Jan 12th

Genesis 13     Nehemiah 2     Matthew 12     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

In this passage in Matthew 12 we see Jesus challenged by the Pharisees who are trying to catch him out and discredit him. The Pharisees were the elite religious scholars of their day, renowned for their strict observance of the law and are first historically recorded as a sect in the two centuries before Jesus' birth when the idolatrous Greek influence was at its strongest in Jerusalem. So the Pharisees' initial motivation - to stay true to God's law at a time of widespread idolatry amongst God's people - was a good one.  By Jesus' time, however, the Pharisees had taken their eyes off God and instead focused on themselves and their laws and traditions.
Like the Pharisees, we can often start with the right motivation but get caught up in religious observance. This "legalism" can take many forms, but all involve taking our eyes off Jesus and the honouring of God and focusing elsewhere. In contrast, Jesus saw to the heart of each person, to the heart of their problems and responded in love, meeting their needs - whether that
was on the Sabbath or otherwise. He did not concern himself with rules and regulations when obeying the command to "love thy neighbour as thyself". Jesus' quote from Hosea shows what God wants from us - mercy not sacrifice.
God does not want us to try and earn our way into heaven - phew, as we could never do that! Rather he wants us to hear his commands and obey them - showing mercy to others and loving our neighbour as ourselves. 

Verse for reflection, Jesus quotes Hosea chapter 6, verse 6: "I require
mercy, not sacrifice".

(Men's Ministry Leadership Member)

Nehemiah

To view an introduction to Nehemia please click here

Jan 11th

Genesis 12     Nehemiah 1     Matthew 11     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Calling
It is a strange thing to think about what our calling is. Some people feel a strong calling to their line of work, others feel called to very specific tasks that God has for them to do, others find it difficult to be sure they are hearing God's calling. I often find myself praying "Lord, I want to do your will - please make your way clear, and don't allow me to stray from it".

For Nehemiah, today we see him at the beginning of his calling to rebuild the walls of a great city - no mean feat in anyone's book! Over the next days we will see him working that out as he seeks God's help and strength to accomplish the seemingly impossible. We see John the Baptist with his calling from birth to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus, hoping that his calling was true and being fulfilled. Jesus' reassurance of him and loving demonstration of who he was is in response to how John had lived out what God had for him to do.  And we see Abraham, the earliest of the Father's of Israel, receiving his calling and promise from God that he would be a blessing to many nations.
For Abram his response is in verse 3 - "So Abram went". He knew his calling and he followed it to the end, and we still live the fulfilment of the blessing he was promised. What will be your response be to God's calling today?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, allow me to follow you more nearly day by day. Amen

(Men's Ministry Leadership Member)

Jan 10th

Genesis 11     Ezra 10     Matthew 10     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Genesis 11

V4 The desire to be recognised for what we have done, to make ourselves the god. What would have been God's response if the motive to build the tower and city was to honour Him?

V9 God used this opportunity to populate the earth.

V31 God's plan to get Abram to Canaan started with his father Terah; but Terah stopped short of the vision. Have we settled for something along the way of our journey rather than going the distance?

Matthew 10

V7 Judas was among the twelve who preached the good news, drove out evil spirits and healed sickness and diseases. God can use anyone of us if we are willing.

V9 God's power doesn't require our 'things' talents, money, provisions even our words. More than likely these can get in the way...leave the reliance on them behind and walk with God in faith.

V28 Where is our reverence/fear? In governments, family, peers...? They have no ultimate power, better to fear the almighty God and do His will.

V39 Have we given our life to Jesus? Do we give each day to Him? A seemingly contradicting statement that we have to lose our life to gain it but the reality is that we become more ourselves/ who we were meant to be, the more of ourselves we give to Jesus.

Ezra 10

V1 A very public display of prayer and confession. How public is our relationship with God?

V6 In private the actions were the same. Do our public actions mirror our actions unseen?

V9 A mass corporate move to address a problem and seek Gods mercy. Is this a model for church?

V18 The sin was identified and repentance occurred.  What is our response when we find something in our lives that is not right with God?

(Men's Ministry Leadership Member)

Jan 9th

Genesis 9 + 10     Ezra 9     Matthew 9     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Ezra 9

Are we ready to be distinctive?

Ezra, a priest during the time of Israel's captivity in Babylon has been given permission to return to Israel. The Babylonian authorities are even allowing him to institute a legal system incorporating 'the Law of God' alongside the 'law of the King' (Ezra 7: 25-26)

And here is the first problem (v1-2). God's people had been merging their culture, through inter-marriage, with other nations and cultures. This was forbidden in God's law to emphasise their distinctiveness over against the idolatry and moral dissolution (including child sacrifice) that surrounded them.

Ezra is 'stupefied with horror' at their compromise (3-5). Notice how, in prayer (6-15), he includes himself in their guilt and how he models both heartfelt repentance (v.6) and trust in God's grace (v.9). 

Ezra both stands with his people and leads from the front.

How far have we sold out to our culture? Where are the subtle, easily

missed, compromises? Today, will anybody notice that we are a Christian, or

do we just blend in? One day we may be called to 'take a stand' on one of the 'big issues'. But meanwhile, how far have we compromised on the small ones?

 (Men's Ministry Leadership Member)

Jan 8th

Genesis 8     Ezra 8     Matthew 8     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Life can be a mixture of emotions. As I write it is raining and cold outside - in fact it has been raining all day! But I've also just been Christmas shopping, choosing what I hope will be presents that will bring a smile to the face of friends and family. In fact each day can be like this: some things go amazingly well, others deeply sadden me; oftentimes I'm cross with myself for what I do; sometimes I lie in bed thanking God for his great mercies and gifts, other times I watch the news and wonder why things are the way they are.

Today's readings show different characters from across the spread of time - the ancient recession of the waters signalling the end of Noah's months cooped in an ark, Ezra's preparation for the return to a land from which the Israelites have been exiled, a man healed from leprosy and a Centurion's servant healed. In all of these situations they face, we see the faith they have shining through, trusting and believing God. Their experiences deepen their understanding of who their God is, prompting Noah to build an altar, Ezra to say "The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him", and the disciples to ask of Jesus "What kind of man is this?". 

As you go today, take time to see your place in history, playing your part in living for God in the same world that saw Noah, Ezra, Jesus himself, live and walk. 

Prayer: Lord, help me to remember you walk with me, through the good and bad, the easy and tough, as you have throughout history with those who love you. Amen

(Men's Ministry Leadership Member)

Jan 7th

Genesis 7     Matthew 7     Ezra 7  (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Genesis 7

The time for judgment has come!  Noah and his family must enter the ark and then trust in God’s promise if they are to be saved.  It was an act of faith in response to God’s grace just as is our salvation when we accept the forgiveness provided  by Christ’s death on the cross.  There is another aspect of grace that we detect in vs 16.  God shuts Noah in emphasising that God would keep him and his family secure, protected from the destruction of the flood.  Yet the shutting in also meant that others were shut out and perished.  That is an inevitable consequence of Grace.  It is a gift freely offered to all and those of us who respond are kept secure, assured of God’s protection into eternity.  But there is the freedom to reject the offer and perish since God forces no one to accept his offer of salvation.  On a more positive note, the ark could not fit everybody in even if Noah had invited them, but God’s offer of Salvation is open to ALL and  He has given us the task of making the invitations.  How are we getting on?  Do we appreciate the urgency?  Are we sufficiently convinced that lives lived without Christ are both incomplete now and without hope for eternity?  Reflect on Paul’s challenge to the Corinthian church (2 Cor 5:20) “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as if God were making his appeal (invitation) through us” Do our words and actions make the invitation credible? 

(member of the congregation)

Jan 6th

Genesis 6     Ezra 6     Matthew 6     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Genesis 6

Time passes - about 1000 years – and God’s command in Ge:1 28 to “be fruitful and multiply” had been obeyed.  Sadly, sin too had multiplied (vs 5) as men and women flouted God’s will in every aspect of their lives, including through elicit sexual relationships.  Sounds familiar? As human behaviour drifted far from His expectations God grieved; a fresh start was needed.  God could have destroyed everything and started again but he chose to work with the little that was still uncorrupted to begin his process of recreation. Do you recognize a theme that recurs in scripture; rather than destroy totally and start again, God uses a remnant that is faithful to work out His purposes.  Here the remnant is “a righteous man”, Noah and his family (vs 9). Their story provides a wonderful picture of the over-arching message of the whole bible: sin brings judgment and death (the flood) but God’s grace brings rescue (the ark) followed by a new beginning.  The offer of salvation was totally God’s initiative – it was undeserved grace – but for Noah to be saved he had to show faith and obedience as he acted out God’s command to build the ark.  No doubt he was ridicule but that was a price worth paying to save his and his family’s lives.   Are we prepared to experience similar ridicule or disdain for choosing to obey God rather than follow the crowd?  Quite a challenge! But the bible should encourage us through the record of God’s faithfulness in the past, the promise of the Holy Spirit’s presence and power in the present and the assurance of a place in His eternal Kingdom for the future. 

(member of the congregation)