innocent...

Hebrews 10:22

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Having our bodies washed speaks of a clearance of sin – but that’s only half the story. The cleansing of my heart speaks of a clearance of conscience.

If God’s purpose was for us to just live with good behaviour, then there would be no need to clear consciences. In fact, it may be good to keep that guilt there.

But God’s purpose is for intimate relationship, and so the sacrifice of Jesus did what all other sacrifices could never do (v2). It cleared my conscience!

We too often teach that you have to change your life to get into God’s presence. But why not teach the new and better way (Hebrews 8:6) – Come into His presence and watch your life change. ‘But Aaron, will people want to serve if they don’t feel at least a little guilt?’ A cleared conscience is what will allow you to truly serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14)!

Have you ever found that if you have weight on your conscience about something you have done to someone or something you haven’t done for someone, you act differently around them? You find that even though you want to reconcile, you end up avoiding them instead?

It was a guilty conscience that made Adam and Eve hide from the presence of God. The NIV renders God’s actions at the end of Genesis 3 towards man as “banished” and “drove out”. But the original Greek is a lot more a statement of the fact of separation. Regardless, we should realise that it is you and I who first walk away from the presence God.

So is there anything that you feel like God wants you to feel guilty about? You should know that God isn’t secretly fuming on the inside while smiling to your face. He loves walking with you too much.

Prayer for this week: Father, all I have is you. I want to see the light of your face. Let me see what you are doing in my life so that I may do the same. I decree the blessing of You on my life; literally You - the amazing blessing of relationship with You.

bright...

2 Corinthians 4:6

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness”, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Look at the context in which Paul is writing. He earlier wrote that when we come under the new covenant of relationship with the Father through Christ, we “reflect the Lord’s glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18) for the gospel is His light (v4). I love that this light is associated with His “all-surpassing power” (v7). We reflect his light… that light is His glory… and His glory has power!

There are some of you right now, who could do with some of God’s all-surpassing power.

And I’m not talking about it in some esoteric, “spiritual” sense, but in a real, practical way. For some of us, it’s in a relationship you feel is breaking down. For other, it’s in your job. Some need a miracle for a loved one and others a miracle for ourselves. Others want to be taken to a new level of ministry. Some need a renewal of confidence.

I love that God makes light shine out of darkness. That means He can shine light out of me. That means He can shine light in this situation I am facing.

As believers, we no longer have to qualify for the glory of God. We turn toward our God who just shines (oh, can you see His magnificent light!!) and His power reflects off our life.

Prayer for this week: Father, all I have is you. I want to see the light of your face. Let me see what you are doing in my life so that I may do the same. I decree the blessing of You on my life; literally You - the amazing blessing of relationship with You.

sees...

John 5:19

Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can only do what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does”.

Ps Bill Johnson from Bethel Church was at PCLC for the Miraculous conference earlier this month. One of the things, he explained so well was Jesus’ absolute dependence on the Father. As fully man, Jesus trusted completely on the indwelling of the Holy Spirit enabling Him to see what the Father was doing. And what great things He did!

In the same way, Jesus prophesied that you and I would do greater things (John 14:12).

You may be thinking, This must comes at a huge cost. The next verse shows us how it was and still is done – For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. The Father loves us and shows us!

The two states of man’s life are contrasted by Christ. Without the Father, I have nothing. With the Father, I have everything.

We don’t strive for the miraculous and prophetic to be these ‘super-Christians’. But know this, deepen your relationship with your good Father and you will see what He is showing His children. He will show you what He is doing in your life.

We do not do because we have not seen. And it’s not because the Father keeps it carefully hidden. So often, it’s because we don’t look at Him.

He loves you and is showing you right now. Go closer and see what He’s doing.

Prayer for this week: Father, all I have is you. I want to see the light of your face. Let me see what you are doing in my life so that I may do the same. I decree the blessing of You on my life; literally You - the amazing blessing of relationship with You.

lest we forget

Revelation 1:6

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever!

On ANZAC Day, Australia remembers the great service of men and women who gave up so much to defend this great country. Many of them gave up their very lives. Their blood helped preserve the freedom of this nation.

Every day, we should remind ourselves of our great Saviour who gave up His blood to guarantee our freedom.

Imagine how foolish it would be on our part if we took instruction from a German, Japanese or Italian head of state? Or imagine how dishonouring to our ANZACs it would be. Lest we forget, they served and many died for our freedom to claim.

Some like to ponder about whether Jesus really had to die. Was it necessary for Him to suffer and bleed? Regardless, it has already been paid. You can’t change it. Imagine if you didn’t believe in war to resolve conflict. Would you then deny your freedom that was won by war? No, even the staunchest of pacifists claim and live in the freedom that war has given to them.

Each day, wake up and claim your freedom. Declare your allegiance to the kingdom of God. His is a kingdom of glory and power, health and abundance, goodness and favour.

This grace is not cheap. It cost the blood of the Saviour.

Prayer for this week: Thank you Father for you are for me. Help me grow in the knowledge of your Son and what he did for me. I am immeasurably blessed. Keep me in your presence in every moment, conscious of everything you are.

convince...

Genesis 45: 26

They told him, “Joseph is still alive!”… Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them. But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. And Israel said, “I’m convinced! My son Joseph is still alive.”

When Joseph’s brothers first told their father that Joseph was alive, Jacob did not believe them. But when Jacob heard what Joseph had said and seen what Joseph had sent, his spirit was revived and faith to believe came.

Notice that when Jacob’s spirit was low, he was called Jacob. But God had previously given him a new spiritual name; a name of destiny. When Jacob’s spirit revived, he was called by that name, Israel. You too have a great destiny that comes alive when you revive your spirit with the Word and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The very next verse (Genesis 46:1), Israel sets out to meet Joseph and before too long, he stops to worship God. Notice that we don’t worship God, so that we can revive our spirit, in order to receive revelation and gifts from God. No, God gives us revelation and blessings which revive our spirits and takes us to a place of worship!

As believers, take in the Word of Christ and be aware of the great things He has done for you. As leaders, be bringers of the Word and of His gifts.

We revive spirits, awaken destiny and bring people to worship by making them aware of everything Jesus has said and everything Jesus has generously given to them.

Prayer for this week: Thank you Father for you are for me. Help me grow in the knowledge of your Son and what he did for me. I am immeasurably blessed. Keep me in your presence in every moment, conscious of everything you are.

great...

Genesis 45:7

“But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”

These words by Joseph were true of his situation but also prophetic of what Christ, of whom Joseph was a shadow, would come and do.

When the time of salvation came for Israel (the patriarch) and his children, they were invited into restored relationship with Joseph. They weren’t just barely saved, taken from Canaan to Egypt and left to fend for themselves and treated like everyone else. No, because they were Joseph’s family, they received all the benefits of Joseph – which was the very best (v18)!

When the time of salvation came for you and I, the same thing happened. Jesus invited us all into restored relationship with Him. We weren’t just barely saved, left to fend for ourselves. No, as Christ’s family, we are given the best!

Too many believers live like they start their Christian life with nothing. Jesus saved you and gave you so much because He wants you ready to do great things. When God saves lives, He saves them graciously, generously and gloriously (Romans 8:32)!

Prayer for this week: Thank you Father for you are for me. Help me grow in the knowledge of your Son and what he did for me. I am immeasurably blessed. Keep me in your presence in every moment, conscious of everything you are.

silver...

Genesis 42:25

Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey.

When the famine struck the lands around Egypt, everyone heard of the grain stored in Joseph’s storehouses and went to him to buy food. Joseph’s brothers, who were also caught in the famine, went to Joseph to buy food, paying with ten sacks of silver.

On the way back to their home with the food, they found that the silver they had used to pay for the food was still with them (v28)! They felt like they had robbed Joseph. They were worried and afraid because they had taken something without paying for it.

But Joseph’s brothers did not recognise that the ruler of Egypt from whom they had received their food was their brother. Firstly, Joseph did not need the money and secondly, he did not want his family to pay for their provision. Instead, as Joseph’s servant would later tell them, “It’s all right. Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your fathers, has given you treasure in your sacks” (v22).

In the same way, Jesus does not want a payment from believers - His family. God has no intention to take from you before He gives you something in return (this goes right back to the Garden of Eden when the serpent tempted Adam and Eve by saying that God was withholding something from them!).

Does that mean we don’t ever give anything to God? No, He loves our worship. And when we come into a greater and greater revelation of what He has already done for us and how generously He gave us all things in Jesus, worship is our overflowing response!

Prayer for this week: Thank you Father for you are for me. Help me grow in the knowledge of your Son and what he did for me. I am immeasurably blessed. Keep me in your presence in every moment, conscious of everything you are.