January 28: Psalms 4 6-8
Key Verse: Psalms 4 8
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Devotion:
What sort of thing do you look for in life? Do you strive after things which make you feel good, hunting down people who will be able to make you feel better, rooting around for physical things that are going to make you feel better? Maybe you have a weakness for food when you get wound up by people... Maybe you don't think you have a weakness and keep all that pent-up stress inside – well, just maybe, that is your weakness.
We all do have weaknesses we have to face up to at some stage in our lives. Sometimes we are afflicted with things which make us face our weaknesses day in and day out... Sometimes we may never have to face up to that weakness until we are mature in years... But there will always be a time when you do have to face up to something you think you will not be able to cope with. That is the time when you turn around to find someone or something which will be able to support you – just like a walking stick is used when you are not able to walk properly. You may well be surprised to find there are not too many people who are willing to step forward for you or to say they will help.
It is no wonder that God allows these situations into our lives to make us stop and think about what it is all about. It is those times when God wants you to stop and think about just who is in charge and who has the power and grace to get you through things. We may look to the world for support and we may well find that support – but as soon as we are not with that support we feel weak again. God is the only one who will be able to help us from the inside so we can build up our strength based on Him. There is nothing more relaxing and encouraging than knowing God is actually in control and that He has the grace to support us no matter how bad we think things are!
Points to Ponder:
What do you think of before you go to bed?
When was the last time that you asked God for His grace and wisdom?
January 27: Ezekiel 36 25-27
Key Verse: Ezekiel 36 27
I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
Devotion:
There are always going to be times when we do get a bit discouraged with the things which we are doing and we begin to wonder if we are actually good enough or if God is even listening to us. It is at these times when we need to look into God's Word to find out what has happened in the past. When we can see all God has already done for those who choose to follow Him, then we can be encouraged once again and move on in our Christian life.
God here promised that He would change things for the people of Israel so they would be fit enough to continue walking with Him. It was only hundreds of years after this that we see Jesus Christ came to earth and fulfilled these words. God promised them they would receive a new heart which would allow them to stay away from the worshipping of idols. We can see how Israel changed when they were in captivity in Babylon. God knows exactly what is required to change even the strongest of hearts. He will break down the stones in anyone's heart so people will see how wonderful He is. Everything works to the glory of God.
God promised He would put His spirit within us. Christ Jesus promised this again shortly before His death, burial and resurrection. We now know the Holy Spirit lives within us when we have invited Him into our lives. We know God has been keeping His promises. We know God has been working with us since before we knew Him. We know He continues to change things in our lives and continues to give us opportunities to come to Him in humility and love, just like He came to earth in humility and love to save us, the sinners, the unclean... just because of His love for us!
We have all the history behind us which we need to know so we can stand on the promises of God. But we do need to read about it or hear about it so we can fully understand just how great God is!
Points to Ponder:
How long does it take before you trust your friends?
Are you standing on the promises of God?
January 26: Titus 3 8-11
Key Verse: Titus 3 11
knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.
Devotion:
It doesn't stop at just showing others you can act like a good Christian or to encourage them with the way that you look or behave... Yes, that is exactly what I have been saying over the past few days, but it does not end there. We must set that example so others will be encouraged, but one thing we should never forget is that we should be doing this to improve ourselves too. What use are we if we are going to be hopping in and out of being a Christian? We need to be here, constantly!
With God's amazing grace behind us, we have nothing to fear in our lives. Yes, there will be times we do feel afraid, upset, sad, dejected, but those are the times when we can call upon God to help us through those situations. The best way to avoid those feelings is to try and separate ourselves from the environments which will cause those feelings to surface. This does not mean we should turn our backs on our friends just because they do not know Christ. It means we have to think about what we do and avoid situations where we know what we do will most likely weaken our spirit until we are sure we can face them.
Some of the things which will do that are the games and music we face through computers and the Internet. Just listening to the words from some of the songs released makes you wonder if the powers that be do listen to the words themselves. How would they ever allow such words to be publicly 'preached' through the medium of music. I am certainly not knocking freedom of speech, but how we go about such freedom shows a lot of who we are. If someone is a bully, you try and avoid them. If someone is going to constantly upset you with their songs (or even words) then why hang around with them? If someone is going to constantly bring down God in things they do and say, why include them in your life? We have the choice!
Points to Ponder:
Do your hang around with people that are like you and can encourage you?
God gives each of us the choice, we have to use it wisely!
January 25: Romans 13 11-14
Key Verse: Romans 13 14
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts.
Devotion:
Are you someone who always finds themselves busy, always seems to have things to do and never has time to think about church. Or maybe you go to church but never have time to go to all those other meetings the church seems to have all the time. Have you ever tried putting off a paying a bill such as an electricity bill? Did you end up having to pay in the end, or did you just go to jail instead? That may sound harsh, but when we have physical things to do, we end up doing them before it is too late. Why? Because we have a deadline that we can see. But the deadline that is ahead for Christ to return and take His people home is getting ever closer... it's just that we cannot see it and have no concept of how long away it is.
What happens when we wake up? Well, after a while we get dressed, we put on clothes which are appropriate for the day. When we accept Christ as our Saviour, we are moving from darkness into light. The new day of the rest of our lives has begun. Is it not appropriate that we “dress” our lives accordingly. We need to put away the ways which we lived before we became Christians and put on ways which are becoming of a Christian. Doing things in the wrong way will make us stick out like a sore thumb! People know we are Christians and they expect us to act accordingly. God knows we have accepted Him and He expects us to do something about it! We need to make sure we live our lives honestly, decently and becoming as a Christian.
We do need to walk... not stand still... If we do not walk, then others will never get to see us and never get to be encouraged. We accept a duty to take God's ways back into the world so others will see that it is better. In doing so, we need to avoid many of the ways of those around so we do set a good example and not just mix back into the crowd doing un-Christian things. Making sure we “put on Jesus Christ” will ensure others will see and ensure we have the perfect protection in our daily lives.
Points to Ponder:
Have you seen the light yet?
Are you dressed and ready for work, or still asleep in your pyjamas?
January 24: 1 Peter 5 5-7
Key Verse: 1 Peter 5 5
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
Devotion:
One of the great things about being a Christian is that the more you want to learn about God, the more He will teach you. The more He teaches you, the more you are able to pass on that knowledge to others. But the first thing we have to learn is a bit of humility. There is no lesson to be learned by storming in and not being willing to listen! Far too many people go to church because they think they have to. They sit and dream of other things rather than listening to what is being taught... They don't want to humble themselves and learn!
We should know our preachers and pastors have spent enough time in learning God's Word to be able to be good teachers. What use is going into a classroom if you are not going to learn? What good is going into a classroom if you are not going to be quiet and listen? If we are not going to be quiet then we are disturbing others and preventing them from being able to learn. If we are doing that, then we are keeping people from God, working against Him!
What good would we do if we went into a lesson thinking we knew better than the teacher? How would others react to the way we are acting? If we are not willing to listen to others, then are we actually willing to listen to what God has to say? He is the one who is trying to get through to us through our pastors and preachers. He is the one who wants us to be humble, not just before others, but before Him. How else is He going to be able to get through to us unless we are willing to submit to Him? He wants us to submit in everything, not just church. He wants to be able to supply us with everything so we do depend on Him for everything. He wants that because of His overwhelming love for us!
Points to Ponder:
Do you respect the views of others, or do you push your own views?
Are you pushing your views against God's views?