Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation
TO PONDER
I have never been on an itinerary based, organised Christian mission trip. My wife has, to Thailand with LifeWay and my daughter has via her Catholic independent high school to Ltyentye Apurte (about 1.5hrs drive south of Alice Springs in the N.T.).
To listen to, and learn of these experiences from participants always has me thinking that this is such a wonderful opportunity to be 'Christ like' and share God's love for all, to the world. The experience also has Christian participant's returning with very different views on our own human self-centredness and the serving of those in need.
As I ponder on these mission opportunities, I can only imagine that this is as close to what a Christian may get to experiencing what our Lord and Saviour did for us on the cross and through His resurrection. The ultimate of all mission itineraries!
As descendants of Adam, we were born into sin, were enemies and alienated from God. (Note the ancient Greek word translated alienated (apellotriomenous) is literally “transferred to another owner.”) We are reconciled with God through Jesus' ultimate sacrifice for us. His actions transfer our ownership from Satan to God. Through this reconciliation God didn’t meet us halfway, God meets us all the way and invites us to accept it. This reconciliation with God makes us holy and blameless in His sight. We are being presented to God as living sacrifices, just as the priests in biblical times inspected potential sacrifices for their worthiness.
Due to our Saviour's successful ultimate mission itinerary, we belong to God, and in His sight, we are without blemish and are free from accusation.
What a reassuring and comforting fact. How can we not accept this invitation!
PRAYER:Lord of reconciliation. You undertook the ultimate of mission itineraries through your sacrificial death for me on the cross. Then through your resurrection, reconciled me with God transferring my ownership. Thank you for your abounding love, grace and mercy. Help me to be 'Christ-like' in my daily mission for You. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
TO PONDER
Yesterday we were encouraged to knock on our Lord's door in prayer, and it will be opened for us. Today, 'the shoe is on the other foot' as we say, and we are being challenged to open the door and welcome Christ into our home and hearts.
As I contemplated Revelation 3, verse 20 to prepare my thinking for you to ponder, I thought of our general reluctance to answer a knock on the door in the world we live in today (well, in the city anyway). Digital technology and mobile phones mean friends and family can notify you of their pending arrival, even if it is not planned and is an unexpected visit. We therefore (well I do anyway) approach an unannounced (surprise) knock on the door with real trepidation.
Our God stands at our door and knocks to express His desire to enter. There is no 'guessing game' required by us to try and determine who is knocking. We don't even need to respond to the knocking by asking 'who's there?' God is talking to us telling us it is Him. We need to stop, listen and respond to Him by opening the door of our lives and hearts so He can enter and fellowship with us. He with us and we with Him. A life now, as well as an 'after-life' of fellowship with Him. How comforting and assuring!
God wants to be part of our lives. He wants a personal relationship with each one of us.
How are you responding to the knock on your door? With fear and trepidation of the unknown or are you stopping, taking the time to listen, and hear God's voice so that the door can be opened with confidence fully accepting Him into your heart, life and home.
PRAYER:Our Father in Heaven. Guide me so that I do not continually get caught up in life’s busyness. Help me to stop with intention, and listen so I can hear you calling me and talking to me through Your word, so I can open the door without any trepidation and welcome You into my heart to dwell with me. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
TO PONDER
In yesterday’s devotion we learned that the prayer in John chapter 17 was a unique opportunity for us to witness the nature and heart of Jesus and to know Him more personally. We reflected on the fact that genuine prayer often reveals a person’s innermost being.
God values persistence and passion in prayer because these characteristics show that we share His heart. It shows that we care about the things that He cares about.
Today’s message provides a three-fold description of prayer and the rewards that we will receive as we grow in our relationship with God through prayer.
Firstly, we just need to ask. Make our requests passionately known to God. Everyone who asks will receive. Receiving is the reward of asking.
Secondly, we should earnestly seek and search after God, His word and His will. Everyone who earnestly seeks will find. Finding is the reward of seeking.
Thirdly, we should have no fear in knocking on the door of our Master in prayer. The act of knocking does provide the connotation of perseverance and persistence. We knock to generally let someone know we are there and that we want to speak to them. Having the door opened by God to greet us and listen to us is the reward for knocking.
Matthew 7, verse 7 is a personal invitation to us to come to God in prayer. To ask, to seek and to knock. Three ingredients for us to follow to build a personal relationship with our Father in Heaven.
The other striking thing about these ingredients is that they are indeed wonderfully simple. They are not a theoretical algorithm, or a complex formula that one needs to learn, or be educated sufficiently to understand. No sir! Our God does not discriminate. He loves everyone and sent His only son to die for the world to save everyone from their sins.
Everyone and anyone can ask, seek, knock and receive the respective rewards.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus. Continue to remind me through worship, and the study of your Word to continually talk to You in prayer. To ask, and make my requests passionately. To earnestly seek You so that my personal relationship with You grows daily and to knock, so that You will open the door for me both now here on earth, and then finally to welcome me to my eternal Heavenly home that you have prepared for me. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
TO PONDER
Today’s verse is from a prayer often described by theologians as the greatest recorded in the Bible. It is interesting to read this prayer fully and note that Jesus did not pray just as He taught His disciples (us) to pray [the Lord’s prayer]. Whilst the prayer raises many of the same concerns commonly included in the Prayer that He taught us, there is a total absence of an inferior to a superior intercession in this prayer. Instead, a constant co-equality of the Pray-er (Jesus) with the Father (God) is seen throughout John chapter 17.
This prayer is a unique opportunity for us to witness the nature and heart of Jesus and to know Him more personally. Genuine prayer often reveals a person’s innermost being and this is certainly the case in today’s reading.
It portrays one of the most difficult areas for both seasoned and newer Christian’s to fully grasp being the topic of the Triune God. In this prayer we witness the Godhead of both Jesus and God as being one.
Jesus prays that His disciples (us) come to know the only one true God (our Heavenly Father), and Jesus Christ whom God sent to us (and is the same being - together with the Holy Spirit).
What an opportunity indeed to witness the nature and heart of Jesus, interceding for us with our God and Father who is also one with the Holy Spirit. Our triune God.
Thanks be to God!
PRAYER:Triune God. Teach me to spend time in your Word so that I do grow in my relationship with you and have the opportunity to personally know you and witness the very nature of your loving heart. Keep my own heart and mind open to Your Word so that I am filled with Your Holy Spirit daily. I ask you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Newcastle
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
TO PONDER
As my wife and I start to think about retirement and what this means for us, we are seriously contemplating a move north of Sydney to the beautiful Port Stephens region where we have frequently spent many wonderful times and family breaks. We may be biased but we think it is a truly picturesque place full of inviting glistening and pristine waterways surrounded by beautiful flora and fauna. For us, it really beats the city rat-race full of non-stop hustle and bustle. So, we will likely go from our part-time stints in Port Stephens, to settling down as members permanently living in the local community.
St. Paul prays for Christ to dwell in Christians hearts. Two ancient Greek words convey the idea “to live in.” One has the idea of living in a place as a stranger, and the other has the idea of settling down in a place to make it your permanent home. Dwell uses the ancient Greek word for a permanent home. Jesus wants to settle down in your heart, not just visit as a stranger.
Paul also prays that we are rooted and established in God’s love. Just like the Seekers hit (We shall not be moved’) we are to remain deeply rooted and grounded together as Christians in God’s love – “Just like a tree that’s standing by the waterside” (as the lyrics state).
To do this, we need to understand God’s unfathomable love for us. Know His love from experience not just in words. His love has width and includes absolutely everyone. It has length as His love lasts for eternity. It commenced before we were even born, it continued through to our own Baptism as His Child and will continue on for every second of every minute on earth and then during our life with Him in Heaven in our eternal home that He has prepared for us. God’s love has depth to the extent that He came to earth to serve human-kind and then died for us on the cross to save us. His love has height. High enough to take all believers to Heaven to be with Him.
God yearns for a personal relationship with us so He can take up permanent residence and dwell in our hearts forever.
PRAYER: Earthly and Heavenly Father. Help me to open my heart and mind to Your unfathomable love. Grow my relationship with You daily, so I know you more personally and so You are not a visiting stranger but a permanent dweller in my heart. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.
TO PONDER
Nike have been using the slogan ‘Just do it!’ for 37 years this year. Inspiring millions of people to take action and pursue their fitness goals. We indeed live in a society where too often we are told that we need to look after ourselves first and foremost. ‘Make it happen!’ we are told. If you don’t, no-one else will. This form of messaging is even mirrored by some people toward others who are less privileged or marginalised - ‘Why don’t they do something to help themselves?’ The people that make this statement about the misfortunate amongst us, are at the same time likely ‘bragging’ about their own actions and successes to ensure they haven’t ended up in that position or situation. It’s a sad human trait, to want to boast.
Today’s verses from Ephesians couldn’t be further from this thinking and the too often flawed rationale that our society lives by. The Apostle Paul knew of our sinful and boastful nature as he makes very clear that none of what God has done for us is even partly earned by our own actions or works!
We are saved and have salvation through the gift of grace from God. In fact, 2 Corinthians 4 :4 tells us that even our faith is a gift from God. We cannot believe in Jesus unless God does a prior work in us, for we are blinded by our own deadness and by the god of this age.
God knows us inside-out. He loves us dearly to the extent that every hair on our head is numbered (Luke 12 :7) and His actions for us mean that we are His children and that we will be taken care of both here on this earth and when He calls us from this life to our Heavenly home. We are invited (called) to follow Him, read His word, deepen our relationship with Him and to readily share His gracious gifts to us with others, (perhaps even boasting to others about what God has done for us) - so they too, come to know Him.
PRAYER:Gracious God, keep me ever mindful that I have nothing to boast about, other than everything that You have done for me. Help me to continue to grow my relationship with You daily so that I may share your graciousness and gifts with others around me to help grow Your Kingdom here on earth. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
For you have been born again. Your new life did not come from your earthly parents because the life they gave you will end in death. But this new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As the prophet says,
“People are like grass that dies away; their beauty fades as quickly as the beauty of wildflowers. The grass withers, the flowers fall away. But the word of the Lord will last forever.”
And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.
To Ponder
I think we are all aware, especially those who have ‘been around for longer’, just how quickly life seems to pass by, and our bodies “wither” and our beauty fades.
In contrast, God’s Word is eternal: His Word was powerfully present at creation, when he spoke and the power of his Word brought light, earth and life into being; his Word is living in Jesus (Once again we see the power of the Word: eg. “Your sins are forgiven, ...take your mat and walk” (Matt 9:1-8); “Be still” (Mark 4:35-41); “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:38-44)); and we are assured that his Word is eternal. The power of God’s Word does not fade with time!
In the reading today, Peter emphasises that we see the eternal power of God’s Word in each of our lives: Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we who believe in him are born again, with eternal life. This is the Word of the Lord! (spoken over us in our baptism, and God reminds us of this truth in the written Word). Thanks be to God!
Prayer
God, your Word is so powerful! Thank you for speaking new life into my broken, sin-riddled existence. Thank you that my new life is eternal – with you! Help me never to lose the awe of this wonderful Good News.
Today’s devotion written by Julie Kitchen, Lifeway Epping
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
To Ponder
It is clear from today’s passage that God sees his Word as 100% reliable: it always achieves what he intends it to achieve.
Furthermore, this passage helps us see that God doesn’t just “scatter” his Word and hope for the best. No, did you catch the last phrase in the reading? God sends his Word into the world (into our lives) with a very specific purpose.
God sent Jesus, the Word made flesh, into our world with a very special and specific purpose: to provide a way for us to be reconciled to God. And Jesus accomplished exactly what God desired!
Each day as we read his Word, God also sends that Word into our lives with a very specific purpose: to point us to Jesus; to grow us in relationship with him; to refine us; to guide us; possibly even to send us, speaking or enacting his Word to others.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you that we can trust your Word to achieve what you want it to. Holy Spirit, open our hearts to keep humbly hearing and receiving your Word whole-heartedly, so that you can accomplish what you desire, in and through us.
Today’s devotion written by Julie Kitchen, Lifeway Epping
"Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another – showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us."
To Ponder
“God-breathed” is an interesting way of describing Scripture. Throughout the bible, the breath of God (the creation of Adam; Jesus “breathing on them” when he appeared to his disciples after his resurrection etc) is associated with the Holy Spirit and life. The Holy Spirit is certainly at work through the living Word (as we pondered yesterday), and the work he does brings us life. In today’s verse we are given examples of ways in which the Holy Spirit works through Scripture: showing truth, exposing our rebellion (ouch!), correcting our mistakes, and training us to live God’s way. We need all of these!
It is a great encouragement to hear that despite our mistakes and rebellion, our tendency to believe lies and wander away from God, God declares that because of Jesus we are worthy of his Kingdom. So much so, that he has prepared Kingdom tasks for each of us, and he is using his Word to shape us so that we are ready and equipped for those tasks.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, Thank you for accepting me because of Jesus. Thank you for seeing me as worthy of your tasks. Continue to grow and shape me through your Word so that I am fully equipped and ready. Open my eyes to recognize, and my heart to embrace, the tasks you have prepared for me today.
Today’s devotion written by Julie Kitchen, Lifeway Epping