1)# ’Elisha saw him no more.’
2 Kings 2:12 (7-14)
This was the moment when faith had to replace sight. It was all well and good to trust in God’s power with Elijah there, but now Elisha was on his own. It’s one thing to witness the power of God through other people, but another thing to have the faith that God’s power can be there at work in you and me.
The apostle James points out that, ‘Elijah was a man just like us’ which encourages us to know that God can work through people ‘just like us’. Like Thomas, the disciple, we can often depend on our senses to reassure us, but sometimes relying on our senses can hinder our faith in God. There will be times when the Lord removes those people or things that we have relied on, so that our reliance on him might grow and develop. It’s not always easy or comfortable, but it will be beneficial for us and for our service for the Lord. So let’s engage with the Lord Jesus for ourselves, and discover that the same God of Elijah and Elisha is very much with us today.
2)# ’Those who are waiting for him.’
Hebrews 9:28 (22-28)
Waiting can be difficult, especially if we’re not sure what to expect or when to expect it. But, in contrast, you can always tell those who know what they are waiting for and expecting something to happen soon, because they are the ones who will be busy making sure things are ready.
Waiting for Jesus to come again is about getting on with what we’ve been asked to do in readiness for his return - making disciples of all nations. Praise God for all who have left home and loved ones to go and take the gospel of Jesus around the world. But praise God that you and I can also take the gospel to those we live and work amongst. It’s not just about declaration, but also about demonstration. The way we live and our attitude towards social, environmental, economic and political issues should reflect the fact that we are waiting, in anticipation, of our complete salvation, when Jesus comes again.
3)# ’That we may look for him with you.’
Song of Solomon 6:1 (1-3)
The friends of the ‘beloved one’ have asked how her lover is better than others. She has described his looks and character in detail and has done such a good job that now her friends long to meet her lover for themselves.
In a pluralistic society with so many ‘gods’ and ‘gurus’ on offer, what sets our Lord Jesus apart from the rest? How well do we speak of him and how much do we reflect his beauty? The disciple Andrew was one who seemed to have a way of attracting people to Jesus, and the Samaritan woman became an immediate and effective witness for Christ, so much so, that many Samaritans met and then believed in Jesus for themselves. Paul speaks of us as ‘Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us’. For most people, their view of Christ is often seen through us. Quite a challenge - but what an opportunity!
4)# ’I will go and heal him.’
Matthew 8:7 (5-10)
But wait, the proposed visit is not required. The centurion had come asking for help and had described his servant as ‘paralysed, suffering terribly’. Clearly Jesus is required to heal him, so why does the centurion not want Jesus to go to his home? It seems that this army officer could recognise authority when he encountered it, and we have a response from him to Christ’s offer of help, that even impressed Jesus.
Such was the centurion’s faith that he knew that Jesus didn’t need to be physically present for healing to occur. He knew the power of a command. What a help this is for you and me today. We may not have the physical presence of Jesus right now, but by the Holy Spirit his power is still as strong as ever and he is ready and willing to respond to all who call out to him in faith. Whether it's for healing or salvation, for courage or guidance, whatever our need, let’s put our faith in the One who is the living, all-powerful, Word of God.
5)# ’It became a snare to Gideon and his family.’
Judges 8:27 (22-27)
A real danger for all of us is to let the blessing of God become a means of unhelpful influence over other people. Gideon had become an overnight hero. The Lord had called him from the winepress to the battlefield and used him to lead the Israelites to victory over the Midianites. Yet whilst Gideon rightly resisted the pressure from the Israelites to become their king, he could not resist the influence his new-found popularity gave him over the people. Without questioning his motives or his actions, the people provided Gideon with enough plunder to make an ephod, which was set up as a symbol of Gideon’s success, that the people then worshipped instead of the Lord. Sadly it blighted the rest of Gideon’s life.
Human nature is given to elevating those we admire, as true in the Church as elsewhere. It can lead to them being given too much influence over other people and abusing their position of power. When accountability is ignored, it’s not long before harm is done, sometimes irreparable. How careful we must be to make sure that nothing and no-one becomes the centre of attention instead of Jesus - however great the manifestations might be.
6)# ’The well is deep.’
John 4:11 (7-15)
Little did this lady realise what a wonderful truth she was stating. She stood looking at water down a deep hole in the ground, but she went away with an inexhaustible ‘spring of water’ deep within her soul. The well that Jesus provides is deep enough to satisfy all the longings of our hearts and our thirst for life.
The ‘wells’ of the world, look attractive and promise much, but they will always run dry. Religions and philosophies provide some spiritual exercise, but do not cleanse our hearts from sin. Yet how often we drink from the world instead of from the One who has ‘living water’ made freely available at the highest cost. If we already drink from this water, then, like the lady, we need to tell other people. If we have not yet drunk of Christ’s ‘living water’, then today is the best time to start. Like this lady we can ask, ‘Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty.’
7)# ’Lovely in form and features.’
Esther 2:7 (5-9)
It’s a significant fact that Esther was naturally beautiful. This was before any beauty treatments that she received as part of the build-up to the beauty pageant. Before the king set eyes on her, God had chosen Esther for a role that benefited from her good looks. A striking appearance was needed to initially attract the King’s attention. From then on, the rest of God’s plan began to unfold.
Serving the Lord doesn’t mean we have to become plain and boring. Our natural strengths, physical beauty, engaging personality, creative flair, academic ability, sensitivity and other qualities, don’t have to be suppressed or discarded. Rather, like Esther, we can use them to serve the Lord and to share the Gospel of Jesus with other people. Let's allow Jesus to be Lord of our whole life with all our natural attributes - and rediscover how we can use them for his glory.
8)# ’Do you love me?’
John 21:17 (15-19)
This is the third time that Jesus asks Peter this question. Twice before, Jesus uses a significantly stronger word for love ('agapao', a sacrificial love) than Peter uses in his replies ('phileo', close friendship). But now, Jesus comes to where Peter is at as a recovering disciple and uses the same word that Peter has used, to help him grow in his love for the Lord. Love isn’t just about words, but about action and Jesus gives Peter a role in his Church that will enable Peter’s love for Christ to become strong, even to the point of death.
Sometimes you and I may struggle to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind. It can be easy to say, but more difficult to live out. But Jesus doesn’t give up on us. Instead he gives us opportunities to serve him by serving one another. Starting with the simple things in life, such as engaging with people in the street, an encouraging phone call or text message, an offer of practical help, we can grow in demonstrating our love for the Lord. As Jesus said, ’Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matt 25). So let’s look out for those we can help today as an expression of our love for Christ, and we’ll find that our love for Christ will grow stronger and deeper.
9)# ’I will celebrate before the Lord.’
2 Samuel 6:21 (16-23)
Michal was critical of her husband’s behaviour. She thought it was undignified for the king to dance in public let alone remove most of his royal clothes to do so. But David’s actions were an expression of his overwhelming joy at the return of the Ark of God. Neither clothes nor dignity were going to stop him from celebrating God’s goodness.
We can be hindered in expressing our love for the Lord by our concerns over what other people might think - even in church. David was not in the temple, nor amongst close friends, nor in the privacy of the palace, but amongst people out in the street. His public display of his passion for the Lord brought honour to the God he served. Maybe our joy in the Lord is muted because our relationship with Christ has become lukewarm. Perhaps if people saw something more of our passion for Christ, expressed in our behaviour, they too would want to join in the ‘dance’. Let’s be open to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, even today.
10)# ’Be on your guard.’
Mark 13:23 (13-23)
These words of warning from Jesus come at the end of his teaching to the disciples about future world events. We are not told to be fearful, but we are told to be on our guard. In many countries, including the UK, government legislation is making living according to Biblical teaching more and more challenging. Inducements to compromise our commitment to Jesus are very real, with just as real consequences for standing firm.
Jesus makes it clear that such changes will take place and the persecution of the Church will spread through all nations. We can stand with those who seek to hold back these changes through prayer and action, but we must also be alert to what is happening so that we are not caught out. Changes in laws will be introduced under the guise of equality, health and security, that dictate how we live and may seem reasonable. Reliance on AI for everyday tasks will provide a means of greater control by those in authority. But our lives belong to Christ and we must be alert to anything that challenges our living with Jesus as Lord and in obedience to Biblical teaching. It won’t be easy, but as Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33). So let’s stay alert and stay committed to living with Christ as Lord of our lives.
11)# ’Watch yourselves closely.’
Deuteronomy 4:9 (5-10)
This is not talking about looking at ourselves in a mirror. Most of us already do that several times a day! We check our appearance, our clothes, our hair, even our blemishes! We make sure that we are presenting as good a look as we can manage before we are seen by other people. But appearances can be deceptive and today’s text reminds us to take more care of how we live, than how we look.
Moses is giving the Israelites final instructions before he leaves them and before they enter into the Promised Land of Canaan. He knew that once they experienced a land of plenty, they would be vulnerable to forget the Lord God and all that he had done for them. So he gives them this encouragement - and we would do well to listen in. Whether in times of plenty or times of need, let’s watch ourselves closely so that we live with Jesus as Lord, obey his Word and honour him in all that we do.
12)# ’A heart at peace gives life to the body.’
Proverbs 14:30 (27-35)
The connection between our inner and outer being is made clear here. A troubled heart will invariably show itself physically. Whether it is a glum expression, an itchy rash, or a sharp temper, the connection with how we feel inside is very real. Jesus said ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me.’ (Jn 14:1). The key to having a peaceful heart is to trust in the Lord Jesus. Often easier said than done.
Trust comes out of our relationship with Jesus. Time spent reading the Bible, talking to Jesus, learning to hear him speak to us, will all deepen our relationship and our trust in him. There will always be things in this world to cause our hearts to be troubled, whether it is on a personal, national or international level. But knowing Jesus, means knowing his peace and assurance, that he is working all things out according to his good plans and purposes (Eph 1:11). This gives us a right perspective on the things of life and will affect our physical, mental and spiritual well-being. The Apostle Peter advised, ’Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you’ (1 Pet 5:7). So let’s follow this advice and be people at peace, so that we can share Christ’s peace with other people today.
13)# ’They spent that day with him.’
John 1:39 (35-42)
But, as these two disciples discovered, following Jesus is more than just a day trip. There were thousands of people who spent a day with Jesus, but never developed a relationship with him. But for these fishermen, that initial encounter with Jesus was to change their lives for ever. Whatever else was planned for that day went by the board and at the end of it they declared ‘we have found the Messiah’. Even after one day with Jesus, these men had become ‘fishers of men’ and had brought other people to follow Christ too. You can’t spend time with Jesus and stay the same.
It’s only by spending time with Jesus that you and I come to know and love him more. One day a week will never produce a deep relationship. One day must lead to another, until the whole week is spent in the company of Jesus. He was just as comfortable in the fishermen’s boat, their workplace, as he was in the synagogue or temple. The same can be true for you and me. Whatever we do today, wherever we go, let’s make sure we spend it with Jesus.
14)# ’The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.’
1 Samuel 16:7 (4-12)
Samuel took one look at Eliab, the eldest son of Jesse, who was a warrior, and assumed he was God’s choice to be king. But first impressions can be misleading. King Saul had impressed people with his physical prowess (1 Sam 9:2), but another hot-headed, jealous soldier was not what was required. To look after his people, God needed a shepherd more than a warrior.
David’s care of his father's sheep made him ready to care for God’s people. That which Eliab despised about his brother (1 Sam 17:28), was just what impressed the Lord. The Lord was looking for a servant heart to lead his people, and the same is true today. Serving the Lord is not about rank, title, or position before men, but about a willingness to serve and care for one another as God’s people. We may not be noticed or acknowledged by other people, but let’s not let that stop us from doing what the Lord has called us to do as his disciples, even today. It will be noted and rewarded by the One who sees our hearts.
15)# ’Don’t you know me, Philip?’
John 14:9 (5-10)
Philip had been with Jesus for more than three years. He had seen, first hand, the manifestations of divine power through miracles, signs and wonders, yet somehow had missed the reality of who Christ is - God with us. The connection between God the Father and God the Son had not yet been made. Perhaps Philip had got stuck with seeing Jesus just as a man or was still affected by an Old Testament view of God as somewhat distant and remote.
For you and me, Sunday school images and depictions in films can limit how we ‘see’ Jesus. It can cause us to think of him as more man than God, more human than divine. Our limited reasoning can accept an ‘either / or’, but struggles with a ‘both / and’. But unless we accept Christ as both fully God and fully Man, then we can never truly know him as our Saviour and Lord, as our Friend and our King. It’s a step of faith, but one that leads into a deep and very real relationship with God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
16)# ’My hope is in you all day long’.
Psalm 25:5 (1-7)
The original language for ‘is in you’ speaks of being bound together, inter-twined as in a very close friendship. The psalmist has just asked the Lord to show him, teach him, lead him. David wants to live in a way that honours the Lord. Often we can be encouraged to be self-sufficient, self-supporting, self-motivating, independent of other people. But the mark of a follower of Christ is that we rely on him. Our lives are ‘hidden with Christ in God’. We are fully dependant on him - every breath of the way.
‘Quiet times’ are good, but let’s be aware of the Lord ‘all day long’. It’s not a weakness to admit that we need the Holy Spirit to help us live each day, whatever we face. But it is self-delusion to think that we have all the answers and can manage on our own. We can’t. So let’s be closely bound to Christ as we put our hope in him ‘all day long’, today.
17)# ’These men had been with Jesus.’
Acts 4:13 (8-15)
If we spend time with Jesus, people will notice. He will affect our attitudes and our actions. The fruit and power of the Holy Spirit will be manifest in our lives. Peter and John were ‘ordinary men’ yet had been transformed into courageous disciples who stood firm and fearless in the face of opposition from the authorities. The Spirit of Jesus had been given to them and enabled them to answer their accusers with confidence and boldness.
Christ has chosen ordinary people like you and me to be his witnesses. It’s not about what we know or how good we are at speaking. It’s all about our relationship with Jesus and that depends on the time we spend with him. Daily Bible reading and prayer is important, but let’s not limit our time with the Lord to those few minutes a day. Being with Jesus will mean acknowledging him in our everyday activities through what we say and do. Then, with the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, our witness for Christ will be effective.
18)# ’While she was out in the field.’
Judges 13:9 (8-14)
Let’s not be surprised if the Lord Jehovah meets with us in unexpected places. Samson’s mother was out in the fields, engaged in the daily chores, when the Angel of the Lord met her for the second time. She wasn’t in a sacred place or on her knees in prayer. She was simply getting on with things in the day - and the Angel of the Lord showed up. A working wife, on her own, having a divine encounter, not just once, but twice. Very unusual, but very God. Many might have doubted her words, but Manoah believed his wife, and as a result they both had a supernatural experience of the Lord God and played their part in his eternal plan. Samson was born and led Israel for twenty years.
You and I can often expect the Lord to appear at certain times and in certain places and then don’t expect to encounter him in our everyday situations. But just like Jesus met his disciples at their places of work, during the week, so he will meet with us at work, in the home, out in the street - during the week. It’s not whether the Lord will show up or not - he will. It’s more whether we have our spiritual eyes and ears open to recognise him, when he does. Encountering Jesus in the every-day will not just make a difference for you and me, but for those we are with as well. So let’s look out for Jesus, coming our way, today.
19)# ’The desert road.’
Acts 8:26 (26-31)
Philip the evangelist, had been at the centre of a demonstration of God’s power in a Samaritan city. People had been set free from demons and sickness. The whole city had responded to Philip’s preaching. Such had been the impact of Philip’s ministry that the apostles Peter and John had been sent to help out with what was going on. But now the Holy Spirit directs Philip to the desert road.
You won’t find crowds of people on the desert road. You won’t make the headlines on the desert road. It’ll be hot and hard. But that was where God wanted Philip to be and that’s where Philip went. One man’s obedience enabled the gospel of Jesus to spread across a whole continent.
Many of us have experienced the desert road in one form or another. Whether it is physical or mental sickness, redundancy or broken relationships, travelling the desert road can be very real and very challenging. Whilst other people are in the happening places, we may feel somewhat forgotten or overlooked and wonder what God is doing. Well, like Philip, let’s be ready and available to meet that other person, who God wants us to share with and witness to, who is also on the desert road.
20)# ’But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them.’
Joshua 2:4 (1-7)
The Lord God chooses unlikely people. It seems that Rahab ran some kind of inn, so a fairly natural place for the spies from Israel to stay. But it may also have served as a brothel. Yet her willingness to help in a time of need changed the course of her life as well as that of the Israelites. Rahab is now known for her faith, more than for her business (Heb 11). She was adopted as a Jew and became the mother of Boaz and secured her place in the history of God’s people and his plan of salvation.
Two things for us notice. First, the Lord looks beyond the appearance and reputation and sees the heart of a person, and so should we. But this is not an excuse for people to continue in their ‘old life’. As with Rahab, so with us. Once the Lord touches our hearts, then our lives will change, outside as well as inside.
Second, if the Lord can use Rahab for his glory, then he can use you and me. Let’s not let the reputations, failures and disappointments of the past hinder our service for the Lord today. Let’s be available and willing and we may be surprised by what God can do through us.
21)# ’Carefully watched.’
Luke 14:1 (1-6)
We do not know how Jesus came to be in the house of a prominent Pharisee, but he was. We don’t know how the sick man came to be in the same house, but he was. We do know that Jesus was being ‘carefully watched’, but it didn’t stop him from doing what was right. In response, those who were ‘watching’, who were critical of Jesus, were silenced. ‘They had nothing to say’ (v6).
For those of us who profess Christ as Saviour and Lord, we will be ‘carefully watched’ by other people around us. They will be watching our actions, listening to our words, to see if our living matches our claim to follow Jesus. We may be surprised to find ourselves in certain situations amongst all sorts of people, but let’s not allow their attention to change the way we speak or act. Whether we’re under the scrutiny of work colleagues, friends or family, let’s make sure that when people carefully watch us, they see Jesus in us, as we do and say what is right before him.
22)# ’Who am I that I should go?’
Exodus 3:11 (7-14)
Moses had learned humility through his wilderness years. Now he was ready to serve the Lord God. His impulsive action of forty years earlier may have been with the right intention, but was done in arrogance, his way. God’s preparation of Moses was very different from that of the world because God’s ways of working are so very different from other ways. No longer the prince of Egypt, Moses was now the servant of the Lord and ready for God’s power to be manifest through him.
It may be that you and I feel as if we have been forgotten or overlooked. But not by the Lord. It may be that our plans have been disrupted by a change in circumstances. But God is bigger than any particular event or happening and any delay can be for our good as we trust the Lord. Whatever our situation or position, we must humble ourselves before the Lord if he is to use us for his glory. But, unlike Moses, let’s not let our situation be offered as an excuse to avoid service.
23)# ’With you is the fountain of life.’
Psalm 36:9 (5-10)
The psalmist has been focussing on some of the attributes of the Lord Jehovah. His love, faithfulness, righteousness, justice, security and generosity. All these are summed up in this phrase - ‘with you is the fountain of life’. The word ‘fountain’ speaks of the source, deep down and gushing up. In John chapter four, Jesus spoke of giving ‘living water … a spring of water welling up to eternal life’ so that our thirst for life is quenched. Later on Jesus declares ‘whoever believes in me …streams of living water will flow from within him’ (Jn 7:38) and this is the work of the Holy Spirit.
There have been many ‘moves’ of the Holy Spirit in different places at different times and many people have travelled to those places seeking a blessing. The danger can be that we then associate certain places or people with being the source of the blessing. But the psalmist makes it clear that this ‘fountain of life’ is not with a particular movement or a specific location, but with the Spirit of the Lord God himself. So wherever we are today and whatever our circumstances, let’s drink from this fountain and know the fulness of the Holy Spirit within us.
24)# ’We are going up to Jerusalem.’
Luke 18:31 (29-34)
Jesus knew exactly what lay in store for him in Jerusalem. The sorrow, the rejection, the insults, the spitting, the beatings, his death. Yet he went on up because he could see beyond Jerusalem. ‘On the third day he will rise again’. It was only by going up to the old Jerusalem, that a New Jerusalem could become a reality.
As disciples of Christ, we will all face our own ‘Jerusalem’. Times when we face difficulties. Times when things are against us. Times when doubts seem to press in on all sides. Times when we feel alone. But Christ has gone before us and has ‘overcome the world’ (Jn 16:33). With his help we too can be over-comers and not be overwhelmed by our circumstances. Whatever we face today, let’s press on with Jesus and experience the victory he has already won on our behalf.
25)# ‘She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.’
Proverbs 31:20 (10-12, 17-23)
One of the qualities of a wife of noble character is hospitality. Open arms speak of a welcome and of sharing. Extended hands speak of giving help and support. Yet this description is more than just about good deeds. It’s about attitude. Concern for other people can often come after we have cared for ourselves, but the attitude expressed in these verses, is other people first - family, servants and strangers alike. All that this wife does is for the benefit of other people.
Jesus promised that all our needs will be met as we rely on him - and then he went further. “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Lk 6:38). A generous heart will be seen in generous actions and both will reflect the generous God that we serve. Let’s have open arms and out-stretched hands towards all who we meet today. Our heavenly Father will make sure that we have all we need with enough to share.
26)# ’You were washed … sanctified … justified.’
1 Corinthians 6:11 (9-12)
The Apostle Paul is speaking bluntly to the Church in Corinth making it clear that some of their ongoing behaviour is unacceptable as disciples of Christ. It seems that they hadn’t fully appreciated the connection between their new nature and a change in their behaviour. Paul lists the acts and attitudes of the sinful nature, then emphasises the change that has occurred with these words. Literally ‘You are washed … are sanctified … are justified’. It’s a present reality, so they can now live differently.
Satan will try to deceive us into thinking that our salvation is very fragile and more dependant on us than it really is. He focuses on our failings, and tempts us in areas of weakness. He plays on our feelings and emotions. But here are the facts. Because of what Christ has done, our position has changed and we are now in Christ, washed, sanctified and justified by the Holy Spirit. So let’s declare it with confidence and let it affect the way we live, today, tomorrow and until Jesus comes
again.
27)# ’God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water.’
Genesis 21:19 (14-21)
Times of affliction can help us to see things differently. Hagar and her son were lost in the desert. They were homeless and aimless and as far as Hagar could see, life was not worth living. There are many today who share Hagar’s despair. She could only see a wasteland, but the Lord helped her to see his provision. This wasn’t a mirage. She got water for herself and her son and life for a whole nation was the result.
Quite often, the Lord allows hard times to help us get a better perspective on life and understand something more of his plan for us. When the things of this life that we rely on or have our hopes in are taken away, it can be the catalyst to help us to turn to the Lord and seek his purpose for our lives. Hagar’s despair and destitution were removed as she became attentive to God’s direction. The same can be true for you and me. As the Lord provided security for Hagar and her son, so he will provide that assurance we need as we trust in him. So, irrespective of our circumstances, let’s let God open our eyes to what he can do in and through us, if we will commit to live with him as our Lord.
28)# ’And it was night.’
John 13:30 (21-30)
The act of betrayal by Judas was done at night. But it was not just the darkness of the deed that was reflected in the closure of the day. What lay ahead for Christ was a deep darkness as Father God forsook his Son hanging on the cross for our sin. Yet out of the darkness of the death of Christ came the glorious light of his resurrection.
We will all pass through ‘night times’ when the darkness may seem overwhelming. But that’s not the end. Don’t give in to despair. The light of Christ is greater than the darkness around us. As the Good Shepherd, he is walking with us and will sustain us and restore us (Ps 23). Our hope and trust is in the One who overcame the darkness of sin and death and as a result of his victory, there is the promise, for all who trust in him, of sharing in the light of his resurrection one day.
29)# ’So they took her answer back to the King.’
2 Kings 22:20 (15-20)
It was not an easy answer to take back to anyone, let alone the King. The prophetess Huldah had spoken words of judgement from the Lord God. Five men had been given a job to do and they remained faithful to the task, even though it was a tough message to deliver.
God’s judgement is still evident today. Sometimes it’s a word of rebuke or correction. Other times it may need more. Sometimes it’s for an individual or specific group. Other times it’s for a nation, as in this case. In the book of Revelation chapters 2 and 3, the Lord wrote to his Church in different locations, drawing their attention to areas that needed sorting out with a warning of consequences if they didn’t. Later on in Revelation, the Lord is shown as bringing judgement on all the world. Sooner or later the Lord will deal with all wrongdoing.
As the Church of Jesus, you and I are called to be salt and light to the world. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, ’correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction.’ (2 Tim 4:2). So if the Lord calls us to help keep his Church in order, let’s not shy away. But equally, whoever we are, whatever position we might hold, we’re not above the correction and discipline of the Lord, as King Josiah discovered. Humility, as well as obedience, is required in all of us.
30)# ’Peter followed him at a distance.’
Mark 14:54 (45-54)
This says it all. Peter had boldly declared that he would stand by Christ, even to the point of death. Yet now, when put to the test, he distances himself from Jesus, even denying knowing him.
It’s easy for us to criticise Peter, but so easy for us to do the same. At church or amongst Christian friends we speak and act one way, but when at work or amongst other friends we might distance ourselves from Christ and may behave in a way that even denies him as Lord of our lives.
If we are to be Christ’s disciples, then that means being closely associated with him all the time, not just when it suits us. For Peter there had to be repentance followed by restoration and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, he became fearless in the face of opposition. At those times when we distance ourselves from Jesus, we also can know forgiveness and restoration as we repent. Then with the help of the Holy Spirit, we too can remain true to Christ in both word and action, even when under pressure.
31)# ’A cheerful heart is good medicine.’
Proverbs 17:22 (17-24)
How desperate we are for cheerful hearts! Record numbers of antidepressants are being prescribed, as people struggle to cope with the pressures of everyday life. Therapies of all sorts are needed to help psychological disorders and mental health issues are a major concern, particularly amongst young people. For many, a cheerful heart would be a great help for their wellbeing.
A cheerful heart benefits the whole person and will impact the lives of other people. A cheerful heart doesn’t ignore the difficulties faced, but finds a way to overcome them. A cheerful heart lifts our countenance and renews our mind. Why? Because a truly cheerful heart is sourced in the Lord Jesus as we cast our cares and anxieties on him (1 Pet 5:7). Knowing his forgiveness each day will bring his peace into our lives and cheer our hearts. Spiritual medicine that brings well-being to our minds as well as our bodies. So let’s trust the Lord to see us through today, and leave our worries and cares with him.
15/06/2026