Divided

“Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.”                                            Matt. 12.25

Jesus had totally healed a blind and mute man such that he was able to both see and talk. The Pharisees declared that He drove out demons by the power of Satan.

Jesus countered with the above words, then continued: “If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?” (v 26)

Jesus presents a universal principle. Anything that is divided against itself will eventually fall. Sadly, I think of the Church, and the numerous splits and divisions that have occurred, and which still occur. I feel the Church needs to set aside ALL differences, and give itself over completely to the One who said, “I will build my church.” (Matt. 16.18) He also went on to say, “and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

Jesus allows no room for dissension or division.

Jesus spoke of the “divided” individual when He said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Matt. 6.24)

There is no place for division in God’s people, either within each individual or between persons or groups of people. I need unity in myself, and God’s Church (which is simply the community of God’s people) needs to be undivided.

God help us!

Lord God,

I pray firstly for myself. Let me be undivided in myself. Help me to live fully as the wholesome person You created me to be.

I pray also for the Church. Please bring a mighty, universal reconciliation to all Your people. Reunite us in right relationship with You, and with each other.        Amen.

Mercy

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”                                                 Luke 10.36,37

I am commanded to love my neighbour as I love myself. I am not, I hope, narcissistic in love of self, but I do feel a healthy self-regard and respect. This is how I want to relate to my ‘neighbour’.

The parable of the Good Samaritan makes clear to me who my neighbour is – everybody! What a tall order, then, to relate to all in the healthiest way, to receive them with good regard and respect.

I know I cannot do this in my own abilities. I will be more than tempted to judge. But I also know the remedy for this, and the way forward. I have previously encountered the ‘difficult-to-love’ – for whatever reasons. When I have truly struggled, I have found release by praying for the person or persons concerned and asking God to show me them as He sees them. And this is where the knockout comes! In the most unimaginable instances, God has shown me deep beauty and purity. There have been times when my breath has fairly been taken away.

This is how I desire to see my neighbour – all of them! This is not naiveté in the extreme. This, I believe, is the love of God working in me, with me, and through me.

Loving Father,

May I love my neighbour in ways that are both pleasing and honouring to You. Let me see people as You see them. Yes, Lord, may You take my breath away with the beauty that You reveal to me in all people. You love them all. There are no exceptions. I am not at this place. Please help me to get there. Fill me, if You will, to overflowing with Your love, and lead me in the utmost sharing of it, in Jesus’ name I ask.               Amen.  

Listen

“He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”                                                                   Luke 10.16

I am reminded that I represent Jesus, not only as I speak for Him but also in all that I am and do. I take hold of the phrase, “You may be the only Bible that people will read.”

Jesus is in me. I truly believe this! He is in me, and He must come out. I am committed to Him. I give myself to Him for Him to shine out through me.

Jesus connects me to the Father who sent Him. As I am in personal relationship with Jesus, so to I am with the Father. I also claim relationship with the Holy Spirit. My God is most wonderful, and I relate to every part of Him.

As I share, then, I give of my connections with Father, Son and Spirit. And whoever receives from me, receives what I am open to give them from the Triune God. Whoever is open and willing to receive will expose themselves to the blessings of heaven. As people allow themselves to listen to me, this verse assures me that they will be listening to Him. Conversely those who reject me, reject God – Father, Son and Spirit. I feel for such people. Words cannot adequately describe the extent to which they miss out. I can feel for them but I sense there is little else I can do for them in the physical realm. I can, however, be more useful in the spiritual realm. I can pray for them!

 Lord,

I have two aspects to my prayer today. The first is that I will be willing to speak for You in each and every situation You would have me do so. I ask You also to give me the words to speak and the actions to play out.

I pray as well for the listeners. May they willingly hear what You say to them through me, and may they eagerly respond. I pray for those who reject. I ask for a softening of their hearts, and further opportunities for them to hear and respond to Your message of love. I share Your desire that none shall perish. Receive my prayer, in Jesus’ name I ask.                   Amen.

My book “God Talk” is available through major Internet booksellers.

A taste of the book's content can be seen in the You Tube clip (Search: Peter Francis - "God Talk").

Peace

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”           John 14.27

I have long been familiar with the reality of the first part of this verse. I experienced an encounter with Jesus wherein He made a specific gift of His peace to me. I have known that peace, and ministered it widely for many years.

Today, I am drawn to the second part of the verse. Jesus tells me He does not give as the world gives. The NIV Study Bible (p 1626) relates this giving to the gift of peace saying, In its greetings of peace the world can only express a longing or wish. But Jesus’ peace is real and present. I can quite see this, for the world is a place where trouble and strife occur and this makes it virtually impossible for the world to guarantee peace. World history illustrates, time and time again, the hope for peace that the world holds to, yet that same history shows humanity’s consistent and unfailing ability to dash such hopes. The world cannot truly offer us an assured peace. But Jesus can!

Another aspect of giving highlights differences between the giving of the world and the giving of Jesus. Almost without exception, the world’s giving carries an ulterior motive. When the world offers anything, one is tempted to ask “Where’s the catch? What will this cost me? What are they after from me?” The way of the world, sadly, is to claim ‘the pound of flesh’. Jesus does not give in that way. Indeed, as far as Jesus is concerned He gave both the pound of flesh and His blood with it. And this was His most perfect gift to us. His very life assured us of eternal relationship with a loving Father, a relationship fully restored by the gift of Jesus.

We may rest fully in the knowledge that Jesus does not give as the world gives. Sure, we must face the up-front realisation that, in order to receive any gifts from Jesus, we need to surrender ourselves to Him as Saviour and Lord, and seek to follow Him as truly as we  are able to, in living to fully serve and obey the Father. When this is my conviction, I move on to seeking God’s will in every area and aspect of my life. I learn to live in God’s will and presence and, as I do so I respond to Jesus’ final remark in this verse from John’s writings: Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Are there times when I allow my heart to be troubled? Sadly, yes! But I think I’m slowly learning to deal with this and release myself more fully to God. For He is the answer! As I seek Him out, press into Him and commit to obey all that He might lead me to, then I truly know the peace of Jesus. Then I can take it into every fibre and pore of my being. And in the fullness of the peace of Jesus, I will find my heart released from any trouble, and I can live my life free of any fear, save that of a respectful reverence of God.

The peace of Jesus is real to me. May it become even more so as I continue to release myself to Him.

Dear Jesus,

You gave me a powerful revelation some years ago when You released me into the reality of Your peace. I thank You for that and pray that Your peace will continue to underpin my life, and my ministry for You.

I do not want my heart to be troubled, nor do I want to be afraid. For these things, then, I bring myself into complete surrender to You. I realise You are the way, and I give myself – more and more – to You that I might truly follow You as the way.

I pray also for greater opportunity to release Your peace into the world. May I show them (the world) how different Your peace is from theirs? Is this part of the reason You gave me such a specific gift of Your peace all that time ago? Lead me please in my walk of obedience to the Father.

As I read Your story, bring me further revelation. Empower me by the promised Spirit to go forth and do ‘even greater things than these’. I ask these things, humbly but believing, in Your wonderful name.                   Amen.