Category: Devotions

Do you have a family secret? That event or person which is a source of embarrassment to the family and which doesn’t get talked about. Most families have them.

In 1987 our Royal Family were dragged through a public outcry when their family secret became public. The Queen’s first cousins, Katherine and Nerissa Bowes-Lyon were declared legally dead in 1963. However, due to their disabilities and mental health they had been institutionalised into the Royal Earlswood Hospital in Redhill, Surrey, since 1941. The reality was that Nerissa died in 1986 and Katherine in 2014.

In the family of Jesus there was also a scandal of great magnitude. Matthew purposely mentions all the relevant names so that everyone remembers it.

“Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar” (Matthew 1:3)

Perez and Zerah were twins but only Perez was in the line of Jesus. So why mention Zerah? Probably to remind everyone of the despicable story which involved the 2 names either side of that verse, Judah and Tamar.

The story is found in Genesis 38.

Judah’s first son, Er, had died because of God’s judgment on him. His wife, Tamar, is married off to his brother, Onan, the second son. He dies again because of God’s judgment. So the third son, Shelah, is in line to take Tamar as his wife, but she is having to wait because he is not an adult. Judah at first makes this a promise but he regrets doing so. I mean, she must be bad luck and he doesn’t want to lose a third son. So Tamar takes matters into her own hands.

Judah had a close friend called Hirah and he goes to spend time with him. He had been with him when he had found his first wife and now that she had died he was looking for another and spending time with Hirah probably seemed like the way for that to happen.

Some people tipped off Tamar who felt rejected and deceived by Judah and she goes to the same town and pretends to be a prostitute. Judah sleeps with her. She wants more payment than the goat he was offering and he gives her his seal, cord and staff. She had played him.

Three months go by and reports are given to Judah that his daughter-in-law was pregnant. He erupts with rage and wants her burned to death. She saves her life by asking him who the seal, cord and staff belongs to who she slept with. He realises that she had done this because he had lied to her regarding his third son. He praises her ingenuity.

The twins are then born and again controversy! Which twin will be first? Who will receive the inheritance? During childbirth Zerah’s hand comes out first and a scarlet thread is tied around his wrist. He gets the inheritance! Wait, no he doesn’t, because Perez breaks through (that’s the meaning of his name) and is born first. Scandal!

That’s the family secret hidden behind the names. Matthew records all the names, Zerah and Tamar don’t need to be mentioned. He could have just said, ‘Judah fathered Perez’ but warts and all, this is the story, remember?

Of course as with all our stories we can see a thread of grace, redemption, sovereignty amongst many other things that God weaves.

Tamar’s determination to keep the bloodline of Judah continuing through levirate marriage to her father in law. Perez the person who wasn’t chosen and isn’t first but breaks through because God chose him.

We see the positives looking back. But they are the good from the bad.

Your family may not read like a romantic sweet story which has a U family viewing rating. It may be an 18 certificate! If it is then it is akin to the story of Jesus because the genesis of Jesus comes from sinful, ordinary people, like us.

If you wake up today and are doubting in any way that you are just not quite good enough then you are amongst tremendous company as you read the opening verses of Matthew’s gospel:

“This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers” (Matthew 1: 1-2)

The English word ‘genealogy’ is the translation of the Greek word, ‘Genesis’. This is how Matthew starts his gospel, written perhaps at the time that Peter and Paul was still alive (approx. AD60) and maybe to the church of Antioch in Syria. Perhaps and maybe because there are many opinions.

This is the new beginning. We have had one Genesis already but this is the beginning of the incarnation of God on earth.

Matthew’s list is different to Luke’s. Matthew’s descends father to son and Luke’s is the reverse. Matthew’s line goes through Joseph and Luke’s goes through Mary. Matthew’s is shorter.

How far back can you go with your own family tree? I can only go back to grandad Joe. I think most people can only go back 3 generations. We don’t necessarily get taken up with our past. What about those in the family of faith? Who brought you to Christ? Who brought them? Who brought them? Same problem perhaps. We are more focused on the now and the future than our past. I’m not sure whether I am in some mid-life existential crisis or not but having suffered grief over recent years I keep thinking about those before me.

But maybe we will be helped by thinking on how Matthew starts his gospel.

The beginning of Christ came through the covenants of God. Jesus is the son of David, the fulfilment of the covenanted promised figure, a Messiah for the Jews, who would save them from their enemies. But Jesus is also the son of Abraham who also had a covenant that the Messiah from his line would be for all the nations of the world.

Forty times Matthew uses the word ‘father’ or ‘fathered’ leading to the crescendo of the announcement of Jesus Christ who was not ‘fathered’ by Joseph but incarnated through Mary.

But before we move into the perfect Christmas story we cannot without having a brief look at these names who were the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah.

Let us consider Abraham. But let us see the humanity, the ordinariness, not the stardom of saintliness.

Abraham who impregnated a slave-girl called Hagar who was not his wife. Abraham who lied that his wife was his sister, twice!

Isaac carried on from his father and also lied about his wife and he was a weak father to his children Jacob and Esau.

Jacob known as the deceiver, exploited his brother Esau and stole his blessing. He married 2 sisters.

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob seen by generations as the patriarchs, the fathers of the faith are the beginning of Jesus, according to Matthew’s gospel. This is his good news that ordinary, sinful people are in the line of Jesus. The Messiah comes into that line of impetuous deceiving liars.

So today you think you are not as good as some. You may want to pull out of the race because you don’t feel you deserve to be running it. Well take heart because the good news of Matthew is you are not alone.

Sadly we are now at the end of this beautiful letter to the Philippians.

The Apostle wrote this from a place he did not want to be in.

We don’t know exactly whether that was in prison in Ephesus, AD52-55; or Caesarea AD 57-59; or under house arrest in Rome 61-62 AD (see Acts 28: 16, 30-31)

In any case he writes to the Church in Philippi which was a Roman colony.

Bear with me as we think of what was happening in the Roman Empire at that time. A brief plotted history:-

Domitius was born in AD37, the only surviving male descendent of Caesar Augustus.

His mother, Agrippina, married her uncle, Caesar Claudius, in AD49.

Claudius adopted Domitius who was re-named Nero.

Agrippina poisoned Claudius so that her son, Nero, could be the Caesar.

At first Caesar Nero led well under his advisors but after they died or retired he went wild.

In AD59 he had his own mother, Agrippina, put to death.

In AD62 he divorced his wife, Octavia, then had her executed and married his mistress, Poppaea, which didn’t last long and reportedly he actually kicked her to death!

In AD64 he blamed the fire in Rome on the Christians and began a cruel, torturous persecution against them.

On the 9^th June AD68 he committed suicide.

You may wake up in a nation of the world today and look at your wicked government and you may describe them like Nero. Nevertheless, let us read the last few verses of this letter and read something powerful:

“Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings. All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen” (Philippians 4 v 21-23)

“… especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.”

Isn’t that remarkable?!

What is your environment like today?

Those who will go to work, perhaps you are working in a very unchristian workplace, Maybe the pressure is constantly on you as you are living as a light in the darkness. This is your mission field whether or not you are restricted in what you can say or not. You may want to live and work amongst Christians 24 hours a day but you are here in this place and God has appointed you to be there. You have a value system that is better than those around you and they need to see it in the way you respond and react to things. You are being watched even when you don’t realise it. Your testimony is being shared even without words. When the opportunity comes to speak then you must take it. This is your mission.

Remember, even people in the household of Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus can be saved!

I have left the verses showing so that you can see them as we briefly look through this passage coming to a close of this amazing letter of Philippians.

“Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. ¹⁵ Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; ¹⁶ for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. ¹⁷ Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. ¹⁸ I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. ²⁰ To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Philippians 4: 14-20)

The following are bullet points and brief purposely wanting us to pause and consider what God might be saying to you individually on certain matters.

Giving to need is sharing in the problem of the need, v14

• You are there even when you cannot physically be. (Paul was in prison far away)
• You feel the weight of the burden

Just because it is a Church doesn’t mean it is generous, v15 (note Paul mentions churches who didn’t give)

• The spirit of entitlement can live in the pulpit and the pew but the centre of the world isn’t there.
• The spirit of poverty that develops in the Church can cripple its mission.

Giving means new churches can be established, v16

• Paul was planting Thessalonica and was able to do so because of a giving church 100 miles away.
• One of the reasons why new churches are not planted is because of a lack of financial budgeting for such.

It is more blessed to give than to receive, v17

• Jesus said these words though it’s not quoted in the gospels, but Paul knew the quote (Acts 20:35). Jesus who gave his all knew what this exactly would mean.
• The joy of seeing others happy because of what we have given is a feeling like no other.

Giving is an offering that is a sacrifice which pleases God, v18

• We may think we are giving to people but the gift goes to God
•  Giving means God receives.

Giving results in our needs being met, v19

• If God receives then God is going to meet every need of your life.
• God has riches more than you could ever possible have by holding on to yours. Release yours and receive His.

Giving glorifies God, v20

• Throughout generations God will be seen through a giving Church.
• So let it be. Amen. Let it happen. Get right with your giving today.

In 1965 the Rolling Stones sang, ‘I can’t get no Satisfaction’ and 55 years later it is still an anthem that is as relevant as the day it was released.

In 1987 U2 sang, ‘I still haven’t found what I’m looking for’ and 33 years later it is still a classic that in the words of Bono is “an anthem of doubt more than faith.”

In 2020 are we satisfied? Have we found what we are looking for?

In 2019 in the Government’s annual population survey, which captures data from 320,000 people across the nation, people’s sense of satisfaction and ‘feeling that things done in life are worthwhile’ dropped. Just over half of Britons are happy. Those who have high anxiety levels are around 20%. But that was last year. I wonder what it is in 2020?

We are going to read a verse which is often taken out of context to mean that God will enable us to do what is set before us. We will read it in the context it was written and see it is not about doing but about being content with what is happening and where I am.

“I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4: 10-13)

Remember Paul is in prison. Where are you today?

Remember also how one of the reasons for him writing to the Philippians was to thank them for the gift they sent him in prison. He has done that and mentions it again in this section but he also tells them that he is not needing things to help him get through. In fact he doesn’t anything. He has had it all and he has had nothing and he is probably in that circumstance right now. But that hasn’t come easy. Notice he uses the word ‘learned’. This has been a lesson in life, a work in progress, he has been tested in it and he has learned.

I haven’t studied Seneca or Epictetus, but these Stoic philosophers are appearing again in many popular books as I walk around Waterstones. These men believed that a good mental health cultivates happiness. Nothing deep about that perhaps. But they also teach that happiness comes when we know we can control hardly anything except what we think about our circumstances. Life happens and if we decide to think a situation is bad then we will become unhappy but if we view it as having meaning and purpose then we will be happy.

Paul is not using Stoic philosophy, he has his own.

Neither am I advocating some ‘put a smile on your face’ happy clappy attitude. There are times such as in grief when we mourn with those who mourn. There are sad times in our lives and we are wrong to minimise the hurt that people go through.

Paul teaches us how he has learnt to be content and the word here means to be independent of external circumstances.. He has learnt how because of Christ. Jesus has given him the ability to be self-sufficient. Christ has enabled him to live independently.

How?

For my own journey the closer I get to Jesus the more I live contented. The more I think on him and who He is the less ‘stuff’ becomes necessary for my contentment.

American cartoonist and children’s book author, Guy Gilchrist, wrote this poem:

You are the Keeper of The Keys.
You are the Guard of The Gate.
Waiting in line to get through that door
Is LOVE. And also HATE.
In line to enter is GENTLE PEACE.
And also VIOLENT WAR.
You must choose who may, and who
May not come through the door.
INTOLERANCE tries to sneak on through
On wings of FEAR, or PRIDE.
It hides behind DREAMS of BELONGING,
And tries to sneak inside.
Oh! Be alert! You’re the Guard who decides
Who GOES and who may STAY.
You are The Keeper of The Keys to Your Mind.
Who will you let in today?

We can control our thoughts.

When you are in prison or whatever trial, then bringing everything through God’s filtering system for your mind is essential. The Apostle writes, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4: 8-9)

If you search for ‘iced eagle on lake Michigan’ into Youtube you will watch an inspiring story of a Bald Eagle sitting on a block of ice on the lake unable to fly because of an 8 inch ball of ice had stuck to its tail feathers.

The Bald Eagle is the national bird symbol for the USA, they have a wingspan of 2 metres, can fly at over 30 miles per hour for up to 225 miles per day, but all that is useless if you are stuck to a ball of ice.

We can be like that Bald Eagle, stuck to a block of ice because we are held captive by our thoughts. We have the opportunity to do so much but we never fulfil our potential because of our thinking.

The truth is and the Apostle helps us: we can filter our thinking.

Is it true? Is it genuine and authentic? The devil is the father of lies but God is the Father of truth. We need to saturate our minds with truth. We must memorise Scripture, not just one or two verses but whole passages. Don’t allow the thought to come that you’re not good on remembering, you remember lots of things. As you do this will turn on the filtering system of your mind that will only allow true thoughts to stay.

Is it noble? Is it worthy of honour, self-respect and control? The word ‘noble’ is used 4 times in the New Testament and each time it is linked to the control of the tongue.

Is it admirable? Which is similar to ‘noble’ but specifically to speak well of a person.

Is it right? So often we are thinking on things that are unworthy and not righteous.

Is it pure? Is it not contaminated with sin? The purity of our thoughts will determine the purity of our lives. So watch and read and listen to good things.

Is it lovely? Is it pleasing and beautiful? The world is obsessed with the beauty on the outside. But what of the mind with its battles with revenge, anger or criticism. What about thoughts of you and your self-worth?

Is it excellent or praiseworthy? Is it commendable to others? Will people want to follow what you are thinking about?

What is the first and greatest commandment? It is to love God with all your mind …

We need to fill our minds with the splendour of God.

Let’s do some good thinking today.

In 1973 Nick Lowe wrote a song which was originally meant as a joke but by the time he finished it he knew it was speaking a message which would impact generations to come. It was sung by Elvis Costello in 1979 and Curtis Stigers in 1992 for the film The Bodyguard and Bill Murray’s film Lost in Translation in 2003.

He wrote it from the angle of an old hippie who in the early 70’s saw people leaving that lifestyle to a more cynical one scorning his world that he was desperately holding on to.

As I walk through this wicked world
Searchin’ for light in the darkness of insanity
I ask myself, “Is all hope lost?
Is there only pain and hatred and misery?”

And each time I feel like this inside
There’s one thing I wanna know
What’s so funny ’bout peace, love and understanding?
What’s so funny ’bout peace, love and understanding?

The point being there isn’t anything funny about it.

It’s strange how my mind thinks of such songs early in the morning!

I mention the song because of the following words of the Apostle:

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4: 4-7)

Why did I think of the song?

• You can find contentment in a cynical world.

Isn’t it bizarre that we are told to Rejoice? Twice!

It’s the last thing we want to hear right now isn’t it? 2020 has been a horrible year. How can we rejoice in the pandemic? We have lost so much this year. Wherever we turn we hear voices of despair. The voices of hope are challenged instantly, wrestled to the ground and stifled for the world loves bad news and laughs at those who sing about peace, love and understanding.

However, the person who challenges us to rejoice is the Apostle who is in prison not knowing if he will be released or beheaded. What did he mean?

The word is also used in the gospels when the soldiers mocked Jesus ‘Hail King of the Jews’ (Mark 15:18). Caesar was ‘celebrated’ (the Message uses this word) as the ‘son of god’ who brought peace to the Empire. It could well be that Paul is telling the Philippians to hail, celebrate Christ and not Caesar.

Even if your whole world is looking negatively in a certain direction make sure you are focusing on Christ. Choose to celebrate Christ, rejoice in Him and hail Him.

• You don’t have to waste energy on entitlement

The NIV uses the word gentle. The ESV ‘reasonableness’ and the ISV ‘your gracious attitude’. The word means ‘gentle, mild, forbearing, fair, reasonable, moderate.’ It is to be satisfied with what is less than what is rightfully yours. We live in a world where people are chasing their dreams and their rights and who look down on those who are singing about peace, love and understanding. The spirit of entitlement is prevalent in the Church as much as out. We came out of the womb hands clenched demanding what is ours and we gradually go into the grave doing the same. Where do you want to put your energy? Do you need to win every fight? Do you need to stand up for yourself? Really?

• You can find a way from your weariness.

How much time do we spend thinking on how to get through our difficulties?

Paul says your best thought is never enough. He encourages us to pray with thanksgiving. Usually intercessors are singing about peace, love and understanding and it is they who have it.

So let’s not waste energy but find contentment through taking everything to God in prayer.

So where are the strong and who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony, sweet harmony?

‘Cause each time I feel it slippin’ away
Just makes me wanna cry
What’s so funny ’bout peace, love and understanding?

I knew these 2 family members for all the years that they disliked one another. But as a friend and a Pastor I managed to bring them together in unity and there was a public display of peace and reconciliation within a church service and it was indeed very powerful. But it didn’t last very long, maybe a couple of years if that. Then it all unravelled and that was 20 years ago and today they don’t speak to one another at all. Neither of them attend church now. Their hurt and anger ate away at them.

These stories are sadly all too prevalent in any community but even more so when we see it in the Church.

Why can’t people just get on?

Well the Apostle had similar problems with his Churches.

“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.” (Philippians 4: 1-3)

So we come to the second reason why Paul wrote to the Church in Philippi.

He has thanked them for their love, support and their partnership with his chains of suffering and now this: 2 women who must have been creating quite a stink for news has reached him and he is writing to get it sorted out.

They are arguing probably not about theology but personal things.

The argument is not just affecting them they are distracting the Church.

He is calling them to agree and to agree will mean they will need to humble themselves.

How can they react negatively to this request after Paul has just written about the humility of Jesus?

What we know is these women needed help but no one was stepping in. They just let it continue.

Who was the companion? An individual? Or was Paul meaning the community of people who just stood by and did nothing to help? By-standers of the feud?

These women’s past have gospel stories and were used by God. But there’s not much of that going on now. It is amazing what we will let go of for being in the right.

Who are you arguing with today? Stop it!

Recently a teacher, a rubbish collector, and a lawyer wound up together at the Pearly Gates. St. Peter informed them that in order to get into Heaven, they would each have to answer one question.

St. Peter addressed the teacher and asked, “What was the name of the ship that crashed into the iceberg? They made a movie about it.” The teacher answered quickly, “That would be the Titanic.” St. Peter let him through the gate. St. Peter turned to the garbage man and, figuring Heaven didn’t *really* need all the odours that this guy would bring with him, decided to make the question a little harder: “How many people died on the ship?” Fortunately for him, the garbage man had just seen the movie. “1,228,” he answered. “That’s right! You may enter.” St. Peter turned to the lawyer. “Name them.” (from http://www.ahajokes.com/hea15.html)

Forgive me if you are a lawyer today! But I wanted to start the devotion with a joke to brighten our day!

These next verses of the Apostle centre our thoughts on heaven:

“Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. ¹⁸ For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹ Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. ²⁰ But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (Philippians 3: 17-21)

For every one of us there will come a day when we will close our eyes on this earth.

The trials and temptations will be over. We will no longer focus on things like destinies and desires, gains and losses, our bodies and material things that bring sparkle to our lives. All that matters won’t matter anymore. It will be gone. Are we ready for that?

Paul says:

You are a model

Yesterday I conducted the funeral service of a lady who I really didn’t know very well at all. Her adult children gave the eulogies and by the end I wished I had! They brought her back to life in their descriptions with tears and humour and each one spoke of her faith and how she modelled how to do life for them. In fact they all said how their lives have their mother running right through them.

Obviously the modelling came out of a family experience. This is why we are in church and connected to community. Discipleship cannot be done outside community it is never a solo effort.

Who do you model yourself after? Who’s the hero in prayer? The use of the Bible? Generosity? Witnessing?

You are a citizen

During the funeral I read Psalm 84 which is a travellers Psalm for the pilgrims heading to Jerusalem each year. The highlight was the destination not the journey for that was difficult. It was known as the Valley of Baca or Tears. This valley wilderness was tough, painful and dangerous but the pilgrims are fuelled by knowing they don’t belong there they are heading to the city of worship.

Friends, this earth is a travelling through place. It is a valley of tears at times, full of difficulties with many trials. But we are citizens not of this valley but of the city of heaven.

Paul uses the word citizenship purposefully. Philippi became a Roman colony in 42 BC and by the time of him writing to the Church it was an impressive Roman city. Paul is making a point that being in Christ is far better than being in Rome. “We have a better citizenship. A Roman one is good but heaven is better!”

You are a shadow

As a child I was always told that I would be recognised in heaven because my shirt will be hanging out (apparently I wasn’t very good at tucking it into my high pants!)

Look in the mirror, what do you see? What would you change about what you see? A lift here and a tuck there perhaps?!

Everything about you that needs changing will be changed. This is not plastic surgery but transformational surgery.

In the funeral I read the words, “no more pain no more death …”about what life will be like after death.

Will we be recognisable? I really believe so! Our resurrected bodies will reflect the old earthly bodies that were just a shadow of the real. But all pain gone, all wrinkles gone, all blemishes gone, all shame gone, all sorrow gone.

We are over half-way and perhaps you are thinking the Apostle Paul is perfect. You look at your own circumstance and think how will I ever apply anything of what I read in the Bible into my life? It is too difficult. I make too many errors.

Thankfully for us Paul is a realist. He wasn’t perfect and he knew the Philippian Church wasn’t either. So he encourages them by telling them that he gets it wrong at times. He fails and stumbles and he still has a way to go. Just like us. But he simply tells us not to go backwards. To live our lives that reflect where we have come so far. Here are the verses of Philippians 3: 12-16: “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.”

Paul encourages us:

To PURSUE Jesus.

He says it twice, he presses on.

Are you passionately pursuing Him?

Are you panting as a deer pants for the water?

Are you settling for the faith instead of following the Master?

Are you stuck in second gear in the middle lane of the motorway?

Yesterday I had a walk by the river. It is usually fast flowing but it was still. There was no movement. I read recently how the rivers in the world are slowing down they are no fast flowing as they used to be. Dammed up, drained and dredged of sediment there seems to be a slowing down of the river. One of the heartbreaks in Africa is to see the many dried channels where rivers used to flow freely.

There is another river and another stagnation. The Spirit and God’s people.

The Apostle knew more than we know. He discovered truths that we are so grateful for. He had revelations that we could never dream or see. Yet he never stopped chasing after Him who had captured his heart on that Damascus Road. There were new sunsets and sunrises to see, there were aspects of God to dwell on for days and weeks, there were long stretches of prayer and fasting where Christ was all he could focus on, there was more power for the gospel to receive. There was more because Christ is more!

To PART with the weight.

I don’t run the distances I used to run these days. Maybe I will again. The one deciding factor on that will be if I shift some more weight. If I run when a stone heavier than I am, which I have been at many times in my life, I will struggle. If I run a stone less than I am carrying right now then I will run faster. It makes sense doesn’t it? We move quicker when we are lighter.

So we need to shift the weight. What weight? Paul says forget what is behind you.

This is not to erase from your memory all that has happened for that would be impossible. You may have had a traumatic past and who can forget some of those things? You might have been a victim or like Paul you may have even been a perpetrator of other people’s pain, he was a persecutor of Christians and he never forgot it.

So whether or not you failed or you were hurt, Paul is saying let it go. Don’t let it hold you back. It is too heavy for you and it will weigh you down. If you need forgiveness then get it from Jesus if you need to forgive then ask Him to help you. But never let doubt, guilt, condemnation, hurt and pain slow you down from pursuing Christ.

I recently spoke with someone who I hadn’t come across for years and years. I couldn’t believe it the conversation though had different circumstances was exactly the same: the world is against me. I was thanking God that I had moved away from that person but pitied them because they had not moved away from being a victim.

For the PRIZE is Christ

In 1972 the musical Godspell had the lyrics to a song:

Three things I pray
To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly
Day by day

If anyone saw the Formula 1 race yesterday then you will still be reeling from the shock of witnessing a horrible crash. The Bahrain Grand Prix was stopped after Grosjean escaped with minor injuries but the crash was horrific as his car struck a barrier and caught fire.

There will be some who in their race that Paul earlier describes don’t make it, they self-destruct. The circumstances of life eat away at them. They suffer crashes that they never recover from. But for those who pursue and forget the past and continue they will get the prize.

The prize is Christ; knowing Him more; loving Him more; following Him closer; it is Jesus. Of course the prize is the end of the race. Today I will conduct the funeral of a lady who finished her race here on earth and who will join her son in heaven who finished it earlier this year.

We are not perfect, we do fail, we get things wrong time and again. But we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and we go again.

Go again today. Pursue Christ, lose the weight that slows you down for the prize is Christ!