February 16: Psalm 50:1-6
Key Verse: Psalm 50:1
The Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets.
Devotion:
For me, this introduction to this Psalm conjures up images from the Old Testament during the time when God was leading the Israelites out of Egypt. The power of God on display making sure nobody has any reason not to know how powerful God is and how much He cares for those in His charge – but also how He wants those in His charge to follow the rules!
I fear many people don’t realise just how Just God is, or what being Just means! It means we will not get away with anything because He does not overlook anything... So how can we hope to be forgiven if He cannot overlook anything. That is where the power and might of what Jesus did for us comes into view.
Jesus took on the blame for every little, big or bad thing we have done. He took on the blame for all those wrong-doing and separated us from the debt we owe as far as the East is from the West. In other words, God does not have to see any of the things we have done wrong because Christ have separated us from those things. We are presented as pure and innocent before God!
God’s power and might should never be overlooked. This goes for Christ, His Son and the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God too. Just as we see the power and might of God doing so many things in the desert for the Israelites, so too can Jesus and the Holy Spirit work in our lives. We live with the Holy Spirit who has all power just as God the Father has all power... just think on that a while...
Points to Ponder:
Do you keep close to Jesus?
Will you rely more on the power of the Holy Spirit today?
February 15: John 6:60-66
Key Verse: John 6:66
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
Devotion:
This is one of those sections of scripture where you will either wonder how they can even think like this, or you will totally relate to their feelings at the time. Maybe you are like the disciples who stood by Jesus, or maybe you have been like one of the others who walked away from Jesus. I know both sides because I have been there, walked away, but thankfully have found my way back again...
Jesus was not one to hold back the punches – He let the fly when people tried to trip Him up or tried to justify their own ways instead of upholding God’s ways. And when someone in authority throws a punch, many people turn their backs on them and walk away – we see this happening in many parts of the world right now where people are turning their backs on people in authority because they have been upset in some manner by them.
One way of looking at this is to put yourself in their shoes and try to figure out what you would do; not a “I should do this” but rather “what would I have done in those circumstances”
God continues to uphold the truth and sometimes we are faced with hard decisions because we have chosen our own paths of ease rather than standing with the difficult truth. Sometimes we have to make that hard decision which may well upset us or others around us, but we have to make it because we need to stand up with God’s truth rather than our own desires.
Points to Ponder:
Do you find it hard to keep being a Christian?
Will you hold out your hands and allow God to guide you?
February 14: Mark 9:2-8
Key Verse: Mark 9:7
Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
Devotion:
If there was any doubt about what Jesus had done over the last few days before this happened, then the disciples would have their doubts dispelled and instead have their hearts filled with love. Jesus came to serve and to give His life for us because He loves us so! But this must not detract from the glory Jesus is the Son of God!
The disciples were caught between this world and the next in what they were seeing and experiencing. Jesus wanted them to see a glimmer of the next world; He wanted them to see what was in store for them – a new body and a new way of living. They would be able to put aside the hardships they had been through and start to experience just what God has in store for us.
God wanted them to know this was all because of His love for His Son and for us; hence He declared His love for Jesus in front of them. They were not to be left in any doubt about the love God has for all of us by experiencing the expressed love God has for His Son.
God has something rather special for us after we outlive our physical lives on this earth. He has an enduring love and life which we will be very pleased with. This life will not be limited to earth like our physical lives, but will be shared with Jesus and God in Heaven!
Points to Ponder:
Do you think your life is a bit tough at the moment?
Just imagine the peace and love which awaits us in Heaven!
February 13: 2 Corinthians 1:8-11
Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 1:10
He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us
Devotion:
I wonder how much grief the writer went through so he would write words like these for all to read. I know I have faced so little compared to the hardships the apostles faced, but I have seen a side of people they probably did not know existed before they faced me in their anger.
I find comfort in words like these because I know people hit out at us when they do not understand why we are doing what we do for God. Friends and family change when they see you doing things they have no understanding of; and in ways they don’t understand because they cannot grasp all God means to us or what He can do with and through us.
How can we “count it as joy” when people are turning against us because we are doing something different? Well, when we do something new or different when guided by the Holy Spirit, we will face opposition – after all, nobody likes too much change in their lives! Isaiah promoted the idea Christ was going to come and do something new; and when He did come and do something new, people objected and rose up against Him – even though Jesus knew what He was doing was the right thing to do!
When we face opposition we should not try and fight it alone because the fight we fight is God’s fight and not ours alone; we are working for Him and should be under His command. We are going to continue to face opposition and even dangers in our work for God, but as long as we stay close to Him and rely on Him for love and protection, you will be assured of a great future with Christ!
Points to Ponder:
Do you despair when facing opposition to God’s work?
Will you rely on God for His guidance today?