Now is the time... To Hope

…my hope will go down with me to the grave. We will rest together in the dust. Job 17:16

What hopes do you have for this new year? Are you carrying hopes yet unfulfilled from the old year into the new? I hope you are because that means you haven’t given up hope of those things coming to pass.

Job refused to let go of his hope, in spite of being severely tested. He determined to hold onto it and, as he put it, take it with him ‘to the grave’. Those were the words of a wise man, one who trusted God and refused to be defeated. Proverbs 13:12 says ‘Hope deferred makes the heart sick’, and it surely can if we let go of our hope, if we refuse to trust in the faithfulness of God.

Speaking of Abraham Romans 4:18 says ‘Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken.’ There was absolutely no human basis for Abraham to hope that he might become a father or Sarah a mother. For more than 20 years he had to totally rely on God’s promise to him before their promised son was born.

In 1 Corinthians 13:13 we are told that there are three things that will last forever, they are faith, hope and love. Hope is something that will last forever; therefore it is something worth holding on to. A person without hope is a sad person indeed. However our hope needs to be based on the right foundation.

Heading into this new year there are many reasons for people to loose hope, with the economy in downturn mode, people losing their jobs, families falling apart, loved ones diagnosed with serious illness, and seemingly unsolvable problems of famine and war in various countries.
If we look too long at these things we can lose hope.

Perhaps you are facing a mountain of difficulty right now. Don’t let go of your hope. King Jehoshaphat found himself faced with enemy invasion. He knew that his resources were not sufficient to fight such a huge army so he prayed, “We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help” (2 Chronicles 20:12). Jehoshaphat’s hope was in the Lord God Almighty and that is where our hope needs to rest too. Too often we live our lives in our own strength and God has to bring us back to the place where we have to trust him and him alone, because our lives are to be lived on a level above the normal. We have been born to a living hope (1 Peter 1:3) and that hope is through faith. Encourage yourself in God’s word today by reading 1 Peter chapter 1.

Prayer: Father God, refresh in me the gift of faith as I begin this new year. May my eyes always be on you, in the good times and in difficulties. You are my hope and my strong tower. Thank you for your unfailing patience and kindness toward me. Amen

Now is the time... To Live Life

My purpose is to give life in all its fullness. John 10:10

I have decided to continue the theme of “Now is the time….” into this new year because this moment, now, is all we can ever be assured of having. We have ‘now’ to live; to praise God, to love others, to extend forgiveness, to be kind and thoughtful, to persevere when we feel like quitting, to stir up our gifts, to change direction, to do today what we have been putting off….. the list is endless. We have this moment to live life to the full.

Perhaps you are feeling that you have failed to accomplish anything, or made little progress in your life this past year; I have good news for you, God is the God of new beginnings. Every day we can have a fresh start. Lamentations 3:23 says “Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day: (NLT). If he is merciful towards you each day then surely you can be merciful to yourself. What do I mean? I mean that often the thing that prevents us from making a new start is our unwillingness to forgive ourselves, learn from our mistakes and believe that with God’s help, we can go on.

Nothing, I repeat, nothing, not one thing is beyond God’s mercy if your heart is set on following and trusting him. No situation you face is beyond his ability to help and change it – unless you refuse to believe and trust in him. He is the God of the impossible. Impossible is only relative to our humanity, it is not beyond God’s realm of possibility. I sometimes think that we only think things are impossible because we don’t really want to change them or see them change. We get comfortable in our ‘mess’. To step out and step up is uncomfortable so we avoid making the decision to change and make anyone or anything but ourselves the excuse for not living life to its fullest.

As we face this year let us count each moment as a precious gift and live it with a thankful and believing heart. If we can do that I believe we will accomplish much. NOW is the time to start whatever we have been putting off, avoiding or just plain refusing to do. Believe in God, believe in yourself. Believe that you can do whatever he asks you to do. Believe that God’s word is your authority and standard for life and live according to its truth. “My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart, for they will give you a long and satisfying life.” Proverbs 3:1-2.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for this moment in time that you have given me. Thank you for the love you shower upon me right now. Thank you for the gifts you have given me to bless others with and accomplish your purposes for me on this earth. Show me whatever I need to do to make the most of my “nows” this year. Amen

Now is the time......For Revelation

I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel – therefore I came baptizing with water. John 1:31

As I sat reading the first chapter of John on a beautiful Sydney morning beside the Cooks River, these words of John the baptizer suddenly struck me as interesting. Now I confess that I haven’t done a thorough study of this, so what I am about to say is just an ‘off the cuff’ thought. John, son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, and Jesus were cousins. When Mary visited Elizabeth both were pregnant. When Mary greeted Elizabeth the spirit within her recognized the significance of her cousin Mary’s son to be (Luke 1:40-45), and she prophesied about him. It seems inconceivable to me that in the ensuing 30 years their children had no face to face contact; yet John says in our text here, “I did not know Him.” I think what happened was that John knew Jesus as his cousin but on this day, the day appointed by God, John received a revelation of the true identity of Jesus, the Christ, the Lamb of God who had come to take away the sins of the world.

Revelation is a wonderful thing. Sometimes it comes quickly, other times revelation may dawn slowly, but when it comes our thinking is changed forever. John’s revelation changed him from him from being a relative of Jesus to a revealer of the Redeemer of the world. The most significant revelation a person can and needs to have is the one John experienced that day – Jesus, Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. But that is not the end of revelation. There is so much more truth that God wants to reveal to us if we will only prepare ourselves to receive it.

As we stand on the threshold of a brand new year we wonder what the coming year will hold not only for us personally but also for our family, our nation and for our world. One thing that I am sure of is that God waits to reveal Himself to us. As we take time in His presence and read His word we should ask the Holy Spirit for revelation of the truth God wants us to know. We will be surprised and delighted at what God shows us.

Sometimes you may go for a long time with no fresh revelation, but don’t stop reading your Bible and waiting for it, and don’t stop doing what God has shown you to do while you wait. Did you notice John’s words? He knew that the Saviour was to be revealed sometime, and he said, “therefore I came baptizing…”. He was obedient to God’s call, preparing the way and waiting for the day of revelation.

What has God shown you to do in this season of your life? Are you doing it faithfully, waiting for His next revelation?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing me safely through this past year. I commit this New Year to you, asking that you will strengthen me by your grace to be faithful and obedient to do all that you have revealed to me. Help me not to be discouraged but to patiently wait for your timing as I wait for your promises to me to be fulfilled. Amen

Now is the time.... To Be Refreshed

For I am like a tree whose roots reach the water, whose branches are refreshed with the dew. Job 29:19

Two hectic days after our return from a wonderful holiday with family in New Zealand, I sensed a sadness, a yearning in my heart and I recognised that it was a yearning for intimacy with my heavenly Father, my faithful Lord and forever Friend.

Holidays are great, but for me, I’m out of routine and that usually means I end up feeling spiritually dry. Yes I pray and read my Bible, I rejoice in God’s creation and his goodness as we travel in beautiful countryside, but I lose the intimacy that comes only from spending quality time in his presence. Relationship with God is really just like any other relationship; we need to spend time with people to really know them.

The added factor at this holiday season is the mad rush that precedes Christmas. We fly around buying gifts, mailing cards and shopping for too much food. There seems to come a drivenness that robs us of rest. Even when our bodies stop running our minds run on, thinking and rethinking all the details that need to be attended to…….tomorrow!

When this happens, then it is time to be refreshed by making a special effort to press into God’s presence by taking time to be with him. The wonderful thing is that he is patiently waiting for us to come to him, just like a parent of adult children waiting and looking forward to a visit from their kids.

Refreshing ourselves in His presence is so important to do, and to do regularly, but never more so than when we prepare to celebrate God’s wonderful gift to us of himself. We need the sense of quiet and rest that it brings in the midst of our busyness. I am so thankful for His peace that is restored to my soul as I sit in his presence this morning.

This verse from Job speaks of two types of refreshing – a tree with roots that reach down to the water and a refreshing from the dew. We do have roots that draw water constantly from God if we are rooted and grounded in Him. We need the dew also that will water our ‘leaves’. Dew doesn’t form when there is wind. The rushing too and fro is the wind that prevents the dew from settling and refreshing us. We need to stop and be still for this dew to come. Will you do that?

Prayer: Thank you my wonderful God that you want to refresh me and restore my soul again. Help me to make time in my daily busyness to be with you. Amen

Now is the time ....... To Love

Owe nothing to anyone – except for your obligation to love one another.
Romans 13:8

So many songs have been written about love over the years; some disappear, others remain. Many are ‘throw away’ lines, some of the lyrics contain truth. A couple of lines immediately spring to mind – ‘love makes the world go round’ and ‘all you really need is love’. Both are true in a way but perhaps not as the songwriter meant them to be.

Love does indeed make the world go round because God is love and he holds everything in his hand. Scripture says ‘For of him and through him and to him are all things.’ (Romans 11:36) and also ‘…by him all things are held together’ (Colossians 1:17). He (Love) is the creator and sustainer of the universe (John 1:3).

Also it is true that ‘all you really need is love’. We were created to love and to be loved by Love Himself, God. Our need to be loved is inbuilt and we are fashioned in the likeness of God so our nature is to be a vessel through which God’s love flows to others.

I found the New Living Translation rendering of Romans 13:8 interesting in that it says that we have an obligation to love one another. Why would loving one another be our obligation? Because it goes on to say ‘love fulfils the requirements of God’s law.’ God so loved us that he gave his only Son to become the fulfilment of the law which judged us. Jesus so loved that he gave his life for us. Our ‘obligation’, if we are to be Jesus to this world, is to love with that same love – God’s love - which he puts in our heart as we yield to him, (Romans 5:5).

Human love grasps for itself, to satisfy its own needs. It can manipulate, intimidate and control to get its needs fulfilled. On the other hand God’s love is given to us unconditionally, unearned. It is supernaturally ‘generated’ by the spirit of God and it is available to each of us – not only for ourselves but also for us to pass on to others and so fulfil God’s purposes on this earth.

How will you choose to love this Christmas season? Take a moment to stop and ask your loving Heavenly Father how He wants you to show His love to others during this time when we remember how He so lovingly gave us the most precious gift He could think of.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, God of love, please show me how I can share your love with someone in need of love today. Amen

Now is the time ....... To Overcome

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

When faced with the challenge of learning to work some new piece of techno wizardry it’s very easy for me to say “I can’t” (which really means “I won’t”), and give up, leaving it to my clever husband to figure it out then lead me through in steps I can understand. That’s called ‘spoon-feeding’!

Sometimes life offers us a challenge – often in the form of a habit that needs to be overcome, or a difficult situation we have to learn to handle. Perhaps it’s a person you find difficult to deal with. It’s part of the growing in grace journey that we are on; part of running the race to win the prize of the high calling in Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:14).

Seven times in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 it is written “to him who overcomes I will give……”. The promise of the prize is to the overcomer – not to those who avoid the challenge. Is this fair and just? I believe it is because as we abide in Christ we have all that we need to overcome whatever challenge we face. The nature of Christ is an overcoming nature. He faced the challenge of the cross, taking upon himself every sin the world would ever commit against God. He bore them bravely and strongly, overcoming all the power of the devil so that we could have restored fellowship with God the Father. In his weakest moments angels came and ministered to him for they are God’s ministers who help and sustain us in our battles.

Facing our challenges and overcoming them opens the door to our next level of growth. The taste of victory is sweet, its rewards are great. Is there a challenge in your life that you are facing right now? Is there an area that needs to be overcome? Remember that it’s part of the process of our being conformed more to the image of Christ.

Will you join the apostle Paul today and make a decision to say “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”?

Prayer: Lord today I choose to draw upon your mighty strength to help me become the overcomer that you want me to be. Amen

Now is the time ...... To Grow Up

When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. 1 Corinthians 13:11

It is late spring as I write, and nature has woken up and begun its annual cycle of growth once again. There is the beauty of the flowers and wonderful colours of new growth in the trees, but there is a messiness running alongside all the beauty. The spotted gum outside my home is bursting out of its bark and making a big mess as great chunks of dry bark land all over the gardens and the porch. The branches look like they have a very bad case of peeling sunburn – not very attractive, but very much a part of the process of growth.

For us growing up is often a messy business. If you remember your teen years you can attest to that. If you have a teenager in your home you will most likely understand what I’m saying! Actually growing up as a Christian can be just as messy. Paul says this in Ephesians 4:15 "speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”

We should grow up; we must grow up, painful and messy though it may be. You may think that this is a rather obvious statement but it is my observation that sometimes we don’t want to grow up in certain areas because it will mean that we have to deal with things we don’t want to. It means facing the fact that life is not plain sailing; that bad things do happen to good people; that marriage takes work and commitment once the honeymoon is over; that children are a blessing from the Lord but that they can cause you much frustration heartache along the way.

Growing up means that we face the difficulties and challenges with faith and courage, knowing that God has promised he will give us strength that is sufficient for everything we encounter in life’s journey. It means that we don’t run way from the hard things, or decide to take the ‘easy’ way out – which is never the easy way in reality. It means that we decide to do things God’s way, not our way, even if it causes us some pain during the process.

It also means loving people enough to allow them to make mistakes and then come alongside and help them through their mess rather than giving up on them…….. just like Jesus does with us! I read or heard something recently that struck a chord with me. It said that bones grow strong with stress. Weight bearing exercise strengthens bones. In the same way, our troubles and trials can make us strong – if we will face them rather than avoid them. (Look at James 1:2-4)

What difficulties are you facing in your life right now? Are you able to look at them as an opportunity to grow up in Christ through them? If you are, you will be rewarded with a new level of maturity and peace.

Prayer: Heavenly Father please help me to see my trials as an opportunity for growth. Please strengthen me to face it and walk through the darkness with you and into the light. Amen