Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
TO PONDER
Let’s visualise the background to today’s reading. Over a million Israelites are camped on the eastern side of the Jordan river. 40 years earlier they had left Egypt where they had been living as slaves, and they had spent the intervening years wandering through the deserts in the Sinai Peninsula. Now they were going to be led by Joshua across the Jordan to take over the land promised to Abraham and his descendants. However, this land was occupied by fierce warlike people living in heavily fortified cities. So not a simple task for these desert nomads.
One of the first challenges for us with this picture, is the idea of the Israelites attacking the current residents of Canaan without provocation. They were about to begin a program of ethnic cleansing. I wouldn’t be surprised if you found this clashing with your 21st century sensibilities. However, there are two things to remember. The Canaanites, and the other tribes living in Canaan, had become quite degenerate and God had decided to wipe them out; and the task given to the Israelites was directed by God Himself and it wasn’t something the Israelites decided by themselves to do. In fact, they were quite frightened by the prospect of what God was leading them to do.
Now, I am not suggesting in any way that God is directing any nation today to practice ethnic cleansing on any other nation. And the love that Jesus lived and showed guides us in loving our enemies and working to draw all people into He saving love. But some of the situations God may be inviting us to be involved in may be just as scary to us as for the Israelites about to enter Canaan.
Going back to the Israelites, their first battle was at Jerico, where God did most of the fighting. Joshua led the soldiers around the walls of the city for 7 days at which time the walls of the city fell down and the inhabitants of the city were easily defeated.
God helps us in the battles we face in much the same way. He fights the battles, but asks us to turn up and do uncomplicated things such as marching around the walls of the city for 7 days.
Another way we can look at what God is asking us to do is like being asked to deliver a valuable gift to someone. The task is not hard, but the blessing to the recipient may be awesome, and we have been there to see the blessing and healing brought to someone by the amazing love and grace of God.
Prayer: Heavenly Family, You have assured us that You will never ask us to do something You haven’t already equipped us to do. Please help us to believe this promise whenever You call us to go with You and be part of the work of Your Family. Amen
Today's devotion written by Charles Bertelsmeier, LifeWay Epping
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
TO PONDER
If you have read The Chronicles of Narnia, you will be familiar with Aslan, the central lion figure. After the Pevensie children enter Narnia and go exploring, they meet all sorts of characters, and eventually have to confront Aslan. In attempting to learn more about Aslan, before they actually meet him, they ask Mr Beaver if Aslan is safe. The response is: "Safe? "Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.”
In thinking about C. S. Lewis’s selection of a lion figure to represent the Christ‑like figure in the Narnia Chronicles, I must admit I couldn’t think of a more appropriate animal. Lions are not referred to as the “kings” of the jungle for nothing.
In every sense, the members of the Heavenly Family are not “safe”. If you don’t believe me, read the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. God will not let us play games with Him. On the other hand, when we acknowledge the awesomeness of the Heavenly Family, and give them our allegiance, Holy Spirit comes to us to release His awesome power in our lives.
But that power is not to big note ourselves so that we become “influencers” to others, but that power is aimed at changing us to become more like Jesus in the way we relate to others and to the Heavenly Family, AND that power is aimed at enabling us to carry out the tasks God is calling us to (although in reality, it is not us doing anything for God, but God working through us to achieve His will).
The way I like to see how Holy Spirit works through us, is when we go where God calls us to go, listen to what Holy Spirit whispers to us, see what Holy Spirit calls our attention to and respond with what Holy Spirit prompts us to say or do. Then when we see amazing things happen, we can freely acknowledge that it was all the work of Holy Spirit, and we were just there as the instrument He used. Notice that the results are not our responsibility. The Heavenly Family is in full control of the activities we are invited to join in, not as spectators, but more like apprentices, learning how to live and work as children of the Heavenly Family.
Prayer: Heavenly Family, we are almost blown away but the thought of what You are doing in our lives when we surrender ourselves to be used by You in sharing Your love with people desperately in need of experiencing how much You love them. We ask that You would continue to grow us in being receptive to the guidance of Holy Spirit in living as Your children. Amen
Today's devotion written by Charles Bertelsmeier, LifeWay Epping
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
TO PONDER
First, some background to today’s reading. Peter and John had healed a crippled man begging at the temple entrance. When a crowd gathered, Peter and John used the opportunity to present the gospel message to them, but the religious authorities took exception to being accused of murdering Jesus and to the suggestion that they were no longer the authorities on how to have a relationship with God. So they put Peter and John in jail overnight and had a sort of kangaroo court in the morning telling them to stop preaching about Jesus. Beyond that, they were not punished and were allowed to go back to report to their fellow Christians. Following their report, the assembled Christians broke out in prayer, ending with the two verses immediately before our verse for today, above:
“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
As these Christians surrendered their goals and dreams to what were God’s goals and plans, and made themselves available for God to use, Holy Spirit honoured their servant attitude and used them to be bold and brave in carrying out God’s plans for them in growing the infant church.
I have experienced it myself, seen it in others and read about it in church histories how Christians have had great ides and bravely sought to carry out their dreams for God, asking God’s blessings on their endeavours, only for the project to end in failure and disappointment. I have also read about amazing productive lives for God, where the people involved relied solely on God’s leading for their activities.
The point I am trying to make is that there is no use being bold and brave doing our thing for God, but if we are doing the tasks God is calling us to do, and we willingly and bravely follow where He leads us, He will obviously bless His own work.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, as we look into the immediate future, we see many challenges for our personal lives and the life of Your church. But in saying this, we have to confess we are forgetting that You are in complete control. And as Your children, You are always beside us through Holy Spirit to protect, guide and encourage us in boldly following where You are taking us to serve as members of Your Family. Thank You. Amen
Today's devotion written by Charles Bertelsmeier, LifeWay Epping
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
TO PONDER
Our reading for today is from Peter’s appeal to the gathered audience on the first Pentecost, and he is quoting from the prophet Joel (Chapter 2, vs 32). Joel was an Old Testament prophet who lived 100s of years earlier. This excerpt is from the end of a section of prophesy where Joel talks about the future outpouring of Holy Spirit on the people and the signs and wonders which will follow. Part of these signs and wonders will be judgement on those who refuse to accept God’s offer of His restoring work (salvation, if you like). But Peter (and Joel) assure the listeners that the offer of a new relationship with God is freely open to all.
But what does Peter’s instruction to “call on the name of the Lord” mean? First of all, it requires recognition that God is who He claims to be and that He is able to come to our aid. It also involves submission to the answers that God provides, trusting His love for us and that His answers to our cries are the answers we need to accept. We keep coming back to the fact that God created this vast universe and the intricate complexities of life and He knows what is best for us. Add to that, the relationship he wants to have with us is based on His sacrificial love for us, demonstrated in the life of His Son Jesus.
When we “call on the name of the Lord”, we are committing ourselves into a personal relationship with the Heavenly Family, and to be guided by that Family in how we live our lives and relate to one another. And, because we are committed to grow in that relationship, we will set aside time to hang out with the Heavenly Family to get to know them better. And we will also not be afraid to be involved in the work of the Heavenly Family, knowing that Holy Spirit is always with us to guide us in whatever we are asked to be involved in.
There is another aspect to “calling on the name of the Lord”. There is the sense of publicly declaring which team you are on – like when you go to watch a football game and you wear the colours of your team.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Family, thank You for coming to us when we call out to You. Thank You for all You have done so that we can know the way into Your family, and thank You that Jesus removed all barriers to us coming to You. Thank You now for the Guidance of Your Spirit in how to live as Your children so that our lives demonstrate Your transforming power to others, especially to those who don’t yet know You. Amen
Today's devotion write by Charles Bertelsmeier, LifeWay Epping
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
TO PONDER
One of the things I have been pondering recently is that everything Jesus did or said was part of His Father’s plan and purpose for Him. Never once did Jesus do anything for His own benefit. Nor did He say anything to bring honour or glory to Himself. Remember that Jesus would regularly go off by Himself in the early mornings to plan out His day with His Father – so that He was specifically doing the things that His Father had planned for Him to do in getting His message out about Their purpose in rescuing humanity from its selfish self.
However, His disciples were regularly thinking about themselves and what was in it for them. Jesus regularly had to explain to them that being His followers was about humble service in obedience to God’s will and purpose.
So when the day of Pentecost arrived and Holy Spirit entered the disciples, a change occurred. They lost their self‑centred focus. They were no longer afraid for their own safety and security. They had surrendered their lives to God’s plans and purpose for them. They opened their mouths and let God speak His message through them. And a miracle occurred in that they were speaking in languages that they had never spoken before.
One point we can take from this miracle is, it wasn’t to give any honour or glory to the disciples, but showed how God could used low class, despised people (and Galileans at that), without any theological training, to be the means of bringing God’s message to others. In effect, God is perfectly able to use us, in spite of our insecurities, to bring His saving message to others.
As we grow in our relationship with the Heavenly Family, we grow in trusting God’s promises that Holy Spirit is always with us and guiding us in achieving God’s plans for us. We learn to let go of all the things we are afraid will go wrong, and we learn to let go of our own superior ideas in how God should be working in our lives, and we come to experience the excitement and joy of seeing God working through us to reach others. And then we spend time in praising God for what He has done so that we don’t get puffed up with pride by what we just did.
Prayer: Heavenly Family, thank You all for what You are doing to grow me in trusting Your love and promises so that Holy Spirit can live out Your love for others through me. Amen
Today's devotion written by Charles Bertelsmeier, LifeWay Epping
But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.
TO PONDER
Here it is again, the same truth articulated in another place, addressed to different people, in a different context. In our case, the 7th time in one week!
But here's the thing, if the Bible repeats it so often then it must be important. And I think part of the reason is this - we need to hear and be reminded of this as often as possible when times are good and easy because when life is hard we seem to always forget it.
I suspect that most of us reading this will be familiar with the problem. We are often happy to praise God when life is easy and things are going according to our plans and we feel safe and secure. However, how quickly does that praise turn to complaint when things start going wrong?
Now don't get me wrong, God welcomes our laments and is certainly big enough to handle our criticisms and eh longs for us to come to him with our burdens and seek rest and refuge in Him. But often, just like it was with Job, the response we get from God (if we get one at all) is not what we want to hear. The God who loves and cares and protects us in the good times is the same God who loves and cares and protects us in the trouble also.
I remember my dad's long term on-again-off-again battle with cancer for over 15 years and some of the things he shared with me about his faith along that journey. He said here were often times that he asked God why things were the way they were. Why was cancer part of dad's journey? Why at that point in his life, approaching retirement and looking forward to spending more time visiting his kids and grandkids? But the one thing he never questioned was that God had things in hand - even if they didn't play out the way dad hoped, he was able to trust that God had it covered. That faith came from a lifetime of knowing and seeing God at work in both the good and the bad. Of regular church attendance and private devotional Bible reading that constantly reinforced the truth that God holds us in His hands and nothing can snatch us away from him.
So, maybe you are not in the midst of anything that feels like a spiritual battle at the moment. Perhaps life is smooth sailing and you are tempted to leave the armour of God in a wardrobe for when you need it later. Can I suggest that you don't forget about it - take time to keep it cleaned and polished and ready for use so that when the trials come you don't find yourself holding a rusted out suit of armour, ready to crumble at the first hurdle. Instead, take it out and wear it even on the good days. Polish it, maintain it when times are good so that you don't find yourself questioing God's faithfulness in the heat of the moment.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for your steadfast love and faithfulness. Please help me to be more aware of the ways you are at work in my life in every moment so that when hard times come my way, I can stand confident in the promises of your presence and deliverance. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
TO PONDER
One of the things I think we often forget when we read the Psalms is that they are forms of ancient Hebrew poetry and song. They lean heavily on literary devices such as metaphor, simile, and personification. With that kind of language in play, it can be difficult to know how best to translate this stuff into other languages.
This passage is a good example of that.
The Hebrew word for shield in this verse is also rendered in other contexts as, 'sovereign' with the under standing that a large part of the role of a tribal leader or king was to protect the people whom the ruled over or had responsibility for.
Likewise, 'horns' were often used as a symbol or imagery to represent strength.
I point this out today, because I think sometimes we can think that this spiritual warfare, armour of God stuff is just a New Testament thing - something that we have only in light of Jesus death and resurrection. However, centuries before Jesus was even born, the people of Israel understood that God was their source of security, protection and strength. This is not a new thing God is doing, it is what God has always done. He loves, cares for, protects and defends his people. The difference with Jesus is just that he is the most visible and recognisable display of God doing that for us.
This is the eternal nature of God towards his people, he is your place of refuge, your source of strength, your deliver and your shield. If you ever find yourself questioning the truth of that, just look at all the messed up people who were able to do amazing things in the Bible simply because they knew that to e true. If God can love and use them, he can love and use you too.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us so many examples to see and to know the depth of your love, commitment and dedication to us as your people. Please help me to keep this truth in the front of my mind today and to lean more completely on you in every situation. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
TO PONDER
The military metaphor, especially in the context of Ancient Rome, is a really helpful one. So, it should not be a surprise to see Peter using it here, just like Paul does in Ephesians. However, there is a different element that Peter is pulling out in a slightly different way than Paul does.
One of the things that made the Roman military so successful was their effective use of formations. While a whole unit were together with their shield interlocking and defences up, they were particularly difficult to attack. This changed however if you could separate a single soldier from the rest of their unit or disrupt the formation. As Peter rightly points out, it's not that different from the way a pride of lions might seek to separate a weak or injured member of a herd in order to make an easy meal.
When we isolate ourselves from the body of believers, it becomes easy for the enemy to make us believe that we are the only one who struggles with our faith. He can then make us feel guilty or ashamed for the doubt or fear we might be feeling, simply because we think that no one else feels those things and that everyone else is a 'better Christian' than us.
The thing is, we all go through those things at some point in our lives and it is the community of faith, the body of Christ, that helps us navigate those times successfully. And a healthy body is essential to healthy people. The way we see one another, treat one another, love, serve, and forgive one another is an indication of our spiritual health. If we find ourselves constantly dealing with bickering and slander within our church communities, then we need to assess where our hearts are at and whose voice is actually leading us. Because the body of Christ (the Church) should be a place where we can find comfort, support and understanding in difficult times. That's not to say we tolerate bad behaviour, but that rather than judging, or jumping to conclusions, we walk alongside one another and try to bring healing and restoration instead of judgement and resentment.
None of us are perfect, but the more we remember that our church family are there to support and encourage us, and the more we contribute to that being true, the easier it will be for us all to stand in the face of the prowling lion.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I often feel small and insignificant on my own. The pressures of life feel too big sometimes and the task of sharing the good news of Jesus to a world so self-centred and distracted is often overwhelming. Please help me to remember that I am not alone. Not only has Jesus felt how I feel, but there are others in my church family who also struggle with faith and who can uphold and support me when faith and life are tough. Thank you for the gift of the church and even more so, the gift of your Son Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWy Newcastle
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
TO PONDER
One of my favourite theology authors in recent years, the English pastor and theologian, N.T. Wright, often talks about the Word of God and the Holy Spirit as two sides of the same coin - and I think that's kind of what the Apostle Paul is getting at here.
I mentioned earlier in the week, my son playing ice hockey and all the padding and safety gear he wears, being like the armour of God. I think the analogy still stands when it comes to the sword part of it. As a hockey player, all the padding and equipment keeps you save and help you survive you time on the ice but to be an 'effective' member of the team you really need your hockey stick.
The problem wih the sword image is that we often jump to an image of a soldier hacking and slashing their way through their enemies. The problem here is that it doesn't line up with Paul's warning about our struggle not being against flesh and blood. Passages like this, out of context, are what enable some Christians to justify treating those who disagree with them with appalling levels of verbal and sometimes even physical violence.
A hockey stick, or even a sword, are what help us be effective. Think of the sword more like a machete, a tool for cutting your way through the thick undergrowth of a forrest, a way to move forward through the lies of the enemy and the 'snares' that so easily entangle. The word of God reveals truth, and the Holy Spirit brings that truth alive in us so that it can be powerful and effective in our living. Just like an ice hockey player can skate around on the ice and avoid getting hit, it's only with their stick in hand that they become an effective member of the team, able to score goals and pass the puck around the ice to team mates. The stick is not a weapon to attack the opposition players physically (although it does get used that way on occasion), it is a tool for making progress on the score board, for scoring goals and winning the prize of victory.
So why not ask God to make his word alive in you today through the power of the Holy Spirit and to help you be a powerful and effective kingdom builder today?
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I know that you have already won the victory over sin, death and the devil, but there are challenges and obstacles that I still face every day. I pray that your would work in my through your word and by your Holy Spirit, to make me an effective disciple; one who follows you closely and in whom others can see you at work. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle