‘Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord.’ Romans 12:11 NIV3/2/2025 This verse emphasises the importance of maintaining enthusiasm and passion in our walk with God. The Moffat translation is: ‘Never let your zeal flag; maintain the spiritual glow; serve the Lord’.
This speaks of a constant, ongoing action, not something that occurred once in the past. Our relationship with God is to be burning intense. John the Baptist prophesied: “He shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” A natural fire needs oxygen, fuel, and heat to stay alight. For our spiritual lives to remain alight, we need the breath of the Spirit, God’s word, and passionate prayer. Without these three working together, the spiritual flame in our lives cannot burn brightly. In the 1800s, the National Park Service took over care of Kings Canyon Park, California. When there was a lightning strike, the rangers worked hard to prevent the forest fires from spreading. More than 100 years later, they discovered that they had been working against the Giant Redwood trees, new trees were not springing up and growing. Giant Redwoods produce hard cones. During a fire, the cones are heated, causing them to split open and the seeds inside fall to the ground and then germinate - without fire, the next generation of Redwoods could not grow. Fire also has a purifying process in forests, it clears away all the leaves built up on the forest floor, giving space for new growth. Fire also creates a hole in the forest canopy, allowing more light and water in for the seedlings. The rangers had tried to control and manipulate the fire, and in so doing, the next generation could not flourish. In 1 Thessalonians 5:19, Paul warns us, “Do not quench the Spirit,” which means we should allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in the church. The Holy Spirit is actively at work in the world. However, if we fail to listen to the Spirit’s guidance, we risk missing the opportunity to be part of God’s work. If we allow the fire of God to fall in our own lives, the hardness will be removed and there will be a purifying. More light will flood in. The fire is necessary for growth. If we get on fire, the people around us will get on fire, our children will get on fire, and our children’s children will get on fire, they will flourish and grow - that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified!
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Little children are open, impressionable and vulnerable. Are we?
When we first come to Christ, we have no idea what will be expected of us or how He will change us. We must learn to accept that all things are new. When we begin asserting our thoughts and ideas, we must recognise that we are wrong because clinging to old opinions won’t help our spiritual progress. We must ask the Lord Jesus to transform our minds and show us His new way. There will be times when we genuinely don’t know the answers to problems in our lives. It is okay to say ‘I don’t know’, and wait in prayer for an answer. Sometimes new ideas or concepts trouble us because they are strange, and God’s way seems harsh. That is often because we are looking at the rules or the laws of God rather than God Himself. Focus your gaze upon Him. There is much for you to learn! God is holy and pure, yet overflowing with unparalleled kindness and compassion. When you encounter His purity and profound cleansing, it feels as though you are inhaling a breath of heaven: indescribably lovely. It resembles the release of unhappiness, darkness, and shadows, replaced instead by laughter, light, and glory. It reaches the innermost part of your spirit, completely transforming you and altering your ways of thinking, seeing, and being. It instils within you an incredible yearning for more. We begin to comprehend how holy He is and the reasons for His unwavering stance against sin. Purity is the essence of God. Holiness is the breath He exhales. We cannot change Him simply because we fail to grasp His ways. Be like a little child. When you don’t understand something, leave it alone for another day. Your Heavenly Father knows all that troubles you and will explain in time. ‘If there be first a willing mind...’ 2 Corinthians 8:12 KJB That’s all we need: a willing mind and a childlike spirit. Human nature does not like being shown the right way to live. We become indignant when one or another tells us what we are doing is wrong. The world is slowly spiralling out of control, trying to please everyone.
We pose the same questions that the prominent priests and elders posed in Jesus’ time. “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?” Matthew 21:23 NLT Authority is a peculiar concept. When a police officer dons their uniform, it grants them authority. When a young person qualifies as a teacher, he or she immediately has authority in the classroom. When a minister or priest adorns their Sunday robes, they gain the authority to inform the congregation what songs to sing, to teach them from the Bible, and to officiate weddings or offer guidance. Jesus transcended all these barriers. He wore no special attire and possessed no qualifications, and yet we read: ‘When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority – quite unlike the teachers of religious law.’ Matthew 7:28,29 NLT The crowds recognised Christ’s authority was not the same as the authority shown by the religious teachers. They couldn’t analyse the difference, it would just be a feeling. Here was one who seemed to be an ordinary man who didn’t set himself apart, yet taught with an authority that made them want to listen and follow. It is the anointing that confers this authority. I recall the first time I experienced it. I had devoted many hours to prayer for a particular situation, and the difference I felt when I entered that situation the following day was astonishing. I felt as though I understood precisely what was happening, and there was a renewed confidence in my approach. It was a God-given gift. People get rankled at that kind of confidence. What they see is just an ordinary person without any special qualifications or attire, with a confidence they don’t understand. They have never known God’s anointing in that way. Instead, they rely on their intellect and understanding, and they perceive God-given confidence as arrogance. It was the same in Jesus’ day. He goes on to say to the leading priests and elders: “For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.” Matthew 21:32 NLT Which category do you fit into? Are you like the critical, leading priests or those hungry to better their lives and change? God grant that each of us may seek Him in prayer and find that wonderful God-given anointing that will make us wise as serpents and gentle as doves, with love and humility that become our robes of righteousness. We may not have the attire of the priest or minister, but we look for the Holy Spirit until we: “have been clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:49 NIV “But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.” Matthew 10:29 NLT12/1/2025 I can almost imagine Jesus watching the little birds bathing in the dust and dirt, flurrying about, and using their antics to bring such incredible truths to us.
Here, Jesus is telling the people about the Father: all-knowing - omniscient, all-present - omnipresent God. “All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being.” John 1:3 AMPC Our omniscient, omnipresent God is present in all things. He created everything, and all existence comes from Him. “Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?” Jeremiah 23:24b NLT Our God is everywhere. He is in the delicate daisy, the mighty oak, the soaring eagle, and the tiny sparrow. He knows when the little sparrow falls to the ground, for He is within the sparrow. We read on in the Gospel: “And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.” Matthew 10:30 NLT Our Father does not need to count the hairs on our heads, for He knows them already. He knows everything, for He is in everything. Look around you: everything you see, He is there. How can we ever feel bereft of His presence? He is in the sun that shines, the clouds that race across our skies, the blustering wind and the torrential rain. He is in the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink. He is everywhere. He has gone before you and is behind you. He knows your uprising and your down-sitting. He knows when you go out and when you come home. He knows the hours you rest and the hours you work. He knows everything about you. Our Father is all-knowing and all-present. As the Psalm describes so perfectly: “O Lord, you know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!” Psalm 139:1-6 NLT These words were spoken by the prophet Isaiah and quoted in Matthew’s Gospel. They paint a vivid picture of the land beside the sea after crossing the Jordan River, but from the author’s perspective, the pleasant imagery ends there because this is where many Gentiles reside. Gentiles are those who are not Jewish. Our Lord Jesus was born during the time of Roman occupation, and numerous soldiers and others associated with them would have come to live in the land. What a stark contrast between these scenes! Firstly, the picturesque view of the land of Zebulun and Naphtali beside the sea is juxtaposed with the second scene, engulfed by Roman occupation and marked by darkness and despair.
The people sat in darkness. They could do nothing to free themselves from the political difficulties in their beautiful land. They were in bondage as a nation. They could do nothing but sit. A sense of depression hung over them, but into this darkness came a great light. Into this hopeless picture came only one hope: their faith in God. The great light spoken of in this verse is Christ the Saviour. His name, Immanuel - God with us, had come to the people sitting in darkness. Heavenly light visited them, breaking on them amid their darkness and depression. Never give up hope, no matter how dark your circumstances may be. When all other hopes fade, place your hope in Him. He will be with you and support you. Suddenly, right where you are sitting, a magnificent light will appear, bringing heaven to your soul. “Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT The disciples had just returned from their ministry tour. They were weary and needed a break from the relentless crowds who followed them, constantly looking for miracles. They tried to find a quiet place to rest. We also, from time to time, need a restful place.
Christmas and New Year can be busy times. When our children were small, we were often relieved when the festivities were over: life could return to normal. Much coming and going had disrupted the usual daily household routine. The disciples didn't have much of a daily routine either. As soon as word spread that this Man could teach, heal and cast out demons, the crowds gathered to see the miracles. The gospel tells us that on one occasion, Jesus had to sit on a boat to preach to the multitude. In this story, the disciples didn't even have time to eat! We can, therefore, marvel at these words spoken by One who was under such intense pressure yet could offer rest to His companions. 'Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place and rest a while.' He must have lived in a way that He didn’t allow the stress of the day or the pressure of the people to touch His inner being. How else could He have offered rest to His own? Let us not make excuses for ourselves as to why we cannot find time to rest each day and spend time with our Lord. We are not busier than He was! We still have time to eat and check our phones! Change your routine and make it one of your resolutions this year to find a quiet place where everything stops, even for a few minutes every day. It doesn’t matter what time of the day it is, but it helps to make it the same time each day so that it forms part of your routine. To develop good habits you must set boundaries for your workload, lay aside all forms of social media, give time to quieten yourself and then you can wait on God. We need time to think. We need time to breathe. We need time for God to come down on us and restore our calm, and then strength is given to face the challenges of the year ahead. These words were spoken to Joseph, who could never have known that Jesus' name would become the most famous, best-loved, and admired name in the world.
In every church, country, and continent, the name of Jesus is spoken, sung, and used in prayer. The name of Jesus is known in every language. It is used over infants when they are newly born, over the old as they lie on their deathbeds, and over young couples as they come to the altar in marriage. The traditionalist christens their children using the name of Jesus, whilst the evangelist uses the name of Jesus when the born-again Christian passes through the waters of baptism. It was a profound moment in all of eternity when these words were spoken: “You are to name him Jesus.” Surely, only the one who is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, knew the power contained within this name. Only God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit understood that angels would bow before this name, and one day, every creature in heaven and on earth would worship the One named by this name. Be proud to be associated with the name of Jesus. Never be ashamed to proclaim that you know Christ as your Saviour and have chosen to follow His teachings. Imagine how proud we would feel if we had not only met the King of our country but were on first-name terms with him. We would casually mention it in conversation. Others would speak of us, recounting our encounter with the King. Well, we know someone far better than the King. We know the King of Kings! Never be ashamed to admit to knowing the one who is the most famous, loved, and revered by millions all across the world. We can let everyone know we are on first-name terms with Jesus. Peter is writing a letter to a group of Christians who are suffering persecution and undergoing a fiery trial. He highlights to them the value of the gospel they have received. They are saved through Christ Jesus, through His suffering, death, and resurrection. He reminded them that they knew about grace, mercy, forgiveness, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and they could have fellowship and a relationship with God.
Peter is referring to the things the prophets desired to understand. The prophets longed and searched intently for the coming of the Messiah. They spoke to a future generation and the people of their day. They prophesied about a grace to come, and they predicted the sufferings and subsequent glories of the Messiah. What the prophets foretold has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ! Peter refers to the things the angels long to look into - the idea being that they lean forward in close inspection to discover what it means. The angels who surround the throne of God, who know the glory, majesty, and radiance of God, call to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” The angels on the night of Christ’s birth filled the sky and proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14 NIV) The myriads of angels are crying, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!" (Revelation 5:12 NKJV) These angels, who have not been tainted by the brokenness of sin, long to look into these things. Peter is describing the preciousness of the Gospel message. We are the most blessed people in history. We have an inheritance in Christ that can never perish, spoil, or fade. Our faith - which is greater than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may result in praise, glory and honour when Christ is revealed! We alone, of all the creatures God has created, can experience the wonders of God's saving grace. What a treasure we have in Christ! Christians who have been saved and redeemed know what the prophets declared: we have something so valuable that the angels of heaven long to look into it more deeply. And there is more - what a privilege it is that we live at a time in human history when we can anticipate the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ! “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:20 NIV This feeling of weariness and discouragement is something that, no doubt, all of us have experienced at one point or another. When life gets too busy or trials and difficulties come, we feel our sense of peace, hope and focus being shaken. Our first response when faced with this can often be to look to practical and natural solutions and whilst these can help us in part, what can we do when circumstances are beyond anything we can control?
The answer is given to us here in this verse, we can “consider Him”. The original meaning of the word “consider” conveys the idea of contemplating, pondering or meditating on. In other words, when we feel we are becoming weary and discouraged in our souls by the pressures of life, we can immediately turn and focus our heart, mind, and spirit on the Lord. As we take the time to meditate on the qualities of Christ, His goodness, faithfulness, holiness, and gentleness to name only a few; we will find that He will fill us afresh with His peace, light and love and our souls will be lifted above whatever storms we are facing. When our thoughts become captivated again by the Lord and He becomes the focus, we can forget all that is happening around us and simply rest in the quietness of His love. As we learn to come to Him daily and make Him our life’s motivation, in His grace He will teach us how to walk steadily before Him and endure, just as He endured. In a moment of time, all sense of striving and unrest can cease and the burdens roll off our shoulders as we catch sight again simply of who He is. For He is always but a glance away. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” Hebrews 12:2 NKJV ‘Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah Shalom.’ Judges 6:241/12/2024 God called fearful, humble, insignificant, lowly Gideon to lead His people to war against the Midianites who had been raiding the people of Israel for years. In doing this, God did not reveal Himself as Jehovah Nissi - the Lord who fights our battles. He didn’t reveal Himself as Jehovah Mephalti - the Lord, my deliverer. Neither did He reveal Himself as Jehovah Jireh - the Lord who would provide everything required. No, in calling Gideon to lead the people to fight, God revealed Himself as Jehovah Shalom - the Lord of peace. Gideon encountered the all-encompassing, enveloping depth of God's peace; from that place alone, He had the confidence to fight in the name of the Lord.
The Hebrew word shalom means more than peace: it denotes wholeness, completeness and well-being. Do you, like Gideon, need to war against the enemies of God? Meditate on Jehovah Shalom - the God who provides peace, wellness, wholeness and well-being. From that place, you will find the security, confidence, strength and hope to put the enemy to flight, and Jehovah Shalom will be glorified. |