Category: Devotions

Worship outweighs will.

Luke 5:12-13 “While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”  Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.”

 

If there was fear of contracting any disease then leprosy held the greatest. It totally ruined your life and those of your family. You became ostracised, an outcast with a social stigma that you never recovered from. Leprosy was permanent and gradually got worse. There was no future for the leper.

Whoever this man was he knew that according to form, Jesus could heal leprosy.

Even though his leprosy was so bad he was covered with it, Jesus could do it.

It is whether Jesus was willing.

So the man did what we all should do in similar situations.

Lay the burden down in worship.

He laid down, he brought the leprosy down to the feet of Jesus. His sickness was not even on the same level of importance as Jesus and certainly not bigger than him. His problem was less than the presence of Jesus. Our problems still are. No matter how huge they are or how terminal they may be, they are not as important as His presence in our life at this moment.

The man fell down into the posture of worship.

There was a moment when Jesus fell down in the garden and said a similar thing. For Jesus he would realise the will of His Father was to keep going to the cross.

For us, whatever the seismic problem you wake to today, then lay down in worship before His presence. Realise whether He wills it or not, here at His feet is the best place you can be. There is nowhere else to go but His presence. What can you do but worship? Worship outweighs will.

The Outcome to follow

Luke 5: 8-11 “When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” ⁹ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, ¹⁰ and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” ¹¹ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.”

The outcome of the miraculous catch of fish was so they received their calling. The outcome was so that they would leave everything and that they would follow Jesus.

The men heard a call. “From now on you will catch men.” The word is ‘zogreo’ it means ‘to capture alive’ or ‘to spare life’.

The men had caught fish to kill them now they would catch people to free them. They will be involved in the miraculous catching of people.

Jesus still uses the same call to us today.

The men left everything. For them they would form a band of 12 disciples of Jesus, this would be a full time position which needed them to leave their work places.

For us … this is a call of surrender. It is a call to leave a divided loyalty and committing solely to Jesus. Later in Luke 14: 26 Jesus says, “ “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.” That is hard to read but even more difficult to put Jesus first before family. When I say that I don’t mean the ministry/work of Jesus or the church/followers of Jesus before family, I mean Jesus.

Jesus still expects us to leave something today to follow him.

The men followed him. It means they walked the same road. The walk with Jesus is tough but joyful. There is pain but there is purpose. Following Jesus makes our lives meaningful. Waking in the morning and making that first decision to follow Jesus as you did yesterday is the rhythm of life that keeps you wholesome in every way.

Jesus reaches out to you today with the call to ‘Come’.

 

 

Jesus loves you

Luke 5: 6-10

“When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. ⁷ So they signalled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. ⁸ When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” ⁹ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, ¹⁰ and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.”

Jesus had just made Simon a very wealthy fishermen. He was certainly someone Simon wanted as a partner on his executive board. However, in the midst of this amazing supernatural act, something was causing tension within Simon, it was his sin.

Perhaps Simon had been proud that Jesus had chosen his boat as a pulpit.

“That’s my boat Jesus has chosen, can everyone see?!!”

We cannot guess. But whatever was going on, Simon became aware of his sin.

Job 42: 5-6 “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

Isaiah 6:5 ““Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

Revelation 1:17 “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.”

The presence of Jesus exposes our humanity and brings to the surface our sin.

Luke 5: 10 “Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid …”

Your sin will make you feel distant, unwanted and unacceptable.

The message for us today is, “Do not be afraid. Do not back away. I’ve not finished with you yet.”

 

 

 

 

NOW

Luke 5: 4-6 “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” ⁵ Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” ⁶ When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.”

This should not have happened.

Fishermen fished at night in the deep water and perhaps during the day in shallow water.

But Jesus knew there were fish and that they were passing by about ‘now’.

Often said in a blasphemous way the phrase, ‘God knows when’ indicating that we mortals have no idea when something is going to happen is actually true … He does know when. God is a NOW God. In Matthew 17:27 we have a really strange request! “Go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

He knows when the fish are coming and He knows which one has the coin in its mouth to pay the tax!!

When we learn to walk with Jesus then we learn that when God says NOW then we do it NOW.

I reckon Simon wished he had a bigger boat that day!

They had never seen such a miracle.

Miracles are perhaps lost because we missed the timing.

I don’t want to miss miracles because I couldn’t do or go or be or say it NOW. Miracles cannot be put into our tidy diaries. We don’t say NOW, HE does.

NOW can look like the wrong timing when in fact it is perfect.

NOW doesn’t take into account the effort and disappointment of having previously tried.

NOW requires obedience.

Is God saying NOW?

Luke 5: 4-5

I know

 ² He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. ³ He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” ⁵ Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

It wasn’t that they had not worked hard.

It wasn’t that they had not been faithfully persistent.

It wasn’t that they were not prepared to make the sacrifice.

They had done all these things.

But they had nothing to show for all that they had done.

The question, “Is this it?” couldn’t even be asked.

There was nothing.

Jesus sees them washing their nets, taking all the salt off them, ready to do it all again.

This is what they did every day.

This was their life.

Working hard to fill a boat but at times working for nothing and then getting ready to work again.

They cannot give up, it is their livelihood.

It is what they do. It is their life. Even if they wanted to change, what would they do?

It is their life.

This is how it always is.

But it doesn’t have to stay that way.

Whatever this means for you today receive this word from Jesus …

“I know where all the fish are.”

 

Jesus sees you

Luke 5: 1-3

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. ² He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. ³ He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

 

Prior to this event, Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John had heard the call to accept Jesus as their Messiah (read it in John 1:35-51).

They had heard the call to follow for a little while actually (Matthew 4 and Mark 1).

But on this day they were at a distance from Jesus, washing their fishing nets.

In contrast there is a crowd around Jesus. The Greek word for ‘crowd’ is epikeimai which means ‘press around’, ‘press upon’, ‘be urgent’.

There is the passion of the people and the distance of the disciples.

Where are you today? Pursuing Jesus with urgency?

Where are you today? Distant?

Whatever category you place yourself in, Jesus is watching you.

Jesus had his eye on the crowd, on his disciples and on one other thing.

He sees the boats and in particular Simon’s. It had to be Simon’s.

Perhaps Jesus thought: “One day my Spirit will step into Simon’s life to carry the work of God forward but for now I will step into his boat to enable me to carry on the work today.”

Simon’s boat became a pulpit. Actually it had just returned from a night’s fishing with nothing. Jesus stepped into this failed boat and used it for His purpose.

Where are you today? A failure not realising the potential once hoped for?

Jesus sees you. Make yourself available, something beautiful is going to happen.

 

A story

Luke 4:40-44

“When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ. At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.”

Chapter 1: Sunset

It feels like the day is nearly over and you are just the same, sick or plagued with the darkness of your soul. The sun is setting and hope is fading for another day. Tomorrow you will try and survive again. You will beg for money to receive medical treatment. You will try and keep yourself dignified before the enemies of that peace shout from within.

But tomorrow will be the same as today as it has been for a long time now.

The sun is setting and here is another Messiah, another miracle worker, there have been many over the years claiming, naming, disappointing. But you have remained the same.

“This time is different”, so they said as your friends carried you to this new Messiah.

He laid his hands on you and looked into your eyes.

His touch changed everything. His look shone glorious light into the darkness of your soul. You knew you would never be the same again.

Chapter 2: Daybreak

You ran back. You had to find him again. Jesus. Where was he? Others had the same idea. When a man changes your life like this then there are conversations to be had. You have friends, there are other things that you need fixing but first you really need to thank Him. You almost feel like worshipping Him. You follow the crowd there seems to be a noise, a cheering, they have found him, in the back and beyond of nowhere. Why is he out here on his own? Last night he was the centre of the crowds and he was working hard but here now, on his own, withdrawing, is this where he recharges himself? Who else was there in the solitary place?

Chapter 3: He’s gone.

You joined in the pleas for him to stay. Having Jesus in town would be the right thing. He already has a following. He could start a movement quite easily. He could change the landscape of everyone’s life. If only He would stay.

He is a movement. I get it. He has to keep on. He said He must go. When He said ‘must’ it was more than a decision. It was obedience. Like if He didn’t go to other towns and villages like ours the it would be disobedience.

He was sent. Who sent Him? Some are saying Jehovah.

If so then I have to follow Him. I need to make my life count now. This man changed my life so I need to be as near Him as possible. He’s off. He’s not waiting. He has to keep on. I’m right behind you Jesus. Let’s go.

It’s never THE END with Jesus

An invitation

Luke 4 v 38-39 “Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother- in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.”

 

He has not called Simon to be a disciple yet but he is accepting presumably an invitation to his home.

What is one of the most natural social behavioural actions on earth, the simple invitation, would end up being the foundation for not just the transformation of one life but that of the church to come. I wonder what would have happened if Jesus hadn’t gone? More to the important I wonder what would have happened to Simon if he hadn’t invited Jesus home that day?

 

Are you invitable?

That’s probably not a word. But are we who people want in their homes?

Do we make a positive difference?

Have people seen something in us and they know they need to have more time with us, they need to bring us home?

Maybe the ‘synagogues’ have become so ineffective that the last person to be invited home is the one who has been teaching?

Can you imagine the reverse? Can you imagine that the Church being the first ones to be invited into homes? Homes that are in need, that are broken, that have tried everything, that the Church becomes a 999 emergency service?

 

Are we inviting?

Many leave Jesus in the ‘synagogues’ and return home and close the door. Inside their home and inside the ‘synagogue’ can be polar opposites.

‘May our homes be filled with dancing’ is a line of a song that blessed me the first day we sang it in Church.

May our homes be filled with joy!

Our homes sure get a battering in the storms of life. Some can even fall down completely if built on ‘sand’.

We need Jesus home with us.

Come Jesus, come to my home today, it’s not functioning the way it should. One of our loved ones is sick. We are struggling. Please come and help us.

And He will come.

And as He bends over your home His shadow will fall on areas of pain. He will rebuke the devourer and remove what should not be there. Go on, invite Jesus to your home.

 

Ministering with authority

Luke 4:33-37

In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, “Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-the Holy One of God!” “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!” And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.

 

A man can be demonised and be in the centre of religious worship and teaching and be very quiet. So quiet that no one notices he was there. How long had this man been in worship prior to worship. A year, ten years? It would appear demons don’t mind religion. But they do hate the presence of Jesus!

They are afraid of the authority of Jesus.

There are sleeping ‘demons’ laying within churches that pulpit preachers are unaware of.

There are silent ‘secrets’ rocking the church asleep.

Authority wakes up even sleeping demons.

In the presence of Jesus even demons who serve the father of lies, have to tell the truth.

Are you going to destroy us? The answer was yes.

Not even the religious were acknowledging the truth of Jesus’ identity. They were more blind than the man.

“I know who you are, the Holy One” … correct!

We have been given authority to set people free from the enemy of our soul.

We have authority to see men shake and demons flee and there be no injury.

We need to minimise the injuries that occur in Church and there needs to be zero-tolerance of injury to the vulnerable whether that be spiritual, mental, biological or emotional etc.

How many horrendous images have you witnessed of so called deliverance ministries who seem to do nothing more than make the person worse? Better to have a demon than have some quack deliverance minister get their hands on you! (Joke! Don’t write in!)

Jesus delivers without injury! Amen!

The Church needs authority today more than ever.

May the Church rise with such authority today.

 

 

Speaking with authority

 

Luke 4: 31-32 “Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people. They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.”

 

Matthew in his gospel writes that Jesus taught as one who had authority and “not as their teachers of the law” (7:29).

 

It is well known that teaching rabbis would endlessly quote other rabbis when they were teaching. “Rabbi such and such says this…” or “I am here to tell you what Rabbi X said 5 years ago on this topic”. Now there’s nothing wrong with using some quotes to help your case. Preachers do it all the time. But can you imagine listening to your Pastor who only ever spoke like an editor of other people’s messages.

When I first began pastoring I went to a church where I had to prepare 2 sermons and a bible study every week. So for the first 6 months I preached my father’s messages (once I could decipher his handwriting). I did it because not only did it help me time-wise but also I didn’t feel like I had much authority in the pulpit. So I borrowed an authoritative voice and used that.

In the course of time I gained confidence from my own stories of life and experiences and more importantly finding God’s voice in the Bible and partnering my voice with His. I began to speak with my own authority and recognised that it came from God.

Authority in the pulpit isn’t connected to the decibels of noise coming out of your mouth nor how much sweat you pour out, neither is it determined by your upbringing, as Jesus of Nazareth would remind us. Nor does it come from some religious credential, Jesus didn’t have any. Nor does it come from a conformity to the religious rule book, Jesus tore his generation’s book up. No. The authority I speak about comes not from man or prestige or performance but from God.

He gives it through your life’s journey to be used maybe even years later. God fills your life with stories and experiences that belong to you, so that you can draw on them later in life.

God gives you authority through learned obedience. Painful journeys where you have learnt submission to His will.

God gives you authority beyond your years as you reside in Him.

Our churches need authority and Christians need to find their authoritative voice again.

The good news is that Jesus has said that He possesses all authority and He has given it to those who follow Him.