Missions Paul

When it feels like not even God can intervene. Matthew 2
Know this:
God has already prepared the way.

They went to bed that night blessed. The magi had gone but had left behind expensive and substantial gifts. This was a high time for Joseph and Mary. They were overcome with such provision – what are we going to do with all this, this is too much? Within hours they would realise that God had provided at just the right time for them. They would need the gifts from the Magi to get them through the next period of time, on the journey and staying in a foreign country, Egypt.
When it feels like God cannot change the events of your life, take a step back, turn back the clock, it may only be for a few hours, but turn it back and you will find that He has been preparing you and providing for you in all that you will need for this period of time.

Know this:
God is found in the unsafe, insecure and dangerous places of our lives.

Nothing about this story is safe.
Mary’s conception could have split the relationship for good.
Caesars census and journey to Bethlehem could have injured the heavily-pregnant Mary.
Herod is searching to kill their child.
If we were God we would have written a different story.
God is saying ‘I am fully in control in such circumstances. I can be trusted.’

When it feels like not even God can intervene He can and He probably already has.

I started in January 2012 to write an application of a chapter of the Old Testament every day, a blog of no more than 350 words. I did it to help the people in my church understand that every chapter of the Bible can help our journey in this life. Even though I have had a considerable change of direction I continue to write but for a wider readership. Thank you to the church in Dewsbury and thank you for everyone who still takes the time to read it from all over the world. With so much available these days I do appreciate it and I pray God will continue to speak to you through His Word.

And so the New Testament …!

Matthew 1

The most amazing happening God ever did, the incarnation of Christ, happened because of a set of circumstances that were unpleasant, challenging, offensive and dangerous. God took hold of these circumstances of life and used them as tools in his hand. Don’t ignore or rubbish your circumstances.

It wasn’t great for Mary but she was willing for God to seriously mess up her future. Are you?

It wasn’t great for Mary but she conceived, she submitted to an action outside of her. Can you? Or are you preconceived? Will you adopt new plans for your life?

It wasn’t great for Joseph, It can be difficult when the natural evidence is convincing.

It wasn’t great for Joseph but he was open to the changing of his mind, he became responsible for something that was nothing directly to do with Him and he separated himself so as not to bring any doubt to the miracle. Will you?

It was great for God it always is, though it may not look so to begin with. ‘Jesus’ meaning ‘God saves’ was the most common name at the time, there were many with that name.

God can hide the fulfilment of your promise in the ordinariness of life to give it time to grow.

It may not be great but we do have a great God.

Malachi 4

Malachi is ‘my messenger’. That’s the leader. An under-shepherd.
A leader:-
Who believes that the best day is yet to come, v1
Who believe in the need to confront sin, v1
Who believe in the power of Christ to save, v2
Who believe in the releasing from what contains, v2
Who believe in their authority over the evil one, v3
Who believe that choices for right living are paramount, v4
Who believe in the power of the Spirit, v5
Who believe in reconciliation through repentance, v6

Malachi 3

I do not change
I still love you.

Malachi 2

So guard yourself in your spirit

God’s responsibility is to test us, to search us and to weigh is in the balance.
Our responsibility is to guard ourselves.
Don’t let everyone into your life. Don’t get involved with everything. You do not have to experience it all. People who know everything and have experienced it all are often stupid.

Guard yourself and your attitudes and actions will then be guarded.
Guard yourself and you will then govern your speech.
Guard yourself and you will prevent spiritual disease in you and others.

Malachi 1

Israel had expected a revival of their nation after the exile, they were now disappointed.
The Messiah had still not arrived.
Israel was still under Persian rule.
They were still suffering.
A spiritual apathy swept over them.
The priests were burnt out, too tired to bring sacrifices.
God was questioned over why the wicked prosper.
God came to them through Malachi after which He would be silent for 400 years until the Messiah did come.
And God says a few words that every generation needs to hear and it was said in a continuous sense: I have loved you, I do love you, I will love you.
However …
1. Your offerings have defiled me.
What you give to God is what you think of Him. Your revelation of God determines your offering of service to Him.
2. You are lighting useless fires.
The fire on the altar of sacrifice is for our lives not for our excitement.
3. You are bored of your duties, v13
The most miserable, joyless, alienated, tedious, irrelevant people can be Christians if they really work at it.
4. You have become a cheat.
Looking good is fairly easy.
A second however …
God says, I have a dream! v11
His name (Jesus) will be great and in every place of the world incense (prayer) and offerings (praise) will take place.
That dream is now a reality.
Jesus all over the world drawing people back to God through prayer and praise.
He is drawing you now. Calling you … Prayer and Praise … God’s dream for you.

Zechariah 14

It’s all about Him.
God is the recovery, v1.
God is behind the circumstance, v2.
God is fighting, v3.
God’s glory is returning, v4.
God is my escape, v5.
God is my new day, v6.
God’s Spirit will flow, v8.
God will be worshipped, v9.
God exalts me, v10.
God secures my life, v11.
God gives to me abundantly, v14.
God calls people to me, v16-20.
God reinstates my purpose, v20.
God brings me into holiness, v20.

Zechariah 13

Thank you Jesus that you are the fountain opened for me. The fountain of blood.
I cannot have a relationship with you or come into contact with you without my sins being washed away. The closer I get then the spray from the fountain has the immediate effect, the impact is great.
I am determined.
Determined in my faith in your cleansing blood.
Determined in my pursuit of coming closer to you.
Determined in my desire to be cleaner than before.
I have been content to live on the effect of the spray and not the effect of being drenched.
So I stay awhile in this place.
Soak me Lord.

Zechariah 12

This is the prophecy of what will happen to Jerusalem and in response to the coming Messiah.
But it is also a prophecy for you today …

WHAT GOD WILL DO IS WHAT GOD CAN DO.

v2 When under siege He can change us to be of such influence that we disempower the enemy attack.

v3 He can make us as an immovable rock.

v4 He keeps a watchful eye on us.

v6 He can cause leaders to be on fire.

v8 He makes the weak strong.

v9 He attacks those who attack us.

v10 He pours out His Spirit on us.

v10 He pours out grace.

v10 He pours out the desire to pray.

v10 He reveals Himself.

Call on Him to do what He can do for you today.

Zechariah 11

How would you feel if you came into leadership and you knew the guaranteed end result? Would that change the way you led?
But what if the end result was going to be what happened in AD 70 to Jerusalem and what Zechariah prophesies:
Fire devouring, that what was glorious fallen, cut down, wailing, losing everything the people once had, outrage, a roaring sound of lions, v1-3.
Could you lead people with such a fate?
What if you were going to die nearly 40 years before those you were going to lead would face their ruin? This is what Jesus faced. How would you lead?
What would be your message?

1. Just do it. (v4,7)

2. Use Grace and use Harmony. (v7). Operate in undeserved favour and focus on relationships.

3. Disarm those who influence negatively. (v8)

4. Don’t be what people want you to be, be who you are called to be, (v9).

And what Christ experienced was this …

1. Rejection, v8. He was deserted, loathed and the people couldn’t stand him.
There is no pain like a rejected leader. In v12-13 Judas is prophesied. Every one will experience a Judas.

2. Pain for others, v7,11. There will always be those who stand with you and face/experience the pain with you.

3. Watching your work fall. v15-17, the rise of the antichrist destroying all you stood for. Sometimes the successor is not progressive.

And all of this can be summed up as dangerous obedience. It is what Jesus acted on and it is what is set before us today.