CONTENTS
1. Come to Jesus Daily devotional- Monday – Be lifted by dressing in God’s clothing
- Tuesday – Be lifted by knowing our fulness
- Wednesday – Be lifted by Jesus’ prayers
- Thursday – I’m lifted as I lift up my eyes
- Friday – Lift your eyes to the King
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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 BY DRESSING IN GOD’S CLOTHING
BY JEM HOWE
Tabitha/Dorcas, was a follower of Jesus, whom Peter raised from the dead. We are told,
‘In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (Dorcas in Greek); she was always doing good and helping the poor’ (Acts 9:36).
After she died, they sent for Peter. On arriving, we read,.
‘Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.’ (Acts 9:39)
When Peter is sent for, the people try and show him the quality of her “works”. Why do they do this? Maybe they are trying to show that Tabitha is worthy of Peter’s ministry. The account continues,
‘Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.’ (Acts 9:40)
Peter, discards these things. He sends them outside. He ignores them and prays. This act teaches us a gospel lesson: the salvation and raising of Tabitha from the dead is not due to her good works or her charity but to the grace, and power of God.
RESPONSE
Tabitha’s friends are keen to ‘show the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made’; however, God is keen to show us the ‘clothing’ that Jesus has made for us! If we look to our good works as the grounds for salvation or power in prayer, who could be confident of either?
Finally, read and worship out of Isaiah 64:6 and 61:10
TUESDAY – BE LIFTED BY KNOWING OUR FULNESS
BY JONNY EVANS
From an early age, I’ve always known that the church was important. Not just the universal church, the one we all belong to, but the local church. The one that actually makes a difference in the world, and makes a difference to me as I belong to it. But it is still easy to forget the amazing truths that the Bible tells me about God’s church, and to see it for less than it really is.
An amazing verse I’ve been struck by repeatedly is,
Ephesians 1:22-23 And God placed all things under [Jesus’] feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way”
The church is full of Jesus as it is filled with Jesus
This is an incredible truth – the church, our gathering of followers of Jesus, is “the fullness of Jesus”. I can’t begin to do justice to this verse in its entirety. But, just dwell on that for a moment: Jesus has chosen to fill his church was his “fullness” – not just a part of himself, but all of himself, poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, to then be those who go out and bring his fullness into every part of our lives, together and individually.
RESPONSE
How might this verse make a difference to how you view the church? Are you seeing it as just something to do, to make you feel like a Christian, because it is expected of you? Do you see those who gather with you on a Sunday, or during the week, as those who together with you are filled with the fullness of Jesus?! Do you see the church as the people of God, called to bring that fullness into the world through the way we act, speak and pray? Lord Jesus, we want more of your fullness!
WEDNESDAY – I’M LIFTED BY JESUS’ PRAYERS
Job 16:19-21 Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.
Job was going through deep distress. His life was falling apart and his friends were accusing him; he says of them,
“I have heard many things like these; you are miserable comforters, all of you! Will your long-winded speeches never end?” (Job 16:2-3)
Sometimes it can feel like everything is going wrong…and sometimes everything is going wrong! Even at such a time, an amazing revelation is given to Job: he knew “my advocate is on high…my intercessor is my friend…he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend”. He knew, in a way that we know more fully, that Jesus was praying for him! We read something similar from Paul,
‘Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.’ (Romans 8:34).
RESPONSE
No matter what, if you are a Christian, God is for you. Like Job and Paul, you can now say
‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?… For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Romans 8:35-39)
THURSDAY – I’M LIFTED AS I LIFT UP MY EYES
Psalm 121:1-2 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
To whom or to what do we ‘lift up our eyes’ for help? There are many legitimate forms of help: friends, family, doctors, police, a calculator, google… but, over all of these, do we look to God as our help? For example, if we are faced with a challenging relationship in which we need help, do we seek advice, attack, run away… but forget to centre ourselves in our dependency on God, declare our need of Him, and pray for His intervention and wisdom, before taking action? In essence, do we ‘lift up our eyes to God’?
Now, I’m tempted like all of you, to take action; after all, surely, if I do nothing, nothing will happen! However, I’m not advocating that you do nothing, I’m advocating that we ‘lift up our eyes to God’ in prayer! This means diverting some of the time that one might have used in trying to solve the problem, to seeking the God who is ‘maker of heaven and earth’ - now that’s really doing something!
RESPONSE
Ask yourself ‘Where does my help come from’? If we are not praying and meditating on God’s word then we are not relying on God. If we are not taking the time to thank God for what He’s doing, we are not relying on God. If we are not remembering the gospel of how God has saved us through the cross, we are not relying on God. David purposefully lifted up his eyes to God and His greatness. When do you make time to do this? Paul wrote,
‘Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.’ (Ephesians 6:10)
You and I are weak! But, the good news is that there’s enough of God’s strength for all of us.
FRIDAY – LIFT YOUR EYES TO THE KING
INSPIRED BY A READING FROM GRAEME PARKIN
Job 42:2 I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
Recently, at our morning prayer meeting, this passage from Job, about God’s rule - His sovereignty, was read. I found this hugely inspiring and changed my ‘state’ – my lethargy was turned to faith. The Bible gives us a grand vision of God who is active, and has great plans that cannot be stopped. A. W. Pink wrote,
‘Only two alternatives are possible: God must either rule, or be ruled; sway, or, be swayed; accomplish his own will, or be thwarted by his creatures. Accepting the fact that he is the "Most High", the only Potentate and King of kings, vested with perfect wisdom and illimitable power, and the conclusion is irresistible that he must be God in fact, as well as in name.’
RESPONSE
We would do well to learn from Nebuchadnezzar who, having come to his senses, declares the greatness of God,
‘At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes towards heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honoured and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?”’ (Daniel 4:34-35)
The words of John Newton poetically show us our natural response,
‘Thou art coming to a King, Large petitions with thee bring; For His grace and power are such, None can ever ask too much.’
2. COMMUNITY GROUP/FAMILY STUDY
BE LIFTED BY DRESSING IN GOD’S CLOTHING
Opener – When were you dressed most smartly and why?
Read Acts 9:36-43
Introduction
This week we are talking about ‘dressing in God’s clothing’. No one can enter God’s presence or be in relationship with Him unless we are dressed in the righteousness that we can only have through faith in Christ. We will be reading our text in a more ‘spiritual’ manner - seeing the gospel behind a simple reading to the facts.
Discuss together
- What might be the motive for the mourners showing Peter the things she had made? (Acts 9:39)
- How easily do you fall into a ‘works’ mentality – believing that God loves, saves etc. by our good works?
- It says that ‘Peter sent them out of the room’( Acts 9:40). What gospel principle does this teach us about how we are to treat our good works in regard to salvation?
Peter discards these things. He sends them outside and prays. This act teaches us a gospel lesson: salvation and power in prayer are not due to good works but to the grace, and power of God.
- What do Isaiah 64:6 and 61:10 teach about how we are to ‘dress’ in the clothing that God gives us and how do we do this?
- Over to you: What has God been speaking to you about this week, and how is this helping you?
- Pray and plan: Our next hospitality week is coming up on the 1st of July. What are you planning to do as a whole group or smaller groups?
- Begin to discuss the following note on Prayer/fasting/Encounter.
We have our week of prayer and fasting leading up to our Encounter evening coming up. 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)!
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