Thought for the day

Why do we not need to be afraid?

Verse

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”  

— Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT

Good News

This protection is not awarded on the basis of our good life or earned favour: it comes out of relationship, and Jesus gives us the invitation when we have nothing to offer in return.

Reflection

The overriding principle that we learn from the OT is covenant. It is not an everyday term — something unfamiliar to us in daily life, except as ‘restrictive covenants’ or ‘covenanted giving’. This has the sense of agreements that endure, and which cannot easily be broken or changed. This is not far from the meaning of this verse, which also has the sense of being enduring, as expressed in “He will never leave you nor forsake you”.

What is covenant? In a very compact form we have it here. This is a promise, an all embracing promise of God’s provision and protection, a blessing that precedes our circumstances. So whatever happens that causes us to remember His promise, He already has it covered.

It sounds like God making a one-sided commitment for our benefit without us doing anything in return. This is partly true, but it is not completely one-sided — there is a sense of commitment on our part as well. The clue is in the word “Lord”. The promise comes through the relationship

At a time of heightened anxiety and risk, it is comforting to be reminded that God goes before us, to prepare the way for us, as well as being with us, in all the experiences of life. And we can always turn to Him. Even if we haven’t turned to Him before, or may have turned away from Him in a past time of feeling the need to be in independent — that’s where we all start.

In the gospel accounts, Jesus says “Do not be afraid” in one form or another, a lot of times. Angels appear, and say “Do not be afraid”. John, by now an old man, has a revelation of Jesus at the beginning of  along recorded prophecy we know as Revelation. What are His first words? “Do not be afraid”. Broadly, He is quoting our verse, which is linked to the Lord being with us with constancy. It goes back further, to the time the Lord appeared to Abram and covenanted with him, saying, “Do not be afraid… I AM your shield“.

Fear is the symptom of the constant attack we are subjected to from the enemy of our souls. It is his tried-and-tested go-to weapon of oppression: first the lie, then the fear that grows from the lie. That is why Jesus constantly says “Do not be afraid!” and why we should should agree with Him in saying ‘no!’ to fear. Why? Because we have the Father’s promise. Whatever it is, He saw it coming, and positioned Himself with us, never to run out on us or be called elsewhere.

The present pandemic is a source of fear and anxiety. In general terms, we can’t see an end to it. We know that epidemics run their course after a period of time, but we can’t see the trajectory of this one. We know its going to be a difficult winter. And personally, there is a fear factor — some are at greater risk of developing a more severe illness needing hospital treatment.

Where do we turn? The world has TV briefings and charts and opinions of people who know science and statistics. It looks for hope in every broadcast, in the distribution map, in the latest medical insight or experience of another country.

We can do better. We have the promise. Our God, who we know through Jesus, goes before us and has promised to be with us and not leave us to our devices. Because of this we can believe Him when He says, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Take away

• When the next tranche of news comes out, about statistics we would rather not know and threat levels we we would rather not understand — how will you process it in the light of the truth we have been studying?
• How will you use it to encourage an anxious friend or neighbour?

Link

For a suggested prayer based on this verse, go over to this page on www.glowweobley.com

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What am I supposed to do when nothing changes?

As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

James 5:11 NIV

Good News

Whenever we find ourselves in a situation that call for faith and perseverance, we are also drawing near to the God of compassion and mercy, and trusting not in anything of ourselves but the victory of the Cross won by Jesus.

Reflection

The Christian life is about love — knowing we are loved by God, recycling that agenda-free, condition-free love to others, and helping to build a spiritual environment where the value of love is dominant. There’s a definition of the kingdom of God to mull over!

The Christian life is about some other things as well — telling others about Jesus, fellowship as a body, coming together for praise and worship, learning to be disciples of Jesus, discerning what God is saying to us now through words of Scripture spoken and written long ago — and not giving up, but stretching our faith at times.

This is what makes Christians the people who keep on, keeping on.

Perseverance in the face of difficulty is following a Saviour who faced constant, bitter opposition from those with the education and tradition that made them the best placed to understand who He was and what He was doing.

He spoke God’s word in the synagogue to family and neighbours he had known for years, and they rose up in a riot and tried to push him over a cliff. After He shocked His hearers by telling them they should accept Him totally in a flesh-and-blood way, the crowd, failing to grasp the spiritual sense of what He was saying, said it was a hard teaching and “At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted Him”, John 6:66.

Opposition that also feels like a betrayal is a particularly deeply-felt pain. So is false accusation and the denial of justice. And we have not yet got to the whipping post, the Cross and the shame of a very public and Gentile execution. Jesus said that disciples of His had to be prepared to pick up their own cross of dishonour and punishment.

Job is referenced as an example of suffering and perseverance. He is an outstanding example of the paradox of bad things happening to good people. The world wants to see reward for our good works. The spiritual world knows that Satan, the accuser, targets those who others look up to and works hard to bring them down and so nullify their example.

Job is recorded as a righteous man who Satan obtained permission to test. He experienced an extreme stretch of faith, a severe and prolonged testing, in which those close to him were advocates for the devil’s deception, not the encouragers Job needed.

“You… have seen what the Lord finally brought about” and Job gained more than he had lost and stands for all time as one of the most high-ranking and decorated officers of the army of faith God uses to bring His order and values into the world.

“You… have seen what the Lord finally brought about” and we are told that Job received twice as much as he lost and also was a person who influenced heaven by his prayers: “My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer”.

Job stands for all time as one of the most high-ranking and decorated officers of the army of faith God uses to bring His order and values into the world.

Did Job earn favour with God through his perseverance in trial? That would overturn what we learn about God’s grace elsewhere. There is a blessing of obedience, but it’s more about how this changes us, than how it changes God. Job persevered, through extreme difficulty experienced God in a deeper way — and in the final analysis, was profoundly blessed through this experience.

God does not pick difficult situations to test us with — the devil does enough of that. In His sovereignty our Father will at times allow the oppression, and use it as a test and a means of growth. He expects us to do what we know to do, spiritually — and it can be a battle. We are bombarded with thoughts of helplessness and hopelessness; as we pray the situation seems to get worse, not better. This stretches our faith and tests its resilience — while we persevere in trusting what he Lord will bring about, not doubting His compassion and mercy.

Take away

What is your story of perseverance in the ‘stretch of faith’ that could encourage someone else? Your testimony of how God came through for you in your difficulty, could be the most powerful thing someone else hears in a worship service — if you have the courage to share it.

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Link

For a prayer based on this verse, head over to this page on https://glowweobley.com

What does walking according to God’s law mean today?

Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.

Psalm 119:1 NIV

Good News

It is easy for us to read God’s word, the Bible, and not difficult with practice to hear Him speak to our lives through it — and then we have guidance to follow. We will soon discover that through Jesus, we can be counted blameless. He took the blame on Himself.

Reflection

God can bless anyone, anywhere and any time. But we can position ourselves to catch His blessings, when they come. The best way to know God’s blessing in your life, is to live with the sense of being on a walk, and walking with Him.

The psalm which this verse introduces is the longest and most complicated of all these poems, and it has a section for every letter of the alphabet. It was written to be memorised, and each section expands that thought. Living God’s way brings His favour.
What living God’s way actually means has been seen quite differently at different times. As the culture has changed, so has the application.

When the tribes of Europe were pagan, warring and disorganised, God’s way was seen as the the structured formality of Roman religion — a spiritual version of the Pax Romana.

In medieval times, the spread of literacy and learning brought the revelation of the Bible and sermons of the church fathers. Communities devoted to copying these and celebrating the words gave impetus to the monastic movement.

The great Reformation movement that swept Europe in the 16th century brought personal faith in Jesus to the fore as God’s way, not relying on a form of ‘institutional faith’ to secure salvation (and blessing) in return for financial support, which amassed wealth and power for the institution.

Class-ridden Georgian and Victorian society had different expectations for rich and poor. God’s way became addressing that divide, bringing the message of hope and new life to working people, and making education and social elevation possible.

The industrial revolution brought great increase in the population of towns that had manufacturing. Conditions were poor, alcohol was cheap and available, and drunkenness became the  presenting social evil. So abstinence became the sign of God’s way.

The twentieth century brought both death and deprivation through world wars and a new ‘enlightenment’ through mass publication — inexpensive books and newspapers, and the new experience of broadcasting and films. Traditional religion had not prevented war; new media and freedoms had made the ordered, formal kind of religion perceived as no longer relevant to everyday life. God’s way became a new and dynamic way of walking with Him and being aware of His ‘now’ word through a new awareness of the Holy Spirit — in new churches representing a variety of Pentecostal expressions.

What is a ‘blameless’ walk according to the law of the Lord now? When we turn to Jesus, and ask Him into our hearts and lives, we are born again spiritually and the effect is to lift off the burden of guilt from us. Jesus has dealt with it

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:1-2

That is blameless.

Having a Bible and reading it, being open to hearing God speak through it, and giving Jesus first place as Saviour and also as one’s personal Lord whose direction in our lives we seek — that is walking in t he way of t he Lord as one who is blameless in His sight.

Back to our verse and Psalm 119, we have come full circle. In 176 verses, it encourages knowing God, listening to Him and trusting Him — as He has revealed Himself through the record we have, and reveals Himself by speaking into our lives now.

Take away

What is one thing you will do today, that will put you in a good place to receive God’s blessing?

Link

For a prayer based on this verse, go over to this page on www.glowweobley.com

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The Kingdom of God is the key to understanding an apparent paradox

An open rebuke is better than hidden love! Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.  

Proverbs 27:5-6 NLT

Good News

Unsincere flattery is toxic, but the honest but encouraging love we receive as those who belong to Jesus, is life-giving, even if at times it smarts.

Reflection

The Bible is about the kingdom of God, meaning the rule and domain of God, through various eras. It was only when Jesus came and was beginning His ministry that He began to speak about the kingdom of God, and then God’s purpose came into sharp focus:
“… Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” He said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”  Mark 1:14-15

What was the good news? Simply that, because Jesus the Son of God had come, God’s just order, called the kingdom of God, had become near and personal for ordinary people. This was a change from God’s justice proclaimed by specially anointed people, prophets, and a handful of wise kings. The thread running from the beginnings through the law of Moses, the psalms and wisdom literature and the vision of prophetic preachers was now encapsulated in a person who understood everyday life and its rigours, and offered ways of changing them for the better — miraculously, at times.

Jesus spent three years teaching about the kingdom of God. He established the kingdom of God and left it as His legacy, by dying a sacrificial death on the Cross. And He promised the Holy Spirit, who would give birth to this new rule and reign of God, in our hearts and lives and enable us to grow in it

The church, the believing, gathered people of God, is not the kingdom of God (even if at times it has behaved as thought it is) but that gathered body of believers is its agent — the means of making it known. The church (since medieval times) does not control the Bible or its teaching, which describes the kingdom of God. Nor does it control he worship of God, the expression and praise of the kingdom — but gathered Christians certainly greatly facilitate it.

So to ask, what does it mean in the kingdom of God, that it is “better to be corrected openly if it stems from hidden love… you can trust… a friend who wounds you with his honesty” (TPT) is like asking what God is saying to us through it.

We don’t need to study for long, how Jesus taught about the kingdom He was beginning to set in place, without realising that trusting, mutually accepting relationships are a big part of it. We who believe Him are charged with loving God, loving others, and even loving others who are not like us. In this context, we can be honest with one another — and whether we are offering a correction, or hearing it for ourselves, we shouldn’t fear a rift

In God’s order of things, the way He has set out for us to live (and Jesus’ teaching of it): this is about the way we relate together.

It’s not helpful to see this through a legalistic lens which reduces it to commands we must do and rules we ought to follow. Rather, see this through the empowering lens which reveals how God helps us to live right by His kingdom principles. The moment we sincerely turn to Jesus and ask Him into our lives, He gives us the Holy Spirit — the gift to all who believe in Jesus — who is like a coach on the inside of us, helping us to get it right, keeping us connected with God’s love flowing through us, so that we are enabled to be generous and forbearing with other people.

And free to be talk about it honestly… when things go a bit wrong.

And that’s the message our verse, right there.

Take away

Think about the rule and reign of God which Jesus called the kingdom of God. How does it start to explain other Bible verses which don’t make plain sense at first?

Link

For a prayer based on this verse, to say or to use as a starting point for your own, go over to this page on www.gloweobley.com

WHAT IS GOD SAYING TO US THROUGH THIS CRISIS?

Verse for Sept 23

And we know that the Son of God has come, and He has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and He is eternal life.

1 John 5:20 NLT

Good News

Jesus, the Son of God, has made it possible for us to know God in a real and personal way, simply by knowing and receiving Him first.

Reflection

It’s not just Christians who are asking the question. People who have no church connection, perhaps with just some fragments of faith which they have not articulated very much, are seeking the same answer. What is God saying, at this testing time?

And those who might not want to belong to the ‘fragments of faith’ category are adding their voices — with increasing desperation. “If there IS a God, what is He saying?” The pandemic has come, and we have changed our lives and isolated and hoped… and it receded, and we were very relieved about that. But now the threat is increasing again, we must learn new rules and follow them, and there doesn’t seem a way to get the upper hand and win through.

“There doesn’t seem a way…” — and in a way, that is a good thing. It is a good place to be, although it is a stretch to find that encouragement. But let’s give it a go.

Asking the question: “If there IS a God… what is He saying…?” puts us in position to find out. A lot of our problem is that we are too busy with our lives, preoccupied with all sorts of other things which are more important than faith. The ‘structural timbers’ of our lives have become everything and the foundation, never prominent, has been lost from sight.

What we have have built in our lives to believe and follow, gives us energy. What do we turn on the TV to see?

• Sport
• The political debate
• Occupation and career
• Holidays and travel
• Socialising
• Family and friends
• Neighbourhood life
• Clubs, hobbies, interests, study
• Homes and gardens
• Shopping and possessions

None of these are bad things in themselves. To a greater or lesser extent they define who we are and colour-in our lives and our freedoms. So somebody having made poor choices which landed them in prison, or through difficult circumstances which have left them in poor health or homeless, are deprived of the freedoms that the rest of us celebrate and express, and live for in these kinds of ways!

However, the growing health and safety emergency is restricting all of these ‘structural timbers’ again. It is becoming our imprisonment. And, locked down and locked in and trying to find a way out, we may give some thought again to those hidden foundations.

Which brings us back to the verse which is speaking, with our question, “If there is a God…” and the hint of His answer which starts, “And we know…”

The way is relationship

Here’s the thing. Knowing God does not come through the ordered following or recited expressions we call religion. It’s not all bad, it is just not the way to come into a relationship with God. The way is not religion, it is relationship. It is not the alternative culture of religious form and practice but the reality of knowing God personally. This verse explains, clearly and simply, how that happens.

“…The Son of God has come, and He has GIVEN US UNDERSTANDING so that we CAN KNOW the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ.”

The Passion Translation (TPT) puts is like this: “… The Son of God has made our understanding come alive so that we can know by experience the One who is true.” That’s how it works. We turn to Jesus and make a decision to receive Him. And something happens, whereby we see what we didn’t see before — our understanding comes alive — and where God was remote, now we know Him by experience. It’s a spiritual shift which is hard to convey in mere words.

The essential truth is simple, and we tend to bypass what seems too simple and make it complicated, which on a human, intellectual level is more satisfying. Hence the tension between ordered religion, and the simplicity of the reality. We may be trying to achieve and gain and work up by practice, something which we have been given. If we have been given it, we don’t need to work at finding it!

God is unseen, spiritual and completely ‘other’ and we have words like ‘holy’ which are used to describe this. So at this point God is remote, uncompromisingly perfect and unseen — and if He speaks, we are not on that wavelength. Enter the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was born in the most ordinary circumstances and grew up, flesh and blood like us, completely human but at the same time the complete representation of what God is like. He IS God but God in human form. We can look at Jesus, and know just what God is like, in terms we can relate to and understand.

We can look at Jesus, and accept and submit to who He is — and at that point the might and majesty of wisdom of God is revealed to us.

The verse says: “… We can know the true God”. And we can. We come to know Him through the means He has provided for us to know Him which is not complicated, does not require us to do a lot of things or pay any ‘club membership’. It is about heart-to-heart accepting Jesus and knowing God as a loving, understanding Father who cares and provides for us.

What is God saying?

What is God saying? Just this — that we can come to know Him, by turning to His Son, Jesus. There is a cost. It’s our pride, our independence, our priorities and giving Him the say in all those ‘structural timbers’ and how we build them together. It amounts to recognising that Jesus went to the Cross and gave up His life in the most horrible way imaginable, so we could have new life that endures for eternity. So we recognise that He gave up His life, by offering Him our lives, letting go of the independence. And we find He gives us our lives back, reshaped, different in some respects — but more and better.

God is using the evil of this crisis, turning it around for good, to get our attention and corral us into finding Him. We do that by our own free choice, and by the uncomplicated decision to turn to Jesus, trust Him and ask Him into our hearts.

Take away

• Go for a walk or take some time away from other distractions to talk to God about what He says in this verse.
• And give Him space and time to speak to you, and He will.
• It takes a bit of persistence to ‘tune in’ to His voice, perhaps more of an impression at first, but He says “call and I will answer you”

Link

For a prayer based on this verse, go over to our prayer site, www.glowweobley.com