November 29: Daniel 5:1-6

Key Verse: Daniel 5:6
His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking.

Devotion:
When was the last time you were faced with the truth after trying to hide it for a long time? How did that feel. Now imagine something a bit more horrifying as King Belshazzar sat there and the finger of a human hand appear before him and start writing something on the wall! We may joke about seeing things and write books and films about strange happenings, but seeing something write text on the wall by itself would be on my top list of things I don’t wish to see!

After this happened the king called in all his enchanters, astrologers and diviners to see what this writing meant; but it was only when Daniel was called in could the writing be deciphered. God had made this writing appear and had placed Daniel at this time and place to decipher the writing and warn the king about what he was doing!

We may not like the places God puts us sometimes because we don’t like to be placed anywhere where we are in danger or uncomfortable. But Daniel stopped and listened to God to find out what was happening and what God wanted the king to hear.

If we stop from our busy lives and spend time with God we too will get to know what it could be we are doing wrong or where He wants us to be. Daniel trusted God would look after Him and his faith in God was not let down. God delivered and made sure he would be well looked after while the king decided how he was to live his life.

Points to Ponder:
Do you get scared God may put you in a difficult position?

How will your faith grow without depending more on God?

November 28: Jeremiah 33:1-5

Key Verse: Jeremiah 33:3
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

Devotion:
One of the hardest things to accept sometimes is bad news. When someone tells us bad news we don’t want to believe it because it is not what we think of as good or helpful. But, sometimes we do have to face the bad news so we can figure out what we are doing wrong and move forward. But, sometimes that bad news is not what we have done wrong, it’s just life; but in every thing which goes wrong, we can learn and move forward.

What is God telling the people here? The Babylonians are going to wreck havoc and many people are going to lose their lives. God does not sugar coat things but tells you the truth. This means we should be willing to hear and accept the truth when He tells us of things.

But also notice God is saying we should always spend time in prayer to Him, asking for the things we need no matter how difficult they seem to be for us. He is willing and able to answer prayers not matter how difficult or impossible things are in our view. But if we are asking for things and not listening to God, then how are we ever going to learn what is good and valuable for us?

God expects us to listen for the answers and to obey His answers and His will in our lives. Why? Because He is trying to tell us the best way forward!

Points to Ponder:
How often do you ask things of God?

How often do you listen to and obey God?

November 27: Luke 21:1-4

Key Verse: Luke 21:2
He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.

Devotion:
One of the things I have learned by living in all the places I have lived is that money can do many things amongst the rich and arrogant, but love will always win through with friends and family. As a child I was in a privileged position and had access to many things others did not have access to; but that did not stop me from hankering after some things my friends had, because some of them had things which I didn’t have access to.

As I go through life I continue to see the importance of being honest with what you have and helping those who have less than you. I continue to want certain things in life, but if a friend or our family need things, I start there and put my wants and desires on hold for a while.

Here the poor widow was putting in what she had access to, not to show others how much she could come up with, but to show God she was not holding anything back. Jesus saw this and was impressed with her actions, but not so much the people who were putting in large stakes because they wanted others to see how much they could afford. Their reward was seeing the expressions on others faces. The widow’s reward was the admiration of Jesus and God!

If you want to impress someone, be honest with God and give what you can to help others get to know Him like you do. God may like a cheerful giver, but one who gives no matter what others think or say so the gospel can be advanced is the one God watches over!

Points to Ponder:
Do you like to have things just to show others?

What do you do to help spread the gospel?