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June 21: Mark 4:35-41
Key Verse: Mark 4:38
Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
Devotion:
I loved the story we were told in our local church today where our elder compared this to a story of a child learning to ride a bike. When they first start, they wobble all over the place, but as they get more confident and can balance, they need less and less support... but the first time they realise they were riding by themselves, they probably wobble even more and fall off!
When we first learn to be Christians, we wobble all over the place and get things wrong. As we become more confident and learn more, we can do things and even act like Christians – but the first time we get challenged by someone or something, we fall flat on our faces because we don’t yet have the full confidence we need to continue alone.
Christ is like the father running alongside the child, supporting, then less so and finally not holding us up as we move ahead with Him; but as soon as we realise we don’t have Him holing firmly onto our hands, we fall flat and get things in a right mess again!
The disciples were still learning to put their trust in Christ and when they thought He was not looking out for them – they were in the middle of a storm whilst He slept – their faith, or lack of it, let them down and they called out to Christ for help!
Christ is always there by our sides and continues to support us in many ways while we learn more; but there will come a time when we will be the ones running alongside someone else as they learn and we should have the confidence to support them as they learn.
Points to Ponder:
Are you still learning to ‘ride you bike’?
Will you try to believe and trust in what Christ has already taught you?
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June 20: 1 Samuel 17:32-37
Key Verse: 1 Samuel 17:32
David said to Saul, ‘Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.’
Devotion:
How many times have you been stuck in a certain situation and have thought about it so much there does not seem to be a way out of it – but along comes a friend and asks ‘have you tried this yet?’ A fresh pair of eyes on the situation can often see a way through when you are lost in your own issues!
God has promised to continue looking out for us and watching over us. He continues to support and love us just as He has promised. We can see this happening every day when we look for it; but if we focus too much on the world we lose sight of what God is trying to do to help us out and we lose out on that help because we discard it because we can only see the problems ahead and no solution!
God has given each of us unique abilities which we can use to either do things for ourselves, or to help everyone with. David was unique in how He trusted God. If he had simply stayed with his father's sheep, he would have continued fighting off predators without anyone getting to know what he was doing. But God opened up a door where he would be able to step up in front of the world and show them what God had been doing behind the scenes for so long – to open their eyes to what God can do once again.
Sometimes we have to step forward and put our faith and trust in God once again to allow people to see what He is capable; not to see what we can do, but to see what God can do through us. If we are willing to show people it is God who does these things through us, we will be able to do anything God has in mind for us!
Points to Ponder:
Do you limit yourself to what you think you can do?
Have you tried stepping forward and allowing God to show you more?
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June 19: 1 Samuel 17:4-11
Key Verse: 1 Samuel 17:4
A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span.
Devotion:
There are going to be times in your life when you think you are facing a giant who is impassable – someone or something which you cannot see a way round; we give in to these situations because we cannot see any way round. When we focus on the world or situations in the world, all we will see are those things and we will lose sight of what God can do in our lives!
Mankind spends so much time looking into the minutia of the world and not enough time spent on meditating on what God can do in our lives. I do think we have the most amazing programs about nature and history – things like that fascinate me and I love watching them. But I also see how the people making these productions have lost sight on what God could do in their lives.
It is great to learn about history so we can do the things which have worked in the past and avoid the things which have not. We limit ourselves and our lives to what other people have learned because we are learning from them. This sometimes allows us to fall into the same trap and believe everything we hear rather than trusting in God.
God has tried to teach us through His word by having it all written down. He has shown us what has and has not worked and even expects us to find out more about the world as we go on. But He also expects us to continue trusting in Him like the people in the bible did. We have so many examples of how people have lost sight of God’s power and might and given in to the fears the world shows us. Sometimes we have to stop and look back on what God has done in the past to see how we can go forward in life with God.
Points to Ponder:
How well do you know your history in the bible?
Will you read a bit more history today and be encouraged by it?
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June 18: Psalm 92:4-7
Key Verse: Psalm 92:7
that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed for ever.
Devotion:
Whenever something good happens to or for us, we rejoice and even want to tell others about our good fortune. But when bad things happen, most of us will hide the bad news deep inside ourselves instead of sharing it with others. God wants us to be glad for all He does for us and to entrust more to Him so we can receive more from Him. It sounds counter-intuitive because we often find putting trust in other people often leads to trouble instead of joy!
But then we have to remember we are not going to put our trust in human beings, but in God Himself. It is the failing of mankind which lead to so much strife in our lives and not any failing of God. We cannot express all God is able to do and we certainly do not understand just how much He can do; in fact, we are like the senseless people described in this passage – we don’t know what God is capable of...
When we get down because of the success of evil or when bad seems to win over good – we are not seeing the bigger picture. We limit ourselves to what we can see and feel instead of opening our minds to what God can do. God will always look at the bigger picture and will work things according to our needs – which may well be out of our site to start with.
God does not simply allow evil to continue thriving. He continues to support and uphold righteousness. Evil and the people who support it are not being looked over – God knows who they are and what they have done and they will be judged according to their works when the time comes. As for me, I praise God for all He does in my life and look forward to seeing what else He can and will do!
Points to Ponder:
Do you give God room to work in your life?
Will you support Him in what he does?
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June 17: Ezekiel 17:22-24
Key Verse: Ezekiel 17:24
All the trees of the forest will know that I the Lord bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. ‘“I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.”’
Devotion:
Too many times we try to limit God through what we can see and do or how we see the world. Too many times we put limits on things because we cannot see a way forward and we expect nothing to happen... But God is not limited by our imagination and certainly not by our rules or regulations!
When God was speaking through Ezekiel, it was to show the world there was no limit to what He could do and no physical definition of what could be done; so He described it in ways which don’t seem to make sense for us, until we have seen what God can do in our lives! God can take the smallest of sparks (or in this case the smallest of buds) and from a roaring fire which can consume everything from it. But God is not here to destroy everything but to build it up and support us.
Hence, He describes it as being a small bud from which a huge tree can grow – but not to be limited to nature or natural ways, God can take the biggest trees and lay waste to them or take the smallest shoots and grow giants from them. God is not limited to doing stuff where we define it can be done because He will get things done where they are needed and not where mankind thinks it is possible!
Where we see a tree dying because it has lost its leaves, God sees the potential for a big green and healthy tree. Where we see death and destruction, God sees the beginning of life and growth. Don’t be disheartened because you cannot see a way forward – trust in God and allow Him to make a way forward to show everyone just what He can do!
Points to Ponder:
Do you limit God’s work?
Do you know He will get it done with or without you!
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June 16: Psalm 34:8-14
Key Verse: Psalm 34:11
Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Devotion:
How do you go about telling people about God? Do you try to sit them down and teach them from the bible? Do you remember what it was like when teachers tried to teach you about a subject you had no interest in?
When we first try to teach others about God, we are very likely going to come against people who have no real interest in God – because if they did they would be Christians! When we hear the good news about God, we want to grab it with both hands and keep it close – but before we got to hear the gospel, we probably did not want to hear any of this good news because it would mean we would have to change the way we were living!
We cannot convince people by telling them all the awful things they have done. We cannot hope to convince people by telling them how good God is... but if we spend the time showing people what it is like to be a Christian and to have Christ in our lives – then they have something to look forward to! That is why it is called the good news! If we cannot show people how good it is to live with Christ – they are not likely to want to come and taste our lifestyle!
This does mean changing the way we live – turning our backs on evil and the bad things in life. If we can show others we have a wonderful life with Christ, then they may be willing to give up some of the horrible things they are involved in and change their ways too. It takes time and it take patience – but we need to do this all with Christ by our sides...
Points to Ponder:
How do you talk to others about God?
Have you tried showing others God in your life?
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June 15: Psalm 34:1-3
Key Verse: Psalm 34:3
Glorify the Lord with me: let us exalt his name together.
Devotion:
I am always amused at the story of David when he pretended to be insane before Abimelek – who drove David away and hence spared his life! When God asks you to do something are you prepared to do what He asks?
I can remember the first time I went to help with the youth work at Faith Baptist Church and was promptly asked if I would think about taking it over because the current person in charge would be leaving soon! I was petrified I would not fit in or I would not know what to do – but after praying about it and accepting the task I have never looked back with youth work!
God has a way of asking you to do things outside of your comfort zone – not because He wants you to do something you will not be able to do, but because He really does know how good you will be for the position He is looking at! Trust God in everything and obey Him!
As a result of David escaping from the hands of Abimelek, he had no issues about trusting God with everything and making sure he listened in future. He knew he had done things wrong in the past and knew he had no real right to ask for forgiveness – other than God promising He will forgive people when they ask! David knew he must continue to praise God and lift Him above all else so people would see how important having God in your life is! Let us lift up God’s name and allow people to experience the joy and freedom we enjoy!
Points to Ponder:
Do you like having God in your life?
When was the last time you told others how good God is?
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June 14: Mark 4:26-34
Key Verse: Mark 4:32
Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.
Devotion:
I think most of us have heard the parable of the mustard seed, but often overlook the simplicity of what is happening. We sow seeds, throwing them or planting them into the ground. We don’t have to set up a special container so the seeds will germinate. We don’t have to keep the temperature just right for the seeds to do something... We just bury them in the soil and apply a bit of water!
God is the one who makes sure the seed will do what it is designed to do. He will make sure it dies as a seed but germinates into a plant. Some of the seeds we plant are large and we may even use them as food without thinking about their true task as designed by God!
The seeds are food for birds as well! They don’t have to go to the shop to buy the seeds; rather God provides them with the seeds as they need them – though some may question that because they think they are keeping the birds alive in their gardens! We just short-cut the food chain and allow the birds to get the food quicker than they would in nature.
We know how long it takes for the seeds to germinate, grow and how long we have to wait before we can harvest the fruit from those seeds. God designed it this way, yet we don’t always think of it! We have learned to make the most of the seeds and the earth around us so we can get the most fruit from the seeds. We pride ourselves in knowing this simple design God gave us!
Jesus spoke in parables to try and reach into people’s hearts and minds. We must stop and think more about what God has given us and praise Him for the amazing design of everything.
Points to Ponder:
How often do you stop and think about what God has given you?
Will you try to praise Him today for some of the simpler things in life?
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June 13: Psalm 20:1-5
Key Verse: Psalm 20:4
May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
Devotion:
When was the last time you prayed for someone else? I know we all get a bit carried away with prayers for ourselves, especially when we are feeling down or have problems in our lives, but when did you pray for someone else? I belong to a prayer group on a messenger app where we get regular issues arising and prayer requests are asked for... So this is a two way thing...
We need to be earnest and regular with our prayers for other people, always asking God to lift up those around us, heal the sick, give comfort to those mourning and to be there for those we cannot reach. David was not one to shy away from praying for others – and I wonder what he asked for in his personal prayers with God – what we see are the very public prayers which were written down because they were important and needed to be shared...
Then there is the other side of the coin... If you need support, don’t just lift up your prayers to God, but invite other people to pray with you. You will find there are a lot of people who are willing to stop what they are doing and lift up prayers on your behalf – but only if they know prayers are needed! Don’t forget how easy it is to leave someone off your prayers when things are not looking too good on your side of the fence!
God wants us to work together in praying and sharing the gospel. The more we get together and share things, the stronger our bond become and the more fervent our prayers are. God loves to listen to our prayers, especially for each other, because that shows how important we are to each other and how we are including God in our lives!
Points to Ponder:
When did you last pray for your neighbour?
Will you get together with someone today and pray?
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June 12: Psalm 112:1-5
Key Verse: Psalm 112:5
Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.
Devotion:
Sometimes it is just good to know someone has got your back, there is someone looking over you and helping out whenever they can. Sometimes those people are your friends and sometimes they are strangers... but, always, God is there in times when we feel least believed or supported!
I love reading through the Psalms and being reminded just How much God loves us and how much He cares for us. Many of the psalms were penned by David and his love for God shines through in all those he wrote. When he felt down and dejected, he wrote things down and almost always ended up praying to God to help him get back on track!
How many times do we turn back to God after going off and doing something on our own? Many of those times we would have ended up in a mess or we gave up because things just got out of hand. Every time, when we turned back to God, He was waiting with open arms and welcomed us back into His protection. He continues to guide us and try to keep us on track – but we mess up and fall into things we have no right to do... but God still waits for us and welcomes us back!
When we stick close to God and depend on Him for more in our lives, we seem to get things right and end up having a much more blessed life. This is no coincidence! God will help us and He will reward us when we do things His way. If we stick to His rules and do things as best we can because those are the rules, we may well feel like He is not with us; because we are doing things for the wrong reasons. When we do things His way because of the love and respect we have for Him, He returns the love and respect more than we give Him!
Points to Ponder:
How are you treating God?
Will you try to love and respect God more today?