First of all, a big apology that we missed most of the devotions last week. We had a miscommunication, and the devotions didn’t get published (I was away for the week, which didn’t help). Back to normal service today!

For the rest of the month, we will work through the last section of the book of Psalms with our “do-it-yourself” devotions. Each day, after the reading, I’ll ask you to reflect on two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus? It could be something about his ministry, his suffering and death, his resurrection, his kingdom, or what God has done for us through Jesus.

But don’t worry if you can’t always think of something – just read, reflect and pray.

Psalm 124

‏A song of ascents; by David.

1 “If the LORD had not been on our side”—
let Israel say this.—
2 if the LORD had not been on our side,
when men attacked us,
3 they would have swallowed us alive,
when their anger raged against us.
4 The water would have overpowered us;
the current would have overwhelmed us.
5 The raging water
would have overwhelmed us.
6 The LORD deserves praise,
for he did not hand us over as prey to their teeth.
7 We escaped with our lives, like a bird from a hunter’s snare.
The snare broke, and we escaped.
8 Our deliverer is the LORD,
the Creator of heaven and earth.

Psalm 125

A song of ascents.

1 Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved and will endure forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the LORD surrounds his people,
now and forevermore.
3 Indeed, the scepter of a wicked king will not settle
upon the allotted land of the godly.
Otherwise the godly
might do what is wrong.
4 Do good, O LORD, to those who are good,
to the morally upright.
5 As for those who are bent on traveling a sinful path,
may the LORD remove them, along with those who behave wickedly.
May Israel experience peace.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in these Psalms can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in these Psalms that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

This month, we are returning to our devotions through the book of Psalms. These are like “do-it-yourself” devotions. Instead of hearing someone else’s reflections, each day I’ll ask you to reflect on the Psalm yourself using some simple questions that you can use with any Psalm.

The two questions I’ll ask you to think about are:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus? It could be something about his ministry, his suffering and death, his resurrection, his kingdom, or what God has done for us through Jesus.

But don’t worry if you can’t always think of something – just read, reflect and pray.

Psalm 122

A song of ascents; by David.

1 I was glad because they said to me,
“We will go to the LORD’s temple.”
2 Our feet are standing
inside your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is a city designed
to accommodate an assembly.
4 The tribes go up there,
the tribes of the LORD,
where it is required that Israel
give thanks to the name of the LORD.
5 Indeed, the leaders sit there on thrones and make legal decisions,
on the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
May those who love her prosper.
7 May there be peace inside your defenses,
and prosperity inside your fortresses.
8 For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors
I will say, “May there be peace in you.”
9 For the sake of the temple of the LORD our God
I will pray for you to prosper.

Psalm 123

A song of ascents.

1 I look up toward you,
the one enthroned in heaven.
2 Look, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a female servant look to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes will look to the LORD, our God, until he shows us favor.
3 Show us favor, O LORD, show us favor!
For we have had our fill of humiliation, and then some.
4 We have had our fill
of the taunts of the self-assured,
of the contempt of the proud.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice, set things right, be encouraged, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. 13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Trung Nguyen

When it comes to our church family, does following Jesus make any difference when there’s conflict or sin in our church? 

This passage marks the end of a confronting letter from Paul to the Corinthian church. Paul has rebuked the Corinthians for their sin and worldliness, but he has been motivated by dutiful fatherly love for them. He has rebuked them so that the family of God can be what it is meant to be: a family that encourages each other, agrees with each another, and lives in peace (v11). 

The Corinthian church had gone through some big family conflict, so how could they possibly strive for full restoration after what had happened? The blessing of verse 14 is key: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” The triune God himself will enable the family of God to strive for full restoration and be united. The grace that comes from our Lord Jesus Christ would motivate the Corinthians to treat people with kindness that they don’t deserve. The love of God would empower them to put others’ needs first. And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit would remind the Corinthians of their common bond in Christ, so that they would help each other to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus and become more like him.

I know that when there has been conflict with another brother or sister, I haven’t always been the one to strive for full restoration. I’m often content with a little greyness or ambiguity to the relationship, as long as we don’t get in each other’s way. So this passage has reminded me to strive for full restoration and remember that the triune God is the one who empowers His children to strive for restoration between one other. Is there a situation at the moment where you need to strive for full restoration with a brother or sister in Christ? Praise God that He is full of love and peace and is with us always, and ask him for his help to do it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Trung is our Ministry Apprentice at our Fairfield congregations.

8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the sake of the truth. 9 For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong. And we pray for this: that you may become fully qualified. 10 Because of this I am writing these things while absent, so that when I arrive I may not have to deal harshly with you by using my authority—the Lord gave it to me for building up, not for tearing down!

REFLECTIONS

Written by Sarah Armstrong

As we start 2025, 2 Corinthians 13 is a good reminder to check ourselves and review our own hearts to make sure we are living as people transformed by Jesus. Just a few days ago, many people around us will have made New Year’s resolutions. I wonder if you did – and if so, was your New Year’s resolution anything like: “I resolve not do anything against the truth, but only for the sake of the truth” (see verse 8)? The truth is, above all else, Jesus’ gospel, so that would be resolving to do all things for the sake of Christ and his gospel. A lofty resolution? Maybe. But in this passage, Paul is giving us a superb example: Jesus is the reason he lives the way he does. We are to imitate Paul as he imitates Jesus – so we should be striving to live as people transformed by Jesus.

So today, just into the new year, why don’t we all take a minute to pray for the specific people in two groups in our lives. First, for those we are ministering to, that they may become “fully qualified” (v9) – that is, fully restored and equipped to live for Christ. And secondly, for our leaders, that they will use their authority – given to them by the Lord – lovingly and gently, in order to build us up and not tear us down in 2025.

What a church community it will be if we are all walking humbly and faithfully with this in mind!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah is our Parish Administrator.

5 Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless, indeed, you fail the test! 6 And I hope that you will realize that we have not failed the test! 7 Now we pray to God that you may not do anything wrong, not so that we may appear to have passed the test, but so that you may do what is right even if we may appear to have failed the test.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Viet Mai

Having dealt firmly with the rebels in the church of Corinth, who have rejected Paul by claiming that he does not have God's power, Paul will now issue a challenge to the whole church. He is planning another return visit to them. Before he arrives, Paul wants them to examine whether they are true followers of Jesus – that is, whether they have Jesus in them. This is because those who have Jesus in them will recognise that Paul has been sent by Jesus. They will know that Paul’s suffering is not a demonstration of a lack of God’s power, it is the outworking of God’s power.

But merely recognising Paul and his message is not enough. If Paul’s message is from Jesus, then it calls people to live out their faith and to ‘do what is right’ (v7). If they respond to the message in that way, then although Paul intends to return in judgment against the rebels in Corinth, he will not need to – so even if Paul will ‘seem to have failed’ because he does not discipline them, it will really be a success, because all have repented by the power of Jesus.

As we approach 2025, there is still a call to hold fast to God’s word and live it out faithfully. As we do so, I pray that we may remember that God’s power is not just about performing spectacular and miraculous deeds like the rebels in Corinth believed; instead, more than anything, God’s power is about having the strength to obey Him.

Here’s an ancient prayer you can pray with me:

“Go before us Lord, in all our doings, with your most gracious favour, and further us by your continual help, that in all our works begun, continued and ended in you, we may glorify your holy name, and finally by your mercy obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Viet is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

1 This is the third time I am coming to visit you. By the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter will be established. 2 I said before when I was present the second time and now, though absent, I say again to those who sinned previously and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare anyone, 3 since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak toward you but is powerful among you. 4 For indeed he was crucified by reason of weakness, but he lives because of God’s power. For we also are weak in him, but we will live together with him, because of God’s power toward you.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Gus Cameron

If you were with us at church earlier last year, you’ll remember our “Growing in Holiness” sermons. We finished the series by thinking about three deeply personal topics: sex, money and our words. What’s your reaction when the Bible challenges your behaviour in these areas of life? Do you question what the Bible says? Do you feel it’s outdated or even offensive?

As we heard yesterday, the Apostle Paul had rebuked people in the Corinthian church about their sexual behaviour, and it sounded like some people in the church were questioning his right to tell them how to live. In today’s passage Paul responds to those people by reaffirming his authority as an apostle appointed by Christ Jesus.

Paul quotes the Old Testament requirement for two or three witnesses. His “two or three witnesses” are his visits to Corinth. He’s saying, “You’ve seen me twice already and I will come a third time – and each time you’ve heard me speak with Christ’s authority”. He acknowledges that he looks weak, but then, he reminds them, so did Christ Jesus on the cross. And yet, Christ rose from the dead by God’s mighty power. Since Paul speaks with the authority of the powerful risen Christ Jesus, the people in Corinth had better listen to him and accept his rebuke.

We too must listen to every word of the Bible. It has come to us from God by his appointed prophets and apostles. Pray that God would help us learn to accept it as his word to us and so listen to what he is saying to us. When we find that the Bible challenges what we want to do, pray that God would humble us to accept it as both true and good so that our first reaction becomes, “How can I live the way God wants me to?” Pray that he would work in us by his Spirit to live lives that are more like Christ Jesus.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gus is one of our Assistant Ministers.

11 I have become a fool. You yourselves forced me to do it, for I should have been commended by you. For I lack nothing in comparison to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing. 12 Indeed, the signs of an apostle were performed among you with great perseverance by signs and wonders and powerful deeds. 13 For how were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice! 14 Look, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you, because I do not want your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! If I love you more, am I to be loved less? 16 But be that as it may, I have not burdened you. Yet because I was a crafty person, I took you in by deceit! 17 I have not taken advantage of you through anyone I have sent to you, have I? 18 I urged Titus to visit you, and I sent our brother along with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit? Did we not behave in the same way? 19 Have you been thinking all this time that we have been defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and everything we do, dear friends, is to build you up. 20 For I am afraid that somehow when I come I will not find you what I wish, and you will find me not what you wish. I am afraid that somehow there may be quarreling, jealousy, intense anger, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder. 21 I am afraid that when I come again, my God may humiliate me before you, and I will grieve for many of those who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and licentiousness that they have practiced.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

Relationships can be so messy sometimes, even in the church. As I reflected on what went wrong in Paul’s relationship with the Corinthians, I realised there were at least two things that contributed to the breakdown.

First, the Corinthians were misinterpreting Paul’s motives. Some of the other churches Paul had founded gave him financial support, and it seems Paul expected or asked them to. But with the Corinthians, he didn’t want to burden them with that cost. He did that out of love – he was never interested in financial gain or taking advantage of people, he just wanted to see Christ formed in them. But there were false teachers in the church who were saying that, because Paul didn’t charge a fee, it showed that he didn’t really care about them – he must be giving them second-rate service.

I can only imagine how hurtful that must have been for Paul. But the devil still uses that strategy to try to damage the oneness of Christ’s people – he tempts us to make harsh assumptions about each other’s motives.

The second factor in the breakdown was the fact that Paul had had to rebuke the Corinthian church for tolerating sexual immorality. I suspect that made them feel resentful towards him. This part really hit home for me. When I’m rebuked, I often let my bruised ego get in the way of receiving it well.

Pray that God would constantly transform our hearts by his Spirit in our relationships with each other. Pray that, whenever we’re tempted to think badly of a brother or sister, we’ll look for the most generous way of interpreting what they’re saying or doing. And pray that, when we are rebuked for an ungodly attitude, we will receive the rebuke with thankfulness and humility.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our Senior Minister.

1 It is necessary to go on boasting. Though it is not profitable, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know that this man (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows) 4 was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak. 5 On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about my weaknesses. 6 For even if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I would be telling the truth, but I refrain from this so that no one may regard me beyond what he sees in me or what he hears from me, 7 even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me—so that I would not become arrogant. 8 I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. 10 Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

REFLECTIONS

Written by George Mihas

Over the years, I have often wondered how people who seem to be mighty men and women of God have sometimes fallen in serious sin and scandal. It's all too often that you hear about some international evangelist who has fallen into sin – they got caught in adultery or embezzlement of money and so on.

I think Paul shows us not to think too highly of ourselves because there is a danger of making idols of ourselves. I believe a lot of these fallen Christians we followed and looked up to over the years couldn't handle the fame and every temptation that comes with it.

Things don't always turn out the way we planned in life. There are a lot of disappointments, and maybe just like Paul we are sometimes given a thorn in the flesh. Maybe this is God’s way of helping us and keeping us humble, so we don't fall and we can continue to fight the good fight of faith. He prunes our branches so we can produce more fruit.

This year I earnestly prayed for a certain situation and the opposite happened. I was very upset about it and still am. It's not easy to accept. In this life, I might never have the answer as to why after praying so much the opposite came to pass. But I do believe that if my prayer was answered according to my will, I could have become puffed up and it could have become an idol in my life.

This is my reflection of this part of Scripture: For when we are weak, God is strong.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

George is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

24 Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with a rod. Once I received a stoning. Three times I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I spent adrift in the open sea. 26 I have been on journeys many times, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own countrymen, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers from false brothers, 27 in hard work and toil, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, many times without food, in cold and without enough clothing. 28 Apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxious concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with indignation? 30 If I must boast, I will boast about the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows I am not lying. 32 In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to arrest me, 33 but I was let down in a rope-basket through a window in the city wall, and escaped his hands.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Omar Dewan

This year at work, I was somewhat expecting a promotion. I led important pieces of work through to completion, and was seen as a “go-to” person for getting things done. So when I was told that I wasn’t getting promoted, I was frustrated and confused. I thought, “Did management not see my output and the value I added? Should I have ‘boasted’ about my achievements so they would notice me?”

This passage cuts right into my heart and challenges what I place my value in and where my priorities lie.

In this part of 2 Corinthians, we see Paul defending his ministry against those who see him as “timid” and not as impressive as the “super-apostles”. At this part of his defence, Paul boasts about himself, but not in the way I expect. I expected him to boast about the fact that he:

• was a highly-trained Pharisee who used that intellect and logic in his defence of Jesus; or

• travelled throughout modern-day Europe establishing many churches and bringing many people to salvation in Christ; or

• actually saw the risen Jesus and talked to Him.

Rather, Paul boasts about his weakness in spreading the gospel – how he has suffered physical punishment, personal security threats, worry and anxiety, lack of sleep and an ever-growing workload, as well as hunger, thirst, and cold. But even in this strange “boasting”, Paul doesn’t attribute his perseverance to anything in himself. Instead, Paul’s weakness magnifies God’s glory, power and strength to bring about His divine will and to bring many people into His Kingdom.

Perhaps we can pray that each of us would fix our value to Christ and what He has done for us, and not attribute any achievements in ministry to ourselves. Pray that we would recognise that we could not serve God without Him first saving us from our depraved, weak state through Jesus Christ – and that it is only through His Spirit that we can serve the Lord, despite our weaknesses.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Omar is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.

16 I say again, let no one think that I am a fool. But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. 17 What I am saying with this boastful confidence I do not say the way the Lord would. Instead it is, as it were, foolishness. 18 Since many are boasting according to human standards, I too will boast. 19 For since you are so wise, you put up with fools gladly. 20 For you put up with it if someone makes slaves of you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone behaves arrogantly toward you, if someone strikes you in the face. 21 (To my disgrace I must say that we were too weak for that!) But whatever anyone else dares to boast about (I am speaking foolishly), I also dare to boast about the same thing. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking like I am out of my mind!) I am even more so: with much greater labors, with far more imprisonments, with more severe beatings, facing death many times.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Keith Hengpoonthana

Sometimes you can’t help but roll your eyes at people who boast openly about themselves. Many would regard high self-confidence and a strong self-belief in action or words as a positive character trait. But we also recognise that there’s something very wrong when someone openly boasts about their own superiority. Often they may be seeking to elevate themselves to cover their own inadequacies.

Paul main message here is that boasting for self-gain is foolishness. As Christians we should seek to love God and love others. How we speak and act should reflect the humility, love and grace that Christ has shown us. Paul himself went through many trials and great suffering in the name of Christ, but he doesn’t use that as a means to elevate himself above others.

But that gives Paul a dilemma. How should he address the self-centred teachers in Corinth who were boasting about themselves and raising their own profile in order to mislead the church? In his frustration, Paul states that if anyone should be able to boast about suffering for being a servant of Christ, he should. He also has all the credentials of what one might openly boast about in being a leader. However, as we will see in the following sections, he only boasts of his own weaknesses, because his goal is to encourage others and point them to Christ. The gospel calls us to live selflessly.

Is boasting ever a good thing then? Back in 2 Corinthians 10:17 Paul said: “But the one who boasts must boast in the Lord“ – which is a quote from Jeremiah 9:24. We should be openly boasting in the same manner as Paul – not in self-promotion, but in celebrating and raising up the love that God has for all of us and the grace that we have received through Christ for our salvation.

Perhaps instead of boasting about how much wealth we have, how good we look or how much we have achieved, we should be boasting about God’s great love and mercy – that we once we were dead in our sins, but now by grace we have been saved and made alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5). Now that’s something worth boasting about!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Keith is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.