Friday 15 Apr 2011

Friday Reading: 1 Corinthians 10 31-33

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 10 31
31  Therefore whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Devotion:
Living your life for God is something that we all need to aim to do. I am not saying that it is going to be possible because of the very different people that we are – but that surely must be what we aspire to do; to give God the Glory! The very way that we act can change other people’s minds. If we were to go into our church and start acting like we are right and they are wrong then we are going to cause an immediate problem because we are giving ourselves the glory rather than God. Our aim must be to release those feelings and desires that trap us in this world – pride, greed and lust.

I cringe when I hear other people talk down others because I don’t like to do that anymore – I would rather change the subject and move onto something more positive that will lift someone up rather than tear them down. If someone were to come into our church and do something that would offend the church, I am not sure how I would be able to handle that. I do know that God is in control and that when people make sure that they let God be in control in their lives that they genuinely are able to do more things for God. The more that we are able to focus our goals on God’s work through His Word, the more we will find that we are able to achieve. If anyone then stands up and lifts up their own word instead of God’s Word, then they are glorifying themselves rather than God.

Just because someone is not part of our church does not mean that we can then lay into them with whatever we say – one again we are then lifting up our own word rather than God’s Word. God’s Word has been written down for us. Our Lord Jesus Christ completed His Word by giving His life on the cross. At that moment the veil of the temple was torn showing us that His Word was complete and needed nothing being added to it from that point on. Let us lift up Christ together rather than tearing each other down. Let us build up our churches rather than splitting them apart. Christ has done it all already and if anyone tries to add things then I am very wary of what they have to say – God’s Word is complete and that is what I trust.

Points to Ponder:
How often do you put others down?

How often do you think Christ could put you down?

Thursday 14 Apr 2011


Thursday Reading: Isaiah 6 1-5

Key Verse: Isaiah 6 5
5  Then I said, Woe is me! For I am undone; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of Hosts.

Devotion:
I’m sure that you would be able to relate to me on this one, though maybe it is only me... How many situations can you think back on when you realised for the first time that you had either being doing something wrong all the time or that you had actually broken a law without knowing about it. I can think of one or two situations when I have realised that I have actually broken a law without knowing about it. When you suddenly realise that what you have been doing is wrong and that you can be held accountable for what you have done wrong, a feeling of guilt comes over you because you now know you are wrong – deliberately wrong!

How do you find out that you are wrong? Well the most likely way is that you hang out with someone who is doing things the right way and you point out to them that doing it your way is easier only to be told of the law that forbids your way. If you do not accept that law as being the law then you are fooling yourself and nobody else. The law is the law and you cannot bend the rules just so that you can do things your own way. God is Just. That means that He upholds the law in its most absolute way.

When Isaiah was given the vision of The Lord he suddenly realised just how absolutely wrong he was in all his ways. Here is a man of God suddenly realising He is absolutely undone! If he could realise that just from a vision then do you not think that we as ordinary folk should be totally unglued rather than just undone? There are so many passages in our bibles that show us time and time again how man has begun to realise that he is nothing when he sees God in all His glory. These are the passages we need to take notice of because they are there so that we do not have to face humiliation just to realise who God is! God loves us and wants us to know the truth – He does not want to have to embarrass each one of us in turn so that we realise the truth – but if needs must He will do it!

Points to Ponder:
How often do you do things wrong?

How often do you consider God’s ways?


Wednesday 13 Apr 2011

Wednesday Reading: Romans 5 10-11

Key Verse: Romans 5 10
10  For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

Devotion:
Have you ever thought of God’s love and how He expresses it towards us? Have you ever wondered whether His love towards you is as much as they say it is? Well, just think about this one thing... how could someone express their absolute love for you even before you got to be friends with them? How could we be the focus of His love even before we got to know Him? The answer is quite simple – that love is real and it is more than any love anyone else has ever expressed toward you!

When someone expresses their love toward you in ways that confound you, what do you do about it? If someone were to walk up to you and say just how much they loved you even though you hardly knew them, what would you do about it? I would be wary about this person until I got to know them and until I found out whether their feelings were true or not – then I think I may be in some sort of shape to deal with the situation. And that is how we tend to deal with God’s love toward us. If we do not know Him then we tend to be wary of that love and even reject it – but when we get to know Him then we realise just how true that love actually is!

Jesus did something for us that we should never forget. He gave us a way of being reconciled with God. Even if we have rejected Him to begin with and have done all manner of things against God, Jesus reconciliation is absolute and will always be... But we are the ones who have to believe that that is in fact the truth. If we do not believe Jesus then He will not reconcile us with God! It is not that He does not want to but that He cannot because we are rejecting Him! Accept Christ into your life. Believe that He really does love you and He will show you levels of love that you thought were never possible!

Points to Ponder:
How deep is your love?

Do you know God’s love yet?

Tuesday 12 Apr 2011

Tuesday Reading: John 14 18-20

Key Verse: John 14 20
20  At that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

Devotion:
What would you do if you were in the position that Jesus was in at this stage of His life on earth? I’m not asking for a ‘what would Jesus do’ answer but an honest answer from your heart – because that is what Christ sees in you. You have tried to tell a bunch of guys about the truth and you have tried to warn them about what is coming up. You know that they are all going to sink into despair when you give your life for them. You know that one of them is sell you out to the enemy. You know that they all will be at the stage of giving up in a few days time... Would you still go forward and give them everything? Would you still love them unconditionally? Will you still promise them that you will always be there for them?

For Christ to know what lay ahead, the heartache that was to follow, the physical pain, the mental strain; all of that was in His mind and yet He still took that step forward for you and me. He knew that people the world over would still reject Him. He knew that people would still fight wars against Him and against His people. He knew that many would reject Him to His face... And yet He still, willingly, took that step forward for every single one of us.

We all hear stories about martyrs, the people who die so that others can live or they die for a good cause... but the only story we hear about someone who was so caring that He lay down His own life knowing that we would reject Him anyway is our story of Christ. We now know that Christ is the Son of God. We now know that He gave His life for us. We now know that His promises stood the test of time. We now know that He did not give up, He did not lie, He did not settle for anything less that the absolute truth. So why then do we still doubt? Why then do we still fear following in His footsteps? Why should we care about anything else other than showing our God that we love Him for all that He has done for us? But we do... Remember Christ. Remember what He has done. Remember His promises. He lives!

Points to Ponder:
What rejection do you fear?

Are you upholding Christ in your life?

Monday 11 Apr 2011

Monday Reading: 1 John 5 18-21

Key Verse: 1 John 5 20
20  And we know that the Son of God has come, and He has given us an understanding so that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him that is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and the everlasting life.

Devotion:
There will always be many people who ask “how can we know that Jesus was or is the Messiah” and the answer to them will continue to be “because our bibles tell us so.” This is not a flippant remark trying to palm the unbeliever off with something that they cannot argue against but rather a revelation that they should get to know. Don’t ever leave it as the ultimate statement but rather continue to try and show others that the Word of God is more than just another book. It is a fine collection of letters, gospels and history books that has been collected together in one place. Each of those individual scripts that make part of the bible were written by different people or to different people and each of those accounts support each other. Together they make a more compelling argument than many a legal case that has sent a person to prison – so why will people still disregard it?

That comes down to belief and faith. In order to be able to understand more from Gods Word you must first get over the hurdle that you think that it cannot be true. That is the major hurdle holding most people back – the fact that they think it cannot be true. Is it too simple a truth to ever actually be true? Is it too simple a suggestion to allow us to know the truth? If it were more complex, many people would say it was too complex. If it were simpler, many people would say it was too simple. It is man who is rejecting the truth and not the fact that the bible is not the truth that is the problem!

We have been given the truth as it is. That truth has been forecast, foretold or prophesied about thousands of years ago. Each of those prophesies have come true at the right time in order for Jesus Christ to present Himself to us as our Messiah and King. We have historical records that back up the fact that Jesus Christ lived over 2000 years ago. Everything has been given to us. We are the one who have to take that step forward and put aside our unbelief in order to see the truth for what it is. Jesus Christ is our True Living God!

Points to Ponder:
What stops you from believing something?

Are you willing to let God have a go at explaining things?