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Going deeper...to go further

Daily Bible reading strengthens our relationship with God, nourishes our spirits and equips us to live a fruitful, effective life for Him.

This month we're reading scriptures about the Church living as a missional community. God's people are called, formed and sent to participate in His mission in the world. Each day includes an Old Testament reading, a New Testament reading, a question for reflection and a daily prayer.

Below you’ll see what we’re reading today. To go forward or back a day in our reading plan use the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons.

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Day 28 – Equipped for Every Good Work

Reflect: “What does it mean to equip ordinary believers rather than making mission the responsibility of church leaders alone?”

Nehemiah 2:11-20

11I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days 12I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on. 13By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. 14Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; 15so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. 16The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work. 17Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” 18I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work. 19But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?” 20I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”

Ephesians 4:1-16

Maintain unity with the believers1I am a prisoner for the Lord's sake and I encourage you to live in a way that is worthy of this great calling you have received from Him.2This involves remaining humble and gentle, being patient and sensitive to the needs of others out of your love for them.3Do everything you can to maintain the unity you have with other believers in the power of the Spirit by remaining at peace with them.4For there is one body of Christ and only one Holy Spirit, and we all share in the one hope to which we were called in Christ.5-6There is only one Lord, and we all share in the same faith in Him. There is only one baptism into Christ, only one God and Father of us all. He is over all of us, He works through all of us and His life is in all of us!Grace given to fulfil the call7Yet, at the same time, each one of us is given the particular grace we need to fulfil our calling, and it is Christ Himself who imparts this grace to us.8This is why we can understand, from what was written years ago, that when He ascended back to heaven He led a procession of those who had formerly been captives and gave gifts to those who were to continue the work of His Kingdom here on earth.9We need to understand that before He ascended to heaven, Christ first descended to where the souls were kept waiting for the release He alone could give.10Yes, He who descended there to free them is the same Lord who ascended to the highest place in heaven, so that the whole universe could be filled with His glory!God's order in His body11This same Lord Jesus appointed some of those who belonged to Him to be apostles, others to be those through whom He would speak prophetically to His people. Some were anointed to be evangelists, others He made pastors. Still others He made teachers.12-13All these various ministries have a common purpose. They are to prepare God's people to serve Him, happily doing the works God prepared for them. This is what will enable the body of Christ to be built up in the way He desires, and will bring people into unity in their faith, sharing in a common knowledge and experience of God's Son. Having servant hearts shows that people are mature in their life in Christ and that they are able to enjoy everything God has made available to us in Him, the fullness of His life that He came to impart.14Those who are mature in this way will no longer be like immature toddlers easily swayed and pulled this way and that. They will not be like corks bobbing about on the sea, or like falling leaves that are at the mercy of any wind that blows them around. Immature people are like that because they do not have a grasp of the truth of God's Word. So they are easily swayed by the latest fashion in 'spiritual' teaching. They are deceived by those who want to manipulate and use them and their money for their own ends.15The mature are not like that. They speak the truth to others out of love for them and, therefore, in a loving way. They are believers who keep growing in their faith, becoming more and more like Christ who is the Head of the body to which they belong.16From Him, the Head, the whole body is to draw together in unity. Every part is to fulfil its function in love, for the health of the whole body. And this is accomplished by each fulfilling the work Christ has appointed for him or her.

Thank you Jesus, that You make us a people who know and live in Your love, proclaim Your good news, welcome the stranger, serve our neighbours and participate together in Your mission. Show us those You are reaching, and give us eyes to see, ears to hear, courage to respond and love for the people around us.

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