November 10: John 9 35-38
Key Verse: John 9 36
He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”
Devotion:
When the blind man was cast out for telling people about the miracle Jesus had performed on him, Jesus went to find him to speak with him. How often do we find Jesus going out of His way to seek out the people that need it most in life? Jesus showed compassion to everyone as I am sure that many of us do as well; but Jesus always went one step further to show that He is committed to that compassion and not just treating it like a passing fad.
Compassion should not be something we turn on and off at the drop of a hat; if we find we are able to do that then I submit we are not showing compassion to others but pleasing ourselves instead. We can all feel great by doing something for someone, but continually being there and supporting them through the hard times as well as the good times is different. Christ chose to support us forever and not just when He wanted to. He gave His life for us all and not just for a select few.
We now have this choice in our lives as to whether we accept what Christ has done for us or discount it as a passing fad. Do we try to ignore the gravity of the act of love He showed, or do we embrace it for all that it is worth? Jesus did not take this lightly and we must not either.
Jesus shows true commitment throughout His ministry on earth. He showed commitment in learning and sharing God’s word in the beginning, and then he showed the whole world His commitment to us all by listening to God the Father and coming forward for each one of us. Just as Christ shows that He carries things through to the end, we should be willing to follow God’s wishes for us through to the end. He has a plan for us, a plan that will succeed as long as we follow it through.
Points to Ponder:
Are you ready to follow?
Will you follow it through?
November 9: John 10 14-18
Key Verse: John 10 18
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.’
Devotion:
Today in churches all round Great Britain we remember all the fallen men and women from our past. These verses reflect some of the desire we have as fellow countrymen to protect those around us just as Jesus chose to protect His flock. Jesus came to earth as a human being with all the frailty that comes with being human and yet He chose to obey His Father in Heaven and to follow the command through to the end, which meant laying His own life down for our sakes.
We have similar choices in our lives, maybe not as dire as this choice Jesus had, but choices none the less. We can choose to ignore the instruction given us here. We can choose to ignore the people around us and focus on our selves. We can choose which ever direction we may; but we have to live with the consequences of those choices. We are given these choices and instructed of them, not that we will be too scared to make any other choice but to choose what we firmly believe in.
As youth workers we often are called to be humble and lay aside our self-worth so we can reach down and give a hand to someone in need. This should be the same for all Christians and not just those called to serve God be it in church or community. We need to take heed of what has gone before us and to remember the hell some have had to endure on earth just because of the feelings of some and the greed of others. Let us not get caught up in the same greed, pride and other sins that serve only to separate mankind.
Spend a short while today remembering what other men and woman have done for our sakes. How they too have willingly given their lives so that we could live. Remember too our Lord and Saviour who gave His own life for all of us.
Points to Ponder:
How quickly do you forget?
Are you ready to remember?
November 8: Mark 7 5-8
Key Verse: Mark 7 8
And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
Devotion:
At what stage do you stop listening to people and start listening to God? No it’s not a trick question because the bible does tell us that we should listen to others, especially those in charge. But it also gives us clear direction as to when to stop listening to people; and that is when they start going against God’s law!
This can get a bit difficult when they seem to be talking the talk and saying the right stuff. What we then have to do is to use discernment to figure out if they are just talking about things or if they are indeed doing what they are talking about. I have heard many people talk about raising disciples. I have heard many people talk about teaching the gospel. I have heard many people talk about all sorts of good stuff, but very few seem to want to get off their seats and actually do what they are saying!
When someone is talking the right way but not carrying out what they say, you can probably bet that their hearts are not in the same place as their mouths! This is what Jesus was warning the disciples about; making sure that people had a heart to follow God and not just saying the right stuff to get their own way.
Being on the receiving end of someone just trying to say the right stuff instead of believing it in their hearts leaves you empty and confused. Why should they expect to get away with giving out God’s word when they do not believe it? God may well be using them at that time, but He would be able to bless people a whole lot more if just one person would come forward with the right attitude and a heart to serve Him. Don’t just talk about doing what God has asked, get out there and do what he has asked!
Points to Ponder:
Do you feel empty when you speak about God?
Why should others have to feel empty when listening about God?
November 7: Acts 5 26-32
Key Verse: Acts 5 29
But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.
Devotion:
After the resurrection and after Christ had shown them in no uncertain terms that He was very much alive, Peter and the other apostles did not have any further problems telling the rest of the world about Christ. They were commanded by the people in charge to not teach about Jesus because that was showing the law they were trying to uphold as being false and coming from man instead of from God.
Whether it was out of ignorance or out of pride that these leaders were trying to stop the apostles from teaching about Jesus is not really our concern. What is paramount is that we take notice of what the important things was here. To Peter it was that he did not turn his back on Christ any more. Peter had already done that by denying that he knew Jesus just before He was hung on the cross. Now he was not going to go back to that place of denying Jesus or of walking away from Him.
We need to be sure about our own convictions as well in that we should not keep wondering whether we should believe, whether we should tell others of Christ or whether we have enough faith to do this all. The point must be that we stop following what man lays down as the law and start following what God has given us as the law.
If God gives us direction to go and do work for Him we must not turn our backs on Him and must follow His instruction. It does not matter what man will try to do when God has given us clear direction; what matters is that we listen to God. We may find ourselves in deep water just as the apostles did, but we would be in even deeper water if we turned our backs on God! Lift up your voices and lift up your God.
Points to Ponder:
Do you look to man or God?
Whom do you actually obey?
November 6: Matthew 23 1-7
Key Verse: Matthew 23 3
Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.
Devotion:
We have all been there – saying how we will never get as bad as such and such a person, or never to sink as low as them. But how many of you are honest enough to say that you have done that on more than one occasion in a church environment! I know that I have looked at what others do and say that I would never go there. I know that I have said things like that and then gone and done something stupid; and then try to hide what I have done!
Ok, so I have not gone as far as the Scribes and Pharisees seem to go, but then again I have not been placed in the position where they find themselves in. I have led a calm and protected life compared to some of them! I love to be able to think that I am doing things right and that God is pleased with the way that I do things.
I’m sure that I will get to hear about all the pride that I have carried around and all the looks that I have given others. But I do try to balance things out by going back and seeing what I have done so that I can repent and be forgiven. Does that make it right because I know that I am going to be forgiven? Far from it because in my mind that makes me an even bigger sinner than the original.
I love to be able to change the environment that I live so that I will be more willing to get on and do things for Christ instead of against Him! On another occasion Jesus went out to the temple and got rid of all the pride and idolatry that was going on, throwing aside the marketers that came in to treat the temple as just another market place instead of God’s holy house. Having the courage of your convictions and doing instead of just talking is a very big step we all need to take!
Points to Ponder:
Do you tell a good story?
Do you live a good story?