But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth
TO PONDER
The disciples must have been a bit nonplussed - for forty days Jesus had been teaching them and then with this message about the Holy Spirit he ascended into Heaven. The Holy Spirit would give them power, not physical power but abilities they did not have, the Hoy Spirit was to work through them.
Likewise, the Holy Spirit works through us, when in faith, we ask for His help; help to be effective witnesses to God’s power, His love and His grace. As Jesus' disciples today, we face opposition and scepticism and this can be off putting but we have that power and Jesus’ promise ‘you will be my witnesses’. Perhaps we need to be bolstered in courage, maybe we need to grow in wisdom, perhaps we need help addressing our assumptions and attitudes towards others to continue to be effective workers in bringing lost people to faith. Help to do this is only a prayer away, and Jesus promises that those who ask shall receive.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you have taught us through your word and actions and now by the gift of the Holy Spirit how to be your effective witnesses of God’ love and grace in a tired and lost world that lacks hope. Please help me to cherish this task you have given and seek your help when it seems too hard. Amen
Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson, LifeWay Newcastle
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion “Your God reigns!”
TO PONDER
Isaiah used these words when prophesying Israel’s release from captivity. There is a sense of urgency in those words making them very applicable in today’s unsettled world. People want relief from everyday issues, to be free of worry. Our ‘feet’ need to be swift to overcome whatever stands in the way of telling people who are in dark places that our God reigns supreme. They need to know the Good News of God’s Son who lived and died that we might have salvation from our sins, finding peace in our freedom. We are not guaranteed that our lives will be free of worry or hardships and that needs to be part of our message, but we can always take our troubles to God in prayer. Maybe that would lead us into a conversation about prayer and it becomes clear how easy it is to build a growing relationship if our faith is like those beautiful feet. While feet can move swiftly sometimes, they also need to slow down at times, so the message is given clearly and understood rightly and it can bring the peace that ‘surpasses all understanding’
PRAYER: Lord, please help me to be visible and find those who are thirsty for peace and hope in their lives. Forgive me, when in my hurry, I rush and miss those precious opportunities to share the good news of Your love and forgiveness. Amen
Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson, LifeWay Newcastle
How, then can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
TO PONDER
These verses serve as a bridge from yesterday’s text, how can we, believers in 2026, do what is necessary to share our faith with those who are lost and searching for hope? We have long since ditched the idea of "if you build it, they will come" - we see that this isn't working. No, we need to actively search among our acquaintances, in our workplaces, our general daily activities, and act as ambassadors for Christ.
We don’t just verbally share our faith, but, as beautiful feet suggest, small acts of kindness, speaking to the lonely, helping the poor, just ‘being there’ are a great witness to our faith and witness to God’s goodness. Those beautiful feet also bring news that faith brings freedom from the captivity of sin. We need to remember that we do have a helper, the Holy Spirit. When we flounder and feel out of our depth, Holy Spirit gives us the words and can use even our feeble, but faithful, efforts to grow and nurture faith in others.
How might God be wanting to use your feet to bring good news today?
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we live in a world burdened by sin, and many people are without hope. Yet you have given us your Holy Word, your faithful promises of life and forgiveness in Christ, and Jesus’ example of how to express and live out our faith so that your goodness shines as a beacon of hope. Please help me to do that today so that you may be glorified. Amen
Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson, LifeWay Newcastle
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden
TO PONDER
You know the feeling of confusion when there is a sudden blackout. You wait a few seconds in case the lights come on, but then you grope your way to where the torches are kept, you trip and stub your toe, crack your hip on a table, for a little while you are lost and it’s painful!
Today Jesus is telling his disciples that there are lost, lonely people without hope in the world, groping and stumbling about - being hurt in the process - but we are to be as the moon reflects the sun’s light and reflect Jesus’ love and light into the lives of these people. To walk beside them, listen to their stories, put a comforting arm around them, give them hope for the future. When our words and actions mirror Jesus’ teaching, they are noticed and are like a beacon to others not to hide their faith but let it shine so that God can be glorified.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I give thanks that you came to earth to spread the Good News of your Father’s love and taught us how to live our lives serving others. May I always be aware of those who are lonely and without hope and serve them with love and compassion and bring your light and love into their lives. Amen`
Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson, LifeWay Newcastle
... Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
TO PONDER
We all know these words are part of the Great Commission, that baptism is more than a sign, it is how the Holy Spirit produces faith, which is a gift of God - but how do we, as Jesus’ disciples, go about this today?
When we meet someone who is wanting to learn more about God, I think gentle questioning is a good start, and to then base any teaching on peoples responses. Do your teaching verbally and in dialogue with others so that questions can be answered as the person learns and reflects on what you tell them in real time. Baptism is the public confession of faith and accepting Jesus as Saviour and Lord, it is a precious Sacrament. Sometimes baptism marks the beginning of that journey of following Jesus, other times it is a marker somewhere along the way when a person formally recognises that they have been called by Jesus ad following him for quite some time.
But who this 'someone'? How do we meet them an begin a conversation with them? By the way we live out our faith, show love to the un-loved, be ready to help when needed, to give care and comfort to those in need, like in yesterday’s verse you become a beacon, a light in the darkness that draws people to itself.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I thank you for the gift of baptism and the Holy Spirit who grew faith in me. Give me strength and courage to go boldly and teach others that they may come to know you and seek all that you have won for them, through Jesus Christ your Son. Amen
Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson, LifeWay Newcastle
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for nothing except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
TO PONDER:
Salt is important in our diet, in fact we are wired to crave salt to ensure we get enough. It adds flavour and is also an excellent preservative.
I recall my brother and I experimenting after a Sunday school lesson by dampening some salt, it didn’t take long for the crystals to disappear into a powdery mess. Matthew records Jesus’ words following Jesus speaking the Beatitudes and blessing his disciples. Jesus wants his disciples to speak the truth into a world that’s tired and lost its way. We do that by living a life showing care, help, and consideration to those we meet, to be ready to share our story of God’s love and forgiveness. BUT we need to be watchful that we do not drift from Jesus and his love because then we will become ineffective, and it will be very difficult to regain that ground.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, Your word has provided me with so many instances where I can tell those who are lost and looking for direction, about your love. May I never forget to call on you for help so that I can be an effective disciple. Amen
Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson, LifeWay Newcastle
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
TO PONDER:
I can’t read today’s verse without thinking “Blessed are the cheesemakers…” from a Monty Python movie released way back in 1979, a movie I was banned from watching by the church I was part of. Now, in the church’s defence it was a controversial film, it was banned in Ireland for being “blasphemous”, which it kind-of is.
In the comedy, a group of people were listening to Jesus as he was delivering the Sermon on the Mount. Being too far back, the group of random people ended up exchanging insults and eventually blows because they misheard the teaching of Jesus.
The whole Sermon on the Mount was shocking in content, controversial in its challenging of the status quo, and was considered to be blasphemous to the religious and non-religious alike. Jesus’s own people were living under occupation of a conquering military force, waiting for the Messiah to arrive in power and might to overthrow the invaders, and then the Messiah arrived preaching things like “peacemakers”, extreme forgiveness, and loving your enemies.
The way of Jesus continues to offend today for the very same reasons as it did in the Monty Python movie and 2000 years ago because Jesus came as a peacemaker to restore relationship with God and humanity, to destroy religion and replace it with grace.
Religion focuses on 'doing' while grace focuses on what's already 'done'! Religion is man’s attempt to reach God, grace is Jesus coming to earth to reconcile the earth with the creator, and when he took his last breath on the cross he exhaled it with the words, “It is done!”
We are blessed when we continue in sharing the “done” with everyone we come into contact with, when we are carriers of God’s grace and his ambassadors of reconciliation.
PRAYER: Jesus, God of grace, Thank you for those last words on the cross when with your last breath you said “it is done” bringing an end to the doing of religion and ushering in the done, the enabling of my relationship with you. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Danny Brock, LifeWay WestSide
Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. (NLT)
TO PONDER:
OK, no pithy story about planting a seed/sapling in the wrong place/soil but I think going directly to the question today’s verses raise; Where are you planted, what fruit is being produced?
I am asking questions not to judge, or bring condemnation towards anyone but rather because those were the questions I heard echoing from the psalmist as he struggles with anguish and joy at the juxtapositions between God’s kingdom and the kingdom of the wicked.
The questions of judgement and consequences, of why the promised overflowing life of John 10:10, often absent within the church, seems unfulfilled and frequents my thoughts and prayers.
In today's verse, the psalmist explores the same questions with the implication that where are we planted, whose advice are we following, where our thoughts and meditation linger - These questions have consequences attached.
Is our delight in the Lord reserved to Sunday worship? Is our meditation hijacked by doom scrolling and the advice we hear curated by algorithms and the bait-&-switch of social media (including old fashioned media)? There are consequences associated with where we are planted, where we “live.”
Jesus invites us, through the words of the psalmist to be planted and deeply rooted in him, the source of the water of life, and to allow him to be the source from which our life flows and the place where we find everything necessary for that 'full' life he promises in John 10:10.
PRAYER: Almighty God, my joy is found in you when my living is planted in your Word. There, I find your promised overflowing life, draw me closer to your love and grace. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Danny Brock, LifeWay Westside.
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. (NLT)
TO PONDER:
Today we had the first day of the relaunch of Westside Mainly Music, after we had the help of the fabulous Oliver to fix the technical issues we were experiencing, it was important I was there early to set up everything in case there were any new issues to be discovered so we had time to fix them.
After packing the computer, cables and required dongles the night before I was confident everything would run smoothly, right up until I had to clothe myself with the Manly Music shirt, which is the required “uniform” for Mainly Music and I couldn’t find it.
Today’s Verse is part of a section of Paul’s letter written to the church in Colossae, where he provides them with a “Cheat Sheet”, a template, a formula for a John 10:10 existence (an overflowing life) as God’s church.
Now, as a church planter/pastor for a lot of years now, I would probably say things like read your Bible daily and pray everyday, don’t miss worship on Sunday, and that’s just a few of the practices to start with but Paul doesn’t even give a nod to these spiritual practices.
He instead leads with a list of woke, touchy-feely, emotional, unquantifiable metrics; tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience and then he takes it too far when he commands us to forgive anyone who offends us!
And Paul, I’m in a hurry and I really don’t have time to even find where I left the agape love t-shirt you are asking me to outfit myself with, “above all”…
The formula to a John 10:10 overflowing life is summed up with forgiveness and love.
PRAYER: Forgiving God, I thank you for loving me first, for forgiving me when I didn’t deserve it or even asked for it, help me love others as you have loved me, to be quick to forgive and show your grace to others. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Danny Brock, LifeWay Westside