April 9: Acts 4 8-12
Key Verse: Acts 4 11
This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’
Devotion:
When Peter and John were arrested for preaching Jesus and healing the lame man at the temple gate, Peter had no issues with telling the authorities that it was because of Jesus that the man was healed. He told them it was the same Jesus they had crucified, the same Messiah they had rejected that was responsible for the healing; and that is why they were going round telling people about Jesus. We have that same truth to tell others, to share with the people around us.
Why should we think anything less about Jesus now just because it happened hundreds of years ago? Why should we water anything down when the truth has not changed even after two thousand years? We need to remind people that Jesus has not changed and they too can have the same encouragement and love and support others have had for thousands of years.
We do have to be bold though. Peter and John, as well as the others disciples, were more than willing to put everything on the line for Jesus. They were not afraid to get arrested for telling the truth. Sometimes it takes one of us standing up and making a stand for some people to take notice of what is happening. Sometimes the only thing that will make a difference is seeing us being willing to put everything on the line for Christ. We are actually pretty safe in most places in the world today when we talk about Jesus despite governments and authorities trying to stop us from telling the truth!
Don’t allow people to water down the story about Jesus just so they can fit it in a box they like the look of. We need to tell people like it is. We need to show people that living for Christ is very different from living for the world. We need to be willing to stand up and make a difference and not to try and talk our way out of things just to live another comfortable day! Be brave, be bold, be faithful.
Points to Ponder:
Are you obeying Christ?
Are you watering down your living water?
April 8: Acts 3 1-10
Key Verse: Acts 3 6
Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
Devotion:
So many times we look at ourselves and think that we have nothing to give. I was getting to that stage a few days ago and began to wonder if I really did have anything to give after seeing many things around me fail – or at least they failed in my eyes. God does not look at things in the same way as we do and He certainly does not measure success by the numbers of people that come to your meetings nor by the number of people that read your blog or your devotionals. God does not measure…
That took me quite a while to get my head round that one and I think this passage just kicked my brain back into gear after a day of rest… I mean actual rest, not doing stuff, not having to think, not having to publish, write, catch up… just sit and watch a few movies and enjoy just being and not thinking everything through. When the disciples came to the gate of the temple they were confronted by the lame man who was consistently carried to the gate from where he would have to beg.
John and Peter did not have a big pay cheque they could draw on to support people, they did not have loads of supporters who would give them money to give to others, but that did not mean they had nothing to give. Peter spoke to the man and told him to get up and walk. This was a command he gave to the man, giving it just as Jesus would have told them to do so. Jesus had told them to go and heal the sick; Peter was obeying Jesus!
Jesus has given us all a commission to go out and tell others about Him. He has not asked us to go and start up clubs and see if anyone wants to come along. He has not asked us to start a church to see if there is a need. He has told us to go out and tell others about Him. We have something to give! Christ has given us knowledge about Him, given us the Holy Spirit, given us time, given us life… now it is our turn to give to others. Don’t worry that you cannot give them money, support, bibles, clothes, whatever; you have knowledge of the living water. Share it! Christ showed you love. Give it! You don’t have to get anything in return!
Points to Ponder:
Do you like giving?
Do you wait for a return before giving?
April 7: Luke 24 44-48
Key Verse: Luke 24 45
And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
Devotion:
What a wonderful thing hindsight is! How easy it is for us to look back on the history of all the things that happened many years ago and to wonder why the disciples never knew what was happening. But when we look at our lives and we look at the times when we did not understand what was going on even when others around us saw it we can then begin to relate to how the disciples never saw it coming.
Jesus tried to explain to them what was going to happen but in such a way as to not get them so worried they would go and do something wrong. Christ wanted to make sure the disciples did exactly what was required and nothing less. If they had been left to their own imaginations then they may well have stopped Christ from going to the cross in the first place – after all it would be better to save a friend from certain death than to sit and do nothing… wouldn’t it?
After it was over, Christ had time to stop and explain what they had been through and what it was all about. Because they were probably recovering from the trauma of what had happened to Jesus, they had to have the reason why it all happened the way it did. Jesus was giving them the knowledge they needed to reach out to others and show how much He loves us all. If they had tried to explain it all in their own words we may well have nothing to listen to at this time; the history of it all may well have been lost because it would have gone over their heads.
Christ made sure the scriptures were explained properly and that all the prophecies were opened up and the actual events compared to those prophetic words. Only then would the disciples have the confidence that Jesus had gone through it all because this was and is the will of God. We now look back with hindsight and thank Jesus for all He has done!
Points to Ponder:
Do you understand the scriptures?
DO you listen to Jesus?
April 6: Luke 24 36-43
Key Verse: Luke 24 38
And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?
Devotion:
When you start something do you always make sure that you complete it? Do you always take care to make sure that everyone is happy with what you have done? Jesus not only made sure that He completed everything He said He would but He also made sure that the disciples knew that it was Him appearing before them in the room. And He made sure they knew it was Him in physical form and not just some dream, apparition or ghost that was there.
Jesus’ love for us goes far beyond just being a man who performed miracles for us and beyond a prophet who told us what would happen. It goes beyond a creator who made us and watches our every move. Jesus’ love is fulfilling and real and very personal. He does not demand proof from us all the time. He does not ask us every five minutes if we really do love Him or if we believe in Him. He loves us without any conditions.
Despite being God above everything, Jesus did not lift Himself up as the untouchable God who is above everyone and everything whom we cannot touch. He came back to His disciples and showed them how real life is with Him. He came back to give them instruction on how they were going to live their lives from that moment on. He did this all because of His love for us; a love that is without limit, without fault, without end.
There is no doubt about His love for us; He has shown us he is willing to go all the way to show His love for us and that is exactly what He has done already. We still have doubts because we always seek some extra proof or something we can see and hear before we commit ourselves. Are you going to require things from God or are you going to live your life with Him in your heart?
Points to Ponder:
Are you still looking for proof?
Are you accepting Christ’s truth?
April 5: John 20 1-10
Key Verse: John 20 1
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
Devotion:
Do you think Mary was talking to anyone when she walked to the tomb on this day? Do you think she was just in silence wondering what was going on after seeing Jesus die on the cross? Do you think she may have asked “how do we open the tomb?” or “will they let us in?” and then they were faced with this empty tomb!
The number of times I have dreamed about going somewhere, parking the car and then coming back to get in the car only to find it gone! That feeling is bad enough about a car or some other thing you may dream about… What would it be like to see a person you love gone? We can only try to piece together what they may have said or what they may have been thinking about, but we will never know it all until we can see them face to face in Heaven.
The disciples did not know what to do either when they had been told that Jesus had gone from the tomb. They would probably have blamed the authorities first of all, and the authorities blamed the disciples and it would have all be such a mess if Jesus had not stopped back and show Himself to them all. But that is the way that our Lord works – He makes sure that the right thing is done at the right time and does not leave us alone!
We may feel like the world is going to end or that we have been left behind at times, but we should never forget just how much Christ has done for us and how much He continues to work things out for us! We may not see why He has done what He has done at the time, but when we look back like we can on the Easter Story, we find all manner of things that Christ has done with purpose and we have just missed it all together at first! God really is good and He really does care for us. Be still and know that He is God!
Points to Ponder:
Are you too busy crying over spilt milk?
Or do you trust God?