Author: Southside Church

  • Pentecost

    Pentecost

    The same God who destroyed the prophets of Baal with fire is the same God who sends tongues of fire at Pentecost to empower His people. The God who breathed life into Adam is the same God who now breathes His Spirit into us.

    Today we commemorate Pentecost Sunday,  a pivotal moment in the history of our faith.  The word “Pentecost” itself, derived from the Greek “Pentēkostē,” signifies “fiftieth,” marking this celebration 50 days after Easter Sunday. 

    To truly appreciate the significance of Pentecost, we must first journey back into Israel’s history. After their liberation from Egyptian slavery, God established a covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, promising them the status of a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, contingent upon their obedience. However, despite God’s desire for them to be His “treasured possession,” Israel repeatedly faltered, oscillating between obedience and disobedience. Their human attempts to fulfill the terms of the covenant invariably fell short of God’s perfect standard.

    It was within this context of human frailty and repeated failure that the Old Testament prophets emerged, bearing a message of hope. They foretold a future time when God would rescue His people and renew His covenant—a covenant that, unlike the first, would be unbreakable by human limitations. Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 36 illuminate this new covenant, promising a profound reconciliation and renewal. God would not only cleanse His people from their sins but would also dwell among them in an unprecedented way. This became the fervent hope of Old Testament Israel, an anticipation of a Messiah who would usher in this promised new covenant.

    At the close of the Old Testament, the people were left yearning for the Messiah’s arrival and the fulfillment of this new covenant. Their expectations of the Messiah crystallized into four major traditions: the Priestly (restoring proper worship), the Prophetic (a teacher and miracle worker like Moses), the Kingly (a political and military deliverer), and the Wisdom (an embodiment of God’s wisdom). Of these, the Kingly tradition held the most sway, as Israel desperately longed for a Messiah who would liberate them from Roman oppression and restore their sovereignty. Even Jesus’ own disciples, as seen in Acts 1:6, clung to this expectation, asking, “Lord, are You at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

    Their vision of the Messiah was often rooted in the powerful, consuming fire of Elijah, who called down judgment on his enemies. They expected Jesus to be a God of “us and them,” incinerating those who threatened “us.” This strong inclination is evident in Luke 9:51-56, where James and John, seeing the unwelcoming Samaritans, asked Jesus, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and destroy them?”

    This raises a crucial question for us today: Do we, too, harbor a similar view of God? Do we perceive Him as a mighty, holy God who punishes us with fiery judgment for our disobedience or shortcomings? Do we live in fear of making mistakes, assuming that hardship is God’s fiery affliction for our sins? The Jews, interpreting the Old Covenant’s emphasis on obedience and curses for disobedience, often saw God through this lens of punitive fire.

    Yet, Jesus’ response to James and John reveals a different divine character. Luke 9:55 records His rebuke: “But He turned and rebuked them and He said, ‘You do not know what kind of spirit you are; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.’” This powerfully challenges our preconceived notions of God’s “fire.” We often expect God to make things right through judgment, separating the wicked from the righteous by consuming them. But with the advent of Jesus, a different kind of fire was introduced—not a fire of judgment under the old covenant’s demands for human effort, but a fire of new life, brought forth through His perfect sacrifice and the ushering in of the new covenant of grace.

    This new fire was displayed at Pentecost. Acts 2:1-11 describes a sound like a mighty wind filling the building, followed by “tongues as of fire” resting on each of them, empowering them to speak in various languages, proclaiming “God’s mighty works!” Unlike the destructive fire of the Old Testament, this Pentecost fire was good news for everyone, transcending linguistic and cultural barriers. It was a fire that burned within God’s people to reach others, tearing down the dividing walls of prejudice and making salvation accessible to all.

    Under the New Covenant, God’s fire is not directed against His enemies to defeat them; it is burning within His people to reach them. The Holy Spirit’s fire isn’t to eliminate all sin; it’s to empower us, sinners, to live the Jesus way in a sinful world for the sake of others. It empowers us to become more like Jesus, which is why His presence is so vital in our faith journey.

    Jesus’ actions in Luke 4:16-21 further illuminate this truth. In the synagogue, He read from the scroll of Isaiah, proclaiming, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me (the Messiah), Because He has anointed Me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent Me to announce release (pardon, forgiveness) to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed (downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy), to proclaim the favourable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the favour of God abound greatly].” He then stopped mid-verse, significantly omitting the phrase, “and the day of vengeance of our God…” By doing so, Jesus declared that His mission was not to bring vengeance for sin, but to set us free and ignite within us His Spirit.

    The unapproachable God of Mount Sinai and the temple, with His strict rules, is now the God who dwells within the hearts of every sinner by grace. The God whose blessing was once confined to one nation, Israel, now pours out His Spirit on all people, everywhere. The God who once destroyed His enemies by fire now fills His children with the fire of His Holy Spirit, transforming them to be like Jesus. We cannot achieve this transformation through our own efforts; it is the work of the Holy Spirit, by God’s grace, as Philippians 2:13 reminds us: “For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energising, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure.”

    Hebrews 12:29 declares, “Our God is a devouring fire.” This is a definitive statement about His essential nature. If God’s Spirit is a devouring fire, then how much of His Holy Spirit fire have we allowed to devour our hearts? This is a choice we make, for as Stephen lamented to the Jewish council in Acts 7:51, “Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit?”

    Just as a devouring fire transforms a landscape, so too does the Holy Spirit transform our lives. The change in our lives directly reflects the degree to which we’ve allowed His fire to consume our hearts. God is also described as light and love in 1 John. So, how are you growing in your love for others because of the fire of the Holy Spirit within you? A fire that enables you to speak a language of love and hope, describing God’s mighty works, instead of hate and fiery vengeance toward your perceived enemies or those who are different from you.

    Pentecost did not replace the God of the Old Testament; it revealed His full character in continuity with Jesus. The same God who destroyed the prophets of Baal with fire is the same God who sends tongues of fire at Pentecost to empower His people. The God who breathed life into Adam is the same God who now breathes His Spirit into us, enabling us to proclaim, as Jesus did, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because… He has anointed Me to share the good news with the poor. He has sent Me to announce forgiveness to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed and to proclaim the favourable year of the Lord through my life as His ambassador.” To accomplish this, we desperately need the power of the Holy Spirit, just as the early disciples did on the day of Pentecost before embarking on the momentous task of building the early church, of which we are now a part.

    Consider this question: Are you willing to allow the Holy Spirit’s fire to devour your heart? Luke 11:13 assures us, “Our Heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue to ask Him!” Titus 3:5-7 summarizes God’s transformative work: “He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we have done, but because of His own compassion and mercy, by the cleansing of the new birth (spiritual transformation, regeneration) and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that we would be justified [made free of the guilt of sin] by His [compassionate, undeserved] grace, and that we would be [acknowledged as acceptable to Him and] made heirs of eternal life [actually experiencing it] according to our hope (His guarantee).”

    Reflect:

    1. How has your understanding of God’s “fire” shifted or deepened through this devotional? Do you tend to view God’s fire as primarily punitive, or as a transformative and empowering presence?
    2. In what specific ways do you see the “fences of prejudice” in your own heart that the Holy Spirit might want to burn down? How can you actively allow the Spirit to challenge your “us and them” mentality?
    3. The devotional states that the Holy Spirit empowers us to be more like Jesus for the sake of others. What practical steps can you take this week to live out the “Jesus way” in your daily interactions, empowered by the Spirit?
    4. Considering that we can either allow or resist the Holy Spirit, what areas of your life are you currently resisting His transformative “devouring fire”? What holds you back from full surrender?
    5. How can you intentionally “ask and continue to ask” for more of the Holy Spirit’s presence and power in your life, as Luke 11:13 suggests, in order to become a better ambassador of God’s good news?

    Closing Prayer:

    Heavenly Father, on this Pentecost Sunday, we thank You for the incredible gift of Your Holy Spirit. We confess that often, like the disciples of old, we have limited our understanding of Your power and Your character, sometimes fearing Your judgment rather than embracing Your transformative love. Forgive us for our resistance and our desire to cling to our own efforts.

    Today, we surrender anew to Your devouring fire. We ask that Your Holy Spirit would consume every prejudice, every barrier, and every self-limiting belief within our hearts. Burn away our “us and them” mentality, and ignite within us a boundless love for all people, just as You have loved us. Empower us, Lord, to speak the language of Your mighty works, bringing hope and healing to a broken world.

    We pray for a deeper infilling of Your Spirit, that we may be strengthened, energized, and equipped to fulfill Your purpose. Help us to live lives that reflect the very nature of Jesus, proclaiming good news, bringing freedom to the captives, sight to the blind, and setting the oppressed free. May our lives be a testament to Your grace, Your mercy, and Your unyielding love. Thank You for saving us, not by our works, but by Your compassion and the renewing power of the Holy Spirit. We ask all of this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

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  • Love

    Love

    Love is about actively pursuing what is in another person’s best interests. This is the very essence of God’s character: “God so loved the world that he gave his only son”

    Love, a word we use so often, yet one that carries such diverse meanings. We love our families differently than we love chocolate or a sport. We speak of falling in love and falling out of love. It’s a word brimming with emotion, passion, and desire. C.S. Lewis explored this complexity in “The Four Loves,” highlighting how one English word encompasses four distinct Greek concepts of love.

    The ancient scriptures lay a powerful foundation for understanding divine love. In Deuteronomy 6:5, we find the core command: “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.” This forms part of the Shema, a prayer recited by Jews twice daily. The Hebrew word for love, AHAVAH (אַהֲבָה), reveals a profound truth: at its root, love is about giving. This echoes throughout the Old Testament, from loving your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18) to treating foreigners as native-born (Leviticus 19:33-34).

    Jesus, when asked about the most important commandment, affirmed this dual love: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31). Dallas Willard defines love not as desire, but as “to will the good of others.” It’s about actively pursuing what is in another person’s best interests. This is the very essence of God’s character: “God so loved the world that he gave his only son” (John 3:16).

    The biblical portrait of love is rich and multifaceted: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). This is the love revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai—a compassionate, gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. This is the God who loves us and calls us to love our neighbor.

    This dynamic of love creates a powerful ripple effect. Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). Loving our neighbor is the visible expression of our love for God. Imagine the impact when we, as God’s people, live out this love in our daily interactions. 

    Who is our neighbor? Everyone we encounter—at home, at work, in our communities. The apostles’ letters are filled with practical exhortations on how to live out this love with one another: “Be devoted to one another,” “Live in harmony,” “Show hospitality,” “Encourage one another,” “Bear one another’s burdens,” “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another.” Each of these is an act of giving, pouring out something for the benefit of another.

    To love well, we must be aware. We see this in Jesus’ interactions: His understanding of the Centurion’s faith, His tender response to Jairus’ desperate plea, and His persistent connection with the woman who touched His garment. In each instance, Jesus “read the situation” and responded with matter-of-factness, reassurance, or tenderness, as the moment required. This means looking beyond ourselves, being less self-absorbed, and truly seeing the joys, sorrows, hopes, and aspirations of those around us.

    Our culture often promotes self-absorption, but to love is to risk—to risk rejection, misunderstanding, and even being pushed away. Yet, when we give, we also receive. We also need to learn to receive love, breaking down the insecurities and hard shells that prevent us from allowing others in.

    This journey of love is messy. It’s where we encounter people who annoy, trigger, and unsettle us, just as we no doubt do to others. But it is precisely in this space that we learn to love freely, without agenda, acting in the best interests of another, regardless of their background or status. In Christ, our new identity transcends all earthly distinctions. We are called to live under a new dispensation, experiencing God’s transforming love and reflecting it to a broken world. We are His church, a light to the world, known by our love for one another.

    Dallas Willard encourages us to “pursue love,” and he also says we should not try to love that person but try to become the kind of person who would love them.” And, “I do not come to my enemy and then try to love them, I come to them as a loving person.”

    What is your next step in this journey of love? Perhaps, as David Whyte’s poem suggests, you need to “start close in, don’t take the second step or the third, start with the first thing close in, the step you don’t want to take.”

    Reflective Questions:

    1. Considering the definition of love as “willing the good of others,” how has your understanding of love shifted? What might it look like to practically “will the good” of someone in your life this week?
    2. Jesus’ was aware of the situations and people around Him. In what ways can you cultivate a greater awareness of others’ needs, joys, and struggles in your daily interactions?
    3. The Hebrew word for love, ahavah, means “to give.” What is one tangible act of giving—whether time, attention, resources, or forgiveness—that you can offer someone this week as an expression of love?
    4. The devotion mentions that to love is to risk. What fears or insecurities might be preventing you from extending love freely to others, and how can you invite God into those areas?
    5. Dallas Willard suggests becoming “the kind of person who would love.” What character qualities do you need to cultivate in yourself to become more inherently loving, and how can you intentionally pursue those qualities?

    Closing Prayer:

    Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your immeasurable love—a love that is patient, kind, and always perseveres. Forgive us for the times we have drifted from these basic truths, for allowing distractions to dim the light of Your love within us. We pray for a renewed heart, a deeper understanding of what it means to love You with all our being, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Open our eyes, Lord, to the needs of those around us. Help us to be less self-absorbed and more attuned to the joys and sorrows of others. Give us the courage to take that “first step,” even the one we don’t want to take, in extending grace, kindness, and compassion. Transform us, by Your Holy Spirit, into people who inherently love, reflecting Your light in a broken world. May our lives be a testament to Your redeeming love, so that all may know we are Your disciples. Amen.

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  • Prayer

    Prayer

    Prayer is not so much about us bending God’s will to our requests but our will bowing to His. Prayer positions us: it positions us under the submission of God’s power instead of that of our circumstances.

    In the rhythm of our lives, it’s easy to get swept away by the current of daily demands and distractions. Like a boat drifting from its moorings, our spiritual lives can subtly move away from the foundational practices that sustain us. This week, we’re called to return to one of the most vital of these practices: personal prayer. As Hebrews 2:1 reminds us, we must “pay much closer attention than ever to the things that we have heard, so that we do not [in any way] drift away from truth.” We have heard the call to prayer from Jesus himself, a practice he not only taught but exemplified.

    For many, prayer feels like a chore, a performance requiring eloquent words and a specific tone. We imagine God in a “box seat,” judging our spiritual theatrics. But Jesus, in Matthew 6:5-15, shatters this misconception. He invites us to a different kind of prayer, one that is not about outward show but inward connection.

    Prayer isn’t a verbal performance; it’s presence. Jesus urges us to “Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage.” The invitation is profound: “Just be there.” Like a friend who simply desires our company, God doesn’t demand a polished presentation. He yearns for our genuine presence. Psalm 46:10 echoes this: “Be still… and know that I am God.” To be still before God is to acknowledge His presence, to allow ourselves to simply be with Him. As Mother Teresa wisely observed, “God is the friend of silence.” In the quiet, we create space for His presence to fill us, enabling us to give more fully in our active lives. Jesus himself sought such solitary places, demonstrating the power of silent communion. When we offer ourselves in stillness, we are not just asking for things; we are giving Him the greatest gift: ourselves.

    Prayer positions us: it positions us under the submission of God’s power instead of that of our circumstances. When we pray, we “hallow” God’s name, making Him holy in our hearts and minds. This isn’t about making God holy—He already is—but about acknowledging His holiness in our lives. We bring our weaknesses, imperfections, and struggles under the covering of His perfect power. This act of hallowing is an act of submission, placing our incompleteness under His wholeness.

    Prayer is not so much about us bending God’s will to our requests but our will bowing to His. Consider Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:42). He honestly expressed his desire for the “cup of suffering” to be taken away, yet he concluded with ultimate surrender: “Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” This isn’t transactional prayer, where we demand our desires be met. This is relational prayer, where we present our requests with vulnerability and then surrender them to God’s sovereign will, finding peace in His ultimate control and perfect plan, even when it involves hardship. As Mother Teresa articulated, “Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at His disposition, and listening to His voice in the depth of our hearts.”

    Prayer gives us heavenly perspective. The story of Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6 beautifully illustrates this. When surrounded by the Aramean army, the servant saw only overwhelming danger. But Elisha, through prayer, asked God to open his servant’s eyes, revealing the “horses and chariots of fire all around.” Prayer shifted the servant’s perspective from victimhood to authority, from earthly despair to heavenly reality. It empowered him to fight from victory, not for victory.

    So, how do we return to this essential practice? Jesus provides a simple model: a certain time, a certain place, a certain plan. Mark 1:35 shows us Jesus rising “very early in the morning, while it was still dark,” going “off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” We can emulate this by intentionally setting aside time and choosing a private place. For a “certain plan,” consider the “LOOK” method, a simple yet profound guide for your personal prayer time:

    1. Look Up at God in worship (Psalm 100:4): Begin by acknowledging God’s greatness, His character, and His love.
    2. Look Inwards at yourself with confession (1 John 1:9): Humbly admit your shortcomings and receive His forgiveness.
    3. Look Around at others who need God’s intervention (1 Timothy 2:1): Pray for your family, friends, community, and the world.
    4. Look Backwards in gratitude for God’s blessings (1 Thessalonians 5:18): Remember and thank God for His faithfulness in your past.
    5. Look Forward for provision from God (Philippians 4:6): Present your needs and concerns, trusting in His perfect provision.

    “Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.”

    John Maxwell

    Reflective Questions:

    1. In what ways have you found yourself drifting from consistent prayer in your life? What “life’s distractions” have contributed to this drift?
    2. How does the idea of prayer as “presence” rather than “verbal performance” challenge your current understanding or practice of prayer?
    3. Can you recall a time when you experienced a shift in perspective or a sense of peace after surrendering your will to God’s in prayer, even if the outcome wasn’t what you initially desired?
    4. Considering the “LOOK” method (Look Up, In, Around, Back, Forward), which of these five focuses do you feel most comfortable with, and which do you find most challenging to incorporate into your prayer life? Why?
    5. What concrete “next step”—a certain time, a certain place, or a specific part of the “LOOK” plan—will you commit to this week to cultivate a deeper practice of personal prayer?

    Closing Prayer:

    Heavenly Father, we thank You for the invitation to come before You in prayer, not as a performance, but as a beloved child simply being present with their Father. Forgive us for the times we have drifted, for the distractions that have pulled us away from this vital connection. We pray that You would teach us to be still, to truly be with You, surrendering our will to Yours and trusting in Your perfect plan, even when it’s difficult. Open our eyes, Lord, to gain Your heavenly perspective in every circumstance. Help us to establish a rhythm of prayer—a certain time, a certain place, and a certain plan—so that we may consistently look up in worship, in with confession, around for others, back in gratitude, and forward for Your provision. May our prayer lives be a testament to Your grace and power, transforming us from the inside out. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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  • The Word of God

    The Word of God

    If God’s Word is going to lead our lives, we not only ask our questions of it, but more importantly, we let it ask questions of us.

    In our spiritual lives, reading God’s Word is meant to be that landmark, a constant point of return when the distractions of life pull us away.

    The author of Hebrews wisely reminds us to “pay much closer attention than ever to the things that we have heard, so that we do not [in any way] drift away from truth.” We’ve heard the importance of reading God’s Word, of allowing it to nourish us like food. Yet, the statistics are sobering – the busyness of life crowds out this essential practice. Corrie Ten Boom once said, “If the devil can’t make you sin, he’ll make you busy.” It’s a subtle but effective way to derail our spiritual growth.

    Our demanding schedules lead us to neglect our physical nourishment, opting for quick and often unhealthy choices. In the same way, when we’re consumed by busyness, we can neglect the spiritual nourishment that comes from God’s Word, leaving us spiritually depleted.

    But God’s Word is so much more than just sustenance. Isaiah reminds us that God’s thoughts and ways are far beyond our own, like the heavens are higher than the earth. And just as rain and snow bring life and growth to the earth, so too does God’s Word accomplish His purposes. 

    Terran Williams puts it like this, “The words of God not only nourish the living seed already lodged in our lives – they span the distance between heaven and earth, between God’s mind and ours, bringing immense life and revelation with them. They are the very means by which heaven invades earth.”

    This Word has the power to transform our minds, as Paul writes in Romans 12:2, urging us to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind.” John Mark Comer adds that as we meditate on God’s Word, we begin to “think God’s thoughts after him” and develop the “mind of Christ.”

    So, let’s consider this vital “basic” again.

    Reflect:

    1. Reflecting on your own life, what are some of the “distractions” that tend to pull you away from consistent Bible reading?
    2. The passage mentions that God’s Word is like food for our souls. In what ways have you experienced the nourishing effect of Scripture in your life? Conversely, how have you felt when you’ve neglected this spiritual nourishment?
    3. Consider the three practical suggestions for engaging with Scripture: prayer, journaling, and asking questions. Which of these practices do you find most challenging, and why?
    4. The devotional highlights the importance of applying God’s Word, not just interpreting it. Can you recall a time when a specific verse prompted you to take action or change your perspective? What was the outcome?
    5. Tim Keller’s quote suggests that if our understanding of God never challenges us, we might be projecting our own ideals. How can we ensure that we are allowing God’s Word to truly speak to us, even when it’s uncomfortable?

    What next step do you need to take?

    “Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.”

    John Maxwell

    Closing Prayer:

    Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of your Word, a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. We confess that at times, the busyness and distractions of life cause us to drift from this vital source of truth and nourishment. Forgive us for the times we have neglected to seek you in the pages of Scripture. We ask for your Holy Spirit to inspire us as we return to this foundational practice. Help us to be intentional in our approach, to pray before we read, to journal the insights you reveal, and to ask the right questions that lead to practical application in our lives. May your Word not only inform our minds but also transform our hearts and guide our steps, leading us into the fullness of life you have promised. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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