Memory verses - November
28/11/2014 - John 10:10
'I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.'
'I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.'
What was the life that Jesus was talking about? Not just physical life because they already had that. What about spiritual life? Is Jesus simply referring to the wonderful fact that God lives in us by his Spirit? It must include that but there is more.
The Greek phrase translated, ‘and have it to the full’ means to have a superabundance of a thing. The idea is of having more of something than a person can possibly use so there is always an overflow. It is spiritual life but it wells up from within in such a way that the whole person is caught up in its flow and swept outwards in an exuberance of life that splashes out on everyone in the vicinity.
A Christian should be the most alive person on this planet. He will be the most engaged, interested and interesting person you could ever care to meet. He is not necessarily the wild extrovert. You will sense a quiet depth and a stillness of soul but from those depths will come something so powerful that it cannot be missed.
So, why aren’t we like that? Have we picked up the idea that, if we are enjoying ourselves we must be doing something wrong? Or the notion that if it is something I would like to do then by definition I must be selfish? Have we got so used to calling ourselves ‘miserable sinners’ that we see being miserable as a sign of spiritual maturity?
How easy to take wonderful Christian truths and misapply them to such an extent that we miss the heart of Jesus’ mission. A Roman soldier came to Julius Caesar with a request for permission to commit suicide. He was a wretched dispirited creature with no vitality. Caesar looked at him. ‘Man,’ he said, ‘were you ever really alive?’ How sad it would be to come to the end of our lives and realize that we never really lived.
The Greek phrase translated, ‘and have it to the full’ means to have a superabundance of a thing. The idea is of having more of something than a person can possibly use so there is always an overflow. It is spiritual life but it wells up from within in such a way that the whole person is caught up in its flow and swept outwards in an exuberance of life that splashes out on everyone in the vicinity.
A Christian should be the most alive person on this planet. He will be the most engaged, interested and interesting person you could ever care to meet. He is not necessarily the wild extrovert. You will sense a quiet depth and a stillness of soul but from those depths will come something so powerful that it cannot be missed.
So, why aren’t we like that? Have we picked up the idea that, if we are enjoying ourselves we must be doing something wrong? Or the notion that if it is something I would like to do then by definition I must be selfish? Have we got so used to calling ourselves ‘miserable sinners’ that we see being miserable as a sign of spiritual maturity?
How easy to take wonderful Christian truths and misapply them to such an extent that we miss the heart of Jesus’ mission. A Roman soldier came to Julius Caesar with a request for permission to commit suicide. He was a wretched dispirited creature with no vitality. Caesar looked at him. ‘Man,’ he said, ‘were you ever really alive?’ How sad it would be to come to the end of our lives and realize that we never really lived.
21/11/2014 - Exodus 20:5
'I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.'
'I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.'
This verse can sound harsh. Why? Well, jealousy doesn’t sound good does it? However, the particular Hebrew word that is used here is only used to describe God and is formed from a root meaning ‘intensity’.
The Old Testament uses the picture of a bridegroom with his bride to describe God’s feelings for his people (e.g. Hosea 2:19). He couldn’t have chosen a more powerful metaphor to convey the intensity of what he feels about us. If we could allow ourselves to be touched by only a tiny part of his passionate commitment towards us then we would be humbled by that love, filled with gratitude and live our lives as a joyful response and celebration.
We think we understand that knowing God is about having a relationship with him – but many of us don’t let that sink in deeply enough. For example, for some Christians life is about trying to keep the rules. What would our human relationships be like if that was the case? Once we accept that God wants a relationship with us then our focus is on discovering what pleases him and what grieves him. Doing right is no longer the high jump bar that keeps getting raised every time we get near it because deep inside we feel we are not good enough. Walking with God is not balancing on a tightrope. Doing God’s will is not the elusive butterfly that exhausts us as we chase after it.
God has feelings for us. We can hurt him or bring him great joy. His feelings are intense because we matter so much to him. This is a relationship worth cultivating, worth responding to and living in. This is a relationship with the Creator God who wants to show us his heart and share our joys and sorrows. He is intense about us. Are we about him? Does his presence in our lives cause us to engage, to push forward, to bring him joy by being the best we can? Does the mundane come alive because he is there? Does the darkness become as light because of the brightness of his presence?
This is the right kind of jealousy. Do we have it?
The Old Testament uses the picture of a bridegroom with his bride to describe God’s feelings for his people (e.g. Hosea 2:19). He couldn’t have chosen a more powerful metaphor to convey the intensity of what he feels about us. If we could allow ourselves to be touched by only a tiny part of his passionate commitment towards us then we would be humbled by that love, filled with gratitude and live our lives as a joyful response and celebration.
We think we understand that knowing God is about having a relationship with him – but many of us don’t let that sink in deeply enough. For example, for some Christians life is about trying to keep the rules. What would our human relationships be like if that was the case? Once we accept that God wants a relationship with us then our focus is on discovering what pleases him and what grieves him. Doing right is no longer the high jump bar that keeps getting raised every time we get near it because deep inside we feel we are not good enough. Walking with God is not balancing on a tightrope. Doing God’s will is not the elusive butterfly that exhausts us as we chase after it.
God has feelings for us. We can hurt him or bring him great joy. His feelings are intense because we matter so much to him. This is a relationship worth cultivating, worth responding to and living in. This is a relationship with the Creator God who wants to show us his heart and share our joys and sorrows. He is intense about us. Are we about him? Does his presence in our lives cause us to engage, to push forward, to bring him joy by being the best we can? Does the mundane come alive because he is there? Does the darkness become as light because of the brightness of his presence?
This is the right kind of jealousy. Do we have it?
14/11/2014 - Psalm 141:3
'Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.'
'Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.'
There are times when it is wrong to keep our mouths shut. When we hear a friend being unfairly run down by others and we don’t speak up – that is not friendship. When justice requires a voice to be heard and we remain silent – that can be cowardice. When someone deserves praise and we don’t bother – that is unloving.
I am not talking about those times. I am talking about the cryptic comment that pops out before our brain engaged or the defensive explanation that we launched into before we let what was being said really register. Until those words are uttered, the thoughts are retrievable. There is still time to reconsider, to not go down that road. We still have control of the situation - but as that word passes over our lips we are committed to a course that can be very difficult to change. That is why David says that he needs a sentry at the door of his lips to challenge words waiting to emerge from the cavern of his mouth. If they are wrong words they are turned back or shot on the spot. If David needs a sentry – this man after God’s own heart – then so do we.
It is important to note that David asks the Lord to ‘set a guard’ and ‘keep watch over the door of my lips.’ Isn’t this something that David should do? Isn’t he responsible for his own words? Yes, but perhaps the request shows David’s awareness of the enormity of this particular challenge. He knew that this is where the battle is won or lost. Without that guard his mouth is like a loaded gun without the safety catch.
Someone makes a comment. That comment taps into what we already feel about ourselves. There is an upsurge of emotions that our minds transform into an army of words that are destined to attack and neutralise the enemy – i.e. the one who made the comment ‘against us.’ That sentry at the door of our lips suddenly becomes very important. He alone stands between us and a destructive course of action.
It could be argued that we would be better concentrating on sorting our hearts out. Actually, this is what we are doing. If we can stop the thoughts that have not yet formed into words, we are giving ourselves time to adjust the attitude of heart that produced the thoughts in the first place. The sentry buys us time to see where our hearts need to change. When we challenge our own attitudes, the words quickly ‘wither on the vine.’ If we have let words pass our lips that we regret, step back quickly from them. Cut them off from the negative attitudes within.
I love this verse: ‘Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent’ (Proverbs 17:28). We can do that – can’t we!
I am not talking about those times. I am talking about the cryptic comment that pops out before our brain engaged or the defensive explanation that we launched into before we let what was being said really register. Until those words are uttered, the thoughts are retrievable. There is still time to reconsider, to not go down that road. We still have control of the situation - but as that word passes over our lips we are committed to a course that can be very difficult to change. That is why David says that he needs a sentry at the door of his lips to challenge words waiting to emerge from the cavern of his mouth. If they are wrong words they are turned back or shot on the spot. If David needs a sentry – this man after God’s own heart – then so do we.
It is important to note that David asks the Lord to ‘set a guard’ and ‘keep watch over the door of my lips.’ Isn’t this something that David should do? Isn’t he responsible for his own words? Yes, but perhaps the request shows David’s awareness of the enormity of this particular challenge. He knew that this is where the battle is won or lost. Without that guard his mouth is like a loaded gun without the safety catch.
Someone makes a comment. That comment taps into what we already feel about ourselves. There is an upsurge of emotions that our minds transform into an army of words that are destined to attack and neutralise the enemy – i.e. the one who made the comment ‘against us.’ That sentry at the door of our lips suddenly becomes very important. He alone stands between us and a destructive course of action.
It could be argued that we would be better concentrating on sorting our hearts out. Actually, this is what we are doing. If we can stop the thoughts that have not yet formed into words, we are giving ourselves time to adjust the attitude of heart that produced the thoughts in the first place. The sentry buys us time to see where our hearts need to change. When we challenge our own attitudes, the words quickly ‘wither on the vine.’ If we have let words pass our lips that we regret, step back quickly from them. Cut them off from the negative attitudes within.
I love this verse: ‘Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent’ (Proverbs 17:28). We can do that – can’t we!
7/11/2014 - John 16:32
‘I am not alone for my Father is with me.’
‘I am not alone for my Father is with me.’
Jesus was about to be let down. He has just told his disciples that they will run off home and that he will be left all alone. So, what did he do? Complain about their lack of faith and friendship? No. He told them that he was not really alone because his Father was with him.
Does that mean that their faithfulness and friendship didn’t really matter after all? No. It meant that he would continue to reach out and teach them what true friendship is and draw them into a better way.
There is nothing worse than feeling alone. That emotion can turn so quickly into feeling sorry for ourselves – or even to despair. It becomes about us. We can’t do that if we know the Father is with us. Jesus could wash the disciples’ feet – even though it was a menial task that was not his responsibility – because he knew where he was in his relationship with his Father (John 13:1). With the cross before him he had plenty to think about other than such trivial things as washing feet. Whatever pressure he was under, he stayed engaged and applied himself to the detail – because he knew the Father was with him.
God has made us for a variety of relationships, each with its own challenges and joys. Sometimes they go wrong. What is the bottom line? The Father is always with us. Does that mean we can retreat into our own ‘special relationship’ with God and close those relationships down? No. It means we don’t lose our footing and are able, when the other person is willing, to reach back with the reconciling love of God.
If you were the Devil how would you go about defeating a Christian? Surely to make him think he is on his own. What does that more quickly than anything else? Guilt. Where there is genuine guilt we quickly find forgiveness (1 John 1:9) and our relationship with God is restored. The hardest thing to deal with is false guilt. The problem is that you cannot forgive what doesn’t exist. False guilt comes about by not seeing ourselves as God sees us. The Devil knows that and exploits it to the full.
Come back to knowing that the Father is with you always. He will never forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). There was only one moment in history when Jesus’ relationship with his Father was broken and that was so ours need never be (Matthew 27:46).
Does that mean that their faithfulness and friendship didn’t really matter after all? No. It meant that he would continue to reach out and teach them what true friendship is and draw them into a better way.
There is nothing worse than feeling alone. That emotion can turn so quickly into feeling sorry for ourselves – or even to despair. It becomes about us. We can’t do that if we know the Father is with us. Jesus could wash the disciples’ feet – even though it was a menial task that was not his responsibility – because he knew where he was in his relationship with his Father (John 13:1). With the cross before him he had plenty to think about other than such trivial things as washing feet. Whatever pressure he was under, he stayed engaged and applied himself to the detail – because he knew the Father was with him.
God has made us for a variety of relationships, each with its own challenges and joys. Sometimes they go wrong. What is the bottom line? The Father is always with us. Does that mean we can retreat into our own ‘special relationship’ with God and close those relationships down? No. It means we don’t lose our footing and are able, when the other person is willing, to reach back with the reconciling love of God.
If you were the Devil how would you go about defeating a Christian? Surely to make him think he is on his own. What does that more quickly than anything else? Guilt. Where there is genuine guilt we quickly find forgiveness (1 John 1:9) and our relationship with God is restored. The hardest thing to deal with is false guilt. The problem is that you cannot forgive what doesn’t exist. False guilt comes about by not seeing ourselves as God sees us. The Devil knows that and exploits it to the full.
Come back to knowing that the Father is with you always. He will never forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). There was only one moment in history when Jesus’ relationship with his Father was broken and that was so ours need never be (Matthew 27:46).
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