Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
TO PONDER
What are your wildest dreams for the future?
This is one of my favourite verses from the Bible, I recommend you read it from the Amplified translation to read the words like ‘superabundantly more’, ‘infinitely beyond’, words that make me realize I often underestimate the immenseness of God and the amazing ways He is able to move in and through us. I instead tend to focus on words like; ‘I can’t’, ‘that’s impossible’, ‘not enough’, and ‘who am I?’ so I dream smaller, I imagine less, and I trust in myself.
The important part of today’s reading is ‘HIM WHO IS ABLE’, instead of where our dreams usually reside ‘I can’t because…’, both statements are equally true! The difference is where our trust is focused, whether in ourselves with limited capacity or in God with infinite capacity. And that’s exactly what today’s reading is saying, In Christ our emptiness becomes overflowing capacity, according to his power that is at work within us.
With Jesus our expectations can be larger, our hopes can grow, when our dreams become His dreams and our capacity becomes overflowing.
PRAYER
Loving God, I thank you that you are able to do immeasurably more than I expect in and through me when I hand my dreams over to you and allow your power to work. Amen.
Today's devotion provided by Danny Brock, LifeWay Westside Church Planter
“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”
TO PONDER
‘Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry’ that’s the dream, to be blessed so much that I can take it easy, relaxing in the fruit of all my hard labour is my reward after all, right?
Today’s reading is from a parable Jesus told about a rich man that has been titled ‘The Parable of the Rich Fool’ in the NIV translation where Jesus is addressing a question shouted from the crowd on rights and possessions/money. Jesus tells the story of a rich man who was the receiver of a rich harvest in which he planned to relax in the wealth from his good fortune. After all it was a result of his hard work and he had every right to benefit from it, right?
I really like the way the Message translates the way Jesus closed out the parable after the unanticipated death of the rich man; “That’s what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God.”
The Bible is clear from Genesis to Revelation that God blesses His people so they can be a blessing to others, not so they can relax in the fruit of ‘THEIR’ labour. In the same chapter Jesus challenges us with this statement; “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Where do we put our trust?
PRAYER
Loving God, I thank you for all of your ongoing blessings towards me I ask you to continue to challenge me daily to remember I have been blessed to be a blessing to others. Amen.
Today's devotion provided by Danny Brock, LifeWay Westside Church Planter
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
TO PONDER
It still amazes me when I think about statements like the one from today’s reading because of who God is and who I am. Throughout the Bible the question has been asked and explored by many of its authors from King David to the Apostle Paul, they ask questions like ‘what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?’.
In Ephesians 1:3-6 we are told that even before time existed God chose us to be family, He chose us to be family since forever. We were on His mind before God even created time, before anything He had planned to lavish that great love on us.
I am tempted to stop here, to leave room for that truth to sink in, the truth that God calls us His children, His family. If we could grasp that truth even a little, I honestly believe we would be transformed, our everyday would be empowered by that amazing, all encompassing grace. He chose us to be family since forevever, He chose to lavish His great love on us since before time.
What does that mean for your today?
PRAYER
Almighty Father, I am amazed and awestruck by your love that you lavish on me a sinner and thank you that you have adopted me into your family, with the full rights of an heir. I pray that I will allow your grace to empower me to live a life marked and displaying that love. Amen.
Today's devotion provided by Danny Brock, LifeWay Westside Church Planter
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
TO PONDER
For some of us the illustration used in today’s reading may trigger memories of family dinners, work parties, or for the introverts among us any social gathering but it is about so much more than sitting down at a table with people who annoy us…
Psalm 23 is a favourite for a lot of people and perhaps even one of the most well-known passages in the Bible.
The images and poetry used paint a picture of comfort, peace and tranquillity for us usually right up to the point of one who actually has to walk through ‘the valley of the shadow of death’. The tranquillity and comfort can be lost quickly, our joy stripped away when we find ourselves surrounded by our enemies.
The Psalmist had faced the valleys, had stumbled, had fallen, he had been surrounded by countless enemies, had fled for his very life but as he contemplates all of these experiences and those to come he can say ‘my cup overflows’.
Just like King David had learned that God moved even during the times of plenty and the times of want we too need to trust that ‘In Christ emptiness becomes overflowing capacity.’
PRAYER
Almighty God, I thank you that you are always my good shepherd, you anoint my head with your oil of comfort and regardless of whatever I face my cup does overflow because you are faithful and true. Amen.
Today's devotion provided by Danny Brock, LifeWay Westside Church Planter
Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”.
TO PONDER
Have you ever been told to do something that you instantly questioned ‘WHY?’, maybe even read something in the Bible and instantly questioned its validity? Maybe you thought it was a waste of time, or maybe that it was just a bad idea, or even that it was just crazy?
Today’s reading was one of those moments. We don’t know what if anything the servants knew about Jesus, we do know that they had never witnessed Jesus performing a miracle, so we can only imagine what was going through their heads when Jesus told them to fill up the ceremonial purification jars, to the brim, with plain everyday water and then told them to scoop some of that plain everyday water out to take to the master of ceremony.
Now most of us reading this would already know what was about to happen, that the plain everyday water was about to become really good wine but these servants were caught in the in-between time of a God story. See, Jesus had given the servants commands without explanations, a plan without clarification. It seems as if Jesus didn’t even publicly pray over the plain everyday water asking the Father to turn it into wine. The servants were caught in the in-between time of a move of God, stuck in the unknown, between a command and the witnessing of the fulfilment of God’s plan.
Maybe some of us find ourselves in the in-between time of what will become a God story, we are asking God ‘WHY?’, we are unsure about what is happening, we can’t see the fulfilment of God’s plan but it's at these times we should follow the example of the servants and in the midst of the in-between we should just obey what Jesus has told us to do until we see that we were participants in a move of God.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I pray that even in the in-between times of life I will continue to follow you and trust in your goodness. Amen.
Today's devotion provided by Danny Brock, LifeWay Westside Church Planter
“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
TO PONDER
First thoughts? Maybe buoyancy is the ability to walk on water? That would certainly fit the definition to the highest degree possible. ‘Look mum, no hands!’ As soon as we take our hands off the handlebars however, and take our eyes off the target, our world comes to a crashing halt just as it did for Peter. ‘Look at me, I’m walking on water!’ Then the wind, then panic, eyes off Jesus – crash, or perhaps gurgle, gurgle.
Just prior to this, Jesus had approached the boat, walking on water, saying, ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid’. The natural response of our egos is to desire the thrill and the personal glory of walking on water, but we are not God and we do not rule over all creation with all power and all authority. Peter did walk on water for a minute, but then the great weight of fear crept in, and he took his eyes off Jesus, the Water Walker, and Peter’s small, personal buoyancy vanished.
Maybe true buoyancy and kingdom building miracle working doesn’t lay in our ability to walk over water toward Jesus, but rather to step into the miraculous with Jesus. Perhaps the clue is in Peter’s words of faith, ‘Lord, save me!’ In these three short words, lay the answer to all the church’s needs and its ability to remain buoyant in a world that seeks to drown us. Save us from our sinfulness. Save us from our broken hearts and minds. Save us for the great things you are doing like saving souls, building your church, expanding your kingdom.
PRAYER
Give us this day our daily bread, which feeds all your church’s needs. Lord, save us!
Today's devotion provided by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra Site Pastor
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
TO PONDER
It’s crazy that a time when loneliness is endemic to life in Australia, and mental health is taking a huge hit as a result, we still hear people say that they believe in God but don’t need to ‘go to church’? If only they knew. When we hear such comments, we may satisfy ourselves with their confession of faith but may have left the conversation thinking we could have gifted them with so much more. Just having a belief in Jesus is not enough to serve God’s purposes and achieve a full and rewarding life. In 1 Corinthians 3, St Paul said a life lived with faith in Jesus for personal salvation only, is a life lived in a home on fire. We may escape it with our own life intact, but our life’s work will turn to ashes.
How can we ensure a life of meaning and purpose and be confident that we are leaving an eternal legacy for the salvation of others? We start by changing the language we use because wrong language reinforces wrong understanding. ‘Going’ to church is an oxymoron; it makes no sense. Together with our diverse gifts, skills, and abilities, we are the church. The building is not a church. It’s a building for the church. It’s a chapel. The body of Christ is made up of many parts and together we are the church. This means we are ‘more’ when we are together. The whole is more than the sum of its parts. You have gifts I need and I, gifts you need. On our own we will get by and maybe get through, but together in Christ we will triumph, and we can be sure Christ will have his way. He will build his church and we will experience the beautiful buoyancy of life together in the Holy Spirit.
PRAYER
Father, let us never forget that being church is not an activity we do or a duty we perform but a fruitful life we lead among friends.
Today's devotion provided by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra Site Pastor
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on”... Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel.
TO PONDER
The key here is, ‘coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel.’ Before we go there, I want us to look at verse 15. “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.” Imagine an army captain and Lieutenant on a battle front. Both well trained, both leaders. The captain has years of experience, but the lieutenant has no battle experience. There are expectations on both officers according to their respective ranks. The younger officer, in the face of battle for the first time is disorientated, as we may expect, and keeps going to the senior officer for direction and clarification. After a while, the captain becomes a little irritated. We can imagine his response, ‘Lieutenant, you know your orders! Remember your training! Get it done!’
This is the picture I see as Moses fuddles around in his first battle front conflict. ‘Moses, you do your job, and I’ll do mine’. The desired outcome of this military tactic was to slow Pharoah and his army before Israel reached the Reed Sea. There are, in the Hebrew text, many references to Egypt as the land of the dead, materially and spiritually. There are over 10,000 bodies buried in the Valley of the Kings and theirs was the worship of the gods of the underworld. God was in the process of raising his people out of death.
God also desires to come between us and the danger and death that that pursues. As harsh as the Commander in Chief’s words may have seemed in the heat of battle for Moses, they were saving words. Words that buoyed him up, gave him focus and purpose, and gave Israel success.
PRAYER
El Shaddai, God Almighty, we praise and thank you for guarding us from harm and danger and for equipping us to face the foe, buoyed up by your power and grace. Continue to train us and guide us so that we may be battle ready to save as many as you send our way.
Today's devotion provided by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra Site Pastor
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
TO PONDER
This is the question that asks, ‘Will I take the easy road of self-indulgence today, or will I submit to the way less travelled?’ The way of Jesus. There are several different words that are translated as ‘sin’ in the bible; rebellion, trespass, debt, and some concepts that are understood as sin, like ‘giving in to temptation’, but they are all summed up in the Greek word ‘hamatia’, which means to miss the target. That’s the word for ‘sin’ in today’s text.
How often are you satisfied with a shoddy job? I expect you are not satisfied with yourself when your efforts are ‘half-assed’, nor when others supply you with similar mediocrity. Missing the target of love, which is sin because God is love and God is the target, is a life of unhealthy and broken relationships. Sad, broken, distressing, unsatisfying and unfulfilled, that’s what sin means for our lives. Jesus, through the waters of baptism and the daily infilling of the Holy Spirit, calls us into exciting and fulfilling lives.
Surely it makes no sense to deliberately keep on missing the target of love when we have Word and Spirit, and since we have been washed clean.
Sunday, a week ago, we learned that the Zero Gravity of a life in Christ is also typified by Focus. When we focus upon our old self and its wilful desires, we miss the life God has planned for us. When we focus on Jesus, the abundance of life in God is available through His open heaven. Weightless, Focused and Buoyant. A life with Capacity and the Movement of the Spirit in and through us.
PRAYER
Lord, help us to choose wisely every day. Give us the grace to swallow the Gospel pill and move into the river of life to have our old self drowned and the saint raised to life again.
Today's devotion provided by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra Site Pastor