October 19: Psalms 119 41-48

Key Verse: Psalms 119 46
I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame

Devotion:
Have you ever wanted to be able to shout about the Lord without getting all tongue tied or not knowing what to say? What would you do if you were able to have a personal script written and displayed before you for you to read from? How do you think all the presidents and prime ministers are able to look so confident – they have their scripts scrolling before their eyes...

We do have the Holy Spirit who is our guide. He is better than any scrolling script. A script cannot change when the conversation does not go according to plan! But if we are willing to listen to Him, then we will have a constantly updating, scrolling script before us at all times. You see, He does not want His Word to go unheard. He needs us to go out there and tell people He is alive and real, allowing them to seek because He will let them find what they need to find. That first step of allowing them to see how much we have found in Him will encourage them to seek. But in order to do that, we have to listen...

Listening does not just mean listening to what He wants us to say when we come up against people, but listening all the time. How can we ever hope to prepare ourselves for anything unless we are willing to spend some time preparing? Even the greatest politicians will spend time learning and practising their speeches – just so they will impress others. We don't have to impress others with our knowledge because that comes with knowing God. We just have to impress others by being willing to stand up for the first time and talk. God does not need walking encyclopaedias in order for His Word to be heard – He wants people who are willing to stand up and trust Him to do the talking through us. That means allowing Him to guide us in everyday life so we will learn to look authoritative because of our new-found whole trust in Him!

Points to Ponder:
Have you ever got up in front of a crowd to speak?

Will you trust God enough to let Him use you too?

October 18: Daniel 5 22-23

Key Verse: Daniel 5 23
Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honour the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.

Devotion:
No matter what we come across or what we see happen, we do like to make up our own rules about almost everything in life. We have rules and regulations to follow, but still we like to make our own rules up which meet our needs. What better way than to be surrounded by rules which support you! Daniel read the writing on the wall which spelt our Belshazzar's doom because of exactly this. Have you noticed how it's always better, somehow, to read about how someone else has done things wrong and learn from that than to learn what you have done wrong first?

God cast Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden for consuming the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He did not do this because they acted like naughty children; He did this because they elevated themselves, spiritually, to God's position. The tower of Babel was destroyed and people confused with diverse languages because they attempted to physically elevate themselves to God's position. What makes us think we are going to get any different reaction from God is we do the same? We are not God! We do not have the capacity to fill His shoes!

Belshazzar had gone as far as to bring the vessels from the temple at Jerusalem and use them at his own table; bringing something which was dedicated for use with God down to his own earthly use. He allowed all who visited him to drink wine from them. He did what so many people are doing today and took things away from God and worshipped riches before God. Why should we even think about giving glory to something that cannot see, hear or think? God is the one that deserves our praises. God is the one who deserves our attention. God is the one who allows us to live and die. God is not dead!

Points to Ponder:
What things do you sometimes give more importance to before God?

When was the last time you lifted God up to His rightful position?

October 17: Isaiah 5 11-12

Key Verse: Isaiah 5 12
They have harps and lyres at their banquets, pipes and timbrels and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord, no respect for the work of his hands.

Devotion:
There are so many things which will take us away from a walk with God. The favourite one at the moment seems to be alcohol. We see so much evidence of how people are getting into trouble because of the amount of drink they consume. We even see health warnings about the amount of alcohol which should or should not be consumed. Too many people assume there is a variable limit on the amount of alcohol it is safe to consume, and they seem to think the more they practise the more they can drink! What nobody thinks about is the spiritual effect this is having on people; how it is taking them further and further away from God. The more they relax with their drinks, the more they are suppressing common sense and the more they are willing to bend the rules.

Another favourite which is not talked about is the music we listen to. It pains me to see the amount of people who have earphone permanently plugged in and listen to all manner of ‘music’ as it introduces words and things we thought were not socially acceptable just a few years ago – and I am not thinking about a generation ago, but three or four years ago. It is not just the words, but the attitude to others and to oneself that is disturbed by words. The people writing the songs often find themselves in terrible positions caught up against the law and continue to write songs and music about that. The more people listen to it, the more they think it is normal in society...

So many things take us away from God without us knowing when it happens. Things we take for granted in everyday life. Things we never think about. But if and when we do start to listen and think, we hear the evidence that it may well take us away from God, yet we ignore it because 'everyone else is doing it'. We need to take a stand, a stand for God, a stand for Christianity. We need to stand up for Jesus and stop ignoring Him!

Points to Ponder:
How often do you do something to forget about your worries?

Would God really approve of what you do?

October 16: Romans 12 14-18

Key Verse: Romans 12 16
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Devotion:
Christ's definition of brotherly love is quite different to ours. We always have some reservations about someone or about something, whereas Christ held back nothing. When faced with people working or plotting against us, we need to bless them as people and not curse them. They are, after all, still people... We need to remind them of the fact they are God's children as well, that we all are God's children who He wants to live together in love and harmony.

We can show our support to people in all manner of ways; by rejoicing with those who are rejoicing, supporting those who are suffering grief, not withholding these things just because they have done something against us. We tend to turn our backs on people who have done things wrong or have worked against us. We shrug off the cries for help or support from those who have upset us. We know it is wrong, and yet we try to do things our way, to please ourselves. What we are doing is elevating ourselves above others and showing them we are above them.

If we are able to show love and compassion to anyone, it should be to those working against us. We need to remind them they still have a chance to get to know Christ, just like we have. When they do evil towards us, we need to show them good. People need to be reminded there is good in this world and they do not have to depend on evil. If at all possible, we should be living in peace; having to fight wars to uphold political arguments is not what God wants in our lives. How will He be able to show His love and support if we are fighting unjust wars?

Points to Ponder:
Do you argue at all?

How many times a day do you argue with God?