Repent

27th January 2008

SCRIPTURE
From that moment Jesus began His preaching with the message, ''Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand".

OBSERVATION
Jesus starts His preaching with a very simple and clear message - "Repent". This was (and is) a universal message addressing the great universal problem of mankind; the problem of sin. The sin-solution Jesus offers is simple and yet profoundly, deeply life-changing - turn from sin and turn to God.

APPLICATION
Can I live out this call for even one day? Sin has such deep roots within me. By myself I can't. But the good news is "Greater is he who is within me than he who is in the world". With the Holy Spirit, the great helper, beside me and within me, I can triumph over sin, repent and turn to God - today!

PRAYER
Come Holy Spirit, fall afresh on me.

Little Flower, please pray for me.

Heal and Preach

26th January 2008

SCRIPTURE
Cure those in it who are sick, and say, “The kingdom of God is very near to you”.
Lk. 10:9

OBSERVATION
Jesus is commissioning the seventy-two before they went out ahead of Him to all the places He was about to visit. He explains the situation (much work but few to do it), the dangers (lambs among wolves), equipment required (nothing!), what to bring (peace), how to live (off others) and finally, what to do (heal and preach the Gospel).

APPLICATION
Jesus pared things down to the absolute basic essentials, ...and changed the world! My "market research" over-preparation style often stops me from doing anything as the "getting ready" exhausts me before I get on the road. Preparing the way for Jesus by the seventy-two seemed truly radical (i.e. back to simple basics) - heal and preach. The plan leaves everything to God and little to me. This is scary for me the control-freak!

Maybe today my plan could be to simply, "heal and preach"?

PRAYER
Lord Jesus; Send me Your Spirit to equip me to go before You, today.

Little Flower, please pray for me.

The Signs

Friday 25th January 2008

The Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle

Feast

SCRIPTURE
These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.’

MK 16:18

OBSERVATION
The resurrected Jesus has appeared to the Apostles and before ascending to heaven gives them the Great Commission to preach to all the nations. And then he describes the characteristics that believers will exhibit:

- Casting out demons

- Speaking in tongues

- Impervious to evil

- Exercising healing

APPLICATION
Sometimes I lower my expectations of the church, lower my expectations of myself. This wonderful promise of Jesus for His church is a promise for me – today! I have supernatural gifts to exercise as I “Preach the Good News to all Creation”. To what end? …to bring others to the life-giving knowledge of Jesus.

PRAYER
Holy Spirit; please fill me with your power today that I may bring glory to Jesus.

Little Flower; please pray for me.