Tuesday Reading: Isaiah 49 1-6
Key Verse: Isaiah 49 1
Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.
Devotion:
When you think about what God can do in your life, how do you limit what He can do in your own thoughts? If we were to realise just how much He can really do, we would be overwhelmed by the amount He can actually do! God does not want us to be overwhelmed and to shut down because we cannot grasp things; instead He allows us to impose limits in our own minds so that we can better grasp Him. When we then come close to those limits that we have imposed, He starts to release them and we begin to see opening where we once saw closed doors.
God knows us before we are born… There goes another few hundred brain cells as we try to figure out that one! But that is the truth and we need to stop limiting God to our lifespans but rather give Him the freedom that He has! He knew us before we came into being; so not only does He know what we are going to be like, He actually planned things out for us. And the incredible part is that he still allows us to make our own choices, even though He may object and even though we may be going down terrible paths, He still allows us freedom of choice.
When we are willing to step forward and be used of God, He shines us up so that we can do even more for Him and allow others to be encouraged through what we do for Him. It is that light that shines that is going to make all the difference in our lives as well as the lives of those around us! If we make the choice to go off and do things by our own selves, ignoring what God can do, then we will find that we are doing everything in vain because the backing will only come from the world and not from God.
Nothing is too big a task for God to be able to achieve in our lives, so stop placing the limits on Him and allow Him freedom to work in our lives. I have seen so many people place limits on what God can do because it is the only way that they can cope with Him. But once they allow Him freedom to make a few changes or freedom to work a little bit longer in their lives, a bright shining lighthouse is opened up right there in the midst of them!
Points to Ponder:
Are you trying to use your own light bulb in God’s lighthouse?
Why not let God shine properly?
Monday Reading: Acts 8 1-8
Key Verse: Acts 8 5
Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.
Devotion:
What would you do if there was a serial killer who was targeting people coming in and out of church in your area? Would you still go to church or would you stay at home? I know that is an unfair question and please don’t get upset with me for raising it, but it should make you stop and think about what Christ means to us. If truth be told, I would make other arrangements so that we could meet someone other than in the church building just to be safe!
Saul was creating havoc in the church at that time, sending many Christians to prison just because they were Christians and teaching about Christ. That is what Christ has called each of us to do, to go out and tell others about Him! That should not have to be faced by threats to our lives or to our safety; but that is exactly what was happening because of what Saul was doing. So what did Philip do? He went on down to the city and continued to preach all about Christ to them. Because of this attitude there were a lot of people who sat up and listened and many believed as well.
If we want to make ourselves heard then we should be coming forward and doing something different, not just pitching up and doing the same old thing over and over again, but making a difference so that people will stop and think. Being a Christian is not about obeying laws and following rules and regulations; that is the fruit of being a Christian, you want to follow laws and things given to us by Christ.
Being a Christian is all about your personal relationship with Christ. Philip wanted people to see that no matter what was going on in the world around him, they would always be able to see that he was a Christian because his relationship with Christ was going to be unaffected by what was going on. Too often we allow the things of the world to change us so that we can conform rather than standing up for the truth. All Christ wants us to be is open, honest, truthful and loving. Is it such a big ask?
Points to Ponder:
How do you see Christians?
Do you think Christ sees you as a Christian in your heart?
Sunday Reading: Psalms 67 1-4
Key Verse: Psalms 67 2
That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
Devotion:
One of the best ways of getting yourself known is to do things for others; I’m not talking about being a pest or stalking others but just doing things for others without having to be asked several times! You’re right, it does take practice to recognise when someone needs help or when someone just needs a shoulder to cry on, but when you do pick up on a need, don’t ignore it!
Jesus never turned away from people in need and that should be our example to others – not to turn away from someone in need but to turn up when they need you and to stay until they are in a better place. God does not turn His back on people who are in need but makes sure that they do have the support they required when they are willing to trust in Him. If we go ahead and do things by ourselves then we do become strong and able to cope with many things, but when we rely on God we draw on His strength and His might and His power. We can then rely on the Rock that is Christ and we should never slip away again.
When we rely on Christ and on His wisdom we can take that with us to teach others. We don’t have to have a degree or any qualification other than relying on Christ because He will give us what we need to be able to share His Word with those around us that need it. It is because of God’s grace and our salvation that we have through Jesus that we are able to show strength and courage toward others. It is that attitude that will allow us to grow in Him every day.
God does not want us to stop with the people standing next to us, our neighbours or our friends; He wants us to be brave enough and bold enough to take His Word with us every step of our lives, building up others through what Christ has shown to us. If we want peace to come to this earth, then we have to start with Christ because He brings peace into our lives. Don’t give up just because we have had enough; allow Christ’s strength to guide you as well!
Points to Ponder:
Do you praise God ever day?
Do you invite His grace in every day too?
Saturday Reading: John 7 32-36
Key Verse: John 7 35
Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?
Devotion:
You may find it amazing that two people could hear the same thing and come up with different ideas about what they heard; and then again you may say the same thing about the bible today, two people reading the same passage and getting something different out of it. This is what our minds are all about. Each one of us is very different and that makes us unique. God made us unique. If we were all pretty much the same then we would all end up in the same place, doing the same thing and believing the same things… imagine what it would be like if all of those who went before us took a wrong turn and we ended up not believing in God just because nobody else did!
God made us different so each of us can make our own minds up about Him. In that same manner each of us makes up our own minds about the people that we love. Jesus tried to remind us that we should love everyone but we still do choose! His reminder was to open our eyes to the differences and to accept people for what they are. When we stop accepting that we fall into a deep pit of despair which we will struggle to get out of.
The Pharisees had worked themselves into a pit that was legalistic and was shutting out Christ instead of accepting Him as the Messiah; after all, how could a mere human take on their part of the Messiah! We need to stop judging people according to our own rules and allow God to do that instead. We need to love people for who they are and what they are… that is difficult at times! But necessary!
Even if we turn our backs on Christ He will not turn His back on anyone. When we turn our backs on Him we will still see Him reaching out to everyone else around us. He does see each one of us as being very different but He still loves us the same. That is the love that He wants us to go out with so that we too can get to live for our Father in Heaven. God wants us to trust in the things that He does and can do, not in the things of this world or what we think this world should be able to do.
Points to Ponder:
Are you limiting God’s outreach?
Will you be different and love God?
Friday Reading: Isaiah 55 1-5
Key Verse: Isaiah 55 1
Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
Devotion:
What a wonderful picture is described of the way that Christ is inviting us to come to Him so freely. When I was at boarding school there would be times when we would stay close to the tuck shop and drool at the things that others would be able to buy because they had a few pennies to spend and you did not. But life is not all about the sweets and pleasures that we seek; it’s all about our relationship with Christ and how we can grow with Him in our everyday lives.
The ‘tuck shop’ that Christ has does not dish out sweets for free but gives out what we need and supplies it more abundantly that our basic needs. Christ has promised to show mercy to all those who come to Him and He delivers on that promise. The mercy that He shows is not a half hour long kindness but a life lasting life changing supply of goodness and mercy that goes far beyond our imaginations.
We may look at what other people have and wonder how we could ever have something like that, or marvel at the gifts and purchases of others; but have you ever stopped to think what they would see when they see what wonderful resources we have through Christ. I had never thought of it this way until someone actually admitted to me that what they had never measured up to what I had.
Why should we go out to try and spend what we have on the things of this earth when we have a whole store full of the goodness that only God can supply? The things of this earth will and do fade away, but God, through His richness and through His Son gives us so much more than we deserve. Listen to what God has in store for us. Draw on the goodness that He is supplying. Stand on the everlasting promises that God has delivered to us. He alone has shown us throughout history that there is only one thing that we can depend on totally, and that is our awesome God!
Points to Ponder:
What do you seek in life?
Are you paying for stuff that will fade?