Category: Devotions

The humility of Christmas
2 Corinthians 12
We know the poverty of the story. We know that Joseph and Mary became homeless, asylum seekers, no possessions and no benefits. We know that the angelic host came to shepherds who were not on the rich and famous list. We also know that the Son of God humbled himself to become incarnated into humanity.
So why all the boasting?
Why the boasting of our achievements? What we have done for God and for man for ourselves, why the self-applause? It has become so much part of our culture now, it has become acceptable to give ourselves a really good pat on the back!
The apostle Paul says he will boast about his weakness, his humanity, his struggles in life.
He will boast about his ‘thorn’, his unanswered prayers, his question mark that never gets answered.
He will boast about the difficulties he faces.
He will do all this with gladness not with a spirit of complaint.
Could he boast about achievements in God? Yes of course! He had achieved the third heaven, wherever that was it was close to God. But he chose not to because he understood that there is more power in the story of weakness than the story of accolade. When will we?
So this Christmas if you talk about you then keep it measured. It’s so much better to speak of your struggles, your questions and the pressures you face with a thankfulness that He has been born in your heart. You do what He did.
It’s better and to be honest, we all would prefer it.

#BeLovedChristmas14
It is through your giving that lives are saved and healing takes place. Bob and Edith McDonald, Elim Missionaries working in Romania, with the Roma community in a nearby village are seeing God move among the poorest in the community.

At her baptism a young woman told this testimony of what Jesus meant to her: My child was unable to walk. This troubled me greatly and especially when I saw the other children of similar age walking. I asked ‘why is my child not walking when all the other children are’. In my distress I said to God ‘ If you will let my child walk then I will give my life to you. That same night my
child walked for the first time’. ‘He is well. So I have given my life to Jesus and I want to follow Him’ Give this Christmas to Elim Missions Be Loved Campaign http://elim.im/beloved http://ow.ly/i/82HvE

For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. 2 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭4‬
So which Jesus are you holding on to this Chistmas?

British film-maker, David Heyman, is working on a film based on Reza Aslan’s book, “Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth.” Aslan, a Muslim, portrays Jesus as one of a group of prominent Jewish rebels against the Roman Empire.
Dutch film-maker, Paul Verhoeven, has been working on his own work entitled, “Jesus of Nazareth”. Jesus is portrayed most definitely not as a miracle worker.
Amongst so much secularism (though I am sure that’s not the motive) the cinema is showing film after film of the Bible story, the likes of Noah, David, Moses, Joseph. Some Christians object to the films because they are not ‘accurate’. To be honest, I don’t particularly mind too much because they are films after all.
However, the life of Jesus is so much different. He’s our life-leader just like Muhammed is for the Muslim and Guru Nanak for the Sikhs.

So what am I going to do?
Well according to the Apostle Paul I should not put up with it easily.
But that does not mean I am about to go on the streets to petition.
No. The evidence that Christianity is true is because we expect our gospel to be attacked and maligned yet we do not react like the others with threats of violence and announcing holy wars etc. That is a different gospel. But we respond with love and kindness as well as saying the portrayal of Jesus being no more than human is totally wrong. Anything other than that is a different spirit.

We do not have a different Spirit.
We do not have a different gospel.
And we certainly do not have a different Jesus.
This Christmas and throughout the year we all have an opportunity to make that clear.

It’s the way you are sitting

These are the times of the Alpha male! Loud, domineering, centre of attention oh yes and a tad obnoxious!
2 Corinthians 10
It is clear from this chapter that Paul is being accused of not looking like an apostle. He wasn’t the Alpha male.
Recently I was visiting a church, not many people knew me and I took a seat to the side. A man in welcoming me turned around and said “you look like a leader.” I was puzzled what that meant so enquired further, to be told, “it’s the way you are sitting”.
Feeling very conscious of how I was positioning my body, not knowing whether to try and slouch or to hold my stomach in more, I was amazed that even now at my age I am hearing things I have never heard before!
People like their Prime Ministers to look like Prime Ministers. They like those in authority to wear clothes that look authoritarian. They want to be able to spot an Apostle.
So how does Paul come to them?
With a rage of unbelief that the church is how it is. Bullying, abusing, manipulating, spitting hurtful remarks, dealing forcefully with the matter?
A friend recently said they couldn’t take a promotional job because to do the job everyone expects the person not to be nice and care what other people think. There is an expectation generally that the higher you go in life the more difficult you are to get on with.
Christmas is about celebrating the highest one stooping as low as possible to reach us.
Paul does speak firmly. He does address the issues.
How does he do this?
In the humility and gentleness of Christ.
It means being in control of yourself and not trying to control the other person.
It means not focusing on the failure and the judgment that brings, but rather to focus on making room for another attempt at success and the resulting victory.
How are you sitting?

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
2 Corinthians 9:15
The exclamation mark: strong feelings, an indicator of high volume like shouting and raising your voice. Let’s use the exclamation mark today!
It starts here. Christmas. The gift of God. The gift being Himself, Jesus.
It is indescribable. It is inexpressible. There are not enough words but it is more than that. There are not the right words. So this gift is unutterable, unexplainable and incomprehensible. Of the over 6,500 languages in the world, it is the same. Could we find words in Arabic that best describe this gift? No. Or Mandarin Chinese or Japanese? No. It is impossible. It sits in a whole new undiscoverable language. It is lavish but it is more than that. It is unbeatable because it is everything.
Did He give reluctantly?
I have seen people give even though they really would have preferred not to. I have heard people say “if I didn’t give I would have so much more”. The head of our currency is the Queen and I am sure I have seen her weep because the giver has squeezed the five pound note so tightly, hanging on to the last second before it goes into the offering.
Did He give under pressure?
I have squirmed at the lengthy pleading from the pulpits not for souls but for cash. I have seen manipulative campaigns to move those easily moved to give that bit more. I have heard the thoughts of ‘Name and Shame’ for those who didn’t give when they should have done.

But He didn’t do either of those. The indescribable gift is the surpassing grace of the verse before.
The gift is grace.
And we don’t understand grace either!

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9

Today people give but they want to direct their giving.
Today people give but they want to control their giving.
Today people give but they want to have any commission for giving.
Today people give but they want a moving story on a classy film to give.
Today people give but it’s more about them than the ones receiving the gift.

The only way we will enter into the grace of giving is if we first see the gift of Jesus.
These are the 2 key chapters in the NT on giving.
Each of them point to Jesus.
He became poor for others like you and me.
He gave for the sake of others.
He gave till it hurt.
He gave with no strings attached.
He gave so that we can give, like Him.

Christmas is about making room.
Not making room for more mince pies etc
But making room for people.
2 Corinthians 7:2 Make room for us in your hearts.
So if you have space for someone around the table, invite that someone.
If you are writing a card, then write something encouraging, not just your name.
Choose to see the good in the person you only see the bad in.
Make space and time for people.
Make room for Him.
What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

3 Christmas words

I will live.
I will walk.
I will be.
It’s the promise and reality of Christmas.
2 Corinthians 6:16

Let those 3 statements into your heart today.
He has always sought to live through you.
From the day of Adam He has wanted to walk a journey with you.
Having a relationship with you is more important than what He does for you.

Immanuel – the word in the Hebrew language for “I will live with you. I am with you”.
Incarnation – the doctrine that Christ became flesh. “I will walk your walk, I will experience what you experience, I will feel what you feel”.
Covenant – the Bible story is that of a promise-keeping God who says “I will have a relationship with you. I will be yours and you mine. I will die for this.”

He still seeks these things.

And Paul says that is why I do not want you to be influenced by the world, v14-16. Don’t let the world take you from these 3 truths this Christmas.

He came for us
2 Corinthians 5:1-5
• Jesus left his eternal home and came to an earthly tent, he tabernacled amongst us (john 1:14) and his life was destroyed.
He did this so we can know the truth of v1. That is our earthly tent will be destroyed but when it is we have a home in heaven.
He came down so that we can go up.
• Jesus learnt obedience with groans and cries (Hebrews 5:7). He took off his clothes of majesty and humbled himself in nakedness as a baby and then he died naked.
He did this so we can know the truth of v2-3. That is though we face burdens of this life we groan and long for what is to come.
He became naked so that we can become clothed.
• Jesus is the purpose of God for the world.
He did this so we can know the truth of v5. That is though we may have many questions we live within His purpose.
His purpose was questioned with ‘who are you?’ on many occasions so that in our many questions we know there is a purpose.

The back to front of the gospel!

HANUKKAH TODAY!
During the eight nights of Hanukkah, a candle is lit in a special candelabra called a ‘hanukkiyah’.

It’s an amazing story resulting in the dedication of the second temple in Jerusalem. In John 9:5 Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.” The next chapter and in verses 22-23 Jesus was in the temple during the time of Hanukkah, it was winter and it was dark. He chose to say those I AM words at that amazing time.

And during this time of Christmas when our dark streets are lit up with shining dazzling lights of candles, bulbs and other fluorescent images, Christ is still declaring He is the LIGHT.

The LIGHT of Christmas

2 Corinthians 4: 5-6

Where does Paul say Jesus the light is shining? It’s not in the temple, nor on the dark streets, but in our hearts!

The reason why you are influential is because of the light illuminating in your heart and in your home as you continually dedicate your life to Him.

So happy Hanukkah!