This is the second part of the New Year Word given to our group of churches.
Whilst some love to climb mountains and find the achievement exhilarating, it is not so in the spiritual world. Mountains are difficulties we meet that tower over us like unconquerable spiritual giants. Perhaps you have a mountain in your life? Something that shadows you that you cannot overcome or see any way around it. For some, it could even be a lifelong mountain: a problem you have always had in your personality or a family situation that has hindered you all your days, and you cannot imagine life without it. It could be a mountain of unforgiveness towards another or a mountain that you baulk at because of experiences or memories from the past. There seems to be no way forward, and you feel stuck. Whilst others seem to have moved on, you cannot see your way around this situation, and it feels like you have reached an impassable place. And so it is to such a one, who may well have a mental block over difficulties in their life, that our Heavenly Father comes and says, “I will make my mountains into level paths for you.” The impassable places WILL become passable. The mountains of unforgiveness will melt. The memories of the past will dim, and you will be able to move on and conquer your mountain of difficulty. It is good to remember that He will make a way. It will not be of your making, nor of your efforts or energies. What is, at present, impossible will suddenly change in the spiritual world. You will no longer feel stuck or have a mental block about a situation. Your eyes will be on the dawn that breaks beyond the mountain, and, suddenly, it will no longer be the only thing that fills your vision. It is tremendous when God does these things for us. The indescribable joy that floods the soul is immense. You realise that He, the Great God of Heaven, has deigned to come into your situation, reach into your tiny life and change things forever. Suddenly, the mountain has gone, and instead of the impossible is the possible and the probable. He will make the mountains a way. Not only will the mountains become passable, He will make a level path for us to walk. There will be no stumbling blocks, no giants on it. The way will be level, and even though you may only be a small child, it will be a safe place to walk. How good is our God! Not only does He make a way through the mountains, but He makes a level path for us. He allows us to walk in pleasant places and enjoy the beautiful scenery. My mother, in her later years, struggled with her ability to walk, and she also had poor eyesight. If we went out for a short walk together, she spent the whole time looking at where she was putting her feet so she wouldn’t stumble. One day, when we were heading out, I suggested she take a wheelchair. What a difference it made for her. She could sit up, look around and enjoy the fabulous scenery and fresh air. It was an enormous benefit to us both, as I could relax knowing Mum was safe. Imagine knowing the path is so level that you can walk safely, looking up and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation, sharing in His praise and feasting your eyes on the King in His beauty. What a difference from looking at the dark mountains looming ahead, wondering how on earth you will cope. Now you are rich, grateful to God for His goodness and able to come safely into a new place of praise and love with Him. In 2024, you may have mountains of difficulties. Lift your eyes and begin to catch sight of the dawn behind! He will make a way where there is no way.
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“For the Lord in his mercy will lead them; he will lead them beside cool waters.” Isaiah 49:10 NLT7/1/2024 Our New Year promise came in six sections, so I plan to take a section each week over the next six weeks.
First of all, ‘For the Lord in his mercy.’ Where would any of us be without the mercy of God? We need His mercy at the beginning of our Christian walk. We need His mercy to recognise that we are a sinner who needs to be saved. We need Him amidst all the pitfalls along the way, when we are learning what He wants us to be and what is required of us. We need Him in our old age to give us strength to continue to walk beside Him. The longer we are on the Christian road, the more aware of His mercy we become. As we realise our dependency on His mercy, the humbler we feel inside. If He had not had mercy upon us, then none of us could hold our heads high and walk on His paths of righteousness. ‘For the Lord in his mercy will lead them,’ He will show us where we are to walk. No one knows what tomorrow will hold. Perhaps it is just as well we cannot see what is around the corner, but He knows, and His mercy will lead us right through the dangers and difficulties and bring us to the next part of our journey. ‘He will lead them beside cool waters.’ There will come a day when our difficulties will be past, and He will lead us into delightful places filled with calmness and peace. The waters are not cold, but cool. They are deliciously refreshing for the child overwhelmed by the heat. They are not far off, unreachable by the topography of the landscape. He will lead us beside them until we can touch them and feel their coolness. The plural gives us the impression that they are not stagnant but living waters. They are not rushing at a tremendous pace, but they are gently moving, causing the soul to be refreshed. In His mercy, He will lead us right beside those cool, calm, peaceful waters where we may bathe our souls in the goodness of God. Life will be quiet there. All sense of agitation and strain will pass, for the cooling waters will still our soul with His presence. Let the cooling waters find their way into the depth of your being until you can recognise the hand of God has led you this year right here to this place, where you can enjoy the quiet. ‘His tracks take me to an oasis of peace near the quiet brook of bliss. That’s where he restores and revives my life.’ Psalm 23:2,3 TPT We stand at the beginning of a new year without knowing what is ahead. It could be a year filled with promises waiting to be fulfilled or a year of difficulties with ill health or sadness. None of us know what is ahead, and most of us are wise enough to know that life can change for any one of us in an instant.
At this moment, you stand at the beginning of a new year with its months, weeks, days, hours and even minutes waiting to be filled. Each minute that comes and goes is a moment you will never see again for the rest of your life. What are you going to do with it? Have you ever thought about the number of hours you sit in front of a screen? I am not talking about work but pleasure. Watching TV, gaming or surfing the net: every hour is an hour that you will never see again. Keep a note of how much time you spend watching and gaming in a week. You might be in for a shock! Multiply that by 52, and you have the number of hours you waste in a year. Everyone needs to relax and unwind from the day's activities, but bad habits develop quickly, and if we aren’t careful, we have little to show for our precious free time. This day, you stand at the beginning of a new year. Look into it as far as your eye can see. See the days, weeks and months before you. Like the land that Abraham could see stretching before him, He is giving you all this time. Your year stretches out in front of you. Each day is precious. Each evening spent with family, in church or out with friends is irreplaceable. It is beyond price. There will come a day when your time will have run out. Your hours and days will end, and, if you are lucky enough, you may have time to reflect on the good and wasted years. Let 2024 be precious to you. Use each moment wisely. Make time to relax and enjoy yourself, but in the midst of it, learn to appreciate each minute, for it will never return. Once it is past, it is history. Let 2024 be a year of fruitfulness and blessing for you. ‘Teach us to number each of our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom.’ Psalm 90:12 NIV The beauty of morning light breaking across a darkened sky can often be beautiful, but the beauty of the morning light from heaven is breathtaking. Christ, the morning light from heaven, is filled with phenomenal beauty. We read in Proverbs:
“Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: And I was daily his delight, Rejoicing always before him;” Proverbs 8:30 KJV Christ existed before time began, long before His birth in Bethlehem. (Read the whole of chapter 8 of Proverbs to find out more.) Christ brought up with the Father, was daily His delight. What a glorious thought that Christ was always with His Father, even before He was laid in a manger in the stable in Bethlehem. He came from the world of light. This indescribable, heavenly morning light broke into our world. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” John 1:5 NLT Heaven couldn’t contain its excitement as: “Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God.” Luke 2:13 NLT I always imagine the angels couldn’t help themselves. One was sent to announce the Saviour’s birth, and suddenly, a ‘vast host’ of others joined in. They burst through the veil of darkness with such a thrill of hope for men. Men were drawn to the morning light. Shepherds, amazed at the sights in the sky, left their flocks on the hillside to find the baby lying in the manger. They couldn’t contain their excitement after being in the presence of light. “After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened.” Luke 2:17 NLT Now, the shepherds had caught the joy bug! They couldn’t keep quiet. And not only that, but the message the angel brought to the shepherds was: ‘“Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.”’ Luke 2:10 NLT This same thrilling, bursting joy is given to us at Christmas time. Lift your eyes and see the morning light from heaven. Let it fill you with joy and hope in believing. Let us change these words for this occasion. “Go to church and search carefully for the child.”
We are proud to be independent and often want to seek God alone rather than go to church. Our lack of trust in others and our deeply skeptical nature make us suspicious of asking others for help. We hear so many twisted stories about the church that we deeply mistrust. Yet God has put the church in place for a reason. He has a body of believers available to help others, and whilst there are twisted stories, there are thousands more good, wholesome and incredible stories that don’t make the newspapers! By participating in church, you are demonstrating humility, trust and an ability to learn. If you are genuinely searching for ‘the child’, God will lead you to the right place and people. Even when we sometimes end up in the wrong location, He still sees our seeking heart and will send us help. Let me give you an example. As a young person, I came to Christ. I was saved under one man’s ministry in a particular denomination. However, I received my baptism in the Holy Spirit in another church at a young folks' weekend. I returned to the church where I had been saved, but my spirit was hungry and longing for more. I dutifully sat in my church, trying to concentrate on the service. However, I couldn’t help thinking about the other church where I had received my baptism and wondered what was happening there. My heart was in one place whilst I was in another. It was more than just heart-longing; it was soul-yearning. Eventually, after several weeks, I visited the second church. I felt instantly at home, but more than this, I was blessed beyond measure with help and support. I searched carefully for ‘the child’ Jesus and found Him! It is not good to operate as an island. We need to become like little children to enter the kingdom of heaven. Put yourself deliberately under the ministry offered in the church, carefully seeking ‘the child’. Follow the leading of your soul-yearning until you find Him. The wise men had received this instruction from wicked King Herod. They used it to find the Christ-child even though the source from which the directive came was evil. Once they had discovered where Christ was, they were warned in a dream by the angels not to return to Herod. When our hearts are searching for the truth, our Heavenly Father cannot resist the draw to reveal Himself to us, no matter who is involved, evil or not! Trust your Heavenly Father and carefully put yourself in a position of learning, accepting and believing, and He will lead you to your heart’s desire Here is a Man who was focused on His work. The leader of the synagogue had asked the Lord Jesus to come back to his home, lay His hands on his dead daughter, and raise her back to life. I wonder what Christ felt. Did He sense an urgency in this situation or suddenly have a drive to go and visit this home? He seemed to, for He went as one with a mission.
They arrived at the house to a crowd of people and loud music. Undeterred by the crowd, the noise or even the people's opinions, he ordered them to “Get out!”. He was direct in His approach and knew that this was the will of God. The crowd was put outside, and the girl was brought back to life. Death fled from before His fingertips, and the news of this miracle swept through the entire countryside. When God gives you something to do, you must do it as swiftly and as straightforwardly as an arrow that hits its mark. We are not called to waffle or pander to the crowd; we are called to do the will of God. There are so many things that could have distracted Christ along the way. Indeed, if we had been in His shoes, we possibly wouldn’t have even gotten to the house in question. We would have had to have sympathy with the woman who had the issue of blood, distracted by the large crowds that had gathered, or we would have had to go home to attend to this and that or felt too tired to go that day. When we arrived, we would surely have been put off by the large crowd of noisy people who had gathered in the family home to mourn the child. Can you imagine what you might have said on arriving? “Oh, am I too late?” or “I’ll come again when everyone has left!” Our Lord Jesus appeared almost rude and abrupt, ordering the crowd of mourners and musicians to “Get out!”. But He had a work to do for God, and nothing stood in His way. Like an arrow that hits its mark, so our Lord struck death, and it fled from before Him. Death became sleep in His presence. What an anointing! What authority! He was clear-cut in His delivery and His purpose. We must learn to be like Him. If He gives you something to do, then you must do it with a clear-cut purpose and delivery. Don’t look at how it will appear, but let His driving force and energies guide you. It is His anointing that brings the miracle. All we have to do is respond in obedience and faith; His will shall be done. Let this be our prayer: “May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:19 NLT ‘As Jesus was saying this, the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him. “My daughter has just died,” he said, “but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her.”
So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him. Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe, for she thought, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment.’ Matthew 9 18-22 NLT What struck me as I read this passage was how busy Jesus was. First of all, ‘As Jesus was saying this ...’ He was in the middle of explaining to the disciples of John the Baptist why His disciples didn’t fast when the leader of the synagogue came up and knelt before Him, requesting that Jesus should come to his house and heal his dead daughter. If that wasn’t enough of a crisis, we read that as he passed through the crowd (Mark 5:27), a woman touched His robes and was healed. Not only did He know that power had gone out from Him, but He knew she was healed and turned and gave her a word of encouragement. He was busy, busy, busy! And yet, every time I read this story, I think of the control Christ had in this situation. I can become flustered in a crowd, especially if several people talk to me simultaneously. My wee brain can’t cope with it! But here was Christ, passing through the crowds, dealing with John’s disciples, explaining deep and glorious things to them, telling them what was going to happen in the future, whilst responding to a man who had just lost his daughter and attending to a woman who needed a major operation. He dealt with the whole situation perfectly. He was calm, in control, knew exactly what was happening, and knew that power had gone out of Him and every need was met. Wow! What a Saviour! We do our best in our small sphere of service. Pastors leading small churches deal with their folks kindly, tiring in service for Jesus. Famous evangelists arrive and minister to the crowd but seldom have time for the individual and are often protected by an inner circle of people who usher them out at the end of a big meeting, and no one gets to speak to them. I went to hear one of these big names recently. It was a small crowd of people who had been invited to come, so I took the opportunity to go and say thank you to the gentleman concerned. He was busy and brushed me aside with hardly a glance. It didn’t bother me. I recognised that he was as preoccupied as I can be at times. But our Lord Jesus wouldn’t have done that. He is perfect in all circumstances. Remember, no matter how busy you are today or how many things need to be attended to, there is One watching over you who is in perfect control. He will keep, control and guard you throughout your day if you trust in Him. “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Isaiah 26:3 NLT If I were to ask you to name all 12 apostles, I am sure some would struggle. We could remember the well-known ones: Peter, James, John, Judas and perhaps Matthew or Thomas, and then we would begin to falter.
I have often wondered why the others were not so widely known. Twelve men had left everything to follow Christ. They wouldn’t have been considered part of the group if they had not committed everything to God. Did they go back on their commitment? Did they retire from any visible service after the Crucifixion? Or did they all go on working for Christ until the end? Their names are listed in Matthew 10:2-4: ‘First, Simon (also called Peter), Thomas, Then Andrew (Peter’s brother), Matthew (the tax collector) James ( Son of Zebedee), James (son of Alphaeus), John (James’s brother), Thaddaeus, Philip, Simon (the zealot), Bartholomew, Judas the Iscariot' Some had more prominent roles than others. Some of the apostles wrote letters to the churches or individual people, which have caused their names to be remembered through the centuries. But there were others we know very little about. Bartholomew, for example, was only mentioned in the four lists of the twelve apostles in Matthew Chapter 10, Mark Chapter 3, Luke Chapter 6 and Acts Chapter 1. Apart from that, there is no record of him. But the fact he was a member of this group of men meant he was a significant leader in the early church. He must have worked hard to spread the gospel, although his work is not recorded in the Bible. Perhaps he was overlooked by the others, or he may have been happy, quietly working away in the background; we don’t know. But we know that Christ had accepted him, and Bartholomew would have been privy to the private conversations between Christ and His disciples. Bartholomew wasn’t working for fame or power but as a faithful servant to God. Whether others acknowledge what you do for Christ is irrelevant, He will see it. Your devotion must be, first and foremost, to Him. He will never overlook your work for Him or take you for granted. Your name may not be recorded anywhere in a book on earth, but it will be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life if you walk faithfully with Him. There will always be people who are better known than you. People who can do the things that you do quicker, more efficiently, even more effectively. But our job is not to compare ourselves to another; it is simply to walk faithfully and obediently in the way our Master has set out for us. One day, we will lay our crown at His feet. Whether you are well-known like Peter or hidden like Bartholomew, remember He looks down from heaven and He alone knows your heart. Meekness is not a quality we often seek. In today’s society, we are taught to believe in standing up for ourselves and shouting about our human rights. Even children in schools are taught about the Rights of the Child; and I have known, on more than one occasion, a child insisting they have a right to play when it is time to learn!
I wouldn’t want to return to the old-fashioned ways of being seen and not heard, but an arrogant and opinionated attitude is fast becoming the norm in our society. This is a godless way. Whatever our attitude to life, we should adopt an inner spiritual humility when in prayer to God. “Meek spirits are in high favour with the Father.” CH Spurgeon If we are in need, we have the promise of His leading and being taught in His ways. “He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way.” Psalms 25:9 NLT There is no better path than the one God has chosen for you to walk. It is where you will be happiest, find the blessings along the way and be closest to God. Never forget, no matter how militant the world becomes about its rights, keep an inner attitude of humility and teachability before God. “Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.” Psalms 25:5 NLT After Mary had used expensive perfume to anoint His feet, the Lord Jesus told His disciples that He would not always be with them. The anointing she had given Him signalled her love and affection for the Master. Mary had taken the best of what she had and poured it out as an offering for Him. In verse 7, Jesus explains that Mary had done this in preparation for His burial. What a privilege and an honour! If she had stalled, it would have been too late; she would have missed her opportunity. It would never have come again. The days were passing, and soon, He would be taken away.
Some among us love the Saviour, but we have never used the opportunity to give the finest years of our lives and offer them at the feet of Christ. The days are passing quickly. All too soon, our youthful years, energies, health and strength will have gone, and we will have missed opportunities that will never come again. Let us choose to give the best of what we have to Him. One day, we will be too old and frail to serve Him as fully as we want. Whilst we have our health and strength, let us offer our services to the church and the King of Kings. Recognise, like Mary, the privilege and honour it is for you to give with all your heart, soul and mind. (Matt 22:37) She didn’t let anyone or anything stop her. Be as determined as Mary. You will not regret it! |
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