Kairos Advent Devotional 2010 5th Dec

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5 December 2010

Isaiah 60: 1-5

The call in the opening verse is to Jerusalem – the Jerusalem, which shall be when she is restored in glory and beauty. Then the city will be the centre of all the world’s light - for the glory of the everlasting God will rest upon her and will radiate round the world. This coming of the great blessing of the Lord is the coming of the new dawn.

Though all the earth around will be shrouded in darkness, on this people the divine light will shine. The effect of this will be that the nations will flock to rejoice in the great light that is shining and they will bring with them their treasures. These verses speak of the Church.

In verses 19 – 22 of Isaiah 60 are a description of life in the Jerusalem that is to come. In this city the inhabitants will not need the sun or the moon to give light but the Lord shall be an everlasting light and God will be their glory and beauty. The days of mourning will be ended and peace and righteousness will become the government of the entire civic life.

This description of the coming city is repeated in Revelation 21: 23-24. The gates of the city will never be closed and nothing that defiles shall enter the city. Those whose names are recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life will inhabit this wonderful city.

What a great future is in store for those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life – those who have received salvation provided by the Lamb of God – Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Thank you Father for sending Jesus – the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world so that we may enjoy great blessings in the present and the future.

Kairos Advent Devotional 2010 4th Dec

4 December 2010

Isaiah 40: 1-11

Here we have the theme that God will restore the exiles to their own land. This passage is absolutely full of deep spiritual understanding. These are indeed wonderful tidings and are absolutely relevant to us today.

Firstly is the message of comfort breaking through the time of doubt and trial. The time of divine punishment is near to an end and the prophets are urged to speak to the people but soon all Israel is summoned to proclaim the glad tidings. The New Testament is our authority for applying the words of this prophecy to the coming of the Redeemer (Matthew 3; 1-3). The message of divine comfort to disturbed hearts is one of the greatest elements of the gospel.

Prepare ye the way of the Lord (v3). This is taken from the Eastern custom of sending men to prepare the way before a monarch’s visit. John the Baptist fulfilled this mission.

The word of comfort is not dependent on man’s endeavours but it is entirely dependent upon God’s sovereignty and mercy. Vain is the hope of man who relies on himself but in the Lord Almighty there is redemption and in the midst of all changing things God’s word stands for ever (v8).

In verse 10 God is revealed as infinitely strong – He will come with might and his arm will rule for Him.

V11: God is revealed as infinitely tender

1. He will lead His flock like a shepherd

2. He will gather the lambs in His arms

3. He will carry them

4. He will gently lead those that have their young

It is this might fact that calls Zion to rejoice greatly. Behold your God. These are indeed glad tidings of great joy to all the people. This is our God.

Prayer

Thank you Father that you are the God of all comfort and that You are my good shepherd.

Kairos Advent Devotional 2010 3rd Dec

3 December 2010

Isaiah 11: 1-9

Isaiah describes here the Messiah and His character and foretells the messianic Kingdom.

1. The Messiah will be born of the house of Jesse (David’s father). A branch – the root of the name ‘Nazareth’.

2. Portrays the supernatural qualities of the Messiah

                1. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him

                2. The Spirit of wisdom and understanding

                3. The Spirit of Counsel and might

                4. The Spirit of Knowledge

                5. The reverential and obedient fear of the Lord

6. He shall judge by the sight of His eyes, neither decide by the hearing of His ears. (What the eyes see often misleads and what the ears hear is not all the truth. In the Messianic kingdom, government is based on absolute knowledge).

7. He shall have no need of the guidance that men normally need.

8. There follows in wonderful words the results of His reign. Paradise comes to the whole world and the world rejoices in an entire cosmic redemption.

9. Over all the works of God’s hand peace shall rest and the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea and decisions are the result of perfect understanding.

In the words of a well-known hymn, Hallelujah, what a Saviour! Yesterday we learnt some of the attributes of Jesus and today we learn more of the character of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). For God so greatly loved the world that He gave up His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal (everlasting) life.

Today we have access to even more revelation of the person of Jesus than Isaiah as we read the New Testament and grow in our knowledge of Him.

Paul prayed for the Ephesians (Ephesians 1; 7 (Amplified Bible)), “For I always pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the deep and intimate knowledge of Him (Jesus Christ – the Messiah). Let us all loudly say “Amen” to that prayer.

Prayer

Thank you Father for giving up Jesus for the world. Help me to grow in the knowledge of Jesus as beholding Him we are changed from one degree of glory to another.

Kairos Advent Devotional 2010 2nd Dec

2 December 2010

Isaiah 9: 6

The Prince of Peace – the culmination of the titles in this Messianic prophecy and the greatest attribute of Jesus who brings peace with God to all who believe in Him. Romans 5:1 Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

This peace with God brings us the peace of God which guards our hearts and minds Phil. 14:7

When Jesus, the Prince of Peace is our peace care and anxiety will fade away and we shall be greatly blessed – we will enjoy prosperity in every area of our lives.

The night before Jesus died, He gave this peace to his disciples John 14:21 Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you. The moment you believe in Jesus Christ (Messiah) the Prince of Peace comes to live inside you therefore let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Peace translated from the Hebrew word ‘Shalom’ – wholeness and soundness. A troubled and fearful heart prevents us from experiencing all the blessings that are flowing from our everlasting Father.

So when fearful and anxious thoughts come remind yourself of Jesus’ words ‘Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid’. I will not let my heart be troubled about anything.

Speak peace over your life – confess Jesus, the Prince of Peace is with me always.

Prayer

Thank you Jesus you are my Prince of Peace. Help me to guard my heart from being troubled and afraid and I will receive all the blessings you have for me.

Kairos Advent Devotional 2010 1st Dec

Advent 2010

Advent has, for centuries, been a season of restraint, preparation, and penitence filled with an expectant longing for the coming of Christ’s kingdom in power.

My intention in asking 5 members of Kairos to contribute to a 25 day devotional is to enable us to devote ourselves as a community of communities to the coming of the King and the kingdom in our homes, workplaces, MSCs, friendships, indeed, in our lives. Each day the re is a passage from the Bible to read, some words of reflection and a prayer.

Tips

• You may want to identify a particular time of each day you will use for this
• You may want to light a candle or an advent candle each time
• You may want to use some music within this time for preparation or response
• Families may want to read the Bible passage for the day, talk about it together and pray. As part of this an advent candle can be lit.

Thanks to Stuart McCormack, Rachel McHugh, Anne Coggins, Andy Wilson, Kate Waterman.

Mark Carey December 2011

1 December 2010

Isaiah 8: 21- 9:7

8: 21. Here is a description of those who have turned to spiritism for guidance and have not trusted the living God for guidance and help. (God forbids such a search). As a result they curse their King and their God.

9: 1-7. Here we see the contrast with 8:21. In this vision we see a righteous king delivering the people as in the days of Gideon. Once again the people will rejoice in the salvation of the Lord. A new day is dawning for the oppressed nation. The king for whom all Israel has longed and waited for is to begin His reign and the whole earth will know the power of His dominion and His salvation. This is one of the greatest messianic prophecies in the Bible.

So great and mighty is the king who is to come that no one title is sufficient to describe Him.

The coming of this king is associated with the coming of a child – the incarnation. He will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

The Lord wants you to know Him as Wonderful Counsellor. He is the One who knows everything about everything and He will be to you the perfect counsellor to give you perfect counsel in every situation. The One who is to come is God – great and powerful – Everlasting Father – God wants you to know Him as Father and this relationship will never come to an end.

Prayer

Thank you Father for sending Jesus Christ, my Wonderful Counsellor, Everlasting Father, Almighty God.

Being Sifted - a challenge

As we prayed this morning at the beginning of the week in my office we read Isaiah 42:18-25. Let's give this some context.... yesterday was beginning of advent - a time when we can reflect on, receive, rejoice in and respond in repentance to the coming of God's kingdom in and through the King, Jesus. My sense is that this particular time is a time when we need to be open to a certain 'sifting' work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. If you look up the word 'sift' you find it refers to 'separating' and 'examining closely'. When you sift through a sieve the coarse parts are separated from the finer parts. To be 'sifted' this Advent we need to make sure our ears and eyes are open to hear God and see what he is doing. Isaiah 4218-25 highlights this - challenging the people who should be able to see and hear because they are God's people but aren't. They are sent as messengers but are deaf (v19 so can't hear the message), they are committed to the Lord as his servants but are blind. Isaiah emphasizes the point in verse 20 
"You have seen many things, but have paid no attention;
your ears are open, but you hear nothing"
This is 'seeing' and 'hearing' of course that is the seeing and hearing of faith. It speaks to our condition perfectly - we are people so taken up by other things - seeing so much else that it stops us truly seeing, hearing so much and yet unable to truly hear. It is no wonder we are taught to fast because fasting means we deny the overload of two such crucial senses and open ourselves to the purity and joy of hearing and seeing the Lord. Fasting has been an aspect of Advent much overlooked in recent times, possibly even something we are consistently overlooking in general as disciples of Christ.
Yesterday morning Outnumbered MSC met in Wetherspoons for a late breakfast and Clive and Ruth using a Rob Bell dvd really made me think about my response to God at this time and raised a number of questions in me that have been highlighted again less than 24 hours later. 
I recognise that I need to ask the question in my life of whether I am being so gummed up by 'stuff' I see or hear that I can't move the way God wants me to move. Being a missionary means that I need to be free to move simply and flexibly in my life.  
Am I only hearing what I want to hear is another key question.... how often have I closed my mind and decided where I stand before submitting to testing something out with God and those who's authority I am under. Actually there is no submission in this and there is no accountability. In Isaiah's words I have 'paid no attention' and 'hear nothing'.
Am I making the right interpretation of what I see and hear is another question. My interpretation of something can so often be skewed by my preconceived ideas.
Jesus' way of discipling was Invitation and challenge. The invitation is to relationship with him that means we hear his voice and see his works - the challenge is to be sifted so we can truly see and hear. In Isaiah's words; "Which of you will listen to this or pay close attention in time to come?" (v23)
 There is a 'sifting' work of the Holy Spirit going on at this time, I don't believe it is just because it is Advent - God takes our commitment to him as servants and messengers seriously.... do we? As the Kairos network develops we need the Holy Spirit's work of sifting so that what develops is (as the vows for the Order of Mission go) pure and simple and accountable.

Coming soon - Advent Devotionals from Kairos

From the 1st December there will be a daily devotional for Advent appearing on this blog written by members of Kairos. Please sign up as followers if you want notifications of each one as they are posted.