Life with Lucas October - December 2024

Down-to-earth, deeply practical and always brings me joy STEVE LEGG

WITH LUCAS APPLYING GOD’S WORD TODAY

OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2024

Heroes and Villains

A WORD FROM JEFF

WELCOME TO LIFE WITH LUCAS!

Welcome to this edition of Life with Lucas!

We will be considering some of the great and not-so-great characters of the Bible. I’ve deliberately chosen some of the more obscure characters of Scripture, because some go unsung, and we tend to ignore the villains, thinking that we cannot learn from their mistakes and poor choices.

Eight of the Ten Commandments define God’s law by listing wrong actions and attitudes that we should avoid. And Jesus used the bad examples set by the Pharisees to teach positive principles on fasting, prayer and giving. There’s much that we can learn from the rascals of Scripture.

Let’s also remember the heroes were ordinary people, just like us. God only uses ordinary people, because no one else is available!

The ultimate hero, Jesus, was without sin, but lived exactly the same way as we do – a man, empowered by the Holy Spirit. He was not ‘God with skin on’, but fully human, tempted as we are in every way, yet triumphing over it.

So let’s go, but first, we have an important announcement.

VIDEO INTRODUCTION lifewithlucas.co.uk /intros

We are going into our fourth year of producing Life with Lucas, and we have not raised the price of the notes despite spiralling postage (almost double!) production and printing costs.

With immediate effect, an annual subscription will be as follows: £24 (direct debit); £28 (cheque/ credit card); £40 (worldwide); £7 (per next edition when bought in a bookshop); £20 (digital).We trust you understand the need for this adjustment.

Thanks to all who donate towards this ministry.

As ever, thanks for joining me.

3

© Son Christian Media (SCM) and Novio Published 2024 by SCM/Novio – PO Box 3070, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 6WX, UK 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 SCM/Novio.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version® (US version), The “NIRV”, “New International Reader’s Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Publisher.

Design by Piero Regnante – Rogfog Creative | rogfog.co.uk Printed by Halcyon

PO Box 3070, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 6WX, UK | Tel 01903 732190

4

INTRODUCTION

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF LIFE WITH LUCAS! CHOOSE A TIME Find the best time that works for you, ideally the same time, same place every day, when you can concentrate and have the least number of distractions.

PAUSE AND TALK TO GOD Take a moment to focus on God and ask Him to speak to you as you read and reflect on His word.

READ GOD’S WORD Read the daily passage from your Bible. Don’t be tempted just to skip this part. It’s important: who knows how the Holy Spirit might speak to you as you read the actual text?

MAKE NOTES

ONLINE VIDEO INTRODUCTIONS, AND GOING DEEPER W hen you see the video icon, this points you to a brief Video Introduction to the subject.

Make the most of the occasional Going Deeper resources when you see this icon. They will help you delve further into the passage.

GIVE YOUR DAY TO GOD Thank God for what you’ve learned and ask for help if the day’s notes brought to light anything especially applicable to your life at the moment.

Writing slows you down and helps you focus. Write in your Bible, a notebook, or in the white space in the devotions. Don’t hesitate to underline, write in the margins, or circle words.

5

TUES 01 OCT

SAINTS AND SINNERS

READ Acts 22:1-21 Acts 9:26-30 FOCUS I hurt the followers of the Way of Jesus.

I sent many of them to their death. I arrested men and women. I threw them into prison.

Acts 22:4

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas. co.uk/goingdeeper

Friends were talking about a young man who had made some very poor choices, with disastrous results for him and his family. ‘He’s always been bad, that one. I’m not surprised at the mess he’s in.’ I was troubled at the way we can tag people – either as good or bad, saints or sinners. We label them, effectively writing them off. In thinking about heroes and villains, let’s avoid that temptation.

There are consummately evil people, who wound and murder without so much as a thought. Watching a documentary recently about the Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminals, I was shocked to see how some humans can be nudged into acts of evil.

Others live spectacular lives of service and selflessness: they stand out because of their beautiful goodness. Mother Teresa was a modern example of a life of head-turning self-sacrifice. Most of us, however, sit in between these extremes, capable of good and bad. Yesterday’s good choices are no guarantee that we will live well today, which is why we are consistently exhorted to finish the Christian race well.

Let’s never look at the failings of others, either in the Bible or contemporary life, and say, ‘I could never do that.’ We’re all capable when it comes to sin. And let’s not write people off because of failures. Paul the apostle had a terrible track record as Saul the persecutor. But he changed. That’s the power of the gospel. Let’s choose well today, and live heroically rather than selfishly.

Prayer: Lord, help me to choose well, and believe in the transforming power of the gospel, both for myself and others. Amen.

6

WED 02 OCT

THERE’S A RIGHT AND A WRONG

READ Romans 3:21-26 1 Kings 16:29-34

FOCUS Everyone has sinned. No one measures up to God’s glory.

Romans 3:23

It’s a simple little phrase, but one that can be quite difficult to say these days. Here goes: ’That’s wrong.’ In an era where it seems that everyone demands personal freedom, and is so easily offended, anyone who dares to call something wrong is likely to be accused of bigotry and intolerance. And if there’s one thing that ‘tolerant’ people won’t put up with, it is those who express a view that’s different from the consensus. Anyone who upholds a moral standard is often called judgmental, which in itself is a judgment…

When we come to look at some of the rogues in the biblical story, we will see both their fragilities and flaws, and the courage of those who refused to bow down to them. And we will discover there is such a thing as sin. The writers of the Bible don’t hesitate to make clear moral judgments, the ultimate of which is the biblical truth that we are all sinners who need rescue.

One of the repeated statements about the rogues of the Bible is they ‘did evil in the eyes of the Lord’ (Judg. 2:10-12). Kings like Ahab were described in this way: we will consider him later, together with his awful partner in crime, Jezebel.

God is not neutral. He is holy, and calls us to live by certain standards, and that means there will be times when we must say something is wrong. In doing so, we’re not being narrow, judgmental or bigoted, but faithful to the truth. Let’s be kind and gentle, but clear and confident too.

Prayer: You are holy, Lord. May my life and words reflect Your great love and awesome, holy character. Amen.

7

THUR 03 OCT

HEROES AND MISSION PURPOSE

READ Jeremiah 1:1-10 Ephesians 2:1-10

FOCUS ‘Today I am appointing you to speak to nations and kingdoms. I want you to pull them up by the roots and tear them down.’

Jeremiah 1:10

Calling and mission dominate the opening scene of Mission Impossible 2, where the main character, Ethan Hawke, is having a day off, rock-climbing in the desert. A helicopter arrives, shoots a canister into the ground – and inside is the description of a new mission.

He abandons his hobby, and immediately springs into action.

Heroes are usually people with a special mission in life. They have embraced a noble cause that drives them. Everything they do, and everything they become, is shaped by their mission. Without a mission, they cease to be heroes. And sometimes the mission really does seem impossible.

Jeremiah accepted his mission, albeit reluctantly, and it changed his priorities, his timetable, his lifestyle – even his buying habits (Jer. 32:1-15). And he also suffered because he was a man on a mission, and sometimes wished he had never been born (Jer. 15:10; 20:14-18). There were also times of boiling resentment towards God (Jer. 20:7a).

‘The emotional, highly-strung Jeremiah was a tragic figure... conflicts raged within and around him – his higher self wrestling with the lower, courage conflicting with cowardice, certain triumph struggling with apparent defeat, a determination to abandon his calling defeated by an inability to evade it.’1 But he remained faithful to the end.

Let’s not settle for anything less than a purposeful life. It won’t be easy – and maybe some of us are tempted to throw in the towel now. But we were made for a mission.

Prayer: Lord, keep Your mission for me before me. I choose to accept it today, and ask for Your grace to fulfil it. Amen.

8

1

G. S. S. Thomson and J. G. McConville, Jeremiah, New Bible Dictionary, (IVP, 1996), p. 552.

FRI 04 OCT

HEROES ARE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

READ Ephesians 5:15-21 Judges 14:1-20

FOCUS Don’t fill yourself up with wine. Getting drunk will lead to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas. co.uk/goingdeeper

It’s amazing what spinach can do, at least for Popeye. He is an example of a hero who needs an external power to enable him to do the incredible. Luke Skywalker of Star Wars was famously exhorted to ‘Let the force be with you.’ Today, when so many pop psychologists encourage us to look for the power within, it’s good to remind ourselves we are not left to our own resources when it comes to fulfilling God’s purposes for our lives. The Christian isn’t called to sweat it out or summon some internal strength. Rather, we are promised the power of the Holy Spirit: God himself at work within us (Phil. 1:6).

Yesterday we saw Jeremiah was called to trudge along a very difficult pathway – but he was accompanied by God, not just sent

by Him (Jer. 1:8). Jesus, in commissioning His fearful disciples, promised to never leave them alone, but to be with them, through the work of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:20, John 16:516). As we saw earlier, He knew that sort of empowering (Mark 1:10).

Samson was a flawed hero, who often surrendered to his hormones and headstrong personality. But, despite his tragic ending, he could do the incredible when the Spirit of God came upon him (Judg. 14:6).

But let’s never reduce the Holy Spirit to some kind of supernatural force field, or an experience in a church service. He is the God who comes along with us in our journeying – and wants us to know His help. Are we facing some huge challenges today? Help is at hand. Let’s ask.

Prayer: Father, Your Word commands me to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. Fill me, renew me, refresh me, today. Amen.

9

WEEKEND 05 - 06 OCT

I’m always grateful when someone takes time to encourage me after I’ve preached, or expresses gratitude for something I have written that they found helpful. But I used to struggle with these moments of affirmation, and would almost rebuke people for their kindness, insisting somewhat piously that they ‘give God the glory.’

HEROES STAY HUMBLE

Then I heard a true story about a lady who expressed appreciation to her minister for his Sunday sermon. He coughed and spluttered with embarrassment, pointed his finger to the sky, and mumbled, ‘No, no, madam – it was the Lord.’ ‘No’, she replied. 'It wasn’t that good.’ While God alone is worthy of glory, He wants us to be able to accept the gift of encouragement. That said, let’s beware of the subtle seduction of pride, especially when we do well or make heroic choices.

READ Colossians 1:1-17 1 Peter 5:5-7

God’s heroes are never called to the starring role in His unfolding story. If Moses were to be given an Oscar, it would be for Best Supporting Actor. In the unfolding drama of the Exodus, God alone is the lead player.

Ezekiel rebuked the King of Tyre, Ethbaal II, for his pride. Our lives are meant to point people to God. No one ever choked to death by swallowing their pride, which is a slippery slope to ruin. ’If a man’s heart is proud, he will be destroyed. So don’t be proud if you want to be honoured’ (Prov. 18:12).

Let’s accept encouragement gratefully, but never allow it to swell our hearts. God is our source. Let’s give him the ultimate credit.

To ponder: Why is pride so destructive?

Some say that success can ruin us as easily as sin. Do you agree?

10

MON 07 OCT

BENAIAH: GOD THE BUILDER

READ 2 Samuel 23:20-23 Colossians 2:6-7

FOCUS So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him.

Colossians 2:6-7, NIV

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas. co.uk/goingdeeper

We had the builders in our house once – for a year. Month after month of dirt, dust and debris took its toll. We just wanted it to be over. They kept saying, ‘We’re nearly there’, which they were not.

Not many of us recognise the name of Benaiah as a famous biblical hero, but he served with great distinction as a general in King David’s militia. Later, he became a member of King Solomon’s senior leadership team. His name means, ‘God has built’, and his story is one of gradual progress. From obscure and difficult beginnings, he developed, earned promotion, and widened his influence.

God is frequently described in Scripture as a great builder (Ruth 4:11; Psalms 28:5; 51:18; 69:35; 147:2; Jeremiah 1:10; 24:6; 31:4, 28; 45:4) – construction work is going on in our lives, every second of every day. As Paul describes this work to the Colossians, he speaks of continuous action: we continue to live in Him, He continues to build. And when Paul said goodbye to his friends in Ephesus, he left them with the confidence that God would keep building in their lives: ‘Now I commit you to God’s care. I commit you to the word of his grace. It can build you up. Then you will share in what God plans to give all his people’ (Acts 20:32).

Progress in discipleship can seem painfully slow. Are we tired of the messiness, bored with being under construction? Let’s take heart. He’s committed to completing the project that is us.

Prayer: Father, there are times when I get weary of the journey of building and growth.

Help me to be faithful. Work in me today I pray. Amen.

11

TUES 08 OCT

HEROES COME FROM UNLIKELY PLACES

READ 1 Samuel 22:1-2 Amos 7:10-17

FOCUS ‘I was not a prophet.

I wasn’t even a prophet’s son. I was a shepherd. I also took care of sycamore-fig trees.’

Amos 7:14

12

Recently a well-known Christian leader confessed a lingering fear that has stalked his heart for years. He is a fine Bible teacher, rubs shoulders with the influential, has led an internationally known Christian organisation, and – perhaps most important – he offers great kindness and friendship to many, including me. Yet he shared that he has a ‘fear of being found out’.

His anxiety is not because of some hidden sin. Growing up in a working class family, he had humble beginnings, and he lacks an impressive theological education. All of that makes him feel inferior. As a working-class lad myself, who never went to a traditional university, I can relate to his feelings.

Thankfully, God pays no attention to social pedigree, often selecting his heroes from surprising places. Paul the apostle was Saul the Christian hunter, Matthew had spent too long involved in tax extortion, and Amos – rejected as one outclassed by the arrogant Amaziah – had no spiritual or prophetic credentials, but was a shepherd and gardener.

Benaiah had humble beginnings too. Some suggest he was a member of the motley crew of 400 of the distressed, indebted and discontented who hung out with David in the Cave of Adullam, when he was on the run from the crazed King Saul. If, for whatever reason, we feel distinctly ordinary, let’s not look over our shoulders and lament our past.

God seems to enjoy shaping heroes from what looks like common clay.

Prayer: Lord, grant me a deep security in You that allows me to fulfil Your will, without fear or hesitation. Amen.

WED 09 OCT

HEROES DECIDE

READ 2 Samuel 23:20 1 Kings 18:16-21

FOCUS He also went down into a pit on a snowy day. He killed a lion there.

2 Samuel 23:20b

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas. co.uk/goingdeeper

Once upon a time, I was chased by a raccoon – and yes, it’s a fairly harmless creature. We were out camping as a family in Oregon, sitting by a campfire, when I spotted the glint of green eyes staring at me from the bushes.

Slowly, the raccoon emerged and headed towards us. I told the children to back up towards our caravan. We were safe – from a creature with the temperament of a kitten.

Not my greatest moment of courage. Earlier, when Kay and I were dating, I was chased round a park bench by a duck. Kay obviously wasn’t looking for the Indiana-Jones type. So I would have walked right on by if, like Benaiah, I discovered a lion in a pit on a snowy day.

There are no lions in Israel now – but once they terrified entire villages.

I can think of plenty of reasons for leaving the lion undisturbed. Firstly, it’s a lion! Secondly, it’s in a pit – so escape will be difficult if things go wrong. The pit could easily become my grave.

And then of course the weather conditions weren’t terribly favourable for would-be lion tamers. It was a snowy day, and the ground underfoot was both icy and treacherous.

But Benaiah decided. He got down in there and took care of business. Heroes choose well – and like Elijah, invite others to decide well with them. It’s been said that the way to develop decisiveness is to start right where we are, with the very next question we face.

What business do you and I need to take care of – today?

Prayer: Father, give me wisdom to know how to choose, and boldness to then make that good choice. Amen.

13

THUR 10 OCT

WAITING FOR OUR TIME

READ 2 Samuel 23:21-23 Luke 14:7-11

FOCUS He was honoured more than any of the Thirty. But he wasn’t included among the Three.

David put him in charge of his own personal guards.

2 Samuel 23:23a

14

It’s exhilarating when we get a sense that God has given us gifts and skills that can be used to serve Him. God’s call often comes as that subtle nudging in our souls, prompting us to want to be involved in some area in the church: maybe in pastoral care, teaching, or leading worship. And it’s really frustrating when no one else notices we have those gifts.

Perhaps there’s an opening in our local church for a small group leader – for some time we’ve been feeling this is something we could do and would like to do. And then someone else is asked to do the job.

How we handle life living in the gap between God’s promises – and the fulfilment of those promises – is a measure of our maturity and character. The way we naturally develop is that God gives us gifts, and then it takes time for those gifts to be recognised, and maybe even longer for them to be released.

Benaiah lived in that gap for years. Later in life, he would be promoted to higher office, and would become field marshal in Solomon’s army (1 Kings 2:35) but in the meantime, he was not among the ‘famous Three’, even though he was the star player in the so-called ‘Thirty.’ Instead of high office, he had to carry on leading the king’s bodyguard. This was not an easy task, as the soldiers were foreign mercenaries.

God is not in a hurry. He may give us a glimpse of what is before us, which can cause us to want to pick up speed and grasp the future today. Let’s wait our time.

Prayer: Lord, prepare the way for me, in all that You call me to. May I remember Your promises, and be patient as I wait for their fulfilment. Amen.

FRI 11 OCT

LOYALTY

READ 1 Kings 1:1-27 2 Samuel 8:15-18

FOCUS But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the special guard or his brother Solomon.

1 Kings 1:10, NIV

Betrayal, particularly when it comes from those that we love, is heartbreaking. Jesus experienced the kiss from Judas (Matt. 26:48).

King David, in his twilight years, walked through the heartache of an attempt to seize his throne – led by his son Adonijah. A coronation feast for the new regent was arranged, and some of David’s veteran friends and confidantes were invited, like Abiathar the high priest, one of David’s trusted counsellors (2 Sam. 15:35).

Joab, who had been commander-in-chief of all Israel (1 Chron. 11:6,8) was also there.

But look at who were not on the guest list: Benaiah and the band of mercenaries he had led were excluded from the treacherous party. Obviously, the would-be king knew Benaiah’s loyalty wasn’t for sale – and so it would be pointless to try to win him over to the new (and short-lived) kingship.

I am so grateful for friends who have stood by me through many years. They have been willing to encourage me when I got it right, gently rebuke me when I didn’t – but they will never smile in my face, then whisper behind my back. I would trust them with my life. Friends like that are rare, and should be treasured. Scripture laments, ‘Many claim to have love that never fails. But who can find a faithful person?’ (Prov. 20:6).

Regardless of the consequences to his life and career, Benaiah was unwavering. Do our friends know our loyalty isn’t for sale?

Prayer: Lord, help me to earn the description ‘faithful friend’ – perhaps today. Amen.

15

WEEKEND 12 - 13 OCT

LOYALTY REWARDED

READ 1 Kings 2:13-35 Colossians 4:1-18

We saw yesterday that loyalty is a priceless commodity – and it’s rare. The apostle Paul certainly celebrated those who had stood by his side with consistency, mentioning many of them by name.

We also noticed that when we loyally stand by others, it might be costly for us personally.

When Benaiah chose not to side with Adonijah, he had no idea if the attempted coup would succeed. He could have easily found himself on the wrong side of the fence once the political dust had settled. But this was not so. Solomon, David’s choice for the kingship, ascended to the throne, while those who had participated in the rebellion were executed.

At least Benaiah finally took a position of strategic national leadership, as field marshal in Solomon’s army. But Benaiah would have known none of this when he stood his ground, and refused to waver when even the highestranking officials in the land became turncoats.

There are times when we just have to do what is right, for no other reason than that it is right.

Others may not trek that narrow pathway, and the temptation towards unfaithfulness may be huge. Let’s stand our ground anyway.

And if this is true in our human relationships, then heroes are those who will also be faithful and loyal to God Himself until the end. There will come a day when the King of the Universe finally overcomes – and with Him will be His field marshals – his ‘appointed, chosen and faithful followers’.

Let’s not waver.

To ponder: Can you think of a time when your loyalty to a friend was challenged?

What happened?

16

MON 14 OCT

JEZEBEL AND AHAB

READ 1 Kings 16:29-34 Deuteronomy 7:1-6

FOCUS Ahab also got married to Jezebel... he began to serve the god Baal and worship him.

1 Kings 16:31

Both the British and the American versions of House of Cards have presented us with scheming, amoral characters. President Frank Underwood, in the hugely popular US Netflix blockbuster, stopped at nothing, including murder, as he and his conniving wife pursued power relentlessly.

As we turn to a pair of infamous biblical villains, the picture of a husband and wife team as partners in crime is a helpful one.

The dangerous partnership of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel was the result of a much larger, darker alliance – a peace treaty made

by Ahab’s father, Omri. Linking arms with the powerful Phoenicians made complete sense to King Omri, because both nations were under threat from Syria. And young princess Jezebel was given to the prince Ahab to seal the deal.

Jezebel was no stranger to death: her own father ruled in Tyre because he had assumed the role of political assassin. According to the Jewish historian Josephus, Jezebel's father had been a long-time priest of Astarte who had murdered his brother, King Phelles, ascending to the throne at the age of 36.

The law specifically prohibited God’s people from marrying foreign wives, not because of racism, but because of their tendency to be corrupted by false religion. And that is exactly how things played out with Ahab: his love for his wife soon led him to build a temple in Samaria, dedicated to Baal worship.

Obeying God makes sense. Whatever He says to us, let’s do it.

Prayer: When obedience is a struggle, and everything in me wants to walk another way, help me to trust and obey, all-wise God. Amen.

17

TUES 15 OCT

INFLUENCE

READ 1 Kings 21:25-26 Hebrews 10:19-25

FOCUS There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife.

1 Kings 21:25, NIV

18

2

I was intrigued by how quickly the conversation went downhill. Enjoying a fun dinner with friends, someone shared a story that was a little off-colour. The nervous glances around the table confirmed we all felt a line had been crossed. But within minutes, people were telling jokes and using words that were rare in our group. I wondered: what just happened? It all began by someone giving permission, and their action urged others to join in. We can live permissively or provocatively. We create a culture around us by our own behaviour, good or bad. In Bible terms, we either ‘stir up one another to love’, and ‘help one another to do good works’ (Heb. 10:24), or we are like Jezebel, who urged her husband towards evil.

The call to ‘spur one another on’ (as the NIV translation puts it) means we will intentionally and thoughtfully be a positive influence on others. And Hebrews also reminds us to be with others in our local church on a frequent basis: we can’t be a blessing and a positive influence otherwise.

We all have influence. As Presbyterian author J.R. Miller said: ‘There have been meetings of only a moment which have left impressions for life, for eternity. No one can understand that mysterious thing we call influence... yet... every one of us continually exerts influence, either to heal, to bless, to leave marks of beauty; or to wound, to hurt, to poison, to stain other lives.’2 Today, let’s be an influence for good and for God. Prayer: Father, help me to be intentional today, living beautifully for You and encouraging others towards goodness.

Amen.

gracegems.org/Miller/influence_of_companionship.htm

WED 16 OCT

TRUE SUCCESS IN GOD’S EYES READ 1 Kings 22:39 Matthew 6:25-34 FOCUS Everything he did is written down.

That includes the palace he built and decorated with ivory.

It also includes the cities he built up and put high walls around.

1 Kings 22:39

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas. co.uk/goingdeeper

King Ahab was highly successful as a politician, making trade deals that boosted the economy. After years of war, he oversaw two decades of peace. He boosted the defence budget for his nation, building a huge army.

He built cities. His wife was sophisticated, coming from a culture of poets and writers – her nation gave the world the alphabet. And he was rich, with an opulent house crammed with luxury goods. We know he built a palace adorned with ivory; although there’s some speculation about the integrity of the find, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a home in the area where he lived. Every wall was breathtaking, panelled from floor to ceiling with intricately carved ivory; figures of lions, griffins and sphinxes stared down. The place overflowed with the trappings of royalty.

Even the bed ends, table tops and chair backs were ivory-clad.

But despite all this, Ahab was judged as being one of the worst kings in Israel’s entire history, a man who deeply angered the Lord (1 Kings 16:30-33). True success in the eyes of God is not measured in terms of financial gain, business acumen, posh furniture or fame. The suave and sophisticated don’t impress Him. Rather it’s integrity and faithfulness that catch God’s eye and warm His heart.

As we’ll see tomorrow, Ahab did some good things. But he was inconsistent, and too easily swayed by the occult obsessions of his wife, Jezebel, a passionate advocate of all things to do with Baal.

Let’s pursue true success.

Prayer: Lord, may all my days be focused on seeking Your Kingdom first: Your will, Your way, and Your purposes for my life. Amen.

19

THUR 17 OCT

THREATS AND FEAR

READ 1 Kings 19:1-9 1 Kings 18:1-4

FOCUS So Jezebel sent a message to Elijah.

She said, ‘You can be sure that I will kill you, just as I killed the other prophets. I’ll do it by this time tomorrow.

If I don’t, may the gods punish me greatly.’

1 Kings 19:2

20

Right now, it’s happening to two different friends of mine: intimidation and fear. In one case, a company is using its corporate power to try to force him to go through with a deal he didn't sign up for. In the other, a lawyer is trying to intimidate someone into making a false statement.

Upset by Elijah’s prophetic ministry, Jezebel sent him a death threat. Commentators have criticised Elijah for running, but I would have run too! Jezebel was systematically persecuting and killing the prophets of God in her zeal for Baal worship, so she had a murderous track record already.

Jezebel’s chosen method to deal with Elijah was designed to create terror. She could have sent an assassin, but instead she sent a messenger who announced an assassination to come. The queen didn’t need to use a hired killer when a threat would suffice. And then she used a chilling image to drive the threat home, as she would have made a self-imprecatory oath, running a finger across her throat as she vowed that Elijah would be as dead and bloodied as those prophets of Baal that had been slain.

Perhaps some of us are feeling intimidated right now. Fear is stalking us. Let’s remember that Jesus spoke endlessly about the power of fear. Out of 125 commands that He gave His followers, 21 of them were about the call to us to resist being afraid. If He calls us to refuse fear, then it must be possible with the help of the Holy Spirit. Whatever the threat, may we stand firm in faith.

Prayer: Father, fear sometimes looms over me like a Goliath. Please help me, especially in the night, to not be afraid. Amen.

FRI 18 OCT

THE LAST STRAW

READ 1 Kings 21:1-19 Hebrews 3:7-19

FOCUS Then tell Ahab, ‘The Lord says, “Dogs licked up Naboth’s blood. In that same place dogs will lick up your blood. Yes, I said your blood!”’

1 Kings 21:19

Every parent knows the moment when a child is behaving badly, and they persist, despite being warned of the consequences. ’Right, that’s it’, cries the exasperated Mum. ’You’re grounded/deprived of pocket money/can’t play in the game/can’t use your mobile phone for a week.’ A line has been crossed.

Such a point came in sulky Ahab’s life. For all of his sins, and there were many, there came a moment when God decided enough was enough. It came when he mercilessly used his power to frame Naboth, an innocent man, because he wanted to complete a land deal.

Once again, Jezebel was the driving force behind blatant injustice.

Naboth was obeying the law of God: ‘No inheritance in Israel is to pass from one tribe to another, for every Israelite shall keep the tribal inheritance of their ancestors’ (Num. 36:7, NIV).

But Jezebel, staggered by what she viewed as her husband’s weak behaviour, executed a cunning plan to shine a spotlight of false recognition upon Naboth, only to accuse him of treason – a capital offence, which led to him being stoned to death.

This was the action that brought down judgment on both Ahab and Jezebel, even though, as we’ll see, Ahab was granted a brief temporary reprieve, because he responded with repentance. But although his crime was murder and covetousness, let’s also note the crime of injustice against the poor was the last straw. Let’s live with tender hearts, ready and willing to respond immediately when we fail.

Prayer: Lord, I want to be quick to respond to the nudges of challenge or conviction that the Holy Spirit brings. Grant me a tender heart, always. Amen.

21

WEEKEND 19 - 20 OCT

GOD IS PATIENT

It’s a most unusual verse, as we hear God marvelling at the wicked Ahab’s acts of humility and apparent repentance. Let’s not forget his indictment: ‘There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols’ (1 Kings 21:25–26, NIV).

Yet as Ahab showed signs of regret for his multiple sins, God responded with stunning, outrageous grace. Speaking to Elijah, the Lord shows His wonderful patience: ‘Have you seen how Ahab has made himself humble in my sight? Because he has done that, I will not bring trouble on him while he lives’ (1 Kings 21:29).

But God’s awesome patience is not just shown to the wicked, like Ahab. How many times have we frustrated Him, forgetting lessons we’ve learned, ignoring His commands, or flagrantly flouting His loving authority in our lives?

READ 1 Kings 21:20-29 1 Timothy 1:12-16

Writing to Timothy, Paul laments his terrible past as a persecutor of Christians, but then celebrates the ‘immense patience’ of God (1 Tim. 1:16, NIV). Let’s never live in such a way that tests God’s patience – He is ‘slow to anger’ (Psa. 103:8), the God who sits waiting to welcome the returning prodigal (Luke 15:11-32), but that doesn’t give us licence to sin.

And those who have been shown such patience should surely pass it around.

Sometimes I hear Christians say they don’t suffer fools gladly. Wonderfully, God does, in walking with us. Let’s spread patience around.

To ponder: Is there a situation in our lives where enduring patience is required?

22

MON 21 OCT

ITCHING EARS

READ 1 Kings 22:1-29 2 Timothy 4:1-8

FOCUS ‘The king says, “Put this fellow in prison. Don’t give him anything but bread and water until I return safely.”’

1 Kings 22:27

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas. co.uk/goingdeeper

As a Bible teacher, I’ve met a few believers who simply didn’t like being challenged through preaching. This often happens when the preacher is required to handle a sensitive passage of Scripture, touching on sensitive areas which some don’t want to think about.

And it comes as no surprise that money is the subject most likely to create a negative reaction. The Bible is loaded with teaching about generosity, stewardship and consistent giving – but it also warns us that money competes most powerfully for our affections.

Perhaps that’s why some resent preaching on it: we cling to what we love most. But those who preach are called to share all of God’s heart for His people – including rebuke and challenge.

Micaiah only appears in this one episode (also described in 2 Chronicles 18). After some initial hesitation, he spoke out clearly about the judgment about to befall Israel. After yesterday’s season of fasting, Ahab was back to his old ways. That would cost him dearly, because ignoring the stern prophetic warning meant he would die on the battlefield. As for Micaiah, his commitment to the truth meant a spell in prison, living on bread and water.

There are some parts of Scripture that I don’t like, and I tend to avoid them. But let’s not only ponder our favourite texts – let’s wrestle with the more challenging passages. And pray for everyone who preaches God’s Word, that they will be faithful and fearless.

Prayer: Help me to reflect upon and respond to all of Your Word, Father – and bless those who are called to preach and teach it. Amen.

23

TUES 22 OCT

AHAB’S AND JEZEBEL’S ENDINGS READ 1 Kings 21:1-29 2 Kings 9:30-33

FOCUS The Lord also says, ‘Dogs will eat up Jezebel near the wall of Jezreel.’

1 Kings 21:23

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas. co.uk/goingdeeper

The Bible is an amazing book. Clear and detailed predictive prophecy is repeatedly fulfilled, sometimes with gaps of decades, or even hundreds or thousands of years between the prediction and the fulfilment. So it was with Jezebel and Ahab. Despite disguising himself to go into battle, a stray arrow found its way in a chink in Ahab’s armour, and he died (1 Kings 22:29-40). Elijah had prophesied that dogs would lick Ahab’s blood, which came true, although the judgment that his body would be left in Naboth’s vineyard was deferred to his son, Joram, again exactly as God had decreed (1 Kings 21:29, 2 Kings 9:25). And then the similar judgment of Jezebel came about, perhaps ten years after her husband’s death.

Despite seeing what happened to him, Jezebel made no attempt to repent, and continued to exercise influence during the reigns of her two sons, Ahaziah and Jehoram, and in the southern kingdom, Judah, where her daughter Athaliah became queen (2 Kings 8:18).

But she could not escape judgment, and at last, at the command of Jehu, she was thrown from a window. Some say this took place on Naboth’s land – the real estate she’d gained through lies and manipulation. Wherever its location, dogs used to roam around the rubbish dumps of the city, and they came by.

The word of the Lord was once again fulfilled.

Even through this horrifying story, we see that the Bible is the reliable account of a God who intervenes powerfully in history. His Word stands forever.

Prayer: Mighty and timeless God, in a fragile and uncertain world, Your Word is true and can be trusted. Your big plans will be fulfilled. Amen.

24

WED 23 OCT

LEGACY

READ 2 Kings 9:34-37 2 Timothy 1:1-5

FOCUS Her body will be left to rot on that piece of land. So no one will be able to say, ‘Here’s where Jezebel is buried.’

2 Kings 9:37

3

None of us would want Jezebel’s legacy.

In the New Testament, her name is used symbolically to refer to someone who was seducing the congregation at Thyatira into sexual sin and eating food offered to the statues of gods (Rev. 2:20). Forever, Jezebel’s name is associated with death, seduction and pride – it’s been said that she was ‘proud of her pride.’ What a terrible legacy.

It doesn’t have to be like that, though. Mourning the passing of a close and dear friend recently, I was comforted by the wonderful legacy he left behind. Not many were expected to attend his funeral, yet it was packed out – testimony to his goodness, which had made such an impact. I was reminded of the legacy of a biblical character called Lois, grandmother to young Timothy. It was partly her example that led to his commitment to Christ. The writer and theologian, St Augustine, is also said to have been heavily influenced by his mother, whose name we don’t know but who shares his legacy. Nor do we have to have written books or taught theology to leave a good legacy. As George Eliot wrote at the end of her novel, Middlemarch, ‘the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.’3 What will we leave behind us? To be sure, we will all leave a legacy, for good or ill. Let’s choose well.

Prayer: May goodness and mercy be the trail that is left behind from my life, Father.

Amen.

George Eliot, Middlemarch, first published in 1871.

25

THUR 24 OCT

JOANNA

READ Luke 8:1-3 James 2:14-26

FOCUS Another was Joanna, the wife of Cuza.

He was the manager of Herod’s household.

Luke 8:3

26

What does a real Christian look like? Is it enough that we believe the right things, attend church regularly, read the Bible and pray – or should there be some more startling evidence that God is involved in our lives? The epistle of James insists that when God is really at work in us, then tangible fruit will be seen. Paul repeatedly echoes that truth, most markedly in his words about the fruit of the Holy Spirit transforming us (Gal. 5:22-23).

We don’t want to be followers of ‘mere’ religion that makes us feel good but affects nothing other than us. So what does the redeemed life look like? For some answers, we turn to a lady called Joanna. She is only mentioned twice in the Bible – both times by Luke in his gospel. But Joanna – a member of Jesus’ travelling band and later one of the first to hear of the resurrection – is a heroine, worthy of our reflection. Although details are sketchy, it appears that her life was radically transformed because she had encountered Jesus. We’ll see that her priorities, her spending patterns, her domestic life – all were dynamically affected by the power of God that had either delivered her from sickness, dark powers, or both.

Bluntly, if deciding to become a Christian has changed little in our lives, then we must ask whether we have truly committed ourselves to love, serve and obey Christ. Making that choice is the most radical step we can make, because it goes to the very heart of all we are.

Prayer: Father, Your word teaches me to always pray. Holy Spirit, fuel and guide my prayers, especially when I face a situation that is humanly impossible. Amen.

FRI 25 OCT

COMFORT ISN’T KING

READ Luke 8:1-3 Luke 14:25-34

FOCUS Anyone who doesn’t carry his cross and follow me can’t be my disciple.

Luke 14:27

In polite America, they call it a ‘comfort break’ – the pause in the proceedings allowing one a short pilgrimage to the lavatory. The problem is, we Christians can be lulled into taking extended breaks for comfort’s sake. Risk is something we once did, but don’t do now. It seems every decade or so, my wife Kay and I get the chance to find out if we really believe in God or not, by taking what seems to be a risky step of faith. Right now, we are walking in one of those choices, as I have stepped away from my role as a pastor at Timberline Church, and will be focusing on writing, broadcasting and coaching. These episodes help us to find out if we really are genuine disciples of Christ, or if we have succumbed to being followers of ideas – merely Sunday worshippers.

Scholars believe Joanna was married to a man of power and means. As 'the manager of Herod’s household’, Cuza would make a very good living. Luke is pointing out Christian influence has reached high places (Acts 13:26-39; 13:1, 7, 12; 18:8; 19:31), and showing us that a woman of considerable affluence had chosen the dusty, sweaty, unpredictable and indeed dangerous path of being a member of Jesus’ travelling band.

Perhaps it’s difficult for us in our modern world to identify with her choice to hike the hills with Jesus, but we all have our own, modern temptations to make comfort the most important thing in our lives. Are some of us being challenged to risk again?

Prayer: Father, stir me when I settle. Show me when I am in seasons where, in human terms, risk is called for, and grant me faith to navigate them well. Amen.

27

WEEKEND 26 - 27 OCT

GIVING

I’ve preached on hundreds, maybe thousands of different subjects – but, as I mentioned earlier, there’s one issue that causes me to tremble whenever I speak about it: money.

There’s always someone who complains: ‘This is too legalistic’, ‘Too hard’, ‘Too soft’, ‘The church just wants to get my cash...’

But teach on finances we must. Heroes of faith have realised they own absolutely nothing – God lends us everything we enjoy. We are tenants, not owners: or to use the biblical word, we are ‘stewards.’

Or that’s the theory.

READ Luke 8:1-3 2 Corinthians 9:1-15

The reality is that we Christians aren’t that good at being committed in our financial giving – most churches are supported by the few rather than the many. This means often even larger churches have to scratch around to balance their budgets, and so, with such meagre resources, there’s very little to spend on outreach or activities which do not directly serve the interests and needs of the membership. But, as we see from Joanna’s story, ministry requires support, and Joanna was one of those who stepped up to the plate, put her money on the line, and practically resourced Jesus’ itinerant work.

We need more heroes like her. Joanna helped facilitate the epic ministry of Jesus with her tangible support. What did she offer? Food?

Shelter? Clothing? Gold? Silver? We don’t know exactly what it was that came from Joanna’s hand to support Jesus and His team, but her giving was strategic enough to be specifically mentioned.

To ponder: Let’s ask ourselves – are we generous, with our time, talent and treasure?

28

MON 28 OCT

WE’RE WITH JESUS

READ Luke 8:3 Mark 8:31-38

FOCUS Another was Joanna, the wife of Cuza. He was the manager of Herod’s household.

Luke 8:3

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas. co.uk/goingdeeper

I used to shout my Christian faith to everyone who would listen and to a few who really didn’t want to. A carrier of perhaps the world’s largest Bible, my lapel bedecked with a huge Christian badge, and with tracts stuffed in my back pocket, I was a one-man walking Christian roadshow. There was no doubt about my allegiance and identity – a young, passionate disciple.

Fifty years later, my Bible is smaller, and the gigantic badge has gone. I quickly argue I have matured, I want to be far more subtle about the way I present my faith to people – and I’m sure there’s truth and wisdom in those conclusions. But while badge-wearing is probably not the way to win the world, I am challenged about my willingness to identify openly with Jesus.

Sometimes doing so is costly. It could have been so for Joanna. In the household of Herod Antipas, being a follower of Jesus would not have been acceptable, let alone popular.

Joanna’s choices could have cost her husband his position, had the word spread that his wife was following this new Jewish Messiah. After all, what would this say to the masses? What would her ‘rebellion’ declare to the subjects of Herod, or the Roman Empire in general? To openly identify with Jesus could have been interpreted as treason, or at least politically unwise. Joanna’s husband worked for the very same man who had John the Baptist executed (Luke 9:7-9). Is it challenging to be known as a friend of Jesus? We’re in good company.

Prayer: I want to be unashamed of You, without being brash or insensitive in the way I talk about You. Help me, Lord. Amen.

29

TUES 29 OCT

THE CROSS AND THE CLEAN-UP

READ Luke 24:1-12 Romans 12:1-8

FOCUS Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them were the ones who told the disciples.

Luke 24:10

30

We Christians love excitement. It’s not hard to pack out the huge worship celebration, or sell out the seminar offered by a dynamic speaker, especially if the teaching focuses on the more ‘thrilling’ aspects of the Christian experience – a prophetic conference, or a gathering for healing. But while crowds teem into these gatherings, there’s an altogether more rare Christian – the one who stays behind, and washes up the communion ware, stacks the chairs, and picks up discarded litter. Others simply rush off home.

Joanna was a clean-up Christian. When Jesus faced death and hung on the cross, she was probably there with Mary and the others (Matt.

27:55, Mark 15:40-41). But then, when His life had ended, the crowds dispersed; the miracles and the healings had come to an end. Now they went back to their lives, perhaps waiting for the next exciting thing to come their way.

It was Joanna, the two Marys and some other woman who went back to the tomb of Jesus to take care of some of the details that had to be addressed – in their minds, the last act of care for the man they loved and followed. They had prepared spices to place upon the body of Jesus, to help preserve and honour it. There was still some unseen, background work to be done.

In their faithfulness in the small things that might well be overlooked by others, Joanna and her friends received the most exciting newsflash in the history of the world. Are we serving, clean-up Christians?

Prayer: Lord, give me a readiness to pursue the unglamorous, tedious tasks, and may I meet You as I do them. Amen.

WED 30 OCT

A HEROINE

READ Luke 23:44-24:12 Mark 16:9-10

FOCUS They told all these things to the 11 apostles and to all the others... But the apostles did not believe the women.

Their words didn’t make any sense to them.

Luke 24:9,11

Trish was a new Christian, had a passionate love for God – and was angry with me quite a lot of the time. It was forty-five years ago, I was a fledgling minister, and I’m embarrassed to admit men did just about everything in our church. The reason was more traditional than theological – that’s the way I’d seen it done since becoming a Christian. Men were the leaders, the preachers, the communion servers: they sat on church boards and made decisions. Women were not really empowered to do anything, except arrange the flowers.

I disliked Trish and her awkward questions back then, but I’m so grateful to her now. I’ve been so privileged to serve in churches since, where women are free to be everything God calls them to be – and I wonder how we ever managed to do much without using their skills and gifts.

As we saw, Joanna, whose name means ‘Jehovah favoured’, was probably among the group of women who witnessed Jesus’ execution (Luke 23:49). Women are Luke’s only witnesses to the burial of Jesus, were the first to visit the empty tomb, and were the sole recipients of the message that Jesus was alive once more (24:4–8). Without sounding too sexist, the men’s contribution here was to scoff at the wonderful news of the resurrection – dismissing the women’s testimony as nonsense.

God has given us a vast resource in women for leadership and influence. We can’t – and must not – do without them. And yes, I’ve apologised to Trish.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the women who serve You in the midst of questions that could cause them to waver. Strengthen them today. Amen.

31

THUR 31 OCT

POTIPHAR’S WIFE

READ Genesis 39:1-23 Psalm 119:69-70

FOCUS ‘That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to rape me. But I screamed for help. So he left his coat beside me and ran out of the house.’

Genesis 39:17-18

32

Over recent years, there have been a series of ugly news stories about high profile people who have used their position to oppress, abuse and molest. The church scene has had its scandals in this area: heartbreaking stories of paedophile priests abusing children or high profile evangelical personalities engaging in inappropriate behaviour. Our hearts ache for the victims. Thank God they are finally finding the courage to tell their stories.

But at the risk of diluting what I have just written, I will be bold to say some caution is needed too. In an atmosphere of outrage, justice can become a casualty, as people are removed from position without the opportunity to defend themselves, and before any convincing proof is shown. Accusation seems enough to convict and sentence these days, at least as far as the jury of the press and public opinion are concerned. That’s exactly what happened to one man 3500 years ago.

His name was Joseph, and her name... well, her name isn’t mentioned in the biblical story; she is simply known as Potiphar’s wife.

Let’s continue to pray that victims of abuse will have the courage to speak out, and will be listened to, so they can find peace, healing and well-deserved justice. It’s tragic they were harmed in situations where they should have felt most safe. And let’s also pray there will be no new victims because of false accusation, their lives damaged because of lies. All victimisation is wrong.

Prayer: Loving God, give courage to those who have been silenced and hurt, and grant justice wherever there has been false accusation. Amen.

FRI 01 NOV

BLESSING DOESN’T PREVENT TEMPTATION

READ Genesis 39:1-2 2 Chronicles 26:1-22

FOCUS The Lord was with Joseph. He gave him great success.

Joseph lived in Potiphar’s house.

Genesis 39:2

34

As I have trekked around the world in my teaching ministry, I’ve met thousands of church leaders. Most were genuine, passionate souls, pouring out their lives for God and His people. But occasionally, I meet people ruined by their own success. Thrilled with their accomplishments, they have become freakish and entitled. They make demands under the guise of creating a ‘culture of honour’ – and the person being honoured is usually them.

Disagree with them, and you are doing so at your peril. Challenge them and you’re ‘touching God’s anointed.’ Frankly, I wonder if God has not given some people even greater profile and success, simply because He couldn’t trust them to handle it well.

Joseph had known deprivation and rejection, a victim of human trafficking because of the treachery of his brothers. But now he finds himself in a place of blessing and responsibility, selected by one of Pharaoh’s senior officials, a captain of the guard, to be the man in charge of his household. In this story we repeatedly hear that God was the source of the blessing that rested upon Joseph. But being in the place of blessing, in the very centre of God’s will, did not remove the possibility of temptation from the young man. Successful? Let’s be careful that it doesn’t ruin us, as it did King Uzziah. ‘But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God’ (2 Chron. 26:16).

Prayer: When the subtle snares of blessing and success come my way, guard my eyes, my heart, my attitudes, loving Father. Amen.

WEEKEND 02 - 03 NOV

DAY AFTER DAY

READ Genesis 39:1-10 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Many of us use what are called ‘default settings’ on our computers or phones. Once we’ve set the device to respond in a particular way, it will always do that, every single time, until we change the setting. Sometimes I wish I had that facility in my own life. I could set myself to always exercise without the daily battle (shall I or shan't I?), always eat healthy food, always be gracious when stressed, always be generous... and always resist temptation, whatever form it comes in. But no such setting exists for humanity. Temptation is a daily reality, and it’s persistent.

Potiphar’s wife wouldn’t take no for an answer. Having first made a bold proposal (‘Make love to me!’ – nothing subtle about that approach), she kept trying to wear Joseph down, day after day. The language of the text suggests she may have softened her approach, asking him to just spend a little time with her. But then the final approach was really an assault. We read she grabbed Joseph by the cloak, but that’s a genteel way of putting it. Some commentators insist she grabbed his undergarment. And let’s not forget that Joseph was a slave, and so she was in a position of command and control.

But in the face of this continued onslaught, Joseph remained true to his convictions, and resisted, even though his good choices would ultimately lead to further trouble. Let’s stand firm, even when temptation keeps on knocking at the door of our hearts and minds.

To ponder: Is there a temptation wearing some of us down at the moment, and we’re about to give in? What could we do to help us to stay true?

35

MON 04 NOV

BETRAYING TRUST

READ Genesis 39:1-8 Ecclesiastes 5:4-7

FOCUS ’My master has put me in charge,’ he told her. 'Now he doesn’t have to worry about anything in the house. He trusts me to take care of everything he owns.’

Genesis 39:8

36

It happened forty-six years ago, but the day still lingers in my memory as one of the most special. It was our wedding day, and we exchanged promises, vows of fidelity. We had very little materially, but had strong hopes for our future, as we made a deep commitment.

When Joseph was offered an illicit dalliance with another man’s wife, his mind was fixed on her husband, Potiphar.

He didn’t let himself indulge in any fantasies of pleasures. Joseph recited to Potiphar’s wife (and perhaps to himself) the details of how deeply he had been trusted.

Refusing to commit adultery was not a cold moral decision, just a choice between right or wrong. It was an act of loyalty in a cherished relationship.

When temptation beckons, heart and hormones battle to win the internal struggle we face. So when that moment comes, perhaps we should not only remember to be obedient, but loyal as well. We need to remind ourselves that what we do has consequences, and may cause great, lingering hurt to people we love. Increasingly, vows are treated as disposable in our day. While there are many faithful and self-sacrificing public servants, some politicians take a solemn vow of office and then routinely lie and distort the truth. Or an oath is sworn in court, and then, without hesitation, the guilty party denies wrongdoing.

When tempted, let’s not concentrate on the promise of pleasure to come, but remember the promises we have made in the past.

Prayer: May I be loving and faithful when I am lured towards betraying You or others that I love. Amen.

TUES 05 NOV

SIN AGAINST GOD

READ Genesis 39:1-9 2 Samuel 11:1-17

FOCUS ‘So how could I do an evil thing like that? How could I sin against God?’ Genesis 39:9

Few people use the word ‘sin’ nowadays, unless they are people of faith. Instead, while they recognise wrong, morality is considered in terms of the results of certain actions; things are wrong because they damage the environment, wound others, or cause us personal harm. But sin, a concept found throughout the biblical narrative, goes beyond all these effects, and points us to a God who is affected by our sin. Far from being stoic and unmoved, God’s heart breaks over His world, and when we routinely persist in sinful behaviours, we hurt the God who loves us so. We see this sinning ‘against God’ in the story of the decadent people of Sodom, as well as in David’s dreadful behaviour with Bathsheba, and following his adultery, his plotting to have her husband killed.

Joseph calls Potiphar’s wife out for her attempted seduction – it’s not a little flirtation, some harmless fun, but rather great wickedness – and he refuses to sin. He remains faithful to Potiphar, and to the Lord who has been faithful to him.

It’s been said that Christian obedience can be transactional; we woodenly obey because it’s the right thing to do. But the Bible points us to love for God as the core motive for right living. We obey, not in order to be loved, but because we are loved, and we don’t want to wound the one who loves us so. Anything less is just cold morality. Today, we are loved.

Let’s not grieve the one who loves us so.

Prayer: Your care for me means that I can grieve You, Lord. Save me from that today.

Amen.

37

WED 06 NOV

POTIPHAR: NEGLIGENT?

READ Genesis 39:1-6 Ephesians 5:21-33

FOCUS So Joseph took good care of everything Potiphar owned. With Joseph in charge, he didn’t have to worry about anything except the food he ate.

Genesis 39:6

38

I’m not sure if it’s a true story, but it's said that a woman once asked her husband if, after decades of marriage, he still loved her. ‘I told you that the day we got married’ said the husband, gruffly. ‘If I change my mind, I’ll let you know.’ This is hardly a good attitude for a healthy marriage – we all know relationships call for investment.

It’s easy to write Potiphar’s wife off as a sexcrazed temptress, hungry for an afternoon of illicit pleasure, who misused her powerful position to try to exploit one of her staff. And perhaps it is as straightforward as that. Sexual temptation carries very strong power. But some commentators have noticed Potiphar is described as not bothering about the details of his household, but only being concerned with what was on the menu. While this might just reveal how much he trusted Joseph, it’s just possible the story is hinting that Potiphar was very concerned about his own needs – especially the needs of his stomach – but failed to give attention to other areas. Perhaps Potiphar was also ignoring the needs of his wife, so she looked elsewhere. None of this justifies her actions, but it may give us some understanding as to why she acted as she did.

Our relationships, be they with others in the local church, our wider friendship circle, or our marriages and family lives – all need to be maintained. Without the investment of time, attention, and some patience, relationships will erode.

Prayer: Father help me to never take those I love for granted. May I continue to give of myself, that love and friendship might truly last. Amen.

THUR 07 NOV

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE

READ Genesis 39:1-12 2 Timothy 2:22

FOCUS Potiphar’s wife grabbed hold of him by his coat. ’Make love to me!’ she said.

But he left his coat in her hand. And he ran out of the house.

Genesis 39:12

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas.co.uk/ goingdeeper

Temptation comes to us all, and as we’ve seen, the lure of something we know is wrong can be ongoing, nagging away at us, wearing us down. And there’s an additional challenge – the temptation to flirt with temptation itself.

We edge closer to a moral cliff edge, telling ourselves we can draw back and return to safety any time we choose. But Joseph shows us there’s only one way to deal with Potiphar’s wife. The time for talking, refusing, professing loyalty, even affirming that he would not sin against God – that time had come to an end.

It was time to just run, to get out of the house, even if he left his cloak behind, which would be later used as evidence for false accusation.

I once knew a Christian leader who had a recurring problem with pornography, and so he refused to stay in a hotel room where there was a television that connected with online porn: sadly, most hotels offer horrible socalled adult entertainment these days. Arriving at a hotel late one night, the maintenance department was closed for the day, and he was left in the room with a connected television. And so he cut the cable, and then went to the reception the next day and paid for a replacement cable before checking out.

It was a radical step, but he did what he felt he needed to do to ensure he didn’t plunge back into what had been an addiction for him.

Is there a situation where we’re lingering, rationalising, discussing, but now it’s time to simply... run?

Prayer: Show me when and where I need to stop talking and start running, Lord. Amen.

39

FRI 08 NOV

LIAR, LIAR

READ Genesis 39:13-20 Proverbs 16:28

FOCUS Then she told him her story. She said, ‘That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to rape me.’

Genesis 39:17

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas. co.uk/goingdeeper

Her behaviour is shocking. Not only does Potiphar’s wife aggressively pursue an adulterous relationship, but then, when refused, she makes a calculated accusation against Joseph, a carefully woven series of lies.

She was the would-be seducer, but suggests Joseph attempted rape. She screamed after Joseph ran, but when she tells the story to her servants (to garner their support, perhaps) and then to her husband, she pretends it was her scream for help that caused him to run.

And then, she widens the blame: in her report to her husband, she reminds him that Joseph was that Hebrew slave ‘you brought us... This is how your slave treated me.’ Even describing Joseph as a Hebrew, while accurate, stirred the attitude of national xenophobia that existed in Egypt at this time. So not only was this a false accusation, but Potiphar’s wife managed to cast blame on everyone else – Joseph, and even her husband – in the way she told the story. The result was devastating.

Potiphar swallowed the lies, and Joseph was imprisoned. Some believe, however, that Potiphar wasn’t totally convinced, because he didn’t have Joseph executed. But apparently Potiphar’s wife was quite content to let Joseph spend the rest of his life in a cell.

What has any of this got to do with us? We might not tell outright lies, but gossip can have the same devastating effect, as we annihilate someone’s character with halftruths and rumour. Let’s be people of the truth.

Prayer: May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord. Amen.

40

WEEKEND 09 - 10 NOV

SHINING BRIGHT

READ Genesis 39:20-23 Philippians 2:12-18

Some people stand out because of their goodness. Some time ago, I met one of those quiet heroes, as I spent some time with Father Ubald Rugirangoga, a Roman Catholic priest from Rwanda. During the horrific genocide, not only did he witness Christians killing Christians, but he lost thousands of his parishioners as well as 80 members of his own family, including his mother. What a contrast that man was to the awful behaviour he suffered. When he met the killer of his mother in prison, he found the murderer’s children were now destitute, because their mother had died. And so Father Ubold decided to adopt them both and paid for their education.

One of them went on to graduate as a Doctor of Medicine. What a glorious contrast to the darkness and violence of genocide. The cycle of rage and bitterness had been broken.

Before we leave this story of Potiphar’s wife, we should remember again that Joseph went to prison because of her false accusation.

Once again Joseph is suffering terrible injustice, yet we hear no complaint from him, and again, we’re told that God was with him in the midst of it all. Following God is no guarantee that life will be easy – on the contrary, we Christians are promised trouble in this world. But today, albeit in smaller contexts, may we follow in the footsteps of the beautiful grace shown by Father Ubold, and the patient suffering of Joseph, and shine like stars in the darkness.

To ponder: Is there a situation in our lives where a journey towards forgiveness is needed?

41

MON 11 NOV

ANDREW, A PIONEER

READ John 1:35-40 John 6:66-69

FOCUS Andrew was Simon Peter’s brother.

Andrew was one of the two disciples who heard what John had said. He had also followed Jesus.

John 1:40

42

When I made the decision to become a Christian, I was helped enormously by others around me who had already been Jesus’ friends for years. Far from feeling lonely, I stepped into a welcoming, ready-made family; their veteran faith helped my first faltering footsteps. And even though there was nothing like the huge pool of Christian resources that we enjoy today, I remember the comfort and strength I found from knowing I was not alone.

Many times, battling doubt, I leaned hard on their faith. At times, placing my life into the hands of God seemed to make no sense. But others in my church family had proven the faithfulness of God, and my respect for them and their choices galvanised me.

When Andrew made his choice to follow Jesus, there had been no attention-grabbing miracles, no giddy crowds to sweep him along in a tide of euphoria, and no popular movement to join. But Andrew, an accomplished fisherman from Bethsaida, and previously a follower of John the Baptist, had heard the prophetic hint about the carpenter’s son.

Andrew was one of the first two disciples to follow Jesus, and many scholars believe he was the very first convert. In the Greek, ‘Andrew’ is often referred to as the protokletos which means ‘first-called’. Andrew was a real pioneer, literally going where no one had gone before. Now that’s what I call a real hero.

Let’s choose to follow Jesus today – even if the crowd doesn’t go with us.

Prayer: I want to be faithful to You, Lord, especially when the pathway of following seems uncertain and even lonely. Enable me by Your Spirit. Amen.

TUES 12 NOV

HEROES ARE FOLLOWERS

READ Mark 1:16-18 Isaiah 42:10-17

FOCUS ‘Come. Follow me,’ Jesus said. ’I will make you fishers of people.’

Mark 1:17

Jack Bauer is a television superhero, the lead character in international hit series 24. He is resourceful, brilliant, ruthless – and famously independent. He even ignores commands from the US President when he has to. Jack is a leader, not a follower.

And that’s precisely what God’s heroes are not called to be. We may be visionary, even entrepreneurial, but we are never called to operate independently. So it was for Andrew and Peter. The idea that these Galilean fishermen were illiterate labourers has definitely been over-exaggerated. Theirs was a very profitable business, as fish formed such a large part of the staple diet – and these two were most likely highly savvy owneroperators who knew how to make good business deals and run a good business.

Now they were invited to lay aside their security, their plans, ideas, and ambitions, and spend the rest of their days walking in footsteps planted first by Jesus. The term ‘fishers of men’ was commonly used in those days to describe philosophers and teachers who captured men’s minds through teaching and persuasion. They would bait the hook with their ideas and ‘catch’ disciples.

Let’s put ourselves in Andrew and Peter’s sandals for a moment. Here comes a relative stranger, (although this was not their first meeting – we considered that yesterday) with the offer of a loving take-over bid for their lives. Their response was instant and total. May we be as responsive.

Prayer: Jesus, make me a faithful follower, and save me from the folly of ever trying to lead You. Be Lord. Amen.

43

WED 13 NOV

PLAYING SECOND FIDDLE

READ John 1:40-42 Matthew 20:20-28

FOCUS Andrew was Simon Peter’s brother...

He had also followed Jesus.

The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon.

John 1:40-41

44

Generally, modern celebrities – often lauded as heroes – grab the headlines. They hire publicists, and carefully plan how information is released. Nor are believers exempt from that hunger to be noticed and celebrated – even some of Jesus’ disciples fought over who would get the best seats at the Second Coming! But Andrew was a hero who didn’t need the headlines. He met Jesus before his soon-to-be massively famous brother Peter – and there his primacy ended. Throughout Scripture, Andrew is always known as ‘Simon Peter’s brother’, never really enjoying his own individual identity. Even in that very first meeting, Jesus looked past Andrew and prophesied a historic destiny for Peter. How might that have felt? Andrew could have complained that he was overlooked, and shunted into the shadows, but there’s not a hint of resentment. Andrew played second fiddle with dignity.

There have been other literal unsung heroes who have changed the world, as we have seen before. John Staupitz, a monk, led Martin Luther to Christ. Charles Spurgeon came to faith through the witness of John Egglen.

Mordecai Hamm travelled to Charlotte, North Carolina to lead some evangelistic services and a young man named Billy Graham made the choice to become a Christian during those services.

Andrew? He led his brother to Jesus, and his brother was the first primary leader of the movement that changed the world beyond recognition.

Prayer: Lord, help me to serve unrecognised, and at times, unthanked. Amen.

THUR 14 NOV

HEROES SOLVE PROBLEMS

READ John 6:1-14 Mathew 14:13-21

FOCUS Another of his disciples spoke up. It was Andrew...

He said, ‘Here is a boy with five small loaves of barley bread. He also has two small fish.’

John 6:8-9a

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas.co.uk/ goingdeeper

Recently I had a conversation with a man who listed, in precise and lengthy detail, all of the problems that he sees in the 21st century church. He left me feeling quite hopeless – and weary. I have spent too much time with folk who seem to delight in rejecting and reviling the church. Some of them have given up altogether, and have walked away; now they hurl their missiles from afar.

I’m not blind to the challenges we face – and it doesn’t take a great deal of insight or intelligence to realise the church has many problems. But I want to roll up my sleeves and jump in to build as well as critique, to encourage rather than be the expert in locating all the faults. Andrew was such a man. It was late in the day, so that bone deep tiredness that comes from being too long in the blazing sun was affecting everybody. Now with a huge crowd to feed, the best solution seemed to send the masses home (Matt.

14:15). As far as the exhausted disciples were concerned, the problem of feeding such huge numbers was impossible: this was the wrong place, and the wrong time, end of story. It was the resourceful Andrew who brought a young man with his packed lunch to Jesus.

Andrew wasn’t blinded to the impossibility of the situation, yet he offered a solution – half in hope, half in doubt.

Have we spotted some weaknesses in our local churches? Let’s ask God how we might be used to strengthen what we see as weak.

Prayer: Lord, help me to build and not break down, to solve problems rather than just identify them. Amen.

45

FRI 15 NOV

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

READ John 12:20-22 Acts 15:1-35

FOCUS Philip went to tell Andrew. Then Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

John 12:22

George Bernard Shaw lamented the human tendency towards unthinking behaviour: ‘Two percent of the people think; three per cent of the people think that they think; and ninety five per cent of the people would rather die than think.’

It’s amazing how we can trundle through life, doing the same things and never actually pausing to ask why we do what we do. Just recently, after being a car driver for some fifty years, the absurdity of calling a road a ‘dual carriageway’ finally occurred to me. Carriages have been out of use for some years. So why do we keep calling those roads ‘dual carriageways’? The answer is simple. We always have done.

Heroes ask awkward questions, and are prepared to think outside of the box. The Greeks who wanted an audience with Jesus presented a huge dilemma for his Jewish disciples. Philip was nonplussed; these people were not Jews, and surely Jesus was the Jewish Messiah...

Philip consults straight-thinking Andrew and puts the dilemma to him. The meeting is arranged. Andrew was way ahead of his time; later the Early Church would wrestle over the issue of non-Jewish converts and would reach a positive conclusion. Andrew was willing to take risks, and walk through the messy challenge of thinking creatively.

Sometimes Christians and churches continue to energetically do things that don’t work – simply because they are unwilling to make use of their God-given grey matter. For God’s sake – let’s think.

Prayer: Give me the mind of Christ. Empower me to think well. Fill my mind with your truth.

Amen.

46

WEEKEND 16 -17 NOV

A NOBLE LEGACY

READ Mark 13:1-4 Acts 1:12-14

During a late night chat show at a Christian event, the usual fun and banter was suddenly halted as the host asked me a question that rendered me speechless: ‘What words would you like written on your gravestone?’ I fumbled for a satisfactory answer, and couldn’t come up with one.

Andrew could have helped me, because it could be said of him that he was hungry for the light of truth – and brought people to Christ. He wasn’t included in the inner circle of Peter, James and John – so he missed the Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-5), the raising of Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:37), and Jesus’ extreme agony in Gethsemane (Mark 14:33). He did, however, join the circle to discuss the Second Coming with Jesus (Mark 13:3).

But Andrew was always bringing people to Jesus – Peter, the boy with the lunch, and the Greeks. According to history, Andrew travelled to Scythia to preach the gospel. The historian Josephus says of the Scythians, ‘They are little different than wild beasts.’ Tradition says Andrew died a martyr’s death in Greece. In order to prolong his agony, he was tied to the cross, not nailed, and left to die from hunger, thirst and exposure. He refused to be crucified like Jesus, feeling unworthy, and so his cross was turned sideways into the shape of an X. Posterity would honour him – he is the patron saint of Russia, Scotland and Greece.

The words on his gravestone could certainly describe a quiet, brave hero – he brought people to Jesus.

To ponder: What about us – what inscription would we aspire to?

47

MON 18 NOV

A DIFFICULT STORY

READ Acts 5:1-11 Psalm 56:1-3

FOCUS The whole church and all who heard about these things were filled with fear.

Acts 5:11

48

There are some episodes in Scripture I don’t like, mainly because I find them difficult to understand. The story we read today is certainly one of them – the deaths of Ananias and his wife Sapphira. At first glance, this is an episode where swift judgment was meted out, and they both die. Two funerals are held in quick succession: it’s hardly encouraging stuff. The lesson seems blunt: don’t lie to God, or live a sham life before God’s people. But perhaps it’s not as straightforward as that.

Let’s not panic as we consider this episode: an event like this was not normative in the church. Let’s simply be prepared to wrestle with the issues raised here.

Before we dive any deeper, however, let’s realise we don’t have to like or understand everything we read in Scripture. And just because some things cause us to struggle, that doesn’t mean we should ignore or brush over them quickly. God is God, and the more I walk with Him, the less I understand. People of faith have to trust Him and make friends with mystery. Questions are not the enemy of maturity, but part of the pathway towards it.

I know that, like me, you probably don’t want to camp out on this story for a few days. But let’s do it, because Luke, in writing Acts, intended for us to see this disturbing yet important turning point in the life of Early Church. Scripture is given to us for our edification, not our entertainment.

Let’s trust God today.

Prayer: When the story of Your word, or the story of my life causes confusion, Lord, I will put my trust in You, all-wise, all-knowing God. Amen.

TUES 19 NOV

REVERENCE

READ Acts 5:1-5 Psalm 22:22-23

FOCUS When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. All who heard what had happened were filled with fear.

Acts 5:5

Yesterday I confessed that I find this episode difficult, and I’m not alone. Charles Spurgeon produced sixty volumes of preaching, and covered so much of the biblical narrative in his teaching – but there’s no sermon on this text. It has been described as 'one of the most unnerving episodes in the whole of the New Testament.’4 In essence, this is about a couple of people who were faking commitment. The story is not as straightforward as it seems at first glance. For one thing, the text doesn't specifically say that God killed them. Some suggest they died of psychological fright.

Some say Satan did it but I think that’s unlikely.

But the fear that came upon all who heard about it, however, would indicate they at least saw the hand of God in it all.

The fact that Peter knew and told Sapphira beforehand that she was about to be carried feet first out the door, and the manner in which Ananias’ funeral was handled, would also both indicate that divine judgment was seen to be at work in the whole affair.

Those handling the burial wasted no time in ceremony, for they were back in three hours.

Burials were often fairly hasty in Palestine, but not that hasty, except for death under unusual circumstances, such as criminals – and judgments from God. The great fear (phobos megas) involved here is a healthy sense of awe at the supernatural and reverence for God, rather than terror or panic.

At very least, we realise that healthy reverence for God really matters.

Prayer: Mighty, Holy God, I sincerely revere and honour Your Name. Amen.

4

James D G Dunn, The Acts of the Apostles (Epworth Press, 1996), p93.

49

WED 20 NOV

QUESTIONS WITHOUT ANSWERS

READ Acts 5:1-6 Job 38:1-18

FOCUS Some young men came and wrapped up his body. They carried him out and buried him.

Acts 5:6

Once in a while I get to experience a lifealtering casual conversation. That happened during a trip to Israel. One of the guests travelling with us, Frank, was responding to my confession that, as a Christian for over fifty years, I now have more unanswered questions than as a new convert.

‘Here’s the way I see, it, Jeff’, he smiled. ’When we first get started, our knowledge can be represented by a small circle, like a pound coin, and the questions created by that bank of knowledge cluster around it – there aren’t many. But as our knowledge bank grows, let’s say to the size of a large plate, the questions that cluster around the outside of that knowledge bank are increased. More knowledge creates more questions, not fewer.’

That’s worth remembering, because there are some unresolved difficulties here. Ananias was not even given a chance to repent before he was struck down. That seems harsh. Then the apostles didn’t even have the courtesy to inform his wife about his death and when she came looking for him, she was also struck down for participating in the lie. What kind of pastoral care is that? How do we solve these unanswered questions? We don’t. It’s a bad idea to try to fill in gaps that God has not filled in. In Job’s difficult story, God let Job know that he, Job, was not God, and was not there when creation was planned. Questions are good, as we’ve said. But when answers aren’t obvious, we trust.

Prayer: When You don’t make sense, and when Your word confounds, help me to trust You, faithful Father. Amen.

50

THUR 21 NOV

WHAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT

READ Acts 5:1-11 Matthew 6:1-18

FOCUS ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?’

Acts 5:3, NIV

I love giving campaigns in the church. We talked about money earlier, and I said some people react negatively when money is mentioned from the pulpit. That’s surprising, since the Bible has much to say about how we handle our money. Money is a key to life, so our giving is an important expression of genuine commitment. But if there’s one biblical passage that should never be used to encourage generous giving, this story of Ananias and Sapphira is it. It is not about giving, but about stealing and lying. In describing the chilling events, Luke uses a rare Greek verb that means to pilfer, to purloin, to embezzle.

Some commentators think some kind of formal agreement had been entered into before the sale of their property, committing the proceeds of the transaction to church funds. Peter accused Ananias of lying to the Spirit. The Greek expression is he ‘belied’, he ‘falsified’ the Spirit. If they pledged the whole amount, then, in a sense, they were guilty of embezzlement. It was certainly a planned cover-up, perhaps to gain prestige.

We might think that we could never be guilty of a similar sin, but let’s be careful. Jesus clearly condemned the ‘pray and display’ antics of the Pharisees – they used public displays of spirituality in order to gain respect and honour. Some believe they literally ‘blew their own trumpets’ when they gave offerings.

Our acts of service and giving are for God, not for others to admire.

Prayer: Help me to be true and real for You, and humble too, by Your grace, gracious Father. Amen.

51

FRI 22 NOV

AN IMPERFECT CHURCH

READ Acts 5:1-11 1 Timothy 3:1-13

FOCUS When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died.

Acts 5:5

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas.co.uk/ goingdeeper

It’s a comment that I often hear, especially when people are feeling dissatisfied with their local church: ’If we could just get back to the passion and purity of the Early Church, then surely we’d reach the world.’ But I think this kind of thinking is blinkered. The New Testament presents us with a church filled with problems – and we should expect that, because flawed and broken human beings, people just like us, were involved. In the Early Church, there were arguments about who should lead, fights about doctrine, and continuous struggles with accepting non-Jewish converts. The fact the Early Church survived these seismic cultural and theological shifts is a miracle, because they were ordinary people, again, just like us.

Paul had to set a high bar for leaders simply because there were people who struggled with sins like greed and drunkenness.

Luke’s honesty, in chronicling the story of the Early Church, is certainly tested as he includes Ananias and Sapphira. He might have edited this out – it’s not a great public relations story. But guided by the Holy Spirit, he told it as it was, warts and all. Assuredly, our experience in the church today should prepare us for the fact that there have always been sinners in the church, fellow travellers who are on the journey, but who have not arrived yet. Let’s not let false expectations lead us into cynicism. Rather, let’s welcome the gift of disillusionment (see today’s Going Deeper).

Prayer: Help me to see the church as it is, and love people, just as You love me in my frailty and incompleteness, Father. Amen.

52

52

WEEKEND 23-24 NOV

INSPIRED

BY SATAN

READ Acts 5:3 1 Peter 5:1-11

Satan: a comical figure, surely, in these enlightened days, a fictional character. That’s often how the world views the devil. And sadly, we seldom hear about the works of the enemy in the church these days, perhaps because we’re nervous of being misunderstood, or reacting to those Christians who blame the devil for everything. But in this episode, Peter clearly saw the work of the devil in Ananias and Sapphira, as he chillingly declares that ‘Satan has so filled (their) hearts.’ It was Satan who inspired Judas Iscariot to do what he did.

It was C.S. Lewis who famously taught that we can either give the devil too much attention in our thinking, or too little. We can either be ignorant of his wiles and scheming, or unhealthily obsessed with his activity. In reflecting upon my own life and approach to these things, I’ve concluded that perhaps I’ve fallen in the former trap. Irritated and frustrated by Christians who see every difficult moment of life as a work of the devil, I’ve perhaps lost sight of the truth that there is a dark personality in the Universe who would love to see our downfall, or at least render us ineffective. And that can mean that we fail to be alert, aware we are truly involved in a spiritual battle.

To be at war, but to forget it, is surely a great deception. So let’s not look for dark strategy at every turn. But let’s remember that, in making God our friend, we have made a real enemy too.

To ponder: ‘We can either give the devil too much attention in our thinking, or too little.’

Which way do you lean on this issue?

52

53

MON 25 NOV

THANKFUL FOR GRACE

READ Acts 5:1-11 Mark 14:66-72

FOCUS The whole church and all who heard about these things were filled with fear.

Acts 5:11

It’s time to move on from this rather disturbing story – I can almost hear your sigh of relief!

But before we do so, let’s stress this kind of swift judgment (if that is what it is) was not normal in the Early Church – and we should be glad about that. As we’ve seen, it appears God was putting down a marker to preserve the holiness of the church, lest it crumble in the rot of hypocrisy. Perhaps this happened because this was a pivotal time in church history. If the actions of this unfortunate couple were not challenged and exposed, the church’s progress might have been hindered.

But let’s be glad this is not normal, that our sins are not usually met with such swift and deadly judgment. One writer suggests that if God used this episode as His usual way of dealing with sin, then every church would need to have a mortuary in the basement, with a full time mortician as a member of the church staff. Actually, of course, there would be no church staff: they, together with the members and the leaders, would all be in the mortuary.

Peter had lied about not knowing Jesus, in his threefold denial – but he was not judged, because of his repentance. Instead he was recommissioned. When all is said and done, there is no ‘comfortable’ solution to the passage. It is a unique story. There is nothing like it elsewhere in Acts, or for that matter in the New Testament. That doesn’t give us a licence to sin, but should cause us to be thankful for grace.

Prayer: Thank you for Your mercy, Lord, which triumphs over judgment. Amen.

54

TUES 26 NOV

JOSIAH: APPLYING THE TRUTH

READ 2 Chronicles 34:1-13 2 Kings 22:1-2

FOCUS Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 31 years.

2 Chronicles 34:1

A child with faith in Jesus is a wonder to behold. Far from dismissing the young from having potential as His followers, Jesus taught their willingness to receive the Kingdom is a wonderful example to us as adults (Luke 18:17). Just recently, we had 700 children attending our vacation Bible school at Timberline Church. It was marvellous to witness their joyful worship.

A contemporary of Jeremiah and Zephaniah, Josiah became king at a very young age, an example of tender, growing faith. His story is one of growing revelation and discovery – at each step of the journey, as he learned more about the Lord, he responded quickly to what he had learned. He was the opposite of the spiritually dull person who ‘will hear but never understand’ or see, ‘but never know what [they] are seeing’ (Isa. 6:9, Acts 28:26). No wonder the Bible celebrates him as a hero: ‘There was no king like Josiah either before him or after him. None of them turned to the Lord as he did. He followed the Lord with all his heart and all his soul. He followed him with all his strength. He did everything the Law of Moses required’ (2 Kings 23:25).

As we consider Josiah over the next few days, let’s ask the hard question: have we made discoveries about our lives in our relationship with God, only to ignore them and continue blindly on our own way? True wisdom is not about the accumulation of knowledge, but the daily application of the truth.

Prayer: Dear Father, save me from the deception of believing in truths but never applying them to my daily life. Amen.

55

WED 27 NOV

UNSPOILED

BY POWER

READ 2 Chronicles 34:1-3 Mark 10:35-45

FOCUS He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He lived the way King David had lived. He didn’t turn away from it to the right or the left.

2 Chronicles 34:2

As a guest speaker at a church, I moved the music stand three feet across the platform.

The sound technician shot from the back of the church like a bullet. ’What do you think you’re doing?’, he raged. ‘I’d like to preach from this spot if it’s okay – is there a problem?’

I whimpered. 'There is a problem,’ he fumed.

‘You didn’t ask my permission to move that stand.’

You don’t have to be a king to be ruined by a little power. Having control or authority can be a heady experience – even if your ‘kingdom’ is fairly small. I’ve visited a few churches where the person operating the sound equipment had become a technical tyrant. And – it needs to be said – I’ve also been so encouraged by the other 99% of hard-working sound technicians who serve quietly and are supernaturally patient when yet another person messes with their carefully balanced equipment.

Nonetheless, we need to be careful when we are given any kind of authority: the temptation towards ‘lording it’ (to use Jesus’ phrase) over others can be strong. Catapulted to power so young, Josiah gradually moved towards God rather than away from Him. Perhaps a sense of his own youthful vulnerability prompted him to throw himself upon the Lord, ‘seeking the God of his father David’ – the Hebrew word means ‘to seek with care, to enquire.’ A child in charge of a nation, he kept his wits and wisdom, and positioned himself humbly.

Got power or territory? Be careful how you ‘rule.’

Prayer: Lord, wherever I touch power, may I be left untouched by power’s deceit and corruption. Amen.

56

THUR 28 NOV

PURGING

READ 2 Chronicles 34:3-33 2 Kings 22:3-23:15

FOCUS In his 12th year he began to get rid of the high places in Judah and Jerusalem.

He removed the poles that were used to worship the goddess Asherah.

2 Chronicles 34:3

I’ve come to the painful conclusion that I used to be tougher on sin in my life in my earlier Christian years. Some of my past white-hot zeal was certainly fearful legalism, but it’s easy to allow the pendulum to swing in the opposite direction, and to tolerate things that need to be named for what they are – sin – and dealt with accordingly. Accommodating sin is surely a misuse of grace. Grace should lead us to urgently reject – ‘throw off’ – sin (Heb. 12:1). Paul tells us to ‘put to death’ – execute – our sexual sins and unclean acts.

He adds, ‘Don’t let your feelings get out of control. Remove from your life all evil desires’ (Col. 3:5).

Reaching his twentieth birthday, an important milestone (Num. 1:3; 1 Chron. 27:23) Josiah most likely was able to reign fully in his own right, without appointed regents, and he initiated a radical clean-up in the nation. Bear in mind this is a purge of the occult practices that had caused the deaths of countless children, sacrificed to Molech in the Valley of Hinnom.

And it’s also a reform driven by the discovery of the law scrolls: Scripture, not legalistic traditions or taboos, is the foundation for genuine holiness.

As we see Josiah demolishing the high places of idol worship, tearing down the Asherah poles, destroying the altars, even violating the graves of the pagan worshippers and burning the bones of pagan priests, we see how we should treat sin. Are we passive about what God calls us to purge?

Prayer: Give me a genuine passion for holiness, Lord. Save me from the folly of making room for what I should reject. Amen.

57

FRI 29 NOV

HONOURING POSTERITY

READ 2 Kings 23:1-20 1 Kings 13:1-5

FOCUS ‘Leave it alone’, Josiah said, ‘Don’t let anyone touch his bones.’

2 Kings 23:18

Some Christians resist change with every fibre of their being. Change the service order, or suggest moving the pews, and you’ll hear screaming. But others, particularly the more radical types, who bristle daily at the ineffectiveness of the status quo, long for revolution in the church, when absolutely everything will be different. We can end up worshipping change instead of the God of change, and spend our lives in pursuit of the alternative. I confess that I spent too much time in my younger days unhelpfully mocking what other people did in their church, dismissing all tradition and hurling it into the dustbin of irrelevance – only to develop ‘traditions’ of my own. The misguided notion was – if it’s been done for a while, it must be suspect: let’s find something new. The enemy of effectiveness for the church is not tradition – it’s traditionalism.

Josiah, in the midst of his sweeping reforms, didn’t fall into that trap. He heard that a local man of God had prophesied – during Jeroboam’s reign – that reformation was to come. Jeroboam had built shrines and altars in Dan and Bethel, against biblical guidelines: not all change is for the best. Now Josiah insisted the grave of the one who had cried out a prophetic warning be left undisturbed.

This wise move came because he was willing to listen to others, and, in hearing about history, he paused to honour it.

Let’s be open to change, but not obsessed with it or blinded by it.

Prayer: I pray for my church. May we be open to mission-driven change that will make us effective, and respectful of the good in our past. Amen.

58

WEEKEND 30 NOV - 01 DEC

HEAD AND SHOULDERS ABOVE THE REST

It is estimated that 300,000 – 400,000 people participated in this Passover Feast, and as we consider the epic sight, it is as if the writer of these words draws breath at the wonder and uniqueness of the occasion. But let’s look past the event to the man behind it. We saw earlier that Josiah was uniquely committed to God. Here was a young man who went the extra mile, at great personal cost (2 Chron. 35:7), and insisted that God be worshipped God’s way – even outshining great King David in that respect (compare 2 Chronicles 35:3 with 2 Samuel 6:3-8).

In our concluding look at Josiah tomorrow, we’ll see that he wasn’t perfect, but he was head and shoulders above the rest.

We can take our lead for our standards for living from others, and if we want to go easy on ourselves, we can select those who don’t seem too committed to God. Josiah could have used bad examples as his reference point – he was grandson to Mannaseh, the infamous king who introduced unscriptural altars in the Temple, passed his sons through the fire, and whose reign was bloody and reactionary.

READ 2 Chronicles 35:1-19 2 Kings 23:21-23

But Josiah is known as Judah’s most godly king. The thirty years of his reign were among the happiest in Judah’s history. They were characterised by peace, prosperity, change and blessing. Setting our sights on excellence may be a lonely venture, but blessing will result, for us and those around us. Following the crowd is easy, but the crowd is often wrong, as Scripture repeatedly tells us.

To ponder: Is there an area of our lives that needs to change, but we are excusing ourselves by saying ‘Everyone is doing it’?

59

MON 02 DEC

NOT PERFECT

READ 2 Chronicles 35:20-27 Jeremiah 22:15-16

FOCUS He wanted to go to war against Necho.

He wouldn’t listen to what God had commanded Necho to say.

Instead, he went out to fight him on the plains of Megiddo.

2 Chronicles 35:22b

60

I like happy endings to books and films – and that’s certainly how hero stories usually end. Sadly, however, there is a shadow at the end of good King Josiah’s life. Thirteen years have passed; Neco, King of Egypt was marching through en route to an attack against Nabopolassar of Babylon, and meant no harm to Judah or her king. The Egyptian king’s words of peace were not just diplomatic rhetoric or deception, but he prophesied them, speaking them ‘at God’s command’ (2 Chron. 35:22). Tragically, Josiah would not listen to him, and his untimely death in the ensuing battle quickly followed, prompting Jeremiah the prophet to lament his passing (2 Chron. 35:25).

As Josiah fades into history, a hero certainly, but one with feet of clay, we see that our strength is sometimes also our weakness.

Here was a man who was fiercely nationalistic, wanting to preserve the uniqueness of Israel, and heroically ridding the land of foreign gods.

Could it be that his past experience meant that he thought it impossible for someone outside of Judah to be able to bring a word from the Lord? Was his downfall ultimately precipitated by a slight perversion of his zeal?

God often speaks through the most unlikely mouthpieces (2 Kings 18:25, John 11:49-52), but perhaps Josiah tripped up over his own convictions, and became dangerously, indeed fatally narrowed as a result.

Let’s keep learning, listening hearts. God’s wisdom might come from an unexpected direction.

Prayer: Help me listen, Lord. May I never be blinded by what I have previously seen.

Amen.

TUES 03 DEC

HEROIC IN THE HOME

READ 1 Samuel 1:1-28 Colossians 3:23-24

FOCUS Peninnah teased Hannah year after year. Every time Hannah would go up to the house of the Lord, Elkanah’s other wife would tease her.

1 Samuel 1:7

When we think about heroes, there’s always a danger that we limit heroism to the epic and extraordinary. Modern heroes (especially fictional ones in the movies) usually operate on the ‘widescreen’ of saving nations, averting disasters, and leading campaigns.

But there are millions of faceless heroes who live wonderfully in the uncelebrated, humdrum life of the home. What we are in the home – where others know us best, and are hopefully at their most forgiving – is what we really are. The home is the place where the greatest sacrifices are made, where the most significant investments are sown quietly into the lives of others, and where choices that really matter are made daily.

Some three millennia ago, a woman called Hannah lived out her days in Ramathaim Zophim; the biggest thing about the town was its name. But there she lived well when life was tough, as we’ll see over the next few days. The nation was in a mess (Judg. 17:6), with little national leadership to provide an example – and her home was a hive of buzzing tension. In all this, she honoured God when she might have been tempted to think she had been abandoned to a cruel fate. She has much to teach us.

Most days can be filed under the heading of ‘not much happened.’ Those who present the Christian life as an epic adventure of unceasing breathless excitement misrepresent the reality. It’s in the ordinary and everyday that we are called and empowered to live beautifully.

Prayer: In the place that can be the greatest source of both blessing and testing, help me to live well in my home, Father. Amen.

61

WED 04 DEC

REAL WORLD HEROISM

READ 1 Samuel 1:1-8 Psalm 90:1-17

FOCUS She would keep doing it until Hannah cried and wouldn’t eat.

1 Samuel 1:7

To be alive is to experience pain. All of us have to navigate our way through episodes of struggle, when the sky blackens for a while.

Thankfully, springtime usually comes again before too long. But there are others who live their whole lives in the cruel twilight of suffering. Their appointment with a wheelchair is permanent; their fight against poverty is unending; their marriage an unpredictable, unending war zone.

Hannah knew something of that endless pain. Childless, she lived in a culture where barrenness was a disgrace and could lead to divorce. To rub salt in her wounds, Peninnah, her husband’s other wife and her rival, provoked her relentlessly, year after year, about her childlessness. And this at the time when the whole family would make pilgrimage to Shiloh to offer sacrifices. Events that celebrate family can be bitter for those who long for one.

Her husband comes across as a mixture of tenderness and insensitivity, giving Hannah extra portions of sacrificial meat, but then suggesting that she is ungrateful – the Hebrew word means ‘grudging.’ He even points out that being married to him is like having ten sons anyway! Like the Hebrews who groaned because of their backbreaking plight (Exod. 2:23), Hannah wept with frustration.

Some of my readers know Hannah’s plight. I will not insult you with a cliché or a quick-fix slogan. But my heartfelt prayer for you is you will know the dawn of God’s smile in the midst of the darkness.

Prayer: Faithful Jesus, please strengthen all who limp rather than walk today; envision those whose eyes cannot see, but still believe. Amen.

62

THUR 05 DEC

ACCUSED

READ 1 Samuel 1:9-18 Mark 9:14-32

FOCUS Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, ‘How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.’

1 Samuel 1:13-14, NIV

Do you ever feel that you can’t take any more, and then something happens that is the proverbial straw which breaks the camel’s back? Something like that happened to me yesterday: a harsh critic made me feel that my best efforts had been totally misunderstood.

An accumulation of tiredness and jet lag exaggerated the significance of what happened. I had had enough. Sound familiar?

In such moments, I’m tempted to react rather than respond. Even Jesus occasionally felt despair – having to ‘put up’ with his disciples (Mark 9:19).

Hannah must have felt totally misunderstood by everybody. During one of the trips to Shiloh, she goes up to pray, obviously in great distress.

Phrases like ‘very bitter’, ‘sobbed and sobbed’ (v.10), ‘suffering’ (v.11), ‘deeply troubled’ (v.15) and ‘I’m very sad, my pain is so great’ (v.16) are used to describe her depression. In the midst of her fervent praying and vowing, Eli the priest, who wrongly assumes she is drunk, rebuked her. Hannah could have despaired and walked out of the place of prayer, never to return, a hostage to angry bitterness. But instead, she patiently explained that she was not drunk, but desperate.

We’ll consider Hannah’s prayer life tomorrow, but in the meantime, let’s face the question – do we tend towards hotheaded reaction when we’re misunderstood, hastily allowing words to spill out of our mouths that we’re quick to regret? That straw won’t break our backs, unless we let it.

Prayer: Fill me with grace when I am at my wits end – and may I meet you at the unwelcome place of stress. Amen.

63

FRI 06 DEC

PRAYING AND WEEPING

READ 1 Samuel 1:9-20 Psalm 56:1-8

FOCUS Hannah was very sad. She wept and wept. She prayed to the Lord.

1 Samuel 1:10

Our tears are often prayers to the Lord for help; urgent wordless petitions that move His heart. Here, the idea that the spiritual hero is a happy, stable human being is shattered as we see a distraught woman pouring out her heart to God. Prayer is hard when you’re sad – but then perhaps our anguish can fuel urgent prayers, helping us cut out our little speeches and go to the very heart of what hurts. Hannah wouldn’t back off from her praying; one literal rendering of verse 15 describes her as ‘hard of spirit’. She was solid and absolutely resolute in prayer. She directed her frustration towards God, pouring out her soul to Him, in a desperate, anguished sob to heaven. God always hears the groaning of His people (see Exodus 2:22-23, Psalm 12:5, Acts 7:34).

Hannah believed her prayers had effect. This story contains a ‘before’ and ‘after’ picture of Hannah: before prayer she had no joy, no smile, no appetite for food: now, having met with God, her face was no longer downcast, and she went off to eat. Her praying was more than a faithful religious obligation.

She sincerely believed that something had happened as she prayed and, choosing to believe for a positive outcome, she goes away renewed.

Let’s not feel pressure to bring lengthy explanations for our tears to God, but let them speak for themselves. But even on the day of weeping, let’s not lose hope. A tear shed on earth is one shared in heaven.

Prayer: Lord, I offer You the silent stirrings of my heart; my hopes, fears, dreams, and sins. Amen.

64

WEEKEND 07-08 DEC

PROMISE AND PAYMENT

READ 1 Samuel 1:11, 21-28 Proverbs 20:25

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas.co.uk/ goingdeeper

The natural bonding between Hannah and Samuel would have been total. This was the child who she had so longed for. He was prayed for, hoped for, utterly wanted. And now came the time for Hannah to take him, probably 3-4 years of age, to the sanctuary at Shiloh. Their days of intimate closeness were over: she had promised her son to God, and she would make good on her pledge. Imagine her gathering his clothes, assembling all the food for the journey, her heart sad, and yet glad at the same time. As they walk together towards distant Shiloh, she savours his childish words and questions. At last, Hannah gives her little boy one last hug and kiss, and then turns and walks the lonely road home.

Time for tears again.

The vow that Hannah made on behalf of the unborn Samuel was a Nazarite vow (Num. 6).

The vow demanded abstinence from all wine and strong drink. No one under a Nazirite vow would cut their hair, nor go near any dead body, even that of a near relative. If the vow was broken, the person had to go through a number of elaborate purification ceremonies.

Let’s follow through on our promises, but with what I hope is a helpful word of caution.

Beware the captivity of foolish vows, which is why Scripture warns against taking vows in haste (Prov. 20:25). In my early years as a Christian, I made some vows that would have been ridiculous to fulfil. Thankfully, forgiveness covers the sin of foolishness too.

To ponder: Is payment of our bills in a timely manner an example of being trustworthy and people of our word?

65

MON 09 DEC

HEROD THE NOT-SOGREAT

READ Matthew 2:1 Mark 10:35-45

FOCUS Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea. This happened while Herod was king of Judea.

Matthew 2:1

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas.co.uk/ goingdeeper

As we get closer to Christmas, I’m excited – it’s my favourite time of the year. Everything looks more beautiful in the soft hues of the Christmas tree lights. It’s better still if the weather provides an unspoiled white carpet of snow. It’s all very heartwarming, the season of cheer, peace on earth, good will to all humans. But there’s a dark side of Christmas that we tend to overlook – the murderous reach of a dark tyrant called Herod the Great.

The instigator of a campaign of infanticide in Bethlehem, Herod is the often ignored villain of the Christmas story.

So why is he called ‘Great’? In earthly terms, his achievements were many. He was astute politically, forming profitable alliances with Rome. He governed Palestine on behalf of the Roman invaders, placed there by his friend Caesar Augustus. During his 33 years of rule, he created the amazing new Temple in Jerusalem, and built palaces and fortresses like Masada. A sponsor of the Olympic Games, he was a patron of art and sport. But he was also deeply distrusted by his fellow Jews, who viewed him as a Roman lackey and an agent of oppressive taxation.

‘I am the greatest’, boasted Cassius Clay, the boxer who became Mohammed Ali. John Lennon once bragged that the Beatles had become more famous than Jesus. But it was Jesus who truly defined greatness, showing it to have little to do with wealth, fame, or power, but rather a serving attitude. We can all be ‘great’ – in His eyes – as we serve.

Prayer: Serving can be hard, Lord. Help me to view serving as You do, and so discover true greatness in Your sight. Amen.

66

TUES 10 DEC

DARKNESS AND LIGHT

READ Matthew 2:1-6 Matthew 5:13-16

FOCUS When King Herod heard about it, he was very upset. Everyone in Jerusalem was troubled too.

Matthew 2:3

It was during one of those prayer times that happen before a service. The little gaggle of leaders gathered in a circle and were sharing prayers and murmured ‘Amens’ of agreement. Suddenly one of the group began to pray against the interference of the devil, loudly binding any satanic activity that might hinder the effectiveness of the service.

I looked up, and glanced across the room, to see a fellow leader looking back at me, rolling his eyes, a look of ‘This is a bit over the top, isn’t it?’ on his face. I understood the look. Some Christians are over-preoccupied with the devil, as we have already seen.

But the other extreme, where we forget we are involved in a spiritual battle, is equally dangerous. We are people of the light, and there are powers of darkness that seek to resist what we do in Jesus’ Name.

Herod was not just a killer: he was a sworn enemy of the light. The Talmud, the central text of rabbinic Judaism, relates a story where, after killing many rabbis, Herod was told by a blind rabbi, Bava ben Buta, that he had ‘snuffed out the light of the world’ – the common description for rabbis in Jesus’ day was ‘light of the world’.

Herod’s campaign of infanticide in Nazareth was another attempt to extinguish the true light of the world, Christ. And Jesus says that we, His people, are the light of the world now. Light always beats darkness. We don’t need to fear. But let’s not be oblivious to the reality of spiritual warfare too.

Prayer: Father, help me to walk with my eyes wide open, alert to the reality of the battle, but fixing my attention on You, the victor in the struggle. Amen.

67

WED 11 DEC

INSECURITY

READ Matthew 2:1-3 James 3:13-14

FOCUS After Jesus’ birth, Wise Men from the east came to Jerusalem. They asked, ‘Where is the child who has been born to be king of the Jews?’

Matthew 2:1-2

68

Insecurity is often not a lingering issue, but a driving force that compels us to keep up, to outshine, to compete, and even to discredit those whom we view as competitors.

Yesterday we saw that Herod was a driven man, desperate to extinguish the light of the world that was and is Jesus. I’d like to suggest that Herod’s rage was fuelled by jealousy and paranoia. It seems he was desperately insecure, despite all his wealth and power.

Even a baby described as ‘king of the Jews’ threatened him, the Roman-appointed king of the Jews. It was insecurity that drove Herod to kill his brother-in-law, Aristobulus, who was becoming a favourite with the masses.

Coupled with his compulsive problem with jealousy, we see that Herod always had to build bigger and better to endlessly prove himself. His ten wives had produced offspring who contended against each other for his throne and so, as he became older, he grew increasingly paranoid.

Once again, he is an extreme example, but we must ask ourselves: are we secure in our own skin, with the gifts we have, with our role in life? We’re constantly drip fed the lie that we need to look a particular way in order to fit in. But even though the marketing voices are loud and insistent, they are lying. We’re all insecure to a measure, but if we catch ourselves putting others down because of our own lack of self-confidence, let’s ask the Lord to forgive us, and bring healing.

Prayer: Father, rescue me from the snares of insecurity and jealousy, especially when others shine and I feel my own weaknesses.

Amen.

THUR 12 DEC

NICE WORDS, DARK MOTIVES

READ Matthew 2:7-8 Matthew 23:1-39

FOCUS ‘As soon as you find him, report it to me.

Then I can go and worship him too.’

Matthew 2:8

A few days ago I had the opportunity to spend some time with our interns at Timberline Church. Bright, passionate and eager to please the Lord, one asked what advice I might offer them as they embark on a life of serving Jesus.

My response might have surprised them.

‘Prepare to get hurt’, was my response. ‘I’m not talking about persecution or being mistreated by those outside of the church. I’m talking about Christians. Some can be really mean, and to make it worse, some cover their tracks because they sound so pious, so holy. Get ready.’

In sharing that, I wasn’t being cynical, just realistic. Over my nearly five decades of ministry, I have met countless beautiful believers, but I’ve encountered a few who used Scripture to batter rather than bless, who shared ‘prayer requests’ as a way to spread gossip, and who insisted their preferences about the way church is done were actually God’s preferences.

Herod is obviously an extreme example of duplicity as he assures the wise men that he wants to worship the newborn babe, when actually murder was on his mind. But he’s not the only biblical character who used pious language to cover their tracks: the Pharisees who hounded Jesus were practised at spouting religious language and quoting the Law, while all the time they were scheming.

If you’ve been hurt by a Bible-waving zealot, then I’m sorry for you. And if you know that you’ve bruised others while posturing as a saint, then it’s certainly time to change.

Prayer: May I never use pious language to hurt others, and disguise an ungodly attitude. May my words be pure and true.

Amen.

69

FRI 13 DEC

HEROD: HEARTLESS AND HARDHEARTED

READ Matthew 2:1-18 Hebrews 3:12-15

FOCUS Herod realized that the Wise Men had tricked him. So he became very angry. He gave orders concerning Bethlehem and the area around it.

Matthew 2:16

70

Sin begets sin. When we harden our hearts and stifle our consciences, we gradually become impervious to pangs of guilt about what we are doing. Herod is an extreme example of this pattern. The infanticide at Nazareth, which commentators suggest probably resulted in the deaths of around seven small children, was not an isolated incident. When Herod built the Temple in Jerusalem, he had a large Roman eagle placed in the entryway. A group of pious Jews vandalised the emblem, seeing it as representing idolatry and oppression.

Herod had them arrested, dragged in chains to his residence in Jericho, and burned alive.

He was also unlucky in love. We saw earlier that he had ten wives, but loved his favourite, Miriam. She hated him with equal passion, because, as we saw, he had killed her brother, Aristobulus. Twice he ordered that she be killed if he failed to return from a critical mission. He finally killed her anyway, as well as her grandfather, her mother, his brotherin-law, and three of his sons, and numerous subjects. In his advancing paranoia, he was continually writing to Rome for permission to execute one or two of his sons for treason.

Finally, even his patron and friend, the emperor Augustus, had to admit, ‘I’d rather be Herod’s pig than his son.’

These days, we don’t often hear Christians talking about conviction of sin. May we have tender hearts, quick to respond to the Lord who loves us too much to see us entangled in what can destroy us.

Prayer: I want to have ears that hear you, and a heart that is quick and eager to respond when You convict me of sin, loving God. May it be so. Amen.

WEEKEND 14-15 DEC

HEROD, WHO ARE WE?

READ Luke 21:5-6 Matthew 5:13-16

If the list of the ancient wonders of the world had not been completed, Herod’s Temple in Jerusalem would surely have been added to it. Desperate to curry favour with his own people, and wanting to make amends for his cruel persecution of some members of the rabbinic community, Herod set about rebuilding the Temple – and it was a mammoth project. It took 10,000 men ten years just to build the retaining walls (one of which, the Western or Wailing Wall, still stands today). It was built on the 500 metre long plateau that could house 24 football fields, a gathering place for the 6-7 million Jews who lived in the Roman Empire.

They would make regular pilgrimages to Jerusalem to attend the various feasts and festivals. The Jews had a saying: ‘He who has not seen Herod's building, has never in his life seen a truly grand building.’ But there was one aspect to the amazing Temple that the Jews hated, which we heard about yesterday: Herod placed a huge Roman eagle at the main entrance, a symbol that was sacrilegious to the Jews. Herod wanted to be popular, religiously and politically.

Faith makes a poor partner with the State.

Being a good Christian is not the same as being a compliant citizen: sometimes we have to make a stand against the popular view, rather than go with the flow. Herod was a Jew who wanted to please the Romans.

There are times when we have to decide who we are, and what we stand for. That way our light will shine.

To ponder: Have there been times when you have felt torn about a decision, and making a stand for Jesus was costly?

71

MON 16 DEC

LEGACY AGAIN

READ Matthew 2:19-20 Hebrews 11:1-40

FOCUS After Herod died, Joseph had a dream while he was still in Egypt. In the dream an angel of the Lord appeared to him.

Matthew 2:19

72

Herod was facing the grave – yet still he worried about his popularity, or lack of it. Frail and very ill, apparently from arteriosclerosis, he was concerned that his death would not be mourned, so he issued a command from his deathbed that leaders from all parts of Judea were to be locked inside the great hippodrome at Jericho. The plan was that when Herod died and his passing was announced, archers were to massacre these thousands of captives in cold blood. The hideous plan meant there would be universal mourning associated with his death, even though the tears would not be for him. Although the leaders were gathered, the order was never given by Herod’s son Archelaus and his sister Salome. Herod was concerned about his legacy, but his plan that his death would make an impact was totally misguided and failed.

We saw earlier that we are all building a legacy, whatever our age and stage of life.

What we do today will make an impact, and perhaps be remembered and celebrated, or pondered with sadness, in the future. Hebrews 11 celebrates the legacy of some of the great heroes of faith.

And the baby that Herod sought to kill became the teacher and miracle worker of Galilee and our Saviour and Redeemer. The earthly king of the Jews died with few, if any, mourners.

The true King of the Jews, and King of Kings, is celebrated around the world today, as a historical figure and death-defeating freedom fighter. Let’s live a life of beautiful legacy.

Prayer: Father, I know that all people everywhere have impact with their words and actions. May my life today build some goodness into my legacy. Amen.

TUES 17 DEC

UNSUNG BUT SEEN

READ Matthew 1:1-18 Matthew 6:1-4

FOCUS His mother Mary and Joseph had promised to get married. But... it became clear that she was going to have a baby.

Matthew 1:18

My years of ministry have taught me there are countless unsung heroes in the global church.

Often unnoticed and sadly uncelebrated or thanked, they quietly show up, often taking tasks that others don’t want, week after week. These heroes get tired, frustrated, and sometimes feel presumed upon – but they keep going.

Joseph really is the consummate unsung hero.

He is largely ignored by Christian art, and only named sixteen times in the gospel records.

He doesn’t appear at all in the gospel of Mark: Matthew doesn’t mention him after Matthew 2:19; Luke ignores him after Luke 4:22 and John only mentions him twice. This hero, who we are considering as Christmas approaches, was truly destined for the shadows. Matthew traces Joseph’s lineage through David back to Abraham. Luke traces his origin right back to Adam. But most of what is written about him is contained in the non-canonical books of the Apocrypha.

Compare that with the amount of data we have about his Old Testament namesake, Joseph the son of Jacob and Rachel, who is mentioned no less than 219 times in Scripture.

But despite the lack of coverage, we are going to examine Joseph’s character. As we do so, we will deliberately fast forward beyond the nativity, to get a broad look at this man who played such a vital role in the Advent story.

And if you’re faithfully serving and your hard work is often overlooked – thank you.

Sincerely. God notices, and celebrates your commitment.

Prayer: Father, when I feel overlooked or even presumed upon, help me to remember that what I do is for You, and You see. Amen.

73

WED 18 DEC

GODLY AND KIND

READ Matthew 1:19-23 1 Corinthians 13:4

FOCUS Her husband Joseph was a godly man. He did not want to put her to shame in public.

Matthew 1:19

Joseph was godly – some translations call him a ‘righteous’ man. The same adjective is used of Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:6) and Simeon (Luke 2:25). ’Righteous’ – that can sound like a stern, Victorian, ramrod upright and unbending individual – someone who might not be great company at a party.

Some people give righteousness a bad name, with their inability to laugh, and their intensity about all things religious: they are ‘good' in the worst possible way. So-called righteousness blinds some people to other people; so intent are they on doing the right thing, they forget mercy and compassion.

Joseph was a man of warmth as well as conviction. In his reluctance to shame his fiancée, he made choices, not because he wanted to short-circuit the law, but perhaps because of his awareness of the extraordinary circumstances surrounding Mary’s pregnancy. He protected her. A wooden attitude of so-called ‘righteousness’ would have meant Mary risked being accused as an adulteress and suffering the punishment (death by stoning, according to Deuteronomy 22:20-21, 23-24, although that was probably not insisted upon in the New Testament era: John 8:3-11). It’s been said that Joseph had ‘a short but tragic struggle between his legal conscience and his love.’5 Thankfully, love won the day.

Let’s not be those ‘righteous’ people who never look to redeem messy situations.

Unkind people with a dose of religion often become more unkind as a result.

Prayer: Loving Redeemer, may love and mercy, as well as truth, rule my heart and my life. Amen.

74 5

keepbelieving.com/sermon/joseph-a-teenagers-dilemma

74

THUR 19 DEC

LOVING AND OBEDIENT

READ Matthew 1:19–24 John 14:15-31

FOCUS Joseph woke up.

He did what the angel of the Lord commanded him to do.

Matthew 1:24

Catapulted into a completely bewildering situation, Joseph showed immense tenderness towards his future wife. While he was processing such mind-boggling information, his actions were those of a man of compassion, love and honour, with little or no regard for his own welfare or reputation.

But it wasn’t easy. The pair were betrothed, promised to each other, when she found that she was pregnant. Betrothal was a more serious matter than our Western practice of engagement. The arrangement usually took place when a girl was between twelve and thirteen, as a result of negotiations between the parents. In New Testament times, a man like Joseph would become formally betrothed when he gave a gift to his future wife and said, ‘By this, thou art set apart for me according to the laws of Moses and of Israel.’ Marriage vows were declared at the betrothal, and only divorce could end them.

Custom decreed an interval, usually a year, before the bride could live in her husband’s house and begin a sexual relationship. It was during this interval that Mary was found to be expecting.

A very difficult dilemma was unfolding. As a craftsman, Joseph was used to fixing broken objects – and now he moved decisively towards what he believed would be the best solution to this terrible dilemma: he would let Mary go in a quiet cancellation of the coming wedding. But God had other plans, and He revealed those to Joseph, who did exactly as he was told.

Prayer: Lord, when I need it, change my mind. Above all, I want to be obedient.

Amen.

74

75

FRI 20 DEC

SELF CONTROL

READ Matthew 1:24-25 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8

FOCUS But he did not make love to her until after she gave birth to a son. And Joseph gave him the name Jesus.

Matthew 1:25

In our culture, most people seem to have surrendered to one of the most powerful forces in the Universe: our own hormones. In our ‘just do it’ culture, the idea that someone might choose to go into marriage as a virgin, having saved themselves for their lifelong partner, is met with raised eyebrows and even mockery. Self-indulgence is apparently the order of the day. Perhaps it is nothing new: even the young St. Augustine once prayed, ‘O Lord, give me chastity, but not yet.’

Fictional heroes seem unable to conquer this internal force. James Bond may be able to fend off attacks from nuclear armed villains, but then he surrenders to the arms of yet another beauty, just for the night. All this paints a misguided caricature of what it means to be male.

But it’s all a lie. Joseph marries Mary, and they enter into marriage with all of the normal sexual anticipation. But there’s no wedding night for a while. Ensuring the status of the virginal conception of Jesus is protected, Joseph and Mary wait until after He is born before beginning a normal married life. They are a model of the most unusual self-control and discipline. There’s no suggestion here of a doctrine of Mary’s perpetual virginity; Jesus had younger brothers and sisters (Matthew 12:47, 13:55-56, Mark 3:21).

Our sexuality is a powerful, God-given force.

But we are not to be at the mercy of it. We should be masters of ourselves, as we submit daily to Christ. So let’s not ‘just do it.’

Prayer: Father, give me grace and empower me to be in control of my God-given sexual drive, rather than be conquered and controlled by it. Amen.

76

WEEKEND 21-22 DEC

A RADICAL DREAMER

I wake up with a terrified start whenever the phone rings in the middle of the night. The darkness seems to heighten the sense of foreboding, and as I reach for the phone, I wonder – is a loved one injured or dead?

Joseph’s rest was interrupted by a powerful dream. He was commanded to vacate his warm bed, now, wake his wife and emigrate immediately. The young family slip away in the shadows, blinking their eyes against sleep. Egypt was a traditional place of asylum for Jews in political danger – and the later journey from Egypt fulfilled prophecy (Hos. 11:1).

Sometimes I hear the word ‘radical’ used a little too much, particularly in connection with church. Some Christian leaders insist they want church to be radical, but what they refer to usually means ‘different’, ‘alternative’, even ‘unusual’, as we have seen. But let’s not reduce being radical to just trying something new, which may cost us little, or even entertain us. Sometimes people just want change for change’s sake.

READ Matthew 2:13-15 Matthew 2:19-23

Emigrating during the night – that’s radical!

And the dreams continued, because Jesus’ early destiny was directed through dreams given to Joseph. The first told him to stay with Mary, the second to emigrate (2:14), a third told him to return (2:19); yet another instructs him to settle with his family in Galilee (2:22). Joseph could be steered by the divine choreographer, because he had a sensitive heart – and, as we’ve seen, he was radically obedient too.

To ponder: What is the most radical step that you have made as a follower of Jesus?

77

MON 23 DEC

FAITHFUL

READ Luke 2:22-24 Luke 2:41-52

FOCUS ‘Why were you looking for me?’ he asked. ‘Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’

Luke 2:49

Following God is a wonderful privilege, but is sometimes extremely painful. Mary’s life of suffering is well-documented, as she was warned a ‘sword will wound your own soul’ (Luke 2:35). But Joseph also experienced ongoing struggles too. He was responsible for caring for and fulfilling all paternal obligations as a father to Jesus. When the child was forty days old, Mary and Joseph had to travel to the Temple for the purification rites (Lev. 12). They also had to ‘redeem’ the boy since He was Mary’s firstborn (Exod. 13:1-12), paying five shekels to redeem the baby.

Their humble sacrifice would suggest that they were too poor to bring a lamb.

Yet Joseph didn’t even get to choose the name of the child – that was determined by angelic revelation. And there were other times of confusion, during the early years of Jesus’ life. When he went missing at the Temple, and then responded, not unkindly, ‘I had to be in my Father’s house’, Joseph may have been painfully reminded that he was, at best, the adoptive father to this most remarkable child, who was not his flesh and blood. Joseph probably died before the public ministry of Jesus. Obedient and faithful, he didn’t get to witness in his lifetime the completion of the earthly mission of Jesus – but he obeyed anyway.

Sometimes life is tough, but the call to stay faithful remains. Perhaps you’re in a wintry season right now. I am praying for grace, peace and strength for you.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me joy when life hurts, especially when serving You adds to the pain. Amen.

78

TUES 24 DEC

TRUSTING

READ Luke 2:41-52 Ephesians 3:20-21

FOCUS But they did not understand what he meant by that.

Luke 2:50

CHRISTMAS GREETING VIDEO lifewithlucas.co.uk /intros

As a new Christian, it didn’t take long for me to come to the conclusion that I had Christianity all figured out. I read a few books on apologetics, and was confident that I had the answers to some of the more complex questions that arise in the journey of faith. I’m grateful to the little congregation that I led as a young pastor. They were patient with the hollow cliches that I occasionally shared. But, as I have said earlier, all that was to change.

Decades on, I am much more at home with mystery. I have a mental ‘pending’ file. It contains some still unanswered questions. I can’t for the life of me comprehend how God can be Trinity, three in one. I believe it, but I can’t begin to grasp it. And as we celebrate this Christmas Eve, the truth that the Son of God, the agent of all creation, could become a speck in a virgin’s womb and then be born, a tiny helpless baby – that is a truth that, once again, I accept, trust and rejoice in – but to think about how that could happen is beyond human comprehension. These things are quite impossible – but then God specialises in the impossible.

Faith is not about getting all of our questions answered, but rather is trusting the one who knows. So when I feel hemmed in by question marks, and my tiny human mind struggles to understand, I find comfort in the experience of Mary and Joseph, who loved their son dearly, but often couldn’t understand Him. When we don’t understand, we’re in good company.

Prayer: Lord, in my hunger for truth and understanding, help me not to be afraid of mystery, but rather to trust in You. Amen.

79

WED 25 DEC

THE ULTIMATE HERO

READ Luke 2:1-20 Matthew 2:1-12

FOCUS She gave birth to her first baby. It was a boy. She wrapped him in large strips of cloth. Then she placed him in a manger.

Luke 2:7

80

At first glance, it didn’t look like a very auspicious event, this nativity. A couple of working class travellers, frantically search for a place to stay for the night, her labour pains fuelling their desperate scurrying. There’s a version of the Christmas story that suggests the hotels are booked solid, there’s no room for them at the inn. But Scripture doesn’t mention an inn or a hapless innkeeper – it simply tells us there was no room for them at a house, perhaps owned by distant relatives, where they had hoped to stay.

The world snored on as the child’s first cries are heard, and only a few shepherds on night shift and some wandering astrologers noticed that from this evening on, everything was different. The budding hero, a tiny newborn, snuggles down in an animal-feeding trough.

But let’s peek up into the heavens, look, and listen. There’s singing – a loud and beautiful melody, as the angels just had to throw the noisiest bash to serenade Him. And low over the darkness of Bethlehem, a single star winks, marking the spot of His coming, the night sky obediently adjusting around it.

It was the most epic, yet ordinary night, as God kissed the earth, giving us the Saviour.

Now life before death is ours – and life after it too. It’s all because of Him. The true hero has come, travelled from cradle to the cross, and won the day. The cradle, and the tomb, are vacant. It’s the very best news in the history of news. Let’s be glad!

Prayer: You came, Jesus, for us, for all, for me. I celebrate and worship You. Amen.

THUR 26 DEC

CALEB: THE RESOLUTIONS

Christmas Day is over, and the New Year beckons, heralding the time for yet another round of hopeful resolutions. The tradition of making resolutions at the beginning of a year goes all the way back to 153 B.C.

READ Numbers 13:1-16 Jeremiah 29:11-14

Janus, a mythical king of early Rome was placed at the head of the calendar. With two faces, he could look back on past events and forward to the future. Janus became the ancient symbol for resolutions, and many Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies and also exchanged gifts before the beginning of each year. For them, it meant something of a new start. Perhaps we can use this time of the year in a similar way.

FOCUS The Lord said to Moses, ‘Send some men to check out the land of Canaan.

I am giving it to the Israelites.’

Numbers 13:1-2

A look at the ten most popular resolutions reveals that losing weight is always number one, (followed by giving up smoking and prioritising exercise). The rest tend to deal with money (budgets, savings, earning more, career). Only three of the top ten are about real growth as a person – becoming more mature, more patient with others, and getting organised.

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas.co.uk/ goingdeeper

So what should we aspire to? A sprightly chap named Caleb can help us, because he was a hero who was ever eager to possess his future, even aged 85. Israel had reached the point where it was time to actually go in to possess the land that God was giving to His people.

Surely God wants to give us all kinds of ‘land’ in the coming year: but will we take hold of what He offers? Heroes are people of resolve.

Caleb can help us.

Prayer: Show me where my choices could change the coming year, Lord. Inspire me as I reflect this week. Amen.

81

FRI 27 DEC

TRUST

READ Numbers 13:17-30 Proverbs 25:13

FOCUS Then Caleb interrupted the men who were speaking to Moses.

Numbers 13:30

The couple that had just relocated to our church were talented, and brimming with enthusiasm. So they were quite surprised when I asked them to just take some time settling into our church and building relationships and trust before launching into some ministry. That way their ministry could be recognised relationally, rather than just be transferred in, and they could be released as trusted, proven servants.

In a world of so-called white lies and ‘creative’ corporate accounting, trustworthiness can be a rare commodity. Trust is foundational.

Without it, marriages disintegrate and veteran friendships falter. But when we demonstrate basic but profound symptoms of character, by keeping our word, delivering what’s expected of us, and showing up on time – then we are called trustworthy. It starts and ends in the details of life. As Jesus pointed out in Luke 16:10-14, anyone who can’t be trusted in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either.

Chosen as a senior leader among leaders, Caleb didn’t just appear out of nowhere when 12 trustworthy spies were needed to infiltrate the Promised Land on an intelligencegathering mission. His stature and proven leadership was shown by the way that he was able to intervene in a conversation with Moses.

Caleb had spent years quietly establishing his reliability and worth to those in authority and to God. Trust takes time. Here’s a great resolution to consider: I will be trustworthy.

Prayer: Lord, please help me to live in ways that will inspire trust; grant me honesty, reliability and faithfulness in the details of this day. Amen.

82

WEEKEND 28 - 29 DEC

POSITIVITY

Positive thinking has been given a bad name.

One is tempted to think that being positive means we are oblivious to all challenges, and we’d rather grin than think. But negative thinking is damaging too. When the spies returned from their extended mission, ten seemed to have forgotten God had sent them, as they tell Moses they had been to the land to which he had sent them (Num. 13:27). Oswald Sanders wisely remarks, ‘When you reckon things up... bring God in as the greatest factor in your calculations.’ Though, of course, we need to be wary of being presumptuous here.

The ten spies missed obvious signs of God’s promises in the past. They had travelled to Hebron, the burial place of the patriarchs.

Since it was the only part of the Promised Land the patriarchs had ever possessed (cf. Gen. 13:14–18; 14:13; 23:19; 25:9; 35:27-29; 50:13), it served as a pledge of the fulfilment of God’s promises. The spies, however, were evidently more impressed by the size of the city and its inhabitants. Sometimes signs of God’s faithfulness are right in front of us and we don’t notice them.

READ Numbers 13:26–33 Hebrews 11:1-16

These ten spies were not defeated by the size of the giants – they never fought one battle.

Rather, they were defeated by their perception of the giants, and of themselves: ‘We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes. And that’s also how we seemed to them’ (Num.13:33).

This New Year, let’s ask the Lord to give us God-filled optimism and hope.

To ponder: Is there a situation where you need to ‘bring God in as the greatest factor in your calculations’?

83

MON 30 DEC

WITH MY WHOLE HEART

READ Numbers 14:1-24 Luke 10:25-27

FOCUS ‘But... my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly.’

Numbers 14:24, NIV

It’s been said that one definition of a religious fanatic is someone who is more passionate about God than I am. While I never want to stray into the scary realms of being a strange zealot, I do believe the greatest resolution we can make is to put God first, and give Him our very best. Nothing less will do. Four times the Bible reports the undivided heart and passion with which Caleb served God (Num. 14:24, 32:12, Deut. 1:36, Josh. 14:14). Philo says that the name ‘Caleb’ means ‘the whole heart.’ This chap lived up to his name.

But surely it takes a lifetime to offer that ‘whole heart’ to God? When I was seventeen. I gave what I described as ‘my life’ to Christ. But it was easier back then. I had no mortgage, no material challenges, no wife, no children, and no experience of disappointment. I was young and unspoiled. While I don’t become a Christian all over again every day, I find that faith is an ongoing daily choice – perhaps that is why Jesus taught us to negotiate life one day at a time.

The good news, as we will see as we conclude tomorrow, is that at the ripe old age of 85, Caleb was still hotly pursuing God, and insisting on living in the good of God’s blessings and provisions for him. The longer we live, the more subtle are the contenders that line up and try to take the place of God as Lord of our lives.

This coming year, let’s resolve to give the Lord our very best. When we do, He notices, and celebrates.

Prayer: Lord, give me an undivided heart for You; thank You for Your faithfulness in my past. I give You today, and my future. Amen.

84

TUES 31 DEC

WHEN CHALLENGES COME

READ Joshua 14:6-15 Hebrews 13:5-6

FOCUS So give me this hill country. The Lord promised it to me that day.

Joshua 14:12

With the exception of just two, everybody in Israel over the age of 20 was to die in the wilderness and never enter the Promised Land (Num. 14:26-38). But Caleb and Joshua believed God and, though it was to take 45 years of waiting, God honoured their faith, and finally they entered Canaan. Moses had made promises to Caleb about land he would inherit – and now he staked his claim. This was truly territory that spoke of promise, as it was the burial site of the Patriarchs: Abraham (Gen. 25:7-10; cf. 23:19), Isaac (Gen. 35:27-29), and Jacob (Gen. 50:12-13). No wonder Caleb wanted this particular piece of real estate. And he was still ready for a fresh challenge too, choosing the hill country because he wanted to demonstrate to the entire nation that God was strong enough to deal with the fortified cities in that area.

As Caleb contemplated his future, there were big challenges on the horizon, but he knew that the bigger God of promise was with him. What was true for Caleb is true for us: the repeated promises and affirmations of Scripture make it clear that whatever might come our way, we will never be alone again.

As we go into the uncharted territory of a brand new year, let’s learn from the sins of the villains, and let’s remember those unsung heroes who we’ve celebrated. It’s a noble honour roll of women and men who truly bring definition to the word ‘hero.’ Come on.

Let’s add our names to the list.

Prayer: I do not choose the easy path, but the right one, with You at my side in this coming year. I am grateful, faithful God. Amen.

85

HOLY LAND TOURS

USA GROUP: 30TH AUGUST–11SEPTEMBER 2025 (INCLUDES 3 DAYS IN LONDON) UK GROUP: 3RD–10TH SEPTEMBER 2025 As we go to print, our November 2024 trip has been rescheduled to September 2025. Please register your interest by using the QR code or email below.

Join Jeff and Kay Lucas on a very special tour of Israel that will transform and inform your Bible reading time.

Sharing practical, biblical insights as they travel, they will take you to the famous biblical locations, including Galilee, Nazareth, Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Register your interest now and look forward to a well-organised and informative visit. And there will be lots of fun too!

Some highlights of the visit will be to biblical locations where Jesus walked such as the Sea of Galilee, Caeserea Philippi, Capernaum, the Mount of Beatitudes, and the garden of Gethsemane. We will also visit the Dead Sea, Masada and Qumran, the Garden Tomb, walk the streets of the old city of Jerusalem, and visit the Western (Wailing) Wall.

Professional local guides share their wealth of historical and archeological knowledge; Jeff offers teaching as we tour, and Jeff and Kay host the entire experience – one that some travellers have enjoyed so much they have returned to do the same trip a second and even a third time!

With excellent hotels, amazing food, and the unforgettable experience of exploring the stunning old city of Jerusalem (with markets where you can haggle for a bargain) this trip will delight and inspire. Come with us!

86

To register your interest so that you are among the first to get all the information you need, visit: www.jefflucas.org

Please continue to join in prayer with us for Isreal and Gaza at this time...

- that cease fire and resilient peace and reconciliation will emerge - that the schemes of evil will be thwarted - that all who mourn will be comforted - that leaders within the Middle East and beyond will be granted wisdom, especially those who are striving to broker peace Please pray.

87

LIFE WITH LUCAS PARTNERS WITH THE C3 CHURCH CAMBRIDGE, AND THEIR EXCITING PRISON MINISTRY. They broadcast a bespoke version of their Sunday service into 76 prisons and detention centres in England which has the potential for over 57,000+ prisoners to watch directly on TV screens in each cell – some inmates spend up to 22 hours a day in their cell.

Many inmates express a desire for Christian literature to be able to read and learn whilst they are in prison. We provide Life with Lucas free of charge to any prisoners and chaplains who request copies.

Becky Campbell, who leads the ministry, says, 'C3 is very grateful for the partnership with Jeff Lucas and team to enable more people to grow in discipleship and their relationship with God, even behind the gates of prison’.

Please help us to get words of hope and salvation inside those prison walls!

www.justgiving.com/campaign/lifewithlucasinside

NEVER MISS A COPY WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE TO

PLUS Save £4 when you subscribe by Direct Debit with free delivery to your door Go online at LIFEWITHLUCAS.CO.UK or use the form on the next page

PLEASE SEND ME LIFE WITH LUCAS EVERY THREE MONTHS My details Name Address Postcode I consent to receive emails about products and special offers Email Telephone Please tick which edition you would like your subscription to start with: Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec I’d like to pay by cheque or credit/debit card I enclose a cheque for £28 made payable to Novio Ltd Please charge my credit/debit card annually - £28 per subscription Cardholders name (in BLOCK CAPITALS)

Card Number Expires end

/

Security Code

I would like to pay by direct debit (Annual subscription £24 – saving £4) Service User Number: Instruction to your bank or building society to pay by Direct Debit 1 8 6 1 1 0 Name(s) of Account Holder(s) Account number To: the Manager

Sort Code

-

-

Bank/Building Society

Address Postcode Reference Instruction to your bank or building society: Please pay BPS Re Life with Lucas, Direct Debits from the account detailed in this Instruction, subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this Instruction may remain with BPS Re Life with Lucas and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my Bank/Building Society.

Signature(s)

Date

Please fill in and return this form to: PO Box 3070, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 6WX, UK

NEXT TIME: FIRST THINGS FIRST We’ll be journeying to the ancient city of Ephesus, featured in Acts, Ephesians and the book of Revelation.

There we will find a group of believers who were working hard to maintain faith in a hostile culture, and who needed to hear a call to return to their first love for Christ.

Let’s be inspired to go all the way with our faithful Jesus!

In this edition of Life with Lucas, Jeff invites us to reflect on the lives of some of the unsung heroes of scripture – and learn important lessons from some of the villains of the Bible as well. There’s wisdom to be gleaned as we reflect on how good and bad choices affect us and those around us. As we focus on the journeys of the best and the worst in history, there are nuggets to be gleaned for our 2024 lives!

Life with Lucas is written by Jeff Lucas, an international author, speaker, broadcaster and coach. Married to Kay, his passion is to equip the Church with biblical, practical Bible teaching, marked by vulnerability and humour.

Jeff is a best-selling author of 34 books, and broadcasts weekly on Premier Christian Radio.

JeffLucasUK

JeffLucasUK

lifewithlucas.co.uk PO Box 3070, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 6WX, UK Tel 01903 732190