May 18: Philippians 4 11-14
Key Verse: Philippians 4 11
Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
Devotion:
There are so many things in our lives which we take for granted nowadays – like the computer or phone or tablet you are probably reading this on or at least the one this was printed with. We take the fact we have running water, electricity and other basic necessities as part of civilization now; though not all of us. We also take the fact that we have an education whereby we can learn all the things we have done so as a matter of course; again not everyone though.
But how many times do you stand back and thank God for everything He is supplying for you? How many times have you taken a drink of water from a tap or water fountain without thinking about how God created water for us before He created us? How many times do you thank Him for all our basic necessities in life? The more each businessman works, the more he seems to want to earn or work. The more he builds up, the more he thinks he needs more because he is not quite satisfied! The more we get caught up in our daily lives, the more we take for granted and the more we think we want to try and satisfy our own desires.
In Paul's letter to the Philippians, he shows them and us how he learned to be content with what he had. But he also shows us in these verses he learned to be content with the daily trials of life as well. Not only was he able to put up with the trials, but he was able to see how God may want him to be faced by them at any particular time. But that was the key – he found contentment when he did everything through Christ.
This gives us the encouragement we need to place a bit more trust in Christ for our provisions and also to ensure we try to follow His example. We were made in His image for a purpose – so we would be able to continue His work on earth which He has set us to do. By following His commandments and His ways, we are able to face that same contentment Paul was able to find through Christ.
Points to Ponder:
What things do you put off doing?
How many of those things would Christ have done?
May 17: Ecclesiastes 2 22-26
Key Verse: Ecclesiastes 2 24
Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labour. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.
Devotion:
Have you ever got to the stage where you have wondered why you are working at doing what you are doing. I used to get that a lot at school! But what I'm trying to think of is when you have been working at doing something which you have always thought you wanted to do – only to find out as the end draws closer, you don't really get any gain out of doing that.
Life seems to be full of surprises in this sort of area. Maybe you had thought working hard at being a good and faithful charity worker would make your life worthwhile. But as you continue to work in the charity you start to find out many are not in it for the actual charity but for themselves. Maybe you start to find out the things which the charity is doing are not helping the people you want to help. Maybe you find out the charity gives excellent short term help but lacks the follow up. No matter what line of work it is, we will always be able to find fault in it. (I am playing devil’s advocate here by picking on a charity because it is something most people will relate to.)
Solomon had everything. I mean, he had everything because he was king. And yet he could see the shortcomings of his own life. He could see the shortcomings of how he was living and also where his life was going. He tried to work at many things, but found he would always fall short of the goal which he would have liked to have reached.
Whilst we would strive to be able to leave as much as we could for our children, we would not strive to be able to leave as much for complete strangers who have no interest in what we do. Working so that others can come in and break up all the work we have done is not profitable to anyone. Working together with someone will ensure you will be able to have your work continue. But there is still no guarantee your work will continue after you leave. That is where we need a friend whom we can count on. If we want to make sure we do something which is going to be worthwhile and of continued benefit to others, then we have to aim at doing something which God would have us do. He will then make sure what we do does continue!
Points to Ponder:
What sort of things do you like to do?
How many of those things are what God would have you do?
May 16: Proverbs 13 22-25
Key Verse: Proverbs 13 23
Much food is in the fallow ground of the poor, And for lack of justice there is waste.
Devotion:
We don't have to watch the news for very long before we can spot the hunger and poverty that is still all around us – not just in 3rd world countries, but in the streets around us too. The needs of the few have been forgotten and they have been cast aside because of the greed of the rest. The love parents have for their children mean they are willing to set aside their own needs many a time just so their children will get to have their needs. Parents are willing to go the extra mile to ensure their kids are safe and secure.
Too many times (it seems) we hear about the greed of a few people in power that overcomes even the most ardent parent so the children are left to either fend for themselves, or worse, are left with no parents. The greed which mankind has will continue to be part of our lives for as long as Satan is allowed to walk amongst us. That is his way of breaking down the trust and faith man has in God. For those greedy people, many will go to the grave early without setting aside anything in time for their children. Others’ greed will take their riches with them (or at least they try to!).
But it's not only the evil amongst us who get it wrong. There are those who want to be able to provide, but find themselves coming up against so much governmental red tape they are forced to waste the food or supplies they have stored up. Once again, the greed of the very few has interrupted the lives of so many.
Parents who love their children will make sure they grow up knowing the values of life and of love, making sure they know the consequences of ill-conceived ideas. Parents who love Christ, will make sure their children grow up to love Him too. There is no greater inheritance that we can get from our parents than the Word of God, all else will pale into insignificance when we go to meet Christ!
Points to Ponder:
Have you ever given your last sweet or piece of food to someone in need?
Have you ever set aside your needs to be able to show Christ to someone?
May 15: Genesis 11 1-9
Key Verse: Genesis 11 4
And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
Devotion:
What sort of things spurn you on in this life to do bigger and better things than you have done before? What goals do you set in order to try and get the most out of your way forward? I guess I try to make sure things happen in particular ways rather than getting physical goals or achievements. Does that make me odd? I don’t think so.
God does not want us to build ourselves up to such an extent that we fall flat on our faces when the smallest thing goes wrong. He does not place things in our way so we do fall flat. He is not out to get us or to put us down. But what happens to us when we do go beyond our means or we are going toward the point in our lives when everything will fall apart? God is not going to allow you to get so far that you fall apart; rather He will try to set things in our lives which will allow us to see what we are doing is not the right path.
So why did it all go wrong for the people in Shinar? They were trying to go well beyond their means and beyond where God wanted them to be. Just like God did not want Adam and Eve to corrupt things in the Garden of Eden, so too was God trying to protect the righteous path from corruption here. We may not see it, but God does. The evil one is also waiting in the wings for us to get these silly ideas so he can urge us forward to a place where he can break down our trust in God.
Don’t give in to the ways of the world; instead try to keep God in mind and keep aiming for higher things. But whatever you do, don’t keep God out of your life while you try to do things. Aim to work with God and for God in all things in life. Aim to make sure we have purpose and give God space to work in your life too.
Points to Ponder:
Do you try hard in life?
Do you include God in your trials?
May 14: Mark 1 21-22
Key Verse: Mark 1 21
Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.
Devotion:
What must it have been like to be able to go to a synagogue where Jesus was preaching? Many a time we may well shy away from church because we don't like what is being taught, or we don't like how the sermon is conducted, or we may even have a problem with someone at church. Whereas what we should be doing is seeking God's Word, wherever it is going to be faithfully taught.
We don't need to go to church to be entertained, we don't need to go to church to be forgiven by the priest, we don't even need to go to be saved. We should not need to be constantly reminded it is only through God's grace that we are saved (Ephesians 2 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:) but we to tend to put that thought aside when we go to church!
Being brought up in a Christian family has its ups and downs, just like being brought up in a non-Christian family. Those in a Christian family may well grow to resent having to go to church all the time especially when they would rather go out and play with friends. Those in non-Christian families may find it very difficult to find someone who will take them to church especially when they are the only ones who want to go. But the aim must be to be able to find a church congregation which will teach God's Word as it has been taught faithfully by those who fear God.
We can draw many parallels between church and most activities in life where we can try to justify change by the ways in which society is changing. There are many out there who have changed God's Word to suit themselves and have grown a community from those new word. (Revelations 2 18-19) When Jesus got up and preached, He made sure people heard the truth as it was and not as how they wanted to hear it. That is exactly what we should be seeking in our lives as well – somewhere where we can hear God's Word accurately preached so we can grow in His truth. We should not be looking at all the other activities and people in that church, but at whether they are faithful to deliver God's Word as it was intended to be preached.
Points to Ponder:
What makes you go to church?
Do you diligently seek His Word?