St Barnabas Daily Devotions

2 Kings 6:13-23 - Daily Devotion - 18 July 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 13 So the king said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send men to capture him.”On receiving the report, “Elisha is in Dothan,” 14 the king of Aram sent horses, chariots, and a great army. They went there by night and surrounded the city.15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early in the morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. So he asked Elisha, “Oh, my master, what are we to do?”16 “Do not be afraid,” Elisha answered, “for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”17 Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.”And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.18 As the Arameans came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, “Please strike these people with blindness.” So He struck them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha.19 And Elisha told them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you are seeking.” And he led them to Samaria.20 When they had entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O LORD, open the eyes of these men that they may see.”Then the LORD opened their eyes, and they looked around and discovered that they were in Samaria.21 And when the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?”22 “Do not kill them,” he replied. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and then return to their master.”23 So the king prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. And the Aramean raiders did not come into the land of Israel again.REFLECTIONSWritten by Gus CameronThese verses sound like they could have been written into something like The Lord of the Rings. It has the plot twists and deception worthy of a movie, as Elisha shows his attendant the mighty, invisible army surrounding him.I’m again reminded of Jesus, how in the garden of Gethsemane when his disciples were wanting to fight the people who came to arrest him, Jesus said, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthw 26:53). That would be 72,000 angels, which is more than the whole Australian Army!Elisha had a cunning plan to save his people, and through it he also saved his enemies’ lives. He asked God to blind the enemy soldiers so that he could capture them, but then rather than slaughtering them, he showed them mercy – he fed them and sent them away, humbled but alive.Like Elisha, Jesus knew God’s protection, and yet Jesus still submitted himself to die on a cross and even as he died, we get a hint of God’s mercy on his enemies. As Jesus died, Matthew 27:54 records this: ‘When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”’.Jesus’ death is not a sign of weakness, it is the most incredible demonstration of God saving us from sin and death. Remember that we were God’s enemies, but in God’s mercy he has given us what we don’t deserve. Christ died to save us to save us from the death we deserve. Give thanks that God loves to save people like us! ABOUT THE AUTHORGus is one of our Assistant Ministers.

2 Kings 6:1-12 - Daily Devotion - 17 July 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 1 Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Please take note that the place where we meet with you is too small for us. 2 Please let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a log so we can build ourselves a place to live there.”“Go,” said Elisha.3 Then one of them said, “Please come with your servants.”“I will come,” he replied.4 So Elisha went with them, and when they came to the Jordan, they began to cut down some trees. 5 As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axe head fell into the water. “Oh, my master,” he cried out, “it was borrowed!”6 “Where did it fall?” asked the man of God.And when he showed him the place, the man of God cut a stick, threw it there, and made the iron float.7 “Lift it out,” he said, and the man reached out his hand and took it.8 Now the king of Aram was at war against Israel. After consulting with his servants, he said, “My camp will be in such and such a place.”9 Then the man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Be careful passing by this place, for the Arameans are going down there.”10 So the king of Israel sent word to the place the man of God had pointed out. Time and again[A] Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. 11 For this reason the king of Aram became enraged and called his servants to demand of them, “Tell me, which one of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”12 But one of his servants replied, “No one, my lord the king. For Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Gus CameronTwo extraordinary things happen in this passage. First, Elisha makes an axe head float – something that clearly shouldn’t happen! Then Elisha is able to reveal the plans of the Arameans so that the Israelites are always one step ahead of them. We might be tempted to explain away the miracle of Elisha knowing the Arameans’ plans by wondering if he had a spy in the camp or by thinking they were simply lucky guesses. But we’re told about the floating axe head to remind us that God can do anything! For God, revealing the Arameans’ war plans to Elisha is no problem.When Jesus came, he did even more remarkable things. He walked on water, calmed storms, and filled boats with fish. All his miracles display his power. Don’t write them off or try to explain them away with rational, natural explanations. Accept them for what they are: demonstrations of God’s power over this world. God created this world, so there is no problem with the Son of God having power over his creation.Jesus’ miracles also show that we can’t explain away his resurrection from the dead. Jesus really did rise, which means he is more than capable of giving us new life too. Elisha’s miracles showed the people in his day that they could trust God to save them. Jesus’ miracles show us that we can trust him to save us too.Do you have trouble believing that Jesus has the power to do miracles? Do you have trouble believing that Jesus has saved you through his death and resurrection? Pray that God would keep showing you that Jesus truly is God become flesh, and that you can trust him to save you. ABOUT THE AUTHORGus is one of our Assistant Ministers.

2 Kings 5:19b-27 - Daily Devotion - 16 July 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park But after Naaman had traveled a short distance, 20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has spared this Aramean, Naaman, while not accepting what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?”22 “Everything is all right,” Gehazi replied. “My master has sent me to say, ‘I have just now discovered that two young men from the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’”23 But Naaman insisted, “Please, take two talents.” And he urged Gehazi to accept them. Then he tied up two talents of silver in two bags along with two sets of clothing and gave them to two of his servants, who carried them ahead of Gehazi.24 When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the gifts from the servants and stored them in the house. Then he dismissed the men, and they departed.25 When Gehazi went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Gehazi, where have you been?”“Your servant did not go anywhere,” he replied.26 But Elisha questioned him, “Did not my spirit go with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to accept money and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, menservants and maidservants? 27 Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and your descendants forever!”And as Gehazi left his presence, he was leprous—as white as snow.REFLECTIONSWritten by Gus Cameron Today’s passage comes as a bit of a downer after seeing God’s grace yesterday as he healed Naaman through the prophet Elisha. But I find myself feeling conflicted about it. On the one hand, it’s easy to understand why Gehazi is resentful of Elisha healing Naaman, because Naaman is the commander of the army of Israel’s enemy! Yet it’s also clear that Gehazi goes behind Elisha’s back to lie and steal. Jealousy can drive us to do things we know we shouldn’t.As I read this, I was reminded of some of the parables Jesus told, particularly to the Pharisees, who were jealous of and looked down on those Jesus welcomed. In the parable of the prodigal son, the older brother is jealous when his father lavishly celebrates his younger brother’s return. In the parable of the workers in the vineyard, the workers who were hired first are jealous that those hired later receive the same wage. In the parable of the unforgiving servant, the servant whose enormous debt has been forgiven refuses to show the same mercy to his fellow servant.Jesus wants us to know that none of us deserves forgiveness, yet in his great love God has forgiven us. So let’s examine our hearts. Are we grateful for what God has done for us, even though we don’t deserve it? And are we glad when God shows grace to others, even to those we find difficult to love or think deserve it the least?Perhaps today would be a good day to pray for someone you find it hard to pray for. Ask God to save them or grow them in their love for him, and ask him to help you find joy in his grace towards them. ABOUT THE AUTHORGus is a Senior Assistant Minister with the Fairfield congregations.

2 Kings 5:10-19a - Daily Devotion - 15 July 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 10 Then Elisha sent him a messenger, who said, “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be clean.”11 But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out, stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the spot to cure my leprosy. 12 Are not the Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not have washed in them and been cleansed?” So he turned and went away in a rage.13 Naaman’s servants, however, approached him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’?”14 So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored and became like that of a little child, and he was clean.15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God, stood before him, and declared, “Now I know for sure that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.”16 But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” And although Naaman urged him to accept it, he refused.17 “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much soil as a pair of mules can carry. For your servant will never again make a burnt offering or a sacrifice to any other god but the LORD. 18 Yet may the LORD forgive your servant this one thing: When my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my arm, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the LORD forgive your servant in this matter.”19 “Go in peace,” said Elisha.REFLECTIONSWritten by Tim MitryWe recently finished the book of Daniel in our sermons. Naaman’s story is a bit like a shorter version of Nebuchadnezzar’s story arc in Daniel. They were both wealthy, powerful, rich men whom God humbled. I also picked up on a similar lesson as in Daniel: God is always at work towards His purposes, both in big and small ways. Naaman’s success in chapter 5:1 is only due to the LORD, and nothing after that is a coincidence.God has worked in big and small ways to bring Naaman to Israel so that he “will know that there is a prophet in Israel”, and Naaman now testifies that “there is no God in all the earth except in Israel”. After all, Naaman can’t credit the river water of Israel for healing his leprosy – he claims the rivers in his homeland are better! And Elisha didn’t even come out to meet him, so Naaman can hardly say it was some hand-waving that healed him.On reflection, I find I have a bit in common with Naaman. He has wealth and power to seek out medical treatments. I sort of have that too – I am citizen in one of the wealthiest countries in the world with access to lots of free and advanced healthcare. He lives in a nation that worships physical idols in temples, I live in a nation that worships the idols of property, self, and pleasure. I pray that I will be resolute like Naaman in my testimony and worship of God. I pray that I will be kept from the mistake Naaman made – that is, limiting God to work according to my expectations of how he should work. Why not pray those things for yourself too? ABOUT THE AUTHORTim is one of our Ministry Apprentices.

2 Kings 5:1-9 - Daily Devotion - 14 July 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 1 Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in his master’s sight and highly regarded, for through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. And he was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.2 At this time the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken a young girl from the land of Israel, and she was serving Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would go to the prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of his leprosy.”4 And Naaman went and told his master what the girl from the land of Israel had said.5 “Go now,” said the king of Aram, “and I will send you with a letter to the king of Israel.”So Naaman departed, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing.6 And the letter that he took to the king of Israel stated: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a leper? Surely you can see that he is seeking a quarrel with me!”8 Now when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king: “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let the man come to me, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.”9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house.REFLECTIONSWritten by Tim MitryYou might feel indifferent towards Naaman, dislike him, or develop a soft spot for him. I felt all those things in that order as I read this. I felt indifferent at first because, well, who on earth is Naaman!?I felt dislike for him, because he and his wife had a captive Israelite girl as their servant. I began developing a small soft spot for Naaman when I thought about his situation. He had a disease that was eating away at his skin. And I can see he is desperate to relieve himself of the disease – he takes roughly 350 kilograms of silver, and millions of dollars’ worth of gold with him to seek out revolutionary medical treatment in Israel.Naaman is a Gentile from a neighbouring country. But his story isn’t like Goliath’s. He isn’t an enemy brute to be knocked down by Israel. And while he would be the last man on earth an ancient Israelite would expect God to have mercy on, we see God at work in this story. Did you catch, in verse 1, that Naaman’s power and success was only because the LORD had given it to him? And things line up too much – repeatedly – for mere coincidence. When things go pear-shaped with the king of Israel, Elisha the man of God intervened, saying, “let the man come to me, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel”. I’m keen to see what happens to Naaman. It’s thrilling to see God demonstrating His love and mercy to the other nations around Israel. We’ve seen that this year in youth group with Jonah and the Ninevites, in church with King Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel, and in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus’ ancestry. Will we see God make himself known to Naaman? ABOUT THE AUTHORTim is one of our Ministry Apprentices.

2 Kings 4:38-44 - Daily Devotion - 13 July 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 38 When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting at his feet, he said to his attendant, “Put on the large pot and boil some stew for the sons of the prophets.”39 One of them went out to the field to gather herbs, and he found a wild vine from which he gathered as many wild gourds as his garment could hold. Then he came back and cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were.40 And they poured it out for the men to eat, but when they tasted the stew they cried out, “There is death in the pot, O man of God!” And they could not eat it.41 Then Elisha said, “Get some flour.” He threw it into the pot and said, “Pour it out for the people to eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.42 Now a man from Baal-shalishah came to the man of God with a sack of twenty loaves of barley bread from the first ripe grain.“Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha.43 But his servant asked, “How am I to set twenty loaves before a hundred men?”“Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha, “for this is what the LORD says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’”44 So he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.REFLECTIONSWritten by James DavidsonGod’s disciplining judgement of famine was on his disobedient people, just as Moses had warned them centuries before. But God had kept a small, faithful remnant, the sons of the prophets, led by the prophet Elisha – only one hundred of them. Their lives too were threatened by the famine, but in these two episodes, God provided food for them miraculously and abundantly. So today, God has kept a small, faithful remnant for himself among a world in rebellion against him. We suffer the same difficulties as other people because we live in this fallen world, for example, natural disasters, tragedies, phone outages, traffic jams, sickness and death. But God promises that he will provide enough for us, so that we can accomplish the work he wants us to do. Jesus said to his disciples in Matthew 6: “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:31-33)We can generously use all our resources of time, energy and wealth in the service of God’s kingdom knowing that God will provide us with all we need to do his work. We don’t have to be anxious about the necessities of life. Our heavenly Father will provide all we need. ABOUT THE AUTHORJames is one of our Assistant Ministers.

2 Kings 4:28-37 - Daily Devotion - 11 July 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park Context: The Shunammite woman’s son has died, and she has travelled to find the prophet Elisha.~~~28 Then she said, “Did I ask you for a son, my lord? Didn’t I say, ‘Do not deceive me?’”29 So Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tie up your garment,[A] take my staff in your hand, and go! If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer him. Then lay my staff on the boy’s face.”30 And the mother of the boy said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her.31 Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So he went back to meet Elisha and told him, “The boy has not awakened.”32 When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his bed. 33 So he went in, closed the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD.34 Then Elisha got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eye to eye, and hand to hand. As he stretched himself out over him, the boy’s body became warm. 35 Elisha turned away and paced back and forth across the room. Then he got on the bed and stretched himself out over the boy again, and the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.36 Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite woman.” So he called her and she came.Then Elisha said, “Pick up your son.”37 She came in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.REFLECTIONSWritten by James DavidsonIn the list of the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 we read, ‘Women received back their dead, raised to life again’ (Hebrews 11:35). Here is one such example. Her faith is emphasized. As soon as her son dies, she knows what she’s going to do. She’s going to ask Elisha to raise him. That’s why she places him on the bed that she had provided for Elisha in her home. That’s why straight away she went to him as quickly as she could. That’s why she wouldn’t leave his side once she found him. And, sure enough, her faith is rewarded. Elisha prays and the boy is raised.But why did God raise this boy? No doubt many boys died in Israel’s history. Well, remember that this was a very special boy. His mother was the woman who showed remarkable kindness to God’s prophet Elisha. He was the miracle baby that God had promised her through Elisha. So God decided to demonstrate his power over death through this particular mother and child.It’s the same today. God doesn’t promise to raise every boy who dies. But nonetheless, this reminds us that nothing is impossible with God. It also reminds us that the prayer of faith is powerful because God is powerful. Our prayers are powerful because our God is powerful. What an encouragement to pray! ABOUT THE AUTHORJames is one of our Assistant Ministers.

2 Kings 4:11-27 - Daily Devotion - 10 July 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 11 One day Elisha came to visit and went to his upper room to lie down. 12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call the Shunammite woman.”And when he had called her, she stood before him, 13 and Elisha said to Gehazi, “Now tell her, ‘Look, you have gone to all this trouble for us. What can we do for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’”“I have a home among my own people,” she replied.14 So he asked, “Then what should be done for her?”“Well, she has no son,” Gehazi replied, “and her husband is old.”15 “Call her,” said Elisha.So Gehazi called her, and she stood in the doorway. 16 And Elisha declared, “At this time next year, you will hold a son in your arms.”“No, my lord,” she said. “Do not lie to your maidservant, O man of God.”17 But the woman did conceive, and at that time the next year she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.18 And the child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the harvesters.19 “My head! My head!” he complained to his father.So his father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.”20 After the servant had picked him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. 21 And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God. Then she shut the door and went out.22 And the woman called her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may go quickly to the man of God and return.”23 “Why would you go to him today?” he replied. “It is not a New Moon or a Sabbath.”“Everything is all right,” she said.24 Then she saddled the donkey and told her servant, “Drive onward; do not slow the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she set out and went to the man of God at Mount Carmel.When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, there is the Shunammite woman. 26 Please run out now to meet her and ask, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’”And she answered, “Everything is all right.”27 When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she clung to his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for her soul is in deep distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.”REFLECTIONSWritten by James DavidsonThe last verse struck me. When the Shunammite woman reached Elisha on Mt Carmel, she clung to his feet. But Elisha’s servant Gehazi came over to push her away. Why did he do that? I think most likely because he thought it was unseemly. He thought it was inappropriate for a woman to be touching God’s prophet like that. But Elisha said, “Leave her alone, for her soul is in deep distress.” This was not a moment for conventional etiquette to be observed. This was a moment when deep compassion was called for. Elisha recognized her distress and had compassion on her.What a clear foreshadowing of Jesus! The disciples were surprised when they found Jesus talking to the woman of Samaria. It didn’t seem quite proper according to the custom of the time. But Jesus’ compassion for her was greater than his desire to fit the disciples’ view of what was proper. He broke down the conventional barrier to bring her the news of eternal salvation.There’s a challenge for us. Are we prepared to reach out to people who other people may think are not appropriate for us to reach out to? Perhaps the homeless man living in a nearby park. Perhaps someone in jail. Perhaps that awkward person at work. We must treat all people with absolute purity, but we must also reach out to all people, including the not so socially acceptable. ABOUT THE AUTHORJames is one of our Assistant Ministers.

2 Kings 4:1-10 - Daily Devotion - 9 July 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 1 Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!”2 “How can I help you?” asked Elisha. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?”She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”3 “Go,” said Elisha, “borrow jars, even empty ones, from all your neighbors. Do not gather just a few. 4 Then go inside, shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour oil into all these jars, setting the full ones aside.”5 So she left him, and after she had shut the door behind her and her sons, they kept bringing jars to her, and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another.”But he replied, “There are no more jars.” Then the oil stopped flowing.7 She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt. Then you and your sons can live on the remainder.”8 One day Elisha went to Shunem, and a prominent woman who lived there persuaded him to have a meal. So whenever he would pass by, he would stop there to eat.9 Then the woman said to her husband, “Behold, now I know that the one who often comes our way is a holy man of God. 10 Please let us make a small room upstairs and put in it a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp for him. Then when he comes to us, he can stay there.”REFLECTIONSWritten by James DavidsonGod provided generously in a remarkable way for the destitute widow of one of the company of prophets who supported Elisha is his work of speaking the word of God. After that, the prominent woman provided generously for Elisha. This reminds me of two principles which flow through to the New Testament. Firstly, God’s command that we provide materially for those who teach us his word full time. Galatians 6:6 says: “Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word must share in all good things with his instructor.” Am I generous in supporting those who teach me God’s word?The second principle is God’s desire that we support widows who are in financial need, particularly those who fear God. 1 Timothy 5:3 says: “Honor the widows who are truly widows.” Am I generous to Christian widows that I know? Am I generous to people in need generally?Sometimes paid gospel workers die young. If so, we must be especially mindful to support the families they leave behind. We serve a God who loves the widow and the orphan, and who wants his word to go out. Let’s be like him in generously supporting both those in need and gospel workers. ABOUT THE AUTHORJames is one of our Assistant Ministers.

2 Kings 3:15-27 - Daily Devotion - 8 July 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 15 But now, bring me a harpist. ”And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha 16 and he said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Dig this valley full of ditches.’ 17 For the LORD says, ‘You will not see wind or rain, but the valley will be filled with water, and you will drink—you and your cattle and your animals.’ 18 This is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD, and He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. 19 And you shall attack every fortified city and every city of importance. You shall cut down every good tree, stop up every spring, and ruin every good field with stones.”20 The next morning, at the time of the morning sacrifice, water suddenly flowed from the direction of Edom and filled the land.21 Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. So all who could bear arms, young and old, were summoned and stationed at the border. 22 When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water, and it looked as red as blood to the Moabites across the way.23 “This is blood!” they exclaimed. “The kings have clashed swords and slaughtered one another. Now to the plunder, Moab!”24 But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and attacked them, and they fled before them. So the Israelites invaded their land and struck down the Moabites. 25 They destroyed the cities, and each man threw stones on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up every spring and cut down every good tree. Only Kir-haraseth was left with stones in place, but men with slings surrounded it and attacked it as well.26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not prevail. 27 So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him, and offered him as a burnt offering on the city wall.And there was great fury against the Israelites, so they withdrew and returned to their own land.REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadThe strange ambiguities continue in today’s passage. On the one hand, the Lord promises a miracle through Elisha, and he delivers, with all the water and the optical illusion of blood. But Elisha knows perfectly well that Jehoram is not a loyal follower of the Lord. So why does he give him a miraculous promise?Then there’s the troubling description of what the Israelites did to the Moabite cities in verse 25 – completely destroying the fertile and productive land around their cities. This seems to be a direct violation of the Law of Moses. Deuteronomy 20 laid out rules for how the Israelites were to conduct wars on foreign soil, and one of the rules was: If they besieged a city, they must not cut down all the fruit-bearing trees around it (Deut. 20:19-20). They do that and more.That might explain the puzzling and disturbing ending, where the king of Moab commits the most evil atrocity imaginable: he kills his own son as a human sacrifice to the Moabite god Chemosh. For some reason, this resulted in “great fury against the Israelites”. Perhaps this showed that their whole war had been based on lies and that God was displeased with them.The lesson I drew from all this was: You can’t come to God with an agenda, hoping that he will give you a way to justify your selfish plans. If you do, you will be deceived into thinking God backs your choices. It’s yet another reminder of the importance of genuinely humbling ourselves before the Lord. James rebuked the hypocrites he was writing to for asking God “with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures” (James 4:3). Paul told the Corinthians, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves” (2 Cor. 13:15). Today would be a good day to ask God to help you search your heart and see whether you are being honest and transparent with him in the things you are pursuing in life. ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our Senior Minister.

2 Kings 3:4-14 - Daily Devotion - 7 July 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he would render to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. 5 But after the death of Ahab, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 So at that time King Jehoram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. 7 And he sent a message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?”“I will go,” replied Jehoshaphat. “I am like you, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.” 8 Then he asked, “Which way shall we go up?”“By way of the Desert of Edom,” replied Joram.9 So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days, they had no water for their army or for their animals.10 “Alas,” said the king of Israel, “for the LORD has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab!”11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here? Let us inquire of the LORD through him.”And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.[C] ”12 Jehoshaphat affirmed, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.13 Elisha, however, said to the king of Israel, “What have we to do with each other? Go to the prophets of your father and of your mother!”“No,” replied the king of Israel, “for it is the LORD who has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”14 Then Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not for my regard for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or acknowledge you.REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadAround the time of 2 Kings, the land of Moab was under the control of the northern kingdom of Israel, and had to send a huge sheep tax every year. But when King Ahab of Israel had died, the king of Moab thought there might be a chance of throwing off Israel’s rule. Today and tomorrow, we are reading about the Israelite war campaign in response to Moab’s defiance.I found the whole account very strange. It is full of odd details and ambiguities that we aren’t given the answers to. Why is King Jehoshaphat of Judah so keen to join in this war? He was a faithful follower of the Lord God – surely he should have known that Joram worshipped idols, and that should have made him think twice?Then there’s Joram saying, in verse 13, that it was the Lord who had prompted him to start this war – but there was nothing about that at the start of the chapter. Is Joram pretending to be following the Lord’s directions, so that Jehoshaphat would join his war effort? Is he using God to justify his own greedy warmongering? “The Lord told us to do this, honest!”Paul says to the Corinthians, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness?” (2 Cor. 6:14) That’s not actually about dating and marriage (though it applies there). It’s warning more broadly against being careless in the kinds of people you enter into close partnerships with, because tying your goals and dreams and promises to those of an unbeliever can sometimes lead to intense pressure to engage in unrighteous conduct. Ask God to give you wisdom to know when to say “no” to these, even if the possible profits or benefits look amazing. ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our Senior Minister.

2 Kings 2:19 - 3:3 - Daily Devotion - 6 July 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please note, our lord, that the city’s location is good, as you can see. But the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.”20 “Bring me a new bowl,” he replied, “and put some salt in it.”So they brought it to him, 21 and Elisha went out to the spring, cast the salt into it, and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘I have healed this water. No longer will it cause death or unfruitfulness.”22 And the waters there have been healthy to this day, according to the word spoken by Elisha.23 From there, Elisha went up to Bethel, and as he was walking up the road, a group of boys came out of the city and jeered at him, chanting, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”24 Then he turned around, looked at them, and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD.Suddenly two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.25 And Elisha went on to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.Chapter three1 In the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Jehoram son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria twelve years. 2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He removed the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made.3 Nevertheless, he clung to the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadAt first, these two episodes from Elisha’s life felt like random stories – and I’m guessing you found the second one quite disturbing.But I think there’s more going on here. Elisha has only just been granted the same prophetic Spirit that had given Elijah authority and power to call Israel back to their covenant with God. But the only people who witnessed this transfer of authority was a small company of prophets.So the Lord does these two powerful works to show that there is a true prophet of God on the scene again – one who will bring either life or death, just as God’s covenant with Israel had promised. In the first miracle, God uses Elisha to bring life to a land that was dead. In the second, he brings down the covenant curse on those who reject God’s prophet and entice others to worship idols.It’s probably helpful to say a bit more about the episode with the bears – not just because I’m with Elisha on this one (who are these kids making fun of a bald guy??). More seriously … We don’t know the details of why God chose to judge these youths so severely, but I doubt they were just messing around. Bethel was one of the two cities in the northern kingdom which was leading the Israelites in idolatry. Jeroboam, the first northern king after Israel was divided, set up golden calves in Bethel and Dan, and through all of Israel’s history these two idols led them to rebel against the Lord. In fact, we read that the new king, Jehoram, continued worshiping Jeroboam’s golden calves. So I suspect this large mob of youths – perhaps sent by their elders? – were deliberately mocking and threatening the man God had sent to call them back to himself. This was entrenched idolatry by a city in the land of promise, and the old covenant had made very clear what the consequences would be (see Deuteronomy 13).As people of the new covenant, I’m so grateful that it’s not our job to bring down God’s judgment on unbelievers. They will do that themselves if they reject Christ, and God has appointed Jesus to judge the world (Matthew 25:31-46). But yesterday, we saw that we are Jesus’ Spirit-anointed agents – and that means we get to bring miraculous life to a dead world by speaking about Jesus and showing people Jesus’ love. Jesus has made us the salt of the earth, so that people will glorify the Father (Matthew 5:13-16). What an amazing privilege! ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our Senior Minister.

2 Kings 2:11-18 - Daily Devotion - 4 July 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire with horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind.12 As Elisha watched, he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And he saw Elijah no more. So taking hold of his own clothes, he tore them in two.13 Elisha also picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah, and he went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the waters. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked.And when he had struck the waters, they parted to the right and to the left, and Elisha crossed over.15 When the sons of the prophets who were facing him from Jericho saw what had happened, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him.16 “Look now,” they said to Elisha, “we your servants have fifty valiant men. Please let them go and search for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and put him on one of the mountains or in one of the valleys.”“Do not send them,” Elisha replied.17 But when they pressed him to the point of embarrassment, he said, “Send them.”And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find Elijah.18 When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen Shead(Apologies that there was a delay in getting this devotion out.)Reading today’s passage, I realised I have always assumed the Bible says something that it doesn’t say. I had always thought that the chariot of fire was what carried Elijah up to heaven … which, now I come to think of it, probably would have left him with third degree burns – he was still a flesh-and-blood human! The Bible actually says he was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. The horses and chariots were what separated Elisha from his master, they weren’t his personal ride. Maybe the fiery display was a sign that the Spirit of God was at work protecting his people.Yesterday I mentioned that this chapter is an echo of Moses and Joshua. But reading it again, what strikes me is not the echoes of the past, it’s how much Elijah foreshadows Jesus – and how much greater Jesus is than Elijah.Back in verse 9, Elisha asked Elijah for a parting gift: “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit.” That is, Elisha wants to receive the same prophetic anointing of the Spirit of God that Elijah had received. But for Elijah, this request was “a difficult thing” (v. 10) – he knew that Elisha had requested something that was not in his power to give.In the end, Elisha did receive the Spirit when Elijah ascended – parting the waters of the Jordan River showed that. But Jesus’ ascension is so much greater! When Jesus ascended to the right hand of God, he himself sent the Spirit from the Father (see John 15:26 and Acts 2:33). In fact, the Spirit of God IS the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9).And when Elisha ascended, the miracle was that the same prophetic Spirit was passed on to one other, who would continue his work. Jesus has poured out the Spirit on all those who believe in him, in fulfilment of the prophet Joel (Acts 2:16-18). All of us – including you! – are now an enormous crowd of Spirit-anointed agents of Jesus’ ministry. We continue his work as the true Prophet when we share the good news of the gospel wherever he sends us. ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our Senior Minister.

2 Kings 2:1-10 - Daily Devotion - 3 July 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 1 Shortly before the LORD took Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal, 2 and Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me on to Bethel.”But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”So they went down to Bethel.3 Then the sons of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the LORD will take your master away from you today?”“Yes, I know,” he replied. “Do not speak of it.”4 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me on to Jericho.”But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”So they went to Jericho.5 Then the sons of the prophets at Jericho came up to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the LORD will take your master away from you today?”“Yes, I know,” he replied. “Do not speak of it.”6 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan.”But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”So the two of them went on.7 Then a company of fifty of the sons of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing Elijah and Elisha as the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 And Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the waters, which parted to the right and to the left, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.9 After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken away from you?”“Please, let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.10 “You have requested a difficult thing,” said Elijah. “Nevertheless, if you see me as I am taken from you, it will be yours. But if not, then it will not be so.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadToday and tomorrow, we are reading about the moment when Elijah, Israel’s greatest prophet after Moses, was taken up to heaven and passed on his prophetic mantle to Elisha. It’s a bit like when Moses handed over the reins to Joshua – Elijah parts the waters of the Jordan like Moses had parted the Red Sea, and Elisha becomes his successor to carry on his ministry like Joshua led Israel after Moses’ death.I have so many questions, though. We know the Lord took Elijah up to heaven (v. 1) – but was he really taken to heaven permanently, so that he would never die? Is he still there now? That would seem a bit bizarre, because if not even the incarnate Son of God escaped death, I’m not sure how a sinful man could. More importantly, we’re told that “as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:21) – because all will be raised from death through Jesus’ resurrection. Surely even Elijah is part of that “all”?If I had to guess, I’d say: maybe Elijah was taken from the trials of this world to experience a special communion with God, before God laid his body to rest in some secret place, like God had buried Moses’ body (Deut. 34:5-6). But I suppose this is one of those mysteries that we won’t be able to answer until glory.For today, Elisha’s sadness at losing his master reminded me of Mary’s tears after Jesus’ died and then his body disappeared from the tomb: “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put Him” (John 20:13). But unlike Elisha, Mary’s sadness was quickly turned to joy, because Jesus rose again, just as he promised. And Jesus was taken to heaven like Elijah – but we know that he will return in the same way he went (Acts 1:11), and when he does, our grief will turn to joy (John 16:20). ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our Senior Minister.

2 Kings 1:9-18 - Daily Devotion - 2 July 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 9 Then King Ahaziah sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. So the captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on top of a hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down!’”10 Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.”And fire came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men.11 So the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. And the captain said to Elijah, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down at once!’”12 Again Elijah replied, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.”And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men.13 So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. And the third captain went up, fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, “Man of God, may my life and the lives of these fifty servants please be precious in your sight. 14 Behold, fire has come down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty, with all their men. But now may my life be precious in your sight.”15 Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Do not be afraid of him.”So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.16 And Elijah said to King Ahaziah, “This is what the LORD says: Is there really no God in Israel for you to inquire of His word? Is that why you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.”17 So Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. And since he had no son, Jehoram succeeded him in the second year of the reign of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat over Judah.18 As for the rest of the acts of Ahaziah, along with his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadIt turns out that you can’t threaten God. You can’t pressure him to change what he has said.It would seem like a dumb thing to try, but that’s exactly what King Ahaziah did. Yesterday, Ahaziah had tried to consult the Philistine god Baal-zebub, but instead had received a word from the Lord: “You will surely die.”I’m sure Ahaziah had used the threat of violence to get lots of people to change their tune. But not even a “standover man” with 50 thugs behind him could force God to change his will. Because God’s Word never fails. The threats didn’t change the message one bit, and they didn’t stop it from being fulfilled: “Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken” (v. 17).The third captain was a beautiful contrast, wasn’t he? He discovered that God’s word holds no fear for those who humbly recognise him as God – because the lives of those who trust in God are precious in his sight (Psalm 72:14).This passage also reminded me that it’s not just God’s word of judgment that is unstoppable. It’s also his word about Jesus – the good news that Jesus is Lord, and that God will save countless multitudes through the gospel. In the book of Acts, after all the threats and violence directed against the early Christian witnesses, we are told: “So the word of the Lord powerfully continued to spread and prevail” (Acts 19:20).Give thanks that God’s good word about Jesus can’t be stopped, and pray that it will bring the precious gift of life forever to many – especially through our Holiday Kids Club and Winter Youth Camp this month. ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our Senior Minister.

2 Kings 1:1-8 - Daily Devotion - 1 July 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park IntroductionA few years ago, we worked through the books of 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 Kings in our daily devotions. This month we’re making a start on 2 Kings.Let’s quickly get up to speed before we begin. 1 & 2 Samuel describe the reigns of Saul and David, the first two kings of Israel. David was God’s chosen king. God made a covenant with David, that his line would endure, and David was (mostly!) faithful to God.In 1 Kings, David’s son Solomon builds a temple for the Lord in Jerusalem. But later in life, he abandons the Lord and worships idols. As a result, God tears the kingdom in two. All the northern tribes of Israel become a breakaway kingdom (also called Israel). Only the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin remain loyal to David’s line. They became the kingdom of Judah.However, the northern kingdom of Israel turns out to be even worse than Judah. In Judah, at least some of the kings were faithful to the Lord, and the line of David continued. In the north, all the kings without exception led the people to worship idols.The Lord began to raise up prophets in both kingdoms to call the kings and the people back to the covenant. The most famous of these was Elijah, whom God raised up to combat the most dangerous and evil dynasty of kings in the northern kingdom of Israel – the dynasty of Omri. Omri’s son Abah and his wife Jezebel promoted the worship of the Canaanite gods Baal and Asherah.After some epic confrontations between Elijah and Ahab, at the end of 1 Kings, Ahab and Jezebel are killed. However, the dynasty is not done – Ahab’s son Ahaziah is now king of Israel. ~~~1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel.2 Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers and instructed them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this injury.”3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are on your way to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?’ 4 Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘You will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.’”So Elijah departed.5 When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, “Why have you returned?”6 They replied, “A man came up to meet us and said, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and tell him that this is what the LORD says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending these men to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.’”7 The king asked them, “What sort of man came up to meet you and spoke these words to you?”8 “He was a hairy man, ” they answered, “with a leather belt around his waist.”“It was Elijah the Tishbite,” said the king.REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadYou could perhaps say this is an early example of an unsecure communication line being intercepted! Ekron was a Philistine town, and King Ahaziah was hoping to receive an oracle from the pagan god of Ekron to get better. But when the message comes back, he realises he’s been hacked … by Elijah, the prophet of the Lord, the true God – who should be his God!Are you currently tempted to look for spiritual guidance or a “fix” to your problems from somewhere that you know would compromise your faith in Jesus? If so, confess that now, because God is already all over it. Ask God to help you always resist the temptation to clutch desperately at ungodly solutions. ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our Senior Minister.

Romans 4:23-25 - Daily Devotion - 30 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 23 Now the words “it was credited to him” were written not only for Abraham, 24 but also for us, to whom righteousness will be credited—for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.REFLECTIONSWritten by Rebecca SheadIn this life, “there’s no such thing as a free lunch”. In general if you want something, you have to work for it. Do you want to be good at sport? You have to train a lot. Do you want to save up to buy something? You need to get a job and save your money. Do you want good marks? You have to study hard. Do you want that promotion? You have to put in extra hours and show your commitment to the company. We learn from when we’re very young, that reward requires effort.And so it’s not surprising that we think the same applies with God. We want something from him (to go to heaven and not face his judgment) so we try really hard to be good and impress him with our efforts. I often find myself thinking this way, even though I know that salvation is by grace alone! It’s hard to change old ways of thinking.These verses have very good news for us – God will credit righteousness to us if we “believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead” (v24). God doesn’t measure our goodness by our actions, but instead he looks at our hearts to see if we are trusting in the death of Jesus on our behalf. If we trust him, that is good enough for God because he credits us with Jesus’ perfection. It’s like we do get a “free lunch”! Although, of course, it wasn’t free – Jesus paid the highest price when he died in our place to take the punishment for our sin. These verses remind me that God never changes. From the time of Abraham all the way to Paul’s words in Romans, and to us today, the way God works is by crediting righteousness to those who believe. It has never been about (impossible) perfect obedience or earning our way to heaven. Instead, it’s all about trusting God’s promises and depending on him. Let’s pray with thankfulness to our Father for Jesus’ death and resurrection which brings us salvation. ABOUT THE AUTHORRebecca is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

Romans 4:18-22 - Daily Devotion - 29 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb. 20 Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Sarah ArmstrongBack in Genesis, God promised Abraham a child – not any child, but a child through whom God would bring blessing to people from all nations. The problem was, Abraham and his wife Sarah were both a long way past childbearing age.In today’s passage, Paul reflects on the fact that Abraham knew his body was “as good as dead”, and he knew that Sarah’s womb was “also dead” (v. 19, NIV). In other words, using human logic, the promise of being the father of many nations was physically impossible. But instead of sticking with human logic and saying, “It can’t happen, so it won’t happen,” Abraham steadfastly continued to believe that with God all things are possible – and he was “fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised” (v 21).Often, we experience things happening around or to us that leave us feeling out of control or that all our efforts are futile. We feel like getting through or over it may be impossible. We should cling to the fact that God, in his power and perfect timing, gave life to Abraham and Sarah’s dead reproductive systems, so that Isaac was born, and his line ultimately brought Jesus the Saviour. Faith is trusting God’s impossible-sounding promise to give life to the dead.One of my girls reminded me yesterday that she has been learning that even when we look and feel alone, we are not alone, since Jesus died so we can walk with God always and know that he will never leave us alone – he gave us his Holy Spirit. I hope all of us, when things are tough, are like Abraham and are strengthened in faith and give all glory to God, trusting that he is indeed a powerful God who will always do what he has promised, even when it seems impossible. ABOUT THE AUTHORSarah is our Parish Administrator.

Romans 4:13-17 - Daily Devotion - 27 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith is useless and the promise is worthless, 15 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist.REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadMany years ago, I was trying to share the gospel with one of my friends, and he said: “You say that we’re not saved by our good works because we’re saved by faith. But isn’t faith a good work? Doesn’t that just mean that there happens to be one good work that can save us – which is called faith?”Today’s passage has one of my favourite verses in Romans, because it explains why my friend was wrong. In verse 16 Paul says: “Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on grace.” Faith isn’t a work, it’s realising and accepting that I can never work for or earn what I’m being offered. It’s trusting that Jesus has done everything for me, because I couldn’t, and that he now promises life as a gift. Faith is the only appropriate way to receive God’s offer without turning it into something I worked for or deserved. Faith is holding out empty hands and saying, “Thank you, Lord!”That’s why we receive salvation through faith alone – so that God’s gift might remain 100% a gift.And what a gift it is! What God promises us is … the whole world. Paul says that was what God promised “to Abraham and his offspring: that he would be heir of the world” (v 13). Jesus, Abraham’s great descendant, is the heir of the whole world – and for all who put their trust in him, God gives us his own solemn guarantee that we will inherit the whole world with Jesus.It is impossible for God to offer a bigger gift. And it is impossible for him to make it easier for us to receive. It’s the biggest, purest gift possible. Do you believe him? Will you trust him? Thank him now. ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our senior minister.

Romans 4:9-12 - Daily Devotion - 26 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 9 Is this blessing only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 In what context was it credited? Was it after his circumcision, or before? It was not after, but before.11 And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.REFLECTIONSWritten by Ashel SinghTo help reflect on this passage, let me share what I think are the main things Paul is saying in this passage:1.     Abraham was declared righteous by God through faith before he was circumcised.2.     Salvation is based on faith alone.3.     Both Jews and Gentiles are called to be included in God’s family through faith.Reflecting on the passage, there is clearly a chasm between faith and works, and what proves it is the fact that Abraham’s circumcision came after he was declared righteous because of his faith. So, where do faith and works stand in comparison to one another? How should I understand each of them when it comes to my salvation? Circumcision did not gain righteousness for Abraham, it was merely a sign of the righteousness that he received through his faith. When it comes to my own life, I have to constantly be on guard not to start thinking that doing good works will add to my salvation, and instead to base it on faith. Knowing that my salvation is based on faith, not my works, gives me a sense of humility and keeps me from boasting in my own human flesh and capacity. It also helps me to reflect on God’s forgiving and righteous nature which he has given to me by grace alone, taking away the idea that I can achieve it myself on my own terms. My actions and works are a response of thankful obedience to the salvation that has been given to me.In other words, my heart has been transformed by faith to produce fruit of genuine obedience as a response to God’s goodness. That helps me to testify to God’s holiness and appreciate that there is no other who enables such grace and makes my heart yearn to grow in deeper understanding and appreciation of our good God. ABOUT THE AUTHORAshel is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.

Romans 4:6-8 - Daily Devotion - 25 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 6 And David speaks likewise of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:7 “Blessed are they whose lawless acts are forgiven,whose sins are covered.8 Blessed is the manwhose sin the Lord will never count against him.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Paul BoggThe words in today’s passage are few, but so meaningful. They are a direct quote from one of the songs that King David wrote – you can read it in Psalm 32. It’s a Psalm where David expresses the pain of living with the weight of sin in his life – likening it to bones becoming brittle from groaning all day long, or having strength drained from a long summer heat. In the midst of that sin, David confesses in verse 5: “Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and You forgave the guilt of my sin.” He finally stops running from God, turns back to Him in repentance, and God forgives him.If anyone had something to boast about in his life, it was King David. He killed Goliath with a sling. He was Israel’s most successful military leader. He was God’s chosen king, the man after God’s own heart. He oversaw a golden period in Israel’s history. If anyone has a claim to have earned righteousness in God’s eyes, it was David.  And yet, David himself writes: “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered” – not, “Blessed is he who accomplishes many things.”Today’s passage reminds us: we may become CEOs, kings, military leaders, or just ordinary folks.  No matter what road we walk on, our blessedness comes not from the works of our hands. Our righteousness, like Abraham’s, comes credited to us by God through faith. How blessed, how wonderful it is that because of this, the Lord will never count our sin against us. ABOUT THE AUTHORPaul is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

Romans 4:1-5 - Daily Devotion - 24 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, has discovered? 2 If Abraham was indeed justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”4 Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.REFLECTIONSWritten by Gus CameronLast week someone was very excited to tell me that they got Netflix free with their electricity plan and, to be honest, I love free things too. I think everyone does! The alternative is to work hard for something, and who wants to do that if they don’t have to?But when it comes to our righteousness before God, strangely, so many people seem to find it too hard to accept that it is God’s gift, not earned by works but received by faith. Paul continues to prove that it is indeed by faith, this time by using Abraham as an example.In Genesis 15, God promised Abraham countless descendants, and we are told there that “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). What did Abraham do? He believed or trusted God. And what did he receive? God credited, or gave him, righteousness.If that’s what God did for Abraham, it makes no sense to change the equation for us. But that’s what people do. They want to say, “I worked, I did these things, I made myself good, so God should pay me righteousness – I’m entitled to it!” But that’s not what God is offering. He has given us the gift of Jesus Christ, and he says, “Trust me, and I’ll give you righteousness that you don’t deserve as a free gift!”It’s such a good deal, it really is too good to refuse. Pray that God would help us be like Abraham and believe God. If you’re struggling to accept God’s gift, ask God to help you humbly accept it. If you have friends who are stuck trying to earn their righteousness, pray for them now and speak to them about why it really is the best free gift ever. ABOUT THE AUTHORGus is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Romans 3:27-31 - Daily Devotion - 23 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of works? No, but on that of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.REFLECTIONSWritten by Paul BoggWhere I work, we have what are basically half yearly performance reviews. In those reviews, we need to give an account of what we’ve done and all our accomplishments, and the resulting judgement by management determines the course of our ongoing employment – at best, we get a pay rise, or at worst, we get fired. In those reviews I’m tempted to boast, because there’s an opportunity that the boss might see my good works and reward me.  But the danger with that is: with extra rewards comes extra responsibilities and burdens, and I don’t want my boss to expect more from me than he already does!Today’s passage follows on from the big revelation of who can be right with the biggest boss of all: God. The answer revealed in verses 21 to 23 is that rightness (or righteousness) comes solely though faith in Jesus Christ, by virtue of the redemption paid for by the blood of Christ himself. And that redemption is for anyone who believes – both Jew and Gentile.So then, what of our good works? Is it that I now get a half yearly godliness review to try to prove my worth? Can I level up my prayer answer rate by proving how much more righteous I've been? Today’s passage tells me: No. There is no place for boasting. Actually, I don’t have anything to boast about, because Jesus’ perfect and complete righteousness has already been given to me freely, by grace, through faith alone in Jesus Christ. How could I possibly claim to be any more righteous in the eyes of God!?So then, where does that leave me? It frees me up. I am free to do good works without being concerned about whether they will make me more (or less!) righteous in God’s eyes. I am free to pray for lots of things and trust with conviction that God hears all of my prayers. Whether I am well and in good times, or whether I’m in sickness, or jobless, or am experiencing brokenness, or feeling low – I can trust in what Jesus has already accomplished for me, knowing full well that I am already right with God, and can rest in that assurance. Praise God together with me for that! ABOUT THE AUTHORPaul is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

Romans 3:25-26 - Daily Devotion - 22 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 25 God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand. 26 He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus.REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadA number of years ago I preached an evangelistic sermon on the cross of Christ. It was just after scientists had announced a big discovery related to black holes, and it occurred to me that Jesus’ death on the cross was a bit like a black hole. A black hole is where an unimaginable amount of matter is squashed into a single point of zero size. And when Jesus died on the cross, all the sin of the entire human race – past, present and future – was concentrated into a single point and placed on Jesus. All God’s judgment against sin was poured out on that point, for us. That was the “atoning sacrifice” that God presented in Jesus’ death (v 25).But reading these verses again, I realised that there’s another way in which the cross of Christ is like a black hole. The inside of a black hole is a mystery that no one fully comprehends, because in a black hole, the normal rules of physics don’t apply. And the death of the Son of God was such a powerful event that the normal rules of justice don’t apply, because God can now do what is otherwise impossible: he can justify sinners.Or as Paul puts it in verse 26: because of the cross, God is both a just judge and justifies sinners like me. Those two things can’t normally be true. God himself says that judges must not justify the guilty or condemn the righteous (Prov. 17:15). I think that’s why sometimes I think of justification more like God pretending we’re righteous even though he knows we’re really not. But that would make him an unjust judge!The truth – the glorious truth, the black-hole-mystery truth! – is that if you trust in Jesus, God the just judge has sat in his judgment seat and declared, “You are righteous, completely innocent of all sin, guiltless” … because you now are! Satan looks at you, and he can’t find anything to pin on you.The thing that makes that true is the death of the innocent Son of God for us. I don’t fully understand how that’s true – but it is! Bask in the light and warmth of that truth today, and give humble and heartfelt thanks to God for such an amazing sacrifice and gift. You really are righteous. ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our Senior Minister.

Romans 3:21-24 - Daily Devotion - 20 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets. 22 And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.REFLECTIONSWritten by Ken WongToday's passage is a turning point in Romans. Up to this point, we have learnt of our sinfulness and depravity before God and that on our own we can never measure up to the standard that he requires. We can’t be found righteous before God by our works.But that’s where Jesus enters the picture. He himself is the righteousness of God, and when we put our faith or trust in him, he clothes us in his righteousness and generously supplies us with his grace so that we are forgiven and justified before God our Judge. His generosity is unceasing and his provisions are abundant. Despite Jesus' generosity I often find myself still looking for justification from the law or from my performance – somehow wanting to justify myself before God, hoping that my works are good enough to earn his favour. I say to God, “look at my achievements”, “what I good hubby or dad or friend I am,” “look how hard I work.” It’s good to work hard and be responsible with people in our lives. But to seek our value and self-esteem in the things we do is folly and building on shifting sand. Trying to win God’s favour through those things will lead either to pride or to despair.There is only one way to salvation and eternal life, and that is to come to the cross of Jesus in humility, with empty and open hands, knowing that there is nothing I can bring to bridge the gap between me and God. Christ alone has bridged it for us by his death on the cross. I pray that God keeps reminding us that our sins are many, but his mercy is more. ABOUT THE AUTHORKen is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

Romans 3:19-20 - Daily Devotion - 19 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.REFLECTIONSWritten by TK NguyenIt has been a while since I’ve read Romans, so even though the passage is short, I had to read it a few times for me to understand it. At the end of verse 19 Paul says that the whole world will be “held accountable to God” – absolutely! We are not perfect by any means. We are sinners. Paul talks about the law, and that makes me think straight away of the Ten Commandments. God has told us in the Bible how we should live and what a godly life looks like.However, in verse 20 Paul says, “no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law.” No matter how many good deeds we do in our lives it will not make us right before God.The laws in the Bible are still important for us as a guide from God. They still show us how we should live. But they also make us aware of our sin and in doing so they bring us back to God to ask for his forgiveness.As I reflect on these verses, I remember that I can’t simply follow the “law” and expect my works to justify me before God. The most important step is to turn to him, confess that I am a sinner and I can’t make myself right with him, and trust in what he did in sending Christ to save us. That leads to a life of striving to live like Christ. Pray that God would help each of us not to rely on our own efforts but to trust wholeheartedly in what Jesus has done on the cross for us, and that he would continue to grow our faith in Jesus as we read the Scriptures. ABOUT THE AUTHORTK is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.

Romans 3:13-18 - Daily Devotion - 18 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 13 “Their throats are open graves;their tongues practice deceit.”“The venom of vipers is on their lips.”14 “Their mouths are fullof cursing and bitterness.”15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;16 ruin and misery lie in their wake,17 and the way of peace theyhave not known.”18 “There is no fear of Godbefore their eyes.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Omar DewanHow does this passage make you feel?We're in the middle of Romans 3 and for me, it's painting a really bleak and depressing picture. Yesterday Paul quoted Psalm 14, which says there is no one who is righteous or does good. Now he adds more passages from the Psalms and Isaiah which make it even worse. Not only is he teaching that humanity has turned away from God and does not do good, verses 13-18 today say that all people are dead in their sins, prone to ruin and misery, and quick to put each other to death.What hope is there for us? I get a similar feeling of hopelessness when I read about the wars and terrible rulers of the world today. I wonder how peace could possibly come about, when leaders jostle for power and act out of their own self-interest – being quick to shed innocent blood. It feels like there's no resolution in sight for the wars in Ukraine, Palestine and Iran – it’s frustrating and really saddening. And unfortunately, this is a cycle that has repeated throughout history and I expect will continue until Christ returns.Thankfully, as Christians we know that the story doesn’t end here. As we’ll see in the rest of Romans 3, God enters our chaotic world through Jesus to give humanity the gift of righteousness. Through Jesus we can have relationship with God and bring our requests and petitions to Him. So while we may be powerless to stop what’s happening on the other side of the world, take a moment with me to pray boldly to our great and powerful God, asking that He would bring a swift end to the shedding of blood; that a way to permanent peace would be found; and that world leaders would come to fear the Lord. ABOUT THE AUTHOROmar is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

Romans 3:9-12 - Daily Devotion - 17 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 9 What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin. 10 As it is written:“There is no one righteous,not even one.11 There is no one who understands,no one who seeks God.12 All have turned away,they have together become worthless;there is no one who does good,not even one.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Vivian AbdalaThere have been many times when I have compared myself to others and concluded either that I could never measure up to them or that I was somehow better than them. It is easy to fall into the trap of comparison, whether it is in studies, work, or within my family. I can either become discouraged by thinking I am not doing well enough or become prideful by believing I am doing much better than others. Both attitudes reveal a sinful heart and a mindset of seeking to justify myself.This passage reminds me that comparing myself to others is the wrong standard. Paul quotes Psalm 14, which declares that “there is no one righteous, not even one.” We are all sinners before God and fall short of His perfect standard. No one can claim righteousness based on their own efforts or achievements.The good news is that righteousness is not something I can earn. I am made righteous only through Jesus Christ. By His grace, God chose and rescued me, giving me a righteousness that comes from Christ and not from myself. This is a great comfort because I cannot save myself or come to God by my own strength. My salvation rests in God’s gracious initiative and mercy.My prayer is that I would grow in thankfulness for God’s grace each day. I pray that He would guard my heart against comparison and pride by reminding me that there is no one righteous, not even one. May I find my identity not in how I compare myself to others, but in the righteousness of Christ and the mercy that God has shown me. ABOUT THE AUTHORVivian is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

Romans 3:5-8 - Daily Devotion - 16 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 5 But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms. 6 Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world? 7 However, if my falsehood accentuates God’s truthfulness, to the increase of His glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner? 8 Why not say, as some slanderously claim that we say, “Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved!REFLECTIONSWritten by Charis OuldToday’s passage follows on from Paul’s reminder to the Jews in Rome that God is not false or unfaithful, but the righteous judge. But they now have another question for Paul. If their unrighteousness shows God’s righteousness, then isn’t it unrighteous for him to inflict wrath on those who glorify him? It would be unjust to judge them because their unrighteousness has a good result! So they should just keep sinning because it glorifies God, right?Paul’s answer is clear. Certainly not! He shows us how foolish this thinking is. God is the judge of the world. He cannot be unjust. We can’t use God’s grace as an excuse to keep on sinning, and say that he should change his judgement. God would not tell us to sin to glorify Him. That goes against His very nature. We have a responsibility for our own actions, and if we encourage sin because of the grace of God then we have misunderstood the gospel. Paul says if we “do evil that good may result”, then our condemnation is deserved.This argument may seem a bit backward, but I think it is an easy trap to fall into without realising. Like a parent doing their child’s homework because they want them to get good grades – which really just stops the child from learning anything at all. They think if their action has a good outcome, then it is justified. But this is flawed thinking. It would be the same saying, “I receive more grace if I’m more sinful, so I should sin more.” This thinking doesn’t reflect a repentant attitude towards my sin! Nor does it reflect the fact that grace is a free gift, but I still need to count the cost of turning away from my sin. God calls us to repent, and gives us His Spirit to work in us as we seek to live for him. Thank God for his grace to us, and ask him to help us to live lives that reflect this grace we have been given. ABOUT THE AUTHORCharis is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

Romans 3:1-4 - Daily Devotion - 15 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 1 What, then, is the advantage of being a Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.3 What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness? 4 Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadLast week, in Romans chapter 2, Paul lobbed some hand grenades at his fellow Jews … or at least, that’s how they would have heard it. The Jews had been given the Law of God, and God had made the special covenant of circumcision with them. But Paul said neither the Law nor circumcision gave Jews any advantage over uncircumcised Gentiles when it came to salvation.Paul knew, from his experience preaching the gospel to the Jews, that they would find this highly offensive. So in today’s passage, he repeats and then answers some of the objections that have been flung back at him. First, he says that having the Law might not have given the Jews a free pass to salvation, but it was still a huge blessing and responsibility – they had been “entrusted with the very words of God” (v 2). And second, he says that even though many Jews were rejecting the gospel and so missing out on eternal life, that didn’t mean God was unfaithful to his promises to Israel. His promises were always for those who had faith in him, not for unbelieving rebels.In the last few days, I’ve been looking ahead to our upcoming sermon on Daniel 9, where Daniel prays a great prayer of confession on behalf of sinful Israel. Daniel understood what Paul’s opponents didn’t – that God had poured out his wrath on his rebellious people Israel because he was faithful to the covenant he had made with them. Even if every person in the world rejects Christ and misses out on salvation, God will still be true, faithful, good, and right in his judgment (Romans 3:4). Praise God that countless multitudes have found salvation through faith in Christ though!Today got me reflecting on my own background. I was born into a family of faithful, prayerful Christian parents who taught me the gospel from before I could walk or talk. I’ve known for decades what an amazing blessing, privilege and responsibility that is. Paul reminded me today of the fatal mistake I could make – thinking that this blessing means I’ll get special treatment from God or a free pass into heaven, whether or not I take faith in Jesus seriously.Your story might be similar to mine, or it may be completely different. But I’m sure you know of some way in which God has blessed you – by giving you access to the gospel, a church that teaches the Bible, a solid church family. Thank God for that amazing blessing, and also ask him to guard you from ever forgetting that you, personally, need to trust in Jesus for your salvation. ABOUT THE AUTHORtext

Romans 2:25-29 - Daily Devotion - 13 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 If a man who is not circumcised keeps the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 The one who is physically uncircumcised yet keeps the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.28 A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical. 29 No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.REFLECTIONSWritten by Alan VongsavanhHow often do we judge a person based solely on their appearance? When we see someone wearing a particular uniform, like a police officer or a corporate employee, we naturally assume they uphold the values we associate with that uniform. Yet, experience tells us that clothing can be deceptive. A uniform only affects a person’s outward appearance. It doesn’t necessarily reflect their internal character or beliefs.We see that distinction in today’s passage from Romans 2:25–29. For Jews in the Apostle Paul’s time, physical circumcision was the ultimate badge of belonging – in this case, belonging to God’s promises and God’s people. Yet Paul here reminds us that an outward symbol is completely worthless if our inner lives contradict it.The same challenge applies to our church family context. It is dangerously easy to adopt a "spiritual uniform." We can check the box of consistent church attendance, serve diligently in various ministries, and maintain the public image of being a devout Christian. While these are good and important things and we are commanded to meet together and serve, Paul reminds us that God looks past our external performance straight to the heart. He desires an authentic inner life that matches our outer expression in which we have a life truly transformed by the Holy Spirit and sustained by grace.This text invites us to pause and examine our own walk with God. Are we prioritising our outward spiritual appearance over our internal reality?The encouraging truth of the gospel is that we do not have to rely on our own strength to sustain a perfect image. In verse 29, Paul points to the liberating truth that the way to be renewed and transformed on the inside is not by our own goodness and deserving, but by the work of God’s Spirit when we give our lives to Christ. Today, let us turn to Jesus and invite Him to renew our hearts. When we allow Him to change us within, a life of genuine faith and love will naturally overflow to the outside. ABOUT THE AUTHORAlan is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

Romans 2:17-24 - Daily Devotion - 12 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; 18 if you know His will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” REFLECTIONSWritten by Tina BoggAs I read this passage, the challenge of not being a hypocrite really strikes home, especially as the last verse talks about how God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles when we know God’s will and his laws and do not do them. Paul is talking to Jews who thought they were better than Gentiles because they had God’s laws. But they were making two mistakes. They had forgotten that what matters is not knowing God’s laws, but obeying them. And they thought they deserved God’s favour and love, unlike Gentile “sinners”.As Christians, we can be in danger of making the same mistakes. We might feel we are better than non-Christians because we have the gospel, and forget that the gospel should lead us to obedience. Are we dishonouring God by not practicing grace, mercy, forgiveness and loving others as Jesus has loved us? But also, the gospel shows us that we are not better or more deserving than non-Christians, it is only through God’s mercy that we are saved and through his grace and love for us that we are chosen to be a part of his kingdom. We bring nothing to the table, therefore we have nothing to boast about. In fact, we should be more sensitive to our own sin than to the sin of others.One area I find so tricky to not be a hypocrite is in parenting; yelling at my kids to not yell, telling them to listen when I am not listening to them, asking them to be patient when I’m impatiently rushing them, or encouraging them to apologise and forgive when I also feel pride flaring up and not wanting to admit what I have done wrong. Pray with me that we would have God’s wisdom and humility in seeing where we fall short and continue to ask for his forgiveness, and pray that we can set an example for others of knowing where we stand before God and how much we need and are thankful for his grace every day. ABOUT THE AUTHORTina is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

Romans 2:14-16 - Daily Devotion - 11 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 14 Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 So they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them 16 on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.REFLECTIONSWritten by Sheina ChenWhen I was growing in my faith as a teenager, I had a lot of questions about God, particularly about whether his judgement (and salvation) was fair.“What happens to the people who’ve never had a chance to hear about Jesus? Will they get judged by God?”This was a controversial question amongst my high school friends. They thought it was unfair that God didn’t give everyone the opportunity to hear the gospel and repent. How could people in a remote tribe in Africa face the same judgement as someone who’d grown up in church? I didn’t know how to answer them.I wish I’d known this passage back then, because verses 14 and 15 are pretty clear. Although Gentiles (non-Jews) don’t have the Old Testament Law in the same way that Jews do, they have an innate understanding of the law in their hearts and minds. They know the essentials of God’s moral standard – but even though they try to act in accordance with that moral standard, they fail. So everyone stands guilty before God – both Jew and Gentile. Everyone will face judgement on the day Jesus returns to judge, and God’s judgement of them will be good and fair.It might be an uncomfortable truth, but it’s one that rings true. When I’ve chatted to friends about whether they think they’re a good person, most will say, “I’m not perfect, but I think I’m pretty good”. Or, ”I think my good actions outweigh the bad ones”. Most people will accept that they fail to do the right thing all the time, even if they haven’t heard the gospel. And those that don’t agree they’ve done anything wrong are probably in denial!As I reflect on our sin and the judgement we all face, it makes the good news of salvation even more wonderful. How incredible is God’s grace to us – that even though it’s our nature to reject him and his good law, he chooses to save us! It’s such a relief to be able to trust in the salvation Jesus has given us, rather than dwelling on my guilty conscience. ABOUT THE AUTHORSheina is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

Romans 2:12-13 - Daily Devotion - 10 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of the law who will be declared righteous.REFLECTIONSWritten by Paul BoggToday’s passage helps answer a question that I once had about God as a younger Christian: does God have favourites? I once thought that since Israel were chosen from centuries of old to know God and be called his people, they could be saved more easily and God would have a bias toward them over people who were not chosen. But in today’s passage, and right throughout Romans so far, it is clear that God shows no favouritism when it comes to salvation. Even more importantly, all people equally need saving, regardless of which culture or background you are from. The reason is clear from verse 12: all have sinned. Consider my personal background: I was raised in a secular household, knew very little if nothing of the law or commandments of God, and had no connections at all to any religious groups or cultures. If I knew nothing of the law or of what God required of me, did I sin? The answer is a definitive “Yes!” Would I have been held accountable for my sin, even if I knew nothing of God’s law? Verse 12 is clear: “Yes” again.Consider those who were raised under the Old Testament law. Did any of them keep the entire law their entire lives? No – because as you and I know, nobody is perfect. Otherwise, why would there have been any need for the sacrificial system, if some people were able to be perfectly obedient to the law? Verse 12 tells us: those raised under the law will be judged by the law, and therefore will face the same consequences as those raised apart from the law – because all have sinned.So where does that leave us? Who can possibly, as verse 13 says, be the “doer of the law who will be declared righteous”? Well – there was one man who could. One man who kept the law perfectly, who didn’t just know the law, but was perfectly obedient to the law, right up until his death: Jesus Christ. And so, because of his perfect obedience, regardless of whether we were raised under the law or apart from the law, we too can be declared righteous. But we don’t need to work to earn that righteousness, we simply receive it through faith in Jesus Christ. His righteousness is credited to us. As Romans 4:24 puts it, God will credit righteousness to those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. That’s good news for people everywhere, all over the world. ABOUT THE AUTHORPaul is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

Romans 2:6-11 - Daily Devotion - 9 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 6 God “will repay each one according to his deeds.”7 To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger.9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, first for the Jew, then for the Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, first for the Jew, then for the Greek. 11 For God does not show favoritism.REFLECTIONSWritten by Jess ChowThis week I learnt the origin of the term “goody two-shoes”. It’s from an old English children’s story about an orphan girl who is so poor she only has one shoe. However, she persistently does good and as a result, one day she is gifted a pair of shoes by someone she does good for. She runs around excitedly telling people she now has two shoes – hence, goody two shoes! In the time of that story’s publication, it served as an uplifting moral tale about the theme of doing good; yet in our own time, the expression “goody two shoes” is an insult. We often view “doing good” as for the weak and naive, not the strong. Doing good today can feel unrewarded, especially when selfishness seems to be the way to get ahead, but today’s passage reminds me that doing good should be the shape of my life as a Christian.A little later in Romans, it’s going to become clear that ALL have sinned and deserve condemnation, so eternal life can’t be earned by doing good. But when I turn my eyes upon God who alone is good, and the good life of Jesus – who obeyed His Father perfectly and sacrificed his life for me when I wasn't good – then doing good is following Him, becoming more like Him.I like that the passage says doing good happens “by perseverance” – it’s often not the quickest path that a self-seeking person might take; and it doesn’t often seem to achieve success when wickedness seems to prosper. But this passage makes the reality of things in God’s eyes very clear. He promises glory and honour to those who pursue a life of good, which may not be fully realised in this life, but the promise is of immortality and eternal life with Him. So brothers and sisters, may we stay connected to the One who is truly good and by His grace persevere in doing good as we follow Christ. ABOUT THE AUTHORJess is a member of our Fairfield morning congregation.

Romans 2:1-5 - Daily Devotion - 8 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 And we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, O man, pass judgment on others, yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?5 But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.REFLECTIONSWritten by Paul BoggMany years ago, I was listening with my kids to some Colin Buchanan songs.  One song came on that totally caught me off guard – the song is called “Sinner in the Hands of a Merciful God”. Here's how it starts: I have strayed from the path of the righteous, O GodI have turned from the way that is hope for my soulI have lurked in the shadows of darkness and sin,Save Me, O merciful God!The words from this song brought me back to the reality of what today’s passage reminds us all about. We all have, at one time or another, strayed from the path of the righteous – and we have no excuse really, because as Paul said in chapter 1 verses 19 and 20, God has made his power and his presence plain to all of us. So since we all previously turned away from him, we have stored up for ourselves wrath that comes from the righteous judgement of God. This wrath is already being revealed (Romans 1:18) – but it will be revealed fully and finally on a day in the future, when his “righteous judgment will be revealed” (v 5).But there is hope, hope for all of us, and it starts with verse 4: God, in his kindness, tolerance, and patience, gives each us an opportunity to repent. To repent of living a life in opposition to God. Repent from having turned away from him, so that we might turn towards him. Repent from lurking in the shadows of darkness and sin, so that we might come under his light and righteousness.  Repent by turning to him, asking for forgiveness, and accepting that the wrath stored up for each of has already been poured out on Jesus Christ in his death on the cross – so that we are fully forgiven if we turn to Jesus as our Lord.  Brothers and sisters, this is the gospel message, the good news that Jesus himself brought to us. This is good news worth savouring, worth sharing, and worth singing about.  Reflect and savour that good news today. ABOUT THE AUTHORPaul is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

Romans 1:26-32 - Daily Devotion - 6 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 26 For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27 Likewise, the men abandoned natural relations with women and burned with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.28 Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents. 31 They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless.REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadThis is such a sensitive passage that I think it needs a few more words than normal. We need to handle it with clarity, compassion, and confession.Clarity goes in two directions. The Bible is crystal clear on sex and relationships: God designed sexual intimacy exclusively for the context of a life-long, binding, faithful marriage between a man and a woman. Any other sexual relationships are sin – including the “unnatural” same-sex relations that Paul describes in verses 26-28.But the Bible is also crystal clear that all sin leaves us equally condemned before God’s judgment throne. God’s wrath is revealed against “all the godlessness and wickedness of men” (v 18). Paul highlights same-sex sinful relationships as an illustration of the way that sin corrupts and distorts God’s good design for his creation – it is an obvious corruption of what is “natural.” But he immediately goes on to describe every kind of wickedness in the same way – as God giving people up “to a depraved mind,” so that they wilfully disobey God and approve of evil (v 28-32). Paul lumps it all together – from same-sex relations, murder and God-hating, to greed, jealousy, gossiping, boasting, and disobeying parents. Homosexual sin is not a special category of sin, because the heart of sin is what Paul described earlier: failing to glorify God or give him thanks, and exchanging the worship of God for worshiping created things (v 21-23). All sin is an outflowing of that, and makes us equally “worthy of death” (v 32).That leads to: compassion. If you know unbelievers who are actively gay, you should think of them with exactly the same compassion as you think of your unbelieving friends who are argumentative or gossips or hold grudges. We should be horrified at the sin – all of it equally! – and we should eagerly reach out to them in compassion and love with the message that Jesus brings forgiveness and fullness of life.And with our Christian brothers and sisters who struggle with same-sex attraction, we should view them with exactly the same compassion and grace as we view our brothers and sisters who struggle with anger, jealousy, or pride. In fact, we should view them exactly as we view ourselves – because we are exactly like them! That’s Paul’s whole point: sin is equally corrupting and contemptible, no matter what the particular sin is.That means when we read this passage, it should move us, not to condemnation of others, but to personal confession. If you read this and mentally point your finger at those terrible people out there (is that what you did?), you’ve missed Paul’s point entirely. Each of us should read it with contrite hearts, reflecting on the depravity and evil of our own sinful tendencies and desires. (If you’re not convinced yet, the kicker is the very next sentence, which we’ll read tomorrow: “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another!”, Romans 2:1.)Today’s passage is pretty heavy – but you should also know that this is part of Paul’s long lead-up to the best news of all: that anyguilty sinner can receive God’s righteousness through the death of Jesus on the cross. So as you finish today, bring your own sinful tendencies and desires to God, and ask him by his Spirit to help you see that they are depraved corruptions of his glory and beauty. But also, through Jesus, ask God to help you live by glorifying him and giving him thanks (v 21). ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our Senior Minister.

Romans 1:21-25 - Daily Devotion - 5 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.24 Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.REFLECTIONSWritten by Monica LyThis passage provides insight into how our thoughts shape our actions and affect the way we live. In yesterday’s passage Paul wrote about the godless Gentiles, and said that they certainly knew of God—essentially through the things He had made. They failed, however, to glorify or give thanks to Him, and their thinking became futile, ultimately leading them into idolatrous worship.In contrast, we know God through Jesus. Jesus Himself says if we know him, we know God and have seen God (John 14:7).  Jesus and God the Father are one and are united in purpose and works. We see this very clearly in Jesus obediently going to the cross and completing God’s work. When we look to the cross, we see the ultimate expression of God’s character—His uncompromising justice against sin and His boundless love for humanity. Being grounded in the cross enables us to have a right understanding of God and paves the way for true worship. If I am honest, there have been countless times when I have failed to value God above all things and, as a result, I have not honoured and praised Him as He deserves. I am quick to exchange the truth of God for a lie and worship creation rather than the Creator. Too often, I end up serving and idolising myself, placing my own desires, comfort, and ego above everything else—as though I were the most important person in the universe.Although this passage convicts me of my idolatrous heart, it also moves me to be thankful for Jesus. The knowledge that Christ took upon Himself the cup of God’s wrath, so that we do not have to face God’s judgement ourselves, moves me to gratitude. Let us give thanks for God’s revelation to us in Jesus and pray that we will keep reading His Word, the Bible, so that we can grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Only by looking at Christ can we attain a right understanding of God, enabling us to live a life that may please Him and bring praise to Him forever. ABOUT THE AUTHORMonica is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

Romans 1:18-20 - Daily Devotion - 4 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.REFLECTIONSWritten by Nathan TingOne of the things I’ve struggled to reconcile numerous times as a Christian has been: “If the only way to know God is through Jesus, what about the many unreached people in the world who have never heard the gospel? If there’s a remote tribe or village somewhere in the world without any contact with the rest of the world, how will they ever find salvation if they never have the opportunity to hear about Jesus? Isn’t that unfair?”Today’s passage makes it clear that, no, it isn’t unfair. Paul writes in verse 20 that God has made his invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – abundantly clear through his workmanship, his creation of the world. And indeed, God has displayed his majesty and power in the world He has created, the world that we all live in. From vast, dry, desert plains to lush, green rainforests, with backdrops of impossibly deep, blue oceans and dark, starry skies, the world around us has been elaborately painted and intricately woven together in such a way that makes it inexcusable to not acknowledge the Creator behind creation. So for the remote tribe in question, “…what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them” (v19). And that means the sin of all people – including those who have never heard of Jesus – is not just a matter of ignorance. It’s actively suppressing the truth about God that, deep down, every person knows (v18).A lot of the time, I take it for granted that I have not only seen God’s handiwork in the world around me, but can actually have a deeper understanding of and relationship with Him through Jesus, “For in him (Christ) all things were created … all things have been created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16). What a privilege and joy it is for us who have heard the gospel; spend some time now praying for those who haven’t, or those who have but have chosen to harden their hearts. ABOUT THE AUTHORNathan is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

Romans 1:14-17 - Daily Devotion - 3 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 14 I am obligated both to Greeks and Non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek. 17 For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Tara SingWhen I was in youth group, we would learn a memory verse every term. Through putting together puzzles, playing hangman, making up actions, and singing them to popular tunes, we etched God's word into our memory. I don't remember exactly how old I was, but I know I was a teenager when I learned Romans 1:16 in this way. Back then, in the early 2000s (or as my children say, the olden days) I never really gave much thought to why our youth group leaders chose the particular verses they did. But twenty years on, I am so glad they picked Romans 1:16.There have been moments where I have been teetering on the edge of speaking up for Jesus, of sharing the reasons behind different life choices, when perhaps awkwardness or embarrassment would have overcome and silenced me. And I have, in those moments, remembered that I don't have to be ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.There have been times where I have been nervous to explain the gospel, or hesitant to point out to others that they are in need of saving because although they think of themselves as good people, God sees them as sinners. Especially as I meet new people and form new friendships with parents at school, or people at the gym, I can feel uneasy about sharing my faith, unsure of my words, stumbling in my efforts. But Romans reminds me that the gospel is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. It's not about how winsome my explanations are, or how cleverly crafted my argument is, or how prepared my scripture lessons are, it is God's power that saves.If Romans 1:16 isn't a verse tucked up your sleeve, I highly recommend looking it up in your Bible now and adding it to your memory verse repertoire. It's a verse that reminds you of your blessed position, saved by the gospel of Jesus, made righteous by the righteousness that is revealed in the gospel, and it gives you confidence to speak of the gospel's saving power to everyone you meet. ABOUT THE AUTHORTara is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

Romans 1:8-13 - Daily Devotion - 2 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve with my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times, asking that now at last by God’s will I may succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, how often I planned to come to you (but have been prevented from visiting until now), in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. REFLECTIONSWritten by Laura LieThis first chapter of Romans is a strong reminder of how small the early church was, since the great Apostle Paul would write personal letters to individual churches! This was not a well-organised “diocese” with complicated governance structures. These were house churches that directly challenged the Roman Empire. Citizens of Rome were supposed to hail Caesar as Lord, but here was a group of people who preached Jesus Christ as Lord (v 4). They often faced severe pressure or persecution as a result.With that in mind, the verses that stand out to me in today’s section are 11 and 12: “For I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.”In all honesty, I initially scoffed slightly when I read that, because I immediately forgot the previous verses and the context. I thought: Surely Paul is … well, Paul? He is encouraged already, isn’t he? Blessed with great spiritual strength, much wisdom, etc.? How could they encourage his faith?But then I think of our church and the things I see that bring me encouragement. Mothers with babies who come to church even when they’re tired and distracted, to hear what they can of God’s word and to fellowship. Our men who sit with visitors or play soccer with the teens. Women who check in and care for each other. Our teams who serve quietly each week in music, cleaning, teaching and the kitchen. Our leaders who speak and minister consistently. Families who make it to church each week despite the chaos of Sunday mornings. Children who play together and welcome newcomers.Paul’s wisdom becomes transparently clear. Faith is hard alone. Encouragement together is important, and it’s always mutual. He writes of it earlier in verse 8 as well: “I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed all over the world."Not only is salvation through Christ being proclaimed (praise God!), but knowledge of ordinary Christians living out their faith is an encouragement to Paul, to those existing churches, and to us. ABOUT THE AUTHORLaura is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation..

Romans 1:1-7 - Daily Devotion - 1 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 regarding His Son, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.5 Through Him and on behalf of His name, we received grace and apostleship to call all those among the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. 6 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadThis month, we are beginning a devotional journey through Paul’s majestic letter to the early Christian church in Rome. The letter has some very personal sections, about both Paul’s ministry plans and the situation of the Roman church. But it is also Paul’s most complete explanation of his gospel, the great announcement from God that Jesus had sent him to announce to the Gentiles. And as Paul starts the letter, he wants that gospel to be front and centre.I’m a big believer in being crystal clear on the gospel. And as I read these verses (for about the millionth time!), the first thing that struck me was Paul’s own gospel clarity: the gospel is about Jesus Christ. In fact, the whole Bible is God’s announcement about his Son – the news promised in the Old Testament and fulfilled in Jesus’ death, resurrection and exaltation as Lord. As I always used to tell my Bible college students in Chile: If you haven’t said something about what God did in sending Jesus, you haven’t told the gospel.But I was also struck by the theological depth in this brief gospel summary. Paul hints at truths about the Incarnation, and the fact that in Jesus, the Son of God is both God and a man. Paul explains that God’s Son was a descendent of David in his earthly life, or “according to the flesh” (v 3). That implies that the Son of God also exists, and has always existed, outside the sphere of creation, in eternal relationship with God the Father. And yet even in his earthly life as the man Jesus, he was crowned as “the Son of God” and “the Lord” when he was raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit’s power (v 4). Crystal clear in its essence; and with divine depths that we will never finish exploring. What a gospel!But I also love how clearly and simply Paul explains what it means to be a Christian: it means “to belong to Jesus Christ” (v 6). And the way you come to belong to him is through “the obedience that comes from faith” (v 5) – by believing the gospel news about Jesus, which sets you on the path of learning to obey Jesus.Praise God now for the clarity and the depth of his announcement about the Lord Jesus, and enjoy the assurance of knowing that you belong to Jesus. ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our senior minister.

Psalms 104:24-35 - Daily Devotion - 30 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park As you read, keep in mind our two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?24 How many are Your works, O LORD!In wisdom You have made them all;the earth is full of Your creatures.25 Here is the sea, vast and wide,teeming with creatures beyond number,living things both great and small.26 There the ships pass,and Leviathan, which You formed to frolic there.27 All creatures look to Youto give them their food in due season.28 When You give it to them,they gather it up;when You open Your hand,they are satisfied with good things.29 When You hide Your face,they are terrified;when You take away their breath,they die and return to dust.30 When You send Your Spirit,they are created,and You renewthe face of the earth.31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever;may the LORD rejoice in His works.32 He looks on the earth,and it trembles;He touches the mountains,and they smolder.33 I will sing to the LORD all my life;I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.34 May my meditation be pleasing to Him,for I rejoice in the LORD.35 May sinners vanish from the earthand the wicked be no more.Bless the LORD, O my soul.Hallelujah!REFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalms 104:1-23 - Daily Devotion - 29 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park As you read, keep in mind our two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?1 Bless the LORD, O my soul!O LORD my God, You are very great;You are clothed with splendor and majesty.2 He wraps Himself in light as with a garment;He stretches out the heavens like a tent,3 laying the beams of His chambersin the waters above,making the clouds His chariot,walking on the wings of the wind.4 He makes the winds His messengers,flames of fire His servants.5 He set the earth on its foundations,never to be moved.6 You covered it with the deep like a garment;the waters stood above the mountains.7 At Your rebuke the waters fled;at the sound of Your thunder they hurried away—8 the mountains rose and the valleys sankto the place You assigned for them—9 You set a boundary they cannot cross,that they may never again cover the earth.10 He sends forth springs in the valleys;they flow between the mountains.11 They give drink to every beast of the field;the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 The birds of the air nest beside the springs;they sing among the branches.13 He waters the mountains from His chambers;the earth is satisfied by the fruit of His works.14 He makes the grass grow for the livestockand provides crops for man to cultivate,bringing forth food from the earth:15 wine that gladdens the heart of man,oil that makes his face to shine,and bread that sustains his heart.16 The trees of the LORD have their fill,the cedars of Lebanon that He planted,17 where the birds build their nests;the stork makes her home in the cypresses.18 The high mountains are for the wild goats,the cliffs a refuge for the rock badgers.19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;the sun knows when to set.20 You bring darkness, and it becomes night,when all the beasts of the forest prowl.21 The young lions roar for their preyand seek their food from God.22 The sun rises, and they withdraw;they lie down in their dens.23 Man goes forth to his workand to his labor until evening.REFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalms 103 - Daily Devotion - 28 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park As you read, keep in mind our two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Of David.1Bless the LORD, O my soul;all that is within me, bless His holy name.2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,and do not forget all His kind deeds—3 He who forgives all your iniquitiesand heals all your diseases,4 who redeems your life from the Pitand crowns you with loving devotion and compassion,5 who satisfies you with good things,so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.6 The LORD executes righteousnessand justice for all the oppressed.7 He made known His ways to Moses,His deeds to the people of Israel.8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.9 He will not always accuse us,nor harbor His anger forever.10 He has not dealt with us according to our sinsor repaid us according to our iniquities.11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him.12 As far as the east is from the west,so far has He removed our transgressions from us.13 As a father has compassion on his children,so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.14 For He knows our frame;He is mindful that we are dust.15 As for man, his days are like grass—he blooms like a flower of the field;16 when the wind passes over, it vanishes,and its place remembers it no more.17 But from everlasting to everlastingthe loving devotion of the LORDextends to those who fear Him,and His righteousness to their children’s children—18 to those who keep His covenantand remember to obey His precepts.19 The LORD has established His throne in heaven,and His kingdom rules over all.20 Bless the LORD, all His angels mighty in strengthwho carry out His word,who hearken to the voice of His command.21 Bless the LORD, all His hosts,you servants who do His will.22 Bless the LORD, all His worksin all places of His dominion.Bless the LORD, O my soul!REFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalms 102 - Daily Devotion - 27 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park As you read, keep in mind our two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?A prayer of one who is afflicted, when he grows faint and pours out his lament before the LORD.1 Hear my prayer, O LORD;let my cry for help come before You.2 Do not hide Your face from mein my day of distress.Incline Your ear to me;answer me quickly when I call.3 For my days vanish like smoke,and my bones burn like glowing embers.4 My heart is afflicted, and withered like grass;I even forget to eat my bread.5 Through my loud groaningmy flesh clings to my bones.6 I am like a desert owl,like an owl among the ruins.7 I lie awake;I am like a lone bird on a housetop.8 All day long my enemies taunt me;they ridicule me and curse me.9 For I have eaten ashes like breadand mixed my drink with tears10 because of Your indignation and wrath,for You have picked me up and cast me aside.11 My days are like lengthening shadows,and I wither away like grass.12 But You, O LORD, sit enthroned forever;Your renown endures to all generations.13 You will rise up and have compassion on Zion,for it is time to show her favor—the appointed time has come.14 For Your servants delight in her stonesand take pity on her dust.15 So the nations will fear the name of the LORD,and all the kings of the earth will fear Your glory.16 For the LORD will rebuild Zion;He has appeared in His glory.17 He will turn toward the prayer of the destitute;He will not despise their prayer.18 Let this be written for the generation to come,so that a people not yet created may praise the LORD.19 For He looked down from the heights of His sanctuary;the LORD gazed out from heaven to earth20 to hear a prisoner’s groaning,to release those condemned to death,21 that they may proclaim the name of the LORD in Zionand praise Him in Jerusalem,22 when peoples and kingdoms assembleto serve the LORD.23 He has broken my strength on the way;He has cut short my days.24 I say: “O my God, do not take me in the midst of my days!Your years go on through all generations.25 In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth,and the heavens are the work of Your hands.26 They will perish, but You remain;they will all wear out like a garment.Like clothing You will change them,and they will be passed on.27 But You remain the same,and Your years will never end.28 The children of Your servants will dwell securely,and their descendants will be established before You.”REFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalms 100-101 - Daily Devotion - 26 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park As you read, keep in mind our 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? Psalm 100A Psalm of thanksgiving.1 Make a joyful noise to the LORD,all the earth.2 Serve the LORD with gladness;come into His presence with joyful songs.3 Know that the LORD is God.It is He who made us, and we are His;we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.4 Enter His gates with thanksgivingand His courts with praise;give thanks to Him and bless His name.5 For the LORD is good,and His loving devotion endures forever;His faithfulness continues to all generations.psalm 101A Psalm of David.1 I will sing of Your loving devotion and justice;to You, O LORD, I will sing praises.2 I will ponder the way that is blameless—when will You come to me?I will walk in my housewith integrity of heart.3 I will set no worthless thingbefore my eyes.I hate the work of those who fall away;it shall not cling to me.4 A perverse heart shall depart from me;I will know nothing of evil.5 Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret,I will put to silence;the one with haughty eyes and a proud heart,I will not endure.6 My eyes favor the faithful of the land,that they may dwell with me;he who walks in the way of integrityshall minister to me.7 No one who practices deceitshall dwell in my house;no one who tells liesshall stand in my presence.8 Every morning I will remove all the wicked of the land,that I may cut off every evildoer from the city of the LORD.REFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalms 98-99 - Daily Devotion - 25 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park AA reminder: This month, we are using our do-it-yourself method for reading the Psalms. 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 98A Psalm.1 Sing to the LORD a new song,for He has done wonders;His right hand and holy armhave gained Him the victory.2 The LORD has proclaimed His salvationand revealed His righteousness to the nations.3 He has remembered His love and faithfulnessto the house of Israel;all the ends of the earthhave seen the salvation of our God.4 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;break forth—let your cry ring out, and sing praises!5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre,in melodious song with the harp.6 With trumpets and the blast of the ram’s hornshout for joy before the LORD, the King.7 Let the sea resound, and all that fills it,the world, and all who dwell in it.8 Let the rivers clap their hands,let the mountains sing together for joy9 before the LORD,for He comes to judge the earth.He will judge the world with righteousnessand the peoples with equity.psalm 991 The LORD reigns;let the nations tremble!He is enthroned above the cherubim;let the earth quake!2 Great is the LORD in Zion;He is exalted above all the peoples.3 Let them praise Your great and awesome name—He is holy!4 The mighty King loves justice.You have established equity;You have exercised justiceand righteousness in Jacob.5 Exalt the LORD our God,and worship at His footstool;He is holy!6 Moses and Aaron were among His priests;Samuel was among those who called on His name.They called to the LORD and He answered.7 He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud;they kept His decrees and the statutes He gave them.8 O LORD our God, You answered them.You were a forgiving God to them,yet an avenger of their misdeeds.9 Exalt the LORD our Godand worship at His holy mountain,for the LORD our God is holy.REFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 97 - Daily Devotion - 23 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park As you read, keep in mind our two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?1 The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice;let the distant shores be glad.2 Clouds and darkness surround Him;righteousness and justice are His throne’s foundation.3 Fire goes before Himand consumes His foes on every side.4 His lightning illuminates the world;the earth sees and trembles.5 The mountains melt like waxat the presence of the LORD,before the Lord of all the earth.6 The heavens proclaim His righteousness;all the peoples see His glory.7 All worshipers of images are put to shame—those who boast in idols.Worship Him, all you gods!8 Zion hears and rejoices,and the towns of Judah exultbecause of Your judgments, O LORD.9 For You, O LORD, are Most High over all the earth;You are exalted far above all gods.10 Hate evil, O you who love the LORD!He preserves the souls of His saints;He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.11 Light shines on the righteous,gladness on the upright in heart.12 Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous ones,and praise His holy name.REFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 96 - Daily Devotion - 22 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park As you read, keep in mind our two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?1 Sing to the LORD a new song;sing to the LORD, all the earth.2 Sing to the LORD, bless His name;proclaim His salvation day after day.3 Declare His glory among the nations,His wonderful deeds among all peoples.4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;He is to be feared above all gods.5 For all the gods of the nations are idols,but it is the LORD who made the heavens.6 Splendor and majesty are before Him;strength and beauty fill His sanctuary.7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the nations,ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name;bring an offering and enter His courts.9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness;tremble before Him, all the earth.10 Declare among the nations: “The LORD reigns!”The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved;He will judge the peoples with equity.11 Let the heavens be gladand the earth rejoice;let the sea resound,and all that fills it.12 Let the fields exult,and all that is in them.Then all the trees of the forestwill sing for joy13 before the LORD,for He is coming—He is coming to judge the earth.He will judge the world in righteousnessand the peoples in His faithfulness.REFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.