December 14: Galatians 5 13-17
Key Verse: Galatians 5 17
For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
Devotion:
Does the bible teach us how to sin and do evil? Far from it! It tries to teach us how to do the opposite, how we are to live in liberty and love one another. God's Word is there to guide us away from the evil which has penetrated our world so deeply that it feels more like ‘our world’ than what God intended it to be. The bible is there to teach us there is evil and we need to avoid it or we will be consumed by it. It does not tell us how we should combat it, to kill it off, but how we need to avoid it. In other words, it acknowledges that evil is now part of this world but also that if we give in to it, it will overcome us.
It all starts with us. If we are not willing to make the first move to live in harmony, then how are we to ever expect to be able to live in harmony with anyone or anything else? If we do not show respect to others, how do we ever think we will gain respect from them? If we start to give in to things, then before long we find that we have given in to the things we once said we never would; we find we have done the things we said we never would. Once we give in in our minds, it is a simple step before we give in to those things physically.
It should not be taken lightly when we read that we are at war within ourselves. It should not be taken lightly that we are spiritually fighting against evil all the time. If we give in to this fight, then we will lose physically too. If we uphold our lives spiritually, then we will be more likely to uphold our lives physically. Our physical selves are weak and will follow after our spiritual selves. If we follow on in Christ's instructions, then we will have no need to give in to the physical temptations which surround us all the time. Live up to following God's Word!
Points to Ponder:
How long after thinking about something do you find you do it?
How often have you been led astray just because you “wanted to see”?
December 13: Philippians 2 12-16
Key Verse: Philippians 2 13
for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Devotion:
Each one of us can probably remember the things which led up to our introduction to Christ. We can remember things that changed the way we thought about God and we can remember the day we gave our lives back to God. But how many of us have continued in earnest to follow those same ways, those same things and grow constantly? All too often we grow cold in our walk with Christ, we falter like a plant struggling against a sharp frost – we find we don't have the protection we used to think we had... or at least that is what we think it is like.
We need to be constantly vigilant in our lives, watching out for those who would like to trip us up. We need to make sure we are always prepared with God's Word so that we can face whatever others throw at us. We can make sure we are strong by allowing His Word to guide us. We can follow His Word. Yet many times we choose not to follow it. Those are the times when we are most vulnerable – like a plant left out of the greenhouse in the sharp frost; but unlike that plant, we have chosen to be outside because we have been playing outside knowing the frost is coming, but ignoring the warnings!
We do live in a perverse and wicked world that will continue to do all manner of things against God. We do have the choice as to whether we allow ourselves to be consumed by those things around us, or whether we lean on God to get us through. When we do rely on God, He will be the one giving us the strength to uphold His Word so that others will see us as an example of His works. We need to make sure that when we are faced with all manner of evil around us, we are safe in His Grip so we will not slip and fall into those temptations which can and will take over all others around us. It is through His strength that we will survive and lead as examples!
Points to Ponder:
How often do you look at someone and think how good a Christian they are?
How often do you rely on God's Word to take you there?
December 12: John 6 24-29
Key Verse: John 6 27
Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.
Devotion:
Many times in our Christian lives we look for the experience of what happens or where we go or who we are with instead of focusing on the real thing. We look to have a good time and to experience things with people rather than focusing on God's Word. It is not a bad thing that we seek to be with people, nor that we seek to share God's Word with them, but when we start to go to church to have a good time rather than learn about God, then we have lost focus on what we are doing.
God has given us His Word, the scriptures, the bible, so we can learn more about Him. He has given us the bible so we can find out the truth, so we can share it with others... and yet far too often we leave His Word behind when we go to meet others in His name. We need to refocus our lives so they are centred around Him and His Word rather than being centred around our enjoyment and desires.
It is a hard thing to do, to let go of the world so we can ride with God; but an essential one if we are to grow in Him. There is nothing wrong with having a good time, just don't leave God out of it. There is nothing wrong with having a party, but why go out of your way to exclude God by changing the way you live just for the party. We tend to do that, change the way we are just so we can go and do something. Don't you think that is a bit hypocritical? Living for God and then escaping from Him to enjoy yourself... it's rather like saying that you will obey your parents but then have a great big party when they are not at home. You know it is wrong, but you do it anyway. You go against their wishes just for your own sake, nobody else’s...
Don't leave God out of your life. He wants to be there with you all the time...
Points to Ponder:
How often do you bend the rules for yourself?
How often does God bend the rules?
December 11: Acts 12 19-24
Key Verse: Acts 12 24
But the word of God continued to spread and flourish.
Devotion:
Herod was one of those people who had been introduced to God's teachings with the people he had to mix with. He knew about the scriptures and had probably heard many of the miracles which had happened. Maybe he even heard about how each prince and king is allowed their position through God's grace; just as we are given our positions in society. But just because we may have been given a superior position to others or a position of power over others, it does not mean we can do what we like through it.
We see many leaders taking more than their fair share of what God has allowed them to have. Each of those leaders is given plenty of warning from God about what will happen if they do not give up their evil ways, yet so few stop to think about who God is and do not give Him the glory. We don't have to look to our leaders to find those faults, we can very often look in our mirrors and see the same faults. We like to think we are in control and we like to exaggerate just how much control we think we have in our lives. But when we step over the mark and proclaim that we are the ones who have done things when God has clearly allowed them for or to us, then we may just have to face His wrath.
Herod was one of the unfortunate men who had to face God's wrath and he faced it just when he was probably thinking he could get that bit more out of life by using what God had allowed in his life. He dressed himself up for the occasion and proceeded to take all the glory for what was happening around him. He must have known all that God had done, and yet the people, through what he was saying, looked up to him as a god. That was the last straw. If we ever think we can take on God, we need to look at these type of events and see just what we actually mean to God if we think we can take Him on – nothing more than worm food! God will always get the glory in the end. Give Him what is due to Him!
Points to Ponder:
How far do you go to get praises?
Are you getting close to stepping on God's toes?
December 10: Proverbs 27 14
Key Verse: Proverbs 27 14
If anyone loudly blesses their neighbour early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.
Devotion:
It’s one thing to praise a friend, but doing it for your own reasons is not right! We all like to receive praise when it is due to us; it gives us renewed energy and even a new commitment to do things right. Yet there are times when we feel a bit left out because we are not getting the praise we think we should do. When we get to that stage, it is a very simple step to go too far and do things in front of people just to gain praise. Where do you think that is going to get you? Pride is going to take over your life if you are willing to allow this sort of thing to take hold!
God wants us to be willing to do things for others and not to seek praise or reward for it. He wants us to show kindness and dedication to the people who need or deserve it without seeking our own praise or reward. If you are going to expect praise whenever you perform in front of others, then you will be doing exactly that... you will be performing in front of others. You will no longer be doing things for God but doing them for yourself. The focus would have totally shifted to a selfish look at yourself rather than praising God.
From the other side of the fence, we can all see when someone is doing something just so they can get attention. We can all see when someone is doing something just to get praise. So what makes us any different? Do you not think everyone is going to be able to see we are doing it just for the praise? Besides deceit, we are spreading anything but good will! The only thing we are going to succeed in is gaining a bit of praise that is not really due to us and winding other people up because they can see we are doing things out of spite and selfishness rather than out of love.
Christ did not give His life up to seek praise. He gave it up so we can have everlasting life. He gave it up out of love...
Points to Ponder:
How often do you seek out praise?
How often do you give God the praise He deserves?