[Wednesday's Devotional] - We Need More... Hope

We Need More... Hope Do you have a lot of hope?  Where does it come from and where does it go to (if you are in a time of despair)?  2017 was a tough year in our church, but does living through tough times increase or decrease your faith, and how does that faith lead to hope? Paul talks about hope in Romans chapter 8 – if you are going through a "dark night of the soul", then this chapter is a good place to revisit.  Our hope is not a vague wish like "I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow" – hope to the Christian is based on solid evidence from the word of God, who cannot lie. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.  Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?  But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8: 22-25 [NIV] We live in the period between Christ's first coming and his return.  We may be uncomfortable with the way the world is today – but we know what God's intention for the world is in the future, and we therefore have something to long for, and a basis for a secure and solid hope.  Can we live today remembering this as our "status" and not be dragged down by the world's negativity? May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15: 13 [NIV] Let this be our prayer. Dave MacLellan   Twitter Website Copyright © 2018 St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a subscriber to the Daily Devotionals Our mailing address is: St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church 1a New Street Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 7BE United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list Want to be added to our mailing list? - sign up here!

[Tuesday's Devotional] - We Need More... Joy

We Need More... Joy Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. Habakkuk 3:17-18 [NIV]   Does your joy come from circumstance?  Sometimes it is hard to keep our emotions and environment from determining our state of mind.  Things might seem bleak to you.  Looking at your life, your church, your world – you might feel that things are lacking, withering, absent or failing – like in the verses above.  I confess that I know so little about the book of Habakkuk, I couldn't even spell it before I looked up the verses above.  Not a lot appears to be known about Habakkuk and his entry on Wikipedia suggests not a lot of facts about him exist.  Yet his one book in the bible contains a psalm of praise – and we could do well to sing it If your circumstances look grim, and your situation is challenging – rejoice in the Lord and be joyful in God your Saviour. Remember Gideon, who, having had his army whittled down from 10,000 to 300 was able to enjoy the victory and give the Glory to God. Lord, help me to be joyful even when there seems to be so many things that would steal that joy from me.  Amen Dave MacLellan    Twitter Website Copyright © 2018 St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a subscriber to the Daily Devotionals Our mailing address is: St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church 1a New Street Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 7BE United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list Want to be added to our mailing list? - sign up here!

[Monday's Devotional] - We Need More...Inspiration

We Need More... Inspiration This week I want to look at some of the themes that scored lowest in a recent survey of our congregation (by NCD in October 2017).  What do we need to work on in 2018? At the top of the list (or the bottom of the scores) is the theme of inspiration.  Are you feeling inspired? It can be inspiring to listen to a great sermon, spend time in wonderful worship or in close fellowship with other people.  The danger is, we can seek our inspiration second hand - from others - rather than from the word of God, the life of Jesus or the activity of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  We can also seek our inspiration infrequently.  One thing that does seem to be lacking is a daily habit of spending time in the bible and in prayer where we can gain our inspiration from listening and talking to God.  I know I find it hard. Imagine you are on an Alpha course. You meet once a week, have a great meal and a wonderful time together with your group – but then you eat nothing else all week.  By the time you come back a week later you will be starving!  Yet this is the experience we face if we limit our time with God to once a week – whether or not we feel the same keen sense of hunger, the absence of spiritual food is as bad for us. We have a real need for the inspiration of Scripture, the words inspired by God and written down for our benefit.  Let's try to get some daily food this week. All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God's will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3: 16-17 [AMP] Lord, I need your instruction, conviction, correction and training today. Help me to spend more time in your Scriptures this week.  Amen. Dave MacLellan   Twitter Website Copyright © 2018 St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a subscriber to the Daily Devotionals Our mailing address is: St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church 1a New Street Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 7BE United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list Want to be added to our mailing list? - sign up here!

[Friday's Devotional] - Super spiritual?

Super spiritual? When we look again at Jesus' ministry, we do not see someone detached from the real world. He was involved in the mess of real lives and he made an impact on those lives.   While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  Matthew 9:10-12 [NIV]   We can get into the mindset that we must get our spiritual life right before God will use us. But the message from the Bible does not seem to be spend all your time in getting spiritually right with God. Yes, it is to keep close to God, but then to step out, do things in faith, and you will grow spiritually.   Father, show us how to grow.   Guy Mowbray Twitter Website Copyright © 2018 St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a subscriber to the Daily Devotionals Our mailing address is: St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church 1a New Street Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 7BE United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list Want to be added to our mailing list? - sign up here!

[Thursday's Devotional] - Be strong in Love

Be strong in Love  Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.   Do everything in love.  1 Corinthians 16:13-14 [NIV]   The Greek word used for courageous in this passage is unique in the New Testament. A more literal translation would be "act like a man".   Man up, be strong, all very macho. Is that tempered by, or just extended in Paul's next thought – do everything in love?   Love is a challenge: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.  1 Corinthians 13:4-8 [NIV]   Not so much tough love as powerful, strong reliable, unwavering love.   Father teach us to be strong in our love for you and each other.     Guy Mowbray Twitter Website Copyright © 2018 St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a subscriber to the Daily Devotionals Our mailing address is: St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church 1a New Street Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 7BE United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list Want to be added to our mailing list? - sign up here!