Thursday 11th 2008
SCRIPTURE
Because it was towards John that all the prophecies of the prophets and of the Law were leading; and he, if you will believe me, is the Elijah who was to return.
Matthew 11:15
OBSERVATION
John, languishing in prison, has heard of Jesus' miracles and has sent his disciples to ask Jesus, "Are you the one?" In response, Jesus exults John saying he is the greatest ever born of a woman. Jesus points to John who in turn points back to Jesus.
APPLICATION
If Jesus commends John so highly I should note John's message, which is... Turn from sin, turn to God and prepare the way for His return. Isn't this the Advent message? Isn't this a calling for me, today...
PRAYER
Holy Spirit, help me embrace the spirit of Advent today by turning from all sin, turning to God and preparing the way for His return.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Shepherding
Saturday 6th December 2008
SCRIPTURE
These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows... "proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge."
Matthew 10:7
OBSERVATION
After observing the great need of the people who were "harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd", Jesus commissions the disciples for their first missionary outreach. Their instructions? ...proclaim, cure, raise, cleanse, cast out and give.
APPLICATION
In two thousand years little has changed. The people are still harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. If the need is the same then the antidote must still be the same. My instructions? ...proclaim, cure, raise, cleanse, cast out and give.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, fill me with your compassion for the lost sheep, that I may be a worthy laborer in your harvest.
Little Flower, please pray for me.
SCRIPTURE
These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows... "proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge."
Matthew 10:7
OBSERVATION
After observing the great need of the people who were "harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd", Jesus commissions the disciples for their first missionary outreach. Their instructions? ...proclaim, cure, raise, cleanse, cast out and give.
APPLICATION
In two thousand years little has changed. The people are still harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. If the need is the same then the antidote must still be the same. My instructions? ...proclaim, cure, raise, cleanse, cast out and give.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, fill me with your compassion for the lost sheep, that I may be a worthy laborer in your harvest.
Little Flower, please pray for me.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Do you believe?
Friday 5th December 2008
SCRIPTURE
Then he touched their eyes saying, ‘Your faith deserves it, so let this be done for you.’ And their sight returned.
Matthew 9:29,30
OBSERVATION
Jesus is healing the two blind men after asking them, "Do you believe I can do this?" They answer yes and a great miracle is the result.
APPLICATION
The Gospels are full of instances where not only has faith resulted in miracles but also where miracles have NOT resulted in faith. The Pharisees actually saw Lazarus rise from his tomb and then promptly plotted Jesus' death. In His own home town Matthew reports "he (Jesus) did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith".
There is a law at work here: faith, no matter how small, empowers Jesus. In what areas of my life today do I lack the faith for miracles to occur? In truth, there are a few...
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, yes I do believe, help me in my unbelief.
Little Flower, please pray for me.
SCRIPTURE
Then he touched their eyes saying, ‘Your faith deserves it, so let this be done for you.’ And their sight returned.
Matthew 9:29,30
OBSERVATION
Jesus is healing the two blind men after asking them, "Do you believe I can do this?" They answer yes and a great miracle is the result.
APPLICATION
The Gospels are full of instances where not only has faith resulted in miracles but also where miracles have NOT resulted in faith. The Pharisees actually saw Lazarus rise from his tomb and then promptly plotted Jesus' death. In His own home town Matthew reports "he (Jesus) did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith".
There is a law at work here: faith, no matter how small, empowers Jesus. In what areas of my life today do I lack the faith for miracles to occur? In truth, there are a few...
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, yes I do believe, help me in my unbelief.
Little Flower, please pray for me.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
A Doer of the Word
Friday 4th December 2008
SCRIPTURE
‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven'.
Matthew 7:21
OBSERVATION
Jesus then goes on to give the great teaching about the house built on the rock is the house of the wise man who listens to Him and then acts. There is clearly an expectation from Jesus that action automatically follows the hearing of His words. In fact a prerequisite to entering heaven is that I have listened and then acted. This truth is that important...
APPLICATION
Today there is a choice before me, to listen and act, or not... You would think it is hardly a choice, but it is a struggle for me. Why? I guess because what Jesus is saying goes counter to the natural impulses of my flesh:
Love your enemy.
Think of others first.
Give your coat as well as your shirt.
Go the extra mile for free.
Give without expecting a return...
Not easy sayings, at yet, there they are and I am expected to act by them. But there is an immediate benefit for me as well as an eternal one. It is simply a more fulfilling way to live.
Today I choose to listen, then act.
PRAYER
Holy Spirit, please help me to be a doer of the Word, today.
Little Flower, please pray for me.
SCRIPTURE
‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven'.
Matthew 7:21
OBSERVATION
Jesus then goes on to give the great teaching about the house built on the rock is the house of the wise man who listens to Him and then acts. There is clearly an expectation from Jesus that action automatically follows the hearing of His words. In fact a prerequisite to entering heaven is that I have listened and then acted. This truth is that important...
APPLICATION
Today there is a choice before me, to listen and act, or not... You would think it is hardly a choice, but it is a struggle for me. Why? I guess because what Jesus is saying goes counter to the natural impulses of my flesh:
Love your enemy.
Think of others first.
Give your coat as well as your shirt.
Go the extra mile for free.
Give without expecting a return...
Not easy sayings, at yet, there they are and I am expected to act by them. But there is an immediate benefit for me as well as an eternal one. It is simply a more fulfilling way to live.
Today I choose to listen, then act.
PRAYER
Holy Spirit, please help me to be a doer of the Word, today.
Little Flower, please pray for me.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Baaaa...
Wednesday 3rd December 2008
SCRIPTURE
The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.
Ps 23:1
OBSERVATION
Today's Mass readings are all about our God who provides. Isaiah foretells of the time when "the Lord of Hosts will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines". The Gospel from Matthew reminds us of the great miracles of Jesus healing the sick and lame and then feeding the 5000. The 23rd Psalm portraits our God as the loving shepherd, feeding, guiding, protecting, giving rest.
APPLICATION
Sheep show their emotions very nakedly. When they are scared or agitated their frantic actions and noise leave you in no doubt. Likewise, when they are at peace and relaxed their still quietness reflects this. The same with me...
Today, I will let the Lord be my shepherd, and His promise is, I will lack nothing, ...not a thing!
PRAYER
Thank you Jesus. Baaaa...
Little Flower, please pray for me.
SCRIPTURE
The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.
Ps 23:1
OBSERVATION
Today's Mass readings are all about our God who provides. Isaiah foretells of the time when "the Lord of Hosts will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines". The Gospel from Matthew reminds us of the great miracles of Jesus healing the sick and lame and then feeding the 5000. The 23rd Psalm portraits our God as the loving shepherd, feeding, guiding, protecting, giving rest.
APPLICATION
Sheep show their emotions very nakedly. When they are scared or agitated their frantic actions and noise leave you in no doubt. Likewise, when they are at peace and relaxed their still quietness reflects this. The same with me...
Today, I will let the Lord be my shepherd, and His promise is, I will lack nothing, ...not a thing!
PRAYER
Thank you Jesus. Baaaa...
Little Flower, please pray for me.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Look Above and Beyond
Tuesday 2nd December 2008
SCRIPTURE
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of power,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD
Isaiah 11:1,2
OBSERVATION
Jerusalem is surrounded by an enemy army and yet Isaiah is giving his beautiful prophesy about the coming of Jesus, the Messiah. He is able to look beyond the hopelessness of the present situation and see over the horizon to the promises of God.
APPLICATION
Thank goodness God's promises don't rely on how I feel or on what is currently happening. The tyranny of now attacks me from the moment I awake until I lay down to sleep. The physical world creates a spiritual haze.
This Advent, like Isaiah, I lift my head to see over the horizon and gaze on the promises of God, fulfilled in His Son; the only sure and certain one I can rely on.
PRAYER
Holy Spirit, today when I'm feeling crowded in, inspire me as you inspired Isaiah to look above and beyond and find Jesus.
Little Flower, please pray for me.
SCRIPTURE
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of power,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD
Isaiah 11:1,2
OBSERVATION
Jerusalem is surrounded by an enemy army and yet Isaiah is giving his beautiful prophesy about the coming of Jesus, the Messiah. He is able to look beyond the hopelessness of the present situation and see over the horizon to the promises of God.
APPLICATION
Thank goodness God's promises don't rely on how I feel or on what is currently happening. The tyranny of now attacks me from the moment I awake until I lay down to sleep. The physical world creates a spiritual haze.
This Advent, like Isaiah, I lift my head to see over the horizon and gaze on the promises of God, fulfilled in His Son; the only sure and certain one I can rely on.
PRAYER
Holy Spirit, today when I'm feeling crowded in, inspire me as you inspired Isaiah to look above and beyond and find Jesus.
Little Flower, please pray for me.
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