God, Us and Truth.

Jesus Heals in Response to Faith

Luke 5:17-26 NLT
One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of religious law were sitting nearby. (It seemed that these men showed up from every village in all Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem.) And the Lord's healing power was strongly with Jesus. [18] Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, [19] but they couldn't reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus. [20] Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, "Young man, your sins are forgiven." [21] But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, "Who does he think he is? That's blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!" [22] Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why do you question this in your hearts? [23] Is it easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up and walk'? [24] So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!" [25] And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God. [26] Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, "We have seen amazing things today!"

What does the story say?
Can you imagine being in this situation. Jesus is in the area, everyone wants to see him, but you and your friends can't get in because it is so crowded. You are desperate to see him, so what do you do? I'm not sure I woukd have thought about going through the roof, but these friends did.

The friends realise that this is no ordinary situation, so they decide to lower their friend through the roof. Now that was sure to get attention. Jesus saw them, he saw their heart, and their desires, and he responded.

Jesus heals in response to faith

Jesus heals the paralyzed man in response to faith. He saw and responded to the faith of the man and his friends. Jesus knew the people's hearts, he knew that the man on the mat needed healing and forgiveness. (He also knew what the reaction of the pharisees would be). But he knew the need, he saw the faith, and he responded. 

The friends' also saw the need and the possibility of new life and were determined to get the man to Jesus, no matter what. They were prepared to do something radical. The place where Jesus was teaching and healing was crowded, but his friends were radical in their thinking and did not allow circumstances to defeat them. They knew Jesus was the answer for their friend. Jesus knew that the real need was forgiveness, he addresses both the felt need, and the real need and the man walks home totally free.

We also see here the critical heart of the pharisees. They were not responding to faith. They chose to judge and to criticise.

What do we learn about God?
God forgives, and his grace and mercy are available to all no matter the situation. Jesus had been healing lots of people, his desire is to set people free so that they can truly be all that God created them to be.

God is a God who heals. Whether your 'paralysis' is physical, emotional or spiritual, God is there and wants to set people free. Forgiveness of sin is often linked to healing. We need God's forgiveness. Jesus healed the man, and set him free, not just from his physical paralysis, but from the sin that separated him from God. God will heal in all sorts of ways, and  he heals in response to faith, and sets us free.

Psalm 103:1-5 NLT
Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. [2] Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me. [3] He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. [4] He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. [5] He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle's!

What other truths does the story portray?
Religious people like the pharisees, miss opportunities for miracles because they are caught up in rules and regulations rather than grace and forgiveness. These people had come as spectators to watch and to criticise. They had all the right gear, but they had not come to support the game, they had come to sit back and watch the players.

Jesus often had strong words for the pharisees, because whilst they knew so much, or thought they knew so much about God, they did not come to God with the right attitude.

Matthew 23:2-4, 23-28 NLT
"The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. [3] So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don't follow their example. For they don't practice what they teach. [4] They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden. [23] "What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law-justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. [24] Blind guides! You strain your water so you won't accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel! [25] "What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy-full of greed and self-indulgence! [26] You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too. [27] "What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs-beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. [28]Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.

We can ask ourselves some questions here:
How do I see other people and what is my response to what God is doing for others?

What critical and judgemental attitudes do I have that stop me from seeing God's grace and mercy at work in others?

James 4:8, 11-12 NLT
Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. [11] Don't speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God's law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. [12] God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbour?

It is usually spectators who are not taking part in the game who think they have a right to criticise the actions of everyone else. Think about sport: its the commentators and the spectators, who usually sit back in judgement of the referees or the players. Some know quite a bit about the game. But they are just spectators. People truly active in God's kingdom usually have a desire to just get on with it, and they don't have the time or the inclination, to criticise.

Proverbs 3:7 NLT
Don't be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

Mostly we criticise because we think people should do things our way. It's actually a selfish motive, usually based in wanting/needing to promote ourselves in some way. (Note: I'm talking about the attitude of criticism, as opposed to having a good, sound objective, critical analysis of a situation.)

What do we learn about how we are to live?
Our attitude is meant to be one of faith that is based on who God is, not on who we are. The paralyzed man was not trusting in what he could do himself, he was trusting in what God can do. His friends were not trusting in their own abilities. They were looking to Jesus for the answer.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. [6] Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

The friends facilitated the healing, they were active and practical, but they trusted In God not in man. They had a desire to be close to Jesus and they wanted to place their friend in a situation where he was close to Jesus. We don't know whose idea it was, the man or his friends, but together, they made a difference for someone. This is the value of good friends. Notice that they positioned themselves close to Jesus and were prepared to be a little radical in what they did to make sure they got close. God wants people to draw close to him.

Isaiah 55:1-7 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! [2] Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. [3] "Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David. [4] See how I used him to display my power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations. [5] You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious." [6] Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. [7] Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.

The friends didn't care if they looked a little bit silly. They just did what they needed to do to get close to Jesus and give their friend a chance to be healed.

Are we living in a way that positions us close to Jesus?

What radical actions (out of the square, out of the box kind of actions) are we prepared to take to help our friends come close to Jesus?

What do I need to do now? Or; What is my next step?
The answer to this is for personal reflection.

A thought

Jesus says in Luke 8, Be careful how you hear.

Am I hearing with the intent to take action and respond to the word of God and the voice of God, or am I hearing to ignore?

How am I hearing? What is my attitude and how will I respond?

What is my response to what I have just heard?

Disciple and Teach

Our key verses for this series are Matt 11:28-30 and Matthew 28:18-20

We have discussed what it means to come to Jesus, and what it means to go into thw world. Today our focus is on making disciples and teaching them to follow Jesus.

Matt 28:18-20
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

As we come to Jesus and find our fulfilment in him, as we go into the world with the good news that we have, (be and tell a friend). The next thing I see here is “make disciples” and “teach them to obey” the commands of Jesus.

When we are in the business of making disciples it is more than just telling them the good news. The next step is helping them to take the journey of faith with you. When people accept the grace of God, they always need someone else to guide them on the journey. That is our responsibility. It is not the responsibility of the life group leader or the pastor. It is our responsibility.

Now, before we all get worked up and think we can’t do it, because we don’t know enough, haven’t had enough education etc. know that Jesus made it easy for us. Remember, we come to Jesus. In relationship with him, we come and we then take on what he’s called us to do.

We only need to stay one step ahead of those we are discipling. Jesus used many different techniques to teach his disciples and to teach the people. He spoke to them about God’s word, he spoke to them in stories. He presented truth in a way people could understand, and he loved and accepted them in the process.

There are some things we can do that will help us as we do life with those we are discipling and teaching. They are not difficult, but they are necessary.

1. Be a disciple
The best thing we can do is be a proactive person; being a disciple; being a follower and a learner. This is what the word disciple means. It is someone who follows, learns from another, and then passes it on.

We are followers of Jesus. If we are true disciples, we will learn from him, and place ourselves in an environment that allows us to learn. This is why life groups and hanging out together is good. We learn from one another, and we follow Christ. 

Acts 2:42
The Believers Form a Community
42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

The word “devoted” means:
to adhere to one, be his adherent, to be devoted or constant to one
to be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing
to continue all the time in a place
to persevere and not to faint
to show one's self courageous for
to be in constant readiness for one, wait on constantly

In other words, the new converts and followers of Jesus were steadfastlty attentive, they made every effort to follow and learn about Jesus, meet with one another, share together and pray. Note that it does not say the apostles had to chase everyone up, check that they were ok and make sure everyone was connecting.

Instead, the followers made decisions in their lives that put the discipleship, learning process as the main priority and they were “steadfastly attentive” to it themselves. This is about a decision to live in a way that means choosing to walk with Jesus.

It means choosing a relationship with him, and with other Christians, choosing to share in small groups, meet at the Temple in larger groups and to pray. They set a pattern we can follow. We all have the power of choice. We will find time for what we value, and the things that are our priority.

What decisions am I making that draw me to Jesus or away from him?

What areas of my life do I need to make different choices in if I am to be a follower of Jesus?

What will I do this week that will help me become “steadfastly attentive” to being a follower of Jesus?

2. Know what Jesus commanded
How do we know what Jesus commanded? If we spend time with him and in his word, we will find out. This does not mean you have to become the next Bible scholar. But if we spend time in his word we will discover his commands.

Here's some examples:
Love one another. Love your neighbour as yourself. Do to others as you would have them do to you. Etc. I’m not going to press this point, but reading the Word of God every day helps.

The early disciples were “steadfastly attentive” to the teaching, to what they were being taught. They followed it up. The Berean’s were commended for not just listenning, but for being attentive, and more honourable, checking out what they were taught and putting it into practice in their lives.  

Acts 17:10-12
Paul and Silas in Berea
10 That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. 12 As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.

If we are followers of someone, it is usual to know what they stand for and what they believe. A follower or member of a political party needs to understand tge manifesto, to understand the beliefs of those they follow. What makes us think that we can follow Christ without knowing what he stands for and what he thinks. We are to teach others, but we can only teach what we know. 

1 Corinthians 2 tells us that we can know what God wants because the Spirit who knows lives in us. As we read the Bible, as we spend time in the word, more understanding is given to us. Let’s be women who are not just proactive in being a disciple ourselves, but who are proactive in reading, listening and learning and then being ready to pass it on. Paul said to Timothy to always be ready to have a word, in season and out of season.

What commands of Jesus do I need to know to help others to become followers of Jesus?

What am I actively doing to learn the commands of Jesus?

3. Pass it on to others.
When we know the Word, when we are active, then we can pass it on to others. This does not mean you have to be word perfect. No-one is asking you to recite word by word long passages of scripture (though it is possible to do so with practice).

The key thing is that the word of God is passed on in a way that does not dilute or detract from its truth. Jesus often used stories, and much of the Bible narrative lends itself to stories. Think about the people Jesus meets, and the way he uses stories to explain things to them. Jesus was a great story teller and he highlighted God’s truths through them.

Stories are easy to learn and to repeat. Think about how the people of Israel learnt about their history and were able to repeat it to others. Now don’t worry if you think you can’t remember a story. We have our Bibles to help us along the way and the Holy Spirit to guide us. 

Jesus says to teach others to obey his commands. Remember, all of this is meant to be done as part of a community, and with the help and support of others. If we are proactive in our followership, if we know the commands and the stories, then it’s easy to pass them on to others. No main auditorium is required. Jesus did most of his teaching walking and eating with others. We can do it the same way.

An Exercise:
When we think about people who are at seeking God, there are some great stories from the Bible that reveal God’s grace. When we are discipling and teaching others we can use other stories. Today, lets think about some stories that will help us understand Biblical truth and how we can apply it. This is learning how to retell Scripture and to pass on God's word without diminishing its truth in any way.

For your friends who have struggles with a difficult life there is the woman at the well - John 4

For friends who are religious but don’t have relationship with God there is Nicodemus - John 3

For the person who has wandered away and really needs to know God’s love, there is the prodigal son. Luke 15

For the person caught up in the love of material things there is Zacchaeus (Luke 19) and The rich young man (Matt 19) – different responses to the same issue.

You can learn these stories. There is some skill involved in learning the story, but that skill is not beyond anyone of us. It is a method that even the unschooled can learn. But there are many other stories that illustrate God’s love and his grace and how he wants us to live.

Here is the exercise. Choose a story:
Read it and then practice retelling it. Help one another. Then ask the following questions.

What does the story say?

What do we learn about God?

What truths does the story portray?

What do we learn about how we are to live?

What is my next step, what do i need to do?

This is a pretty straight forward way to disciple another.

So as we conclude this series, remember to come to Jesus, find your fulfilment in him and take on his agenda for your life. Know that as you do that, you are also equipped and empowered to go into the world, starting where God has placed you now. As you spend time with him, and learn his ways through his Word and apply it to your life, you will be equipped to make disciples, teach them, and help them on their journey of faith.

Go

Come

Matt 11:28,29
Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

And Go

Matt 28:18-20
I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Come and Go.

As we've been discussing, this is a theme that Jesus uses. He calls his disciples to himself and then he sends them out. He calls us to himself, and then he sends us out.

Come
Mark 1:16-17
One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net out into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, Come follow me and I will show you how to fish for people.

Go
Luke 9:1-2
One day Jesus called together his disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Luke 10:1
The Lord now chose 72 other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit.

This week we will think about what it actually means to go.

Jesus tells us to go out into the world and share the good news of his love and grace. He has been given all authority, so he basically says "because I have all authority, you are able to go".

What does the authority of Jesus actually give us.

1. The authority to go in Jesus name

We don't go in our own power or strength. We go in the power Jesus has given us. This power/authority means:
-Power of choice and liberty
-Permission
-Physical and mental power
-Authority, right and privilege
-Power of rule and government

Are we getting the picture? Jesus has all authority, and his command to "go" is based in that authority.

Luke 9:1-2
One day Jesus called together his disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

When he sent out the twelve he said he was giving them his authority (the same word he uses later in his commissioning), and power - strength, power, power for performing miracles.

In Acts, he tells the disciples to wait, and they will receive power to be witnesses. God's power is for a purpose.

Acts 1:8
But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

The word here is the same - power, the same miracle performing power, strength and ability. Lets get a hold of the truth that Jesus brings. We have his authority and power to go into the world.

What hinders us from going in his power?

Do we actually believe what Jesus says?

Then, we are already equipped to go into the world. We are already empowered by Jesus, through his Spirit to take his good news to our community.

2. Go means go.

Mark 10:15
Go into all the world and preach the Good news to everyone, everywhere.

I think this is pretty straight forward. Everyone, everywhere does not give much room for excuses. We have power and authority given to us by Jesus to bring the good news of God's love and grace to everyone, everywhere.

Go does not mean sit around in your comfort zone and drink tea from fine china. (This doesn't mean we can't ever use nice china, but it does mean that if that is all we do, we've missed the point.)

Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!

Paul says:
Romans 10:14-15
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believein him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, "How beautiful are the feet of the messengers who bring good news.

There are two aspects to this. There are those who go and those who send. But these are not mutually exclusive. Jesus did not say - find other people and send them out. He said go yourself. But there is also an aspect of sending. In the church of Antioch, the elders prayed and the church sent out Paul and Barnabus.

So we are to go and we are to send. We are to go to Judea, Samaria and the Ends of the earth. What does this mean for us? Some will go to Jerusalem,the local Wollongong Community, this is our main area or to Judea, a bit like our state

Some will go to Samaria - other parts of the region and some will go to sthe ends of the earth. I believe that what Jesus is saying is start where you are, and go out from there. Start where you are in Wollongong, and God will lead you if he wants you to go further afield.

Don't get caught up in negative thinking such as: what if God sends me to some God forsaken place. Instead, be positive: God has empowered me to reach out to people, right here, where I am.

When we do that, we will be willing to go to other countries if he calls us. These are not mutually exclusive. Some will be called to different areas and this will be where God calls them to serve. This may be local or it might be to unreached people groups.

Where is God calling you to "go"?

What are you doing about it and how will you act on it this week ?

3. Be Active in the Community

What are we doing locally to reach people?
This is where Be a Friend; Tell a friend; Bring a Friend comes in. The Bible tell us that others will know we belong to Christ by the love we have for each other. This is a challenge because often its the way we behave towards each other that says more about what we believe than anything else.

Lets be a community of women that loves each other. We may not always agree, but lets be gracious in our disagreements. Lets continue in community so that together we reach our community.

As we build a community of women here at Citylife, and as we think about our families and friends: who is God placing on our hearts, in this community, for us to relate to, pray for and tell about God's love?

Come

Come and Go Part 1.

Jesus says: Come

Matt 11:28,29

Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

And Go

Matt 28:18-20

I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Come and Go.

Coming and Going is a theme that Jesus uses with his disciples and those who follow him. He calls his disciples to himself and then he sends them out. He calls us to himself, and then he sends us out.

He calls the disciples to "Come follow Me"

Mark 1:16-17

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net out into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, Come follow me and I will show you how to fish for people.

And then a little while later he tells them to "Go". He sends them out on a mission to heal and to tell about the Kingdom of God.

Luke 9:1-2

One day Jesus called together his disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Luke 10:1

The Lord now chose 72 other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit.

Over the next few weeks we will investigate what it means to come to Jesus and how we go out into all the world. Today we look at "Come". Jesus says "Come to me". What does Jesus mean when he says "come to me"? In Jesus, we find the answer to life's greatest need. In Jesus we find love, grace, mercy, acceptance, and a place to lay down the sorrow and the burdens we carry.

Jesus promises to give us rest if we will come to him.

A couple of thoughts 

1. Choose to come

So often we run around trying to resolve the issues we face when Jesus simply says to come. We talk about giving our cares and our worries to him, but it only happens when we actually do that. When we stop the merry-go-round and we choose - a deliberate action - to come to Jesus.

We can reel off all the scriptures, all the platitudes, but unless we actually stop, and choose to come to Jesus, nothing changes. Jesus wants us to get off the merry-go-round of running in circles and to choose his presence, his peace, his hope. He simply says, come, and be still.

Psal 37:7

Be still in the presence of the Lord.

Psalm 46:10

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still. Stop the worry, stop the anxious running around.

1 Peter 5:7

Give all your worries and cares to God for he cares for you.

Jesus cares for us, and he knows that the burdens that we carry are too big for us. He says to offload our burden with him, and to take on his yoke because his burden is light, and his yoke is easy. When we come to Jesus, and trust him, he removes our burden of guilt and shame and he brings peace to our anxious thoughts. He gives us a place to come, and a place to experience his peace, and his righteousness.

When we yoke ourselves with him, following his pattern and his purpose, we begin to allow his life to flow through ours. We take on his yoke, his purpose for our lives, which lives is be a light yoke, because we are in a place of rest in him and living a purposeful life. 

Let go of the burdens. Jesus offers rest, peace and hope. He offers an opportunity to come to him, no matter what life throws at us, no matter the circumstances we face, and he gives us grace to go and live the way he has purposed for us. 

Choose to come to Jesus. Choose his rest and his presence.

John 1:16-17

From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ

When we are intentional we can let go of worry and rest in God. This does not mean we do nothing, but we first come to Jesus, we give the worry to him and we wait for his direction.  

Don't just react to everything - we can choose our response. When stuff happens, when people say or do dumb stuff, (and they will), when circumstances aren't great, lets be women who choose to respond in a sensible way, and come to Jesus.

2. Ready to listen

God speaks to us in many ways. When we choose to come, when we deliberately take the time, we find that God is there, waiting. If we will listen, we will hear his voice.

Elijah heard God, not in the fire, or the earthquake or the storm, but in the still small voice. The old hymn - O Lord and Father of Mankind by John Greenleaf Whittier, says it perfectly: "speak through the earthquake, wind and fire, o still small voice of calm". This encapsulates the understanding that it is in the still small voice that God speaks.

1 Kings 19 tells the story.

Elijah had reacted and gone into panic mode. He literally runs and yet God finds him and says "what are you doing here?" How often do we find ourselves away from God and his purpose because we react, go into worry mode and run around aimlessly?

But how can we hear God's voice when we are like that? Are we prepared to stop, listen for the voice of God, the voice of calm? God came to Elijah and he basically says "what are you doing". "How about you stop running and panicking. How about you get on my agenda, and he isnt too keen on Elijahs response.

Elijah tried to justify himself, and God says - stop running, draw close - listen to what I have to say. God spoke in a gentle whisper, and again says "what are you doing here?" He then tells Elijah to go back. And he gives him directions for the next phase of his ministry. We can only hear God properly when we stop running and we start listening for God's still small voice.

Lets make sure we are listenning. Sometimes we want the miracle, the loud audible voice, but God speaks in a still, small voice.  God speaks to us by his Spirit. This is his prefered mode of communication. God is waiting for us to come, he is wanting us to come, to take the time to sit/stand/walk in his presence - to hear his voice.

1 Cor 2:9-12

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."

But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets. No-one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spiirt, an no-one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit) so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

We come to Jesus. We find refuge in him, we draw to him, and are still. We wait, and know that God will speak to us. He will speak, in his still small voice, and through his Spirit.

Will we take the time to respond instead of react and sit quietly before God?

Concluding Thoughts

Jesus tells us to come to him, to give him all to him, to take on his plan and purpose for our lives. Then, when we have come to him, we are in a place where we can be still, and listen to him, learning to recognise his still small voice.

Will we come?

Will we be still?

Will we listen?

 

What is your response to God today?

 

 

A thought for today

Acts 2:42 NLT
All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord's Supper), and to prayer.

Devoted themselves.
What does it mean to "devote yourself"?

When I think of these words I think of the following: time, intentional, deliberate actions, proactive, passionate and willing.

What does it mean to devote yourself?

For me it means to take the initiative, to be proactive in my approach to my spiritual life, not waiting for others to do something for me, but taking responsibility for my relationship with my Heavenly Father. He has done everything for me when I did not and never will deserve it. I am saved by grace and through the mercy of God. For this reason, I take hold of Jesus Christ and actively pursue my relationship with him.

What does it mean to devote yourself?

Here's some more thoughts. It means ensuring study of the word of God, choosing discipleship, choosing to learn from and follow Jesus, applying the word of God diligently to your life.

It means being in meetings together and giving time to people, spending time with one another, deliberately meeting, intentionally getting together, to celebrate together. It means being sincere in wanting to be with fellow believers regardless of where they are up to on life's journey.

It is community. It is sharing together over food and sharing in Communion. It is celebrating Jesus and his love, his grace and his mercy, shown to us by his death and Resurrection.

And finally, for me, it means spending time with God. Being committed to prayer; choosing to be disciplined in our prayer life and to take time each day to pray, to journal and to listen. It is sharing your heart with God and then listening to his heart for the world, for people, for us. 

What will you do to"devote yourself" this week?

Aliens in a Strange Land Part 4

Over the last few weeks we have been looking at people who were strangers in their lands, to some degree. We’ve looked at Abraham and Moses who were faced with impossible situations and in the face of the impossible, trusted God and saw victory.

We’ve also taken a look at Joshua and Caleb, and discovered that courage comes from God who gave his promise, and we looked at Caleb's faith and determination, age was no barrier to living for God.

Last week we took a look at Ruth and Esther, and their families, and how loyalty and God’s wisdom are really important parts of living in God’s Kingdom, and for our sojourn in this world.

Today we will take a look at some people who lived in Babylon and Persia. These guys lived in places unfamiliar to them, but against all odds fulfilled the purpose that God had for them. These guys did not have it easy. They did experience great blessing, but they also experienced great trouble and hardship.

Daniel 1:1-7
Daniel’s Training in Babylon
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia[a] and put in the treasure house of his god.
3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians.[b] 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.
6 Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

We know Daniels story, he was taken into captivity and he was found by the king to be wise. Nehemiah lived a little after Daniel. Kings had come and gone when people from Judah come to Nehemiah and tell him that Jerusalem is basically destroyed and the walls broken down. Nehemiah leads a group of people back to the land and begins the rebuilding of the walls, but he faced treachery and he faced trouble and opposition.

The responses of these men to their situations highlights some points for us.

1. Never compromise your standards.
Daniel and his mates would not compromise. They would not eat meat that they considered unclean and was not prepared the right way. They did not compromise their standards when Nebuchadnezzar wanted them to bow down to him; they chose the fiery furnace instead, fully believeing God would save them.

I wonder if we would be prepared to stand up to the king that way. God is able to take us through anything we face. These guys totally trusted God.

They believed Isaiah 43. "When you walk through the water you won’t drown, when you walk through the fire you will not be burned". God is in the business of saving people. He enables us to go through any situation. We do not need to compromise God’s standard.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were prepared to trust God even to death, and God saved them. I love the attitude of these guys. It was an "And if we die, we die" attitude.They were prepared to die, totally refusing to give in and bow down to the King, because God was the only person hey would bow down to.

This is reminiscent of Mordecai, who for the same reasons years later, refused to bow down to Haman. In both these situations, they faced possible death. But they stood up to people and declared allegiance to God alone.

Daniel 3:16-29
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[c] from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”

God saved them.

Esther 3:1-6
3 After these events, King Xerxes honoured Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honour higher than that of all the other nobles. 2 All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honour to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honour.
3 Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?” 4 Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behaviour would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.
5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honour, he was enraged. 6 Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

Mordecai was placing honour of God above people. He would not give worship to anyone but God. Bear in mind that he had already saved the life of the king. This was not about honour but about worship. Mordecai refused to compromise his standards and his beliefs. Not only did God save these people, he changed the heart and the mind of the king.

God honours those who honour him. God honours those who choose to honour him and who do not compromise their beliefs for convenience and comfort.

What situation are you facing where there is temptation to compromise your faith and your beliefs?

God is encouraging us to be people who will stand firm in our beliefs.

What is God asking you to do in this situation?

Remember that he will never ask you to do something that goes against his word. But if you honour him, he will bring you through.

Daniel and the lion’s den is also a well-known story. Again, Daniel refuses to compromise and he is placed in the Lion’s den. And God saved him, also changing the heart and mind of another ruler. God is always there, ready to defend his people.

2. God’s work and fighting the enemy go hand in hand

Whilst Daniel and his mates stood up for what they believed, Nehemiah faced opposition of a different kind.

Nehemiah 1:1-3
The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:
In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.
3 They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
Nehemiah 2:1-5
In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, 2 so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”
I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?”
Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favour in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”

So Nehemiah heads back to Jerusalem. This is the time of Artaxerexes, so after Esther, and he was probably born in Persia and he spent his time in the king’s service. After he went to Jerusalem, he was in Jerusalem for some time, 12 years, before he was called back to the King’s service.

This is a loyal man, who knew that God had given him an assignment. For some people it is lifelong, for others, there are definite times and seasons. In Jerusalem, where he is tasked to build the city walls, he finds opposition (in fact the building of the Temple had also been interrupted by opposition).

Nehemiah just does not give in. Nehemiah 3 gives a really good example of needing everyone to build something important. Nehemiah was tasked with rebuilding the wall, but he could not do it alone, it actually took all hands on deck. As we shall see, it also took everyone to be alert, and to build the wall, working and ready to fight.

Opposition to the Rebuilding
Nehemiah 4
[a]When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, 2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?”
3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”
4 Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of[b] the builders.
6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
7 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. 8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. 9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
10 Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.”
11 Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.”
12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”
13 Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. 14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.
16 From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armour. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, 18 and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.
19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!”
21 So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. 22 At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.” 23 Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.[c]

This is a good analogy for us. We are tasked with building something worthwhile for God’s kingdom. We do it together and we do it ready to fight the enemy. (Those who did not take their place were singled out.) God calls each of us to do our part. To do what we have been given. We are not responsible for everything. Just our part and we are to be ready to fight for it.

Eph 6:10-13
The Armour of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Be strong in the Lord’s power. Nehemiah said that God would fight for them. Jesus has already won the victory for us. But there is still a fight that we fight. We are to stand firm in God’s power.

How well prepared are you to fight? What action do you need to take to be prepared to face the enemy?

What part is God calling you to play?

Concluding thoughts
Stand form in God, trust him. Be ready to stand up for what we believe no compromise. Stand firm, know that God is fighting for us, but we have our part to play. We do our bit, and we let God do his.

So as strangers and aliens in this land – we can live in a way that sets us apart from other people, through faith, courage, determination, trusting God and living a no compromise life.  

Aliens in a Strange Land Part Three.

Introduction
So far we have looked at Abraham and Moses, Joshua and Caleb.
We've discussed obedience, leaving the past behind, embracing what God has for us and not letting ourselves be limited by the barriers we sometimes place in front of us.

Today we will look at Ruth and Esther. Two women living in two very different worlds from two very different countries. Ruth was not even a Hebrew, an Israelite, she was a Moabite, and in from a group of people despised by the Israelites.

She was living in her own land when strangers from Israel arrived, and eventually she was married to one of them. She then chose, after her husband died, to move away from her homeland to a strange land, a strange culture and a new life.

In many ways life had not been fair - married to someone from a different place, who died and left her alone in a strange family with no hope of furthering herself. If you read the whole book of Ruth, its a great picture of redemption, and how Jesus takes us from having no future and no hope, to giving us a future and a hope.

Esther was from the Diaspora - a group of jews who had been captured and had now begun to live and settle in their new countries.

Most of Jeremiah 29 is  letter to people living in exile. Earlier than Esther, but it gives a background to why they were there.

Jeremiah 29:4-14
4 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: 5 “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. 6 Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! 7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

8 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams, 9 because they are telling you lies in my name. I have not sent them,” says the Lord.

10 This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 14 I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

Esther is living in The persian Empire a long way from her "homeland". In many ways she is most like us, of all of the "strangers" so far, because she was probably born in captivity, and knew it as home. Yet her culture was different, her aspirations were different.

What can we learn from these girls.

1. Loyalty - to family
Ruth showed absolute commitment to her new life and her new family.
Orpah was committed to her family as well. But Ruth showed a commitment to a new life. She was willing to embrace the new life even when it was not going to be easy.

Ruth 1:16-17
But Ruth replied, "don't ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go I will go: wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there i will be buried. May teh Lord punish me sevelely if I allow anything but death to separate us"!

She showed absolute loyalty to Naomi. She embraced a new faith and a new life and lived with loyalty to that life. When we become followers of Jesus we are committing to a new life. An exciting life, but there is also the unknown. But as we commit to the process, as we remain loyal to the people in our lives, God brings blessing.

Ruth was greatly blessed because she chose to be loyal to her new family, loyal to her new life and committed to following through even though there was a cost to her.

Proverbs 19:22
Loyalty makes a person attractive. It is better to be poor than dishonest

Prov 20:6
Many will say they are loyal friends,
But who can find one who is truly reliable.

David showed loyalty to Saul, even when Saul was being a pain in the butt. David spared saul's life.

Sam 26:23
The Lord gives his own reward for doing good and for being loyal, and i refused to kill you even when the Lord placed you in my power, for you are the Lord's anointed one.

Loyalty means firmness, fidelity and steadfastness. It is about commitment and faithfulness.

How committed are we to living for God's Kingdom at all times?
How loyal are we to those we do life with?

Ruth was loyal, committed and steadfast in her relationship with Naomi. Ruth faithfully lived out her commitment to Naomi of "your God will be my God and your people will be my people"

How do we express this commitment in our lives?

2. Honouring- one another
Especially honouring those in authority over us. Ruth chose to honour Naomi and her influence in her life. This is closely linked to loyalty.

Mother's-in-law are not always easy people to embrace - though they should be- but Ruth honoured Naomi, because Naomi was the one in authority. Ruth chose to do this, she didn't have to.

Honouring one another is something that we say we do as part of Citylife Women. We place honour on people. Honour is valuing someone. It is placing value and worth on the life of another person.

But honour is more than just placing value. Honouring others in our lives, especially those in authority over us is not always easy. Honouring people when we disagree with them, or we are not happy about their behaviour, can be difficult.

Ruth sets us an example by honouring her Mother in law, by submitting to her and by placing trust in her. Naomi was a good woman. But she had experienced a very difficult life of famine, sojourning in what must ahve been a strange environment for her and her family. Her husband had taken them to Moab of all places and then unceremoniously died. Both her sons died. This is not a great place to be and she was quite bitter about it.

In the midst of all of this she does try to do the right thing by her daughters-in-law according to custom of the day. But she was bitter and that could not have been easy for Ruth to live with.

In all of that, Ruth chose to honour her, not just by being loyal to her, but by taking the initiative to help her, to enable them to survive and by doing what had been asked of her.

In the book of Esther we read that the king wanted to honour Mordecai. This is because he had been a faithful servant and had acted in a way that honoured and saved the king.

Read about it in Esther 6. Proverbs also has a lot to say about honour.

Proverbs 18:12
Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor.

Proverbs 25:27
It’s not good to eat too much honey, and it’s not good to seek honors for yourself.

Proverbs 29:23
Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.

The word honour means to ascribe price, value, preciousness, to esteem.

In Ruth, we see how she ascribed value to Naomi, she esteemed her.
Honour is something that we ascribe to someone else, but don't look for, for ourselves. Ruth did not look for honour for herself, instead she chose to live in a place of humility, gleaning the left overs and submitting to Naomi.

Let others ascribe honour to you. We talk alot about repsect and honour being earned and in many ways that is true. However, God values everyone and we are meant to do the same. So, we ascribe honour to people, by valuing them, treating them the right way, acknowledging them, whether we believe they have earned it or not.

Zacheus had done nothing to deserve honour, but Jesus honoured him by choosing to eat at his house. Jesus gave him value, and honour in a world that did not value him. 

Romans 12:10
Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

The word honour here means:
-a valuing by which the price is fixed
-of the price itself
-of the price paid or received for a person or thing bought or sold
-honour which belongs or is shown to one
-of the honour which one has by reason of rank and state of office which he holds
-deference, reverence

We are not to look for honour for ourselves, but to act honourably - doing the right thing - and placing value and honour on others. We are to live prefering others, in other words, putting others before ourselves.

Who is God challenging you to give honour to - even if they haven't earned it?
How can we honour those around us in a practical way?

3. Wisdom
God's wisdom to make a difference

Esther knew that in the situation in which she found herself, she could not do it alone. She need the wisdom of God and she sought that wisdom. She found herself in a very difficult situation, literally a life and death situation. She neded all the wisdom she could get.

She did not rely on her human wisdom. Instead, she relied totally on God's wisdom. She asked the women to fast (and to pray). Then she rose and put her plan into practice. God gives us wisdom when we ask for it. The only condition is that we ask and do not waver.

James 1:5-7
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God and he will give it to. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver for a person with didvided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

James does not mince words. He says: Need wisdom? Ask God. But make sure you are fully trusting him and not having a bet both ways.

I believe that even though she was probably a little fearful, Esther fully trusted that God would show her what to do and how to approach the king. Wisdom is about Action. It is not just a good idea. Wisdom is about how to put the idea into practice in a way that is of benefit.

Joseph sought God for wisdom, when he was brought before Pharoah, and he was given wisdom, not only for what the dream meant, a gift of knowledge that God gave him, but also what action Pharaoh shoud take.

Joseph was also an alien in a strange land. But by totally trusting in God, by not wavering, both he and Esther were able to save people;  the beginning of the Israelite nation with Joseph and for Esther the Jewish people of the diaspora.

What do you need wisdom for today?

God says ask him, without wavering. Trust him completley and he will show you. Ensure that when he shows you that you put it into practice. Wisdom is not just a nice idea, its about practical solutions.

Concluding thoughts
The three points - loyalty, honour and wisdom are actually closely connected.They exist together in people. You cannot be loyal if you are dishonouring. If you have wisdom, you will act in a way that is both loyal and honouring towards others.

Honour is something that we ascribe to others, and we show in a practical way by being loyal, and by choosing to act with God's wisdom.

What is God asking you to work on this week? Is it wisdom, loyalty or honouring others?