT, in spite of all things that surround us, we can still stand firm in our faith, because of Jesus, and because we are empowered with the Holy Spirit.

Friends, when persecution comes, don’t abandon your faith, but rather hold fast to it. For it is our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, that keeps us strong, no matter what we face. We can take comfort and know that whatever we have or are facing, Jesus went through too! It is for this reason that He helps us in times of struggles, because He knows what we are going through. Let us lean on Jesus, trust in His strength, and know 100% that whatever we face, He is with us. Press on! Don’t give up!

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What’s My Purpose In Life

3rd – 5th March

Weekend Edition

“You didn’t choose Me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using My name. This is My command: Love each other.”

John 15:16-17

Ever wondered what your life purpose is? Or perhaps why you are here on this earth?

We are all individually designed and moulded into God’s image and in His likeness. Moreover, we have all been given a plan and a purpose as both individuals but also together as the body of Christ. The exciting thing is, that because we have been created in God’s image and moulded into Christ’s likeness, we carry the commission of our Creator and King as the mandate and purpose for our life. What is that? Simply, to love as Christ has loved us. How do we know that? Because it says so in God’s word. Plain, simply and clearly; This is My command: Love each other.

Yet we have not been abandoned to struggle with this commission on our own. No! We have been given the Holy Spirit to guide us, to lead us and to work through us. We are given the fruit of the Spirit, birthed by staying connected to the vine, and we have been given the Name above all Names, Jesus’ Name, to ask for anything we need, with a promise that it will be given. Our role and purpose in life is to firstly receive God’s love and then love others with the same love we have received. That’s your primary purpose in life. Isn’t that a wonderful life goal and project?!

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Remain In My Love

2nd March

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved Me. Remain in My love. When you obey My commandments, you remain in My love, just as I obey My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.”

John 15:9-10

For the last few days we have been looking at staying connecting to the source of life, Jesus Christ. We know that when we are connected to Him, our lives will produce the fruit of Christ-like living, both giving glory to His name, and helping others know His glory. Jesus takes the analogy a step deeper in today’s verse and encourages His disciples, and us, His children, to not only stay connected to the vine of Christ but remain in the love of Christ. Jesus said that we can stay in His love if we ‘obey His commandments’. Yet in truth, if we are loved by Him, then we will naturally obey His commandments, because we will want to do what pleases Him, just like an earthly loving relationship. We want to make our loved ones happy by doing things to please them.

Yet Jesus promises more than just making Him happy as we obey Him and remain in His love. He also promises us joy. A fact He repeats twice. ‘YES, your joy will overflow!’. But it gets better. Not only are we blessed with joy, but we are promised fellowship and friendship with the creator of this world. We are no longer slaves or puppets, but FRIENDS of God. We are chosen by God to be loved, to be friends of God and to produce lasting fruit through Him and for Him. Moreover, Jesus promises us that when we ask for anything in His name, He will give it to us. WOW. Isn’t that worth staying connected to Him? Isn’t that worth remaining in His love?

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The Fruit

1st March

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing… . When you produce much fruit, you are My true disciples. This brings great glory to My Father.”

John 15:5, 8

The man who concentrates on the root system of his life is going to bear fruit upward, but if he concentrates on the eye-appealing foliage he may end up a rootless failure.

Robert D. Foster

Bearing fruit, being a believer with Christ-like attributes and characteristics, is not something we can conjure up in our own might and power. If we could, then why would we need God in the first place? Of course you can live as a moral person, with good intentions, but true Godly fruit, only comes from being connected to the source of Godly nutrients, the Vine of Christ. Jesus tells us that apart from Him, we ‘can do nothing’. Yes we can try to be a good person, try to look nice on the outside, and even try to fool ourselves that we do look good. Yet all this is not genuine, God-pleasing fruit, because it comes from us and not from the source of ‘good fruit’, Jesus Christ. In order to make sure we are produce ‘God’s’ fruit in our lives, we need to stay connected to the source, we need to stay plugged into the root of our faith. It is only then that we can be counted as true ‘fruit bearing’ disciples of God and bring glory to the Father. Stay plugged in! Stay true to Him!