Smallest to Greatest

S – Mark 4: 31 -32

 

‘It is like a mustard seed which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted it grows and becomes the largest of all the garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.’

 

O – This is another parable that Jesus tells his disciples to help them grasp the insight and understanding of the Kingdom of God is like. How challenging for him to bring heavenly insight to their earthly mindsets and perspectives. He starts with the smallest and insignificant in the realm of nature – a mustard seed going into the ground. He doesn’t dwell on an explanation of science or the technical process in the germination, but the outcomes and the effect. It’s the ‘grows and becomes’ that is the important focus in its largeness and prominence. Jesus takes them in their understanding to what is insignificant at the beginning to what is of great significance and largeness in purpose. A place of nurture, protection and refuge. The tree was not significant for its beauty or fine timber but in its purpose.

 

A – I find this description of the Kingdom to be a life picture for me in my own purpose and Kingdom understanding. It becomes the picture that gives me my significance for life and service. It encourages me to walk in the ‘growing and becoming’ and not to park or stumble in the insignificant. Yes, I know my life individually is insignificant, like a small mustard seed, but I’m encouraged to focus on what I have and am becoming and what I am part of. I am a part of the largeness of the Body of Christ, to be part of the purpose, to give protection, nurture and rescue to the many that want or need to find refuge in these branches.

 

P – Lord, thank you for this great but simple picture. Thank you that you have taken me in my smallness and insignificance and made me to ‘grow and become’ a part of something great and significant - the purpose of your kingdom. Help me never lose the understanding of this picture as a reference point for my life.

The brevity of life

Scripture:  Psalm 90:12 “Teach us to realise the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom”

 

Observation:  This psalm is written by Moses – in fact, it is “A prayer of Moses , the man of God “, whose life was far from brief – he lived to the ripe old age of 120, and the Bible tells us that “his eyesight was clear and he was as strong as ever”  when he died (Deut 34:7).  So why would he include such a line in a prayer?  I think it’s because he saw much death in his time.  He saw much waste of life in his time.  And when lives were cut short, it gave him a fresh appreciation that we must use every available opportunity to live our lives well, for none of us knows when our time on this earth will be ended.  And we can only live our lives well if we live them wisely.  “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom.  All who obey His commandments will grow in wisdom” (Psalm 111:10)   Each one of us has an influence over others – whether we recognise it or not!   When we live our lives wisely, that influence will be a positive one.  When we don’t, it won’t!!  So for Moses, the man of God, the realisation of the brevity of life was to be a catalyst for growing closer to the Lord & His ways, and therefore growing in wisdom.

 

Application:   At this time when we are facing the ongoing tragedy of the worst natural disaster our nation has ever seen in the “Black Saturday” fires, when  not only property has gone, but lives have been so unexpectedly cut short, it makes me “realise the brevity of life”.    How must I respond?  By drawing closer to my Lord.  By growing in His wisdom, that my life might be an influence for Him to others, no matter how long or short my time on this earth.  My days are in His hands – my responsibility is to “grow in wisdom”.

 

Prayer:  Dear Heavenly Father,  thankyou that my days are in Your hands – what safer place could they be!! I want my days to be fruitful for You, for life on this earth is both brief & precious.  I don’t want to waste any of it!!  I surrender myself afresh to grow in Your wisdom that my influence might be what you would have it to be!!

 

In Jesus’ name  Amen

 

Sue Otto

'Points of Dispute'

S – Acts 25: 19

 

        ‘Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion – and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.’

 

O – How powerful are these points of dispute from Paul’s accusers. They are so seemingly important to them to enforce that they cause great blindness and ignorance. These points of dispute that religion mindsets raise that always cause wrong focus and priority. In their preoccupation with these issues of dispute they had missed the whole revelation of who Jesus is. Their points of dispute had restricted their view of Jesus to be just a dead man who another man (Paul) was claiming to be alive. Their blindness to the purposes of Jesus is difficult to comprehend. This whole religious mindset which wants to prove a point or win an argument rather than seek the revelation of God’s purposes.

 

A – My challenge is to stay away from points of dispute. How easy it is to major on the minor things. These minor issues that can take me to a place that I never intended to go. They can cause reaction, separation and hostility. When allow the majoring on these points of dispute, I miss the greater revelations and mysteries the Holy Spirit has for me... It’s incomprehensible to me that these Religious accusers could only see Jesus as a dead man. Their whole journey had been blinded to His purpose and provision and yet the OT was full of prophetic sign posts. What a warning to me to keep away from the toxicity of the points of dispute. I want to keep my spirit fresh for constant revelation and understanding.

 

P – Lord, I don’t want the powerful things of the Kingdom to be dead. I don’t want to focus or stumble over point of dispute. Forgive me when I allow minor issues to rob me of what you want to reveal from your Kingdom and perspective.

Confident assurance.

Scripture:  Leviticus 26:13 “ I am the Lord your God , who brought you out of the land of Egypt so you would no longer be their slaves.  I broke the yoke of slavery so you can walk with your heads held high”

 

Observation:  Isn’t this what Christ has done for us?  He has broken the yoke of slavery from sin & death so that those who have put their trust in Him can walk with heads held high.  Free from condemnation.  Free from guilt & shame  – and loved and accepted by Almighty God beyond anything that can be known in  human relationships, no matter how good those relationships may be!!  The believer can indeed walk with head held high.  Not in arrogance or pride, but facing the world in confident assurance that what Christ has gained for us cannot be taken away.  And such confidence should enable the believer to look others in the eye with the love that Christ Himself has given to us.

 

Application:  I am loved.  I am accepted.  I am free from condemnation, from guilt & shame.  I can face the world with my head held high.  I should have no sense of being ashamed of my faith nor my Lord.  If I am walking In Christ with my head held high it is so that I can greet the world and share His love with confidence.  Unafraid of and undeterred by the (sometimes) negative responses the world may  have.  For my assurance is that my God has broken the yoke for me.

 

Prayer:  Dear Heavenly Father, thankyou that You broke the yoke of my slavery to sin & death.  Thankyou that I can walk with my head held high – not to lord it over others, but that I might have the confidence to share You with others.  May I always walk with that confidence no matter what I am going through.  You are the One In whom I can always have confidence.  In Jesus’ name

 

Amen.

Great Conversations

S – Acts 18: v 9

 

‘One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city." 11So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.’

 

O - This is a great conversation that Paul had with God. Like so much of his life there was harassment, threat and resistance. There must have been many times in his humanity Paul felt the fear and aloneness of his Mission. In this conversation the Lord enforces all the needed foundational strength; don’t be afraid, keep speaking, resist the temptation to be silenced in the face of opposition. This thought no doubt must have often challenged Paul, why bother? Then comes the promises along with the empowering that the Lord had many people in the city. The lord must have wanted Paul to know that he was not alone. Apart from His presence there were many of the lord’s people no doubt standing in faith and praying and representing a powerful presence in the city.

 

A – I have the need for great conversations like Paul’s with the Lord. How easily I succumb to thoughts that we are alone. Their can be so much noise and contrary expression around that causes me to lose the bigger perspective. I am not alone; The Lord is with me; there is protection. There is also many around and with me in the Mission. I see that there is great strength in the many of the Lords people. I need to be refreshed in this power and fellowship and not allow thoughts of aloneness to take root.

 

P – Lord I thank you for your provision and promise. I thank you that you see always the strength of the presence in your people in any place or locality. Thank you that we are never alone in the Mission.

A Good Man

S –    Acts 11:24

 

‘He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.’

 

O -    This verse is a great description and record for the life of Barnabas. To be described as ‘good’ seems inadequate in language as to honour and emphasise the character of this man. Our modern day description of a good person probably means they don’t behave in an unacceptable manner. Barnabas’ goodness came from within his transformed and connected spirit with God. He was full of the Holy Spirit. What a pondering and awesome statement concerning someone. It’s a statement that is more than just a cliché, religious or doctrinal. This is why and how his goodness was apparent to all. It was a manifestation of what had been cultured within him. He truly represented and reflected that which had been DNA’d into his being. He was a genuine reflection of the Kingdom of God.  He was full of faith as a result; this is also an incredible reflection. This must have been outworked in the way he connected, encouraged and saw the potential and power of the believers in Antioch. No wonder a great number were brought to the lord.

 

A -     L like many, I would see myself as a good man. I don’t break the laws and I endeavour to stay out of trouble. My challenge though is; do I reflect the goodness that comes into my life from the Holy Spirit? More and more I see the importance of my relationship with Him and the freshness needed in connection. It’s not my goodness that attracts; it’s only the goodness that is a reflection of God’s character. Does then my goodness reflect a fullness of faith? Faith that reflects the culture of my life not just as a concept I polish up from time to time. For me to be a good man it requires me to both guard and cultivate my inner spirit connection and exercise. How I would love to see a great number of people brought to the lord. It seems the more powerful the goodness – then this creates the attraction and drawing of people. It’s the same goodness of God but now within me.

 

P –   Lord, I want to be a good man. I thank you that this goodness comes from you as I allow you to cultivate and grow your life more and more within me. I ask and desire a greater measure of Holy Spirit and Faith.

 

 

 

Another chance

Scripture: Acts 9: 26-28b “When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him.  They did not believe he had truly become a believer!  Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul.  He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.  So Saul stayed with the apostles....”

 

Observation:  Saul’s conversion was so radical, even the cream of the believers in the centre of Christianity at the time didn’t believe it!!  It took Barnabas, the “son of encouragement”, to take a risk, meet with Saul (no-one else apparently had the courage) and facilitate the meeting between Saul & the apostles - as well as do the speaking on Saul’s behalf - before Saul could begin to receive the opportunity that he needed to prove himself and so start to operate effectively for the Kingdom.  This was the pattern of Barnabas’s ministry – he even disagreed sharply with Paul later on over whether Mark deserved a “second chance”.  It seems to me that Barnabas was the champion of those needing a second chance.  Barnabas, I believe, was discerning – I doubt he would have been given a hearing by the apostles on Saul’s behalf had they not trusted his judgement – but I also think that, once he was convinced of the genuineness of the case, he would stick with & defend that person to the end! 

 

Application: Here is a man – albeit a “minor character” in the scriptures – worth emulating!  Like his Heavenly Father, the “God of the Second Chance”, giving others a second opportunity seems to be Barnabas’s heart.  Do I have the same heart?  Will I “wipe people off” because of their past mistakes and ungodly attitudes?  Or will I give them a second chance (once they’ve indicated repentance), to show they have learnt from their errors & are now able to be effectively used of the Lord?  That’s what the apostles did for Saul.  Like Barnabas, though, the “opportunity-giver” needs discernment, courage, & faithfulness.  Perhaps these are the qualities the Lord wants to develop in me.

 

Prayer:  Dear Heavenly Father, Thankyou for showing me Your heart towards all of humanity, for You are the God of the second chance.

Thankyou for Barnabas’s example of the qualities needed to be a giver of a second chance to others.  I ask that you will help me to develop those qualities as I become more like your Son.  In Jesus’ name  Amen

 

 

 

 

 

Sue Otto