September 30: John 7 37-39
Key Verse: John 7 37
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.
Devotion:
What better thing to have on a scorching day than a nice cold drink and a bit of shade. (Not that we have a scorching day here in the UK) But have you ever been in a very hot place with little or no water or shade. Most deserts, by definition, get extremely hot, so hot that one cannot possible survive more than a few hours without shelter. And yet there is still life in those deserts. People still make a living knowing how to live and where to find the water and shelter. We are living in a time when we could well describe our society as a desert – far from God's Word, far from any spiritual goodness; yet there are still small patches where Christians do thrive.
Christ opened up the invitation again by calling out to anyone who is searching for the truth. He called out saying the truth can be found through Him. If we want to be able to seek out a meaning for our lives, then we have to seek out that truth. We find that truth through places such as our churches where the truth is being preached. Finding a church where that truth is told is as easy as looking for a church where they use God's Word to teach from. If you are seeking the truth and you are not looking where God's Word is being used, then you will not find what you need.
God's Word is a complete work. We should not require anything else. Indeed He has warned people should not try to add to it, nor to take away from it – because it is the absolute truth. We like to try and redefine things we don't like just so we can fit God's Word into our lives. The truth is we should be changing our lives and fitting into God's Word. We do that through learning more about Him and striving to be more like Him. He has promised us eternal life. He has given us all the proof we need. We need to make our minds up about just what we should be looking out for!
Points to Ponder:
Do you know anyone who has never told a lie?
How often do you search through God's Word?
September 29: Mark 13 34-37
Key Verse: Mark 13 37
What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’
Devotion:
Have you had to baby sit or look after someone else’s children before? Or have you had to look after a house whilst someone goes on leave or holiday? I'm sure each one of us has at some stage been put in charge of something where the exact end time has not been known. Most of the time we will get on with what we are supposed to and not worry about when it is going to end – knowing that it will end in due course. We have a mental picture in our minds of when it should end and therefore we do not let it worry us.
Christ has gone to prepare things for us and is awaiting the perfect time to come back to earth and take us home to be with Him. However, we have no knowledge of when this is going to be. We do not know the end time and therefore we tend to put it out of our minds rather than aim for when we think it is going to be. The disciples were convinced that Christ would return within a short period and went about their work diligently, expecting something soon. They had the right attitude!
When you have had to look after someone and you know the people are going to return within a few minutes, you go about making things tidy and cleaning up to try and show you were diligent in your work. We need to make sure we have that sort of attitude –Christ could be returning later on today. Have we done enough? Are we doing what we should be doing? Are we doing enough? We need to be working as if He was about to return. Are we keeping our houses in order?
We need to be ready. We need to have everything prepared. We need to make sure we do not let our lives in Christ go to sleep!
Points to Ponder:
How hard are you willing to work for money?
How willing are you to work with Christ?
September 28: Ecclesiastes 3 14-15
Key Verse: Ecclesiastes 3 14
I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.
Devotion:
The more we advance in science and technology, the more we think that we know everything... but in reality, it is the opposite because the more we learn, the more we figure out that there is even more to learn! Everything is as God made it and not as we think it is – we are still learning about everything!
We care so much about things, worldly things, in our lives that we don't have time to put aside for God, for spiritual things. Our time is taken up in pursuits of knowledge and earthly riches rather than the truth about God. Not only has the world taken over our time and thoughts, but it encourages us to think against God. We forget just how little we are in comparison to the big picture of God.
Everything God has done is forever. This does not mean this world is going to last forever – it means that He started a process whereby He created the world and when the time comes He will destroy it... And nothing we do or say is going to change that plan. We cannot tell how long His plan is, nor when things will end. We just have to be ready and waiting for the right time. We cannot change God's plan by trying to destroy the planet before He gets here, nor can we extend our stay by making things perfect in our sight.
God has given us everything in front of us so we can see He alone has a master plan and He alone is our designer and creator. He wants us to know this and to acknowledge this so we can get to know Him and know we can have a life eternal with Him. We just have to know that He is behind it all and say “yes, I believe”.
Points to Ponder:
Who do you look at as the greatest inventory that has lived on earth?
How can all the inventors works ever compare to our own DNA that God made?
September 27: 2 Peter 1 3-8
Key Verse: 2 Peter 1 7
and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
Devotion:
We have talked about basing our faith upon a solid rock, Jesus. Over the past week we have been looking at love and kindness to others. But, just like our faith has to be built up on a solid foundation, our love has to be built up on a solid base as well – without that we will struggle to keep to that love and kindness.
Just like our faith has to be on a solid foundation (the truth), our solid foundation for our actions has to be diligence. When we have a solid foundation of Christ beneath us, we have to make sure we remain diligent in our walk with Him. That means making sure we do commune constantly, keeping in touch by praying and by reading, always. That then becomes a solid faith base upon which we can add virtue. When we know what is right and wrong through our diligent communications, we need to stick to those rules, follow His commandments.
Sticking to those rules will allow us to learn more about the things we must remember about Christ so we can show others. But just knowing things is not enough because we do need to show others. Not everyone is going to listen, we will face rejection. But we need to have 'stickability' which will come easy if we are trusting in Him; it just logically follows on. Being able to be an example to others also follows on through our learning and yearning to be more like Christ.
And that is where our brotherly love comes in. If we are living the right life in Christ, then our brotherly love will automatically follow on. It will be automatic as long as we have learned God's Word. As long as we have been diligent. Being kind to others will allow you to see how much you do care for other and how much you are willing to do for them.
Points to Ponder:
What is stopping you from liking others?
What part of your foundation needs renewing?
September 26: Leviticus 25 35-43
Key Verse: Leviticus 25 39
‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to you, do not make them work as slaves.
Devotion:
So, you think you are just as good as the next person... Well, you probably are! We all, at one time or another, do good things. Just doing good things for your friends will ensure you can stay in your circle of friends. Doing good things for neighbours can be done by anyone; it just keeps you as a good neighbour. What is the next step which is going to set you apart from others? Surprisingly easy – expect nothing back.
Too many times we go off and do things for others because we are expecting them to do something in return. Too much of our lives are taken up in “I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine!” We always expect someone to do something in return for the things we do for them. That is human nature. Anyone can do that! To make a spiritual difference, you have to have the right attitude and that attitude is to expect nothing in return for anything that you do. To be totally unselfish, but still willing to do things for the poor or less well off.
“But I'm not selfish” cries coming from the back row... If we are only doing something because we expect a return on it, then that is selfish – we are only doing it for our own good. Even if we are only doing it for respect, we are still doing it for personal reasons. Jesus did not go to the cross to demand respect. He went to the cross with love and willingly laid down His own life so we may have a choice as to what to do. He did not lay it down just so we would feel guilty. He laid it down out of love, nothing more. He does not expect us to do anything (after all, He knows what we are like!) He gave us a fighting chance at making the right decision by doing something personal for each one of us. He showed that same attitude to the murderers and thieves as well as the priests and kings. He held out His hand to the people around Him who were less well off – not in monetary terms, but in all ways!
Points to Ponder:
What do you expect others to do for you?
Have you done something for God lately without expecting a return?