April 19: Ecclesiastes 10 1-3
Key Verse: Ecclesiastes 10 1
Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, and cause it to give off a foul odour; so does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honour.
Devotion:
It does not take a lot for things to go rotten quickly in hot weather. No matter how pure we think we have made things or how clean we think we are, there is always something that will make stuff we keep spoil in one way or another. Just as our bodies themselves do not last forever, all physical things around us will not last forever. But we know some things have lasted a very long time because we have the history of those things to remind us how they have lasted.
In this case the perfumer’s ointments were at risk because of the flies in the early winter season which would look for anything to try and eat. During the summer the flies would go for plentiful harvests such as fruit, but during the lean time they turned to anything left open. In our lives we have many things left open because we think they will be safe. It is those things we least expect that Satan will aim for to try and make a mess; and none of us like to have to clean up a mess!
It is not just the physical things around us that are at risk here either. Satan is going to find anything in our lives that is left unguarded; that could be any loose end we have not taken care of, any chink in our protection. If he can find a way to reach through and make a rotten mess in our lives he will aim for it. Asking God to be the protection that surrounds us and encourages us to keep that protection going at all times is what we need to be doing.
We can try to walk with God every step of the way and we can try to make sure we have His protection at all times; but when we take our eyes off of God’s ways for a short spell, Satan will find a way in. The only wise way forward is to make sure we walk with God as much as possible and keep Him close at all times. God wants to protect us, but when we walk away it becomes more difficult for us to hear Him calling us back!
Points to Ponder:
Do you think your life sticks at times?
Are you walking close to God?
April 18: Amos 5 21-27
Key Verse: Amos 5 23
Take away from Me the noise of your songs, For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.
Devotion:
Why on earth would God say that He rejects worship and praise? Who are we kidding? Who do we think we can fool with our practices? Certainly not God! He watches us and sees what we do in our lives in and out of church and even worship. He sees in our hearts to recognise if we do actually mean the things we say to Him. He is the one who takes notice of our ways when others are not watching.
We may think we can fool some people some of the time, but we will never be able to fool God into believing we can do anything different from our actions we display before Him. We may be able to do the right stuff and say the right things, but when we stand before God and are tested for the genuineness of our actions, that is when we fail before God!
If we are going to pray to Him, offer things to Him, and tell others about Him, then we should make sure what we do behind the scenes after talking all the right stuff is the same as we talk about! God wants us to take on board the stuff we say and to act out what we say we are going to do. In short, God wants us to be totally honest in our conversation with Him. Saying that we love God with one breath and then saying we love others gods and things with the very next breath may fool some people, but it does not fool God!
God is a jealous God and will not accept our second hand offerings when He has already asked for our first fruits and not second hand stuff. Right throughout history God has ensures we know we have to offer up the righteous ways and righteous offerings before Him. So let us offer up stuff that is worthy to be offered up to God. Do not try to mould God into your ways so you can offer Him what you like. Try to mould yourself to be more like Him and allow God to guide you through your ways.
Points to Ponder:
Will you trust Christ’s ways?
Do you trust God implicitly?
April 17: Ecclesiastes 7 8-11
Key Verse: Ecclesiastes 7 10
Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.
Devotion:
You will always feel a whole lot better about something if you are able to follow it through to completion rather than leaving it half done. God wants us to have the same attitude toward all things in life that we should want to complete tasks and live life wholly rather than in part only.
If we try to build our faith on nothing more than pipe dreams we will always have doubt, but the more we complete our learning about God and about the scriptures, the more we will be able to feel fulfilled with the work we complete for God. I know that may sound a bit cheesy but when we live our life properly for Christ we are able to draw a whole lot more out of life than we would without Him.
We like to have instructions when building things. We like to have the right tools and right space to do work within. If we try to make do all the time we will have doubts that we are not doing enough for God. So our relationship with Him should not be a hopeful situation arising from all the work we do but a sure belief based on His work and on what He has laid out for us.
Living for God makes us stop and think about what we let ourselves in for. The more we grow up with God the more natural our lives become and the more we are able to fulfil His request for work. It is hard doing anything for Christ the first time through because we will all be required slightly different things from God. Rushing in and being angry is not going to help any of us to grow in Christ. Yes it is good to get angry once in a while to make sure we are doing what is right.
Points to Ponder:
Do you always look back on the ‘good old days’?
Does Christ want you to live in the past, or now?
April 16: Proverbs 14 15-19
Key Verse: Proverbs 14 15
The simple believes every word, But the prudent considers well his steps.
Devotion:
When we are having fun it is easy to go along with things that are happening around you and just have fun with everyone else. Much of the time that is not going to be an issue, but when we are faced with a difficult situation or one we know is wrong we must be the ones who stop and think! If we take even a few seconds to stop and think, our brains will have time to catch up and we may not step into the turmoil that is ahead…
If only we would take time to stop and think before we spoke out as well! How many times have you said something in the heat of the moment and come out in a horrible position? Probably the worst place for this is social media where we say something or write down something in the heat of the moment… it gets out there and is made permanent by social media! Other people then have time to stop and digest what is being said. We then look like the fool and not the intended target.
On the flip side of this we need to look at what others say, do and write down and consider what situation they acted in before we get all inflamed and angry about things. Take a while to digest what is going on before you do things otherwise you are reacting to a reaction – probably a good definition of chaos!
A good position to be in is living in fear of God. Not being scared to do anything because you think God is going to zap you, but thinking about everything you do to see if it is going to please or upset God. If you can do that you will know that God is going to be pleased with all that you do – or should be! If we then live in mutual respect with others and love them as God intended us to, we will be able to get on with others and spread God’s wisdom to many more people. If we don’t, we end up spreading the muck that comes out of our mouths before we can think of what is going on!
Points to Ponder:
Do you ever stop to think?
Do you know God did everything deliberately?
April 15: Philippians 1 9-11
Key Verse: Philippians 1 11
being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Devotion:
Do you ask someone if you can pray for them? Do you tell someone when you have been praying for them? Questions we don’t always think about even though we are told in many of the letters Paul wrote about the people and circumstances he was praying for; he wrote to them and told them they were in his prayers to encourage them into continuing their ministry. I know I am greatly encouraged when I hear about someone praying for the work that we do!
I know I pray for strength and wisdom for other children’s workers around me. I don’t do that to spread the peace but to make sure they can have the wherewithal to do God’s work because I know He gives me that support as well. I do this because I really do love the people God has placed around me who join in the work we do for God. To me there is nothing more encouraging than knowing someone thinks so much for you that they pray for you!
I cannot do everything. I am no super-hero. I fall very short of the mark when it comes to what can be done. But I know that when people pray for me, God gives me what I need to work for Him and bring Him glory. Christ is the righteous one who can do all things and does do all things right, we just try to be more like Him each day.
If you love someone you will be more willing to do good things for them or to lift them up in prayer. When Jesus told us to love each other it was not just so we get along and not fight, it was so that we would lift each other up in prayers, encourage each other, be there for each other and do all things together for God’s glory! Get to know the scriptures, not so you can judge others or blame them but so you can love them properly as you carry out Christ’s Righteous ways for each other.
Points to Ponder:
Do you love others?
Do you love Christ?