Saturday 31 December – Matthew 7
Hearing and Doing
What has God been saying to you over the last few days? What are you doing about it?
Jesus’ well known story (vv.24-27) is a reminder that just hearing (or even reading) God’s Word isn’t actually going to make a difference. We need to do something about it! James reinforces this (James 1: 22-25). If I buy a new appliance and ask someone to tell me how to use it, or even read the instruction book(!!), but then do nothing with that information, I can’t expect it to work. If we ask Jesus to speak to us, we must also be willing to do what He says or He won’t say anything further. Have you listened and obeyed?
We also have here several other well–known teachings of Jesus, but we must never allow ourselves to think ‘Yes, I know all that!’ We must allow the Spirit to stir us and take us deeper in our understanding of living like Jesus.
The verses about judging others (vv.1-6) are particularly challenging, and ones that God often brings me back to. How easy it is to find ourselves measuring other people by the standards of the world (i.e. by their clothing, physical appearance, job, status, money, intelligence, etc.) rather than the standards of the Word, which says that none of those things matter. God looks at the heart. God has challenged me on many occasions as I pass someone in the street that I wouldn’t naturally be drawn to, to pray for them or reach out to them in some way. Jesus’ teaching is very clear that the people we would tend to judge or look down on are the very ones we need to touch (Matthew 25: 37-40; James 2:3-5).
Finally, Jesus wants to remind us that our Heavenly Father doesn’t sit in Heaven with a ‘tick chart’ or a big stick. He wants to give us good gifts – but He’s waiting for us to ask Him (v.11). Make sure you don’t get to Heaven and find a pile of gifts that you could have had if only you’d asked!
Prayer:
* Thank your Father that He loves to give you good gifts – ask for whatever He wants to give you today. (And remember to thank Him at the end of the day for His blessings!)
* Ask God to help you see people through His eyes today and for Him to show you any critical attitude in yourself.
* Pray that we at Ruwach will welcome those whom the world rejects.
Friday 30 December – Matthew 6
Heart Check
These verses are rather like a check-up – they test our heart motives.
Jesus starts by asking us to look at the motives behind our giving to the needy (be it money or help) (vv.1-4). Are we happy to give time or money even if nobody notices it or thanks us? What if it’s on-going and nobody notices – are we still content to do it knowing it’s between us and God? Then what about prayer (vv.5-13)? How much time does Jesus have alone with you without anyone else knowing? Next is forgiveness (vv.14-15). Is there anyone who has rubbed you up the wrong way, who Jesus knows you need to forgive, even if no-one else knows? Remember, satan also knows, and your unforgiveness will allow him to gain footholds in your life. Then comes fasting (vv.16-18). Why should we fast, as Jesus assumes we will? Fasting is a vital way of asserting control over our selfish desires, and also expresses a serious desire to grow in our relationship with Jesus. Have you tried it yet?
Finally Jesus turns His attention to our priorities. He knows where our treasure lies (vv.19-24). What do you find yourself thinking about most – how to improve your home / bank balance / material goods, or how to build God’s kingdom? Do you find yourself worrying about whether you’ll be able to pay the next bill or next month’s rent (vv.25-32)?
If any of this is making you feel uncomfortable, Jesus could be warning you that your heart isn’t quite right. As with any health check we need to heed the warning and seek advice. Jesus’ advice is to get our focus right. Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all the other things we need will be given to us as well (v.33). It will no longer matter whether people see what we do or not, whether anyone has offended us or not, or whether we have lots of money / possessions or not. All that will matter is that we’re close to Jesus, and everything else will fit into place! That’s freedom! And a healthy heart!
Prayer:
* Allow the Lord to check you over. Repent of anything He shows you.
* Pray for each of the other members of your cell, that you will all have Jesus’ kingdom and righteousness as number one priority.
Thursday 29 December – Matthew 5
The Radical Message of the Kingdom
Jesus begins to present His message of the kingdom of God – and as we shall see it is a radical message. Who is this message for? Who qualifies for the blessings of the kingdom? Is it the rich, the educated, or the religious? No! The blessings are for the bankrupt (v.3), the broken (v.4), the humble (v.5) and the hungry (v.6). What wonderful good news! Today, if you are hungry, thirsty or in need, you qualify perfectly to be blessed. So what do you need? Come and plead your need and receive your blessing.
Then Jesus explains that the kingdom isn’t just a source of blessing, it is source of radical life. All who come and receive the blessings of the kingdom are invaded by its life. So the ones who have been blessed become a blessing to others, and in doing so bring glory to the kingdom’s King. You have been touched by the kingdom, so you have become salt – to flavour, fertilise and preserve – and light – to reveal God in your actions. You cannot avoid this call, you can only dilute it or hide it (vv.13, 15). The King has every kingdom messenger’s mission carefully planned (Eph.2:10), so be alert, ready for every salt and light opportunity you encounter today (Col.4:5-6).
In the rest of the chapter (vv.17-48), Jesus reveals the radical nature of kingdom life. It is about heart attitude, not external rule-keeping. True fulfilment of the kingdom law is a matter of embracing the spirit of the law as well as keeping the letter of the law (vv.17-20). Kingdom people must not merely refrain from killing anyone, but have a heart of love, not hate (vv 21-26). They can’t simply steer clear of adultery, they must conquer lust and live in faithfulness (vv.27-32). They must have a heart of integrity so that their word is their bond (vv.33-37). They must repay evil with good and hostility with blessing, and so overcome evil with good (vv.38-47, also Rom.12:17-21). What an impossible task (v.48)! Aren’t you glad Jesus said the kingdom is for the bankrupt and the broken? Bring the areas of weakness and sin these verses have exposed to Jesus; ask for forgiveness and grace to overcome. He will hear you and help you (Heb. 4:16).
Prayer:
* Praise Jesus for the blessings of the kingdom which He has made available to us, the bankrupt and broken.
* Deal with any sin the Holy Spirit has exposed through this chapter and ask for help to overcome it.
* Pray for yourself and others in your cell, that you will take every opportunity to be salt and light today.
Wednesday 28 December – Matthew 4
Temptation, Priorities and Power
This wonderful chapter gives us insights into temptation, following Jesus and making the gospel message known. We know that God never tempts us (see James 1:13-14), but there are times when He knows that we need to learn to defeat temptation in order to do the job He has for us. That’s what happens here; the Holy Spirit takes Jesus through a time of preparation (vv.1-2). It was a time for intimacy with His Father, a time to grow strong in the Spirit and to master His flesh, and a time to face key issues about His ministry. The three temptations all posed the same choice: self-interest or God’s will? Jesus made the fundamental decision and used scripture to defeat the devil’s challenges. Do we want to be effective and succeed in the role God has for us? Of course we do, so we need to prepare ourselves by doing what the Holy Spirit tells us to do – which may well include fasting. If we submit to that preparation, then, when the time comes, we will be able to bring light to those in darkness (vv.12-17).
After this testing time Jesus began to gather the team who would continue His work after His ministry on earth was done. If you think about it, you are part of that same team, still continuing the work of Jesus, and you have given Jesus the same rights that they did. You have given Jesus first call on your life. That means He has first call on your money, your time, your energy, first call on you! The disciples were called to be fishers of men (v.19); what has He called you to be? What roles has He given you in life? What ministry do you have in the church – His body? Stop speaking of your life as if it is yours – it’s not, it’s His – and get on with the things He is telling you to do.
Finally we get a wonderful snapshot summary of Jesus’ ministry (vv.22-25). Wow! What an impact He made! How can we cause a similar stir in Mid-Sussex? We need to recognise the power and authority we have been given (see Luke 10:19, Mark 16:15-18, Acts 1:8) and begin to grow in faith and boldness so that we touch people, not just with words and with good deeds but also with the healing power of God.
Prayer:
* Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what you need to be doing to prepare for a more effective ministry. When He tells you, why not make yourself accountable to someone to do it?
* Is there a particular temptation you keep giving in to? Ask God to help you see your sin with His eyes and to strengthen you to overcome it.
* Pray for the other members of your cell, that they might be overcomers too.
Tuesday 27 December – Matthew 3
Bold and Obedient Servants of the Lord
I wonder what questions popped into your mind as you read this chapter? One I asked was, “Why was John so popular?” Probably not because of his dress sense or his new wonder diet! Even his message was uncompromising and demanding (vv.7-10, see also Luke 3:7-14). So why did people flock to him? I can see a couple of reasons. First, his message, although tough, was a message of amazing hope. John announced that God was coming to His people, He was going to flood them with His Holy Spirit and release the blessings of His kingdom rule (vv.11-12). This was music to the ears of people who were down-trodden and despairing. Second, John was an anointed messenger, moving in the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish his God-given mission (see Luke 1:13-17, 76-79). Does anything strike you about those reasons for John’s popularity? Yes, they are both true of you and me! We are anointed messengers on a God-given mission and we have an amazing message of hope. So why do we have so little impact? For myself I sometimes I think I fail to take the time I need to make the message really connect with people, but mostly I think I lack the passion and boldness John had.
Another question I asked was, “Why did Jesus get baptised?” He didn’t need to, which is why John tried to put Him off, but Jesus insisted that it was the right thing to do. He did it because He knew it was His Father’s will for Him. In being baptised, Jesus declared publicly that He would fulfil the mission His Father had given Him. He also identified Himself with us, the people He came to save, and affirmed and completed John’s ministry. The Father responded to Jesus’ acceptance of His role by publicly acknowledging Jesus as His Anointed One and His Son whom He loves. This is a wonderful example for us. Obedient submission to the will of God deepens our experience of God’s working on our lives (John 14:21, 23). This is especially true about water baptism. Have you been baptised in water? If not then talk to your cell leader about it. Obeying Jesus in this way will bring great blessing to you.
Prayer:
* Praise the Lord for the wonderful good news we have to proclaim and ask the Holy Spirit to increase your passion and boldness to declare it.
* Pray for people you wish to see saved. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you strategies to reach them. Stand against the enemy’s efforts to blind them to the truth.
* Repent of any areas in your life where you are not fully obeying God. Ask His forgiveness, and commit yourself to walk in obedience.
Monday 26 December – Matthew 2
The Rewarder of Those Who Seek Him
As I read the magi’s story (vv.1-12) I was reminded of how the writer of Hebrews describes God – “He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him” (Heb.11:6, Amp. Bible). These men were certainly earnest and diligent in their seeking (vv.1-2, 9) and so they were richly rewarded (vv.10-11). But why did they do it? Why did these apparently rich and successful people put so much time, energy and money into their venture? Clearly not satisfied by all they had, they hungered for a deeper meaning to life, and in Jesus they found it.
What gives meaning to your life? Not your job, your family or even the work you do for the church – though these are good things. The secret of a meaningful life is to give yourself and your resources to earnestly and diligently seeking Jesus and bowing down and worshipping Him.
The coming of the magi is significant to Matthew because it gives another pointer to Jesus’ wonderful identity. Chapter 1 has already shown us that Jesus is the descendent of Abraham through whom the whole world will be blessed, the Son of David who will overthrow the giant of sin and reign as God’s chosen king and God among men, the long-awaited Christ, the Messiah, God’s Anointed One. The coming of these non-Jewish seekers further emphasises that Jesus is the One about whom the prophets spoke, the One who will bring salvation to all nations (see Isaiah 49:5-6).
The rest of the chapter (vv.13-23) should be an encouragement to us. In it we see God’s fatherly care for His Son as He protects and directs His life. Now the wonderful thing is that the Father loves you just as much as He does Jesus, and will protect and direct your life too (John 17:23, Psalm 32:8, 2 Thess. 3:3). A key to enjoying our heavenly Father’s love, protection and direction is following His leading (vv.13, 19, 22). For us this starts by following His written Word, the Bible, and continues as we learn to listen more and more to His Holy Spirit.
Prayer:
* Take some time to worship Jesus right now.
* Pray for people you know who are not yet Christians, that they will not be satisfied by their lives, but will have a growing hunger for something more.
* Praise God for His love, protection and direction. Meditate on these wonderful truths.
Sunday 25 December – Matthew 1
Matthew
Introduction
This gospel was written by the apostle Matthew (also known as Levi) who was called from his work as a collector of taxes for the Roman government to become a follower of Jesus (9:9). His purpose in writing this account was to prove that Jesus was the Messiah, promised by God and long-awaited by the Jews, and the eternal King of all. As one of Jesus’ first disciples. Matthew was, of course, an eye-witness of the events he recorded. He wrote this account around 30 years after Jesus’ death in AD 60-65.
Matthew’s gospel is particularly noted for the way it brings together the Old and New Testaments. With the Jews in mind, Matthew quotes more OT scriptures than any other gospel writer (53 direct quotes and 76 other references). He did not set out to write a chronological account of Jesus’ life, but carefully gathered and arranged his material to provide evidence for his argument.
You may have read Matthew’s gospel many times before. If that is true for you, why not read these chapters from a different version from the one you usually use? The Amplified Bible or The New Living Translation might shed a whole new light on familiar passages. And come with humility and expectation – it’s amazing what the Holy Spirit can show us from a passage that we have read dozens of times before. Ask God to give you fresh revelation as you read this portion of His Word.
The Wisdom, Love and Faithfulness of God
Who in their right mind would start a book with a boring list of names? Answer – Matthew! His apparently tedious list is there for some very good reasons. For his Jewish readers the mention of their heroes, Abraham and David, would immediately catch their attention. Even for us non-Jews it is worth reading because it tells us a number of important things.
First of all, Matthew wants us to understand that God had things perfectly planned – hence the fourteens (v.17). Ever since the human race fell into the trap of sin (Genesis 3) God had been working to undo what had been done. Now the moment has come, and Matthew wants his readers to grasp how momentous it is.
Second, the list points us to God’s faithfulness – He is the one whose promises never fail. What He had promised Abraham around 2,500 years earlier (see Genesis 12:3) and what He had promised David over 1000 years before (see 2 Samuel 7:16), He is now bringing to fulfilment!
Third, Matthew shows us that God is intimately involved in weaving together events and situations to ensure that His loving purposes are fulfilled (Romans 8:28).
Fourth, we see God’s perfect wisdom – everything is just right. It is the right moment (Galatians 4:4), the right people are in place (Joseph is the legal heir to David’s throne) and it happens in the right way – the virgin birth allows the beginning of a new humanity free from the power of sin (Romans 5:17, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22,45-49).
As you celebrate this season of Christmas, rejoice that your life is in the safe hands of this same wise, caring, involved, faithful God. Also remember that God is still weaving events and situations together as He patiently prepares for another momentous day – the day when Jesus will return in glory, majesty and power, as ruler of all. As we celebrate His first coming let’s be ready to tell people about His second one!
Prayer:
* On this Christmas Day rejoice in the birth of Jesus, the Saviour of the world.
Praise God for His wisdom, love and faithfulness. Remember the promises He has made to you and take a fresh stand in faith on them.
* Pray for those in your family who do not yet understand the significance of Jesus’ coming to earth. Pray that God would reveal Himself to them, and commit yourself to be a witness for Him.
Saturday 24 December – Zechariah 14
The Day of the Lord is Coming
“Behold, the day of the Lord is coming” (v.1).
This final chapter describes the final triumph of the Messiah over earth and His reign over His people – the Day of the Lord.
How will it come? When will it come? These things are not completely clear. God is continuing to deal with His people and with His creation in different and various ways – you wouldn’t expect anything else from such a God as He is. But we do need to be ready for His return, living out our lives under His authority and under the shelter of His love.
The people Zechariah was speaking to in the 5th Century BC were living through difficult times. Surrounded by hostile neighbours, few in number, worshipping with inadequate resources in a Temple that was a shadow of its former grandeur, they were very aware of what they lacked. Yet God had already told them (1:14) that He was “zealous for Jerusalem”.
Throughout this book God speaks words of warning to His people, but also words of encouragement. He promises that their land will be restored and their Temple rebuilt.
The promise is for us too. We live right in the middle of these prophetic words of God spoken through Zechariah. For the people of Zechariah’s time, all that He spoke pointed to the future. For us, we can see some of these prophecies have been fulfilled through Jesus Christ, the Messiah, through His life, death and resurrection. Yet more lies in the future, as we look forward to Jesus’ second coming. Let’s believe in these prophecies, make them our own and live out our lives accordingly! Our hope is in God through Jesus Christ, and He is in control of the world!
Prayer;
* Pray for help to live out your life in the certain knowledge that Jesus is returning soon!
* Pray for those who are struggling to see God’s hand at work in their lives, that they may receive revelation and commit their lives to Him.
Friday 23 December – Zechariah 13
Fountains of Living Water
Living water is a subject dear to the hearts of many in Ruwach. The significance of springs and streams and rivers has been with us as a church from the very beginning as we received vision, encouragement and direction in words of Scripture, prophecies and pictures.
All these are illustrations of God’s loving kindness, His mercy and restoration power. Throughout Scripture the fountain symbolises God’s never-ending forgiveness. Above all, Jesus supplies a “living water” that satisfies those who receive it completely. The living, spiritual, water Jesus spoke about to the woman at the well (John 4:14) produces an inner, spiritual, change that is complete and doesn’t need daily topping up by visiting a physical well. In John 7:37- 38 Jesus draws these things together, explaining that it is the person of the Holy Spirit who is this living water.
This water is a cleansing water. This chapter is speaking of the end times, and for God’s New Heaven and Earth to be ushered in there needs to be a spiritual cleansing where evil and sinful behaviour is dealt with forever. God will refine and purify His people. That’s why these verses speak of the banishment of idols, false prophets being dealt with, and God’s people no longer living under deception but seeing God’s truth clearly.
“And I will say, ‘This is My people’; and each one will say ‘The Lord is my God’” (v.9).
Prayer:
* Submit yourself to God’s refining purpose in your life, that you might be clean and pure and holy.
* Pray that streams of living water will continue to flow through the people of Ruwach Christian Church.
* Pray that these streams will flow out of Ruwach into the lives of the people around us, in Haywards Heath and beyond.
Thursday 22 December – Zechariah 12
Jesus the Messiah
In this prophetic book of Zechariah there is probably no more important and exciting passage than vv.10–14 of this chapter.
Read those verses again. We may wonder when people’s eyes and hearts will be opened to the truth; we may have been praying for those we know and love to come into His Kingdom, perhaps even despairing of that day. But the fact remains, because God’s Word tells us so, that the time will come when every person will realise that Jesus is the Messiah, God’s Chosen One. What a time that will be, a time of revival and genuine repentance, a time of restoration and a return to godliness.
The prophetic voice of Zechariah here is repeated in the New Testament: Philippians 2:10: “…at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth and of those under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (See also Revelation 5:13.)
But look what was prophesied to happen first (v.10) – an outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit that was fulfilled at the first Pentecost in Jerusalem (Acts 2:1-5). Why does Zechariah call the Spirit “the Spirit of grace and supplication”? Because it is the Spirit who convicts us of our sin, who reveals to us God’s righteousness and His judgement and who helps us to pray to our God effectively. Romans 8:26 reminds us: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
Prayer:
* Pray that God’s Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and help.
* Renew your prayers for those to whom you are close but who do not yet know the Lord.
* Pray for our nation, that many may return to God and be saved before the day of judgement.