November 16: 2 Corinthians 8 10-12
Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 8 11
Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.
Devotion:
It is one thing to say you are going to do something, but and entirely different thing to go forward and perform the act you said you would do. Being able to start a new work is great and very fulfilling but being able to stay and finish that work is something we often fall short of. I know I am guilty of starting things and never quite finishing them - and I am not talking about all the DIY things I should be doing around the house!
When we accept help from others, we would rather they stayed on and helped us through to the end that leave us high and dry in the work we have to do. When God asks us to do something for and with Him, He does not expect to have to finish the work off for Himself! How do you think that makes Him feel when we leave before the task in hand is complete?
We need to show the willingness to help out but also the willingness to stick with it through the completion. We are not just letting down the people we offer the help to but we are also letting God down – especially if we have let those people know we are Christians! This does not mean we have to stick with everything we offer help with – sometimes there are task which work to the detriment of our health; the wise decision then is to stop and take a rest!
The apostles were not asking the local people to do things beyond which they were capable of, but to do things within their grasp. Much of the time we do not start tasks because we think we are incapable of doing them, never mind completing them! But don’t flatly refuse to do everything because you have not done it before – ask God to stand with you and give you the wisdom and strength you need to complete that task; especially when He will get the glory for what we do!
Points to Ponder:
Do you like helping others?
Will you ask God to show you how to begin something new for Him?
November 15: 2 Corinthians 8 1-7
Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 8 5
And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.
Devotion:
One of the most pleasing things to do is to give the gospel to those who need it most; and being able to be amongst the poor and needy whilst doing that is what Jesus wants of us. The apostles were amazed at the reaction they received from the people of Macedonia; the apostles did not expect these people to be able to give and share what little they had. The most pleasing thing for the apostles was seeing the people give themselves to the Lord and then to others.
We live in a world which is divided by all manner of things which should not cause division; people are divided by how much money or property they have, by who they know and by where they live. All these things should not be causing division but rather bringing people closer together so they can help each other.
When we face up to our earthly wealth and belongings, they become the focus of our lives and tend to dictate what we do and even who we mix with. But when we are able to let that go and focus on God and His kingdom, we are able to share with so many more people. God has shown us so much grace by giving so much to us even though we do not deserve it – we need to learn from that grace and extend it to all around us.
We must not judge according to earthly standards but rather listen to God’s guidance and live up to His standards of grace and mercy. The apostles were so pleased with all the local people had done, but they wanted them to go a step further and live up to the standards God would like us to. It is not all about being righteous and giving out Gospel messages; it is also about being gracious and fulfilling the physical needs of those around us. By doing this we become the community God wants us to be and are more apt to share more and spread God’s hope and justice.
Points to Ponder:
Do you like giving things to others?
Will you try and make a positive difference in the lives of people around you?
November 14: Luke 18 18-27
Key Verse: Luke 18 22
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Devotion:
Some see this passage as a command for us all to sell everything we have and give it all to the poor and needy. But that is not what is meant through these words. Jesus was challenging the rich ruler because of his love for money and riches; Jesus knew it was a stumbling block for the ruler and wanted him to realise that. If we treat riches and wealth in the same way as this rich ruler, then we should expect the same response from Jesus!
Don’t lose focus on your life with Christ just so you can gain a little bit more money or build up your wealth. God would rather you focus on Him and leave the decisions to Him with regards to your wealth. Entrusting your wealth into the hands of the one who allowed you to gain it in the first place has got to be wise!
God has given us commandments to live by and expects us to obey those commandments, but unless we are willing to love our fellow human beings then we are still falling short of the mark. Sharing what you have with others does not mean selling up everything and giving it all away – it is far better to show someone kindness and teach them to be wise with their money than it is to flood them with wealth for which they have no appreciation.
I find it hard to not give money to other all the time, but when I see they do not have respect for what they have or are frivolous with what they gain, then I am more likely to try and show them how to have more respect for anything they have. We are all wealthy when we have the proper respect for the riches God allows into our lives – treat what He gives you with respect!
Points to Ponder:
Do you lend money to others all the time?
Do you expect it back along with interest?
November 13: Ecclesiastes 5 10-15
Key Verse: Ecclesiastes 5 13
I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
Devotion:
This summary of the meaningless of money is quite apt and covers so much which we take for granted or don’t even think about. The more we love money, the more we want it and the less we feel we have – greed soon sets in and begins to take over our life because we become less and less satisfied with what we have, always looking at ways of making more money!
The more we buy with our money the less we seem to care for the things we buy – the less they mean to us and the more we go out and buy more things. What good are all these trinkets other than to boast about our wealth or to have something to look at? The more we have the more worried we become about losing things and the more we worry about our lives, or the more we worry about the lack of certain things in our lives!
But what about that need to make more money – what happens to the people around us? Do we start to give more money away to people who need it, or do we try to hide our wealth away so others cannot take it away from us? I like the way the bible describes this as being harmful to us! The more we try hide it, the more we worry about it, the more we seem to be susceptible to people who are willing to harm us in order to get at our riches…
Does this mean it is evil to gain money and save it up? No. It is the greed and lust which take over our ways because of the love of money which harms us. If we remember just who it is who allowed us to gain these riches, we may well be more willing to treat it with the respect due to it. You don’t have to give all your money away to please God, but withholding it when it is possible to help others is not what God had in mind when He allowed you to gain those riches…
Points to Ponder:
Do you help others out with their needs?
Will you allow God to guide you in helping others?
November 12: Proverbs 23 4-5
Key Verse: Proverbs 23 5
Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
Devotion:
Seeking earthly riches all the time may well lead to earthly riches, but that is all! Where you set your goal in life is where your focus will be and where you will probably spend all of your energy. What Christ is telling us is we need to focus on the future we have in heaven so our works will most likely follow that path – the one laid out before us by God…
Now there is nothing wrong with making sure you have enough money to live on and even to build up some monetary support for you children (or your parents) because that is looking after your family; but making it your goal in life will detract you from the work God would have you doing in expanding His kingdom and allowing more people to join us in heaven!
The more we lean on our own wisdom, the more we fall short of the mark for God; we need His wisdom in order to achieve the goals He wants us to reach in our lives. As quickly as we build up our riches here on earth they may well disappear or become of no effect. There are countries where it is not worth holding on to money because inflation makes it of little worth by the end of the month or even week! This is the way of the world – what man has built up will only last as long as man lasts…
Have you noticed how your goal for earthly riches keeps on moving the closer you get to it? Despite what others will tell you, the riches we see in our lives do come from God and can be swept away by Him just as quickly as we see them come. If we lose focus on God because of those riches then we may well see them swept away before we can use them to any affect; God is the original source and He would much rather we focus on His riches and not our own!
Points to Ponder:
What are you seeking in life?
Will you set your eyes on God and seek His riches first of all?