In Desperate Times...

"‘I don’t suppose there are many places where Alpha happens to the sound of gunfire and rockets flying, but for us the message is simple: it is about hope, light and a future because it is about Jesus.’

This is what Canon Andrew White, Vicar of St George’s, Baghdad, wrote to me in a letter describing their Alpha course in Baghdad. They were in a desperate situation. The church had been bombed more than once. Many people in their congregation had been killed. Some of the leaders had been kidnapped. For some, profession of faith in Jesus means almost certain death. Yet in these desperate times, Andrew White is able to say that Jesus brings hope, light and a future.

The psalmist speaks of ‘desperate times’ (Psalm 60:3). There are times in life when everything seems to go wrong. This can be true for a society and it can also be true for us as individuals. Maybe even now you are facing a desperate situation – perhaps with your health, a bereavement, the breakdown of a relationship, work problems, family difficulties, financial trouble or a combination of these. In each of the passages for today, we see how the people of God respond in desperate times.

Psalm 60:1-4

Hope in the midst of conquest

Sometimes it appears God’s people are being defeated. While there is a great revival in many parts of the world, such as Asia, in Western Europe, for example, church attendance has been in decline. Churches get closed. Christian morals are no longer seen as important.

There are desperate moments in the history of the people of God. This psalm is a national lament after a conquest by their enemies. The people of God felt rejected. David says, ‘You have shown your people desperate times’ (v.3a).

He uses the image of an earthquake to describe the desperation and uncertainty they faced (v.2). The same image is used today to describe turmoil in all spheres of life, not just in the literal shaking of an earthquake. The instability of the economy, corporate institutions, marriage and community are all often portrayed as shaking and fractured.

Yet in the midst of all this, there is hope – now as in the time of David. He writes, ‘But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow’ (v.4). The Lord has designated a place where his people may find refuge under his protection. This poetic language describes the confidence that we can have in the Lord, even in desperate times.

Thank you, Lord, that even in desperate times, I can take refuge under your protection."

1. Behind all of any pain is hope, thank You that we could find refuge in You.

2. It was a weekend of rest and peace, cruising along the small canals. Thank You for the relaxation.

3. Thank You for a fun trip!

There Is Light

"John 8:12-30

Shine God’s light in a dark world

Terrorist attacks, widespread abuse of children, genocide in Darfur, the terrible evil of human trafficking, 29.8 million people in slavery. We live in a dark world. But we are not without hope. Light can drive out darkness.

Israel was in a dark period of its history. The people were called to walk in a close relationship with God. The people were meant to live under the direct rule and reign of God as their king. Had they lived like this they would not have needed a human king.

However, they were now living in the worst possible scenario. They were not living under the kingship of the Lord, and did not even have a human king to keep order and restrain the chaos.

These were bleak days. ‘In those days Israel had no king’ (18:1; 19:1). They turned to idol worship (Chapter 18). Then in Chapter 19 we read a terrible account of the worst excesses of a chaotic society. The appalling rape and abuse and dissection of this woman caused everyone who saw it to say, ‘Such a thing has never been seen or done, not since the day the Israelites came up out of Egypt. Think about it! Consider it! Tell us what to do!’ (19:30). This was a time of utter darkness, of life without God.

Terrible as this atrocity was, it is not unique in the history of the world. We only have to open our newspapers to see the appalling atrocities that can happen when a society rejects God and his laws: it descends into utter chaos.

Lt Gen Romeo Dallaire, who was part of the UN mission to Rwanda and witnessed the genocide, was asked how he could still believe in God. He replied: ‘I know there is a God because in Rwanda I shook hands with the devil. I have seen him, I have smelled him and I have touched him. I know the devil exists, and therefore I know that there is a God.’

Today’s Old Testament passage reminds us about how dark a place the world can be without God. Let us return to the New Testament passage for today – which reminds us that Jesus brings light into this dark world.

In a staggering claim, Jesus naturally puts himself in the place of God, and says that he is ‘the light of the world’ (John 8:12). A world without God is a world of darkness. Yet Jesus said, ‘Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’ (John 8:12).

When we turn to Jesus we come out of the darkness of life without God into the light of life with him. Not only that, but as we live with God, seeking to please him, we embody together the ‘light of life’ to bring light into our dark world.

You really can make a difference to the world around you. Your life, in Christ, can shine like light in the spiritual darkness in the world around you.

Lord, help us to be a community that brings your light to a dark world. Help us as individuals and as a church to live with you, to please you and to bring the light of life, love and joy to those around us today."

1. Help me bring the light to this dark world. Thank You for Your grace. Hallelujah!

2. Thank You for patience and understanding, Lord. Just thank You.

3. Praise You for spiritual gifts that I can be of service to others.

The Aim Is To Please

"John 8:12-30

Always try to please God

Do you realise that you can give God pleasure? Jesus says, ‘I always do what pleases him’ (v.29). This should be our aim in life – to please God.

Jesus models for us a life with God. He says, ‘I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me’ (v.16). He says, ‘The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone’ (v.29a). Throughout this passage, we discover something about Jesus’ perfect relationship with his Father.

Jesus says, ‘I know where I came from and where I am going’ (v.14). So many people struggle in life because they don’t know where they came from or where they are heading. So many struggle with a lack of purpose and direction in their lives. In a close relationship with God, we can know where we came from, and ultimately where we are heading.

Jesus’ relationship with the Father was also the source of his purpose and direction day by day. He says, ‘I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me’ (v.28). He says, ‘The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone’ (v.29a).

This is the model for us. God was with Jesus. Jesus knew he was never alone. There was not a single thing he did without God. At every moment his desire is to please God: ‘I always do what pleases him’ (v.29b). This is what gave his life such power and effectiveness. ‘Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him’ (v.30).

Not only was Jesus with God, he was God. As John puts it at the start of his gospel, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God’ (1:1).

Twice in today’s passage Jesus says, ‘I am he’ (8:24,28). This is a way God sometimes refers to himself in the Old Testament (see for example Isaiah 43:10). The words translated ‘I am he’ are the same words that are used in the Greek translation of Exodus 3:14–16. There, God revealed himself to Moses as ‘I AM WHO I AM’. This name came to express both the identity of God and the closeness of God to his people.

In today’s passage, Jesus seems to be using this name himself (and he definitely does so later on in the chapter, in v.58). He is telling the people that God has once again come near to them in him. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us.

It is as we look to the cross that Jesus says we have the clearest demonstration of his identity. ‘So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be.” ’ (v.28).

Jesus had complete confidence in his own identity. We have seen how the key to Jesus’ confidence and identity lay in his relationship with the Father. The same will also be true for us. As you spend time with the Father in prayer, in worship, or in reading the Scriptures, you will find that your sense of identity and confidence in who you are in God will grow. You can know where you have come from and where you are heading.

No matter what people say about you, you can walk confidently with head held high. Your identity is in Christ and what he says about you and the fact that he is with you.

Father, thank you that we are able to say, ‘The one who sent me is with me, he has not left me alone’. Help me, like Jesus, always to do what pleases you and always to speak just what you have taught me."

1. Thank You, Lord, for being always there whatever happens. May I always do what pleases You.

2. Praise God for new friends from the other side of the world. Thank You for resetting my mindset.

3. Thank You for good connections.

With or Without You

"I was eighteen years old when I first encountered Jesus. I remember distinctly a conversation I had with a Christian leader shortly afterwards. I said how glad I was that I had not become a Christian earlier, since I had been able to experience the difference between life with God and life without God. He pointed out the fallacy of this way of thinking and suggested that the sooner we experience life with God, the better.

Looking back on my life now, I see the wisdom of his words. I am so grateful to God that our children can look back on their own lives and say that there has never been a time in their life when they were ‘without God’.

Over the years, I have interviewed hundreds of people who have encountered Jesus on Alpha. A pattern often emerges in their testimonies – the contrast between their life before becoming a Christian compared to their life as a Christian. They contrast their life without God and their life with God. There is always a sense of great joy and relief, and often regret that they did not begin their life with God earlier.

We are created to live in a relationship with God. Without that, life will never really make sense. There is a stark contrast in the Bible between life with God and life without God. In the passages for today we see what is possible with God.

Psalm 60:5-12

Trust God in every difficulty

Compared with God’s help, human help is worthless. ‘With God’, he says, ‘we shall gain the victory’ (v.12). He was speaking about physical battles. The apostle Paul writes that our main battles are not physical. They are not ‘against flesh and blood, but … against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms’ (Ephesians 6:12).

David prays, ‘Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered … Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless. With God we shall gain the victory’ (Psalm 60:5,11–12a).

Lord, I look to you to help me in all the battles I am facing. Give me aid, I pray. I need you to go with me. Thank you that with you I can be confident of victory. I trust in you today."

1. Thank You that it was never too late for me and my family to know You. The victory has won!

2. Praise God for the opportunity to keep learning new languages.

3. Hallelujah for diversity! 

Be Loyal No Matter What

"John 8:31-59

Be loyal to God

As the account of this chaotic period in Israel’s history comes to an end in the book of Judges, the writer concludes: ‘At that time there was no king in Israel. People did whatever they felt like doing’ (21:25, MSG). God had given them a political system based on loyalty to the one God. But that loyalty was short-lived and the whole system began to dissolve.

As we will see when we look at the book of 1 Samuel, the provision of having a king in Israel was not seen as wholly positive. Yet it was preferable to this chaotic state of affairs where everyone did just ‘whatever they felt like doing’.   

Even in the midst of the chaos, there were moments when the people of God ‘enquired of God’ (20:18). They asked to be led by God. The lesson of staying in constant communication and consultation with God is so prevalent throughout the Old Testament. If Israel made a mistake here, it was that they did not ask God whether or not they should go into battle – they only asked how the battle was to be waged.

We also learn that even if God is behind a scheme we may suffer great setbacks, as the people of God did here. Even though God promised victory there were casualties along the way. If this is true of the physical battles they faced, it is certainly true of the spiritual battles that we face. We must not be surprised by setbacks. It does not necessarily mean that we are not being led by God. The lesson of the book of Judges is that whatever happens we must stay loyal to God.

Lord, help me to stay constantly loyal to you. May I not be put off by setbacks. May I always seek your will in my life."

1. I am so grateful for instilling into my mind that there will be setbacks but I just have to keep trusting You, in Your bigger plan for me. Thank You.

2. Thank You that still by Your grace, I am able to let go what is not for me. I pray for more room options.

3. Thank You for extended help from people you bring into my life.

Freedom!

"John 8:31-59

Be liberated by Jesus

Do you want to live a life of unquestionable freedom? Jesus is the great liberator. If Jesus ‘liberates you then you are really and unquestionably free’ (8:36, AMP).

This chapter in John’s Gospel revolves around the question, ‘Who is Jesus?’ (vv.12–59). Indeed, Jesus is asked that very question, ‘Who do you think you are?’ (v.53). His answer points to his unique relationship with his Father. It culminates with the extraordinary claim ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’ (v.58). This was exactly the same way that God had revealed himself to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). Jesus uses language that only God could use. His opponents pick up stones to stone him for blasphemy (John 8:59).

Although Jesus’ relationship with his Father was unique, through Jesus we can all come to know God. The relationship brings freedom to your life. Jesus says, ‘If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed’ (v.36). But what does this freedom mean? 

Jesus says that to know him is to know the truth, and that ‘the truth will set you free’ (v.32). In Judaism, the truth was the law; and the study of, and adherence to, the law made a person free. Jesus says, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples’ (v.31).

Christians are sometimes accused of being narrow-minded or anti-intellectual – as contrasted with those who call themselves ‘free thinkers’. Jesus says that, in fact, the opposite is the case. Following Jesus is the way of intellectual freedom and integrity.
Truth is revealed by God. Jesus is ‘the truth’ (14:6). He is God’s ultimate revelation. Knowing the truth is not about assenting to propositions, but about knowing a person. Knowing Jesus broadens your mind, increases your depth of insight and widens your scope of understanding.

This does not mean that we have all the answers but that we have a true framework of thinking. Scientific laws provide a framework that gives freedom to investigate in the physical realm. God’s revelation provides the framework that gives intellectual freedom to investigate in the spiritual realm. Belief leads to understanding.

The response to Jesus’ words were, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?’ (8:33). It would have been absurd to claim they had never been in political subjection – but the claim is that they had never lost their inward freedom of the soul.

But Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin’ (v.34). Without Jesus Christ, all of us are slaves to sin. But, ‘if the Son liberates you, then you are really and unquestionably free’ (v.36, AMP).

Freedom from guilt

Jesus sets you free from guilt. He died so that you could be forgiven and your guilt could be taken away.

Freedom from addiction

He sets you free from addiction – being ‘a slave to sin’ (v.34). On the cross the power of addiction was broken. Although you may still fall from time to time, the power of the addiction to sin is broken when Jesus sets you free. While some may receive complete freedom from a specific addiction when they come to Jesus, for others it may be a longer process.

Freedom from fear

Jesus sets you free from fear. He came so that ‘by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death’ (Hebrews 2:14–15). Jesus says here, ‘I tell you the truth, whoever keeps my word will never see death’ (John 8:51).

Death is not the end for those whom Jesus has set free. Rather it is the gateway to heaven. When Jesus sets you free from the fear of death, he also sets you free potentially from all other fears.

Freedom to know God

Jesus sets you free to have a relationship with God like his own. Jesus is the supreme example of a person who is led by God. He says of himself, ‘I heard from God’ (v.40). But he also goes on to say, ‘Whoever belongs to God hears what God says’ (v.47). It is possible for us all to hear from God.

Jesus says, ‘I know him’ (v.55). He makes it possible for you to know God. Later he will say to his disciples, ‘Everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you’ (15:15).

Freedom to be yourself

Jesus sets you free to be your true self as God intended you to be. He sets you free intellectually, morally and emotionally.

Freedom to love

Jesus sets you free to love (the opposite of the self-centredness of sin). This is true freedom: ‘if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed’ (8:36).

Lord, thank you for the freedom that you bring to my life. Thank you that I can know you and hear your voice. Help me to walk in this relationship today, to get to know you better, to hear you and be led by you."

1. Indeed thank You for removing my chains, amazing grace! Hallelujah!

2. Thank You for giving the understanding and patience that I need.

3. Thank You for fellowship, dinner, and free night stay at Paragon. Thank You for blessings like these.

"All I want Is You"

"In his book, All I Want Is You, Bishop Sandy Millar describes attending a conference in California some years ago at which he saw the Spirit of God working in powerful ways. When it was over, he went for a long walk along the coast. He writes, ‘As I was walking I was caught up with the excitement of all that lay ahead and the thrill of the Spirit of God. I was saying, “Lord, I will give you anything you want … I will do anything you want me to do.”

… And I confess I was rather immodestly listing one or two of the things I thought he might want me to do – to contribute to the kingdom of God. It wasn’t a very long list for obvious reasons. I can honestly claim to have only heard the Lord speak about three times in this way, but as clearly as I have ever heard him speak, he said, “All I want is you.” 

I found that really hard to take. Because I can cope with people who are cross with me, offended or upset. What’s much harder is to see this love from Jesus, and yet we let him down again and again. And all he wants is us – all of us. It was the most humbling thing … He can do anything he likes. But all he wants is you.’  

Psalm 61:1-8

Be led by God

Do you ever find yourself overwhelmed by all the issues you face in life? David was ‘overwhelmed and fainting’ (v.2, AMP).

He was a leader (‘the King’ (v.6)). Those who lead others need themselves to be led by God. This prayer is applicable to us all. He cried out to God to listen to his prayer and to lead him (vv.1–2).

Above all, this prayer is a prayer for protection. There are times when we want to run and hide. God provides us with ‘a place to get away from it all’ (v.3, MSG). He is a ‘safe-house’ (v.4, MSG). He provides us with ‘physical protection of rock-like strength’ (v.2), the emotional protection of ‘his arms around us’ (v.4), and the spiritual protection of ‘love and faithfulness’ (v.7).

Thank you, Lord, that in your presence I experience your love and faithfulness. Lead me into your presence today, and lead me in all the decisions I make, the conversations I have and the words that I speak."

1. I cry my heart out to You, Lord, that by Your Grace, help me to come running to You from it all. Thank You for the safe-house.

2. Thank You for Your energy and protection as I roamed around to find a new home.

3. Thank You for Your Word today about our own quiet time. Priorities. Devotion.

4. Praise God for being able to see and spend quality time with an old friend.

You Know My Little Details

"John 9:1-34

Tell your story humbly

Real love is often hard, inconvenient and costly. But true happiness only comes to those who care about others at some cost to themselves.

The book of Ruth is a story of two widows and a farmer in a remote village. It is a wonderful contrast to the previous book of Judges. While the context of the two books is identical (Ruth is set ‘in the days when the judges ruled’ (1:1)), the content of the two books is very different.

While Judges recounts a catalogue of evil and upheaval because ‘everyone did as they saw fit’ (Judges 21:25), the book of Ruth is a wonderful story of loyalty, faithfulness and kindness – all the more impressive for taking place in this period of strife. Furthermore, while Judges looks at the big picture of the nation of Israel during this period, the book of Ruth is focused on a specific family.

It is a reminder to us that the God of the universe and of history is also the God of all the little details in your life. He is not just almighty and powerful, but he is also your Father who is intimately concerned with you. Your life and all the details matter to God. Your life counts.

The theologian Helmut Thielicke puts it like this: ‘If God has no significance for the tiny mosaic pieces of my little life, and for the things that concern me, then he doesn’t concern me at all.’ The book of Ruth reminds us of God’s care, provision and faithfulness in the little pieces of our life.

Naomi was more concerned for Ruth than for herself. Naomi wanted Ruth to return home so that she might have a better chance of remarrying and Naomi is prepared to lose Ruth for the sake of Ruth’s happiness (vv.8–13). Ruth’s love for Naomi was equally unselfish and self-giving.

She is quite prepared not to get married again. She shows extraordinary loyalty to her mother-in-law. She says, ‘Don’t force me to leave you; don’t make me go home. Where you go, I go; and where you live, I’ll live. Your people are my people, your God is my god; where you die, I’ll die, and that’s where I’ll be buried, so help me God – not even death itself is going to come between us! (vv.16–17, MSG).

Boaz was also a God-fearing person. He had heard of Ruth’s reputation. She was not only loyal and faithful – she was extremely hard working (2:7). Someone must have testified about her. Boaz says, ‘I’ve heard all about you – heard about the way you treated your mother-in-law after the death of her husband, and how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth and have come to live among a bunch of total strangers’ (v.11, MSG).

Furthermore, Ruth had obviously testified about her own faith in God for Boaz knows that she is committed to ‘God, to whom you’ve come seeking protection under his wings’ (v.12, MSG).

Boaz then shows extraordinary kindness to Ruth. Ruth says to her mother-in-law, ‘The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz … He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead’ (vv.19–20).

Lord, thank you for the example of loyalty, kindness and faithfulness. Help me to be like that. Help us as a community to be a people known for our loyalty, kindness and faithfulness."

1. You know little details of my life, thank You so much. Thank You that you care concerned of me. Thank You that You know me from deep inside.

2. Thank You for the time with new friends who have spent time here for a short while. 

3. Thank You for the laughter and very healthy walk. Thank You likewise for the rainy-season-starter rain.

Now I See

"John 9:1-34

Tell your story persistently

If you are a Christian today you have a testimony. Whether you were brought up as a Christian or whether you have only been a Christian for a few hours, your story is powerful. At HTB, for example, at the end of Alpha, I often interview people who have come to faith in Jesus in the last few weeks. However ordinary and undramatic their story is, there is great power in a testimony about Jesus. All of us can communicate the gospel by simply giving our own testimony.

I love the story in today’s passage about the man born blind. First, Jesus expressly repudiates the automatic link between sin and suffering (vv.1–3). The Pharisees assumed that the man was blind because he had been ‘steeped in sin at birth’ (v.34). Even Jesus’ disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ (v.2). Jesus tells them that they are asking the wrong question. He replies, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned … but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life’ (v.3).

Second, we see how it is always possible to attempt to explain away miracles of healing. When the blind man’s eyes were opened, his ‘neighbours and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No he only looks like him” ’ (vv.8–9a).

Third, we see the danger of getting caught up in minutiae and missing the whole point. When the man gives his testimony of healing some respond, ‘This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath’ (v.16).

This man simply tells his story over and over again. He does not have the answer for all their complex questions. However, he gives the best answer that any of us can give when we are asked questions to which we do not know the answer. He simply says, ‘I don’t know’ (v.12).

What I love most is his answer when he finally gets frustrated by all their skepticism and cynical questioning. He tells them he does not know the answer to all their questions ‘But one thing I do know, that whereas I was blind before, now I see’ (v.25, AMP).

This is the power of the testimony. It is an almost unanswerable way of dealing with objections: ‘Before I was like this … and now I am like this … This is the difference that Jesus has made to my life.’

Telling our story is still one of the keys to communicating our faith in the modern world as it was here in the New Testament.

Lord, thank you for the power of the testimonies we are privileged to hear so often – those who say, ‘I was blind but now I see’ (v.25). May there be many more who can testify about encountering you, having their eyes opened and being healed."

1. Thank You Lord for this Word that indeed, You have changed me.

2. Lord, I praise You in spite of challenges with my rooms. You know the pages of my book. I entrust this unto You.

3. Thank God for open options. You are taking care of me always.

Honesty and Authenticity

"Proverbs 12:8-17

Tell your story authentically

The proverbs for today cover many different subjects, from taking care of animals (v.10) to overlooking insults rather than showing our annoyance at once: ‘Fools have short fuses and explode all too quickly; the prudent quietly shrug off insults’ (v.16, MSG).

There is one proverb that is specifically on today’s theme: ‘A truthful witness gives honest testimony’ (v.17a). This, of course, has implications for witnesses in court. All of us are witnesses in the sense that we are all in a position to testify about Jesus.

There are all kinds of situations in which we can share our stories with others, from a night out with friends to the front of church (preferably without notes!). Whatever the situation, there is something very powerful about a person telling their story truthfully, honestly and from the heart.

Lord, thank you for the power of a personal testimony. Thank you that every one of us has a story. Help me to tell my story from my heart, with honesty and authenticity."

1. Thank You, Lord, for this reminder of elongating my fuse more. In anything. 

2. Praise You for opportunities even in little things. May I be sensitive enough to recognize them. Thank You.

3. Thank You for bringing people of different perspectives to me. 

"The Power of Your Story"

"Mark Heather’s parents split up when he was a child and he was brought up by his alcoholic mother who beat him. When he was 14 years old, he stood up to her and said he would not accept the beatings any more. The next day she committed suicide.

From that moment, he was placed in care and became, in his words, ‘pretty nuts really’ – getting into trouble with the police, involved in drugs, and spiraling into an increasingly self-destructive lifestyle.

Earlier this year, Mark (now in his 30s) was invited by his girlfriend to an Alpha course at HTB and on the weekend he had a powerful encounter with God.

He said, “My group leader Toby prayed for me, for the Holy Spirit to come – and I knew that it was happening. The experience resulted in me crying uncontrollably.  

“I ran to the pub down the road, grabbed a beer, wandered back to the camp and sat in the darkest corner outside that I could find. After sitting quietly a total comfort enveloped me.  

“My eyes were drawn to the constellation of Orion, the only happy memory from childhood. I felt total love. I felt part of a family which is something that I had no way of knowing until then.

“Crying, I prayed for one more sign. I asked for Toby to come out the door. As I asked, Toby walked through that very door to look for me.  

“God is real and he loves me unconditionally and he is gentle. The Holy Spirit saved me. The Alpha weekend helped me find him. He knew where I was so when I got to the right place, he was waiting.”

Mark’s personal story has had a powerful impact on many people’s lives. Your story may not be as dramatic as Mark’s, but everyone has a story. Each person’s testimony is uniquely significant – however big, small, dramatic or undramatic the story is. There is power in your personal story."

1. Ahh, Amen to this! Amen! Thank You greatly, Lord, for the new life. Hallelujah!

2. Thank You for continuously giving me hope as I try to find a new home.

3. Praise God for still having viewers of my room to serve as my replacement.

Free From Bondage

"John 7:14-44

Be set free by the power of the Holy Spirit

Are there habits in your life from which you long to break free? Are there thought patterns you need to change? Are there spiritual bondages from which you need to be released?

If anyone was ‘wild at heart’ it was Samson. He had extraordinary strength, might and ability. But his life was hardly a model. The story of Samson’s life is bizarre, extraordinary, and perhaps a bit embarrassing.

However, Samson is highlighted in the New Testament as one of the heroes of faith (Hebrews 11:32). God uses all types of people. He uses us in spite of our sins and weaknesses.

In this passage we see that Samson’s strength and successes are the result of his being filled with the Holy Spirit. On three occasions in today’s passage we read that, ‘The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power’ (Judges 14:6,19; 15:14).

It is amazing what can happen when the Spirit of the Lord comes upon people ‘in power’. As so often, what God did in the Old Testament in a physical way, he did in the New Testament in a spiritual way.

On the third occasion we read that ‘the Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power. The ropes on his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands’ (15:14). This can be seen as a picture of release from bondage. The power of the Holy Spirit can release us from the things that bind us.

Lord, today I need your power to break the bondages in my life, to fill me with streams of living water, to satisfy my own thirst and the thirst of others. Help me like Jesus, to demonstrate not only the power of the Spirit, but also the fruit of the Spirit in my daily life."

1. Thank You, Lord, for using me, in spite of my imperfections. And hallelujah that You can release us from the things that bind us. Thank You, Lord.

2. Praise You for having people who put their interest in my post. Thank You.

3. Thank You for a cool night of visitors and language-learning.

Promises

"John 7:14-44

Who makes this promise?

The people were amazed by Jesus’ teaching. He had never even been to theological college! (v.15). He received his teaching from God (v.16). And he says anyone who ‘chooses to do the will of God’ (v.17) will recognise this.

Jesus calls for a response. Some thought: ‘Surely this man is the Prophet’ (v.40). However, as C.S. Lewis pointed out, Jesus did not leave that option open. There are really only three options: that someone who said the sort of things Jesus said would either be insane or ‘the Devil of Hell’. Or the only third possibility is that ‘this man was, and is, the Son of God’. We see this demonstrated in today’s reading:

- Some thought him ‘the Devil of Hell’: ‘You aredemon-possessed’ (v.20)

- Some thought him insane: ‘He is ... raving mad’ (10:19)

- But others recognised, ‘He is the Christ’(7:41).

To whom is the promise made?

Jesus said, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink’ (v.37). It is made to every human being. It applies to all who have never experienced the Holy Spirit. But it also applies to those who feel dissatisfied spiritually. Do you feel like a failure in your prayer life? Do you sometimes feel frustrated at your level of holiness? Do you long for a closer relationship with God? If you do, you are spiritually ‘thirsty’ and the promise applies to you.

What is the promise?

Jesus says, ‘Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flowing from within’ (v.38). The Feast of Tabernacles was anticipating the river that would flow out of the temple in Jerusalem as prophesied in Ezekiel 47 (which was read and enacted at the feast). Jesus tells them that this has been fulfilled, not in a place but in a Person.

The river flows out of the heart of Jesus (out of his ‘koilia’ – the pit of his stomach or his innermost being) and in a derivative way out of every Christian (John 7:38).

The river flows into us and out of us. The river will flow into the little ‘Dead Seas’ of our hearts and out from our ‘innermost being’. Superficially life may not be easy, but deep down the Holy Spirit constantly flows like a ‘river of living water’.

This river does not flow once in a while. It flows continuously. It is not supposed to be blocked up. It should be constantly bubbling up and flowing out of us.

As Father Raniero Cantalamessa put it, ‘A Christian in whom the Holy Spirit dwells is not exempt from having to experience struggle, temptations, disorderly desires, rebellious feelings … [the difference is that all these things come] upon him against his will.’ They are on the surface. Yet there is a ‘peace in the depth of their hearts. That is like a deep-ocean current always flowing steadily regardless of the wind and the waves on the surface.’

How do we receive the promise?

Jesus says let them ‘come to me and drink’ (v.37). It is a promise for ‘whoever believes in me’ (vv.38–39). It can flow from you as you come to him and drink today.

Lord, I come to you today. Fill me again today with your Holy Spirit, with streams of living water to bring life to everyone I encounter."

1. Amen, fill me, Lord, to bring life to everyone I encounter. Thank You for this living water. Thank You for living within me.

2. It is not over until it is over, Lord, but thank You for Your provision. Thank You for a calm heart. Thank You for having interested viewers.

3. Thank You for the experience of a different system, different culture.

Living Water for the Thirsty

"John 7:14-44

Be filled with the Spirit continuously

We all know what it is like to be physically thirsty. Our mouths go dry, our throats are parched, our strength fades and we crave water. How satisfying it is to drink when we are thirsty.  

Do you know that it is also possible to be spiritually thirsty? In this golden passage Jesus describes how our spiritual thirst can be quenched, the hole in our soul filled, and the effect that this can have on our lives.

Jesus anticipates what will happen on the day of Pentecost. He speaks about the transformation by the streams of living water that the Holy Spirit brings to our lives: ‘By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified’ (v.39).
It was ‘the last and greatest day of the Feast [of Tabernacles]’ (v.37). This was the day when the people anticipated that the great river prophesied in Ezekiel 47 would flow out from Jerusalem. ‘Jesus stood’ (John 7:37). The usual custom was to sit when teaching, but the words Jesus had to say were so significant that he wanted to be seen and heard by all the people. He cried out ‘in a loud voice’ (v.37). His message was only twenty-four words in the Greek language, but it is a life-changing promise that we can all still experience today."

37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”

1. Amen! Thank You for the reassurance the my spiritual thirst can be quenched. Thank You for this living water. Thank You.

2. Thank You for providing me needy kids and for having an active room-viewing.

3. Praise God for the preaching today. "We preach the Gospel to the lost in the power of the Holy Spirit."

Fruits of the Holy Spirit

"Proverbs 11:29-12:7

Seek the fruit of the Spirit

Do you want your life to make a difference? Do you realise that your life can be a source of blessing to other people every day?

‘The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life’ (11:30). As we look back at Proverbs 11, we can see this as a summary of all the different fruit of the righteous:

Love (Proverbs 11:23)
Joy (v.10)
Peace (v.8)
Patience (v.16)
Kindness (v.17)
Goodness (v.17)
Faithfulness (v.6)
Gentleness (v.2b, GNB)
Self-control (v.12)

This is so similar to the fruit of the Spirit that the apostle Paul describes in Galatians 5:22, in which each of these characteristics also appears. It is the Spirit who enables and helps us to live the kind of righteous life that is described in both passages.

This righteous living is praised in the rest of our passage. The writer describes its benefits, saying that the righteous enjoy ‘favour from the Lord’ (Proverbs 12:2). The image of a ‘tree of life’ (11:30) is a beautiful depiction of this favour. It recurs again and again in Scripture, and is also closely linked to the work of the Spirit in our lives (see Ezekiel 47:1–12; Revelation 22:1–2).

Lord, I pray for more of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in my life today: more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

1. And I reiterate, Lord, I pray for more of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in my life today and always. Thank You for all the chances You give to me. Amen.

2. Thank You for little responsibilities, these little tasks that keep me going, too.

3. Rest days are the best. Thank You, Lord.

Hole In The Soul

"Robbie Williams once went on a shopping spree in Los Angeles. He bought seven cars including a brand new Ferrari, a brand new Porsche and a brand new Mercedes. Within a week he wished he had not bought any of them.

I admire Robbie Williams’ openness about himself. He is ruthlessly honest about his self-obsession and addictions. In his song, Feel, he sings:

I just want to feel real love …

There’s a hole in my soul

You can see it in my face

It’s a real big place

God implants this desire ‘to feel real love’ in humanity. This ‘hole in my soul’ is common to all human beings. It cannot be filled by cars, wealth, success or drugs. It is a God-shaped hole. It is a spiritual hunger and thirst. Jesus said that if we come to him and drink, he will satisfy this spiritual thirst by giving us the Holy Spirit to live within us (John 7:37)."

1. Yes, Lord, it cannot be filled with all the material things in this world. Thank You for giving the Holy Spirit to live within me.

2. Thank You for a wonderful Friday night of laughter by McCarthy. :)

3. Praise you for making my friends safe during the entire tour.

I Will Be With You

"John 5:16-30
1. Cry out to the Lord for help

The people of God were in trouble once again. They had done ‘evil in the eyes of the Lord’ (6:1). As a result they were oppressed (v.2) and ‘reduced to grinding poverty’ (v.6, MSG).

The turning point came for them, as it so often does for us, when they ‘cried out to the Lord for help’ (v.6).

Lord, thank you so much for the many times in my life when you have answered my cry for help. Today again I cry out to you …

2. Know that God is with you

God raised up Gideon and said to him, ‘The Lord is with you, mighty warrior’ (v.12). Gideon said to God, ‘But Lord ... How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family’ (v.15). The Lord answered, ‘I will be with you’ (v.16).

Lord, thank you for those wonderful words ‘I will be with you’ (v.16). Thank you, Jesus, for your promise that you will be with me always, until the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

3. Know your weaknesses

Thankfully, God uses cracked pots! Gideon said, ‘How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family’ (Judges 6:15). I often feel that God cannot use me because of my weaknesses. But sometimes God works through our weaknesses better than through our strengths.

Personally, I draw great comfort from the words of the apostle Paul: ‘Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me ... For when I am weak, then I am strong’ (2 Corinthians 12:9–10).

Thank you that, like the cracked water pot, sometimes you use me because of my weaknesses.

4. Obey God fearlessly

Gideon ‘did as the Lord told him’ (Judges 6:27), even though he risked death (v.30). I find that I am often timid in the face of opposition. However, the opposition we face is nothing compared to what Gideon and, certainly, what Jesus faced. As Joyce Meyer says, ‘When fear knocks on your door, let faith answer!’

Lord, help me not to be put off by opposition but to obey you fearlessly.

5. Be God-confident

The secret of Gideon’s power was that ‘the Spirit of the Lord came upon [him]’ (v.34). Don’t be self-confident; be God-confident.

God does not need large numbers. In fact he said to Gideon, ‘you have too many men’ (7:2). He does not want the people to think it was their own strength that saved them. He reduced the numbers from 22,000 to 300 (vv.1–7).

We do not need large numbers to see a nation transformed but we do need the power of the Holy Spirit. If you are confident in God, he can work through you as he did through Gideon.

Lord, I need your Holy Spirit if I am going to fulfill the calling you have given me. Please send your Holy Spirit upon me today. Come, Holy Spirit."

1. Hallelujah for always being with me. May I always cry to You because You are already there ready to listen. Thank You for Your love.

2. Thank You for some output today, O, Lord. Thank You.

3. Thank You for new and fun friendship from work no matter how long it will last. Please bless it. Amen.

Not On My Own

"John 5:16-30
1. Do what ‘the Father’ is doing

Rather than initiating your own plans and asking God to bless them, try to see what God’s plans are and join in.

Jesus was God: ‘he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God’ (v.18). Yet Jesus was also the obedient Son of his Father; and he said in response to those who wanted to kill him: ‘I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does’ (v.19).

Father, help me, like Jesus, to discern what you are doing and join in.

2. Listen to God

The people of God got themselves into trouble, as we see in today’s Old Testament passage, because they did not listen to God (Judges 6:10). Jesus says the key to life is to listen to him and believe: ‘I tell you the truth, those who hear my word and believe him who sent me have eternal life and will not be condemned; they have crossed over from death to life’ (John 5:24).

Even Jesus says, ‘I can’t do a solitary thing on my own: I listen, then I decide’ (v.30, MSG).

Lord, thank you that when I hear your word and believe, I receive eternal life and cross over from death to life. Help me daily to listen to your voice.

3. Do all the good you can

You cannot earn your salvation by ‘doing good’. However, the evidence of a life of faith is a life of doing good. Jesus himself, we are told, ‘went around doing good’ (Acts 10.38). Jesus says, ‘For a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned’ (John 5:28–29).

Lord, help me to do all the good I can, by all the means I can, in all the ways I can, in all the places I can, at all the times I can, to all the people I can, as long as ever I can. (Words adapted from John Wesley)

4. Seek to please God

I find this one of the hardest things to even begin to put into practice. It seems so natural to seek to please myself. Jesus said, ‘I seek not to please myself but him who sent me’ (v.30). To live a life seeking to please God involves a complete U-turn. It is not only a one-off U-turn but it is something that you have to try to put into practice every day. It is not easy!

Father, help me, like Jesus, to live a life not seeking to please myself but rather seeking to please you."

1. Amen. Thank You, Lord, for the constant reminder that it is all about You. Always.

2. Thank You, Lord, for bonding time and laughter. 

3. Praise You for simple realizations that I can become stronger and more polished due to sandpaper trials.

Know, Worship, and Honour

"Psalm 57:7-11
1. Know that you are loved

God uses us because he loves us. David says, ‘For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies’ (v.10). This is where it all starts – knowing that you are loved by God.

Lord, thank you for your great love for me that reaches to the heavens and for your faithfulness that reaches to the skies. Thank you for your amazing grace and for the way you graciously use weak human beings.

2. Worship the Lord whatever

God is looking for worshippers. David says, ‘My heart is steadfast, O God ... I will sing and make music ... I will praise you, O Lord’ (vv.7–9). Our response to the experience of God’s love is to worship him with every gift that we have – not just privately but also in public (v.9) – not just when we feel like it but ‘steadfastly’ – in difficult times as well.

Lord, thank you that my usefulness to you stems from my relationship with you. May worship be at the heart of everything I do.

3. Honour God in your life

God honours those who honour him. David writes, ‘Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth’ (v.11). This is David’s ultimate desire. It is the same desire that is expressed in the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray, ‘hallowed be your name’ (Matthew 6:9).

Lord, I pray today that your name will be honoured through everything I do and say."

1. Thank You when you use me even when I am weak. May I worship You more and more even in difficult times.

2. Praise God for visiting friends. :)

3. Thank You, Lord, for a prospect replacement. I pray that it will be in Your favor.

Beauty in Imperfection

"A water-bearer in India had two large pots, both hung on the ends of a pole, which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot always arrived half full.

The poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water-bearer one day by the stream:

‘I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologise to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts.’

The bearer said to the pot, ‘Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you’ve watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.’

Thank God, you do not need to be perfect for God to use you. We all want to be useful. We want our lives to count for something. In the passages for today we see the example of three people whose lives God used in a powerful way: David, Gideon and, of course, supremely Jesus."

1. Wow, this is just so great, there is still beauty in being imperfect. Thank You, Lord.

2. Hallelujah for a super, duper nice auntie in the neighborhood!

3. Thank You for free laundry. :)

All Glory to You

"John 4:43-5:15

Desperate for leadership

Everything rises and falls on leadership. If a business is well led it tends to do well. If a church is well led it usually flourishes. If a nation is well led it will most often prosper.

After Sisera had ‘cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the Lord for help’ (4:3). It is not surprising that their prayer was desperate. Sisera’s mother looked out of the window waiting for Sisera to return. She cried out, ‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoils: a woman or two for each man’ (5:30). We get a hint here of how Sisera treated the people of God.

In answer to their desperate prayer God raised up an outstanding leader. Deborah was both a spiritual leader (a ‘prophetess’) and also a political leader. She was ‘leading Israel at that time’ (4:4). She was a charismatic leader whose presence was so valued that Barak says to her, ‘If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go’ (v.8).

Interestingly, it is another woman, Jael, who finally finishes off Israel’s oppressor (v.21).
Both men and women can make outstanding leaders. What matters is not gender but that leaders actively lead: ‘When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves – praise the Lord!’ (5:2,9).

Deborah and Barak gave God the glory (vv.1–5). Again, Joyce Meyer points out that God ‘chooses to use and promote those who know they are nothing without him and who give him the glory and the credit for all their accomplishments. Every time you have a success in your life, remember to give God the glory.’

The way in which God answered the desperate prayer of his people was to raise up wise and humble leadership. As a result, ‘the land had peace for forty years’ (v.31c).
Deborah prayed that those who loved the Lord would be ‘like the sun when it rises in its strength’ (v.31b).

Lord, I pray today that we would be ‘like the sun when it rises in its strength’ (v.31b). May we bring light in a dark world; may we show people the way. Help us to bring warmth and energy, and to be strong, bold and fearless as the sun."

1. Yes, Lord, just like the sun, may I bring light and warmth to those around me. Thank You for Your love.

2. Thank You for a relaxing and peaceful Sunday while hanging out in a new place.

3. Praise God for another great day with chilling, walking, and a movie.

Thank You for the Love

"John 4:43-5:15

Desperate for healing

There are times in our lives when we are desperate for healing – either for others, or for ourselves. In this life our prayers for healing will not always be answered. Unanswered prayer can be a difficult and painful thing to wrestle with (my friend Pete Greig has written an excellent book on this subject called God on Mute). As we saw in today’s introduction though, sometimes God does intervene miraculously to bring healing. We see here two examples of this, both coming about as a result of desperate prayer:

Healing for others

The royal official begged Jesus to heal his son (v.47), who was on the brink of death.
‘Jesus put him off: “Unless you people are dazzled by a miracle, you refuse to believe” ’ (v.48, MSG). But the official would not be put off: ‘Come down! It’s life or death for my son’ (v.49, MSG).

Jesus responded to the man’s faith. The man believed that if Jesus came he could heal his son. Jesus asked him to go one step further and believe that his words from miles away could heal his son. The man did believe. And Jesus performed the miracle – he heard the man’s desperate prayer and healed his son. As a result, his whole household believed (v.53).

Healing for ourselves

Jesus healed a man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years (5:5). He must have been desperate. He had been putting his hope in the healing powers of the waters of Bethesda, which would bubble up periodically, and it was thought that the first person in after the waters bubbled up would be healed. But this man had no one to help him get in first (v.7).

Joyce Meyer writes of this incident that, in effect, Jesus said to the man: ‘Don’t just lie there, do something!’ She continues: ‘Self-pity is a major problem. I know, because I have lived in self-pity for many years. It affected me, my family and the plan of God for my life. God finally told me that I could be pitiful or I could be powerful, but I could not be both. If I wanted to be powerful, I had to give up self-pity.

‘Being sexually abused for approximately fifteen years and growing up in a dysfunctional home left me lacking confidence and filled with shame. I wanted to have good things in my life, but I was stuck in emotional torment and despair.

‘Like the man in John 5, Jesus did not give me pity either. Jesus was actually very firm with me and He applied a lot of tough love, but His refusal to let me wallow in self-pity was a turning point in my life. I am not in the pit any longer. I now have a great life. If you will reject self-pity, actively look to God and do what He instructs you to do, you can have a great life too.’

Thank you, Lord, that you hear my prayers for healing. Thank you that you have miraculously healed me in the past. Lord, today I cry out to you for healing for …"

1. Hallelujah for the healing. My bitterness is gone. Thank You, Lord. You make everything new.

2. Today was fun, Lord. Thank You for keeping us safe and to be able to enjoy the gift of life that You have given. Amen!

3. My legs are probably super strong now. Thank You, Lord, for the physical strength. :D

4. Praise God for the year that has passed and I pray for You to bless this coming new year. Thank You for loved ones who remembered. Amen. =)

Respond to God’s Call

"Psalm 57:1-6

Desperate for mercy

Have you ever cried out to God for mercy? I certainly have, several times. David cried out ‘to God Most High’ (v.2). He prayed, ‘Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me’ (v.1a).

There is one type of prayer for mercy that God always answers. That is the prayer for forgiveness through Jesus. Through his death on the cross, Jesus has made it possible that ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’ (Romans 10:13).

The context for David’s prayer for mercy is probably when he had fled from Saul and into the cave (see 1 Samuel 22; 24). He cried out to God, and God heard and answered his prayer. David says, ‘I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills his purpose for me’ (Psalm 57:2).

God has a purpose for your life. David knew that God had a purpose for his life and that he would fulfill that purpose. Our task is to, like David, respond to God’s call and obey him.

‘Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings … I cry out to [you]’ (vv.1–2a). Thank you that you promise to fulfill your purpose for me (v.2b). Thank you for your love and your faithfulness (v.3)."

1. Indeed, thank You for your love, mercy, and faithfulness. Unending.

2. Thank You for small groups. Forgive me for I have not finished listening to Your Word.

3. Praise God for the fellowship with friends. It was enlightening.