Monday 10 Dec 2012

Monday Reading: 1 John 5:18-21

Key Verse: 1 John 5:21
21  Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Devotion:
I just love the way that this letter is finished off because we so often forget that it is those things that we desire that keep us away from our God; and anything that we desire more than God is effectively an idol that we worship more than God! If we are going to have sports that keep us from God, then they are our idols rather than God. If we are going to have video games and such that keep us from God, then they are our idols.

God alone should be the one that we idolise because he alone is God and there is none other beside Him. Once we start keeping to that ideal then we start to see just how important He is in our lives. Once we lose track and accept other things instead of our God them we find that it is so very easy to be side tracked by almost any temptation that will keep us from God. Do you not realise that that is the primary goal of Satan? Do you not realise that if we give in to those things we are giving in to the evil one and siding with Him instead of with God?

The more that we do seek God the more that we do realise just how much the world around us is giving in to the evil one and the more concerned that should make us. As we grow more concerned with how this world is we should allow God to strengthen us to take forward His Word. As I have already said, we do not have to bash people over the head until they believe what we are trying to tell them, we have to present the gospel to them as best we can by allowing God to work through us. It is not the strength that we have or the understanding that we attain; it is a gift that God has given each one of us – to be able to give the most precious gift that anyone can have to everyone!

We start thinking about the gifts that we could give to others round about now. We start to think about what we can buy for others because Christmas is just around the corner. We may be disgruntled by the many seemingly disposable gifts that are on the market because we want to give something that is going to last; well the one gift that will last eternity is the best gift that we can ever give to anyone. If people want something to idolise, give them the only thing they should idolise – God!

Points to Ponder:
Are you looking for the perfect gift?

Have you given God’s Word lately?