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WORD FOR YOU


What’s in a name? Everything! (4)
19 SEPTEMBER 2021

‘Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.’
Judges 6:23 NIV

The name Jehovah-Shalom: the Lord my peace, was discovered by Gideon when God assigned him the job of leading Israel against the Midianites – a position Gideon saw as far beyond his abilities. ‘How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family’ (v. 15 NIV). The Lord responded, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites…Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die’ (vv. 16, 23 NIV). A frightened Gideon believed God before the battle was even fought and the victory secured. Through the eyes of faith, he envisioned peace already secured, and built an altar to Jehovah-Shalom: the Lord my peace. We assume that we can only have inner peace when our outer circumstances are favourable. Let’s learn, like Gideon, that inward peace doesn’t depend on altering outward circumstances. It depends on believing that Jehovah-Shalom is with you, and that will bring you through the battle with inner peace. Jesus said: ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace [inner, faith-based] I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives [outward, circumstantial]. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid’ (John 14:27 NIV). No matter how inadequate you feel today, remember these words: ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace…take heart! I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33 NIV). Your job is to ‘take heart’ because Jehovah-Shalom is with you, and to trust Christ the ‘overcomer’ to handle the circumstances for you!

Luke 17:20-37, Psalms 94-96

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WORD FOR YOU


What’s in a name? Everything! (5)
20 SEPTEMBER 2021

‘And this will be his name: “The LORD Is Our Righteousness.”’
Jeremiah 23:6 NLT

The name Jehovah-Tsidkenu: the Lord my righteousness, was given by God to Jeremiah, announcing the coming of Jesus. ‘I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line…And this will be his name: “The Lord Is Our Righteousness”’ (vv. 5-6 NLT). Before Jesus came, our righteousness was dependent on our own efforts. ‘We will be counted as righteous when we obey all the commands the Lord our God has given us’ (Deuteronomy 6:25 NLT). But we failed the righteousness test big time! Then the ‘Lord our righteousness’ became our solution. Here’s how: God ‘made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him’ (2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV). Notice, in Jesus we’ve ‘become’ [been converted…turned into] righteous before God! We’re not to try to do right just so we can feel right before God or generate a supply of good works to draw from when we need credit. We’re to draw what we need from the righteousness deposited into our account by Christ. If we need humility, purity, patience, kindness or love, it’s useless to look within ourselves. They’re just not there! We must draw them by faith from the supply stored up for us in Jesus. Guilty hearts can draw forgiveness, anxious spirits can draw peace, weary souls can draw strength, and confused minds can draw guidance from our inexhaustible supply in Jehovah-Tsidkenu. Just as you receive salvation by faith, you must draw righteousness and everything else you need through faith in what God has accomplished and stored up for your use in Jesus – the Lord your righteousness!

Isaiah 32-33, Ephesians 5:1-16

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WORD FOR YOU

God’s names (6)
21 SEPTEMBER 2021

‘The name of the city…will be: THE LORD [JEHOVAH SHAMMAH] IS THERE.’
Ezekiel 48:35 NIV

During Israel’s twenty-fifth year in captivity, Ezekiel received from God the name Jehovah-Shammah: the Lord is there. He described their future home, Jerusalem, saying, ‘The name of the city from that time on will be: the Lord is there.’ It applies not only to the Lord of the old covenant, but equally to Jesus, the Lord of the new covenant whose name, ‘Immanuel’, means ‘God is with us’ (Matthew 1:23 NLT). It means that at all times, in all places, under all circumstances, for all of us, He’s available and present. David discovered: ‘I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me’ (Psalm 139:7-10 NLT). The name Jehovah-Shammah means that God’s presence is all we need. He brings peace, comfort, healing and confidence. With Him by our side, fear, loneliness and helplessness disappear. In Israel’s worst moments, God’s response was always the same: ‘I am with you.’ Those words guaranteed their needs would be met abundantly. And today God’s saying to us, ‘I’m with you, and neither death, life, angels, spirit-powers, present or future fears, height, depth, nor anything else in all creation will separate you from my love’ (see Romans 8:38-39). That promise is for all of us, whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, so let’s take hold of it today.

What Now?

Thank God for being your Jehovah-Shammah, who is always there for you and is all you need.

Isaiah 34-36, Ephesians 5:17-33

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WORD FOR YOU


Dealing with fear (1)
22 SEPTEMBER 2021

‘There is no fear in love…perfect love casts out fear.’
1 John 4:18 NKJV

The Bible says: ‘There is no fear in love…perfect love casts out fear.’ When we’re frightened, a loving, comforting presence can push that fear away. Nobody is immune to fear, and every one of us needs a secure base that we can run to. And we have one in God. When we’re afraid, our body activates its sympathetic nervous system and triggers a fight-or-flight response. Our heart races, our breathing becomes faster and shallower and our muscles tense up. In those times, we need to run to our non-anxious presence: God our comforter, protector and parent. And as we are held, reassured and loved by Him, the parasympathetic system takes over. Our heart rate slows, our breathing becomes deep and even, our muscles relax and blood flows back to our brain. In essence, a voice inside us says, ‘It’s okay to carry on.’ ‘Perfect love casts out fear’ in the spiritual realm as well as the physical realm. In Psalm 91 we read: ‘I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust”…He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart’ (v.2-4 NIV). His strength is great enough to withstand and protect us from any attack of the enemy, but He’s gentle with us. He’s our place of safety and security, and we can run to Him any time. With a God who is tender enough to love and comfort us, but also strong enough to be our rock and our fortress, we can face what life throws at us and grow stronger as a result.

What Now?

Find a picture of a strong tower, and then over it write any words or phrases from Psalm 91 that you find especially comforting. Keep your picture as a reminder of God’s love and protection in times of fear.

Isaiah 37-38, Ephesians 6

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WORD FOR YOU


Dealing with fear (2)
23 SEPTEMBER 2021

‘God has not given us a spirit of fear.’
2 Timothy 1:7 NLT

The Bible says, ‘God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.’ Dealing with fear begins with understanding that fear is a ‘spirit’, and it doesn’t come from God. Each time we realise that, we’re less likely to give in to it. So, what has God given us in place of fear? Three things: 1) Power. We’re not simply talking about self-help techniques and stress management. This is something much deeper. It’s a settled and unshakeable conviction that goes down to the core of our being, that all things that concern us are in the hands of a loving God who has only the best in mind for us. He works for our good, and we can rest secure and confident in His power. 2) Love. The Bible says, ‘Perfect love casts out fear’ (1 John 4:18 NKJV). It’s only when we realise that we’re loved unconditionally by God, who never changes His mind about us, that we learn to love and accept ourselves, and then be able to love and accept others. Imagine the effect that would have on any fears of people, fear of rejection, and fear of criticism that we have. This kind of love is more than a ‘feel-good’ emotion; it’s a life-changing force. 3) A mind focused on Christ. The Message paraphrases Paul’s words: ‘We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ’ (2 Corinthians 10:5 MSG). Let’s take hold of those three things that God has given us, and use them to break down our fears.

What Now?

Do you know anyone who’s struggling with fear at the moment? Try and have a gentle chat with them about the ‘weapons’ God has given us to deal with fear.

Isaiah 39-40, Philippians 1

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WORD FOR YOU


Guesswork or revelation?
24 SEPTEMBER 2021

‘No one chooses himself for this work.’
Hebrews 5:4 NCV

When it comes to knowing what our purpose is, we have two options. 1) Guesswork. If we only rely on our own knowledge and feelings to find our purpose, we’re likely to get it wrong somewhere. We’d probably end up choosing the purpose we think we’d like, rather than the purpose that’s actually right for us. We can’t see the whole picture, so we need: 2) Revelation. In the Bible, we read: ‘To be a high priest is an honour, but no one chooses himself for the work. He must be called by God as Aaron was.’ We can apply a similar thought to our own calling – it’s not our choice, but God’s. And we can actually draw comfort from this, because it means that when God has called us to do a certain thing, we can be confident that He’ll provide the resources, wisdom, connections and strategy we need to fulfil it. We can also find guidance in His Word. In the Bible, we can discover insights into why we exist, how life works, how best to live our lives, what to avoid, and what to expect in the future. There are a lot of self-help books out there, and while many of them contain good advice, none of them are God’s personal message to His children. The Message paraphrases Paul’s words: ‘God’s wisdom…goes deep into the interior of his purposes…It’s not the latest message, but more like the oldest – what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us’ (1 Corinthians 2:7 MSG). Each one of us has been created to fulfil a certain unique purpose in life. And to discover it, we need to turn to God and His Word, not the world’s wisdom.

What Now?

If you’re not sure what your calling is, ask God for confirmation and guidance. If He’s already revealed your calling to you, ask Him for wisdom about the next step you need to take for it.

Isaiah 41-42, Philippians 2

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WORD FOR YOU

Get to the roots
25 SEPTEMBER 2021

‘Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.’
Ephesians 3:17 NLT

Plants need strong, healthy root systems to thrive. Those with weak or damaged roots can still grow, but they won’t be able to reach their full potential or withstand stresses as effectively. The good news is that the plants can be treated and the roots encouraged to grow stronger. Some plants suffer from root rot. Once the problem has been identified, the roots need to be washed clean, the bad parts cut away, and the plant is repotted in fresh soil. And sometimes we need to do the same. Flawed roots produce flawed fruit, like feelings of inferiority, worthlessness, anger, inability to trust, and fear of intimacy. If our root system contains things like rejection, past mistakes, and painful experiences, we need to bring them out into the open and treat them. And we can do that with God’s help. ‘He will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong’ (vv. 16-17 NLT). The assurance of God’s love can bring healing to our emotions. We no longer have to draw our security and self-worth from how others treat us or from our background. But it’s a process. Strong roots require three things: 1) Time to grow. Becoming confident in our identity as God’s child is like breaking in new shoes. We have to walk in them until they become comfortable. 2) Protection from things that can be harmful. We need to surround ourselves with people who build us up instead of tearing us down; people ‘who share the same precious faith’ (see 2 Peter 1:1). 3) Spiritual nourishment. We need to pray and feed ourselves regularly from God’s Word (see Job 23:12).

What Now?

Do a bit of gardening (if you haven’t got access to a garden, ask a friend or neighbour if there’s any gardening you could do for them). As you’re working, ask God to help you be rooted firmly in His love.

Isaiah 43-44, Philippians 3

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WORD FOR YOU

Be an exhorter (3)
13 OCTOBER 2021

‘Your assistant, Joshua…Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit [the promised land].’
Deuteronomy 1:38 NIV

When it comes to being an exhorter, notice these two things: 1) Exhortation is a neglected gift. A ministry of encouragement is so needed in the church today. It’s so easy to find discouragement and so difficult to find encouragement, even in the church. Wherever we go, whatever we're involved in, there are people who are always ready to tell us why something won’t work and point out how something went wrong. They seem to talk louder and longer than the encouragers. Which leads to the next point: 2) Exhortation is a needed gift. No matter how well things may be going, or how well someone looks on the outside, every one of us can use some encouragement. In fact, encouragement is so important that the whole church should be involved in it. ‘Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near’ (Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT). Church is a place where people should be picked up, not knocked down. We should take every opportunity to encourage people, even when they don’t need it, instead of waiting until they do. If we wait too long, our encouragement may be too late. Don’t wait until something good happens to speak an encouraging word; make it a regular habit. If we're unsure what to say and how to say it, we can ask God for wisdom, and He'll provide it. ‘The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary’ (Isaiah 50:4 NIV).

What Now?

Pray that your church would be a source of real encouragement for anyone who needs to be lifted up.

Jeremiah 18-19, 1 Timothy 2

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WORD FOR YOU


Protect yourself
26 SEPTEMBER 2021

‘Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress.’
Psalm 25:16 NLT

David prayed: ‘Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress. My problems go from bad to worse. Oh, save me from them all!…See how many enemies I have and how viciously they hate me! Protect me! Rescue my life from them! Do not let me be disgraced, for in you I take refuge. May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you’ (v.16-21 NLT). We all have areas where we’re weaker and more vulnerable, where our integrity is most likely to be tested, and where we’re more at risk of giving in to temptation. Here are four ways that we can protect ourselves in our most vulnerable areas: 1) By staying close to God. When we’re lonely, distancing from God doesn’t make sense. It can increases our exposure to things that could be harmful to our physical, emotional and spiritual selves, as we look to other things to find comfort. Instead, we should turn to God. 2) By coming out of hiding. If we try getting to know others and letting them get to know and care for us, we become more willing to be transparent and open, and less likely to hide away our struggles. 3) By taking the focus off ourselves. Victory comes by reaching out to those in need; by giving our time to help them, praying for them, loving and serving them. 4) By forgiving those who’ve hurt us. Isolating ourselves when we’ve been hurt just leads to bitterness. We should turn it over to God, let Him deal with the offender, and ask Him to help us forgive.

What Now?

Read Psalm 25:21 again. Each time you pray this week, try ending your prayer time with those words.

Luke 18:1-17, Psalms 97-99

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WORD FOR YOU

Choose your battles wisely
27 SEPTEMBER 2021

‘That I might by all means save some.’
1 Corinthians 9:22 NKJV

Paul wouldn’t give an inch about the truth of God’s Word, but he refused to be drawn in to a fight about customs, traditions, and people’s preferences. For example, some of the Corinthian Christians thought because certain meats were offered in worship to idols it was sinful to eat them. Paul didn’t handle it by standing up and declaring, ‘I’m not going to allow you to impose your unscriptural convictions on me.’ Instead, he wrote: ‘Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do. But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble’ (1 Corinthians 8:7-9 NLT). Then he said, ‘I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some’ (1 Corinthians 9:22 NLT). God didn’t call us to win theological arguments; He called us to win people to Christ. So be gracious to people who don’t think like you, dress like you, or care about some of the things you care about. Be gracious to those whose worship style and fine points of theology are different from yours. ‘Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace’ (Ephesians 4:2-3 NLT).

What Now?

Next time you’re in a conversation with someone you don’t really see eye to eye with, try to discover if you have any shared interests or values. Use those as some common ground to have a more positive interaction.

Isaiah 45-46, Philippians 4