Archive for the ‘ 100 Day Challenge ’ Category

Day 100: The New Jerusalem

Passage: Revelation 21:1–22:21
Key Verse: “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.”

Read today’s passage very slowly. What do you notice? What strikes you? It’s a declaration isn’t it? A passage filled with hope, a new time.

As I read this passage two sections struck me, one a challenge to my life now and the second a faithful promise that again has implications for my now as well as my future.

SECTION ONE – a challenge

“The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.”

Stop and consider you life, your priorities. Is this true of you? Is this true of me? Is the light of God and the guidance of Jesus permeating through your life?

Lets not skip past these questions too quickly but take time with God to consider any blind spots in your life or to call areas of your life back under the hand of God. It seems fitting in light of the splendour of God we take time to realign our lives with His. It seems a fitting response to reading the whole of this book.

AND THEN

SECTION TWO – a promise

With that in place lets hold to the closing declaration, the promise filled words of Jesus –

“ ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen. “

Hear His words for you and hear the blessing of grace for you life and mine. Carry these words into your summer…. He is coming!

AMEN!!

Helen

2011
07/15
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Day 99: Hallelujah

Passage: Revelation 19:1 – 20:15
Key Verse: “Hallelujah!  Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments.”

We’re nearing the end of our journey through the Bible, yet here we have a vision of the start of eternity. Hallelujah! Victory! The lamb that was slain will reign evermore. The bride has prepared herself to meet her groom.

Are you prepared to meet your bridegroom? What do we still need to do?

Christ leads His army and Satan faces the doom he knew was inevitable. The book of life is opened and the nations are judged.

Praise God today for His plan. Thank Him that your name is written in the book of life and at you are assured of eternity with Him. Thank Jesus for His blood which washes you clean and allows you to share in this glorious inheritance.

Join with the angels in shouting:

“Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory!”

Steven

2011
07/14
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Day 98: The Throne of Heaven

Passage: Revelation 4-7

Picture the most beautiful panorama you can.
Savour a thirst-quenching drink.
Smell a fragrant aroma that infuses and lingers.
Listen in stereo to a harmony of sound.
Feel the touch of an all-consuming embrace.

Whatever each one of us has seen, tasted, smelt, heard and felt, the best is yet to come. This picture of heaven, revealed to John and communicated to us in these words, defies human description.

I am reminded of what C.S. Lewis wrote at the end of the adventures in Narnia, after all the battles were fought:

“But for them it was only the beginning of the real story.  All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”

For us too the story is only beginning…

Anita

2011
06/30
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Day 97: Message to the Churches

Passage: Revelation 2-3

We looked at this in staff prayers last week and here are the things we drew out for each church. Which one is God challenging you about?

Ephesus: Return to Jesus, your first love
Smyrna: Stay faithful no matter what
Pergamum: Turn away from your bad habits and turn to God
Thyatira: Keep going
Sardis: Wake up!
Philadelphia: Hold on – Jesus is coming soon.
Laodicea: Stop being lukewarm in your faith!

2011
06/29
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Day 96: A Voice and A Vision

Passage: Revelation 1:1-20

On Sunday I was at a church service and this passage was the one on the order of service. I was intrigued when I noticed it, as I love to hear insights into the book of Revelation. But instead of preaching a sermon, the Minister encouraged us to find a quiet space in the church and listen for what God has to say.

I have to admit I would have preferred a sermon! Why? Because I knew that I hadn’t been listening for His voice that often lately, nor have I been asking or expecting Him to show up. I was nervous…

I needn’t have been. I had forgotten that my Father is gracious and merciful and simply wanted me to come and spend time with him, with no fear or uncertainty. The words he said to John in this passage also brought comfort to me

‘Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one.’

I can’t claim that God gave me a vision like the one he gave to John, but I do know that I heard His voice and that it restored my soul and gave me life. I easily forget or overlook simply being with God – at times I am more concerned with studying the passage or hearing some else’s wise words. I shouldn’t be, for nothing is more important than being with my Father and allowing Him to say or do what He wants to in my life.

Lindsay

2011
06/27
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Day 95: Love One Another

Passage: 1 John 3:11-4:21

On reading this passage I got thinking about the word “love” and how it features in my limited vocabulary.  I love holidays, I love Paul Scholes, I love my mum, I love Belfast, I love Wagamamas.  Love is often thought of as a feeling.  This passage shows us that love is in reality a choice and an action.  1 Corinthians 13 show us what actions result from true love.

Twice in this passage (1 John 3:16 and 1 John 4:10) we are told of the action God took because of His love for us, “Christ laid down his life for us”.  True love produces a heart of selflessness and sacrifice.  On both these occasions, the following sentence gives us the challenging command to love one another.  This is a choice and an action.  The greatest act of love is giving yourself for others.

How clearly do our actions show we love others?  And not just those people who are close to us, but that person who cut in on me on my drive into work, that person who has let me down again, that person who really annoys me.

“Whoever loves God must also love his brother”

Kyler

2011
06/26
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Day 93: A Living Hope

Passage: 1 Peter 1:1 – 2:12
Key Verse: “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart”. 1:22

Love for God.  Love for those around us.  The first and second most important commandments.

A few months ago I had a bit of a realisation.  It struck me that I was looking down at people for choices they had made and “activities” (for want of a better description!) they engaged in that I considered wrong.  I realised that the reason they did what they did was that they were searching for love.  They were searching in the wrong place – they would only ever be truly satisfied by true love, love from and of God.

I was condemning and judging them when I should have been loving them.  Showing them the love they needed and wanted badly.  This goes for our brothers and sisters in the body, as well as all the lost outside it.

The verses from the start of chapter one remind us of all we are blessed with as believers – we have “a living hope” and “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading”.

It then calls us to action in living a holy life which shows that hope to those around us, through our loving actions and reactions, so that they will “see [our] good deeds and glorify God”.

How much do we act and react in love?
How much do we love those God has called us to love?

Richard (pupil, Portadown College SU)

2011
06/21
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Day 92: A New Creation in Christ

Passage: 2 Corinthians 4:1-6:2
Key Verse: “We live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

What is faith?  I like Paul’s definition in Hebrews 11:1 which states, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”.  This means that faith gives a reality to things we cannot see.

Today many people live primarily for things which are seen, such as wealth. However Matthew Henry has commented, “Faith is for this world and sight is for the next world.”  As we walk by faith each day , we must “keep on, keeping on”, confident of things to come and with the hope of heaven in our hearts.

If you are going through a difficult time at present, knowing your future is secure in God is an encouragement when you suffer. (Wiersbe)

So, let us not be like Thomas, who thought seeing was believing, but rather entrust our ‘mustard seed faith’ to Jesus and remember that all we have seen should teach us to trust God for all we have not seen.

Karen

2011
06/20
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Day 91: The Most Excellent Way

A fresh insight of some ancient truths.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end
Love never dies.

1 Corinthians 13:3-8 MSG

2011
06/20
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Day 90: The Coming of the Lord

Passage: 1 Thessalonians 4:13 – 5:11
Key verse: “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.  He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.  Therefore encourage one another…” 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

How encouraging are these verses!  Paul reminds us that Jesus will come down from heaven with the trumpet call of God.  Unlike other ‘future events’ we cannot save this one against a specific date in our iphones, yet this event is completely certain and brings with it immense hope and joy.  Why?

Because Jesus has given us salvation through his death, so that ‘we may live together with him.’  Surely there is no future plan or thought which brings with it so much expectation and joy.  Despite our messy lives and hearts which are far from perfect, like the thief on the cross beside Jesus, we know that he will ‘remember us’.

With this thought in mind, I’m reminded of the words from the song Salvation belongs to our God, who sits upon the throne.  And unto the Lamb, praise and glory, wisdom and thanks, honour and power and strength.  Be to our God forever and ever Amen.

Take time to praise God, and ask him to give you a heavenly perspective on your day.

Julie

2011
06/13
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