A Devotional Life

Ephesians 5:13-18. Recently I visited the Cotswolds, SW England countryside, for a week. Before my visit, a few friends had made a long list of attractions, but I could only cross off two. So much to see in so little time! In His letter encouraging the Church at Ephesus, Paul reminds them that the Christian life is like that holiday visit: a life requiring the best use of time - an intentional living (15-18). But, first, the passage reminds them of their identity as light. An illuminated life. Anyone in Christ has become light - through Christ illuminating them from the dead into life (13-14). So then, as a light, be very careful how you live:  An intentional life. As a light, make the best use of time (15-16) by:  Doing God's will, v17. Don't live carelessly [MSG]. But seek to understand what His Word says about different issues of life. ...

Joel 2:28-32. HAPPY NEW YEAR !!! We can take a few minutes to reflect and capture those moments in 2020 that we felt some joy or comfort, no matter how little, and thank God for them... Thank you Father God for 2020, and for those moments that Your light was shone in darkness, and those moments when we were encouraged... and that You keep on keeping us. We are so grateful! In the Old Testament journey of the Israelites, we see a constant cycle where the Israelites keep turning away from God's ways. And when they do, God forsakes them (2 Chronicles 15:2). Then they get exiled. They cry to God. God saves them. And then they repeat the cycle. The book of Joel is a similar story of the Israelites' exile cycle. God forsakes them. They cry out to God and He 'took pity' on them (v18), He is merciful. And more than that, he promises a day when He will come, and He paints a picture of what would happen when He comes (v28-32). A picture that reminds them that the Lord ...

Series: The introductions of the Holy Spirit by Jesus In the previous studies we looked at the teachings of Jesus revealing the person of the Holy Spirit, by highlighting how we are to relate to Him - setting Him as priority and yielding to Him . In today's session we will look at who Jesus said the Holy Spirit is from the passage in Matthew 10. He is: The Spirit of the Father and Our Guide into the Father's Will - Matthew 10:1-20, 26-31 In Matthew 10:1-20 Jesus sent His disciples on a short mission. He asked them basically to do what they had been watching Him do for a while now - preach the kingdom, heal the sick, raise the dead...(7-10). He then gives them advise on how to travel (no money, no bags), and how to meet potential hosts (greet, ask nicely, and bless if welcomed) - verses 9-15. From verses 16-18 Jesus begins to tell His disciples the realities of this mission, how risky it is. They would be maltreated and summoned to justice. But in verses 19-20 He says ...

Series: The introductions of the Holy Spirit by Jesus Previously we looked at Jesus' introduction of the Holy Spirit in John 7 - where Jesus introduces the Holy Spirit by saying it is possible for us to flow in our relationship with Him. And that our relationship with the Spirit is as easy as believing and setting Him as our priority. This week we'll look at Matthew 9. In Matthew 9:14-17, Jesus responds to a question about fasting, but His proverbial response went beyond fasting. 14 Then the disciples of John [the Baptist] came to Jesus, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees often fast [as a religious exercise], but Your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus replied to them, “Can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 But no one puts a piece of unshrunk (new) cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment and a worse tear results....

Series: The introductions of the Holy Spirit by Jesus In John 7 there was a big Jewish feast called the Feast of Tabernacles. It seemed Jesus was initially reluctant to go to this feast (v9) but later decided to go stealthily. And when He got there He waited till the feast was half over before he began to teach (v14). We notice that for the period of the feast His sermon was blessed with a divided audience (v12-15) - those who accepted His message and those who didn't, which was understandable. But then there was also those who just wanted to kill him but wouldn't admit it (v16-36). What a day in Church? Actually, what a Church conference? because v37 says in the last (...) day of the feast , and He had been there teaching from when the feast was half over (v14). Although there was a very divided audience at His teaching, He pressed on till the last day. Father help us to always set your Spirit as the most important in our lives. [The feast of taberna...

The message for 2015: "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." Galatians 5:25. Keeping in step involves a daily lifted hands (fellowship with God), a daily unclenched fist (receiving his blessing), a daily lent hand (being a blessing - God’s vessel). In 2015, we will keep in step with a listening, obedient and trusting heart. Listen and keep listening A true knowledge of God is based on an intimate relationship - not just on knowing the dos and don’ts, but on understanding the heart of the Father. We will obey joyfully, not when the task is easy, but when we understand His heart. Listening to God and keeping a listening heart (discerning Presence) is the key to understanding God’s heart - and true worship. How do we listen to God? By keeping our hearts, our desires focused or tuned on what he delights in, while we ask, seek or knock - wait on him. Make understanding His heart a priority in your fellowship. Strength rises from waiting; wait...

Galatians 5:25; If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (KJV). NIV translates "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit", more like keep up, explore... Since we live in/by the Spirit..., that is by the dictates of the Spirit, in the realm of the Spirit. A good analogy of this, is a learner and the driving instructor (associated with Acts 17:28). The learner is registered to/assigned a driving instructor. ( live ) Since the learner has been assigned a driving instructor, he/she has to keep up with the instructor's command/drive by the instructor. ( move ) In the process of following the instructions, the learner becomes accustomed to a level or particular practice, and then it's time to move on to the next level. ( being ) We have The Spirit of God resident in the inside of us (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19), and this is a great privilege, so we have to walk by Him. Acts 17:28a; For in him we live, and move, and have our b...

Romans 7:23 - 8:1-2 7:25 "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." So is it possible for a Christian to still be walking after the flesh: YES (if not after the Spirit). 7:25 Paul says, with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. "the mind" in v25 is not the human mind otherwise it is flesh, rather the Holy Spirit (the mind of Christ given to a believer) Romans 8:8-9, 1 Corinthians 2:12-16. Referencing[*] 1 Corinthians 2:12-16 2:16, "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." Jesus said in Matthew 11:27; "All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth a...