We’re been exploring the contrast between the Magi and the Priests and Scribes who advise King Herod.  The priests and scribes, the insiders, do nothing, and give nothing to the Messiah they have supposedly studied in depth.

While Magi, the outsiders and travellers, do something and give their gifts of treasure and worship, and make great sacrifices to do so.

None of us here are as powerful as Herod, as knowledgeable as the Magi or Scribes and Pharisees, but as you can see it’s not just about knowledge, it’s about our openness to God acting in our world, even in unexpected ways, that really matters.

We have something to learn from the contrast between the Priests and Scribes and the Magi.  Given the same knowledge and experience, the Magi and Priests use it very differently.  So we, given knowledge in this world, also have choices as to how we will use them.

We are given the knowledge that the message of Jesus Christ will change the lives of our family and friends for the better.  He will transform our world from one ruled over by fear and manipulation to one ruled over by love and peace.

What will we do with it?

Like the priests and scribes, will we have all the info, and do nothing?

Or like the Magi, will we go to all possible lengths to worship this God, giving him our very best gifts?

Giving of our time, resources and even our power, to greet him as our Lord.

So today, with the same history presented to us, we decide how we will go down in history…as knowing much but doing nothing, or as worshipping the true King of love and peace.

Challenge: Explore Jesus this coming year – take c101, get in touch with me.  In the process,s you can see if Christian faith is wise, rational, etc. for yourself.

Reminder: We are reading the Bible in sync as one community – so check out today’s reading here.

Reminder: The best way to grow spiritually this year is to join our Christianity 101 in the Cafe Course in Pickering starting January 22nd. Register for you and a friend today!

Read the Bible in Sync Today

Ryan Sim - June 13, 2013

Thursday - Act On It - Needs

We are encouraged to prayer persistently and confidently for alignment with God’s will. Persistent Jesus spoke about prayer this week in the present, not past tense. It sounds like prayer is meant to continue, not simply be a one time event. This is not because God needs convincing, controlling, bribing. It’s to help us learn to adjust ourselves to God’s timing. Confident We are not to pray as people distant from God, but out of relationship with a loving parent, where we are learning to know and trust his will. Reliant on God’s will The best prayers end with “Thy will be done.” When our prayers line up with God’s will, they are working as intended. We could illustrate this with a compass. A compass works best when it’s allowed to swing freely and line up with Earth’s magnetic field. We can prevent this by holding the compass needle backwards, but it takes energy, and when we let go, we see it was all in vain as the compass needle returns to neutral. When our prayers don’t line up with God’s will, they are fighting an irresistable force, but our prayers are best when we tell God what we want and need, but are willing to let go and let him lead us. Prayer is about learning to point toward God’s will, rather than forcing him to point our way. Challenge: Think of and share an area in your life where you are being called to persistent, and confident prayer for God’s will? Ask a friend to pray with you. And tomorrow we’ll practice again. 

Related Topics: Needs, Prayer | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio

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