Turn to me and be saved,
all you ends of the earth
For I am God, and there is no other.
To Ponder
What an invitation! This one God wants everyone to turn to him
and be saved, not just you and me but everyone from every tribe
and nation, right to ‘the ends of the earth!’
This invitation is made because God is the true and living God,
the only one who can provide salvation, a contrast to the other
nations and people worshiping false gods and idols.
The word ‘turn’ indicates a change in direction, looking
elsewhere, taking focus off ourselves and the things we put our trust
in, and completely focusing on God; trusting in him; depending on him to
rescue us, just as a drowning man looks to someone on shore for
rescue.
These words were written around 700bc but we are in just as
much of need of them today if we want to enjoy the true peace
and joy that comes from God alone.
We need to trust God because we need salvation from sin and
experience God’s grace.
Prayer
Lord God, from before time began, you were the one true God,
have remained so, and will be forever; I thank you for those people
you placed in my life to pass your story to me. Forgive me when
the pressures of daily living take my focus from you and I forfeit
the peace and joy loving and trusting you gives me. You want all
people and nations to know you are the one true God who alone
can give salvation. Lord, please show me how you need me to help
in this mission, strengthen my trust to follow your call. Amen
Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson, LifeWay Newcastle
This is good and pleases God our Saviour who wants all men
to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.
To Ponder
Do you recall the time when prayer was top of the agenda for all
meetings? I am not sure what reasons were given to phase it out.
1Timothy 2 begins with the need for prayer for rulers, kings and
those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all
goodness and holiness.
It’s God’s will, his desire, and nature rather than decree that we live
like this, and as the text reads, it is good and pleases God.
As we pray, our thoughts should be toward God and his great love and
desire for salvation for all people; sometimes it is hard to pray for those
who are hostile to the gospel, but judging who is undeserving of prayer
is not in our job description.
So many people know only a little truth about God and absorb bits and
pieces from many sources; our prayers for them need to be for someone
to come, soften their hearts, show, and teach them the truth.
God wants all men to be saved, so we pray for our pastors and teachers,
those who choose to be missionaries, and those who take the gospel into
places where even owning a Bible can mean a death sentence.
We cannot leave teaching God’s saving grace and love to someone else;
our prayers should be that we too are alert to opportunities to tell how
God has been an influence for good in our lives.
We need to remember to pray for all people: family, co-workers, neighbors,
our enemies, and those we don’t like very much.
Prayer
Lord God, you desire that all people come to know you, and that all
people receive salvation. Forgive me for the times you have presented me
with an opportunity and I have not acted on it. Give me courage when I fear
a hostile reaction. Strengthen my trust in you, knowing you won’t leave me
hanging out on a limb. Amen
Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson, LifeWay, Newcastle
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under
Heaven given to men by which we must be saved’
To Ponder
Have you ever noticed that at times when everything is moving
smoothly something crops up and puts a spanner in the works?
This is what was happening in Acts: many new believers daily and
sharing what they had, but the priests and Sadducees were disturbed
by Peter and John’s teachings, so they jumped at the chance to arrest
them after they healed a lame man. When asked by what power
they were able to do this, Peter said, “In the name of Jesus Christ” and
then the verse we read today.
We could try good works or other self-efforts, but the truth is only
Faith in Jesus and his unique role is the exclusive source of salvation.
Jesus’ death and resurrection have secured us freedom from our sins and
the chance to live a peaceful life. We don’t only know this within our-
selves, but our experiences show God at work in and around us.
Our experiences should inspire us to share the Good News of the gospel
whenever possible so everyone has the chance to live in this new freedom.
The text doesn’t say ‘faithful believers’ but “name under heaven given to
men.’ This too will meet with opposition because many will see it as
exclusive; we need to persevere because God wants everyone to have
the joy of his salvation.
Prayer
God of creation and salvation, you wish for everyone to come to know you
and the joy of a relationship with you; give me the strength and trust to
take your word to those who doubt or do not know you yet. You have so
richly blessed me; help me tell others about you. May your Holy Spirit give
me the manner and words when mockers try to dissuade me.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson, LifeWay Newcastle
For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world,
but to save the world through him.
To Ponder
At Sunday School we were taught, “Jesus loves me, this I know because
The Bible tells me so.” As we got older, John 3:16 was given as an example
of this love. I thought about my family and how they loved me: Mum
and Dad, my paternal grandfather, and Auntie Vee topped the list, but
would they die for me? They might stand between me and danger, but
to die for me was a love so great it was beyond my comprehension, and
still is. That’s how great God’s love is for me and all His people.
Jesus was born into a world that had lost its way and connection to God,
But God still loved his people; Jesus wasn’t born to condemn the world for
its wicked sinfulness but God wanted all people to be saved. God was offering
a way out. In Greek cosmos is used, emphasizing the range and scope of his
mission, to save all people, not just a few. also, sozo, translated as saved,
includes rescue, healing, and making people whole.
Jesus’ life, suffering, and death would show how every day we see life as a
gift, and live a new way of life, reflecting God’s grace, love, and forgiveness
to everyone especially to those who are yet to receive this.
Jesus wants us to be part of this, to be reminded of the Great Commission by
Reading Matthew 28:16-20
Prayer
Forgiving Father God, I give you thanks that, through Jesus’ death, I am not
condemned for my sins and have the chance to show my thanks by showing
and speaking of the gift of life so more people may come to know you and,
through your grace, be saved. In Jesus name Amen
Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson , LifeWay, Newcastle
Jesus answered, “ I am the way and the truth and the life, No one comes
to the Father except through me.”
To Ponder
Many years ago, when I was preparing to leave home to start my nursing training
at a large city hospital, I was given much advice about living in the ‘Big Smoke’ but
no thought that I might meet people who might not believe in God. Then I met my
Roommate. She made her views very clear as I unpacked. I had never heard so many
derogatory remarks to which I could find no answer. I do, however, remember one
“You bunch of wowsers think this God just cares for you lot!”
Today’s text proves just how wrong she was. God is addressing all people, and it
suggests that His action was to provide Jesus as a means for all humanity to access
Him, not a select few. God’s love is for all people.
God desires that all people know Him; His love is generous and inclusive for everyone.
His work through Jesus provides an opportunity for reconciliation and spiritual life to
all people. We begin to understand how God’s all-encompassing grace and mercy are
available to all people through the gift of His Son.
There is a suggestion that belief is required, but through Jesus’ work, even those who
may not understand or explicitly recognize Jesus can benefit because ultimately the
provision is God's.
We need to show God’s generous provision to us by faithfully sharing his word with
those around us, patiently answering questions and not making judgments so that
they come to faith and enjoy the fullness of God’s love and grace.
Prayer
Loving gracious God, I know there have been times when I have missed or not
recognized you prompting me to tell someone that you love them and desire to have
a relationship with them. May my words and actions cause someone to want to learn
about you and your love for all people. Amen
Today's Devotion written by Maureen MacPherson, LifeWay, Newcastle.
For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.
TO PONDER
I feel sorry for Jeremiah. As a young lad He was called by God to warn his fellow citizens of Judah that God was going to destroy Jerusalem and the temple unless they changed their lives. But they didn’t listen to the message he brought directly from God. He then had to watch as the Babylonians first exiled their king and many of the citizens, and then some years later put Jerusalem through a long siege and finally destruction.
God had promised him right from the start that He would protect Jeremiah and keep him safe, but that didn’t stop Jeremiah having to endure lots of slander, false accusations and being thrown into a muddy cistern. Often, he feared for his life, because the people, from the king down, did not want to hear his message from God.
The book of Lamentations was written after the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of its remaining inhabitants. In poetic style, Jeremiah pours out his heart to God over the destruction he has witnessed caused by the degeneration of his fellow Israelites. Yet in the middle of the 5 chapters of Lamentations, there are 13 verses where Jeremiah expresses hope and salvation from a God of Love. The verses above are just two of those 13 verses.
We often have this picture of a vengeful God looking out for who ever does wrong so that God can zap them. This is a very depressing caricature of God since it can easily lead us down a path of rejecting this god we can never please, and for whom we are never good enough. But the God presented to us in the bible, and in the life of Jesus, is a God whose first attitude towards us is unconditional love. The God who created us, and knows intimately how we tick, is always working to grow us in our relationship with Him. At times we stray so far off the track of what He wants for us that He has to discipline us, to help us see that the path we have taken is leading us away from this relationship. But He is always motivated by love for us, and what He allows to happen to us is ultimately to help us to see that life, fulfilling life, is surrender ourselves into that love of His.
So, when we are struggling to keep our heads above water, we just need to call out to our Life Saver, Jesus, tell Him we have nothing left and give Him permission to lead us to safety. I’m not saying God will wave His magic wand and everything will be paradise, but we will grow in experiencing His amazing love as we take His hand and follow where He leads us.
Prayer: Loving Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Grace in showering us with blessings we don’t deserve and for Your mercy in not punishing us for what we deserve for not living up to Your very high standards. And thank You that everything you allow to happen to us has a purpose from You to grow us in knowing that Love and trusting that Love. Amen
Today's devotion written by Charles Bertelsmeier, LIfeWay Epping
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
TO PONDER
When I read these verses, three episodes recorded in the Old Testament of the Bible come to mind: The Israelites crossing the Red Sea as they leave Egypt; 40 years later, the children of those same Israelites crossing the flooded Jordan River to enter the promised land; and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being thrown into a fiery furnace in Babylon. All came through without any harm. These were very impressive miracles by God to prove that He was the most powerful God on this earth, more powerful than the Egyptian gods of that time, more powerful than Canaanite gods of that time, more powerful than Babylonian gods of that time.
When we read about Paul’s life in the New Testament, we see his survival from ship wreck and from being bitten by a very venomous snake – amongst other survival miracles.
In our modern world, science and technology seem to have answers to explain everything that happens. Not that I am in anyway negative about science and technology, but their impact seems to be that we have squeezed God down into this small insignificant corner of our lives. God seems also to have lost a lot of His power to do amazing things – at least our expectation of what God may be able to do.
I have to be honest in that I can spend a whole day busy doing things and not spend a single moment thinking of how God may want to be involved in what I am doing – until things don’t go to plan and then I am reminded of my forgetfulness.
God has not changed. He is the same God who looked after the Israelites and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He has not lost any of His powers. He is still active in every moment of our lives, working to develop our relationship with Him. He wants to grow us in our trust in His love and presence so that when He asks us to face our own “fiery furnaces”, we will go where He calls us and do and say what He asks us to do. Notice, God doesn’t send us anywhere, He always goes with us in wherever He calls us to go.
Just a comment. In those three episodes I mentioned, the main time of fear and dread was before entering the water or fire. Once in the middle of the raging walls of water or the fiery furnace, the people were completely safe. So often it is the fear of facing a situation that holds us back and paralyses us. If we trust God’s presence to go with us, and step forward, we will experience God’s powerful presence as He carries out His plans and purposes through us. We just have to be there.
Prayer: Loving Father, so often we are paralyses by fear that we will stuff up, so we don’t go or we don’t say anything. And we have to confess that this is often due to us not believing You will be there with us. Please open our eyes to see You at work in this world so that we grow in trusting You. Amen
Today's devotion written by Charles Bertelsmeier, LIfeWay Epping
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
TO PONDER
Come on Paul! Glorying in your suffering? You have to be joking, or masochistic!
OK, having got that off my chest, what is Paul really trying to tell us?
Just about every achievement or ability we have in life is brought about by some training. Consider training for a sport, learning a trade, studying for a profession, learning a musical instrument. All these require dedication to the process of developing the skills required. They nearly all require a teacher of some sort and the application of time to achieve the required level of proficiency. Some of us enjoy the development process, especially as we learn new skills and abilities. But, sometimes, the process is not so enjoyable and we have to push through to achieve our goals. Hopefully, having achieved some level of proficiency, we can get some level of enjoyment out of practicing our profession or competency.
When we struggle with the learning process, it is very helpful to have a fellow “traveller” with us to share the struggles with and encourage one another. And it also helps have a vision of what we are trying to achieve, to keep us focused on the task at hand.
What Paul is trying to say here is that God has a vision of what we can become if we let Him work in our lives to develop the characteristics He wants to develop in us. If you think about it, our whole life on this earth is aimed at developing our characters in preparation for our new life in eternity. God is working to remove from us those negative characteristics such as selfishness, anger, pride, jealousy and developing in us the characteristics of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Unfortunately, God doesn’t wave His magic wand and suddenly we are the wonderful people He wants us to become. Rather, He takes us through the training process we call life, letting us face situations through which He brings about the changes. And through all this He is revealing Himself to us so that we get to know Him and the love He has for us.
When we read through the second half of the book of Acts in the Bible, we find that Paul experienced some pretty horrific experiences as he surrendered his life to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in his life. He had come to develop a strong trust in God working through all these experiences, so, in spite of the pain he was experiencing in his body, he was able to still experience joy in his soul as he saw God at work through what he was experiencing. So what Paul wrote about glorying in his suffering was not theoretical, but lived experience. And it wasn’t actually glorying in the suffering itself, but what God was achieving through the suffering he was going through.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, there are times when life is hard and we don’t know where to get the strength to carry on. Thank You for Your promise to be right beside us during these difficult times. Please open our eyes to see Your presence and to know the peace only You can give. Amen
Today's devotion written by Charles Bertelsmeier, LifeWay Epping
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
TO PONDER
Is it possible to be at peace with yourself and the world when everything around you seems to be falling apart?
Most of my adult life I have lived in Sydney. Many of the places I have lived are under the flight path of aeroplanes using Sydney airport. Even though the noise from the planes in some of these places was so loud all conversation had to cease, I never felt threatened by the presence of these planes. However, in the days immediately after the hijacking of planes in America and the planes being flown in the towers of the World Trade Centre (just over 24 years ago), I experienced a nervousness each time I heard a plane in the vicinity of where I was and I would look up to locate the plane. I knew the fear was irrational, but the effect of the video of the planes flying into the towers had a strong destabilising effect on me and many other people.
As we listen to the news each evening, we will be exposed to the suffering of many people due to the selfishness and self-centredness of those in positions of power – from people in our own neighbourhoods to people in distant countries. Although what we generally see is not threatening us immediately, we can easily become discouraged by what we see in the general direction of the social and political environments of our world. And even if we are not negatively impacted by the social and political outlook, it can be financial, relationship and/or health issues that are threatening to take away our sense of peace.
It may seem counter intuitive that we can find comfort and assurance in Jesus’s advice to us that the world we live in will not always be the safe, secure place we may have experienced to date and we hope it will continue to be. The difference is that Jesus took all this negativity onto himself and dealt with it. He then promised that He would ALWAYS be with us in whatever was happening in our lives. He would protect us and guide us through these episodes, always working to grow us in our relationship Him, growing us in trusting His love and presence. He does this because He loves us deeply and wants to bless us richly with knowing Him as our loving Heavenly Father. He wants also to offer us the joy of being part of His mission in this world to bring that same relationship to other people.
A simple picture to help us understand this. You are walking along a muddy track after it has been raining heavily. You could be concentrating down on the mud that you are squelching through, or you could look up and enjoy the beauty of the rainbow in the sky and the beautiful sunset.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we have to admit that we often take our focus off You and what You are doing in our lives. We let what is happening around us distract us from Your promises to be with us in whatever is happening to us. Thank You for Your faithfulness to Your promises to always be with us. Amen
Today's devotion written by Charles Bertelsmeier, LifeWay Epping