A Word of Encouragement

Today’s Word of Encouragement has been adapted in part from Whitney T. Kuniholm’s companion book to the E100 Bible Reading Challenge.

After suffering betrayal, denial, torture and ridicule, followed by a gruesome death on a cross. Jesus went to extraordinary lengths to prove that He had risen from the dead.

He left a trail of evidence so that everyone would be able to understand what He had done.

The strange thing is that the apostles still didn’t get it. They were still looking for Jesus to restore the kingdom to Israel. To free them from the oppression of the Romans (refer to Acts 1:6). To put things back to some semblance of order that they would have expected.

It would appear that within days of Jesus appearing to the disciples in a room with the doors locked, they have gone back to their previous way of life though. John 21:1-25 recounts that a group of them had gone fishing by the Sea of Tiberias, according to John 21:14 “This was the third time the disciples had seen Jesus since His death and resurrection.” (The Voice)

“Sometimes it is hard to let go of our own ideas (and ideals) and let God begin to work. It can be confusing and even painful, but until we give up our own plans, we can’t experience God’s” plan for our lives.

Many people around New Zealand have been heading back to work and school etc. this week after being in lockdown for more than four weeks. They are heading back to familiar ground – although in many ways it will be very different.

For some of them they have had time to reevaluate things in their lives, maybe God has even revealed Himself to them.

The challenge that the church has now; is how we can help people not only get their lives back on track, but also help them to not forget the importance of Jesus’ death and resurrection – to understand what He has done and continues to do.

Jesus did not come to put things back to normal – He came to show what life could become. How we could live life to the full (refer to John 10:10b).

He wants to reestablish our relationship with God, and teach us how to follow His ways.

Maybe we also need to think about what life can become once this time is over. Can life be lived more simply? Can life be better when we connect with others in meaningful ways?

Are there better ways to be entertained? Have we been reminded that people are important and being nice to each other is to be valued? What are the lessons that we have learned; about less being more, about spending quality time with our children, valuing our family and taking time out every now and again in our bubble.

How can you do your part in being the church both now and into the future? How about asking people how they are going, how they coped and what they have learnt.

Possibly you could be a bit more specific and ask what aspects of faith did they pick up on over this time of isolation – the Easter Message, the meaning and cost of sacrifice, the correlation between ANZAC Day remembrance and the Ultimate Sacrifice.

May this be of encouragement to each of you, as you extend your bubbles.

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A witness worth emulating

John the Baptist is a witness worth emulating. We read in John 1:7 that http://bible.com/111/JHN1.7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.
Bible.com/app

I have started the E100 Essential Jesus Bible Reading Challenge at The Salvation Army Invercargill, each week a life group will be discussing and exploring our observations from the selected verses that we read and sharing them using the SOAP method. An example of this is below from Saturday’s reading:

Scripture – John 1:7

Observation – John came as a witness that others would come to know about Christ because of the way he spoke about him and the way that he he lived…

Application – What sort of witness am I? Can people see Christ in me? Do I do the things that I need to do that point people to the Saviour or do they see something else?

Prayer – I pray that people would see my Saviour in my speech and actions and that I would be a good example to those that I come into contact with. May Christ live in me and I in Him so that others are drawn to the love of the Father.

If you live in Invercargill and want to find out more about the Essential Jesus Discussion Group check us out at The Salvation Army, 105 Tay Street on Thursday afternoons @ 1:30pm.

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The Divine Mentor

In the past few years or so while on holiday I’ve noticed a rather fascinating change that has taken place in my psyche. I enjoy time alone in God’s Word and reading books from Christian authors about how I can be everything that God wants me to be, and how I can continue to lead His church into the future. One such book that I am devouring at an extraordinary rate is “The Divine Mentor” by Wayne Cordeiro.

I’m sure that all of us would “enjoy a dynamic, vital, and intimate relationship with God”  Wayne  invites us to “embark on an adventure that will introduce you to His handpicked mentors, men and women who may save your marriage, your ministry, and your future”  as you “develop a lifelong habit… that will preserve your soul, establish your legacy, and hold God’s Living Word inside you.”  But it will require effort, determination and perseverance amid the pressures of life and the demands on our time.

When talking about reading your Bible on a daily basis (which many so called mature Christians don’t do) utilising a good daily reading plan and you miss a day or two don’t beat yourself up… “Don’t give up!” Wayne explains. “We can all remember times when we’ve been so engrossed in a project that we skipped breakfast and then worked right through lunch. By three or four in the afternoon your hunger begins to scratch at the insides of your stomach. Just then, your remember you’ve forgotten two meals! What do you do – what’s your response? You wouldn’t say,… ‘I’m not eating anymore.’… Of course not! You’d look forward all the more to dinner… Remember, you’re feeding yourself spiritually. So if you’ve missed a couple of meals, just eat for that day. Feed yourself, and then keep going. And when you have opportunity, try to pick up what you missed.”

A great reading plan that I have used in the past is the E100 Bible Reading Plan, or another one is the follow up Essential Jesus Reading Plan. If you can – get a group together to discuss on a weekly basis what you have learnt and to keep you accountable to “growing your faith as you sit at the feet of the Saviour.”

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