August 16: 1 Timothy 1 5-11
Key Verse: 1 Timothy 1 8
We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.
Devotion:
The aim of God's Law is to allow everyone to see where they are going wrong, so we can make amends in our lives to admit to our mistakes and follow God. Its design is fulfilled when many, (who are sinners like us) through their repentance towards God, come forward to exercise their new-found Christian love. I have tried to show, over the past days and weeks, Christian love is a love which goes further than just saying you love one person or one God. As believers we are in a relationship with Christ which allows us to grow into more than just another person that goes to church once in a while... God's law is not here to trip up those who try to follow it, nor to batter the Christian round the head through constant humiliation (that is abuse); it is here to bring people to the point where they want to be able to say sorry.
Just like all good ideas, it's not going to work too well if it is not used as it was designed. We have many people abusing God's Word around the world by taking it out of context and using it to spread lies rather than the truth. They make it sound so good by using a few words from it here and there and backing it up with a few more until it sounds plausible – but doing a little bit of reading from where they say they are getting those words will allow you to see the truth rather than their lies. I have seen scientists, atheists and even supporters of witchcraft refer to words from the bible to try and support their own claims – if they took those same words in context, it would blow their claims out of the water! If only more people would be willing to read up and check!
You see, because people refer to a word or two from the bible, others will be more willing to believe what they are saying – even if it is not the truth! If man is not willing to use God's Law for it real design, then people will not see the Law for what it is. We need to stand up and be counted as the ones who are willing to step up to the mark and show that we know what God's Law stands for and how we are willing to show others the whole truth as well!
Points to Ponder:
How many times have you taken what your parents told you to use it against them?
Do you really think that anyone will get away with bending God's truth?
August 15: Romans 7 9-13
Key Verse: Romans 7 12
So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.
Devotion:
As I look back on my life as a new Christian (many years ago) I can see how I changed a little, but what is striking to look back on now is how much I used to sin; and guess what, I still do sin! We think of ourselves as people who are “ok”, not as bad as others but maybe not quite as good as some; what we are doing is leaving out The Law. As soon as we start to compare ourselves with God's Law, we start to see how much we do sin and how much we do have to let go of. As Paul writes, we become as dead people because there is so many little things we do not do as we did before.
The more we start to try and live as Christians the more we try to bend rules so we can live within our own comfortable world still. We like to think we are doing the right thing by bending the rules just a tiny bit so that we can still do some of the things from our past. Does that then make it ok to do a little sin? I think not...
It was God's Law that showed us we were sinners to start with. It was God's Law which showed us what we were doing wrong and that same Law which told us the punishment for our sins was death. That is why we turned to God in the beginning. Why then do we not have the strength to turn our backs on that life once and for all? Why then do we hanker after that life even after we know it is wrong?
The Law was made to be perfect, holy and just. It will always be perfect, holy and just. We are the ones who pick it up and change a few things so we can go with a “law” that fits our needs. We are the ones who corrupt it and pass it on as the real thing when it is not! Sin is what has corrupted the law and will continue to corrupt it in the same manner as dirty hands make other things dirty by covering the clean stuff with dirt... We need to take the law in its perfect, holy and just state and try our best to apply that law to our lives to show people the real law and not the dirty ‘copy’ we like to keep for a while! The commandments have not changed since they were given to Moses thousands of years ago – why should we think we could change them now?
Points to Ponder:
How many times have you “interpreted” rules to suit yourself?
Are you still trying to change God's Laws for your own sin?
August 14: Romans 12 1-2
Key Verse: Romans 12 2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Devotion:
How do you react when people do things for you? Do you say thank you? Do you do things for them in return? Well, think on that a bit more… God is in control of this world – by Him everything exists and continues to exist. When we look at it, we receive things from God every day, constantly – yet how do we react? All we are, all we have, all we can do is all because of Him. After all He has done for us, is anything not acceptable to do for Him? After all He has done for us, is it not our reasonable service to do something for Him… anything…
Whilst we continue to live on this world, it is very difficult to let go of the ways of the world and even the things which surround us. It is very difficult to stand up for something which goes against the worldly ways – unless we are tempted to do something strange! How easily we give in to the temptations and yet how we reject being different to do the right thing! We are so caught up in things surrounding us, so caught up in the past and even the present that we grasp all we can and live our lives according to all we see and feel only.
When we become Christians we need to let go of the world as it is. Let go of our old ways which have lead us to do the things we did. Let go of the past that we have created in our old ways. Our greatest problem is probably the fact we conform our lives to the world and not to Christ. The world is not with God – why should we continue to do things to satisfy the world?
I’m not saying we should simply forget about everything we have done. God does not want us to do that because He has allowed us to walk the path we have so far for a reason. We need to embrace our past experience so we can learn exactly what we have done. By doing so we can know the way of the world; but by embracing God we can also know the way of God. With those two ways in hand we can then choose the right path which is our reasonable reaction for everything that He has already done for us!
Points to Ponder:
Do you think that nothing can change the way that you are?
Have you let God have a go in your life?
August 13: Proverbs 27 20
Key Verse: Proverbs 27 20
Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes.
Devotion:
No matter what walk of life we are from we always seem to want more of something. Depending on where we are from, how we are brought up and what we allow into our lives we all will want after different things. This seems to be most obvious in people in very public positions or people who are in charge of others… Man’s lust and pride will always make him want more than he is given! We need not wait for too many hours before we see some leader going after more than they should in the news. Man takes his lust and pride and ignores others just to get that little bit more!
We can all relate to this simpler level by thinking of our favourite food – when we are given some, we always want a little bit more! We know that too much is not good for us, but we will always accept or take more than we actually need. Whilst it is not a bad thing to enjoy the pleasures of life God does give to us, taking more than we need is not what God wants us to do!
It did not take Adam and Eve too long before they gave in to their greed in the Garden of Eden; and it will not take us too long before we give in to something in our lives. God continues to allow us to have access to so many things in our lives – whether we use or abuse that access is our choice because He has given us that choice. He wants us to be aware of our choices and how we can control them. Put a “chocoholic” in a room with lots of bars of free chocolate and it will not be long before they give in, no matter how reformed they think they are.
But God does not put us into those sorts of positions! He will post a warning on the door saying we should not enter for fear of the temptation which will overtake us. We are the ones who think we are strong and enter in to prove a point… breaking down and giving in and showing ourselves up as the weak humans we are! The temptations are there but God does not put them there! If we fix our eyes upon Him rather than our world we will be able to see those traps for what they are!
Points to Ponder:
What is one of your weaknesses?
Do you concentrate on the weakness or on God?
August 12: Psalms 16 8-11
Key Verse: Psalms 16 8
I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Devotion:
Do you ever look at some Christians and think “how can they be so faithful”? Do you ever think of your own faith as failing or not as strong as it should be? Well, I’m pretty sure I am not the only one that thinks like that!
King David was a man who had his ups and downs during his life. He was chosen by God, anointed to be king as a young man, took on the likes of Goliath without hesitation… Well, we could go on for quite a while about the great things he did. But then, we could also go on about his weaknesses or the way he was not always listening to God. The Jews will hold him up as one of the strongest men of God. The disciples recounted the great things he did and said. Christians nowadays look back at his life for great examples… and yet we do know that he had his weaknesses… He was, as we say, just like us!
This Psalms was written at a time when David’s faith was rock solid. He wrote this knowing God was with him and God continued to be his strength all the time. This Psalms is quoted in the book of Acts where the disciples use it to show how much we can rely on God. But we need only look at a few other psalms to see when David was crying out for help against the overwhelming powers against him. We all have our ups and down. We all have times when we can stand up and shout that Christ is our rock; and we can all have our times when we look up and ask why…
The one thing we need to remember at all times is that God is with us. When we are feeling down, He is there. When we are feeling on top of the world, He is there. When we are ready to give it all up, He is still there. We only need turn to Him for support. He wants us to depend on Him every step of the way. He wants us to know that He is there wherever we go. He wants us to always be happy in knowing Him.
Points to Ponder:
How strong do you feel when you are totally worn out?
Do you know you can always depend on Christ?