The Right Time

Thursday, December 25 2014

In a speech given during the commencement of a newly formed missions agency, my friend - who heads up the ministry - spoke of its mission and vision. He also gave everyone a clear picture of its goals and plans.

Similarly, at the start of His public ministry, our Lord Jesus gave an "inaugural message" in a synagogue in His hometown. He deliberately directed everyone´s attention to Isaiah´s prophecy concerning God´s Anointed One (Luke 4:16-20).

Nearly 700 years earlier, the prophet Isaiah had spoken of the mission of the Messiah : "The Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor --- to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed ... to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord´s favour has come" (Isaiah 61:1-2). Isaiah 61 celebrates God´s grace in delivering the Jews from the Babylonian bondage, and proclaims God´s glory in restoring and blessing the Jews after their exile.

After reading this Scripture, Jesus publicly announced that He was the Messiah who had come : "The Scripture you´ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!" (Luke 4:21). Jesus laid out His mission (vv. 18-19). He declared that God had sent Him to rescue us (Matthew 1:21), to heal all who are broken by sin (Psalms 34:18, 147:3), to set free those captured by Satan and enslaved in sin (John 8:32-36; Romans 6:6-8) and to restore and bless us (Ephesians 1:3).

Christmas is a reminder that "the time of the Lord´s favour has come" (Luke 4:19). And the apostle Paul reminds us not to reject "this marvellous gift of God´s kindness... indeed, the 'right time' is now. Today is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:1-2). - K.T. Sim

Read
Luke 4:16-21
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written : 

"THe Spirit of the Lord is on me,

because he has anointed me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and recovery of sight for the blind,

to release the oppressed,

to proclaim the year of the Lord´s favor."

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of  everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

Matthew 5:3-10

Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, 

for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, 

for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Question to Ponder

God has shown you His favour. Have you received His gift of salvation?

If you are a believer, how has salvation in Jesus changed your life?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue

Preparing the Way

Monday December 8, 2014

On 21 July 2013, media outlets worldwide held their collective breath as they waited for the birth of the child of Prince William and Kate Middleton. The baby was third in line to the British throne, and so when Prince George was born the next day there was hardly a newspaper or news programme that didn´t herald the announcement front and centre.

A star paid the Creator homage (Matthew 2:9), angels called out in worship, "Glory to God in highest heaven" (Luke 2:14) and shepherds and wise men travelled from afar to give Jesus the glory and gifts that He deserved (Matthew 2:11, Luke 2:15-16). But before Jesus was born, another baby entered the world. That baby grew to be the man called by God to announce His message of repentance and to prepare the way for the coming King. As we read in Luke 1, an angel heralded not only Jesus' birth, but also the birth of the prophet John the Baptist (v. 17). While in his mother´s womb, John leapt with joy as Jesus - while in Mary´s womb - came close to him (v. 41).

Later as a man, John began a ministry that paved the way for the greatest King the world has ever known. But while John made his own headlines, he ultimately came to realise the true identity of Jesus and to proclaim that He was the Messiah. All will bow to this King - stars and angels, shepherds and wise men. As Paul wrote, "Christ will be revealed from heaven ... the King of all kings and Lord of all lords" (1 Timothy 6:15).

Christmas stands as a vivid reminder of Jesus' identity as the King of Kings. May we prepare the way for others to bow before this King as we proclaim His good news this Christmas - Peter Chin

Read
Luke 1:13-17
But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous - to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

Revelations 5:6-14
Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
And they sang a new song : 

"You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals,

because you were slain,

and with your blood you purchased men for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation.

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,

and they will reign on the earth."

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang : 

"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power 

and wealth and wisdom and strength

and honour and glory and praise!"

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:

"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be praise and honor and glory and power

for ever and ever!"

The four living creatures said, "Amen", and the elders fell down and worshipped.

Question to Ponder

When you worship God, what image of Him do you most commonly hold in your heart and mind?
How can you prepare the way for others to hear the good news of Jesus the King this Christmas?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue

Worship and Christmas

Wednesday, December 3 2014

Last year, as we were headed to my sister´s house on Christmas Eve, my husband and I picked up a few last minute items at a large supermarket. My musings on the variety of shoppers populating the shop on this special night turned to dismay when I headed past an aisle where Christmas items had been stocked only days earlier. Gone were the splashes of green and red. Now pink and red heart shaped items for Valentine´s Day filled the shelves.

Christmas had not yet arrived, but it was already gone.

Stripped of its marketing strategy, the retail makeover revealed to me the human desire for more - whether it´s more money or the drive to make holidays bigger and better. While I understand that this is the nature of a consumerism society, I can´t help but wonder what it reveals about the human heart. How quickly secondary things can steal our attention! And we lose the ability to be in awe of something - or better yet, Someone (Luke 2:11).

Rich with detail, the record of Jesus' birth (Luke 2:1-16) reveals to us a central truth : we´re called to worship Jesus - the Messiah who came to save us. Granted, we can´t always slow down the events of life, but our worship shouldn´t be based on our external circumstances. It should be based in what God has done and the glory of His Son. May we follow the shepherds' example and glorify and praise God this Christmas : "The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all that had heard and seen" (v.20).

In this most precious time of year, let´s be mindful to let the Holy Spirit lead our celebrations; let´s not move to the rhythms of the world. The Saviour of all mankind is worthy of our full worship. - Regina Franklin

Read 
Luke 2:1-20
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galileee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let´s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Isaiah 9:1-7
Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtall, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan -

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.

You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy;

they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest,

as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.

For as in the day of Midian´s defeat,

you have shattered the yoke that burdens them,

the bar across their shoulders, 

the rod of their oppressor.

Every warrior´s boot used in battle and 

every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning,

will be fuel for the fire.

For to us a child is born, 

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.

He will reign on David´s throne and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness

From that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

Question to Ponder

What have you valued most this week?

Can you cultivate awe and wonder in your relationship with Jesus or is it something that just happens?

How can you create an atmosphere of worship wherever you are this Christmas season?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue