Month: March 2018

March 11, Reading 1 – Exodus 29:1-37

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Aaron and his sons were consecrated with blood and oil. Blood is for cleansing from sin and oil for the necessary work of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist’s words “He shall baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16) contain the same twin priestly works of Christ necessary for us to come before God.

SJA Notes

* God Above, there is none like You. You are faithful and true. Please teach us today.

“The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him; they shall be anointed in them and ordained in them.”

The priests were to wear special clothes, being set apart – Holy garments to minister in the Holy Place.

As a chosen people, a royal priesthood in Christ our great High Priest – We are clothed in the Holy Spirit.

Holiness – being set apart – is a big deal throughout God’s word. We read of it over and over in these passages.

How good it is then that unlike the garments that Aaron and his sons wore, the Holy Spirit changes us inwardly! Day by day we are made more like Jesus, fleeing from sin toward His righteousness.

Praise God for this!

* Lord Above,

Thank You for Your Holy Spirit that works within us, day by day, little by little.

Please make us more like Jesus today.

Amen.

March 11, Reading 2 – Psalm 76, 77

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Later generations looked upon David’s and Solomon’s reigns as the golden era. The reality was very different. These two psalms reflect both prosperous and joyous times and those that were times of distress and anguish. Asaph remembered what God had done in His salvation at the Red Sea. This was the ground of Asaph’s sustaining faith in both good and bad times. (76:8, 77:16-19)

SJA Notes

* Loving God, we would be like the man who finds a treasure hidden in the field – Your kingdom to fill us with joy and to give all we have for it.

“But you, you are to be feared! Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused?”

“Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders;”

“When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled.”

We have a mighty God, He is fearsome and never to be treated lightly.

He is the God who spoke and creation came into being, a work in motion.

He is the God who caused the whole earth to be submerged under water, the great floor with an ark of gopher wood.

He is the God who rescued His people from the Egyptian army, causing in one moment Israel to step through a sea on dry land, and in the next moment the waters to come crashing back into the enemies of God’s people.

He is the God who sent Himself, a sorrowful road to a terrible death on a wooden cross on the hill called the skull.

And He is the God who will return one day.

Let us be encouraged and exhorted to be about His work today. To be mindful of how we think about Him, speak of Him, and how we act as we bear His Name in the world.

There is none like our God!

* Creator God,

Thank You Lord for Your real and intentional love to us, Your people.

Thank You that though You are God, so far above us, You became a man to rescue us, Your people.

Thank You that You are coming back. You have not left us, You have not forgotten us, and You even now work in and through us as we walk this road.

Thank You Lord!

Amen.

March 11, Reading 3 – Acts 17:1-15

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

In both Thessalonica and Berea there are believers. However, the characters of the two towns are different. What is the difference? (Thessalonica is called Salonika today.)

SJA Notes

* Mighty God, please teach us from Your word today, that we might teach those around us of You and Your great love for us.

“These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,”

It seems madness to unbelieving hearts that God says we are sinners in need of salvation that only He can give through the shed blood of Jesus, the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.

Look at these words from the mouths of people who rejected Jesus and worked hard to discredit those who preached Jesus as the Christ,

“These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,”

From the mouth of unbelievers comes a most important message!

By taking the good news of Jesus to the world around us WE TURN THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN.

How wonderful and amazing and sometimes scary this is!

That God would work through us, broken and frail vessels, to turn the world on its head.

Hallelujah, what a powerful all-knowing all-seeing God we worship! What a King we have! What a Saviour that continues to work for our good!

* Dear Lord God,

The message of Jesus turns the world upside down.

Please help us to preach the good news with our thoughts, words and deeds.

And please drive us all towards You, remind us of You, let us see You today.

Amen.