Tuesday Reading: 1 Corinthians 15 51-52
 
Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 15 52
52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Devotion:
Our first lesson on teen retreat was a reminder of the fact that things are going to happen rather quickly when they do. We get used to a certain speed of life as we grow and we all like to stick in that same way of life. When change comes we either reject it or we have to change. Unfortunately too many people around us are rejecting Christ right now and they are doing this because others are either persuading them not to or they are being told lie after lie. If someone comes along and tells you lie after lie you may well start to believe it...

All those of us who have genuinely called on the Lord to be our Saviour will be caught up to be with Him at a time that we do not know. This event is not going to be a long drawn out affair, nor a time that we will look back on because we will be with the Lord before we can know it. Unfortunately for those left behind they too will find that their life changes in that same instant, before they can know it. Our bibles remind us that it will be “in the twinkling of an eye”. All sorts of interpretations have been made of this but the fact remains, this event is going to be very quick – no matter how you look on it!

Whilst it may not seem such a big thing at this time, that instant will be a huge problem for those who are left behind. No, it will not be the end of the world for them because God continues to give them time to repent as well. But with Satan on the scene it is not going to be a very comfortable time! We may think that we have it hard being a Christian right now but I don’t think I would like to be around when absolutely everyone else in the world seems to turn against me! We are here now. We have the truth. We need to show others the truth so that they can know it too. It’s not a case of brainwashing, nor an easy way out, nor a comfort thing... it a simple case of knowing that we now know God’s truth... Believe it now...

Points to Ponder:
How long is a blink?

What would you do if you blinked and God had already left?

Monday Reading: Matthew 13 9
 
Key Verse: Matthew 13 9
9  He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
 
Devotion:
Each verse in our bibles has its meaning and as we always try to remind everyone we do have to take each verse in context because you can change the verse when said out of context. This is one verse though that has the same meaning when said in context of the parable of the sower or just by itself. Whosoever has ears, let them hear God’s Word. It’s not just talking about people who physically have ears, not those with the ability to physically hear but rather anyone who has the disposition to take in God’s Word.

So who are those of such a disposition? Every human being who has the ability to understand. We cannot include every human because young children who cannot yet grasp reading would find it difficult to understand such wisdom. Each one who is able to understand what is being said to them has the ability to understand God’s Word; whether they take it in or not is going to be up to them as to whether they wish to hear the word and also whether they are willing to take it in. As we get older and continue in our learning and gaining what we may call wisdom, we get set in our ways. If we have chosen a path that does not coincide with God’s path then we have not chosen the path to wisdom but the earthly path that will bear no fruit.

If any person is willing to listen for a few minutes then they will be able to gain a bit more wisdom from God’s Word. With that wisdom as a seed within their hearts, God will be able to make a crop grow that will be far more in abundance than the seed that was planted. God is the one who will make the crops grow and He alone is the one who will make His Word grow within us. Yes we can water that seed and tend to it to give it more chance, but without God there will be no growth.

As we start our teen retreat this week please pray for these young people that they may have the ears and hearts to hear God’s Word.

Points to Ponder:
How often do you really listen?

Is God’s Word still sinking in?

Saturday Reading: Hebrews 13 16-21
 
Key Verse: Hebrews 13 20-21
20  Now may the God of peace (who brought again our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant)
21  make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Devotion:
It’s not too often that I cannot hold back and demand two key verses but this is one of those occasions because this is the will of God summarised in a way that we can understand and through which we can be guided! It is God’s express wish that we do not forget those people around us. When Job was in good times he shared his wealth with so many people – something we do not get to hear too much about until he has lost everything and laments back to the times when he could share everything. It was not God’s fault that he lost everything but purely down to the wickedness of Satan... never forget that!

When we do lift God up in the things that we do He is faithful and just to continue lifting us up as well. God wants each one of us to continue supporting His people, everyone. He wants us to show others that we share in His love by being able to show others His love through what we can do for them. Only then may they see His love because they may well live in a life without God to start with. If we are able to bring a bit of happiness into their lives through what we can do and then give God the glory before them, they will be encouraged to find out more about this God that blesses us!

God has done everything possible for us to have not just eternal life but to enjoy our earthly lives too. He does this so that we can live our lives for Him and with Him. He is the one who deserves all our praise and worship for what He has already done. He is the one who deserves all the glory and honour for everything in our lives. Give it to Him by lifting up someone else today!

Points to Ponder:
Who would you like to lift up today?

Will you do this in God’s name?

Friday Reading: Isaiah 54 9-10

Key Verse: Isaiah 54 10
10  For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall the covenant of My peace be removed, says Jehovah who has mercy on you.

Devotion:
There are many things that we talk about as being safe, secure or permanent. We talk about the mountains as being substantial and immovable. We talk about the oceans as being full and never being able to be emptied. Yet each one of these things is under God’s control as He is the one that is sustaining each of them. He can move the mountains and empty the seas if He wished – but because of His promise to us to maintain seedtime and harvest, we know that He will not do these things until the time is finished.

We think of a mountain as being there from the beginning of time but when we see pictures of how things used to be we realise that our planet is changing all the time at a rate that may well surprise us all. We think of various things as being too old to comprehend and yet from our bibles we can know that the earth is not really that old – God created it all for us, including the fossil fuels... But in amongst all of this we can see that His love, kindness and mercy continue to be there no matter what! Our own worlds may look like they are falling apart and yet His love shines through it all!

God showed us His awesome love by allowing Christ to lay down His life in our stead. He is the only one who could have paid for our sins and He willingly did that because of His love for us. He continues to show us mercy through allowing us to live even when we are wicked and sinful. He continues to tell everyone that His love knows no bounds and is not dependant on anything we do. Our eternal existence is totally dependent on what we do – He has given us the wherewithal to know Him and accept Him as Saviour and King, but it is still our choice! God has promised... it IS so!

Points to Ponder:
What “unchangeable” things have changed in your life?

God will never let go!