MAR/APR
Lucas on
2011
Every Day Keep in step Jeff Lucas Copyright Š CWR 2010 Published 2010 by CWR, Waverley Abbey House, Waverley Lane, Farnham, Surrey GU9 8EP, UK Tel: 01252 784700 Email: mail@cwr.org.uk Registered Charity No. 294387 Registered Limited Company No. 1990308 Front cover image: Getty Images/Iconica/Peter Cade Concept development, editing, design and production by CWR. Printed in England by Linney Print. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of CWR. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are from the Holy Bible: New International Version (NIV), copyright Š 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society.
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how to get the best out of Lucas on life every day
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We Christians are pendulums. We are good at swinging from one extreme to another, rather than having balanced, healthy lives. So it was in the churches that Paul had established in the province of Galatia (most likely Iconium, Lystra and Derbe). False teachers were wreaking havoc and the pure gospel of Christ was being perverted. Paul was one very unhappy apostle and this epistle contains some of the strongest language in the New Testament. Those who taught that circumcision was required for salvation must have been shocked when the incensed Paul encouraged them to go the whole way and castrate themselves – hardly a usual pastoral comment (Gal. 5:12)! The two extremes of the Galatian pendulum were legalism and licentiousness. Some taught that absolute adherence to Mosaic Law was still required for the Christian – effectively robbing the cross of Christ of its power and effect. Perhaps in reaction to such religious oppression, others were teaching a version of ‘freedom’ that was really no freedom at all – suggesting sin didn’t matter and the flesh could be indulged without concern (Gal. 5:13). So Paul puts quill to papyrus and challenges these false ideas. In doing so, he calls the Galatians back to the heart of discipleship – keeping in step in a daily walk with the Holy Spirit, who is living and actively at work as we navigate our way through life. But, before we begin this journey, let’s pray that we will be balanced believers. Extremists, whether for the cause of legalism or ‘freedom’, are dangerous. Prayer: Lord, give me the grace to be balanced in my faith – save me from the extremes that can often hijack passion. Amen.
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TUES 01 MAR
Trouble in Galatia
BIG PICTURE
Galatians 1:6–9 Acts 14:1–23 FOCUS
‘I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – which is … no gospel at all.’ (Gal. 1:6–7)
… let’s pray that we will be balanced believers
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WED 02 MAR
Hit the highway
BIG PICTURE
1 Corinthians 12:31 Galatians 5:13–15 FOCUS
‘And now I will show you the most excellent way.’ (1 Cor. 12:31)
I love the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. No matter how many times I’ve driven over it, I still find the engineering stunning and marvel at the incredible views. But it’s the thought of being hundreds of feet above the dark, treacherous waters below which adds to the excitement; this really is a highway that’s a high way. As we talked about balance yesterday, we shouldn’t conclude that we are called to walk a ‘middle line’ between legalistic religion, with its stuffy rules and regulations, and heady freedom, where we sin without concern. Rather, Paul and the New Testament call us to a higher way, as we walk in the Spirit daily. This is the very best way to live. Some people are put off Christianity, fearing it offers a stale and joyless hair-shirt approach to life – and, sadly, that’s often because some of us Christians have given such a negative impression. But, as we’ll see, nothing could be further from the truth. The Christian disciple has discovered the best way to live, because this is the life for which all humanity was created. This is the way we were meant to be. And we miss nothing of value as we commit our days to God: He has the franchise on everything good (James 1:17) and only calls us away from that which will ultimately harm us anyway. Why trudge around in the dank, muddy pools of selfishness and sin when we can enjoy the view of God’s highway? As Paul summarises the way of love and faith to the Corinthians, we see this really is the excellent life. Prayer: Lord, I praise You that I can really know the true ‘good’ life. Help me walk on the highway today, by Your Spirit. Amen.
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I used to think walking in or living by the Spirit described a condition that was ethereal and weird. I thought that I would mature as a Christian to such a level that, one day, I would break through a ‘flesh barrier’ and would stroll through life with a faraway, glazed look in my eyes. My moments would be punctuated by visions, prophecies and healings and I might even experience supernatural physical transportation once in a while. Angels would bring me breakfast; each day would end with many being saved around me; my nights would be filled with divinely inspired dreams. This is not suggested here, although perhaps we do need to be more expectant when it comes to everyday supernatural surprises. Cynicism can lead us to resigning ourselves to days or years in which our low expectations of change and the intervention of God mean we limit what He can do in our lives. But Paul is talking about a daily submission to the Holy Spirit, who is quietly at work in us, producing Christlike character as we walk (the literal Greek is ‘walk around’) with God each day. That doesn’t make everything easy. The Christian life is filled with internal conflict; there is a raging battle going on within us between what our sinful nature craves and what the Spirit of God wants to do in and through us. Let’s ask that we might be filled with the Holy Spirit today and let’s surrender the hours immediately before us to God’s direction and purpose. Submission is what is called for, not weirdness. Prayer: Holy Spirit, fill me, guide me, renew me. Amen.
THURS 03 MAR
Walk in the Spirit? No thanks BIG PICTURE
Galatians 5:16 John 14:15–21 FOCUS
‘So I say, live by the Spirit …’ (Gal. 5:16)
The Christian life is filled with internal conflict …
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FRI 04 MAR
The flesh
BIG PICTURE
Galatians 5:16 2 Corinthians 3:7–18 FOCUS
‘So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.’ (Gal. 5:16)
Good theology
Sometimes I hear people saying that theology doesn’t matter. They couldn’t be more wrong. Good theology liberates and bad theology can spoil every part of our lives. An example is found in the way some have interpreted this text. Some translations have used the term ‘flesh’ instead of ‘sinful nature’. That has led some to believe that the body itself is evil and only the invisible, ‘spiritual’ things are of value – reviving an old heresy. That kind of thinking means that we feel good about prayer, worship, Bible study and attending Christian gatherings but unconsciously believe that a round of golf, a walk on the beach or a meal with friends is suspect – while something as profoundly physical as sex is definitely questionable. But the body is not evil. Rather, our fallen human nature naturally tends to lead us into evil actions, some of which Paul lists for us. Just as a garden doesn’t need cultivation in order to grow weeds, so the fallen nature naturally has a tendency towards evil. A close look at this verse will also help us to realise that the ‘fallen force’ in all of us, the sinful nature, won’t be overcome simply by our trying harder. The Christian life is not about us doing the right kind of things, but being transformed each day into renewed people who naturally do the right things, keeping in step with the Holy Spirit’s activity in our lives. ‘Just do better’ is not the summary of Christian faith. ‘Become better and changed by walking with God today’ is the more biblical encouragement. Prayer: Change my heart, O God, and may I overcome through Your Spirit at work in me today. Amen.
liberates …
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CWR
CWR ministry events Please pray for the team
Date
Event
1 Mar
Women’s Spring Day – True Confidence Waverley Abbey House Wendy Bray
Place
Presenter(s)
9 Mar
Lead Like Jesus
WAH
Andy Peck
10 Mar
Prayer Evening
WAH
Guest speaker Jeff Lucas
11 Mar
Deepening Our Security in God
WAH
Stuart & Marilyn Checkley
14–18 Mar
‘Woman to Woman’ training course
WAH
Lynn Penson & Ros Derges
14–18 Mar
Principles of Biblical Counselling 2 and other courses (see website)
Singapore
CWR team
19 Mar
A Day Together
WAH
Mark & Christine Daniel
21–25 Mar
The Big Story – Genesis to Revelation
WAH
Philip Greenslade
25–27 Mar Preparation for Marriage WAH
Mick & Lynette Brooks with Lynn & Andrew Penson
28 Mar – Foundations of Biblical Care WAH 1 Apr
Philip Greenslade, Andy Peck Lynn Penson & Heather Churchill
4–8 Apr Introduction to Biblical Counselling WAH
Angie Coombes, Richard Laws & team
8 Apr
How to Help Couples with Troubled Marriages
Heather & Ian Churchill
8–10 Apr
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (1 John) WAH
Philip Greenslade
29 Apr – 1 May
Women’s Weekend – You Prepare a WAH Table Before Me
Lynn Penson, Jeannette Barwick & Lynette Brooks
WAH
Please also give thanks and pray for students and tutors on our new part-time BA in Counselling programme. Year 1 is well underway now and many of our previous Diploma students have embarked on Year 3. Also pray for our ongoing Certificate and Diploma of Christian Counselling courses and MA in Integrative Psychotherapy held at London School of Theology.
For full details phone 01252 784719, international +44 (0)1252 784719 or see the CWR website for further information
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05/06 MARCH Luke 18:18–27 // 2 John 4–6
Unreachable There are some things that are utterly impossible. I am never going to win an award for the hairstyle of the year, nor sing in Las Vegas or play the bassoon. My hairstyle is minuscule, my singing voice causes others to scream and I don’t want to be a bassoonist. And here’s another feat that is humanly impossible: being a Christian. When we understand that this is far more than embracing a belief system with an accompanying morality programme, we realise that authentic discipleship is never going to happen in human strength alone. Without God, nothing of significance happens (John 15:5). But that said, there’s a danger that we can think that ‘walking in the truth’ and ‘walking in the Spirit’ are beyond us too. Such a life, we feel, is reserved for the super-saints who have already volunteered for martyrdom.
Without God, nothing of significance happens
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As we are commanded to walk in the Spirit, however, we must therefore assume the obvious: such a life is not only possible, it’s the ‘normal’ Christian life. Don’t allow yourself to be fooled: the dynamic Christian life is for you – and me. To ponder: ‘The Christian life is humanly impossible.’ Do you agree? If that is true, what implications does that statement have for us?
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