CONTENTS
1. Come to Jesus Daily devotional
- Monday – Be lifted by knowing God is ‘Ebenezer’
- Tuesday – Be lifted knowing God keeps His promises
- Wednesday – Be lifted knowing God is Almighty
- Thursday – A small saviour is a world of big problems?
- Friday – Be lifted by finding strength in God
You can listen to the message at: Link for audio content
For more information visit: www.communitychurchputney.com
1. COME TO JESUS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
One of our goals as a church is to spend at least 20 minutes every day in prayer and worship out of the bible. I hope you find this devotional helpful toward that end.
This series, LIFT…
…is different to our usual practice for working through a book of the bible. I felt thought that, for this season, it would be refreshing to seek God for what He wants to say and to simply share that.
I trust that such an approach will help remind all of us to be prophetic - to listen to what God wants to say as a lifestyle.
These daily studies, likewise, are from my, and other church member’s devotions. I will also include devotionals derived from the various contributions that you share, as a church, in various settings.
Matt Beaney June 2019
MONDAY – BE LIFTED KNOWING GOD IS ‘EBENEZER’
Today’s reading finds the people of Israel coming out of a period of mess and defeat because they have strayed from God.
It could appear that God doesn’t care or that circumstances and enemies are greater than He.
At a very low moment, the wife of one of the priests who has just been killed, gives birth and names her son ‘Ichabod’, which means “The Glory has departed from Israel” (1 Samuel 4:22).
However, through this period of history, we learn that God is always on the throne (sovereign) and is working, for good, even through these most dire of circumstances. After the final defeat fo the Philistines we read,
1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, Thus far the LORD has helped us.
Ebenezer means “stone of help.”
Samuel declares, “Thus far the LORD has helped us”. Through all of this dark season we have passed through, God has been helping us! He is our “Rock of help”!
RESPONSE
Difficulties of all sorts assault us. We have a choice to fear or faith. Will we name our circumstances ‘Ichabod’ - the Lord has deserted me? Or will we name our hard places ‘Ebenezer’ - declaring that God is still my rock of help?
TUESDAY – BE LIFTED KNOWING GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES
BY BEN BELCHAK
Psalm 71:18 Even when I am old and grey, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.
Almost 20 years ago, I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. The tumoUrs had spread into my abdomen (a giant one, the size of a real football, had surrounded my aorta) and all the way to my lungs. My oncologist put me on a very aggressive chemotherapy regimen. The doctors doubted if the treatment would even work, and if it did, Kimberly and I would definitely never be able to have children.
God gave us the above verse when I was sitting in a hospital bed confronting my mortality at only 20 years of age. He gave us comfort in that moment, assuring us we would be okay, and that we would be able to declare His power to the next generation. Not just some random people that would come after us, but our own offspring! Years went by before that promise was fulfilled, and we were starting to doubt if what we’d heard was really God, but eventually, Zackariah was born. His name means “The LORD has remembered.”
If you know anything about our family, we have been blessed with four wonderful children, and God has definitely kept his promise in abundance!
RESPONSE
What promises has God made to you that the world says are impossible? Are you putting your hope in Him? What are you holding back in reserve instead of giving it all to Him? Take some time today to submit your future back to God and renew your faith that He always comes through on His promises.
WEDNESDAY – BE LIFTED KNOWING GOD IS ALMIGHTY
BY SUSIE HOWE
God is all-powerful and has total and complete authority over all realms seen and unseen and over all the laws of the universe. He can make the sun go backwards; heal the sick and raise the dead; bring salvation to the most hardened sinner; raise up kings and remove them; part the sea; defeat armies with a single word and much, much more. The whole Bible speaks of God’s omnipotence.
But do we really believe that nothing is impossible with God? (Luke 1:37)
More often, we relate to the father in Mark 9. His boy is oppressed by an evil spirit and he begs Jesus to help him… if he can! ‘’What do you mean, ‘If I can?’’ Jesus asked. ‘Anything is possible if a person believes.’’ (Mark 9:23). The father instantly cried out, ‘’I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief.’’ Jesus then instantly heals the boy.
RESPONSE
As Christians and perhaps as a Church, we put limits on what we think is possible for God. We put him in a straitjacket. Our prayers are human-sized instead of God-sized, because, like the father with the boy affected by the evil spirit, we have doubts as to the power of Christ in all situations and circumstances. We then wonder why we don’t see the power of God at work in our lives and ministry.
Let’s acquaint ourselves more fully with El-Shaddai, the Almighty God revealed in the Bible. (Genesis 35:11)
Let’s pray for his Holy Spirit to clothe us with all power for doing his will and raise our expectations of how he can use us as individuals and as a church to extend his rule and reign here in Putney (Acts 1:8).
THURSDAY – A SMALL SAVIOUR IN A WORLD OF BIG PROBLEMS? (BY AUSTIN LOKE)
I often have a tendency to assume the role of the problem solver in my life, and I’m probably not the only one. All of us, made in God’s image, are endowed with a measure of creativity in order to solve problems. However, too often, we overplay our own problem–solving abilities, and depend on our own self-prescribed solutions, turning ourselves and our schemes into a kind of saviour. The following incident will help to correct our perspective,
‘When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” (John 4:6-7)
Jesus meets a man who believes that this water, when stirred, will save him, and he had been trying this for 38 years! Is it possible to focus so intensely on a problem in our lives, and what we think is the “solution”, that we stop seeking Jesus for His solution.
Jesus steps in by grace and frees Him from his sickness and from trusting in the wrong things; This water is not his saviour! Likewise, that job as a... / Mr or Mrs perfect / having a child / fixing up your health/ etc. are not your saviours! Jesus says, “Rise, take up your bed and walk”… stop trusting water, trust in me!
RESPONSE
This man was trusting in a small saviour (this water) in a world of big problems! Reflect on how God in His grace, has provided a grander, greater solution than you could ever have imagined; better than any man-made solution. Are you ‘waiting at this pool’ - trusting in small, saviours? Will you plunge fully into Jesus, the solution to your sin and salvation? And, having believed, will you use your unfettered access to Almighty God, to seek His help?
FRIDAY – BE LIFTED BY FINDING STRENGTH IN GOD
Today’s study finds us at a very challenging time for David and his followers. He returns home to utter disaster. We read,
‘When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. David’s two wives had been captured’ (1 Samuel 30:3-5).
Things continue to get worse for David as even his own men turn against him,
‘David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.’ (1 Samuel 30:6)
David was greatly distressed over the situation and the way he was being treated. However, It was not the improvement of any of these things that strengthened him! Strength comes from God.
Blessings in life and the love of friends and family are encouraging and supportive, but these must never be our ultimate source of strength; indeed, let's endeavour to recognise God’s hand working through these gifts. However, it’s vital that we learn how to draw strength from the Spirit when these things are lacking or removed.
RESPONSE
Too often, I rely on and garner strength from, the support and approval of others. The people became bitter in spirit. This is a danger for all of us. When everyone else is blaming others, how will you find strength in God in order to call them to trust and action? Perhaps we could become like a Jonathan to David,
‘And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God.’ (1 Samuel 23:16)
2. FAMILY STUDY
(No groups this week due to hospitality week)
BE LIFTED BY KNOWING GOD IS ‘EBENEZER’
Opener – Have you ever been tempted to believe that God had deserted you and why?
Read 1 Samuel 7:12
Introduction
Ebenezer means “stone of help.”
Samuel declares, “Thus far the LORD has helped us”. Through all of this dark season that Israel has passed through, God had been helping them! He was always their “Rock of help”!
Discuss together
- Read 1 Samuel 4:21-22. Why did she feel deserted by God?
- Read 1 Samuel 4:21-22. What does this narrative teach us about God’s rule, even when things seem to be out of control or evil seems to be winning?
- Read 1 Samuel 1:1-4. Pain is a great teacher. What do all the preceding dreadful events achieve in the people?
- Read 1 Samuel 7:7-10. What could they have done, but how do they actually respond, to another attack which reveals that they have truly turned back to God?
- Read 1 Samuel 7:12. What is challenging your faith in regard to God being your ‘Rock of help’?
- Over to you: What has God been speaking to you about this week, and how is this helping you?
A couple of reminders for church members:
Please be praying and preparing for our gift days coming up.
We have our week of prayer and fasting leading up to our Encounter evening on the 11th
How will you pray and fast?
Why fast? Fasting is going without something in order to make time and help us to focus on spending time with God.
Some suggestions on how to fast:
- The traditional fast: You could go the whole or some of the week with only water.
- Fasting certain foods: One could not eat certain foods (such as meat) so as to make more time for God.
- Entertainment: refraining from watching or listening to things.
- Fasting social media: using the time you might usually use to engage in social media in order to engage in prayer.
- Be wise: if healthy, I encourage you to stretch yourself- you can do more than you think! If you have health concerns, you should avoid fasting that’s related to food, but do fast in other ways.
- Be accountable: It’s helpful to share what you are going to fast with others so that you can encourage one another in what is a very difficult thing to do.
An extract from Richard Wagner, Christianity for Dummies.
Fasting
The focus of fasting should not be on the lack of food.
Fasting from food can be done for a variety of purposes, either physical or spiritual. So abstaining from food alone doesn’t constitute a Christian fast. Instead, a Christian fast is accompanied by a special focus on prayer during the fast, often substituting the time you’d spend eating with prayer.
Fasting provides a real-life illustration of dependency.
Although modern man thrives on the idea of being independent, beholden to no one, fasting helps you put the facts in the proper perspective. It’s easy to believe in your independence with a full stomach, but when you start to feel hunger pains in your belly after missing a meal or two, you awaken to your body’s dependency on food to survive. Fasting reveals a physical reliance on food that points to the ultimate dependency — the fact that you’re dependent on God for things far more important than food.
Fasting fosters concentration on God and his will.
Oswald Chambers once said that fasting means “concentration,” because when you’re fasting, you have a heightened sense of attentiveness. Food or any physical sensation can satisfy, fill you up, and dull your senses and spiritual ears. In contrast, a hungry stomach makes you more aware and alert to what God is trying to say to you.
Fasting offers a way to impose self-control in your life.
It gives you a “splash in the face” to awaken you to the need for the personal strength of will that you need to grow spiritually. When you restrain yourself physically, you’ll find it easier to apply this same self-discipline in your spiritual life.
One last thing — everyone can participate. Not everyone may be able to fast from food (pregnant women and diabetics for example), but everyone can give up something in order to focus on God (e.g. unplugging the television for 24 hours could also be an effective way of joining the fast)!
