April 19: 1 Peter 4 7-11
Key Verse: 1 Peter 4 7
But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
Devotion:
We don’t have that long to live on earth when we compare our lifespan against the eternity we have with Christ. We may be able to compare our lifespans against animals, insects and birds and see that we seem to live a reasonable life, but we should not be caught up in our temporary lives on earth but aiming towards our eternity afterward. This is actually very serious when we put our minds to it and we need to treat it with due attention.
Living your life as full as your can as a mere man on earth may seem like a good idea and many subscribe to living life to the fullest; but what gain do you have when that life comes to an end if you have nothing to look forward to. God has given us understanding and He has planted the notions in our consciences that we do have something to look forward to after our lives on earth; it is not a vain imagination!
If we spend all our time worrying about things and bearing grudges against one another we are not going to have a very pleasant life here on earth. We certainly will not win friends and influence people in the right way. Instead we may find out that we make people run in the opposite direction to God! God would rather that we live our lives loving people and sharing the Gospel so that more will get to know Christ and more will be able to spend eternity in heaven instead of being lost forever.
Instead we should be looking at the gifts that God has given us and living our lives by applying those gifts in whatever ways that we can, sharing them and giving God the glory due for allowing us those gifts in the first place. What good is the simple skill of being able to make fire unless we are going to use it for the good of others? How else will others get to know what sharing is all about unless we share our gifts with others ourselves? God has never been slack in offering us gifts and allowing us to do many things in our lives, why should we be slack in working with Him?
Points to Ponder:
How long do you plan on living?
Do you know you will live that long?
April 18: John 18 1-9
Key Verse: John 18 9
that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.”
Devotion:
We know today as Good Friday and every year I am asked the same thing; “Why is it called Good Friday is Jesus was crucified today?” Every year I try to explain that this was probably the most terrible day of Jesus’ life because of what He had to go through as a human being and yet He chose to go through it for our sake. I use the singular because it should be viewed as that. Every one of us should look at this act as a personal act by Jesus for us and not as something He just did for everyone. Yes it was done for everyone who will ever live, but it was done for you and I personally!
So what is good about it? Nothing from Christ’s personal point of view as a human, but everything from His point of view to show us His personal love for us. This was the ultimate manner in which Christ could show His love for us and one that we need to take very personally and very seriously. There are people that I love very dearly in this world and a select few that I would willingly lay down my life for; like Christ I will not tell them beforehand because that may make them feel guilty, but they must know that I love them with my whole heart.
I have picked out this verse to highlight this fact that Christ did this so that He would not have to leave anyone behind. He did this all to give us all the same chance at being redeemed by His act on our behalf. Just as He asked for the disciples around Him to be let go before anything happened to Him, He did the same on the cross so that we should not have to be caught out by Satan or any other evil.
I am so very thankful that Christ went through with this all so that I could ask Him for forgive me from the sins that I have done in my life. I am so thankful that He has done this so that He should not have to lose me either. I am so thankful that he promised to forgive me when I asked Him to. I am so thankful that He is my Saviour and that He has done the same for so many of us in this world.
Points to Ponder:
Are you thankful for what Christ has done?
Will you show someone today what Christ has done for you?
April 17: Judges 6 11-16
Key Verse: Judges 6 14
Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?”
Devotion:
When the angel of the Lord came to Gideon to tell him he was the one to save Israel, Gideon had a hard time believing this could be possible in the beginning. He knew that he was just a man and that Israel was facing so much at that time; but when he listened to the angel of the Lord, he gained strength in his spirit and was able to stand up for Israel. So often we too do forget just who we are fighting for!
God has not just created everything but He is the one who continues to uphold the weak, support the righteous and make sure that people who are willing to trust in them get their trust fulfilled. It’s not just a case of saying that you will trust in the Lord but doing something about it too. It is so very easy to look at the world around you and fall away from that trust when you have taken those first few steps. But God wants us to have faith in Him and that faith must be real, not just empty words.
I struggle with people who bring politics into church and give in to the ways of the world and political views instead of standing firm with God. Yes it may sound prudent to not rock the boat at times, but when that goes up against Gods ways, then we are not serving our God but demonstrating that we have more faith in the political system than in God.
Gideon made sure that he set time aside to listen to what God wanted him to do. That meant putting aside the earthly ways and allowing God to guide him all the way. Yes Gideon still had his doubts and he asked God to show him a sign that this was all real, but Gideon knew at that stage in his heart that he would follow God’s wishes. God knows what is in your own heart and will give you the strength and wisdom to go out and do what He asks of you – you must have faith in that fact!
Points to Ponder:
Do you continually ask God for signs?
Are you trusting God’s decisions?
April 16: Ecclesiastes 7 8-10
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:
How many times have you said “well, it’s not like it used to be” or some other words along a similar line? Now think back to a time when you have said or thought those words and then honestly ask yourself “what are you doing about it?”
Far too often we get caught up in thinking about what happened in our past, how it might have been, how it used to be and we get stuck in those thoughts. Getting yourself back up off the ground and moving on forward can be very difficult after giving in and submitting to memories. The bible does not teach us to dwell in our memories or always think about how good it is on the other side of the fence; quite the opposite. The bible tells us that we need to learn from the past, remember it so we can move forward and then to look to the future and how we can go there with Christ in our lives. It also teaches us to be content with what we have here and now and not to go looking for something that may be better all the time.
If you live in a place where there is a whole lot of trouble and strife, think about the good things you may have, the blessings you do have and not dwell on what could have been or what was. God knows that we live in a world that is corrupted by sin and by people seeking their own ways instead of His ways, but He does not want us despondent because of the ways of the world. The ways of the world are not God’s ways.
There is always something to look forward to because we know that Christ has reserved a place in heaven for us. That should be enough to dig us out of any pit, but we still sink into those pits as we look at everything else around us. Being patient and waiting on God is difficult. Being strong enough to move forward with God is also difficult. Sitting down and allowing the world to run all over you may sound easy, but also leads to destruction rather than anything good. Christ walked into Bethlehem knowing what was going to happen, but He did so knowing the outcome which was far better than we could imagine.
Points to Ponder:
Do you get caught up in the past?
Are you looking forward to what Christ can do for you?
April 15: Luke 18 15-17
Key Verse: Luke 18 16
But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.
Devotion:
We live in a world where children also get sick. Sounds like a bit of a strange thing to say, but let us not forget that this is a world where we all started out as children who grow up into adults (time and health permitting). Jesus may have had His ministry to reach out to the adults at that time and get enough people back into line with the Gospel so that they could reach out to children, but He did not ignore the children.
The disciples obviously had an upbringing where children were to be seen not heard (I can hear my grandmother saying those words right now) and they reacted when the children came forward; whether they came with the normal noise and kerfuffle that children come with is not said, but would not surprise me. Children have not grown up yet, that is why they are called children and not adults, so they need to be treated as children and not adults. We can introduce them to the ways of adults and encourage them to follow those ways as they learn, but they have to start out as children.
Christ’s heart went out to those children and He asked that they be brought to Him so that He could meet them and they could meet Him as well as demonstrate His love by healing them. The adults cared for their children and so brought them forward for healing and blessing. We should be doing the same for people who are still children in Christ. If we know people who have not yet met Christ or who still have a lot to learn, then we should be bringing them forward to meet with Christ as often as possible just like these parents did for their children.
Children have open minds to most things and will pick up and learn a lot quicker than others who have made up their minds to ignore certain things in life already. In the same manner people new to Christ will learn quicker than those who have already made up their minds to do things their own way. Christ wants us to come to Him with open minds and open hearts so that we can learn the truth as He tells us and not as others do.
Points to Ponder:
Did you enjoy your early years in school?
Are you enjoying learning about Christ?