Archives For Devotions

Knowing Him Better (Ephesians 1)

Bruce Chant —  September 25, 2012 — Leave a comment

All this time...

Ephesians 1:17 says:

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.

Why does God give us revelation by the Spirit? So that we may know Him better.

Anything we do as believers returns to this end – that we may know Him better.

Why is this so? Everything else we do, we do for Him. The ministry, the outreach, the discipleship, the phone calls, the hard work, the discipline, the love, the hard words, the prayer, the labour, the sacrifice, the tears, the low times, the giving, the sowing, the patience, the advice…

All of that stems from one thing – how well we KNOW Him. And how well we know Him stems from our level of spiritual revelation and wisdom.

And here’s good news. This revelation and wisdom is available to you. God gives it, you just need to ask for it and you too will begin to KNOW HIM more and more!

PRAYER: Father I ask you to reveal Jesus to me today. I ask you for fresh revelation of your precious son as I’ve not had before. May new life spring forth from it Lord, I ask. In Jesus name, Thank you Father God, Amen.

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The Mysteries of God (Ephesians 1)

Bruce Chant —  September 24, 2012 — Leave a comment

mystery

Ephesians 1:8b-9 says:

In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him

God always has a purpose in all things. And at all times He is bringing about HIS purpose.

It is through this purpose that the Lord takes pleasure. He delights in revealing to us the mystery of His will.

Please ask “Is this the will of God?” “Is the will of God to allow this?” “Is the will of God for me to go there?” ad infinitum.

Well, you and I CAN know the will of God because the Bible tells us He takes PLEASURE in revealing it to us.

So how does God do this? How does He reveal to us His will? Above we are told, through “all wisdom and insight”.

Knowing the will of God needn’t be a mystery that confounds us. Rather, it is a mystery that God delights in revealing to us through wisdom and insight. And where do we get wisdom and insight? From Him.

Go to God, draw near to Him, and ask Him to reveal the mystery of His will and let Him reveal it to you.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for your perfect will in all things. Thank you for your purpose for me. I submit to it and ask you for revelation and understanding to know the working of your mystery in my life. I love and trust you Lord, Amen.

In Devotions, Ephesians
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Paul’s Discipleship School (Acts 19)

Bruce Chant —  September 21, 2012 — Leave a comment

Classroom

Acts 19:9-10 says:

… he withdrew from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

This is Paul’s discipleship school in Ephesus. The disciples gathered daily for discussions about the kingdom of God (v8). This was not short or casual event – it went on for two years!

But the result of this was phenomenal. All the Jews and Greeks in the area heard the Word of the Lord.

That is an incredible result! An entire multi-nation region (as it was known then) was covered with the preaching of the gospel. Why? Because a group of disciples of Jesus met and gave their lives over to His Kingdom cause.

The outworking of discipleship is always the expansion of the Kingdom of God. True discipleship always has an outlet and an impact upon other people’s lives, and that in turn upon an entire region.

Accumulating knowledge is not enough. That is not true discipleship. If knowledge was all it took to transform cities, this most knowledgeable generation would’ve surely created heaven on earth!

True discipleship, on the other hand, is about an embodied gospel-wrought change being released into the world to bring about like transformation in other people and places.

What is in your world is your discipleship touching and changing?

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for your word that tells us such wholesale transformation is possible. Lord, let me see this in my life and in my community! I ask you in Jesus name, Amen.

In Acts, Devotions
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Whispers and Bad Intentions (Psalm 41)

Bruce Chant —  September 20, 2012 — Leave a comment

Whispers

Psalm 41:7-8 says:

All who hate me whisper together against me;
Against me they devise my hurt, saying,
“A wicked thing is poured out upon him,
That when he lies down, he will not rise up again.”

People who whisper against you – gossip, criticise, complain – together with others they are your enemy. They might not carry guns or wear army greens, but “whispering together” against you is the behaviour of an enemy.

In this way, like David, we probably all have enemies in this life.

It is also the behaviour of an enemy to imagine and wish for the worst for someone. You can claim to be their friend, but if you are whispering about them to others and, in whispering, “devising their hurt” or wanting their harm you are actually at war against them.

Sadly this behaviour is reckless, dangerous and all too common. If you are a Christian, you may encounter it against you. If you are a Christian, you should in no way be participating in or even tolerating such behaviour.

Jesus told us to love our enemies, not return evil for evil. Put the whispering away.

PRAYER: Father, I cut off every false word and curse spoken about me. I break off the power of every negative word of death over my life in Jesus name. I ask you to forgive me for returning evil for evil and instead ask you to forgive those who persecute me. Deliver them Lord, convict them I pray in Jesus name, Amen.

In Devotions, Psalm
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The Promise of God’s Way (Psalm 37)

Bruce Chant —  September 19, 2012 — Leave a comment

Waiting

Psalm 37 verse 34 says:

Wait for the Lord and keep His way,
And He will exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

I love the resolute conviction we find in the writings of David.

If you ever lack clarity in your faith read the Psalms. Soon something, like this verse, will resonate. Its why I love verses like these; it’s assured, it’s compelling, and you know its true.

David gives us two things to remember and to do. 1) Wait for the Lord and 2) Keep His way.

1) Wait for the Lord.

Much of what we get wrong in life is due to wrong timing. But God, His timing is always spot on.

So often we are so busy and hurried along by the issues of our lives. Trying to squeeze God into a crevice in our day is not going to work. Rather than working to contain God into smaller and smaller cracks of time in our schedule, wait for Him.

Wait on the Lord, trusting Him, going to Him each day and knowing that He is good.

2) Keep His Ways.

His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). But that is not to say He doesn’t want us to make them our ways.

Whilst in our hurried pace of life we need to wait for Him, on the other hand following Him is immediate and total in nature. His ways are all consuming. They are life swallowing Him. And what He wants is that would be solely and wholly given over, not to a list of rules, but to living Lord and Saviour.

Keep His ways. Do what you know to do. Follow through and strengthen your relationship with Him.

THEN (this is the promise…)

He will exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

THEN He will exalt you.

God is looking for people who He can exalt, promote, lift up, and show off to the world as His faithful ambassadors. He is not shy about this. But He expects us to be proven (tested) in it.

He will exalt you, you will inherit the promised land. Others might miss it, but the invitation is there for you to grab it and see it for yourself.

PRAYER: Father, I ask for your grace and enabling to wait for you and to keep your ways. I trust you Lord and hear your word. I give myself to you and the process you have for me. I love you Lord. Amen.

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One Thing (Psalm 27)

Bruce Chant —  September 18, 2012 — Leave a comment

Heaven

In Psalm 27 verse 4 David writes:

One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.

The “one thing” in David’s life was clear.

It was all about the Lord.

The “one thing” he set His heart on…
The “one thing” he was consumed by…
The “one thing” he longed for…
The “one thing” he desired was to dwell (live) where God lives.

David knew that in God alone He could be truly satisfied. He knew, either through revelation or experience, that in God alone is where He could find all that he needed in life. And that is where he resolved to live.

This is a remarkable statement. Especially when I consider my own light-weight existence.

How often am I consumed by the trivial instead of the eternal?
How often is getting home to watch the show I recorded the “one thing” I desire?
How often is getting my food brought to my table by the waitress the “one thing” I long for?

I’m pathetic. But thankfully God is not finished with me yet. There is still breath in my lungs and so there is opportunity to pray as David prayed, “Lord I want you to be the ‘One thing’ in my life!”

PRAYER: Father, forgive me for settling for such small things when you offer me the opportunity to sit before you! Lord I want you to be the one thing I desire in this life. Change my heart. I choose you Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

In Devotions, Psalm
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Supernatural Generosity (2 Corinthians 8)

Bruce Chant —  September 17, 2012 — Leave a comment

Cash

2 Corinthians 8:3 says:

For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.

How generous are you?

I imagine by the fact you are reading this (and so have online access) you are pretty wealthy by any current day or historical economic measure. I don’t want to discount the fact that you may be facing financial struggles right now. But what I do want to ask you, is how are you stewarding that which you have?

Paul writes of the Macedonian churches that they gave beyond their ability.

“Beyond their ability”. Ponder on that for a moment.

What would it look like for you to give “beyond your ability”.

In this case, to give beyond your ability points to going beyond what is naturally possible and into what can only be done with supernatural enabling.

These churches written about by the Apostle Paul went to end of their natural ability. And because they went to the end of their ability they were able, somehow, to go beyond it.

How is that possible? It’s not. Except with God all things are possible!

What I see hear is the work of God. By God stretching these generous people beyond their natural limits, it no longer becomes about us and our generosity. It becomes about God and HIS generosity.

In fact, such supernatural generosity can only be put down as a demonstration of the grace of God upon the lives of these people in ancient Macedonia. That is why Paul, using them as an example, implores others to “also excel in this grace of giving” (verse 7).

PRAYER: Father I thank you for your generous heart towards me. I ask for and receive your Grace upon my life to be able to give firstly faithfully what I am able, and then beyond that that others may be blessed and your name lifted up! Thank you for allowing me to partner with you! In Jesus name, Amen

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Perfecting Holiness (2 Corinthians 7)

Bruce Chant —  September 14, 2012 — 3 Comments

Perfecting Holiness

2 Corinthians 7:1 says:

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Here is a clear commission from God. We have a responsibility to “perfect” holiness in our lives. This is not something we get when prayed for. This is not something imparted, this is not given.

It is something we must do and because we must do it we can be confident we are equipped to do it.

1. “Cleanse ourselves from all defilement”
Perfecting holiness begins with removing sin and its effects from our lives. Make the call. Don’t any longer be dragged down, Be aware of where you stand lest you fall.

Choose to “clean” up your act. Sin is a defilement to your life. It is an abuse of the temple that Jesus bought with His life. And because of that sacrifice you are empowered to cleanse yourself from sin.

2. “Perfecting Holiness in the fear of the Lord”
Holiness does not stem from legalism. Rather holiness is perfected in the fear of the Lord.

To fear the Lord is to hate what is evil (Prov 8:13). A heart for God longs after what pleases God and hates what He hates. When we fear God and His ways, the process of sanctification and holiness takes greater and greater effect in our lives. It is holiness being perfected.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for enabling me to purify my life and perfect holiness according to your promise. This is only because of you and your grace which I freely receive, in Jesus name, Amen.

In 2 Corinthians, Devotions
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What We Can Do to Bring God Pleasure (Psalm 19)

Bruce Chant —  September 13, 2012 — Leave a comment

Pleasure

Psalm 19:14 says:

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

There are certain words and certain meditations within us that are considered pleasing to our Father in Heaven. There are words spoken, and thoughts meditated upon which bring Him joy. WOW!

All too often we are aware of the “other stuff”. Words and phrases, thoughts that bring Him displeasure.

You know the stuff.

But the great promise here is that we can know a way of living that God finds pleasing. It is not found by doing mighty exploits. It does not consist of becoming a success in the eyes of the world. It does not require fame and renown amongst men.

Rather it is found in the inner-life. It is words and meditations – simple things that any of us can choose – that has the potential to bring Him pleasure and joy. That is an amazing thought. Your thought life and your lips created by God Himself can move His heart.

It is often said that nothing we can do can make God love us more. Whilst that is true, it is also evident that we do have the ability – in our thoughts and words – to bring pleasure to God.

PRAYER: Father, I want this to be true of me. That I could be one who through my small mind and fallen mouth can be pleasing to you. Grace me Lord, In Jesus name, Amen.

In Devotions, Psalm
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The Importance of Foundations

Bruce Chant —  September 12, 2012 — Leave a comment

Concrete Pour

Psalm 11:3 says:

If the foundations are destroyed,
What can the righteous do?”

Foundations are the most important part of any building. Everything else that is built is then built upon the foundations. If the foundations are firm, then the building will stand. But if the foundations are faulty, then there is a strong chance the building will need to be destroyed and rebuilt.

This is also true of Christ and our walk with Him. If the foundation upon which we build our lives is faulty, then our very lives are in jeopardy. If the foundation of our life is not Christ, then all that we have built and slaved over in our lives in susceptible to cracking, splitting, slipping and causing irreparable damage to what we’ve built.

The issue with a foundation is that it is the lowest part of the building. It is not readily fixed from above. There is few if any quick fixes or patches that will protect what has been built.

So too with our lives, apart from the foundation of Christ. When the day comes and that foundation cracks, slips or splits, the “righteous” are unable to help. “What can the righteous do?”

If the foundation of your life is not secure in Christ, go back, re-dig it, pull it apart. Make Jesus the foundation – firm and secure – and rebuilt your life upon Him. He will never let you down.

PRAYER: Father, I ask you to reveal any area of my life not firmly established upon the foundation of Jesus Christ your son. I submit all of my life to you Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

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