December 22: John 1:15-18
Key Verse: John 1:15
John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, ‘This is the one I spoke about when I said, “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.”’
Devotion:
John was faithful to do what God asked of him and to continue doing God’s will even when people began to flock around him. I fear many of us may well give in to the publicity we gain and allow the notoriety to get to our heads, taking us away from the true calling God has asked of us. But John remained faithful to God’s calling, no matter what.
The people around him began to ask questions like these in this passage – questioning whether he was Elijah come back to teach people or even a prophet sent from God to continue bringing them God’s word. Instead, John simply told them the truth as God had given it to him and continued to persuade people to show outward signs of believing in the Messiah who was to come – one of those signs was to be baptised.
When God calls us into His work, we are often asked to do things showing our belief to others in an outward manner. If we are covert Christians, nobody else is going to hear the Gospel and nobody is going to be encouraged to try and find out who Jesus is and what He can do in our lives... instead we may only succeed in developing an underground church where people will be forced to lie about their relationships with Christ, just as Peter did before Jesus.
God calls us to be faithful servants and to promote glory to God. To do that we need to be outwardly confessing Jesus is our Saviour and has given us the grace we need to be set free from our sin debt. Don’t let your life take you away from God’s calling in your life.
Points to Ponder:
Do you listen to God?
Are you really listening or going along with the world?
December 21: John 1:9-13
Key Verse: John 1:10
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him.
Devotion:
When you make something, you will normally be able to recognise what you have made for some time; some of those things will be your pride and joys which you will never forget. When God made the world, He created something which He was proud of and something we all marvel at in our lives; but still there are people who refuse to believe He was responsible for creating the world!
It is wonderful to be able to study art and construction because many things will please us in ways we cannot explain in full. How does a piece of art invoke such emotion within us? How do people not have more emotion invoked by what God has done for us?
God has given us something which is so special it gives us what we need to be children of God; we just make the choice to believe in Him and He makes sure we are filled with love, joy and peace. But the person standing by our side may choose to not believe in God and they will have to rely on our love, joy and peace rather than having their own.
As we make our way through the last few days before Christmas, many of us face the idea of not being able to be with the people we love on Christmas day because of the pandemic still affecting so much of the world. Though we may be apart, we still will have the love, joy and peace God has already given us to sustain us until we are able to be with each other safely once again.
Points to Ponder:
How much do you get out of your relationship with God?
Will you step forward and take on a complete relationship with Christ this year
December 20: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:16
Rejoice always
Devotion:
Ok, who is going to start the online party today? Seems such a far cry from last Christmas where we were able to be with each other in person most places around the world – but this year things are going to be very different for many of us. I am moving this Christmas! That is going to be a bit different!
I love the words from these verses: Rejoice always! We always can find something to be happy about and to share that happiness with others! We need to keep rejoicing in what we have. We recently said our final goodbye to my dad a few weeks ago, but we found so many good memories about all he was able to do over the years he was alive with us. We were able to rejoice as well as mourn on the day of his funeral.
If you are finding it hard to think of anything to rejoice about, stop and lift up your prayers to God. Yes, He knows about your position, but if you don’t acknowledge things to Him, you are never going to get them off your chest! God wants us to be free from our burdens, which means giving them to Him so we can rejoice is what we do have!
Listen to the good news from those around you and lift it up for others to be encouraged with. God wants us to share the good news, not just the gospel and His miracles, but everything we do with Him. Turning away from temptations and evil in our lives will allow us to see better and better things. Evil always eclipses everything when you focus on it instead of on God. Allow God to bring you the peace you deserve – the peace He has promised you!
Points to Ponder:
What are you focusing on today?
Will you allow God’s peace to shine today?
December 19: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15
Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:13
Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.
Devotion:
Wouldn’t the world be so much better if we were all able to live in peace with each other! Well, there is nothing stopping us from making a start because peace does have to start with someone making the first move after arguments, fighting, wars and such... But far too often we allow our pride to get in the way of things and we stop trying to make the peaceful move in the first place!
How about stopping to think about who does what, where and when... I know lockdowns are hard on everyone and we all try to just get on and do something, but we do need to acknowledge those people who are already trying. We have some fantastic church leaders who are striving to share God’s peace and faithfulness with a peace and faithfulness of their own...
How about stepping forward and asking if you can help with something or asking a neighbour if they need a hand with anything. Someone must make the first move to start the ball rolling. Jesus came into this world to not just make the first move but to start an avalanche which would shake the core of the church!
One way of starting to share peace is to mobilise people who have sat on the outskirts watching what others do. Getting people involved with what God is trying to do in your communities will make for a community which think about others. Yes, there will always be those who do not embrace the peace, but this should not stop us from making the peace grow in the first place!
Points to Ponder:
What are you doing to show others some of God’s peace?
Will you stop and help someone today?