Thursday May 31, 2012

List 3 people you can share the peace offer of God with     today.

 

Read Deuteronomy 20:10-18;  Romans 5:1-11

 

Even today when countries go to war, they do so under the terms of the Geneva convention. Wars are regulated. God too regulated the warfare of his people.

 

As the nation of Israel approached a nation that was not one of the Canaanite nations that the Lord was judging, they were to offer that nation a peace settlement. Should the nation accept peace, the people were to be spared and were to be put into forced labour. Should the nation reject the offer of peace, God himself would deliver that nation into Israel’s hands and bring victory for her.  The men were to be killed and the women and children and livestock were to be taken as plunder.

 

But God had a clear line of demarcation. As vs 15 shows these nations were the nations distant from the nations in Canaan that were about to be judged by the Lord. The rules of engagement here were not to apply in Canaan because the wrath of God was upon them.

 

As you and I engage in spiritual warfare, the gospel message we proclaim really is a peace offer to the world. It is an offer of peace from God through us, to them. People have the choice to accept that offer of peace or to reject it. Everyone who receives the offer of peace has eternal life. But everyone who rejects this offer of peace will be judged and condemned as the men of the cities were or as the Canaanites were. It is not your job to make people accept the offer. You and I are messengers with an offer from God. We deliver and let God work in people’s lives. When you share that message of peace with someone, share it in an attractive way, pray for that person but leave the decision with them.

 

Prayer:

¥ We all have friends and/or family that need to hear the message of peace from God. List those people in your life and pray that God would give you an opportunity to share with each one. Pray for the salvation of each one.

¥ Pray that the church would recapture its mission mandate from God (Matthew 28:18-20) and that each believer would be seeking to make disciples in his/her own world of influence. Ask God to bring in the harvest by allowing us more and more opportunities to share that message people.

 

Wednesday May 30, 2012

Name 1 fear.

Then ask God to remove that fear from within you.

 

Read Deuteronomy 20:8-9; Luke 12:4-5

 

Fear is infectious. Israel found that out very early in her history. As the nation came out of slavery in Egypt, God commanded them to march in and take the Promised Land. But the nation was afraid. They sent 12 spies into the land and after 40 days these men came back with glowing reports of the land. But they were afraid because of the people in the land. Fear quickly spread and Israel refused to obey and march into the Promised Land. As a consequence, they marched around the desert for 40 years.

 

Fear is infectious. We need to be careful when we are afraid lest our fear be caught and multiplied in others. From God’s perspective we are not to fear any person because they can only kill the body. After they’ve done that, they can do no more. God, however, is the one to be truly feared because He can kill the body and send the soul into the depths of hell.  As we minister and serve, and as we work in this world there will be situations and circumstances and people that cause us to fear. It’s at that point that we need to remember Luke 12:4-5. We need to be secure and certain in our salvation so that we can face each and every situation or person with the confidence that comes from knowing that God has our back.

 

It’s only with the assurance of eternity that we’ll march headlong into the battlefield not concerned about our safety but willing to lay it all on the line for the God laid it all on the line for us. March forward today with no fear except the fear of the Lord.

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray that we would see a growing sense of victory in Christ and a growing fearlessness in our congregations. Pray that believers will rise up to challenge the world, its beliefs and its practices with a fearlessness that shows the world it is about to be judged by our Lord and Saviour.

¥ Pray that our brothers and sisters in Eritrea and Ethiopia and Somalia would be fearless as they continue to worship in life threatening situations. Pray that God would protect these believers and work powerfully through them.

 

 

Tuesday May 29, 2012

Think about what cost you are willing to pay in your love and service of God.

Read Deuteronomy 20:5-7

 

There will be casualties. People will die in the battle. It’s a hard reality to come to grips with but for Israel, going to war would involve casualties and death even though God would fight for them.

 

Hence those who have built a new house or planted a vineyard without enjoying its crop and those who are yet to enjoy the blessing of marriage are to return home lest they die in battle.

 

Today in ministry and service we have to realise that there is a cost. For our brothers and sisters in certain countries, the cost may well be death. But more often it’s economic deprivation, hostility from other villagers, harassment by the police or government authorities and so on.

 

In our land, the cost comes in terms of our time, talents and treasures. God is calling us to give our time, our talents (or abilities, whether spiritual or carnal) and our treasure into His service.  We should never count this cost as a loss or to our detriment but rather, let us see it as a great privilege in serving God and working for His kingdom.

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray that our brothers and sisters in North Korea would willingly pay the cost of their faith. Pray that God would strengthen them, encourage them and use them powerfully to minister his Kingdom to a nation that is lost. Pray that they would never shrink back and be afraid

¥ Pray for the believers in Laos who face economic hardship and deprivation and even expulsion from their homes for following Christ. Again, ask God to strengthen these believers and ask Him to bless them and to draw them near so that they can willingly, even joyously, pray the cost of their faith.

¥ Pray that every single believer in your congregation would be willing to invest their time, their talents and their treasures into the Kingdom of God.

 

 

Monday May 28, 2012

List the fears that stop you from serving & ministering.

Pray against these fears.

 

Read Deuteronomy 20:1-4

 

Fear has for far too long crippled the work of the church. Ministries have been stifled, outreach has been choked, compassion has shrivelled up because of fear.

 

Both individuals and churches succumb to fear. New ministry projects may be too risky. Spending for an outreach project may be too high. The payoff may not be as good as desired. Fear cripples the work of Christ.

 

As Israel stood on the shore of the Jordan river, about to enter the Promised Land, she was warned against fear. The enemy would be tall and strong and numerous and advanced in their military strength. Yet she was not to be afraid. Israel was to march forward in victory because it was Yahweh, their God, who would go out and fight for them. It was God who would win the victory for them.

 

Even so, Israel was never called to sit back and do nothing. She was called to step out in faith, to march into battle and to know with certainty that God would fight for them.

 

Can you step out in faith today? Do you know with absolute certainty that God will be with you and ahead of you? Do you know that God will fight for you? That knowledge should not cause you to sit back and do nothing but rather should spur you on to greater heights of love and sacrifice. Step out in faith today and serve God without fear.

 

Prayer:

¥ As the state assembly of the Presbyterian Church meets this month pray that these men who meet together will be men who do not fear. Pray that all issues will be tackled in a godly, Christ honouring way and that Scripture will be held in the highest regard in all issues and debates.

¥ Pray that Student Life both here and overseas would continue to fearlessly make disciples in Jesus’ name. Pray that they would have the funds and the resources necessary to continue their work.

 

Saturday May 26, 2012

Spend time preparing for tomorrow’s church service.

Commit it to God in prayer. Ask Him to grant you repentance and decide what you’ll give and how you’ll serve.

Read Deuteronomy 19; Micah 6:8; Isaiah 1:15-17

 

A man stands in church and sings the hymns with gusto. He bellows out at the top of his voice and prays the most eloquent prayer afterwards.  Everyone thinks highly of him and, almost cheering him on, all give a hearty “Amen” at the end of this prayer.

 

Yet in this last week alone, he sealed several business deals by lying about his rivals. He sifted several thousand dollars out of his work partnership account to a false account in Switzerland, having modified the bills presented to him. He flirted openly with the secretary at work and threatened with physical violence and retribution if they squealed on his business dealings.

 

Let me ask you this question. Is this man’s worship of God acceptable to the Lord? Of course not! I hear you cry out. You are 1000% right in what you say.

 

Like Israel, the quality of our worship is determined by the quality of our walk. If we walk along shady paths and hide in darkened corners throughout the week, our worship, at best, will be an exercise of forms and motions. It is impossible to stand before God and worship acceptably in spirit and truth when our walk is fundamentally flawed with deliberate and wilful sin.

 

God will not accept such false worship. God demands that his worshippers walk

in holiness and truth in all of our lives. He demand that we love justice, keep justice and act mercifully all the days of our lives. Christian men are called to lift up holy hands in prayer. Such hands are not called to be holy for the duration of a church service but holy throughout one’s life. These hands are called to be Christ loving, other centred, justice loving, mercy offering hands that reflect the palms of Christ Jesus that bore the sins of the world.

How will you worship Christ tomorrow? What kinds of hands will you lift up to our Lord tomorrow?

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray that Shiloh Church ministries in India has enough resources and finances and personnel to continue ministering and serving the poor and needy. Pray that we would have opportunity to continue supporting them.  Pray for the mission team preparing to head to India. Pray that all preparations go well and that God uses the team powerfully.

¥ Pray the same for the Mustard Seed Orphanages in Myanmar.

¥ Pray for a missionary zeal to infect each person in your local church.

 

 

Friday May 25, 2012

Think of all the people that you might have lied to this week.

Make time to ring them or catch up with them to      admit your lies and to ask for their forgiveness.

 

Read Deuteronomy 19: 15-21;  John 8:34-45.

 

Lying is so easy in today’s world. I’m constantly astounded by the lies that people tell. Children are caught in the act of stealing and immediately tell a lie that they didn’t take anything. Teenagers are caught vandalising some else’s property and immediately lie to protect themselves. Adults caught out often lie, telling the judge that their memory of that event fails them. Politicians ... well, let’s not go there!  We seem to lie by our very nature, thinking that crossing our fingers behind our back somehow provides us with immunity from lying. We kid ourselves that white lies are ok and that sometimes it’s better to lie than to tell the truth. What is worse than lying, is lying to defraud someone - lying with intent to gain or benefit from someone else as a result of that lie.

Rest assured that God hates lying. He will call each and every person to account for each and every lie that has been told. Though we think that no one knows the truth when we spin a lie, God certainly does and will not forget our lies.

 

In Israel God commanded that the man who lied to gain from his brother should have done to him what he intended to do. If the man was lying to gain the other’s fields, that person would lose his field. If he was lying to gain some cattle, he would lose his cattle. If he was lying to kill his neighbour, his very life would be taken. It was life for life, eye for eye and tooth for tooth.

 

God hates lying because the evil one is the father of lies. He lied in heaven. He lied to Adam and Eve. He is the father of lies. Every lie emanates from the evil one. Every lie is a concession to the devil. Every lie is the work of satan and part of his plan to discredit God and to bring ruin to His creation.

 

It is imperative that Christians learn to speak the truth to each other in love (Ephesians 4:15). We need to eliminate lying (including white lies, little lies, helpful lies and so) from our repertoire. Rather we need to learn to speak honestly and truthfully to each other in ways that build each other up and not tear each other down. We need to put aside the negatives of playing into satan’s hands and start living and communicating in ways that bring glory, honour and adulation of our Lord and Saviour.

 

Remember the story of Pinocchio? Imagine if you were like that little puppet and your nose grew an inch every time you lied or misrepresented the truth? How long would your nose be at the end of the week?

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray that your congregation would be a congregation that speaks the truth in love to each other. Pray that each and every person would give up any lies they have told and would not resort to lying ever again. Pray that the non believing world would see honesty as a trademark of our Christian churches.

¥ Pray that we would have opportunity to love and serve each other this weekend. Pray that we would all come to our gathering with a heart that yearns to serve and to give and to put each other’s needs above our own. Pray that Jesus would be glorified in all of this.

 

Thursday May 24, 2012

What spiritual boundary stones can you see       society has moved ?  Think of one  positive action in response to this and do it.

 

Read Deuteronomy 19: 14, 27:17;

Proverbs 23:10-11;  Hosea 5:10

 

Our God is just God. He loves justice and conversely, He hates injustice. He hates lying, false measures and weights and wrongful claims against others, all of which are forms of injustice.

As Israel entered the Promised Land God would parcel out the land to the 12 tribes. No one had the right to move the boundary stones the Lord had set up. At the end of each 7 years land would revert back to its original and intended owner.  What God was doing was ensuring that justice was done and kept. He was making sure that no one was wrongfully defrauded or ripped off. This law is a practical expression of the eighth commandment which states, “Thou shalt not steal.”

 

The passage has a powerful spiritual application as well. In the entire area of faith and morality God has established “ancient boundary stones”  in His Word. They are primarily found in the Law, but are elaborated on and repeated throughout the entire Bible. Our spiritual ancestors through the history of the Church have set a pattern for living by these ancient landmarks. These may be our fundamental doctrines, our Biblical pattern for living, or deeply held spiritual convictions.

 

In ancient Israel boundary lines were sacred because all property was a gift from the Lord. A timeless application is that life is a gift from the Lord and He has set forth His boundary stones for our good.

 

But these ancient boundary stones have always been meddled with and are now being tampered with, moved and even removed in ways that our forefathers would never have imagined. Many are being seduced and deceived by radical, revisionist, blasphemous attempts to reinvent Jesus, reinterpret the Bible and redefine marriage, the most foundational of human relationships.

 

Man has always been tampering with boundary stones, moving them one way or another to suit his whims, sometimes removing them altogether. The cultural and intellectual elite purport to know best and so many of the undiscerning masses follow. “Get rid of that ancient boundary stone”, so many shout, “we don’t need it anymore”. The sacred teachings of Scripture are so often mocked and ridiculed by those who claim to be an authority but know nothing of God’s Spiritual Word and basis for life. It’s time for the church to stop listening to these authorities and to start listening to the Word and the boundaries that God has placed in the Word.

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray that God would grant repentance to those churches that have moved spiritual boundaries and that have negated the Word of God by their choices and their actions. Pray that we would see all churches coming back to the Word of the Lord.

Pray that preachers would be preaching seriously and faithfully from the Word and not from movies, articles or their own opinions. Pray that there would be a powerful return to the Word and that this love for the Word would cause a revival, first in the churches and then in Australian society.

 

Wednesday May 23, 2012

Count the number of dvds, TV shows, songs and magazine  articles that you have viewed or used in the last week that devalue life. What can you do about this?

Read Deuteronomy 19:11-13

 

In the US, there are 45 murders each and every single day.  Isn’t that just amazing? Many of these murders occur in states where the death penalty is enforced. It would appear, at least statistically, that even the presence of the death penalty is not a deterrent. Why is this? It’s possible that human dignity has sunk so low that some people don’t care whether they live or die. It’s also possible that the long terms spent on death row seem a better option than the poverty and injustice of life on the streets or in the ghettos.

 

When God instituted the death penalty for wilful and deliberate murder it was meant to act as a deterrent. Anyone who took an innocent life was to be

executed without pity. Of course, due process was necessary to ensure that innocent people were not executed. But there was to be no lengthy stay on death row. There was to be no cushy time being kept by the state. It was to be dealt with quickly.

 

Again, it’s unfortunate that we have become so immune to death and murder. The crime scene investigation shows have all increased the intensity and shock value of their murder scenes. Computer games have increased their graphics and realism. Wars have been televised in graphic detail into our homes around the clock as a battle rages. All this has resulted in a ‘Ho-hum’ attitude to life and dying. People don’t really care when someone dies, unless it’s someone close. We don’t value human life and don’t see the need to protect it. We have become casual in our regard for life, even our own life.

 

Added to this, many various sectors of society have promoted the bad boy image to super hero status. Children and teens are growing up desperately wanting to commit crimes, to do injustice, to do time and hence, to gain a reputation for themselves. It’s become “cool” and “trendy” to commit crime. Worse crimes have increased status.  Some gangs even have murder or attempted murder as their entry requirement.

 

One has to wonder where this trend will stop. One has to wonder what level of debasement and depravity humanity has to reach before we cry out ‘Enough!’.

 

Prayer:

¥ There are many prison chaplaincy ministries in Australia. Pray that God would use each one to bring many inmates to the Lord in repentance and faith. Pray that these organisations would have the resources to continue ministering and serving inmates.

¥ Pray for the families of inmates. It’s tough for the parent and children to continue onwards. They need our prayers and support. Please uphold them in prayer.

 

Tuesday May 22 2012

Email your local member and tell them your views on abortion or some other hot topic.

Read Deuteronomy 19:8-10

 

How cheap has human life become when a couple considering the abortion of their baby put up the idea for online comment, debate and vote! To consider abortion like one considers whether or not to go to the movies shows how far down the devaluation of life scale we have slipped. If that child is born and reads of the online vote his parents encouraged, that child will be shattered and destroyed.  Imagine knowing that your own parents weren’t sure whether or not to allow you to live.  God never intended for us to weigh up the pros and cons of a human life. As we said yesterday, every single human life is precious to God.

 

In fact, it’s so precious that God commanded Israel to set up 3 more cities of refugees as the nation expanded. People who accidently killed others (Note the example of being out in a forest cutting wood in verse 5) were able to flee to the closest city of refuge and not be killed by the avenger of blood.

 

Once abortion is legally on-demand it won’t be a far step forward to killing children for any and every reason.  Pretty soon parents will be able to abort their children because school is too expensive, because they eat too much or because they didn’t turn out to be the school athletics champion! It won’t be long before economic concerns and performance criteria and are used to determine one’s right to live. If you think it’s just a fantasy remember this: every rapist began by using pornography. How many rapes would have been avoided if pornography were not accessible and acceptable?

 

It’s time for the church to take action. It’s time to make a stand and to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. It’s time to reclaim the morality of our nation and to bring it back to Christ Jesus.

 

You are the one who will make the difference.  Be active today.

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray that Christians would be voicing their concerns over policies and laws that allow wilful and deliberate destruction of life. Pray that we would be supporting those organisations that protect life and bring peace to all.

¥ Pray that our denominations would stand up and voice their concerns as a denomination and bring pressure to bear upon the authorities to make just and fair rulings and laws. Pray that the nation would see the churches standing together on these issues.

 

 

Monday May 21, 2012

Write or email the local paper why you think abortion is wrong and a bad choice for society to adopt.

Read Deuteronomy 19:1-7

 

We live in a world where human life is being constantly devalued. Some would even prefer the death of a human being rather than the death of a whale or a tree. On-demand abortion is being pushed and certain professors have even promoted the idea of after birth abortion. Nobody talks about the death of a baby boy or a baby girl. No body mentions infanticide because that’s what these really are. We use euphemisms to dull the pain of what we’re really promoting.

 

But humanity was made in the image of God. We reflect the God who created us. That’s what makes each and every single person valuable and special. Even the baby born in the poorest and driest city in a war torn African nation is special to God. The little baby girl with hideous deformities is special to God. We need to learn to value humans, from the very moment of conception, as much as God does.

 

God hates the devaluation of human life. He hates murder no matter how hard we try to soften the impact by calling it euthanasia or abortion or termination or mercy killing or whatever. God hates murder.

 

For Israel, God provided three cities of refuge so that the person who accidently killed another person would be able to spare his life and not suffer the penalty for murder, namely the death penalty.

 

The church has to stand up and speak up for the value of human dignity and life. It’s time to wake up from our slumber and become proactive in protecting and valuing life. If God’s representatives can’t value life and stand up for its value, who can?

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray that the attempts to pass laws for on-demand abortion and for legalisation of euthanasia will be stopped and that parliament would see the foolishness of introducing such laws. Pray that Christians in parliament will be vocal on these issues. Pray that Christians around the country will stand up, make a noise and support those organisations that are working for good and positive change in these areas.

¥ Pray that we will see laws passed that are moral and just and that protect the lives of innocent people that cannot protect themselves.

 

 

Saturday May 19, 2012

Make a habit of listening to Jesus.

Read just 1 verse today and carry it with you all day, seeking to apply it and do it

Read Deuteronomy 18:15-22

 

The solemnity and seriousness of our worship gathering is brought out in today’s verses. As God spoke to Israel He made it clear that when He spoke to a prophet and a prophet spoke to the nation, it was as though the Lord Himself had spoken. Of course it is! God speaks through a variety of means, but mainly through His prophets.  Anyone who did not listen to the prophet would be answerable to God Himself.

 

Conversely, if a prophet spoke presumptuously without the Lord’s authorisation, he was to be put to death. God is serious about the transmission of His word and the reception of it.

 

Today a similar situation occurs. When we gather to sit under the Word, God speaks to the preacher and the speaker speaks to us. Assuming that this man has been faithful to the Word we should listen as though the Lord Himself were speaking to us. Rather than rating this man’s charisma, style and delivery methods (like a judging panel on a talent show), we should be listening to the Word of the Lord.

 

But the text looks forward to the coming of The Prophet that would speak uniquely in God’s Name because he is very essence of God. Looking back at the ministry of Christ Jesus, Peter in Acts 3 applies these verses directly to Jesus as does Steven in Acts 7. Jesus is The Prophet from God that we must listen to. We must listen to Him in our quiet times. We must listen to Him every time we open the Word. We must listen to Him when our brothers and sisters bring a Word to us and we must listen to Him when He speaks through the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray for our Committee of Management to be wise and thoughtful in the way that it handles the funds and resources of this congregation. Pray that we would see them blessed with a mission heart and a desire to reach the world for Christ Jesus.

¥ Pray for our Session. Pray that we would see these men filled with God’s Spirit and given great wisdom in shepherding us and leading us.

 

 

Friday May 18, 2012

Think about the things you like that God doesn’t.

Ring a friend and ask them to keep you accountable to change.

 

Read Deuteronomy 18:10-14;  Ephesians 5:1-7

 

As you read these verses, what do you think God thinks of the Harry Potter series? These novels are simply a glorification and adulation of witchcraft. No matter what you call it or how you dress it up, it’s still witchcraft. Would God be happy that His people are indulging in such promotion of what is essentially witchcraft? Would God be happy that His children are excited about spells and incantations and are acting out witchcraft fantasies.

 

As you read these verses do you think God is pleased when His children seek guidance from clairvoyants or the cards or even from the stars in the local papers? God hates, even abhors, such things.

 

As you read these words do you think God is pleased with Christians who dabble in séances and those who try to mediate between the spirits? Rest assured, God hates these things too.  Now of course, one might reply that it’s just a bit of fun. But think back to Israel. When the average Joe went to the Asherah pole or high place to bow down and worship, do you think God would have accepted his plea of, ‘I was only having a bit of fun?’ When an Israelite passed his new born baby girl through the flames of the statue dedicated to Molech, do you think such a plea would appease God?

 

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we should strive to love what God loves and to hate what God hates. Part of the command to be imitators of God includes taking on His likes and His dislikes as our own personal likes and dislikes.  How can we possibly imitate God in our outward life if in our inner life we still love what God hates and hate what He loves?

 

Learning to love what God loves and to hate what God hates requires complete submission to the will of the Lord. It means denying yourself and taking up your cross daily to follow Jesus. It means studying his Word and applying it to our lives.  It means taking practical steps to eradicate those things that God hates from our lives and bringing in the things that he loves.

 

Are you up for the challenge? Will you rise to the occasion? Will you take the bull by the horns and come up victorious?

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray that we would see more R.I teachers involved in the local schools. Pray that every church would be sending out workers into this vast harvest field. Pray that God would bring many souls into his kingdom through this powerful ministry.

¥ Pray that God would raise up chaplains for the mining industry. Churches are finding it hard to reach these workers because of their unconventional shifts. The families they belong to are breaking down under the strain. Chaplains to the mining industry would provide invaluable in making disciples and growing them in their walk with the Lord.

¥ Pray that the Presbytery of the Darling Downs would be wise in the use of its limited resources and that it would be thinking and acting strategically in these and many other areas.  Pray that this group of ministers and elders would lead the way in reaching out in Christ’s name and in disciplining the believers.

 

Thursday May 17, 2012

Remember W.W.J.D?

Seek to live every moment today as Jesus would have you live.

 

Read Deuteronomy 18:9;   1 John 2:15-17

 

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.  But God’s people should never seek to imitate the world or the evil practices of the world. The nation of Israel was not to glance longingly at the nations around them and their practices. The false worship they observed may have looked attractive and even exciting but it as never to be imitated.

 

Churches also should be very careful in their approach to the world. There are many things in the world that look exciting and may appear to draw crowds. They may be fun and offer great potential in reaching out to the world or to draw the world into our buildings.
We must be very careful not to imitate the ways of the world around us, simply because something is popular or fun or exciting. When a church seeks to run a rock concert performance on Sonday morning then maybe it’s imitating the world. When the church wants more than one God to pray to, maybe it’s imitating the world. When the church wants to make the Bible more palatable by leaving out the uncomfortable bits maybe it’s imitating the world. If a church wants its staff to drive the most modern cars and have the plushest offices and auditorium, then maybe it’s imitating the world. When a church runs witchcraft lessons or new age seminars it is definitely imitating the world.

 

We are told clearly and bluntly in 1 John 2:15-17 that we are not to love the world or anything in the world. The world with all of its desires and cravings and all of its achievements will simply pass away. It will be destroyed. But the one who does the will of God will live for ever.

 

Christ Jesus is the one we are to be imitating.  You can seek to imitate Him in everything you do today, in every meeting, in every action and even in every thought. Be a Christ imitator today.

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray for the work of the PIM, Presbyterian Inland Mission. Pray that God would bless our padres with a warm welcome in each town and station they visit. Pray that God would open doors for them to share the good news and to bring blessing to these farmers and their families. Pray that God would encourage them and protect them on their travels.

¥ Pray for our school chaplains. Pray that God would use these men and women powerfully to bring Christ into our schools. Pray that there would be continuous open doors to speak of Christ, to demonstrate His love and to lead many students, teachers and parents to Christ.

 

 

Wednesday May 16, 2012

Think about what your offering to God communicates.

 

Read Deuteronomy 18:1-8

 

Holiness and hatred cannot dwell in the same house. The man who abuses his wife shows her hatred not love. The congregation that  doesn’t give generously shows hatred not love. The teenager who disobeys his parents shows hatred not love.  Holiness and hatred cannot dwell together but love and holiness fit together like a hand in a glove.

 

Israel, in being holy, was to show love not hatred towards the ministers of the Lord - the Levites. They were to be provided for from the offerings and sacrifices given to the Lord. These men and their families had no inheritance of land in the Promised Land but would be blessed by the Lord through the people.

By giving sacrificially the people communicated love, not hatred. What are you communicating to those around you?

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray for Geoff Bullock, Family Voice Australia, who in the coming months will be making appointments to explain to Campbell Newman and his new MPs, how Family Voice operates.

¥ Geoff has encouraged us to establish and nurture a relationship with your elected member, to keep accountability at a high level.

As a church, pray how you can be pro active in building a bridge with your local MP.

 

 

 

Tuesday May 15, 2012

Write your local member a letter telling them that you and your church are praying for them. While your at it, invite him or her to church as well.

 

Read Deuteronomy 17:14-20;  Matt 23:1-12

 

There are millions of jokes about politicians and honesty aren’t there? And rightly so. We’ve all grown sick and tired of politicians who lie and make false promises just to be elected into power. We are all sick of politicians who give themselves pay rises and use their work credit cards for family holidays and to pay for drinks at a strip club. We are sick and tired of the lies.

 

How comforting to know that in God’s nation, even the King was expected to be righteous and holy. He was not above the law. He was to set the example and standard of living. He was not to consider himself better than his brothers. He was not to take many wives for himself. Solomon found out how deadly this practice was.  He was not to make alliances with foreign nations. He was not to indulge in the practices of the nations. In fact, the King was to have a copy of the Torah before him and he was to meditate upon it all the days of his life.

 

Positions of power in God’s economy are never to be marked by self interest and self promotion. Rather the higher positions have higher levels of responsibility and attract harsher punishment from the Lord for deliberate and wilful transgression.  The Lord Jesus made it clear that climbing the ladder of leadership and greatness was parallel to climbing the ladder of servanthood.

 

Imagine if the voting public actually cottoned onto this truth and starting voting for leaders who actually served the people. Imagine if the people banded together and immediately voted out those leaders who abused their positions of power. What a radical transformation our nation would see overnight. What an incredible difference we’d see in our politicians.

 

Prayer:

¥ Spend time praying for your members of parliament locally, in your state and for the federal parliamentarians. Pray too for the Christians in parliament.

¥ Pray that God would remove the anti-Christian elements in power in those countries where Christianity is considered a threat and a crime. Pray that our brothers and sisters in these lands would continue to challenge and rebuke such leaderships. Pray for courage, strength and wisdom.

 

 

Monday May 14, 2012

Ring up one of the leaders in your congregation and encourage them by asking them how you can be praying for them.
Pray for them too.

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Read Deuteronomy 17:1-13; James 3:1

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In chapter 13 of Deuteronomy we saw that God has a pure and holy heart and does not and will not accept the worship of other gods. God has been repeating Himself over and over again simply because the threat to Israel was greater than they could have ever imagined. They underestimated the power of sin in their lives individually and corporately. As history shows us, they fell into the very sin that God had warned them against over and over and over again.

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The judges appointed in the earlier chapter were to thoroughly investigate all charges of idolatry and they were to punish offenders accordingly.

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The judges and leaders of the nation were to send a clear and loud message to all - idolatry was not acceptable and would not be tolerated in any shape or form. Unfortunately, history again shows that it was this very leadership that led the way into idolatry not away from it. Rather than denouncing it, the leaders embraced it and encouraged the people to bow down in sinful worship of false gods.

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God proved faithful and kept His word. He eventually punished the nation by sending them into exile in Babylon. Many smaller punishments, such as the invasions and military defeats warned the people that the big one was coming but they refused to listen. God kept His word and sent the Babylonian army to decimate them. They suffered in exile for decades for their stubborn sinfulness.

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Heaven help leaders who deliberately pervert the truth and lead the people astray. Heaven help those leaders who water down the Word of God or change it to make it more palatable to the world. Heaven help those who deliberately pervert true godly justice by their actions or words. God will punish them most severely but for now He is patient and gracious allowing time for repentance.

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Prayer:

¥ Pray for the Christian leadership across this nation. Pray that God would grant wisdom where needed and that leaders (ministers, councils, elders, deacons, ministry leaders etc) would be given a deep spirit of holiness and righteousness. Pray that Christian leaders would be setting a great example for the rest of us to follow.

¥ Pray that your Session and Committee of Management would be filled with men and women who love the Lord and seek first and foremost to do His will and to obey His Word. Pray that God would greatly bless these men and women.

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Saturday May 12, 2012

Prepare yourself for worship tomorrow by reading         Deuteronomy 16, by praying and committing the day to the Lord.

 

Read Deuteronomy 16:21-22

 

A married man meets a girlfriend for lunch. They laugh, joke and flirt with each other over the table. After lunch, they both ring their respective bosses and take the afternoon off so that they can have some uninterrupted time together. Then as usual, in the late afternoon the man goes home to his wife and family.

 

As he’s greeted at the door he kisses and hugs his wife saying, ‘Hi honey. I missed you so much today. I love you’. Freeze the frame right there!  I hope you can see something terribly wrong here. I hope you can see the injustice and the utter lie that has just been spoken. The actions of that man, even though they were secret and behind closed doors, betrayed him and showed his hypocrisy. One has to question if he did miss his wife and if he really does love her. One has to question his heart and his true intentions.

 

It was no coincidence that God refers to idolatry as adultery. Israel was to be pure and reserved for God alone. She was not to commit spiritual adultery by prostituting herself to other gods and statues. She was not to pray to these statues and wooden Asherah poles. She was not to worship the sun, moon and stars. She was to worship God and God alone. Her actions would betray her and show the true state of her heart. God would not accept the worship of a divided heart.

 

When we come together before the Lord, let us make sure that we are not also committing spiritual adultery. While I doubt that any of us would carve a statue and then bow down to worship it. I doubt that any of us would worship the sun, moon and stars. But we might read the stars and plan our day accordingly. God hates that! We might spend all our energy Monday through Friday grasping at the mighty dollar bill, hungering for it and pursuing it relentlessly. We might adore and worship our car above and beyond God. We might crave sexual fulfilment (legitimately or illegitimately) and make that our god for the week. We might be pursing fame and fortune at any expense. Maybe unforgiveness has become the  idol we’ve placed in our heart of stone. Maybe we’ve put ourselves on God’s throne and lived as though we are God. God still won’t accept the worship of a divided heart.

 

Israel was warned about living separate or compartmentalised lives. She was not to live for herself and then perfunctorily  appear before God, simply going through the motions. She was to live for God each and every single day. Coming before God was to be a culmination of the joy of being near God moment by moment. New Testament believers are the same. Our week is to be lived for God and in God’s presence. We are to relate to God and be intimate with God each and every moment of each and every day. The culmination of this is when we gather together in each other’s and more importantly, in God’s presence. Coming before God together is to be the highlight of our week, bringing joy, motivation and fulfilment of all that we’ve longed for.

 

Anything else is simply perfunctory and is NOT glorifying to God.

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray that God would accept our worship tomorrow because it comes from an undivided heart. Pray that God would grant repentance and change where needed and that he would continue to purify us with his Holy Spirit.

¥ Pray that our Kings Kids teachers and helpers would be energised and given great creativity to teach the kids, to enthuse them and to model true Christ-likeness to them. Pray that the children grow in their love for God, their commitment to Him and their ability to live for Him and Him alone.

 

Friday May 11, 2012

Make a list of the injustices that your church could tackle. Ring around and see if anyone else is happy to fight these with you.

Pray lots.

 

Read Deuteronomy 16:18-20

 

Isn’t it fascinating that in a chapter on celebrations and feasts that the Lord had ordained we get a few verses on justice. Either the writer has limited comprehension skills and never re-read his work (which is a terrible conclusion to come to) or something deeper is going on. Let’s assume the latter.

 

When the Israelites entered the Promised Land there would be only one centre of worship - the tabernacle and eventually the Temple in Jerusalem. All other shrines and high places were to be completely and utterly obliterated. This could result in a situation where justice was difficult to maintain in the outlying regions. It could prove costly to travel to Jerusalem to hear minor cases before the Levites and waiting for the three high holy days to travel to the Temple could be impractical, so God brought justice out to the people by the election of judges.

 

Added to that, our God loves justice. See Psalm 11:7, 33:5, Isaiah 1:15-17 and Micah 6:8 and so on. God loves justice. Conversely, He hates injustice. God hates it when His people act unjustly and then come before Him to spread out hands in pleading and prayer. Isaiah makes it clear that God will not listen to such hypocritical prayers. God hates unjust measures, unjust or lying words, unjust decisions that deprive the poor and needy. God hates injustice and loves justice.

 

By placing these verses at the end of the ceremonies and festivals God is reminding us that appearing before the Lord is not just an isolated incident in our lives. When we come before the Lord we come before Him with our entire lives. He sees the injustice and sin in our lives. He sees the selfishness and unjust weights and measures we may have used to rip others off. He sees our greed, which is idolatry.  God wants us to lift up holy hands in prayer. He wants us to protect the rights of the poor and needy and to uphold their cause. He wants us to walk justly, to love mercy and to be humble before Him.

How will you approach your Lord this coming Lord’s Day?

 

Prayer:

Believers in Iran and Iraq are denied justice, simply because they believe in Christ Jesus. Pray that our God will bring justice quickly. Pray for Nadarkhani who has been on death row for alleged apostasy. Pray that justice would be done and that this pastor would be released. Pray for strength and encouragement for this pastor as he waits upon the Lord.

¥ Pray that our government would work for justice and equity. Pray that we would have men and women in parliament who would stand up for what is right and fair and just. Pray that believers in all levels of parliament would lead the charge.

 

 

Thursday May 10, 2012

Make a list of 2 ways that you can serve this Sonday at church and 3 things that you can give to God..

Of course it’ s difficult!

 

Read Deuteronomy 16:16-17

 

Throughout the Hebrew calendar year, each male was to come to Jerusalem to appear before the Lord at least three times, especially in the high holy days. And in coming to the Lord, each person was commanded NOT to appear before the Lord empty handed.

 

What a great contrast to our churches today where many people come looking for a spiritual fix, a refuelling of their tank and deep desire for others to serve them, to speak to them, to minister to them and to look after their needs. How many people have moved churches because it didn’t cater for their needs or didn’t scratch them where they were itching or didn’t do what they wanted...

 

Very few people approach church any more with the attitude of, ‘What can I give to God today?’ Or, ‘How can I serve God’s people today? When’s the last time you deliberately set out to bring something to God on the Lord’s day and to serve His people? When’s the last time you gave yourself unreservedly to the Lord in service and submission? When’s the last time you actually prayed for opportunities to give and to serve?

 

I wonder if we really believe that putting a few lousy dollars in the collection plate (or worse, a few coins we scrambled together out of our wallet or purse) actually fulfils our Christian duty. I wonder if we lie to ourselves, thinking we’ve done our bit by giving to God so sacrificially from the dregs of our wallets and purses.

 

I wonder if we need to rethink our entire attitude towards Church and each other.

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray that your congregation would be filled with believers who go to church to give to God first and fore most and who, secondly, go to serve and give to each other. Pray that churches across the land would be filled with givers, not takers.

¥ Pray that we would see a groundswell of committed sacrificial tithing and offering to the Lord so that as a church we can support the needy and the poor and aid those who are desperate for help.

 

 

 

Wednesday May 9, 2012

If you are spiritually dry, spend the day  talking to God and asking Him to refresh you through the presence of the Holy Spirit

 

Matthew 17:1-4. John 7:

Read Deuteronomy 16:13-17

 

Can you picture seven days of feasting and rejoicing and praising and celebrating? For the typical Aussie male, that would mean a week of drinking, intoxication and partying, partying hard at that. But for Israel, the children of God it was a week of holy celebrations. It was a week filled with joy, the joy of the Lord and a week of being in His glorious presence.

 

During this harvest festival, Israel was to live in hand made booths or tents to remind them that God had delivered them from Egypt and that Israel had wandered in the desert for 40 years, effectively living in tents.

 

This harvest feast looked forward to the time that Messiah would reign and would bring the nations into the Kingdom of God. Zechariah 14:16-19 pictured such a time when the nations would come to Israel and celebrate the feast of Booths.

Jesus also made great claims during the Feast of Booths/Tabernacles. On the last day of the feast, after the 70 bulls had been sacrificed Jesus made a great claim.  To understand His claim, we need to remember that on each day of this feast a priest would go to the pool of Siloam with a golden pitcher and fill it with water. A crowd of palm branch waving pilgrims would be marching behind praising God with chants of “Hosanna!” The priest would walk once around the altar and then pouring it out he would pray that God would provide what only He alone could provide. On the 7th day he would walk around the altar 7 times before praying and pouring out the water.

 

What did this outpouring symbolise? Read Isaiah 44:3, Ezekiel 39:29 and Zechariah 12:10.

 

Now picture Jesus at this feast. It’s the last day of the feast and by far the greatest day. The priest has marched around the altar seven times and has prayed, pouring out the water from the golden pitcher. The crowd is in somewhat of a frenzy, waving palm branches and crying out to Messiah to save them (Hosanna! Hosanna!).  There Jesus stands up and cries out, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

 

Jesus was not only claiming to be Messiah and the one who fulfils God’s promise of pouring out of the Holy Spirit but He was also making you and I a promise. Are you spiritually dry? Are you weighed down with sin and temptation? Are you marching through a desert wilderness? Are you feeling the weight of the world upon your shoulders? Do you need refreshment from the Lord.  You can go to Jesus and drink. Streams of living water will well up abundantly from within you. You will be refreshed. You will be nourished. You will be quenched of your thirst. Jesus is there for you 24/7 to quench your thirst, to provide you with grace and mercy, to give you all that you need in your time of need.

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray for the work of Shiloh Church ministries. Pray that they would continue to see people coming to Christ in faith and that they would be able to disciple all the new believers. Pray that we would be able to support them financially, prayerfully, and trough practical and material help.

¥ Pray that we would see our church grow as individuals share their faith and speak of Jesus in their relationships with non believers. Pray that God’s Spirit would be powerfully at work in us and through us in the lives of non believers.

 

 

Tuesday May 8, 2012

Spend today seeking to live by the Spirit. That means the Word must be in your head/heart and you need to be listening to His voice.

 

Read Deuteronomy 16:9-12;  Acts 2

 

Imagine having a birthday that was not actually marked off with a date in the calendar. Imagine for example, if your birthday was 68 days after the day uncle Eddie had his infamous car crash. Every year you would be compelled to remember that infamous crash Uncle Eddie had. You would never forget it because on the day of that crash, you’d start counting for 68 days and then you’d celebrate.

 

The feast of Weeks or Shavuot (which means ‘weeks’ in Hebrew) has no date set to it. It was counted off seven weeks plus one day or 50 days after the Sabbath of Passover. Traditionally this was the same time that the Law or Torah was given. Israel could easily fall into believing that this was the true birth of the nation. But Shavuot would always remind them that the true birth of the people of God was at the Exodus and redemption by God through the plagues. Every year she would be compelled to remember the Passover because Shavuot was counted off 50 days from Passover.

 

Interestingly, during feast of Pentecost (ie the Feast of Weeks, Pentecost meaning 50) the Holy Spirit was poured out on believers and the church was born. Luke tells us in no uncertain terms that here, with the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, the feast of Weeks was fulfilled. Literally, vs 1 reads,‘When the day

of Pentecost was fulfilled...’  The word for ‘fulfilled’ means to be filled completely. The Old Testament celebration, 50 days after Passover was fulfilled by the pouring out of the Holy Spirit.

 

God had brought His people together as one. And by His Spirit, He gave birth to the Church.  But just as with the feast of weeks, the pouring out of Holy Spirit was constantly tied to the death and resurrection of the Lamb of God, the Messiah. Believers should always look back to Messiah’s work at Calvary as the foundation of their faith and salvation. We should never forget that we have the Spirit because of what Messiah achieved for us on that day when He died and rose again.

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray for a filling of the Holy Spirit for your leaders, your elders and for those who teach in the congregation. Pray that God would grant these people great wisdom, skill in teaching and a deep knowledge of the Word and how it applies to our lives. Pray that we would be a people holy to the Lord our God.

¥ Pray that believers in Vietnam would continue to be holy amidst harsh treatment, economic sanctions and harassment by the authorities. Pray that their holiness would draw others to the Lord in repentance and faith.

 

Monday May 7, 2012

In Hebrews 10 we are called to spur one another on to love & good deeds. How can you do this today?

 

Read Deuteronomy 16:1-8;  Exodus 11-12

 

The month of Abib was the start of the Jewish near year, even though they celebrate Rosh Hashannah (the head of the Year) later on in the year. They had at least two new years! How is this possible?

 

While the Israelites endured exile in Babylon and were eventually released, they took on Babylonian culture and marked the start of the year towards the middle of their traditional year. The Passover Feast marks the anniversary of the day when God led his people out of an earlier exile, namely in Egypt.

The Israelites kept both as their new year!

 

Passover was a special celebration for the Israelites for another reason. It was in this month that the Lord brought the final and worst plague upon the Egyptians. It was the night that God freed His people and began to complete their redemption. That night, the first born of every household was slain by the Destroyer. Anyone who trusted in the blood of the lamb was spared the judgement of the Lord. Anyone who trusted in God’s provision was led out of captivity into freedom.

 

It’s not hard to see the New Testament parallel, is it? Paul writes to the Corinthians

Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast--as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.

 

Christ, the Lamb of God, has been slain and everyone who trusts in His spilt blood will not face the wrath and judgement of God. Anyone who trusts in the Lord’s provision will be freed from captivity to sin and will enter the glorious freedom of the children of God. And for those who do trust in Him, God calls us to get rid of all the yeast in our lives. Biblically yeast pictures sin. We are called to be a holy people because we, like Israel, have been saved by a holy God.

We are called to live in sincerity and truth. That means we are not to speak deceitfully to each other. We are not to swear falsely nor are we to use false measures and scales in our dealings with each other. Put simply, we are to love each other as Christ has loved us. We are to be a holy people because we are saved by a holy God.

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray that God would continue to dwell with His people, the church and do great and awesome things in them and among them. Pray that the non believing world around us would see the greatness and majesty of our God and be drawn to worship Him.

¥ Pray that we would not sin wilfully but rather would strive to be all that Christ has saved us to be. Pray that there would be a deep desire for holiness in all your brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

Saturday May 5, 2012

Give to God from the first of your income this week. Don’t hold back on God.

 

Read Deuteronomy 15:19-23

 

Generosity in giving is not often preached about let alone talked about. But here in Deuteronomy 15 we see that Israel was to be generous in her giving back to God. God saved Israel from slavery in Egypt through the death of the first born sons of Egypt. When the Lord passed over Egypt that fateful night,  the first born son in every household with out the blood of the lamb painted on the door posts was slain.  In return, God asks that the first born of all cattle and herds and flocks be given to Him.  First born sons were to be redeemed at the set redemption price. Sons and unclean animals could be redeemed but oxen and cattle and the flock could not. They were given over to God.

 

As an Israelite dependant upon your livestock and agriculture, it would be very advantageous if the sickly first born or the diseased and the dying were given to God. It would be helpful if those beasts that were going to die anyway could be given to the Lord.  But God wanted the best. He wanted the firstborn no matter how costly it would be. God would not accept second best.

 

While we do not redeem our sons nor sacrifice animals to the Lord, the principle of giving to God is still applicable. God neither accepts nor wants second best. He wants us to give to Him our first and our best.

 

Our giving is mainly from our income.  He wants us to give at least a tenth to Him before any other expenses are taken out. God wants us to make Him the priority in our budgets and spending. He wants us to be committed to Him and His Kingdom above and beyond anything else. When you give this weekend, give to God from the first of your income without holding back on God. Give to God generously and cheerfully. Don’t rob God of what is His anyway.

 

As one person once put it, ‘God only asks for a tithe’.

Prayer:

¥ Pray that Mustard Seed Orphanage would continue to provide for poor and needy orphans and widows. Pray that they would have wisdom in using their finances and resources. Pray that God would continue to provide for them.

¥ Pray that we would see Christianity flourishing in areas where there is oppression and suppression. Pray that the love of Christ would melt hard hearts, change strict and unfair laws and bring peace to war torn lands.

 

Friday May 4, 2012

Be prepared to invite someone out to lunch this Sonday or to a coffee.

 

Read Deuteronomy 15:12-18

 

The year of cancelling debts also applied to Hebrew slaves. Such slaves were not like the oppressed slaves we are accustomed to in US history. In Israel, a person could voluntarily sell himself or herself as a slave and use that to pay off debts and even to grow in wealth and prosperity. At the end of 7 years, the slave was set free and was to be generously supplied from the master’s flocks and herds.

 

As a general rule, the children of God were called to be  generous in every area of life. They were to be open handed in all their dealings with others, even their slaves, their employees, their servants and so on. Christians too are called to be generous in every area of life. We are to be open handed in all our dealings with people, especially the people of God.

Generosity communicates love. It communicates love in a way that few other actions can.

 

If your cell is on morning tea be generous with what you provide. If your cell is on greeting and welcoming, be generous in the way you greet people. If your cell is having a meal together soon, be generous in the food you bring along.

If your church is giving to the poor and needy give generously. If your church is helping people practically give generously of your time and talents. You as a church can be generous. As an individual you can be generous with the time you give people at church. Rather than setting aside one or two hours for church, make a day of it and be generous. Invite a new family or person around for lunch or out for coffee. You can be generous in your tithes and offerings. Rather than jiggling a few coins into the plate, give to God sacrificially and generously. Give Him a tithe (1/10th) plus a bit extra. You can be generous with your talents. Offer to use your talents in your local church and be a blessing to those around you.  You can be generous as a cell, as a congregation and even as an individual.

 

Your generosity will communicate love in enormous ways far beyond the reach of mere words.

Prayer:

¥ As churches prepare to meet this Sonday, pray that we would see the people of God being exceedingly generous. Pray that churches would be able to support the poor and needy through the generosity of their members.

¥ Pray for your youth group tonight. Pray that the youth would learn more of Christ’s love, experience that love and submit their entire life to Him. Pray that the leaders would be wise and creative in the way they teach and guide the youth. Pray that youth group would expand as the youth share the love of Christ with their friends and family.

 

Thursday May 3, 2012

If you find yourself being greedy for something     today, give it away completely.

 

Read Deuteronomy 15:9-11; Colossians 3:5-14

 

Greed, according to the New Testament, is idolatry. When we are greedy or want something selfishly we are putting that thing above God and above other people. We are loving something greater than God and greater than others. The first two commandments are being trashed by our greed.

 

When we are forced or compelled to give, our minds can easily think of millions of reasons why we shouldn’t give and why we should hold back. Such thoughts, according to Deuteronomy 15, are to be avoided. We are to be open handed and generous towards the poor.

 

The Christian in this world is to be constantly transformed by a renewing of his/her mind (Romans 12:1-2) and by the substitution of good in place of evil. When we see evil practices and greed in our lives, we are to consciously replace these with holiness and generosity.  But don’t be fooled! This is hard work. This is meat for the mature. This is tough going.  To rid ourselves of things like anger, malice, greed and selfishness can be a slow process that demands patience, perseverance and a willingness to look inside at the ugliness of our self-centred sinfulness.

 

If you find yourself being greedy for money, give more money away. If you are greedy for your time, give up your time and volunteer to help the poor and needy. If you find yourself being greedy for anything, fight fire with fire and get rid of what ever you were greedy for. Even more so, give it away to a good cause with a cheerful and joyous heart.

 

Prayer:

Pray that God would use our cell groups to grow the church and to share the love of Christ with those in surrounding areas. Pray that every cell church would be sharing the love of Christ in practical every day terms.

¥ Pray that the work of Student Life and Uni Impact (NZ) would continue to bring disciples into the Kingdom of God. Pray that we would see many people being confronted with the gospel and many coming to Christ in repentance and faith.

 

Wednesday May 2, 2012

Experience the blessedness of giving by giving something special to someone today.

 

Read Deuteronomy 15:6-8;  2 Corinthians 9:6-12

 

Every Christian I’ve ever met that feels blessed has been a generous giver. I’ve never met a generous believer that is grumpy and down. Yet I’ve met many, many, many believers who seek to cling to this world and to keep what they have and that are down right miserable. Interesting isn’t it?

 

Jesus said that it’s more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). When we give generously and with a grateful heart, we find that blessing that nothing else can replicate. Not only do we receive thanks from another person (which is always a blessing) but we also receive blessing from the Lord. I know this to be true even though I cringe when health, wealth and prosperity preachers pervert this truth!!! Even though I cannot give $10 to a needy person in the expectation that God will multiply that back to me 30, 60 or even 100 fold, I can give and share and be generous, knowing that God will bless me.

 

God will make all grace abound to those who are generous and these blessed souls can continue to be even more generous on every occasion. Their harvest of righteousness will overflow.  The Macedonian churches pleaded with Paul to be able to be generous with him as he took an offering to other needy churches. Their poverty welled up in rich generosity as they gave even above their means and ability. And the result for them was overflowing thanks to God. Can we receive a greater reward than hearing people praise God and turn to Him in adoration? Is there any greater joy than knowing that our one act of generosity has caused more people to praise and adore the one, true living God?

Prayer:

¥ Pray that our cell leaders would be wise in the way they lead and conduct cell. Pray that we would see more cell leaders be raised up and that every single person in your congregation would be joined to a cell group. Pray that cells will grow in trust, in adoration of God, in knowledge and in their reaching out to the surrounding community.

¥ Pray for the work of Shiloh Church ministries. Pray that God would bless them with all their needs - financial, material and personal, so that they can continue to bring the blessing of salvation to those they serve.

 

Tuesday May 1, 2012

Make it your goal  today to give something to someone worse off than you

 

Read Deuteronomy 15:4-5;  Acts 4:32-35

 

I remember well challenging a group of elders about poor relief in their church. Between this small number of men, they had agreed to give $40,000 towards the rebuilding of the church. Feeling confident of their generosity, I asked them to pledge funds towards the poor relief that the church was involved in. Can you guess how much money was raised from that group of elders? $0.

 

At another group of church goers, I suggested that we provide housing for the  homeless - a ministry that was developing rapidly within that church. Houses were available. Rooms were there, ready to use. But the discussion turned to teaching the homeless and guiding them so that they don’t need a home from the church. The group quickly refused to give homes and rooms for the needy because it would perpetuate their lifestyle or ‘irresponsibility’.

 

At still another church, I suggested that the church feed the poor in the streets and parks. The leadership was adamant that such a ministry was in conflict with the ethos of the church and would not be productive. It was, they said, effectively a waste of time. Praise God the ministry started anyway.

 

It’s sad that for every 1 story of church generosity I can think of 5 or 10 stories of church non-generosity. Yet in the newly formed church we see the people so in love with Jesus that those who are able to sell land or houses or things, do so and give the money to the Apostles to distribute as they see fit. There was a no strings attached policy to their giving. There were no needy persons among the church. People were in love with Jesus. They were not in love with things.

 

Imagine what a message of love and Christ-likeness such a church would send out to the world today. Imagine what a church that practically and financially cares for its members will communicate to the world. Imagine how

many people will see us as Jesus’ disciples as we love each other as Christ has loved us. Imagine how many people might come to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour as you and your church live in Jesus-affirming generosity.

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray that God would be using our generosity to bring many to Christ Jesus. Pray that the world would see the church as its meant to be seen - a group of people who love Jesus more than they love things and money.

¥ Pray for our brothers and sisters in Laos and Vietnam - they face economic sanctions, expulsion from villages, fines and even jail terms for believing in Christ. Pray that Christians would be generous towards these believers in prayer and support. Pray that God would continue to use these men and women and children to grow His kingdom.