December 4: Romans 15:4-7
Key Verse: Romans 15:4
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
Devotion:
How do you look at the scriptures? Do you see them as a series of laws and rules by which we should live? Do you look at them as a suggestion of how we should aim to live? Or do you see the scriptures in a different light altogether? How you see the scriptures will shape your whole life with God...
We can look back on the Israelites and see how they took the Torah as everything they had to live by. We can see how they could never live up to the rules and regulations and so endured a life in which they had to continually offer sacrifices and plead with God for forgiveness in order to draw closer to Him. We can, however, also see how God chose them to be His people and did so much for them in so many ways giving them countless ways in which they could be forgiven for the sin in their lives.
This is because God wanted them to have eternal life and not to be burdened by guilt and shame all their lives. God showed them the things in life which they would have to face but also gave them hope for a future which was yet to come. This same God also gave them, and us, Jesus Christ as a Saviour who would be able to pay the ultimate price so we would no longer have to offer sacrifices and live under the burdens.
Through everything God has done for us and for everything which is recorded in the scriptures, we should be thankful and happy it has all come to pass. This gives us genuine hope for a future with Him in Heaven; for this we should be trying to live our lives in the manner in which Jesus lived. Whilst it may not be possible for us to attain the level of righteousness He had, we can attain the forgiveness because He has already paid the price on our behalf.
Points to Ponder:
How will you see the scriptures this Christmas?
Will you praise God for all He has done?
December 3: Matthew 10:1-8
Key Verse: Matthew 10:1
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and illness.
Devotion:
When the time came for Jesus to tell the disciples what they should be doing, He gave them far-reaching instructions. To start with He gave them the authority to drive out spirit and the heal people. This does not mean He gave them the power to drive out spirits or heal people; He gave them the authority to do so. When Jesus drove out spirits or healed people He did so knowing it came from God and without God He knew He could do nothing as a mere human being. The same goes for us!
Jesus gives us the authority to go forward and do things through His name. He is the Son of God and God gave Him authority to do so much more. Jesus in turn gives us the authority to go forward and do things. Never walk into the world thinking you can take over the world or do things without God – that is not what Jesus did. Jesus, being the Son of God, had the power to do all of those things but only did them through the authority given to Him by His Father.
Jesus also told the disciples to go forward without taking the world and its treasures with them. They were to leave the treasures and trappings of the world behind and do things as He gave them the authority to do so. They were obedient to Christ!
Jesus does not want us to hold back but to go forward as disciples. A disciple is not someone who just tells other people about God. A disciple will move forward with people to invite them into the kingdom of God and give them the authority to go forward to do things for Christ too. A disciples job is to make disciples!
Points to Ponder:
Do you get scared of doing things for God?
Have you ever thought of it as inviting people to be your closest friends?
December 2: Matthew 9:27-31
Key Verse: Matthew 9:30
and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, ‘See that no one knows about this.’
Devotion:
This story draws many pictures in my mind; firstly the fact the two men were blind and yet continued to follow Jesus around. They could not see Jesus and yet they were able to follow the crowd and work out where He was according to the commotion and other people – a selection of people who may or may not have believed in Jesus, but nonetheless they were unknowingly guiding the two blind men toward Jesus! This should speak volumes to all of us – no matter how much we tell others what we believe, as long as we continue to show people the way toward Christ through what we do and say, it is for His ultimate glory!
The second is that the men did not give up. They continued to follow Jesus and when He went indoors, they went indoors too knowing they would be able to get a bit closer! What the other people around them must have thought about these two is a whole different story! Sometimes we are too scared to admit to the world we love and follow Jesus; when we do that our faith is almost diluted in other people’s eyes. But if we are willing to continue reminding people we love Jesus, then He is going to take notice of us!
Which brings us to the final point for today. Jesus takes notice of what we do. If we are going to avoid Him, then that is our choice. But if we continue to try to get closer to Him, He will answer us and find out what we need in our lives. Yes He already knows, but by us asking Him we are reminding ourselves just who He is and how much we do depend on Him!
Points to Ponder:
Are you actively following Jesus?
What picture do other people get of your relationship with Christ?
December 1: Psalm 118:22-24
Key Verse: Psalm 118:22
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;
Devotion:
Do you ever think you are not good enough for God to use you in spreading the gospel? The more I get to share the gospel the more I realise every single one of us has a way we can share the gospel; if we all did it the same way we would probably have a very limited demographic of people hearing about Christ, but because we all have our own ways of sharing the love we have for Christ, more and more people get to hear the truth!
When we look back on the Old Testament we see so many references to Jesus being rejected by the people God actually chose as His people; now we can look back on the life of Jesus and compare all the prophetic words with what happened – including these words. Jesus was the ‘stone they rejected.’ The Israelites chose to follow their own teachings instead of God. I believe they were probably doing it out of a combination of ignorance and self pride; they could not get their heads round the fact their Messiah was actually here and they did not want to let go of the important positions they had made for themselves.
Christ, on the other hand, laid Himself down to be the cornerstone of the church. Can you imagine putting everything your life stood for aside just so you could do things for other people? This is what Christ has done for us!
God’s love for us stands for so much He was willing to lay down everything to serve us and to be our advocate to ensure we can join Him in Heaven for eternity. This means He must want us to be with Him so much! Can you imagine being with someone for longer than your whole life? Rejoice and be glad!
Points to Ponder:
Do you feel you are not good enough for God?
Do you realise what He did just for you?