Month: January 2023

Choosing forgiveness

January 26, 2023

I really like this thought from today’s Our Daily Bread. It talks about choosing forgiveness and give an example from marriage…

“Eighty years of marriage! My husband’s great-uncle Pete and great-aunt Ruth celebrated this remarkable milestone on May 31, 2021. After a chance meeting in 1941 when Ruth was still in high school, the young couple were so eager to get married that they eloped the day after Ruth graduated. Pete and Ruth believe God brought them together and has guided them all these years.

Reflecting on eight decades of marriage, Pete and Ruth both agree that one key to sustaining their relationship has been the decision to choose forgiveness. Anyone in a healthy relationship understands that we all regularly need forgiveness for the ways we hurt each other, whether through an unkind word, a broken promise, or a forgotten task.”

Crying out to God

January 20, 2023

Psalm 107:10-16 NLT – Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom, imprisoned in iron chains of misery. [11] They rebelled against the words of God, scorning the counsel of the Most High. [12] That is why he broke them with hard labor; they fell, and no one was there to help them. [13] “LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. [14] He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom; he snapped their chains. [15] Let them praise the LORD for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. [16] For he broke down their prison gates of bronze; he cut apart their bars of iron.

In this passage we see the people were in chains and then they cried out to God. Once they did this, He freed them. Let us look at the progression.

1. The people were in chains of misery. Why? Because they rebelled against God’s Word and counsel. (V11-12)

2. They cried out to God for help and HE saved them (v13)

3. HE led them from darkness and broke their chains (v14)

4. The people praised God for saving and releasing them (v15-16)

All true freedom starts with crying out to God. HE alone is the one who can truly set people free. In this life we can be bound up by so many things, but only God can truly free us.

Prayer

Dear God, I feel like I am bound up in chains. Today I come to You and cry out. I ask that You will free me. Help me to listen to Your Word and Your counsel. I ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

I need Your help Lord

January 17, 2023

I am aware that I need Your help Lord…

with every breath that I receive
with every step I take
with every thought I think
with every glance I see
with every prayer I pray
with every person I help
with every verse I read
with every bite I eat
with every sip I drink
with every rest I take
with every interaction I make

I am aware that I need Your help Lord.

Amen

Jesus touched people

January 13, 2023

One of the things I have been reflecting on lately is that Jesus often touched people. It didn’t matter if they had Leprosy or other diseases he still touched them with compassion.

This is particularly interesting because in Jesus’ times if you touched someone who had leprosy you instantly made yourself ritually unclean. You then had to go through an intense washing process to be “right” again. Because of this many Rabbis and Teachers of the Law avoided touching people, it was a social and spiritual taboo.

This is one of the great things about Jesus. He could have come and sat on a throne and issued teachings from afar, but instead He chose to live amongst the people. He walked, talked, healed, taught, touched and ate with people every day.

If you have a perception that God is a far off and distant God who is removed from His creation, I would encourage you to look at the life of Jesus and see what God is really like. I think you will find, like I have, that He truly was a hands on Saviour.

Be blessed,
Dave

Come to the Lord if you are thirsty

January 2, 2023

Isaiah 55:1 NLT – “Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink- even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk- it’s all free!

Coming to the Lord if you are thirsty is a common theme throughout the Bible. We see it in both the Old and New Testaments.

In Exodus the Lord gave water to the Israelites when they were walking through the desert to Mount Sinai (see Exodus 17:1-6). God told Moses to strike the rock and water will flow.

The same offer of water is part of Jesus’ discussion with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:13-14). He said the water He gives will bubble up inside them and they will never be thirsty again.

Jesus repeats the offer to the crowds in Jerusalem (John 7:37-38). He said that anyone who believes and comes to Him, will drink and streams of living water will flow from them.

Finally, John records it at the final stage of his revelation (Revelation 22:17). In this passage Jesus calls us to drink freely from the water of life…everlasting life.

In all of these passages we see the ongoing call to come to the Lord if we are thirsty. We see that the Lord wants to give us the water of life. The water that satisfies not only for this life, but for all eternity.

If you are feeling dry in your faith and life at the moment, I would encourage you to come to the Lord afresh today. Imagine yourself at the edge of the waterfall in the image above and call out to Him.

Don’t hold back, just dive in and be refreshed. He has more than enough for us all!