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Daily Devotion May 23rd

Saturday 23rd

We return today to from where we left off on Wednesday to consider the word riches.

Ephesians 2:7 ‘So that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.’

Romans 2:4 ‘Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?’

I did a quick search on the internet to find out who the world’s richest people are. The search gave me this result:

1st Jeff Bezos (Amazon) worth 143 billion dollars 2nd Bill Gates (Microsoft founder) worth 106 billion dollars 3rd Bernard Arnault & family worth 92 billion dollars. The interesting thing is that the site where I got these statistics from showed the gains or losses the individual had made over a 24-hour period, and Bill Gates had lost 10 million dollars the Arnault family had lost 572 million dollars!

This is a statement on the ‘Forbes’ list of the worlds’ wealthiest, ‘The richest people on Earth are not immune to the coronavirus. As the pandemic tightened its grip on Europe and America, global equity markets imploded, tanking many fortunes. As of March 18, when we finalized this list, Forbes counted 2,095 billionaires, 58 fewer than a year ago and 226 fewer than just 12 days earlier, when we initially calculated these net worths. Of the billionaires who remain, 51% are poorer than they were last year. In raw terms, the world’s billionaires are worth $8 trillion, down $700 billion from 2019.’ That was on March 18th, it would be interesting to see the figures two months later in May!

The good news today is that in the last 24 hours God is still as rich as we was yesterday, as rich as he was last week, as rich as he was last month, as rich as he was last year and as rich as he ever has been! And the good news is the riches of God become available to us through Christ. We have touched over the last few days upon the riches of our God, here is a reminder:

Ephesians 2:4 Rich in mercy – his mercy is still available

Ephesians 2:7 Rich in grace – his grace is still available

Ephesians 3:16 Riches of glory – they are still available

Ephesians 3:18 Riches in Christ – they are still available

In our Scripture today Romans 2:4 we see the ‘riches of his kindness’ and thank God the riches of his kindness are still available. In the context of this Scripture we learn that we cannot depend upon the kindness of God by thinking that God is kind and think to ourselves as some do that in the end God will be gracious to all, and will save all (Universalism) rather it is showing us that we can only depend upon the kindness of God by accepting it as it has been revealed through the Lord Jesus Christ leading us to a place of repentance.

When Paul says in Ephesians 2:7 about the riches of God’s grace, he continues to show us how the grace is given to us ‘that . . . he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace IN KINDNESS toward us in Christ Jesus.’ Grace is God’s kindness towards us, we get what we do not deserve. We also read in Titus 3:4 ‘But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.’ (notice the word richly again)

I think it would be fair and honest to say that when it comes to showing kindness we can be quite fickle, we possibly find it easier to show kindness or to do acts of kindness towards some more than we would perhaps for others. We are willing to show kindness but more toward some than toward others. It depends upon the kind of relationship we have toward the other person.

God is rich in his kindness, which he brings to us through the Lord Jesus Christ, and the wonder is this that he does not show more kindness toward me than he does toward you and vice-versa. He loves us the same, he provides for us the same, he cares for us the same, he expresses his kindness towards us in Christ Jesus the same.

The kindness of God is incredible, because it means that we are continually, daily receiving all that God has made available for us; his love, his provision, his blessing, regardless, to use this phrase carefully, whether or not we deserve it. By this I mean that even though I may be unfaithful in my relationship to God in some way today, he will not withhold his kindness from me! Remember the Children of Israel as they were travelling through the wilderness after leaving Egypt, Scripture tells us that they were rebellious (Deuteronomy 9:7 ‘From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD’) and yet God in his kindness toward them still made provision for them. He provided water, manna, protection, and direction out of his unfailing kindness toward them.

A few weeks back we considered the ‘Fruit of the Spirit’ and one of the proofs of the outworking of the Spirit in our lives should be kindness. Galatians 5:22-23 ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.’

As God has been rich in his kindness toward us may we also be rich in our kindness toward others.

Micah 6:8 ‘He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?’

Zechariah 7:9 ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another.’

Acts 28:2 ‘The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold.’

Colossians 3:12 ‘Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.’

Proverbs 21:21 ‘Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honour.’

Open up the skies of mercy

And rain down the cleansing flood

Healing waters rise around us

Hear our cries Lord let them rise

It’s Your kindness Lord

That leads us to repentance

Your favor, Lord, is our desire

It’s Your beauty, Lord

That makes us stand in silence

Your love

Your love

Is better than life

We can feel

Your mercy falling

You are turning our hearts back again

Hear our praises rise to heaven

Draw us near Lord

Meet us here

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Daily Devotion May 21st

THURSDAY 21st – Mark 16:19, Luke 24:50-51, Acts 1:9-11

Today, Thursday 21st is known as Ascension Day in the Church calendar, as we can see from the readings, it is the day we recall when Jesus ascended back into heaven. He had come to provide redemption for mankind, his mission had been accomplished and he was returning to his Father.

Before lockdown, I mentioned while speaking on one occasion that I would look at the subject of the ascension when the time came, well, it has arrived and so I will put the thoughts down here in a simple study with Scriptures over two days for you to explore further.

We get used to remembering and celebrating Christmas, Easter and Pentecost every year, but non – conformist Churches (that is those who don’t conform to the Anglican or Roman Catholic tradition) can easily forget the important dates within the Church calendar because we don’t follow a set liturgy or lexicon.

Ascension Day is one of those days often overlooked or quickly passed over, but it is important within the context of the life, ministry, and work of the Lord Jesus Christ and his provision of salvation for lost humanity.

If he descended to be born as a babe in Bethlehem, and to die as a sacrifice for the sin of the world, and if he accomplished the sacrifice by being buried and  raised from the dead then the moment he ascended back into his Fathers presence is important. I have used the word ‘if’ at the beginning of the last statement but we know that he did, he did descend, he did die, he did rise again from the dead, he did accomplish his Fathers will and as we see from our texts he did ascend back into heaven. This is all good news. When Jesus cried on the cross ‘it is finished’ he knew that he had accomplished all that was necessary to reconcile man back to God.

Here I will give some reasons why the ascension is important.

  1. It led to his exaltation and his being glorified.

Acts 2:32-33a ‘This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God . . .’

Philippians 2:9-11 ‘Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’

Because of his obedience he has received what is rightfully his, the exalted position with a name which is above every other name and as the King of kings and the Lord of Lords.

David portrays the exaltation or the arrival of Jesus back into heaven in Psalm 24:7-10 ‘Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory!’

The ascension is good news, it means the sacrifice Christ made on our behalf has been accepted, it means that the grave is empty, and the throne has become occupied! The following Scriptures remind us where Christ has been exalted to:

Ephesians 1:20 ‘That he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.’

Colossians 3:1 ‘If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.’

Hebrews 1:3-4 ‘He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.’

Hebrews 10:12 ‘But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.’

Hebrews 12:2 ‘Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.’

1 Peter 3:21-22 . . . through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.’  

  • It led to the sending of the promised Holy Spirit.

Act2:33b ‘Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.’

In John 7 when Jesus had gone up to the Festival of Tabernacles it says that ‘on the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink . . . Now this he said about the Spirit . . . for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.’ (vv37-39) Jesus needed to ascend and to be glorified before the Holy Spirit could be sent to the waiting believers in the upper room.

In John 14 in conversation with his disciples, Jesus said, ‘I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter / Helper, even the Spirit of truth . . .’ (John 14:16-17) Once he had ascended, and been exalted and glorified, he asked his Father and there on the Day of Pentecost, the Spirit arrived. (See also John 16:7 ‘Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.’)

Tomorrow we will look at some more reasons for the importance of the Ascension, it means we have a Great High Priest acting on our behalf in heaven and if he has returned to the Father, then it means that according to his promise, he will come again!

He is exalted

The King is exalted on high

I will praise Him

He is exalted, forever exalted

And I will praise His name

He is the Lord

Forever His truth shall reign

Heaven and earth

Rejoice in His holy name

He is exalted

The King is exalted on high

Twila Paris CCLI788682

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Daily Devotion May 19th

TUESDAY 19th – Ephesians 3

We are going to continue in the book of Ephesians today and Chapter 3 verses 14-21.

Paul has started this chapter with the words, ‘For this reason . . .’ and then seems to get side-tracked before returning to his point again in verse 14 ‘For this reason . . .’ so to understand what he means by ‘For this reason’ we have to look back at the verses preceding chapter 3 and into chapter two. He has already done the same thing in chapter 1, after what he has said in the opening verses 1-14, he then says in verse 15 ‘For this reason’ and he prays for them.

I won’t sum up chapter 2 here because we have already looked at it in the previous two devotions, but as a result of who and what the believers had become in Christ, and because of his spiritual care for them Paul says ‘for this reason I bow my knees before the Father . . .’ And just as he prayed in chapter one, he prays again in chapter three. Now, he could have just told the believers he had prayed for them and then continued with his letter, but he chooses not to, he chooses instead to let them know what he has prayed for them verses 16-19.

What a good prayer for Paul to be praying for this Church in Ephesus, it’s a good example of a prayer that every pastor should be praying not only for himself but for the church in which he has been called to serve.

So often and rightly so, we can pray for all the material needs and the physical needs of one another and yet neglect to pray for spiritual needs.

Learning something from his prayer:

We saw in Ephesians 2 that God is rich in mercy (v4) and rich in grace (v7), here in chapter 3:18  we read of the unsearchable riches of Christ and then in Pauls prayer in v16 the riches of his glory. Glory is a word that is used to describe the very presence of God, I believe it describes the fulness of God himself, that is who he is in his attributes and what he is in his eternality. He is the source of life and at the same time he is the one who sustains life, therefore Paul is acknowledging that everything we need in this life finds its source out of the riches of God’s glory. The word riches linked to God’s glory means that God cannot give out so much that the supply runs low or even runs out. It is a permanently perpetual supply. His riches will never be exhausted, and God’s glory will never be diminished.

In this prayer Paul is praying that we would be strengthened with power through his Spirit in our inner being. There is no better place to get our power from than from the heavenly supply, we need to keep being strengthened by his power, the more so as we live in such dark and difficult days. Paul wants the same thing for the Colossian Church, Colossians 1:11 ‘May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy’. As I write these few thoughts down, my prayer is that we at Emmanuel Pentecostal Church, and others who are reading this through ‘Wordpress’ or email etc. will know what it is to be strengthened in our inner being as a result of God’s Spirit, imparting strength to us from out of the riches of his glory.

Paul wanted the believers to know not just in theory, but also in practical outworking the power of the presence of the indwelling Christ in their lives.

In the prayer, Paul mentions the dimensions of breadth, height, length, and depth without saying what the dimensions are referring to, it is generally accepted that he is referring to the wisdom and the love of God. In an earlier letter to the believers at Rome he uses similar language to describe that there is nothing in all of creation that can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:37-39), he sees everything that can seek to come against us as believers, he lists tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger and sword, (Romans 8:35) and his definite conclusion is that nothing will separate us from the love of God.

I will attempt to paint a picture here of what I can visualise in my mind, a picture that I hope and trust will help us to understand what I want to say from linking Ephesians 3:18 with Romans 8:31-39.

Imagine (or get a pencil and paper and draw) a large circle (dinner plate size) and a smaller circle. (saucer size and cut them out)

In the small circle place the words tribulation, distress, persecutions, famine, nakedness, danger, sword, and anything which you are battling against at this moment in your life. Then in the larger circle, just write around half of the circumference in the inside edge ‘the love of God’.

Spend a few moments just thinking about the things you have written on the small circle, on their own they would be very depressing, on their own they would swallow us up, but now, place the small circle into the centre of the larger circle, and see how the height, depth, breadth and length of the love of God is far bigger than the problems in the middle. So great is God’s love that there is nothing, absolutely nothing that can overwhelm his love or separate us from it.

Now, finally, somewhere around the other half of the circumference of the large circle also write ‘the wisdom of God.’ Now remind yourself that when you ever question God in the midst of your circumstances, his wisdom is at work, and his wisdom is beyond our wisdom and his thoughts are above our thoughts, so much so than even though it may seem the things written in the smaller circle might be working against us, Gods wisdom is at work, He knows what he is doing and he is bringing about his purpose and plan. The problems might loom over us, but God is much larger, his love is much larger, his power is much larger, and his wisdom is much larger. In the words of the Psalmist

Psalm 60:4 ‘You have set up a banner for those who fear you, that they may flee to it from the bow.’ Song of Solomon 2:4 ‘His banner over me is love’ When it actually comes to trying to measure out how wide, deep, high, or broad the love and wisdom of God are, it is impossible for as our text says in verse 7 ‘. . . the immeasurable love of Christ.’ It outreaches our circumstances by an immeasurable degree. If you take the larger circle in my illustration, we could never ever draw a circle big enough to contain the love of God or the wisdom of God, it us unfathomable and uncontainable.

Remember the children’s song ‘The love of Jesus is so wonderful? we will end todays devotion with the words, I have discovered there are more words to this that have been added later, so I have included them. Spend some time today meditating on the wonder of God’s love toward the sinner, toward us.

Jesus’ love is very wonderful

Jesus’ love is very wonderful,

Jesus’ love is very wonderful,

Oh, wonderful love!

It’s so high you can’t get over it,

So low you can’t get under it,

So wide you can’t get round it,

Oh, wonderful love!

So deep you can’t go through it,

So long you can’t see the end of it,

So strong you can’t resist it,

Oh, wonderful love!

So bright you have to see it,

So loud you have to hear it,

So sweet you have to taste it,

Oh, wonderful love!

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1st Verse Copyright © Scripture Union

2nd & 3rd Verse from Avebury Wiltshire

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Daily Devotion May 18th

MONDAY 18th – Ephesians 2:11-22

We continue from yesterday and will go to the second ‘but’ in this chapter, in verse 13 ‘But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.’ A similar portion of Scripture is found in Paul’s letter to the Colossians, ‘For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him’

In Ephesians 2 Paul makes a statement about the Gentile, that is the non–Jewish people, that they (which also includes us) were separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth (or family) of Israel, not included in the covenants of God and we were without hope and without God in the world. It is a sweeping statement that sums up that until that time, everything that God seemed to do and be doing was for and involving Israel. They were his special people, they had been given the law, they had been given the covenants or promises. It was an ‘us and ‘you’ kind of programme of events, but thank God again for the ‘but’ found here in verse 13, it all changed at Calvary, for Paul says ‘BUT NOW in Christ you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.’ The cross now meant that God was working not just with the Jew in mind, but also for the Gentile. When Christ died on the cross he was dying for the whosoever, when he became a substitute, dying as the Passover Lamb, he was atoning for the sins of the world and as a result we all, that is Jew and Gentile as we come to believe have access in one Spirit to the Father.

The but in verse 13 leads to a complete change in the situation. There is reconciliation in two ways, first between the Jew and Gentile, the division between both is taken away, so there is no longer an ‘us’ and ‘them’ but through the cross we enjoy the same benefits, the same means of salvation, the same results of salvation and the same blessings that spring from salvation. Instead of the Jew and the Gentile, the cross led to the creation of one new man, that is one new united group or body which is the Church. The second reconciliation is found in verse 16, ‘reconciled us both (Jew and Gentile) to God’. This is good news for in contrast to verses 11-12, verse 19 says that we (the Gentiles) are no longer strangers and aliens but are fellow citizens with or as the saints and members of the household of God.

Yesterday we looked at Gods abundant mercy, great love, and amazing grace. The whole of Ephesians chapter 2 also reminds us of Gods incredible plan. Yes, as Paul puts it in the chapter, it seemed as if everything God was doing up until that point was all toward and for Israel the Jew, but in reality, he had a plan that was purposed even before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 1:9 says ‘making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ’ This purpose he put into effect immediately after the fall when he pronounced to the serpent, ‘I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel.’ (Genesis 3:15) And time rolled on, various events and characters in the Old Testament pointed toward a coming Saviour, who finally arrived at the God appointed moment (Galatians 4:4 ) and that which had been foreordained happened as he, the one born to be the Saviour, surrendered his life as a substitute at Calvary so that we who were dead in our trespasses and sins might be made alive. Ephesians 1:4 says ‘even as he (God) chose us in him (Jesus) before the foundation of the world,’ our inclusion into the family of God, our becoming members of the family of God, our being fellow citizens in the household of God, our being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit wasn’t an after-thought God had thousands of years after he had been dealing with the Jew, it was decided, purposed and planned even before the foundation of the world.

We will let the apostle Peter have the final word today: 1 Peter 2:9-10 ‘But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.’

Wonderful grace

That gives what I don’t deserve

Pays me what Christ has earned

And lets me go free

Wonderful grace

That gives me the time to change

Washes away the stain

That once covered me

And all that I have

I lay at the feet

Of the Wonderful Saviour who loves me

Wonderful love

That held in the face of death

Breathed, in it’s final breath

Forgiveness for me

Wonderful love

Who’s power can break every chain

Giving us life again

Setting us free

John Pantry ©Harper Collins CCLI788682

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Daily Devotion May 15th

FRIDAY 15th

Reading – Romans 8

The Lockdown or the restrictions we have had over the last eight weeks will have affected us all, some have been almost like prisoners in their own homes, others will have had a little more freedom and been able to go for a walk each day or out to do a shop, while others have had to continue to go out to work because they have been classed as essential or key workers, then there are those who either themselves or family members will have suffered the virus and had their lives affected in ways unimaginable just a few months ago. At this point I want to add my personal thanks and appreciation to everyone who has kept going, working on the front line as an essential worker, the farmers and production workers along with the shop workers keeping shops stocked for our daily provision, the Government and the team working with the Government who have had to and will yet have to make tough, difficult decisions to anticipate us pulling through this pandemic, and the NHS and associate workers who have risked all to bring the healthcare needed during this time.

We have gone out on the doorstep each Thursday evening to clap them  and the appreciation needs to be continued afterward. We also thank God for the way he has undertaken for us as a Church family, we have prayed, and God has heard our prayers and will continue to do so.

For us personally, the restrictions have meant that our house has been delayed, our belongings will remain in storage in North Wales for longer than anticipated, our holiday to Australia that should have started on May 13th has had to be postponed, and it will be longer before we can finally settle down properly to the new life up here in the North East of England that commenced in mid-February. To be honest it certainly was not how we had planned it to work out when we put the ball in motion to relocate last year. BUT and it is a big BUT, God has not been caught out! He knew exactly what was going to happen. When I thought we would be in Perth, God knew we would still be in Middlesbrough, when I thought we would have had the keys to our new house and the furniture in, God knew it would still be in storage and the keys not ready to hand over. And why can I say this? And why do I believe it? To put simply because I believe in the sovereignty of God. I believe that as we have surrendered our lives over to him, God is control of our every situation. For us and for you that are reading this.

In the book of Jonah, we see how God had control over Jonah’s circumstances. Jonah was asked to go to Tarshish, but he ran away, it was God who provided the storm! (Jonah 1:4) As a result of the storm Jonah was thrown overboard, it was God who provided the big fish, (1:17) Jonah was spewed out on the dry land, it was God that manoeuvred the big fish from the depths of the sea to the shore line, (2:10) Jonah obeyed the second time, and preached and the people repented, it was God’s right to not do what he said he would do to the people of Nineveh, (3:10) Jonah got angry with God and sulked, it was God who provided a plant to grow and give Jonah shade (4:6) and the next day it was God who caused the plant to shrivel up and die, (4:7) and to cap it all it was God who declared to Jonah, you pity the plant, should I not show pity to Nineveh, (4:10-11) and why? because God is sovereign, he is in control of every situation.

We cannot always understand the way we have to take, but we trust God. With the world-wide pandemic, humanly speaking we do not understand and may ask a thousand plus questions, but God knows, and in and through it all God is working out his divine will and purpose.

This has been a shorter than normal devotion, but it’s purpose is to give us all hope, in the midst of everything all around us God is in control, as he was there every step of the way in Jonah’s circumstance, so he is with ours. And hey, be grateful that during the lock down we are in our own homes – Jonah spent his in the belly of the fish!

A couple of closing verses:

From our reading today Romans 8:28 ‘And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.’

1 Corinthians 7:17 ‘Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.’

Job 42:1-2 ‘Then Job answered the LORD and said: I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.’

Psalm 42:5 ‘Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation.’

And we know that all things work together

Yes we know that all things work together

For those who are called

Those who love God

Those who are called

Called to Your purpose

All things work together

All things work together

All things work together

Work together for good

So we lift up our hearts

Lift up our hands

Lift up our hope in You

Though we may not yet understand

We know it’s true

Twila Paris CCLI788682