Week beginning Monday 4th May 2009

Acts 19
Paul in Ephesus – here is the story of Paul giving two years of service and ministry to a city that is has a different world view to the faith he has received with the mixing and interplay of religion – politics – economics. This ‘Good News’ that Paul was sharing about was perceived to be bad news for the ‘business of religion’ and this upset people. The chapter reveals how civil this city was when conflict erupts and instead of reverting to senseless violence, the leaders brought ‘reason’ to the fore and were able to avert the mob mentality. What a blessing! Many other places would have reverted to violence. I receive a newsletter from ‘Open Doors’ – an agency advocating for and supporting the church around the world that is under severe persecution. I am mindful that in Australia we have much more of an Ephesus worldview and reason is a valued characteristic in our culture. Let’s continue to pray that the violence that is present in our community (mindful that today is Domestic Violence Awareness day) would be eased and reasonable ways of dealing with conflict will further develop. But also like Ephesus, Australian culture takes time to engage with the Good News of Jesus Christ, so this week’s text is reminder of the patience and wisdom needed to share God’s good news. We need a thoughtful and reasoned faith to engage Aussies with – there is so much unreasonable and ill-thought through stuff out there! So let us do what we can and continue the journey. [PRAYER - LORD give me the words and understanding and patience to share truth and hope with your beloved community that healing and freedom may come to all. AMEN]

Week beginning Monday April 13th 2009

Acts 13 & 14

I was away for a few days this week – I’m a bit behind.

I guess all I want to say about Acts 13 & 14 was that life is no different today – some people are open to what God would say and do and others are not. I am a bit of an eternal optimist, so negative reactions to the Gospel always way heavy on me. These chapters invite me to be a realist while still hoping and having faith that people will respond. Having said that this year has been amazing in terms of seeing people respond to God’s Spirit guiding and speaking into people’s hearts and minds. Go GOD!!!! Simlar I guess to when Paul and Barnabas saw people respond as well. [Prayer - LORD where you will guide I will follow - in your strength alone. AMEN]

Week beginning Monday 6th April 2009

Acts 11 & 12

It’s all about what God does!

Peter discovers that following the way of Jesus leads him to places he was never expecting to be – in a gentile’s home or in prison. What a gift it was for Peter and Barnabas to see what God was doing! All Barnabas did was to encourage the people to remain faithful.

Firstly it is all about what God does and secondly all we need to do is to be and encourage faithfulness.

We can never know exactly what will happen in our lives (as a verse in Proverbs 14 says ‘we can do what is right and still end up dead’) I thought of this when reading that James (Jesus’ own brother) is beheaded and Peter is freed from jail.

I loved the fact that while teh church was praying for Peter, when he turns up they are all in shock!!! So much for needing to believe in our own prayers – all that we need is that small mustard seed – it is all about what God does and we just need to keep encouraging and be faithful.

I am certainly seeing this reality in our churches life at the moment – it is all about what God does…we just need to be faithful with our small mustard seeds. [PRAYER - LORD all glory goes to you because you are the one who completely amazes us. Help me to see what you are doing and to respond in faithfulness and encouragement. AMEN]

Week beginning Monday 23rd March 2009

Acts 7

Acts 7 records Stephen’s defence of faith in Jesus before the religious council. Stephen shows his knowledge of teh faith of his people in the story of God through history. There is a common thread that runs through this – the community’s failure to understand God’s action and the faithfulness of God. Faith continues to grow and God continues to move forward with God’s plan to redeem all people. The religious ones get stuck and when things get tough look to themselves for salvation rather than turning to God. Time and time again it happened…so that when Jesus came, and again pointed to God and what God was doing, the religious ones acted consistently with the past and had Jesus killed. Stephen was expecting nothing less but gave witness to the truth he had experienced in Christ.

I/we need to be students of hsitory and the present and acknowledge that I do the same – that is, I want to be comfortable and so I get stuck and look to myself instead of constantly turning to God for life. God is continuing to work to bring all people to Him through the love of Christ. Stephen’s faith is a challenge to all who would follow Christ. My prayer is for all those who are being persecuted for their faith still today – may they know the peace of God in every moment – AMEN!

Week beginning Monday 16th March 2009

Proverbs 11
In this chapter the wise one is outlining a list of do’s and don’ts for us – each of which will either bring us life or destruction. It is all about our being and doing. It is great seeing the list of life-givers all collated in this way – honesty, sommon sense, doing good, doing what is right, being fair, being generous, treating peoplw well. These are all in sharp contrast to lieing, cheating, stealing, holding back from doing good, foolishness. The first bracket wouldn’t sell well in the soapie market of TV but the second is a script for most of the lastest shows. Even to string such words together in a whole chapter felt strange but also powerul – words like honesty – goodness – generosity – fairness. It sounds more than a political ad there is deep truth and life in this chapter iff only would hear it and act in accord to it.

Acts 5
Well here is the story that goes along with Proverbs 11 bith with Ananias and Sapphira as well as the council of the pharisees. Here the writer of Acts highlights the contrast between both individuals and institutions that choose destructive behaviours over the way of Christ – which brings life and freedom. The challenge of both proverbs 11 and Acts 5 is to do as the apostles have done…(Acts 5:42) “They never stoppped teaching and telling the good news that Jesus is the Messiah” [PRAYER - LORD in the face of a world that can be so foolish and violent help me to follow your way of truth, honesty, generosity and doing good - and help me to also never stop teaching and telling the good news that Jesus is the Messiah - AMEN]

Week Beginning Monday 9th March 2009

Acts 3

Peter and John begin share the name and power of Jesus Christ…I often wonder what Peter and John experienced through this episode. The text tells us how the lame man experiences Peter and John – he is healed, amazed, profoundll grateful, and confused. But for Peter and John, was it with absolute faith confidence or with trembling faith that they spoke words of healing to the lame man. You kind of think that Peter was certainly riding a high of boldness following his speech to the Jews and thousands of people coming to faith in Jesus. But we should never presume that the disciples actions were always so confidently bold. I think about Elijah and how after his great defeat of the propehts of Baal he cowered off to the desert in fear for his life, feeling alone and just wanting to hide, or even better, be swallowed up by God Himself. But in the still whisper God spoke and encouraged Elijah with good news – he was not alone. Maybe it was a still whisper that Peter and John spoke to the man who was lame – maybe a whisper and then a touch of his hand to help him up. Hmmm whispers and touches…we can all do that. You see, the power of Jesus is not in our strength but in God’s strength and power – our call is to give what we have…good news about Jesus – alive and touching lives still. [PRAYER - LORD stir me to respond to people with the whispers and touches of you - sharing good news at every opportunity. In Jesus name I pray - AMEN]

Week beginning Monday 2nd March 2009

Proverbs 9
This passage, through a certain amount of poetry, focuses on wisdom and stupidity. I love the fact that the Bible deals with reality. This chapter is an exhortation to common sense and the seeking of understanding and a warning against foolishness and stupidity. I once heard someone say that commonsense is only such if it is in fact common. It would seem that in today’s context of greed and violence and rip offs that maybe we should be renaming commonsense as rare-sense. The truth, as this passage points to, is that the seeking of God is the beginning of Wisdom. Let’s get wise and seek God first before the allure of stupidity. [Prayer - LORD this is one I sure need your help in. I will seek you and I pray that your wisdom and rare-sense follows. AMEN]

Acts 1
God’s plan continues. This is what the writer of Acts wants us to get in their first chapter…
1. God’s plan is revealed through Jesus
2. God’s plan begins locally and goes globally
3. God’s plan has been foretold in history and experienced in history
4. God’s plan will not be thwarted by evil
5. God’s plan is to be shared with others
6. God’s plan is revealed even in the small/chance moments
7. God’s plan is continuous – past – present – future

The writer lays God’s plan out for us as we enter into the Acts of the Apostles. What a great story…that is still happening! [Prayer - LORD as I enter into the story of Your plan unfolding through the lives of your Apostles and teh early church - may I see that I am no less but of the story of ACTS and that you LORD JESUS are with me as you were with your first ones. AMEN]

Week beginning Monday 16th February 2009

Matthew 25
Jesus is talking about God’s Kingdom and the experience of what it is like and what it will be like. God’s kingdom is like a code word for the reality that is and will be. It is the message of Jesus and the truth of how life can be. It is a way that Jesus has inaugurated and has invited all people into. There is definition to this way and it is able to be discerned, identified and distinguished from ways that are not of God’s Kingdom. Matthew 25 speaks about some of these defining experiences…
Particularly these are (i) Being Ready (ii) Being Diligent & (iii) Being Indiscriminantly Generous
The first story that Jesus tells is of 10 young women waiting for a wedding feast – five who were ready and five who were not. The emphasis of this story is readiness. We have seen all too graphocally the consequences of not being ready in our countries recent fires and floods. Although no amount of readiness could have prevented this – more readiness might have saved more lives. God’s kingdom is not just pie on the sky but is practical and life giving. Being Ready is a better way to live.
Being Diligent…with what we have is a blessing. To not use the gifts we have been given is to be selfish and fearful. Living this way is not good for ourselves or others.
Being indiscriminately generous…with our time, our resources, and our relationships will serve people. In this third story (the Judgement story of the sheep and the goats) Jesus particularly focuses on those who are the least and the lost and the last. “whenever the least of these is served…you serve me”, Jesus said. The judgement spoken of is not just about the ‘one day’ but about teh every day. We live in judgement any day that we are not participating in God’s Kingdom. Any day we are not ready, not being diligent, not being generous is a day without truth and life…these are not good days.
But Kingdom days are good days…days of being ready, days of being diligent…days off generousity…these are good days! [Prayer - LORD help me to be ready, to be diligent, to be generous...not that I would have a good day alone but that the day would be good for others. AMEN]

Week beginning Monday 2nd February 2009

Matthew 21 & 22

Jesus enters Jerusalem – Here Jesus engages front on his enemies and critics with determination. Through the confrontation with religious and political leaders the stark contrast of Jesus’ message is shown against the hypocracy and confusion of these others. Jesus marks himself and the Kingdom of God as at the same time uncompromising as well as invitational. Jesus is clear…there are always choices on how people can respond to him and his message and how people can respond to God’s ways.

Towards the end of chapter 22 Jesus places at the centre of his mission the two great commandments – Love God and Love People. Here, not only is Jesus redefining the religion of the people of God but he is also laying out the basis of his life. One which we are invited to follow. Jesus had his heart and his head fully committed to this cause – to Love God and to Love People – and nothing was disuading him or confusing him. To follow Jesus is to do likewise, that is, the heart amd head work to not be disuaded or confused. This takes discipline, learning, openness, trust in God and resilience. All of which needs time given to knowing Jesus – not just knowing about Jesus but knowing Jesus in relationship. [Prayer - Jesus you pressed on to where God was leading you, help me do likewise by your Spirit's enabling. Amen]

2009 Reading Plan under construction

Hi folks – 2009 Reading Plan and journaling will begin soon.