April 4: Titus 2 11-15
Key Verse: Titus 2 12
It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
Devotion:
Have you been tempted to do things you know are not right just because you are isolated and nobody else can see you doing things? I’m pretty sure we all have at least thought of things even if we cannot go out and do things! This is why our bibles, God’s Word, are so important in our lives. Without others to temper our thoughts and deeds, we need something we can cling to which is our guide through the rough times and our direction for the good times!
This is a long wait, sitting around inside thinking we have nothing to do and nowhere to go – but there is a lot of things we can do around the house which we may well have been putting off for a long time. Now is the time to get on and do things – because we know it is the right thing to do. I am getting fitter each day and was able to get stuck into a bit of gardening the other day, something I have not been able to do for more than a year! Yes, there is still a lot more I have to do in the garden to straighten it out again, but we will get there…
We have this HOPE in Christ, the promise of His return to us, the sure thing which is going to happen! If that is not enough to spurn you on to get on and do something which you have put off for far too long, then we have to dig a bit deeper! Yes, that first step is hard and it will take a lot of effort – you may even have back-ache or some other ache because you have not done that sort of exercise for a long time… but it is worth it!
Then there is our spiritual exercise which we may well have neglected too; time we need to set aside from our ‘busy’ lives at home and direct it toward and for God and for our spiritual growth. It will be hard to get back into things because we have not done this correctly for a while, but starting it is what counts and it sets us on the right path to walk closely with God – especially in our times at home!
Points to Ponder:
Do you feel like you have nothing to do?
When was the last time you sat and read a chapter of the bible?
April 3: James 2 18-24
Key Verse: James 2 18
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
Devotion:
How do you see your faith? Is it a faith in secret where you don’t tell others, do you go out of your way to tell people about it or do you live out your faith? This is a question I asked myself when I was at school in Zimbabwe as a ‘New Christian’; I saw people around me shouting about their faith on Sundays but only a few who would do the work to keep things going… I’m not talking about work which has to be done around the church building and logistics to keep that building functioning and open… I’m talking about the few who make it their mission to keep the people together and focus them on our common goal of bringing glory to God!
I count myself lucky to be a part of a local church who continue to be active even in this time of self isolation. We continue to offer our help to people who would like it and those who need it – they don’t have to be members of the church, just local people we can reach out to without compromising public and personal safety. This is who we are and it makes me proud to be able to share God’s Word to anyone who would like to listen or read.
Some may question the work we do or offer; some of those who question our work are supposed to be the people who do the work we pick up. Why limit yourself to do the work which is sanctioned when you know there is someone who needs help in some way?
You see, when God asked us to go out into the world and take the gospel with us, He was not meaning we need to buy a plane ticket to the furthest community around the world we can imagine, He meant we need to go to the people who need help. That could be your next door neighbour! It could be the old couple just down the road who have been told they cannot go out. We just need to listen to God’s instructions and faithfully follow them to where He wants us to be. He will take care of us and protect us as best He can – and that has no limits!
Points to Ponder:
Do you ignore pleas for help just because the rules say so?
Will you listen to God’s instructions and reach out to the people around you?
April 2: Matthew 25 41-46
Key Verse: Matthew 25 42
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink
Devotion:
At first read this passage may seem dire and even heartless, but when you read it alongside all the warnings and all the advice we have been given – we should expect nothing less! No matter what other leaders around the world said about getting people to distance themselves from each other during this pandemic, governments of certain countries did not respond to the warnings… until they began to see the results of not listening to the warnings.
It is much the same in our spiritual world as well, God has given us the warnings, He has given us the advice and shown us the way forward – yet so many people choose to ignore these warnings and carry on doing their own thing. Jesus came to give people the warnings verbally; thankfully many people listened – but still more ignored those warnings.
Who is to blame? Is it God who has given out plenty of warnings? Is it Christ who came to warn us verbally? Is it the church who continues to proclaim the word and give the warnings? Or is it the person who ignores all of those warnings and continues to do their own thing? Unfortunately this does not just affect the person who ignores the warnings but all who come into contact with them. We have seen stark pictures of how physical distancing can stop the spread of a virus – but some people choose to ignore those warnings and they place everyone they are in contact with into the same danger they expose themselves to.
When a person chooses to openly ignore God’s warnings, they are showing all the people around them it is OK to ignore the warnings. Some of those people will see them doing wrong and choose to follow that example. Some people will simply give in from the struggle against evil and go with the flow. These are the people God is warning who will not get the chance to go to Heaven!
Points to Ponder:
Do you uphold God’s word?
Will you show others it is good and right to follow God’s word?
April 1: John 8 21-30
Key Verse: John 8 21
Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”
Devotion:
What is the first thing you thought about when you read this sentence from Jesus? The first thing which struck me was the words “and you will die in your sin!” And yet, the people around Him did not hear that but rather heard “Where I go, you cannot come!” I suppose we will all get slightly different things from the passages we read, but my reaction to getting this reading through our church group yesterday was “how did they miss the point!”
Jesus did re-iterate these words to them and they got upset with Him for daring to pull them up on the things they were doing. According to them, they were following the teachings of Abraham and Moses as written down thousands of years before this; but in their hearts they knew they did take short cuts and do things wrong all the time. This is why they got upset – because Christ pulled them up on the sins they were committing.
Non of us like to get pulled up on the things we are doing wrong! I was mildly amused at people complaining about how some police forces are coming down too hard on them for not staying at home. Their real problem is they are not listening to the advice from the government and even the doctors! They did not like the fact they were pulled up on things they were doing wrong. As a person who is struggling with all this and trying to keep clear of people to ensure I do not become infected as my body continues to heal, I fully support some police getting upset and pulling people up!
We really do need to listen to all the words Jesus tried to teach us whilst He was on earth in human form. Those were the times when He was most vulnerable and yet He listened to every word from God. It is God alone who know what is happening and the rest of us continue to guess our way through life. The more we listen to Him, the closer we get to the truth and the way...
Points to Ponder:
How often do you get upset with people for pointing out your mistakes?
How often do you get upset with God for pointing out your mistakes?
March 31: Daniel 7 13-14
Key Verse: Daniel 7 14
He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
Devotion:
One of the things which amazes me is how some people are able to have such comprehensive and meaningful dreams; or they are able to make sense of the dreams they have! Personally, my dreams are all over the place and it is hard to make sense of some of the things which come out of my mind at night! Daniel was a man after my own heart – he always prayed and always made sure God was at the centre of his life.
When he dreamed of Jesus, it was not a pie in the sky dream or one which he had to think deep and long about to make sense of – it was matter of fact… or was it? We have the history of the life of Jesus written down for us in books and we can compare the dream with what we know has happened.. The words in the New Testament are probably taken from books like this so we can marry up the text with what happened. But what about Daniel and the others with him? What would they think of these things?
The key here is to remember that God is able and willing to do all things. No matter how difficult it is for you to believe He is going to do something, He is able to do it! Don’t limit your expectations by your mind – don’t limit things to what you think is possible or probable! God already knew what would have to be done and He knew when it had to be done. Daniel was willing to listen to Him and to tell other people about what God had told him.
I can only pray that I am willing to accept the things God shows me are possible and trust Him to bring us through this pandemic so I will be able to do the things He has shown me in dreams! God is able. I am scared, but God is able! I have limits, but God is able!
Points to Ponder:
Do you limit God to what you can do?
Will you trust Him to do so much more through you?