27 August

The Holy Spirit not only guarantees your future; he is the down payment in advance. ‘Heanointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as adeposit guaranteeing what is to come’ (2 Corinthians 1:21–22).

When you exchange contracts on a house it is usually accompanied by a deposit, which not only guarantees what is to come but is also a part payment in advance. God ‘by his Spirit has stamped us with an eternal pledge – a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete’ (v.21, MSG). By giving you the Holy Spirit, God has already given you this deposit in advance of what one day you will receive in full.

26 August

Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple said, ‘When I pray coincidences happen, when I don’t they don’t.’ The cumulative effect of answered prayer is to reinforce our faith in God.

Sir Winston Churchill said, ‘The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; the optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.’ By this definition Paul was definitely an optimist!

Hardship ‘produces in you patient endurance’ (v.6). Like gold refined by fire or a vine pruned to produce more fruit, difficulties lead to patience, endurance, steadfastness and perseverance. They lead to character transformation.

25 August

The church is the family of God. God is our father. Paul sees the whole church as a family. He talks about other Christians as his ‘brothers and sisters’ (v.15). The church is not an organisation you join; it is a family, where you belong.

The only reason Paul is not coming sooner is that ‘a great door for effective work has opened to [him], and there are many who oppose [him]’ (v.9). (It seems that whenever God opens ‘a huge door of opportunity for good work’ we should expect that there will also be ‘mushrooming opposition’, v.9, MSG.) Do not let such opposition deter you from making the most of great opportunities when they arise.

24 August

The heart is so important: ‘All your ways seem right to you, but the Lord weighs the heart. To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice’ (vv.2–3).
‘Clean living before God and justice with our neighbours means far more to God than religious performance’ (v.3, MSG). ‘The lamp of the Lordsearches the human spirit; itsearches out the inmost being’ (20:27). I try to pray regularly as the psalmist prays, ‘Search me, O God… and see if there is any wicked way in me’ (Psalm 139:23–4, RSV).

I also pray this for other people. Proverbs 20:27 is a very useful verse in prayer ministry. If someone feels that they are wrestling with something they can’t quite put their finger on, I ask the Spirit of God to search their heart to reveal if there is any sin that needs to be dealt with.

God never gives a nebulous feeling of guilt. If a feeling of guilt is of the Holy Spirit, he will reveal the specific sin that needs to be dealt with. If something wrong comes to mind, repentance leads to forgiveness through Jesus.

23 August

‘Prayer is the slender nerve that moves the muscle of omnipotence,’ as Charles Spurgeon famously said.

The resurrection body and the spiritual body are the same substance, though that substance is transformed. Resurrection is creation ex vetere (from old), rather thanex nihilo (from nothing). The plant comes from the seed. Our current bodies will not be replaced with new bodies, but will be transformed into our resurrection bodies.

Jesus was still recognisable to his followers (with some help!). There was continuity and discontinuity in the resurrection body (Jesus could walk through walls, but still eat fish). What happened to Jesus will happen to you; you, like Adam, have a natural body. One day, like Jesus, the second Adam, you will have a spiritual body (vv.44–48): ‘Just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly, so shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly’ (v.49).

What battles are you facing in your life? Jehoshaphat had his battles to fight. He was facing various ‘–ites’; ‘Moabites, Amonites and Meunites’.

But with us, as Joyce Meyer writes, ‘It is the ‘fear-ites’, ‘disease-ites’, ‘poverty-ites’, ‘bad marriage-ites’, ‘stress-ites’, ‘grouchy neighbour-ites’, ‘insecurity-ites’, ‘rejection-ites’ and so on.’
They began to praise the Lord, singing, ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures for ever’ (v.21). Worship is a weapon. As they praised, the Lord delivered them (v.22).

22 August

To be ‘fully committed’ with ‘all your heart’ means 100% commitment. It means seeking to do what the Lord calls you to do. It means rooting out anything that is bad – ruthlessly tearing down the high places and getting rid of the other gods in the midst of life.

The Lord is looking for those whose ‘hearts are fully committed’ to him (2 Chronicles 16:9). The psalmist prayed, ‘Give me an undivided heart’ (Psalm 86:11). The expression ‘all your heart’ appears many times throughout the Bible. For example, you are to do the following things ‘with all your heart’:

Love the Lord (Deuteronomy 6:4–5; Matthew 22:36–38)Trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5)Obey the Lord (Psalm 119:34,69; 1 Chronicles 29:19)Praise the Lord (Psalm 111:1; 138:1)Rejoice (Zephaniah 3:14)Work for the Lord (Nehemiah 4:6; Colossians 3:23).

This is how to enjoy life and life in all its fullness (John 10:10). It’s a life of love, trust, gratitude, joy and meaningful work. In the passages for today we see why and how we should livewholeheartedly.

21 August

Peace is a great blessing. ‘Peace’ is a word of huge significance in the Bible. The Hebrew word for peace, Shalom, translated by the Greek word eirene, means far more than the absence of war or hostility. It is not just an absence of certain circumstances but the presence of God and his reign. It means wholeness, soundness, well-being, oneness with God – every kind of blessing and good.

In order to bring peace to others, we first need to find and hold on to peace within ourselves.

 Love without concern for justice is not true love, as love cries out for justice.

20 August

Prophecy is the ability to hear what God is saying and pass it on to others. It is a spiritual gift of very high importance in the church, and should be eagerly desired (v.1). It is not necessarily about foretellingthe future. Rather it is usuallyforth telling what God is saying in the current situation.
A prophetic word is a particular word, inspired by God, given to a particular person or persons, at a particular moment, for a particular purpose. It is a human, and sometimes partially mistaken, report of something that the Holy Spirit has brought to someone’s mind.
Prophecy needs to be tested: ‘Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said’ (v.29).

Is it in line with the Bible?
God is not going to contradict himself.

What is the character of the prophet?
Are they a person of love? (v.1).

What is the effect of the prophecy?
Paul writes, ‘Those who prophesy speak to people for their strengthening,encouragement and comfort’ (v.3). True prophetic words will always be positive in the sense that they willstrengthen, encourage andcomfort people.

On the whole, prophetic words are confirming what the Holy Spirit has already placed in our hearts. If you are unsure about a prophetic word, do not act hastily but do what Mary, the mother of Jesus, did – wait and ponder it in your heart.

19 August

God is love. We deceive ourselves if we think we can love God and hate other people (1 John 4:20). Love should be number one on your spiritual priority list. It should be the main thing in your life. It is, in the words of St Paul, ‘the most excellent way’ (1 Corinthians 12:31). 
Psalm 100 Why? What is the reason for such joy, thanksgiving and praise? The psalmist gives the answer in verse 5: ‘For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.’

God is good and he loves you. This pretty much sums up the message of the entire Bible. It is his love that is the source ofour love: ‘We love because he first loved us’ (1 John 4:19). Understand, believe and accept that he loves you and enjoy his love.
1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13
The Message translation:

            ‘Love never gives up [‘Love is patient’, NIV]
            Love cares more for others than for self.
            Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
            Love doesn’t strut,
            Doesn’t have a swelled head,
            Doesn’t force itself on others,
            Isn’t always “me first”,
            Doesn’t fly off the handle,
            Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
            Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
            Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
            Puts up with anything,
            Trusts God always,
            Always looks for the best,
            Never looks back,
            But keeps going to the end’ (vv.4–7, MSG).

18 August

This psalm emphasises the holiness of God. The word ‘holy’ (Psalm 99:3) emphasises the distance between God and human beings. God is not only mighty and holy; he is also just: ‘He loves justice’ (v.4). The appropriate response is to ‘worship at his footstool’ (v.5).

There is so much loneliness in our society. Many, especially young people today, have nowhere to process their pain. They turn to alcohol, drugs, promiscuity or some other way in an attempt to deal with their pain. The elderly are also often marginalised, isolated and alone.

You are not intended to live alone. God created you for community – a community as close and as interdependent as the various parts of the human body. Paul develops the analogy of the church being like the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit has given different gifts to every member of the church (vv.1–11).

‘The body is a unit’ but ‘it is made up of many parts’ (v.12). People come into the church from all different backgrounds, nationalities and positions in society – ‘Jews or Greeks, slave or free’ (v.13b). Yet regardless of where we have come from, ‘Each of us is now a part of his resurrection body, refreshed and sustained at one fountain – his Spirit – where we all come to drink’ (v.13, MSG).

We now belong to one another. Our relationships are as intimate as the different parts of a body. We are utterly dependent on each other (vv.12–13).

C The eye needs a hand more than it needs lots of other eyes (vv.16–17). Variety is essential (v.17b). This is true not just of the local church but of the global church. We should not look at the different parts of the body of Christ and say, ‘They are different, there must be something wrong with them.’ Rather, we should say, ‘They are different, we really need them.’

It is time to drop the labels – describing ourselves or others as a particular type of Christian. ‘The old labels we once used to identify ourselves... are no longer useful. We need something larger, more comprehensive’ (v.13, MSG).

God has designed the body so that there will be this mutual dependence. ‘I also want you to think about how this keeps your significance from getting blown up into self-importance. For no matter how significant you are, it is only because of what you are a part of’ (vv.19–20, MSG).

We particularly need the parts that ‘seem to be weaker’ (v.22). Our internal organs ‘seem to be weaker’ in the sense of being more vulnerable. That is why they need protection. However, they are ‘indispensable’ (v.22). Likewise, those parts of the body that are ‘unpresentable’ are treated with ‘special modesty’ (v.23). No one would suggest that these parts are not important. Indeed, they are vital.

Because we need each other so much there should be ‘equal concern for each other’ (v.25). There community should be such intimacy and love that ‘if one part suffers, every part suffers with it’ (v.26a). This is the  we need where people can process their pain. It is also a place where people can share their joys: ‘If one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it’ (v.26b). As St Augustine said, ‘Take away envy and what I have is yours too. And if I banish envy all you possess is mine!’

17 August

We are created to worship God. But why would God create human beings in order to receive their worship? Is this not, as some suggest, pure vanity?

Many years ago I was helped in my understanding of worship through C.S. Lewis’s explanation in his Reflections on the Psalms.

He wrote: ‘The most obvious fact about praise… strangely escaped me… I had never noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise… the world rings with praise... walkers praising the countryside, players praising their favourite game – praise of weather, wines, dishes, actors, horses, colleges, countries, historical personages, children, flowers, mountains, rare stamps, rare books, even sometimes politicians and scholars…

‘My whole, more general, difficulty about praise of God depended on my absurdly denying to us, as regards the supremely Valuable, what we delight to do, what indeed we can’t help doing, about everything else we value.

‘I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It’s not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed.’

In other words, worship is the consummation of joy. Our joy is not complete until it is expressed in worship. It is out of his love for us that God created us for worship. According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, humankind’s ‘chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever’.

Next, Paul goes onto discuss the ‘Lord’s Supper’ (v.20), or ‘the Eucharist’ as he calls it elsewhere (Eucharistéin is a Greek verb meaning ‘to thank’).

This is probably the earliest account of this element in our services of worship. It has been a vital part of Christian worship for the last 2,000 years, celebrated almost universally by the church worldwide. Again, there has been a huge amount of discussion about what exactly Paul means. However, it seems to me that from this passage a number of things are clear:

• It is frequent
  There is an expectation that when they ‘come together’ in their ‘meetings’ (vv.17,20), the ‘Lord’s Supper’ will take place.
• It is important
  Jesus tells us to ‘do this’ (v.24). The consequences of not doing it properly are very serious (v.27 onwards). ‘Examine your motives, test your heart, come to this meal in holy awe’ (v.28, MSG).
• It is proclamation
  It is one of the ways in which you proclaim the gospel. ‘For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes’ (v.26).
• It involved both remembering Jesus (vv.24–25) and ‘recognising the body of the Lord’ (v.29)
• It is a participation in Christ’s body and blood (10:14 onwards). The Greek word used here is koinonia, which can also mean ‘sharing’ or ‘fellowship’. It is a way for us to receive and share in the benefits of Jesus’ death.
• It is a form of thanksgiving. We drink from the ‘cup of thanksgiving’ (v.16).
• It is an expression of unity. ‘Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake in the one loaf (v.17). One of the great tragedies of church history is the way in which this great expression of unity has become a cause of division.
• It anticipates the Lord’s return. You are proclaiming ‘the Lord’s death until he comes’ (11:26).

The bread and wine are the body and blood of Jesus (vv.24–25). This is one of the ways in which we experience his presence today. What exactly this means, of course, has been the subject of great speculation, debate and controversy. One approach might perhaps be simply to accept it as a mystery and not go behind Scripture and speculate too much about how exactly it works.

Solomon’s splendour was great. After Solomon had built the temple, the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘… if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land’ (7:14).

This verse is justly famous and it is often used as a template for worship and prayer. In it we see the conditions for integrity in our worship. They are also the conditions necessary for revival. We see in this verse that we need to do four things:

• Humble ourselves
• Pray
• Seek God’s face
• Turn from our wicked ways

Then God promises that he will do three things:

• Hear from heaven
• Forgive our sin
• Heal the land

16 August

A Christian is someone who believes in Jesus, puts their faith in him, knows him and lives ‘in Christ’. It is also someone who follows his example.

There is no greater example in human history than the example of Christ. Paul writes, ‘Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ’ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Parents who live lives of integrity bring great blessing to their children. Billy Graham said, ‘Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together. We must constantly strive to keep our integrity intact. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.’

Everything we do must be ‘to the glory of God’. The whole aim of your life should be to use your freedom to seek God’s glory and the good of others.

This is how the apostle Paul led his life, even as he tried ‘to please everybody in every way’: ‘For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved’ (v.33). This is the context in which he wrote, ‘Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ’ (11:1).

Today, under the new covenant, we are God’s temple (1 Corinthians 6:19). As Joyce Meyer writes, ‘God wants to display His glory in and through us as dramatically as He did in the physical temple of Solomon’s day. When God’s glory is manifested in your life, others will look at you and say, “Wow, what a great God you serve,” because the power of His goodness toward you is visibly evident to them.’

15 August

The apostle Paul writes, ‘You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally’ (1 Corinthians 9:24–25, MSG).

If those who compete at sport go into strict training in order to achieve something that ‘will not last’, how much more should we go into ‘strict training’ in our moral and spiritual life in order to ‘get a crown that will last forever’ (v.25).

Paul writes, ‘I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition’ (v.26, MSG). Worshipping and serving God is Paul’s aim and ambition in life. He wants to do it to the very best of his ability. He wants to give it everything he’s got. He is going for gold.

Worship and service are very closely connected (the same Greek word latreuo is used for both). All human beings are worshippers. You either worship the one true God, or someone or something else. All human beings are servants – to God, to yourself or to someone or something else.

You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence’ (vv.11–12, MSG).

12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation[c] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted[d] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,[e] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

14 August

History is in many ways a story of influence. Leadership is about influence. Everyone influences someone. Therefore, in a sense, everyone is a leader. Sociologists tell us that even the most introverted individual will influence 10,000 other people during his or her lifetime. We all influence one another in all sorts of ways – from what to have for lunch and what films to watch, to more important matters of truth and ethics.

As I look back on my life, I have been influenced by so many people – my parents, teachers, friends and family. Just as I have been influenced by others, inevitably what I do and say will influence others for good or ill.

As the African proverb puts it, ‘If you think you’re too small to make a difference, you haven’t spent the night with a mosquito.’ The mosquito makes a difference in an annoying way, but the principle is the same. One person can stop a great injustice. One person can be a voice for truth. One person’s kindness can save a life. Each person matters.

How can you maximise your influence and use that influence for good?

Ecclesiastes 9:13-12:14

The writer has much to say about how to be a good influence, rather than a bad one:

• Watch your words
  Solomon reminds us that ‘words from the mouth of the wise are gracious’ (v.12a). Respond to hot-tempered words with calmness (v.4).
  
  Avoid gossiping and bad-mouthing your leaders. Be careful what you say or even think. Don’t revile people ‘even in your thoughts’ or curse them ‘in your bedroom, because a bird of the air may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say’ (v.20).
• Take risks
  To maximise your influence for good you need to take risks. ‘Be generous: Invest in acts of charity. Charity yields high returns. Don’t hoard your goods; spread them around. Be a blessing to others’ (11:1–2, MSG). In other words, he says ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained’. To love is to risk not being loved in return. To try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
  
  If we are too cautious we will never achieve anything. ‘Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap’ (v.4). We could apply this principle to church planting. It will require risk and determination. We must not be daunted by seemingly insuperable obstacles. We must not be put off due to ‘wind’ and ‘clouds’.
• Spread your efforts
  In order to maximise influence, you might have to juggle different opportunities in your life: ‘Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed’ (v.6).
  
  Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Press ahead on all fronts and make the most of every opportunity. This is why as a church we try to sow seeds in every direction – through worship, prayer, leadership, discipleship, theological training, social transformation, evangelism, work in the prisons and with the poor and the marginalised.
• Take your opportunities
  Life is short. Your opportunities are limited: ‘Even if you live a long time, don’t take a single day for granted. Take delight in each light-filled hour... You who are young, make the most of your youth’ (vv.8a,9, MSG).

The book finishes with a conclusion to all its searching and questioning. The meaning of life ultimately rests in your relationship with God. Revere him and keep his commandments. This is the whole duty for every person (12:13b).

13 August

Knowledge is, on the whole, good. As Bill Hybels says, ‘the facts are our friends’. Education is good – reading, learning and discovering are all good activities. However, as Lord Byron wrote, ‘The Tree of Knowledge is not that of Life.’ We need to see ‘knowledge’ in perspective. Our knowledge is very limited. The more we know, the more we realise how little we know. God is our creator and he alone knows everything.

There are also different types of knowledge, and they are not all equally valuable. In French there are two different words for ‘to know’. One (savoir) means to know a fact, the other (connaître) means to know a person. God is more interested in us knowing people than facts. The most important knowledge of all is knowing God and being known by him. Even this is not the end though. It is never enough simply to have knowledge – you must also have love.

 Love is more important than knowledge. When God measures a person he puts the tape round the heart, not the head. It is no good just knowing lots about God; get to know him and let him fill you with love for him and for others. In other words, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

Jesus said, ‘This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent’ (John 17:3). This is the most important knowledge you can ever have. It starts now and goes on into eternity. This knowledge puts every other kind of knowledge in the right perspective.

12 August

The writer of Ecclesiastes says, ‘We should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what’s given and delighting in the work. It’s God’s gift! God deals out joy in the present, the now’ (Ecclesiastes 5:19, MSG). Learn to enjoy life in the present. If you do not, life will pass you by and you will never enjoy where you are right now.

The answer to trouble, according to the writer of Proverbs is, ‘The fear of the Lord’ (19:23a) – that is, living in a relationship with God, trusting in him, respecting and honouring him. He writes, ‘The fear of the Lord leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble’ (v.23).

One of the key issues for our generation is the anxiety and listlessness which comes from constant comparison and FOMO (fear of missing out).

The answer to FOMO is found in the words with which Paul starts the passage for today: ‘Don’t be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God’s place for you’ (v.17, MSG). Paul gives the principle from which all his application flows (vv.17–24). A new Christian should stay as they were when they were converted.

11 August

Ecclesiastes is a story of one person’s anxious search for meaning. The writer, in the shoes of King Solomon 3,000 years ago, searches in various areas.

Joyce Meyer writes, ‘Solomon was a busy man; he tried everything that could be tried and did everything there was to do, but at the end of his experience, he was unfulfilled and bitter... exhausted, disappointed and frustrated.’ Ecclesiastes expresses some of these frustrations about life.

Eugene Peterson writes, ‘Ecclesiastes doesn’t say that much about God; the author leaves that to the other sixty-five books of the Bible. His task is to expose our total incapacity to find the meaning and completion of our lives on our own... It is an exposé and rejection of every arrogant and ignorant expectation that we can live our lives by ourselves on our own terms.’

Solomon finds that ‘everything’s boring, utterly boring – no one can find any meaning in it’ (1:8, MSG). ‘So what do you get from a life of hard labour? Pain and grief from dawn to dusk. Never a decent night’s rest. Nothing but smoke’ (2:23, MSG).

• Intellectualism
  He begins by chasing after ‘wisdom’ and ‘knowledge’ (1:18a), but this only leads to ‘much sorrow’ and ‘more grief’ (v.18b). ‘The more you know, the more you hurt’ (v.18b, MSG). Accumulating wisdom and knowledge does not deal with the ultimate cause of anxiety – meaninglessness.
• Hedonism
  Hedonism is the doctrine that pleasure is the chief good or proper aim. ‘I said to myself, “Let’s go for it – experiment with pleasure, have a good time!”’ (2:1, MSG). He tries escapism through ‘laughter’ (v.2). He tries stimulants – ‘cheering myself with wine’ (v.3). He then turns to music, ‘men and women singers’ (v.8). He tries sexual pleasure, ‘and a harem as well’ (v.8b). Solomon in fact had 700 wives and 300 mistresses. All this still did not satisfy.
  
  He concludes, ‘Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind’ (v.11). He experiences the paradox of pleasure – the law of diminishing returns. The more people seek pleasure, the less they find it.
• Materialism
  Materialism is ‘The tendency to prefer material possessions to spiritual values’. He tries various ‘projects’ (v.4). He obtains property (vv.4–6). He has many men and women working for him (v.7). He has many possessions (v.7b). He acquires money: ‘I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces’ (v.8). He achieves greatness, success and fame (v.9). He has a successful job and career (v.10b). Yet death makes this entire search ‘meaningless’ (vv.16–18).

Ecclesiastes raises the questions that the New Testament answers. Meaning is found not ‘under the sun’, but in the Son.

10 August

All of us deserve to be condemned at the final judgment. We have no cause for self-righteousness or boasting. Through the death of Jesus for you, you were washed, sanctified and justified. To be justified means to be acquitted before the great court of God. The judgment is brought forward and you receive this verdict now.

You can have great confidence about the future. Death is not the end: ‘By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also’ (v.14). Not only can you be sure that one day you will be raised to eternal life, but through Jesus you can also be assured that you can appear with confidence before the judge of all the earth ‘sanctified’ and ‘justified’ (v.11).

This does not mean that you can go off and do anything you like. Rather, the reverse. Your body is now a temple of the Holy Spirit (v.19). You were ‘bought at a price’ (v.20). Therefore, ‘flee from sexual immorality’ (v.18). ‘We must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy leaving us more lonely than ever’ (v.16, MSG). ‘Your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit’ (v.19, MSG).

Do ‘not be mastered by anything’ (v.12). Your body belongs to God. Use it to honour him (v.20).

12 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.

‘God answered Solomon, “This is what has come out of your heart: You didn’t grasp for money, wealth, fame, and the doom of your enemies; you didn’t even ask for a long life. You asked for wisdom and knowledge so you could govern well my people over whom I’ve made you king. Because of this, you get what you asked for – wisdom and knowledge. And I’m presenting you the rest as a bonus – money, wealth, and fame beyond anything the kings before or after you had or will have”’ (vv.11–12, MSG).

As Jesus said, ‘Seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well’ (Matthew 6:33). And as the apostle James said, ‘If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you’ (James 1:5).

9 August

Three Levels of Greatness

Our magazines and TV screens are filled with stories of the rich, the beautiful and the strong. Our culture places these things on a pedestal and many of us aspire to achieve them. There is nothing wrong with these things – but they are not everything.

The French philosopher, Blaise Pascal, spoke of three orders of greatness. Riches, beauty and strength fall into his first category of superficial ‘physical greatness’.

Above this is a higher, second level of greatness. It is the greatness of genius, science and art. The greatness of the art of Michelangelo or the music of Bach or the brilliance of Albert Einstein – these stand way above superficial physical greatness.

However, according to Pascal there is a third kind of greatness – the order of holiness. (And there is an almost infinite qualitative difference between the second and the third categories.) The fact that a holy person is strong or weak, rich or poor, highly intelligent or illiterate, does not add or subtract anything because that person’s greatness is on a different and almost infinitely superior plane. It is open to every one of us to become great in the order of holiness.

The word ‘holy’ (hallowed, holiest, holiness) appears over 500 times in the Bible. God is holy. He gives you his Holy Spirit to sanctify you, and you are called to share in his holiness.

The word ‘saints’ means ‘holy ones’. In the New Testament it is applied to all Christians. You are ‘called to be holy’ (1 Corinthians 1:2). Holiness is a gift you receive when you put your trust in Jesus, receive his righteousness and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Seek to live out a holy life in grateful response to God’s gift, through the imitation of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.

None of us are holy except through the gift of God. Jesus died as the Passover lamb in order that we can be forgiven and cleansed. Holiness is a gift from God. When we fail we need to come back to the cross without delay and receive forgiveness.

David entrusted the work to his son Solomon. He called him to serve God with ‘wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts’ (v.9). God calls you, as he did Solomon, to a holiness that goes beyond action, to the heart, the motives and the thoughts.

David said that God is a God who tests the heart and is pleased with integrity (29:17). David was a man of ‘integrity of heart’ (Psalm 78:72). This is a good definition of holiness.

It has been said that everyone has three lives – a public life, a private life and a secret life. Holiness is about living an integrated life, rather than a dis-integrated one. Holiness is where there is no difference between our public, private and secret lives and no difference between what we profess and what we practise. Holiness is linked to wholeness. When God calls you to be holy, he is saying ‘be wholly mine’.

David prayed, ‘Give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, requirements and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided’ (1 Chronicles 29:19).

8 August

Paul had a father’s heart. A father’s heart is gentle, kind, nurturing, training, persevering and never gives up on people. This should be the attitude of a pastor. All human parents are less than perfect. But you are loved and nurtured by your perfect heavenly father and can seek to be a parent to others based on his heavenly model.

Material wealth was often seen in the Old Testament as a sign of God’s blessing. It is still true that godly character – hard work, reliability, integrity and honesty – are characteristics that often can lead to success and material prosperity. However, as we have seen in the New Testament passage for today, this is not the whole picture.

Over the years I have come across a number of very rich Christians. Some of them are among the godliest and most committed believers I have known. Their riches are not necessarily a sign of God’s blessing – but neither are they something bad. The key thing is how you see your money, and what you do with it.

Lord, help us to get the balance right in our teaching and in our lifestyle. May we never be guilty of condemning or judging those whom you have blessed with material prosperity. May we be generous and give freely and be willing to go hungry and thirsty, in rags and homeless if necessary, in order to serve you.

 

7 August

The difference between the success of the world – power, fame, making money and so on – and the success of a true follower of Jesus in living a holy life is like the difference between grass, which only lasts a few days, and a palm tree that stands throughout the ages.

But, as Joyce Meyer writes, ‘We should bless others and not be afraid they will get ahead of us. We must not envy anyone else’s appearance, possessions, education, social standing, marital status, gifts and talents, job, or anything else because that will only hinder our own blessing.’

Boasting is the temptation to compare ourselves with others, think we are doing rather well and boast about our ‘success’. 

We must avoid taking sides, where ‘one says, “I follow Paul” and another “I follow Apollos”’ (v.4).

You do have a role to play. First, God uses you to bring people to faith. Apollos and Paul were those ‘through whom [the Corinthians] came to believe’ (v.5). Second, God will reward you. The person who plants and the person who waters have one purpose and each will be rewarded according to their own labour. Third, you are ‘God’s co-workers’ (v.9). God has chosen not to do it on his own. He chooses to use you.

Being used by God is a huge privilege. Not only are you God’s ‘co- worker’ (v.9) – you are ‘God’s field, God’s building’ (v.9). People try to build their lives on many things – money, education, job titles, possessions, and other things, but Jesus is the only sure foundation (v.11).

Furthermore, Paul goes on to write, ‘Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?’ (v.16). Therefore, he writes, ‘I don’t want to hear any of you bragging about yourself or anyone else. Everything is already yours as a gift… and you are privileged to be in union with Christ, who is in union with God’ (vv.21–23, MSG).

Psalm 92:14

‘They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green’.

Fresh and green sounds good. As life goes by very quickly and I am heading for old age fast, I’m encouraged by this verse. There is something so beautiful about godly, older people. I can think of many that I admire hugely – their wisdom and holy life are an inspiration. 

6 August

The apostle Paul makes the point that you can only understand spiritual truths with the help of the Holy Spirit. The person ‘without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned’ (1 Corinthians 2:14). When God is with us by his Holy Spirit he gives us understanding, ‘that we may understand what God has freely given us’ (v.12).

‘God with us’ (Immanuel) is one of the titles the New Testament uses for Jesus (Matthew 1:23). He is always with you. That the God who created the universe should be with you is not something to be taken lightly. It is an extraordinary and wonderful promise. To experience God with you by his Spirit is life changing. 

In his book, True Spirituality, Vaughan Roberts notes that there is a four-fold process in which the Holy Spirit reveals God’s wisdom to us.

• The Holy Spirit knows
  He knows what no human being could otherwise know – the mind and thoughts of God. ‘The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows the thoughts of another human being except that person’s own spirit within? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God’ (vv.10b–11).
• The Holy Spirit reveals
  The Holy Spirit does not keep his knowledge of the wisdom of God to himself, but he reveals it to those in whom he dwells. ‘We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us’ (v.12). You have received the Spirit who is from God. He is with you. He enables you to understand the secret wisdom of God, though of course we could never fathom the depths of God. As Paul says later in this letter, in this life ‘we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror’, not yet ‘face to face’ (13:12).
• The Holy Spirit inspires
  Paul was inspired by the Spirit to pass on the wisdom of the gospel to others. ‘This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words’ (2:13). The Spirit similarly teaches you what to say so that you too can express ‘spiritual truths in spiritual words’, generally through the Spirit-inspired words of the apostles recorded in the New Testament. You can share words in line with Scripture that point people to Jesus.
• The Holy Spirit illuminates
  Without the Holy Spirit you simply cannot understand spiritual truths: ‘The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned’ (v.14). When God is with you by his Spirit you can actually understand the mind of the Lord. Indeed, you ‘have the mind of Christ’ (v.16).

5 August

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power’ (1 Corinthians 2:1–5).

Fear can destroy your enjoyment of the present. God raised Jesus from the dead. In doing so, he freed you from the fear of death and all the fears that go with it. ‘Under his wings you find refuge’ (v.4). You do not need to be afraid about the future and you can enjoy the present without fear.

Do not be ashamed of speaking a very simple message, which seems foolishness to so many people. There is no need to try and dress it up with ‘eloquence or superior wisdom’ (2:1). Focus on the message of ‘Jesus Christ and him crucified’ (v.2). As Eugene Peterson translates, ‘I deliberately kept it plain and simple; first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did – Jesus crucified’ (v.2, MSG).

It is normal to experience ‘weakness and fear, and... much trembling’ (v.3). What matters is not whether you use ‘wise and persuasive words’ but the ‘demonstration of the Spirit’s power’ (v.4). And his power is made perfect in our weakness. It is often only when we feel weak that we are willing to rely completely on God. Paul was utterly dependent on the Holy Spirit to speak through him. However inadequate you feel, if you ask for the Holy Spirit to speak through you, he will.

4 August

You are all called into ‘fellowship’ (koinonia) with Jesus (v.9). Spend time today enjoying his friendship. This is the deepest and most intimate relationship possible. Koinonia is the word used of the marriage relationship. We all love Jesus deeply and intimately.    

To be a Christian is to experience the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus. You are loved. Grace means undeserved love. It is supremely shown in and made possible through the death of Jesus Christ for each one of us. Every Christian in the world, of every church and denomination, is someone for whom Christ died. His grace is the basis of our unity.

                 

3 August

Recently, Bill Hybels challenged our congregation with these words: ‘Whah are you doing now that will outlive you?’

Lord, may your favour rest upon me. Establish the work of my hands for me. May my work outlive me and have a lasting impact for good.

At set times during the day (16:7), they took what Joyce Meyer describes as a ‘praise pause’ – ‘I do not think anything blesses God more than when we stop right in the middle of what we are doing and lift our hands to worship him… Think about a businessman, for example, maybe the president of a large company. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if several times a day, he closed the door to his office, turned the lock, knelt, and said, “God, I just want to take some time to worship you.”

‘The same is true for students, stay-at-home [parents], retired people, secretaries, flight attendees, brain surgeons, clerks, and salespeople – anyone you can think of. All of them would have many more fruitful, productive, and peaceful days if they took time to praise the Lord throughout the day. We all would benefit greatly from taking a “praise pause.”’

2 August

There is a deep spiritual hunger in all of our hearts that can only be satisfied by the presence of God himself. Adam and Eve lost this sense of his presence through their sin. Thereafter, the presence of God was not known as it was before.

God is holy. He is all-powerful. We cannot take his presence for granted. It is only through the cross and resurrection of Jesus that a way into his presence and the gift of the Holy Spirit living within you is made possible. You can experience the awesome power of his presence today.

The longer we spend in God’s presence the more the light shines and highlights our sin. The apostle Paul started out by describing himself as ‘the least of the apostles’ (1 Corinthians 15:9). Later on he called himself ‘less than the least of all God's people’ (Ephesians 3:8). Finally, he described himself as ‘the worst of sinners’! (1 Timothy 1:16).

It is not that he got worse; it is simply that, through the awesome power of God’s presence, he became more and more aware of the light shining in his heart. That could seem very negative, but actually for Paul it was quite the opposite. His overwhelming feeling was gratitude and praise because no matter what he had done wrong, he knew that he was forgiven and could know relationship with God.

The presence of God radically changes our lives and the lives of others. He gives power to both our words and our actions. He makes possible signs and miracles. This is what characterised the early church. This is what should characterise our churches today.

1 August

Hope is one of the three great theological virtues – the others being love and faith. As Raniero Cantalamessa writes, ‘They are like three sisters. Two of them are grown and the other is a small child. They go forward together hand in hand with the child hope in the middle. Looking at them it would seem that the bigger ones are pulling the child, but it is the other way around; it is the little girl who is pulling the two bigger ones. It is hope that pulls faith and love. Without hope everything would stop

The origin of hope is ‘the God of hope’. The reason for hope is Jesus. The source of hope in you is the Holy Spirit. This hope is not wishful thinking. It is rooted in what God has done for us and is doing in us.

This hope is the driving force for our day-to-day living. As Erwin McManus comments, hope ‘lifts us out of the rubble of our failures, our pain and our fear to rise above what at one point seemed insurmountable. Our ability to endure, to persevere, to overcome is fuelled by this one seemingly innocuous ingredient called hope.’

This hope leads to ‘All joy and peace as you trust in him’ (v.13). I love the way that Corrie Ten Boon puts it: ‘Joy and peace mean going around with a smile on our faces and an empty suitcase.’

Now our hope is in the return of Jesus. As Bishop Lesslie Newbigin put it, ‘The horizon for the Christian is “He shall come again” and “we look for the coming of the Lord.” It can be tomorrow or any time, but that’s the horizon. That horizon is for me fundamental, and that’s what makes it possible to be hopeful and therefore to find life meaningful.’

31 July

The recent referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU resulted in a 52-48 split in favour of leaving. The campaign was acrimonious, the nation was divided, and the main political parties soon descended into infighting and division. This is one example of what we see across the globe. Every news update seems to include stories of arguments, disputes and fighting.

When sin entered the world, arguments, disputes and fighting began. Adam blamed Eve. Cain murdered his brother. The history of the world ever since has been one of conflict of all kinds.

When people turn away from God, they start fighting one another. We see the breakdown of relationships wherever we look: broken marriages, broken homes, broken relationships at work, civil wars and wars between nations. Sadly, the church is not immune. Right from the start there have been arguments, disputes and in-fighting.

How should we handle conflict?

There are certain matters over which Paul was willing to fight to death – the truth of the gospel (that Christ died for us, vv.9,15). The life, death and resurrection of Jesus (v.9) and the Lordship of Christ (v.9) are examples of what is non-negotiable.

However, there are other things that are not nearly as important. They are ‘disputable matters’ (v.1). They are secondary areas. He gives various examples such as vegetarianism or thinking of one day as more sacred than another.

Today some Christians abstain from alcohol. Others do not. Some Christians are pacifists. Others are not. And there are many other issues where Christians are passionately divided about disputable matters. How do we deal with these disputes? 

• Welcome those with different views
  He writes ‘accept’ (the word means ‘welcome’) those ‘whose faith is weak’ (v.1a). ‘Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do... Eventually, we’re all going to end up kneeling side by side in the place of judgment, facing God’ (vv.1,10, MSG).
• Do not be quick to judge
  ‘Don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with’ (v.1b, MSG).
  
  He goes on, ‘Who are you to judge someone else’s servants?’ (v.4); ‘You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister?’ (v.10); ‘Then let us no more criticise and blame and pass judgment on one another’ (v.13, AMP). We must allow people to have different views from our own without judging them for it.
  
  This is the heart of the matter. Four times in this passage Paul says we are not to judge one another.
• Don’t look down on others
  We ‘must not look down on’ (v.3a) those who have different views from our own. God has welcomed them (v.3b). So should we.
• Do what you think is right
  On all these secondary matters ‘everybody should be fully convinced in their own minds’ (v.5). ‘Each person is free to follow the convictions of conscience’ (v.5, MSG). ‘If you eat meat... thank God for prime rib; if you’re a vegetarian... thank God for broccoli’ (v.6, MSG). Just because we may agree to disagree on these matters does not make them irrelevant. We need to be careful to do what we think is right in every situation.
• Assume the best about other people’s motives
  ‘Those who regard one day as special, do so to the Lord. Those who eat meat, eat to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and those who abstain, do so to the Lord and give thanks to God’ (v.6).
  
  Give others the benefit of the doubt and assume that they are seeking to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord (vv.7–8).
• Be sensitive about other people’s consciences
  Paul says, ‘Make up your mind not to put any stumbling-block or obstacle in another believer’s way’ (v.13). For example, if someone regards drinking alcohol as wrong, it would be insensitive to drink alcohol in front of them. We do not want to cause them distress (v.15).
• Help and encourage one another
  ‘So let’s agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don’t drag them down by finding fault’ (v.19, MSG).
• Always act in love
  ‘If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love’ (v.15). ‘So be sensitive and courteous... Don’t eat or say or do things that might interfere with the free exchange of love’ (v.21, MSG).

Disputable matters are important, but not as important as what unites us all: ‘For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit’ (v.17). This is what really matters. Let us not get caught up in arguments about disputable matters, which divide the church and put off those outside the church.

Follow the words of the medieval writer Rupertus Meldenius: ‘On the essentials, unity; on the non-essentials, freedom; in everything, love.’

Lord, I pray for a new unity in the church. Help us to focus today and each day on what the kingdom of God is really about: righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

 

30 July

The law is summed up and fulfilled by love. Love is not an excuse for breaking the commandments but a way of keeping them. The commands were given out of love for us and are fulfilled by love. Paul does not write if you love you need not obey the commands. Rather, he says if you love you will fulfil the commands.

Jesus is the supreme example of love. Paul says ‘clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ’ (v.14). Pray that the character of Jesus, his love, will surround and protect you and be seen by the people you meet today.

29 July

In this passage, we see four sacrifices that you can make in response to Jesus’ sacrifice for you:

• Sacrifice of your lips
  The writer of Hebrews says, ‘Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess his name… for with such sacrifices God is pleased’ (Hebrews 13:15–16).
  
  Much of the first eleven chapters of Romans are about the sacrifice of Jesus for us. Paul, having set out all that God has done for us, responds with a sacrifice of praise (Romans 11:33–36).
• Sacrifice of your life
  Paul writes, ‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy [because of all that Jesus has done for us through the sacrifice of himself on the cross], to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship’ (12:1, AMP).
  
  God wants you to offer all of yourself and all of your lives – your time, ambitions, possessions, ears, mouths and sexuality – as well as your mind, emotions and attitudes. Paul’s description of a living sacrifice also reminds us that you have to go on offering your life as a sacrifice to God, offering the whole of your life for the whole of your life.
  
  As Eugene Peterson translates it in The Message, ‘Take your every day, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life – and place it before God as an offering’ (v.1, MSG).
  
  In Old Testament times, ‘living sacrifice’ would be a contradiction in terms. The whole point of the sacrifice was that it was killed. Jago Wynne writes, ‘Our act of worship is no longer to bring a sacrifice, but to be one ourselves. We remain living. It is all of us that is being offered. Worship is about what I say with my tongue. It’s about what I watch… what I think… where I go with my feet.’ 
• The sacrifice of your ‘loot’
  Generous giving is another New Testament sacrifice. Paul encourages the sacrifice of generosity in contributing to the needs of others (v.8). We are to ‘share with God’s people who are in need’ (v.13). This is another sacrifice the writer of Hebrews says pleases God: ‘to share with others’ (Hebrews 13:16).
  
  We are even to give generously to our enemies: ‘Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness’ (Romans 12:20, MSG).
• Sacrifice of your love
  In this passage Paul gives many examples of the sacrifice of loving service (vv.9–21).
  
  The writer of Hebrews says, ‘do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased’ (Hebrews 13:16).
  
  ‘Doing good’ means giving up things that are not good. ‘Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould’ (Romans 12:2, J.B. Phillips). Although God only asks us to give up the bad stuff in our lives, it can feel costly to do so because that stuff is superficially attractive. Repentance is a very positive word, but at the time it may seem sacrificial.
  
  Sacrificial love involves allowing God to transform us by a complete change. Our love must be sincere (v.9). The Greek word for ‘sincere’ means ‘without hypocrisy’ or literally ‘without play acting’ or ‘without a mask’.
  
  Often relationships in the world are quite superficial. We all put up fronts or masks to protect ourselves. When we see governments doing this, we call it ‘spin’. When we do it ourselves, we call it ‘image’; we are projecting something. In effect we’re saying, ‘I don’t really like what I am inside, so I will pretend I am somebody different.’ I certainly did this in a major way before I was a Christian (and it carries on to some extent afterwards – though it shouldn’t).
  
  If other people are doing the same then there are two ‘fronts’ or ‘masks’ meeting. The sad result is that the two real people never meet. This is the opposite of ‘sincere love’. Sincere love means taking off your mask and daring to reveal who you are. When you know that God loves you as you are, you are set free to take off your mask. This means that there is a completely new depth and authenticity in your relationships.
  
  Paul urges Christians to live in harmony with one another and to be generous (v.13), hospitable (v.13), forgiving (v.14), empathetic (v.15) and to live at peace with everyone (v.18). It is a glorious picture of the Christian family into which God calls us, beckoning us into an atmosphere of love, joy, patience, faithfulness, generosity, hospitality, blessing, rejoicing, harmony, humility and peace; where good is not overcome by evil, but evil is overcome by good (vv.9–21).
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