Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
TO PONDER
We recently celebrated 'R U OK' Day here in Australia. For those who aren't familiar with it, it's a day dedicated to raising awareness and prevention of mental health issues and suicide. The idea being that we remember to ask our friends and family, "Are you okay?"
Now it's a nice idea but consider this... how many times has someone asked you how you're going or if you are okay and your response has been something like, "yep, I'm fine thanks", while somewhere just below the surface you have a whole world of burdens you are carrying which you do not want everyone else to see?
In today's reading from James we are encouraged to consider the community of faith to be a place where we can openly admit and confess to one another that we are sinners. That doesn't mean that there are no consequences for sin in the Christian Community. When we hurt or betray one another with our words and actions, trust can be broken and can need time and help to be mended, but that healing doesn't even begin until things are aired out in the open.
Consider today what your part is in making your church community a place where people are free and comfortable to share not just the joys and successes of life but also confident in sharing their failures and struggles knowing that they will receive support and encouragement as they seek reconciliation and forgiveness.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, so often it is easier to judge others instead of listen and support them. Help me to play my part in making my church community a place where people can feel safe to really share their lives with one another in both the good times and the struggles. Help me to listen without judgement, to forgive as you forgive and to love as you love. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the day approaching.
TO PONDER
Life is hard. I mean, don't get me wrong, there are plenty of good things that happen in life and it can be filled with fun and good times too, but every day there are choices to make, things to do, obligations to meet, goals to achieve. How do you fit it all in?
I've noticed, particularly since covid, that many people have prioritised 'family time'. Now again, don't get me wrong, prioritising family time is a great idea but the challenge for us is to not prioritise our family time over God's family time.
What seems to be happening now that life is picking up pace after Covid, people want to maintain a bit more space and time in their lives and they are finding it by ditching church. And you often hear excuses like, "Well you don't have to go to church to be a Christian", or "My faith is just something between me and God anyway and I can watch all sorts of preaching on line these days anyway." These people are not technically wrong, but they are missing something. Who is encouraging them? Who is supporting them? Who is asking them the tough questions when they are tempted to further compromise their faith, when faced with the pressures that the world consistently throws at us?
Don't be tempted to give up your church community for 'extra time'. Make it part of your family time, integrate church and faith time into fun family activities. Incorporate it into your social time and invite some of your church family toning out with your work friends. Let's not see 'church' as an extra thing, but as the central thing that supports and encourages us in the other spheres of our lives.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of being part of your family. Help me not to turn my back on the gift of my church family in preference for other things. Help me to be an encouraging and supportive member of my church both among its members and among the community you have given us to serve. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
TO PONDER
I remember the 'kids' camp song, "cast your burdens" perhaps you know it but it's basically a repeated refrain of the words, "Cast you burdens onto Jesus, for he cares for you".
The way we care for and support each other in community is one of the ways we show the love of Jesus to the world. But how can we care effectively for each other if we are not open to sharing with each other the struggles, trials and disappointments that life throws at us. We live in a world that is increasingly obsessed with projecting only the positive parts of our lives and increasingly seems to encourage us to keep the bad parts hidden. But despite what Facebook, Instagram and TikTok might be showing you the data suggests a different reality.
Various studies suggest that approximately 20% of the adult population in Australia has or will suffer from a stress or anxiety disorder in their lifetime. And about 16% of Australian adult experiences feelings of acute loneliness which impacts negatively on both their mental and physical health. How do we know if we can not create a safe and welcoming place where people can openly share the reality of their life without fear of judgement? How can we offer the help and comfort of Jesus when we have no Idea where that help is needed most.
Let's be a place where people can openly share their burdens and in doing so, encounter the non judgemental love and grace of Jesus.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, sometimes it is difficult not to judge when I encounter people who are different and see things differently from myself. Please help me to see others the way you see them. Help me to care and to listen and to respond with your love. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all.
TO PONDER
There's two interesting things going on in this passage from the book of Acts, the gospel message of Jesus was faithfully and powerfully being proclaimed and God's grace was at work in all the people.
These two things together make a powerful witness to Jesus. We can be charitable, speak kindly about and to others, get involved in the community and serve people in all sorts of ways, but without the gospel message of Jesus, we are just a bunch of 'nice', community minded people. Conversely, we can talk about the gospel message of Jesus, but if those we are talking to do not see how that makes any difference in our lives, then it's often not a very compelling message in today's world.
It is when the people of God together, in community, get busy sharing Jesus in both word and deed, that their witness to Jesus becomes powerful and effective. If you are part of the community of believers, you have a role to play!
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, help me to remember that I am an integral part of my church and how I live my life as one of your disciples, affects the mission of our entire church community. Give me strength and courage to get involved with the gifts and talents that you have given me. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.Rather, in humility value others above yourselves
TO PONDER
Does anyone want to be at the top, to be a star or idol? Is it your desire to be important? Yet words like “top,” “idol,” and “star” do not describe the joyful Christian’s life. What is more important? To be a celebrity or to imitate Christ? Genuine joy is expressed in Christlike humility. Humility is difficult but practicing selfish pride sows seeds of death in the midst of life. Why do we tend to measure self-worth against the perceived success or failures of others? Is it because we think life’s ultimate goal is personal fulfillment or that living life at another’s expense will stir feelings of joy? Is that not why Jesus made himself nothing, humbled himself, and become a servant? Surely if the Son of God can come to us to serve us, we can serve him by serving those who He brings into our lives?
PRAYER
Dear Lord, I praise you that human dignity is a gift of your grace. Protect me from pride and make me like Christ so that I will sow the seeds of your joy in others. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Epping
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others upaccording to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
TO PONDER
Everyone should always tell the truth. But one important ingredient in telling the truth was sometimes left out. We should speak the truth in love. We may have told the truth without any regard for how it might hurt the other person. We should say only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs. We should ask the Lord to set a guard over our mouth. We all need God’s wisdom in how to speak and how not to.
PRAYER: Father in heaven, thank you for the gifts of speech and communication. But Lord, please set a guard over my mouth, keep watch over the door of my lips. Help me to learn to speak the truth in love. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Epping
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
TO PONDER
The great basic Christian virtues are those which govern human relationships. Christianity is community. It has on its divine side the amazing gift of peace with God and on its human side the triumphant solution of the problem of living together. A Christian forbears and forgives; and does so because a forgiven person must always be forgiving. As God forgave us, so we must forgive others, for it is only in forgiving that we really know the fullness of forgiveness.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help me to put off old sinful habits as I would put off dirty clothes and put on new and fresh ones. Help me to have a new attitude, which thinks of others before thinking of self. May it be as if the new ‘clothes’ I have just put on are bound together by love, so that my appearance is one of genuine beauty and completeness in your son Christ Jesus. Amen
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Epping.
"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."
TO PONDER
We should remember who we think we are. This affects how we behave. We are children of the Lord, chosen by God, set apart for great things. We then learn gratitude through receiving something we don’t deserve. As God's chosen people, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness are our dress code. Like beautiful articles of clothing, they should adorn our lives as well.
PRAYER: Dear God, as your beloved people in Christ, enable us each day to clothe ourselves in your likeness. Help me to dress in clothes of love so that others will experience your love through me, to live faithfully in your way of love. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Epping
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
TO PONDER
We should notice that Christ is not fixated on being seated in Glory by the Father, but solely that He could accomplish His Father’s will. And in that same way, we as imitators of Christ should seek to serve the Father, because of what has been graciously done for us. Jesus does not seek to blow the horn of attention, but rather the drum of obedience – a consistent and faithful beat, to the point of death on a cross. We serve the purpose of the Father, to the exalting of the Son, and for the benefit of others to know Him. That is why service to others removes the focus off what you seek out of it.
PRAYER: O Lord, the death of Christ transfers us from death to life. Therefore, our lives are no longer our own, but our lives belong to you Lord. And because of that, whatever you need from me, your command is my pursuit. Amen
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Epping