December 29: Deuteronomy 8 10-18
Key Verse: Deuteronomy 8 17
then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’
Devotion:
Think back to the last time that you had something really great happen to you and think back to the last time that something bad happened. What was the first thing that you thought of? When something bad happened, you probably thought of the consequences. You may even have thought about how anyone could have let this happen to you! Yet when something good happened to you, you probably thought about how good you were to get that right!
Our perceptions of how good or bad things are also vary with our thoughts and our own abilities. The better we are at something, the more we expect we should be able to achieve. The better we think we are at something, the more we think we should be able to achieve. The one thing we should never forget is exactly where we get the abilities to do those things from. We may think we have learned so many things because we are so clever... But who is the one who has given us the powers of deduction? Who created us is such a wonderful package?
The more we read up about the history of man, the more we are able to find out about how God has supplied man with so many things over the years. The more we find out, the more that we begin to understand just how much He loves us! The more we understand that, the more we are willing to believe and trust in Him. The more we trust in Him, the closer our walk will Him. The closer our walk, the more He is able to do things for and with us.
As we look back at the presents we got for Christmas, we need to remember some of the presents God has given us over the years, not just in our own life-times, but throughout the history of time.
Points to Ponder:
What has been your best present this year?
What has been God's best gift to mankind?
December 28: Habakkuk 1 12-17
Key Verse: Habakkuk 1 16
Therefore they sacrifice to their net, And burn incense to their dragnet; Because by them their share is sumptuous And their food plentiful.
Devotion:
When God does something which we don't like or don't agree with, we begin to question God. If things go wrong in our lives because of other people, we begin to question God for allowing things to go wrong. Basically, when God does not do what we want Him to do, we question Him! That is exactly what happened to Habakkuk; he saw all the bad things which the people of Israel were doing to each other and he questioned God for allowing that to happen.
But we have to remember a few things. First is that the world is an evil place which we inhabit. God has control over everything, but He continues to allow people to have their own free will. This means the people who want to go out and do evil things can still do out and do things with cunning minds. God wants to be able to stop all evil things, but because of that free will that He has given each of us, He will not stop all things.
God is Lord of all. God is in charge. God is in control. God does love us and God does care. We are the ones showing Him we do not care by doing the things that we do. We are made with no direct ruler over us. Whilst we may have kings and queens, police and armies, we have the ultimate choice as to whether we want to follow the rules as laid down by them or not.
God has given each of us abilities and we use those abilities – hopefully to glorify Him. But the more we find that we can do things, the more we believe in our own abilities and in the things we use. We begin to glorify the things that we use or do rather than our ultimate Creator’s abilities. That is how we lose sight of Him in our lives. We need to continually show Him we do love Him by depending on Him and following His Word. The more we walk away from Him, the more we think we can do and understand by ourselves.
Points to Ponder:
What was the last thing you blamed on God?
What was the last thing you thanked Him for?
December 27: Revelation 3 14-19
Key Verse: Revelation 3 19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
Devotion:
There are seven churches listed in these passages in Revelation, the church of Laodicea being the last and worst of those listed. Even then, at the end times, the True and Faithful servant (Jesus Christ) will be there continuing to be just and faithful with everyone. Just as He is Just and faithful now and has been throughout eternity.
His words in this passage are simple but hard hitting. He knows each one of our thoughts. He knows what we think. He knows how we are. He knows us, from the inside out! This means that He continues to know how we feel about everything. He knows how we feel about Him, how we treat Him in our minds... His request is simple... Stop sitting on the fence!
He knows those who are true and faithful to Him. He knows those who continue to uphold His name above all others. He knows those who will depend on Him for everything. He knows those who are true to their beliefs. He knows those who are strong and stick with it. He knows those who are strong within themselves and can show others His word. He knows those who are weak and helpless and have to depend on Him without choice. He knows those who are true...
He also knows those who pretend to uphold His Word. He knows those who make it look like they are Christians when in front of others and yet are not when they are alone. He knows those who have a heart which is not true... He also knows those who continue to sit on the fence, calling on Him when they need it and shunning Him when they want to have their own fun. He calls on everyone to be true and faithful as He has been to us since the world began. He simple wants us to make sure He is first in our lives... Exodus 20 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Don't be afraid when He points out our faults – He does that so we may learn!
Points to Ponder:
Which friends do you know are true to you?
How do you think God looks upon you?
December 26: Proverbs 17 9-10
Key Verse: Proverbs 17 10
Rebuke is more effective for a wise man Than a hundred blows on a fool.
Devotion:
How many times have you got upset with someone just because of something they have said in the heat of the moment? Or maybe you have said something out of line in the heat of the moment and you can't think why the other person is still holding a grudge... We are a fickle bunch and we do cause arguments over the smallest of things. Those arguments may well lead to breaking up with friends unless you and they are willing to forgive. Especially over the Christmas break!
Forgiveness has to work from both ends as well, when one side forgives, the other side has to accept and trust in that forgiveness because without trusting in that forgiveness, there is still a wedge between you and them. Being able to look over errors and things said in the heat of the moment is a big step forward to being able to seek and keep friends. In families, we learn to do this all the time (or at least we should) so why not extend that to everyone?
But there are going to be times when someone goes too far. At that point someone is going to have to express themselves and point out the error. There is a big difference between pointing out an error and shouting your head off. There may be a fine balance between what should be pointed out and what should be covered over, but if it's not causing danger, then what is the problem. Forgiveness will go further!
Being able to accept it when someone points out an issue takes more than you think. The first thing we are going to do is rebel because of our nature. Then we may well retaliate. Finally, we may well turn our backs on them... What we should be doing is trying accept those mistakes as they have been pointed out. Because they have had to be pointed out, it means that someone is not happy with us. We then have to try to learn from those mistakes. God does try to point out our mistakes by allowing things to go wrong in our lives. We need to stop and listen!
Points to Ponder:
Have you upset anyone recently without apologising?
Think of the things we do against God without apologising.
December 25: Luke 2 1-7
Key Verse: Luke 2 7
And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Devotion:
The time had now come, over two thousand years ago, when God would send forth His only begotten Son, born as a human baby into the law. God's perfect plan had begun, and nobody was there to see it. Where was the splendour for a Kings birth? Where was the herald singing forth the good news? Where were the other dignitaries to celebrate the wonderful birth? Not there at the stable…
Christ's birth at this particular time was no accident. The Roman empire was probably at its biggest. It had been prophesied (Daniel 2 44) that a kingdom would be set up which would never be destroyed. Every kingdom in existence then has been brought down except for the new King who was born on that day, Christ. Judea was now under Roman rule. Every person within the land was to be taxed. Every person was to bow to Roman rule, even the “lawgiver”, Christ, should be under the same rule (Genesis 49 10).
Micah 5 2 gives us the place where Christ was to be born. Bethlehem, the house of bread, was to be the birthplace of The Bread of Life; our Bread that came down from Heaven. Bethlehem was the city of David where our Saviour was to be born. David, born in Bethlehem, to be proven as a shepherd before becoming King. Jesus, born in Bethlehem, to be proven as a Perfect Servant before being crowned King of the Jews.
Any mother nowadays, being so great in child, would not want to make the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Mary did, because that is what God wanted. For His promises to be fulfilled, Jesus must needs be born in Bethlehem, wrapped in rags and laid in a feeding trough, a manger. That is exactly what happened – Praise God!
Points to Ponder:
Praise God for His promises! Praise God for His Son!
A very HAPPY CHRISTMAS to you all!