May 15: Philippians 2:1-4
Key Verse: Philippians 2:4
not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Devotion:
How often do you do something just because you want to do it and not because it is good for you or even right for you to do? If we are all honest then we will say “most days!” We like to do things we like doing – it’s as simple as that; but how often have you stopped to think about what you are doing does to the people around you? I know I have often gone ahead with things not thinking about the consequences or how it will hurt the people around me; and that is just wrong!
We can look at the world around us and see how world leaders are doing things just because they want to do them and not because they are good for the country – but that does not make them right. We can even look into our bible and see how leaders did wrong things, and I’m not talking about the tyrants but those who had professed to follow God!
We can’t use that as an excuse either – just because someone else is doing it does not mean we can join in or copy them. That still does not make it right! So how do we go about not following the crowd and get on and do what is right? We need to look into our bibles and find out what is right – but that can be very daunting for many people… God has given us our consciences to tell us what is right and wrong and to guide us; and when we get lost in the mire, we can call on the Holy Spirit to get us back on the right track. It’s all here for us and has been for all of our lives!
When we see someone doing something good, we are pleased and even happy; but when we see someone doing something wrong, it eats away at us on the inside just as if we were doing things wrong. God has given this to us so we can step forward and try to help other people around us see the difference between right and wrong. God wants us to help each other to stay on track… so we don’t really have many excuses to get it wrong to start with!
Points to Ponder:
Do you get into trouble a lot?
Have you tried asking God the direction?
May 14: John 14:1-5
Key Verse: John 14:5
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Devotion:
How often does God speak to you and you either ignore it or you don’t understand it? Maybe I’m just thick because I struggle with what God tells me… It often needs further explanations and follow up calls and so we continue! But God definitely does know what is best for me in my life and He tries very hard to get that through to me on a daily basis despite the brick wall He has to try and get through daily!
We often think of the disciples as being like sponges where they would soak up everything Jesus told them and remember it from that moment onward – I’m sure they remembered those first few miracles they saw and could probably tell you everything in great detail; but as time goes on we get less descriptions and more about what it meant to be with Jesus. This, to me, is one of those turning points in their lives where Thomas pipes up about not knowing where Jesus was going, almost as if he said it before Jesus could finish speaking.
There-in is another problem we face with ourselves, not listening to the end but rushing off and trying to get things done before we understand the full context of the task in hand. You may notice that these devotions are more of a brain dump than a scholastic study of God’s word. This is what God impresses on me each day as I draw close to Him in my time of dedication to Him.
Christ is trying to guide each one of us in the path which He has laid out before us and unless we are willing to listen to everything He has to say to us, we are going to go off with half the information we need. It took me quite a while before I listened to God about coming to London to work on estates, but when I look back over my time with Him, I can see how I was prepared for the task before me. He gave me party times, hard times, dry times, times where I struggled… and all to prepare me for the type of work I would be called to do here!
Points to Ponder:
How often do you really listen to advice?
Are you willing to stop and listen for 5 minutes each day?
May 13: 1 Peter 2:2-5
Key Verse: 1 Peter 2:3
now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Devotion:
I thought it quite fitting to go back to these verses today to remember just how we should be going back to Christ and His ways. If you, like me, want physical proof for just about everything in life, then you may well find it difficult to come to terms with an unseen God who can do anything… Especially when we see people who think they know more than others trying to sort out issues which are totally out of their control!
I did something foolish yesterday and started listening to the news to try and catch up on what’s happening out there in the open world – only to be greeted by leaders around the world saying the most stupid things on Television to unknowing, trusting country people who now should be very worried about what they have said! I know it is a difficult time and I know not everyone is a scientist or micro-biologist… but certain things in life are just plain common sense!
One of the things which is common sense to me is how we should approach God as children and not as ‘all knowing’ adults! As adults we don’t like other people telling us what to do or how to run our lives – but if we go ahead and ignore common sense, we will fall down and hurt ourselves. God continues to try and impress on us the urgency of getting to know Him, getting to trust Him and telling other people about Him – yet we continue to try and do things our old selfish ways because that is how we have been all our lives!
The time I needed God most in my life I simply got down on my knees and told God I could do nothing without Him and His protection; I was scared and had nothing left to trust in, but God was there and came through for me. That was my time when I came to Him like a child, depending totally on Him and giving my whole situation to Him without limit. Now I know God is good and I know God answered my prayers on that day… in a way which did not make sense to me as an adult, but made perfect sense when I look at it as a child should...
Points to Ponder:
Do you want God to work to your rules?
Or will you finally submit to His ways?
May 12: Psalms 31:14-16
Key Verse: Psalms 31:15
My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me.
Devotion:
Hands up anyone who thinks they have got this virus sussed out and knows how to control it! None of us know for certainty what this virus is going to do to the world over the next six months and this verse today reminds us how our lives are in God’s hands. The more we try to take control of things and work things out to our own ability, the more things go wrong. We don’t know how to control our mouths properly, never mind our bodies or communities!
Can you imagine what it would be like to try and control the flow of a river give a bucket and spade as the only tools you have to control it with? I used to rush out into the rain back in Africa so I could build temporary dams with mud and stones and even sticks just to have fun; it gave us a sense of power over nature… but along comes a single car, a bit more rain or any small external force and the dam collapses and the water course returns back to its normal flow.
To a large extent this is probably what our leaders feel like as they try and manage the country – some of them seem to know what they are doing, whilst others make a lot of noise and say they know what they are doing. The truth will come out, unfortunately, in a week or so rather than right now. That is what it may seem like in our spiritual world as well; we have some leaders who are giving out good advice and others who shout a lot and say they are right! God will expose those who are shouting out things from their own minds because He knows what the rest of us need in our lives.
As long as we are willing to stop and listen and try to compare what people are saying with what God’s Word has told us all along, then we will also be able to ascertain the truth and follow those leaders who are giving us the truth. It is heartening to know it is because of God’s love for us that we are being looked after and not because we are following the latest rules or figuring things out for ourselves. Be patient and listen to God, wait on His word and obey His commandments; but above all maintain your right and proper relationship with Christ!
Points to Ponder:
Do you trust your leaders more than you trust God?
Do you know God allowed them to be in power?