Saturday 14 Dec 2013

Saturday Reading: Acts 3:17-21

Key Verse: Acts 3:19
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord

Devotion:
It is amazing that God allowed His only Son to come to this world in the form of a lowly human being knowing exactly what would happen to Him. It is further amazing that Jesus grew up knowing that He would have to do something so amazing for us and He kept on coming forward, all the way. The prophets had foretold that the Messiah would come forward and have to be treated so badly, that He would have to die on our behalf but that He would defeat the evil one once and for all.

When we have a goal to look forward to then we should focus on that goal and allow God to work out the things around us. That goal must not be one that we have come up with to please ourselves but one that God has shown us is the right goal to aim for. When Jesus knew that goal He continued on steadfast unto the end; the same way that we should be aiming for our heavenly goal.

When we come forward to repent of our sins, God has promised us that He will forgive us because of what Christ has done for us! That is not just something He said in passing but a promise given to all mankind and clearly demonstrated by Christ giving His own life on the cross – we now have that clear goal to aim for, to be in heaven with Him! This is not a goal that has been invented by man but one that God has told us about from the beginning of time and one He has told us through many different ways.

Let us not lay aside any of the promises that God has given us but pick them up and work with them all. Let us be sure in the knowledge that Christ will forgive us of our sins because it is His promise. Let us never grow weary of waiting for His return because that is a promise. Let us never lose faith that we have a wonderful home in heaven because that is His promise to us. The prophets foretold them. Jesus reminded us and the apostles left us with this all in writing.

Points to Ponder:
What proof do you require?

Do you depend on God’s promises?