Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebrews 13.15&16)

Since the sacrifice of Jesus has completed everything that the Old Testament sacrifices were looking forward to, there are only two sacrifices left for us: praising God and doing good. Those who confess the name of the Lord will bear the fruit of praise. But talk is not enough, praising God (recognising his greatness and power) also results in doing good to others. How have you sacrificed today?

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Michael & Jess Holberton recently performed a great version of Horatio Spafford’s hymn It Is Well with My Soul.

This hymn was written after several traumatic events in Spafford’s life. The first was the death of his only son in 1871 at the age of four, shortly followed by the great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially (he had been a successful lawyer). Then in 1873, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the SS Ville du Havre, but sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sailing ship, the Loch Earn, and all four of Spafford’s daughters died. Only his wife Anna survived.

To learn more have a listen to Glen McDonalds great sermon The Lord if My Shepherd.

Religion for occasions

Before the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, this post on our blog highlighted that in these amazing times our focus should be on the return of Jesus and the rebirth of creation. It’s still a freezing winter in Japan with no electricity in many areas, many people without any shelter at all and with further destruction likely soon. It’s difficult to image how those people who have survived in the tsunami affected area are coping with this calamity.

This opinion piece by Dan Gilgoff of CNN.com brings together the thoughts of a number of international theologians to help give us an insight into Japanese beliefs, and provides a possible insight into the role of religion in their culture.

Unfortunately, according to Gilgoff’s post, it seems many Japanese are lost to God and are simply using a combination of ceremonies and ideas from different beliefs as more of a coping mechanism. Let’s pray that, especially at this time, Christians in Japan will reach out and that God will move strongly; pointing out his control of creation, his ultimate plan for us and the hope only Jesus offers.

Jesus Christ often spent long days with many people. Large crowds followed him to see the amazing things he did and to hear the powerful words he spoke. He knew what was to be weary, to be longing for some rest. Not only did he understand the need for us to rest, he also saw himself as the one who could provide it:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest…” (You can find this in Matthew’s account of the life of Jesus, chapter 11, sentence 28)

Taking a break from having to have everything under control and managing all the stuff in your life would be marvellous. Jesus Christ invites you to have a rest, by letting him take charge and be in control. Jesus finished his invitation to rest by saying this:

“…Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Follow up Jesus’ offer today and check out what it means to find your resting place in trusting him.

Jesus said: Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, “I am the Christ,” and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. (Matthew 24.4-8)

In language that sounds like our news headlines, Jesus paints a picture of some of the calamities that might make a person think that the end has come. Footage from New Zealand or from Afghanistan certainly matches Jesus’ description of the things that would happen. In themselves, they are not the end. Picking up the image of giving birth, the labor pains are a signal that the birth is close, but the focus is on the baby, not the pain. So the devastation that we see on our televisions each day is a signal that the re-birthed earth is coming. Jesus teaches clearly that the key event that marks the end is his return (Matthew 24.30-31), and in the meantime each disaster we see and hear about reminds us of how much we want Jesus to return.

Every where you look at the moment the advertisers are reminding us that it is time to go back to school.

Many of us left school a long time ago – but maybe we should always be ready to learn. Actually, God speaks to his people so that they might learn to revere him.

After that God expected his people to teach their children to do the same. Compared to everything else you might learn at school surely this is the most important!

Have you learnt to revere the Lord God? Have you taught your children to do the same? Perhaps it’s time to go to school.

While it’s true that January 1st is just another day like every other day, there is still something powerful about replacing the calendar or the diary, putting away the old and beginning with the new, fresh, clean one.

We know that things get messy and untidy, that is why a Spring clean is appealing (whether we actually get around to it or not). Starting fresh on a new page gives us an opportunity to lift our game, to try harder and do better this time.

But the reality I meet with is this: I mess up each and every page. Every fresh start goes stale, and resolutions gain no additional power because they are made on January 1st.

So should I abandon my desire for a fresh beginning? Why do I want a clean page and new beginning when I am unable to fulfill any of that potential?

The answer is found in the Bible, where our desire for a new start is met by God’s provision of something new:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.” (Revelation 21.1)

God is offering to wipe the whole slate clean. We still get something old: the earth below and the skies above, the same world we already know; but we also get something new: a new beginning where God is loved and obeyed. A fresh start where God lives with his people and they honour him.

That’s what I’m looking forward to.

Around this time of year we often wonder where the year has gone, and lament that Christmas has come too soon.

But the Bible tells us that Christmas came at the right time:

“When the time had fully come God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” (Galatians 4.4 & 5)

We learn that we needed to be saved, and now the offer of belonging to God’s family is open, not a moment too soon.

God’s timing is perfect, and we were in no position to bargain with him, suggesting he send his son at a time that suits us better.

When the Bible says that we are ‘under the law’ it is describing our spiritual childhood – when we are under the authority of someone else.

Just like a children are under the authority of their parents, so we were under the authority of the law, waiting for a saviour.

And in the same way that chidlren grow up and become adults, so God invites us to grow up and have the rights of an heir.

No trust fund here, instead God promises eternal life with him in heaven to all who believe, and not a moment too soon.

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“We have a strong city; God makes salvation its wall and ramparts.
Open the gates that the righteous may enter, the nation that keeps faith.
You will keep in perfect peace the one whose mind is steadfast, because they trust in you.
Trust in the Lord forever, for the LORD, is the Rock eternal.”
(Isaiah 26.1-4)

Isaiah has a picture of the Lord demolishing the cities of his enemies and providing
a secure and safe city for his people. Matched to this picture of the trustworthy God
is the command to trust him. Don’t trust in the false security of economic prosperity,
of good education or owning electronic gadgets, as none of these are eternal.