Heavenly Fear

 "...the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."  Exodus 20:20 NIV

The fear of God is sometimes viewed as a negative thing. Many people try to dilute it and call it reverence or respect.  But the Bible says "fear" and for a good reason.  We are by nature stubborn and self-centered and it is the fear of God that motivates us to turn away from our sins.  The threat of God's discipline helps us to focus our hearts on doing the right thing because otherwise we make any number of excuses for our bad behaviour. The Bible has many verses that talk about the fear of God.  They remind us that following God and obeying him brings great rewards, not least of which is a true relationship with God.  We can be thankful that God uses our strong emotion of fear to get our attention and guide us into real life.

Dear God, thank you for telling us to fear you.  We fear so many things that should not be feared: death, illness, others' opinions of us, poverty. These unrighteous fears destroy our lives. You promise us that if we fear you instead that you will save us, forgive us and give us everlasting life with you.  Thank you for giving us hope and many blessings in this life as well as helping us to be a blessing to others. Until we truly love you, we need to fear you.

The Kingdom of God

 "Jesus travelled about...proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God." Luke 8:1 NIV

The Kingdom of God is referenced many times in the New Testament. It encompasses many aspects of God's sovereignty. Jesus fulfilling his purpose as Messiah by dying on the cross for our salvation demonstrates the king-ship or king-liness of God as He not only demonstrates his power over death but also his protection and provision for his people. The good news of the Kingdom of God is that God saves us from our sins and that He changes us so that we can become people that glorify God and that bless the world. Being under the loving Lordship and authority of God, we receive life and freedom from the destructive chains of sin. We are so blessed to have a King, the King of the universe.

Father, we thank you for bringing us into your Kingdom. Guide us, shape us, change us so that we are righteous subjects of your Kingdom. We pray that we will bring glory and honour to you, the King who loves us more than we can ever imagine.

God's Grace, not Worldly Wisdom

 "Relying not on worldly wisdom, but on God's grace."  2 Corinthians 1:12 NIV

One of the big struggles today in our churches is to discern the difference between our societal values and the values of God.  Many issues arise in our congregations because people want to be more in line with our current culture.  However, the Bible teaches us that, while we are in the world, we are not to be conformed to the world. The church is to be an example and a blessing to the world, but it is to take its direction from God who has provided us with explicit instructions for life through the Bible. Whenever a church goes running after popular culture, it weakens and eventually dies. If the number of people attending a church is declining in spite of the Gospel being preached, there is nothing to worry about.  God will not allow his Word to return empty. Our job is not to fill churches, our job is to preach the Gospel.  God's Holy Spirit will convict and give grace to further his kingdom in his perfect plan.

Lord, thank you for the Bible that clearly tells us how to live. Keep my mind focused on your words of wisdom and love. Protect me from the insidious tendrils of our secular society. You are the Way, the only Way.

The Promise of Trouble

"In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world."  John 16:33 NIV

We like to study the promises of God and read about all the blessings he sends our way.  We try to pretend that trouble and difficulties are an "if" but Jesus clearly says that they are a "when". A Christian life in no way protects us from problems, suffering, and grief. The difference for the Christian is that Christ gives us his spirit so that we can weather these storms and encourage other people who are similarly afflicted.  "Take heart", "I have overcome" are incredible words of hope.  They are the light in the darkness. Ultimately, we can focus our eyes on our eternal life with God in this life and in the life to come, and then the current trouble will come into proper perspective. 

Lord, we never like to have trouble. Our human weakness is to want a pain-free life. Thank you for reminding us that we will have trouble and to not be surprised by it.  Thank you for sending us the Holy Spirit who keeps testifying to your love and gives us hope for tomorrow.

Discipline Your Children

 "Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death." 

 Prov. 19:18 NIV

As a parent it can be challenging to know what is appropriate discipline for a child.  Some children are easily corrected with a firm word but other children can be very rebellious and oppositional. The Bible passage does not explain how to discipline our children but it does emphasize the fact that children need direction and boundaries.  It warns us that we could be partly responsible even for their death if we do not give them godly direction and discipline. Raising children would be easy if they always willingly followed our advice, but that is not the case.  Children are born with a fallen nature and so they naturally gravitate to selfishness and disobedience. Just as God disciplines his followers, we also need to remember that discipline is a necessary part of parenting.

Lord, give me wisdom in the area of discipline.  Help me to know how and when to set boundaries for my children.  You set boundaries for us because you know that your way leads to life. I pray that I will accept your discipline with a soft heart remembering how much you love me, and that your discipline is always to make me more like Jesus.

Take up Your Cross

 "Then he (Jesus) said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple, must deny themselves and pick up their cross daily and follow me.'" Luke 9:23 NIV

How different is this verse from the messages we get from our secular society. We are told to get what we want, when we want, no matter how it impacts others.  Even in many churches, this passage is glossed over and a prosperity gospel is preached.  We need to seriously look at the life of Jesus, and the apostles. For them, it was all about being servants and sacrificing for the good of others.  We get discouraged when "the peace that passes understanding" eludes us, but have we been dodging our cross?  The diligent obedience of Paul and his unselfish life lead him to a place where he could say that in "all things" he was content. The fruit of the spirit does not grow without an obedient, focused, unselfish heart.

Lord, we don't like to do hard things.  We think we deserve a happy, trouble free life.  We don't care about others as much as we could. Lord, soften our hearts to your love and let your spirit shine out of us to bless others. Help us to accept our cross, joyfully.

The Lord is my Shepherd

"The Lord is my shepherd..." Psalm 23:1. NIV

There is so much in the opening phrase of the 23rd Psalm.  First, is the declaration of the Lord, God, the I AM, Yahweh.  That after all is the starting point of any life of faith. We need to recognize who the Lord is: the awesome creator of the world, our creator, our saviour, our redeemer.  This God is my shepherd. He is a personal God, not just a general god of the world.  A deep connection exists between God and his people.  And he is described as a shepherd. A shepherd cares for, protects, guides, loves, feeds, searches for and rescues his sheep. He puts his life on the line for his sheep when he fights wild animals that try to kill them.  No wonder so many people love this psalm with its profound imagery. The opening of this Psalm is just the beginning of an amazing song of praise to our amazing God.

Dear Lord, thank you for being our shepherd.  Thank you for inspiring David to write such a beautiful psalm that nourishes our souls. May I always listen to your voice and follow closely by your side.