All Posts By

Jason Mountjoy

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In REAP

2 Thessalonians Chapter 1

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So we keep on praying for you, asking God to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do v11

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 As I read verse three I find myself reflecting on the people who I have seen thrive and flourish in their faith and wonder if I have been giving God glory and celebrating what God is doing in peoples lives. Then once again, as it seems to be repeated so often that Paul, Silus and Timothy and are praying for their fellow believers.

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Who have I seen living faithful lives for Jesus who I could spend some time glorifying God for what he has done in their lives?

Who is that one person who I am faithfully praying for?

Pray//
 Lord, I pray we never forget to pray for others, for those who know you and those who don’t. I may your Holy Spirit inconveniently interrupt our lives and have us pray for our brothers and sisters, and when we do see your hand at work may we be quick to celebrate what you are doing and glorify you.

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In REAP

1 Thessalonians Chapter 4

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 Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others V12

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 Chapter 4 Paul is holding nothing back! Urging us to seek to please God and not man (reminding us of what he said 2 chapters earlier), he has called us to live Holy lives, not impure ones, and to bring glory to God in your workplace. Verse 11-12 are convicting ones to me, reflecting on past jobs I find myself asking if I brought glory God in my workplace or not.

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Am I living and life that pleases myself and those around me or can I truly say I striving to live a life that pleases God? What area’s in my life do I need to seek repentance for in this department?

Pray//
Lord I pray that at then end of each day as we reflect on the day that has being we are able to look back on our day we can rest easily knowing we brought glory and honor to your in our workplace/school/uni. And if we didn’t today God i pray we wake up tomorrow roaring have another go.

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In REAP

1 Thessalonians Chapter 3

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 Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith V10

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 Two days again I asked the questions about who are you praying for constantly? I must admit God has been really challenging me on this, I love the idea of praying for someone more than I love praying for them. I also love how they are celebrating (verse 7) about how their brothers and sisters in Christ have remained strong through times.

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 Who are the people you know in the midst of a hard time or have come out of a hard time that you can celebrate and encourage them for their faithfulness in God through that time? I’ve NEVER met somebody who doesn’t benefit from honest genuine encouragement, so pray that God you a name/s to encourage in their walk today.
Who has God placed on your heart to pray earnestly for? In your journal spend some time in prayer for them, pray that they are always on your heart and mind to be praying for them.

Pray//
Lord I pray you reveal to us this morning people in our lives who have gone through tough times or who we can encourage as they are finding their strength in you, let us not miss an opportunity to encourage someone. God I also pray you put the name of the person we are to be praying for constantly at the forefront of our minds lifting them up in prayer always.

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In REAP

1 Thessalonians Chapter 2

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 Our purpose is to please God, not only people. He alone examins the motives of our hearts V5

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 As a chronic people pleaser this is the day I’m happy to skim read J Paul speaks so clearly of his love for God and his very limited concern for the opinions those he is evangelizing to. Is this guy serious? Does he genuinely not care or is he putting on a fisaad? This is why reading Gods lover letter to you and I is so important, because we know Pauls life becomes one of absolute one eyed love for Jesus.

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 When I think about applying this chapter to my life I can’t help but ask myself who am I trying to please? Am I doing things to impress those around me or am doing things for the glory of God? Who’s praises am I seeking?

Pray//
 Lord I pray that you begin to revel to us the areas in our lives that we are seeking to please people and not you? I pray you reveal those areas to us and we can begin to live a one-eyed life for Jesus and nobody else.

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In REAP

1 Thessalonians Chapter 1

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We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly v1

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I love the way the intro to this letter is written. It’s such an encouragement to read that the leaders of the Church where praying for people night and day!
That they were training and teaching new believers far beyond the capabilities they had placed on themselves. This is a beautiful picture of what discipleship is.
Praying for people constantly! Teaching them all you know about Jesus and allowing them thrive and lead people to the Lord.

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This is where it goes from a nice read to a life altering piece of scripture. The questions I got from this are Who are you praying for constantly? Who has God placed in your life to praying for constantly?
Who are you disciple’ing and seeing them grow into mighty warriors for Christ?
If you haven’t got anyone start praying for that opportunity to disciple someone, to show them the life altering relationship you have with Jesus.

Pray//
Lord I pray that you reveal to us the one or two people you have called us to disciple, Lord I pray we remain constantly in prayer for these people

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In REAP

3 John

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Follow only what is good. 3 John v 11

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I remember reading this letter as a teenager thinking it sounded good – I read the whole book in a night. But I never saw the gold in what I was reading. Slow down as you read this, who are the Lord’s workers who we can bless? Often we can be quick to look to someone else to do the blessing but the invitation is right there V5-9. I also felt provoked by verse v11, who am I being influenced by? Who is influencing me?

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This is an awesome chance for us to reflect on two things; Who are the missionaries or Lord’s workers that God has prompted us to support (in one of MANY different ways: Prayer, Finances, time etc) and secondly who’s example are you being influenced by? Someone is who is doing good or doing evil? It’s a confronting question but John’s put it in there for a reason.

Pray//
Lord I pray that today we slow down, we begin to look at who is influencing us, if that’s someone who isn’t great and God honouring, I pray that you begin to reveal to people in our lives who are good influences. God you are God, your love is good and I pray we rest in that truth. Amen

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In REAP

John Chapter 6

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That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the father gives them to me.  John 6:44

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Well, how amazing is God! Seriously from one young boy’s lunch box with 2 fish and 5 loaves he was able to feed over 5000 people! But how quickly is that miracle forgotten, as we read on this chapter the doubt of the believers sets in, for me this is such a beautiful reminder that I am never immune to doubt in my faith, instead each day I should thank God for the blessing in my life, remind myself of the truth of Christ, so when doubt set’s in I don’t ask for a miracle or a sign, but I instead dig deeper into my relationship with Christ. As Jesus has said he is the bread of life! Anyone who is thirsty can drink from his well and be thirsty no more!

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When Jesus says that nobody can come to the father except through me, it can be read as an exclusive statement, but it’s an open invitation!! Jesus is saying that there are more laws than you can even remember so how will you keep them? Instead, sit at my feet, listen to my teachings and know that I am the one true source of life.

Pray //

Lord today may we be reminded of the open invitation of Jesus, may we walk in comfort knowing what you have done for us. Lord, I pray that that’s where we get our source of life from, not in material possessions or living a religious life but one that is so embedded in a relationship with you that no doubt could ever tear our relationship with you apart.

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In REAP

John Chapter 5

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You search the scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life. John 5:39

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Firstly that isn’t Jesus saying that we can now stop doing our REAP’ing. Instead, this is Jesus speaking to those who know about Jesus but don’t know Jesus. They are so caught up in the Law (as Stu called the Pharisees: Sabbath Police) that they have lost touch with the one who these teachings were about. Jesus has just healed a paralyzed man and instead of celebrating the miraculous work of the father they condemn the man for carrying his matt on the Sabbath! As you read this Gospel you begin to realize that Jesus really isn’t one for sticking to the mold, he is here to share his love with everyone, even on the Sabbath! He will stop at nothing to ensure people know how much he loves them.

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Is the way that I am living that which is replicating the understanding of Law like the Pharisees or love like Jesus? It’s a hard-hitting question and extremely convicting. So often I think my knowledge of scripture and bible stories is what matters, it’s not. It’s my relationship with Christ, which is stemmed from the scriptures and what I read but it shouldn’t stop there, instead, it should convict me to go out and share this freedom I have found in Jesus.

Pray //

Jesus, I am sorry if my head has ever outrun my heart. May your grace and love be at the center of my life, may everything I do I do with humility and understanding I don’t deserve this love you have given me, but because of it I am set free and forever changed.

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In REAP

John Chapter 4

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Those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life. John 4:14

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Jesus is once again changing the way of life as the people knew it. I love v9 when Jesus is engaging with a Samaritan! This was countercultural stuff! Then He ask’s her for a drink of water. We may have lost our understanding of this, but this was huge! A Jew would NEVER ask a Samaritan for a drink of water after this Jesus so beautifully tells her that the water He has to offer is one that will never make you thirsty again. I am constantly struck but how beautiful the message of Jesus really is, soon the place of worship will no longer matter however the heart behind the act of worship and who is being worshipped is what matters.

Apply //

How is what I am doing in my life being countercultural? Not to run amuck, but to go above and beyond what is normal in the hope that people would get to know Christ? How missional is my heart really?

Pray //

Lord, I pray you stir in me a passion to seek out those who don’t yet know you, Lord I pray that however small these opportunities are that I embrace them, that I don’t look at how others are responding towards my actions but I am responding to your spirit and guidance.

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In REAP

John Chapter 3

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Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. John 3:30

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John 3:16 the most famous Bible verse of all time (probably), I found myself skimming over this saying I’ve read this before, but slow down re-read that and look at what it actually says! There is an invitation here like no other! God has sent his son to save the world from our sin, furthermore, anyone who believes in the father will have eternal life, what a beautiful piece of scripture. The other part that stands out to me in chapter 3 is the humility of John the Baptist, here is a man who has done some incredible works for the glory of his father, and as soon as people turn to him and compare him to the Messiah he shuts them down and explains he wants to become less so that Jesus will become more. Less of me more of you Jesus.

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This chapter is jam-packed with gold. Firstly sitting in v16 & 17, you may not yet be a Christian, or maybe you have Rabbi levels of faith. Either way, this is an opportunity to look at what God has actually done for us, and how desperately he wants to set us free from our old ways and be in a relationship with us.
In v19-20 I found myself asking the question what kind of light bearer am I being? Am I one who is shining the light of Christ into the darkness of this world?
Finally, John the Baptist’s humility blows me away, a man who has done so much for the kingdom of God is on a continuous mission to ensure there is less of him and more of Christ for everyone who meets him, that’s the kind of humility we as Christians should be striving for.

Pray //

Lord, I pray that today I am reminded of your miracle of turning water into wine! I pray that I never forget how special your miracles are! More important may I remember why you perform miracles, to bring praise and honor to you.