May 17: John 14:27-31
Key Verse: John 14:28
‘You heard me say, “I am going away and I am coming back to you.” If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
Devotion:
Jesus did not explain every step of what was about to happen to the disciples, He simply told them He was going back to Heaven but would return… They had to have faith their Christ would come back to them, and that faith was going to be tested to the ultimate over the next while!
How many times have you said goodbye to a friend or family when they go off to either live somewhere else, or go on a long break? If it was family and they were moving around the world, you may well be upset you will not see them for a while, but you still believe you will see them at some stage again. I have seen my brother go to live and work in various parts of the world, but each time I still knew I was going to see them again – even if it took several years!
Jesus wanted the disciples, and us, to have faith in His return, and after that, to have faith in Him being there for us no matter what – even if He is in Heaven and we are on earth. We still have Him watching over us and being with us in Spirit instead of in body. The Holy Spirit is always with us and always guides us the best way forward. If we listen and obey, we head toward the best solution… if we don’t listen and try to fix things ourselves, we tend to mess us more often than not!
Jesus started these words out with some direct encouragement – to not be afraid or troubled, because He was telling the truth and He knew this is what Father God wanted. When we stick to God’s ways, we will see why He wants us to do what He is asking… we may get worried as we don’t understand, but He has told us it will be OK and wants us to trust and believe. Don’t get trapped by worldly limits and science because God is not bound by either of those!
Points to Ponder:
Do you know Christ will return?
Are you listening to the Holy Spirit?
May 16: Acts 14:5-7
Key Verse: Acts 14:5
There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to ill-treat them and stone them.
Devotion:
One thing Jesus warned the disciples about was the way they would be treated badly just because they were trying to spread the gospel; the same continues to be true all over the world for Christians and many other religions too. When a religion looks like it is gaining popularity and may start causing instability in the local governing powers, people start to object because they are taught to do so.
It is not normally the case people will object because it is the true way they feel, rather it is the way they have been conditioned to believe by the local powers that be. This could be the local government, or it could be another religion… People always want to be on the winning side and having to face someone who may overthrow the winning side can be dis-concerting for some; especially governing people.
In this case the Jews and the Gentiles were working together because it looked like the disciples were gaining too much ground too quickly. The corrupt leaders from both Jewish people and the Gentiles were supporting each other so they could stay in power and the disciples would not gain support – because any support the disciples gained would shine a light on the corruption within the leaders…
It is OK to withdraw or retreat when we are in danger. We do not have to continue facing danger when we could be loving and supporting another community in the name of Christ… as long as we are not running away for the wrong reasons. The disciples knew they could reach many more people with the truth by side-stepping the current situation!
Points to Ponder:
Do you fear what others will say about you being a Christian?
Do you not know Christ said you will face objections just because you believe in Him?
May 15: John 13:31-35
Key Verse: John 13:34
A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
Devotion:
When we start getting too comfortable in our lives as Christians, we may not forget about the commandments God has given us, but we may well start to ignore this commandment Jesus gave us. Jesus was speaking to everyone who was around the table, all of the disciples; I sometimes wonder whether He was trying to get them to remember this more because of what was about to happen...
Jesus follows on these verses by telling Peter he would deny Jesus three times before the morning was broken. But He had also just told them there was one who was about to betray Him. But these words between these two acts must always be remembered by us all. Jesus was telling them to love one another no matter what was about to happen!
We do get upset with people when we think they have done something wrong against us and we may well shun them or even try to get even with them. This is the type of act Jesus is warning us about because, if Jesus had got upset with Peter for denying Him three times, imagine what could have happened to Peter. Instead, Peter continues to be loved and, as prophesied by Jesus, was going to be remembered for many good things instead of the denials.
Jesus showed Judas great love and did not stop him from betraying Him to the Roman soldiers. His love continued even though He knew for a fact Judas was guilty! No matter how far we go in our lives, Christ is always willing to forgive us and to invite us to be with Him in Heaven… no matter what!
Points to Ponder:
How easily do you get upset with others?
Will you try to continue to treat all people equally?
May 14: 1 Corinthians 4:1-7
Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 4:6
Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, ‘Do not go beyond what is written.’ Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.
Devotion:
How many times have you tried to build something without using plans, or drive somewhere different without using a map? How many of those times have you been so sure you were doing the right thing or going the right direction and only found out it was wrong at the last minute. God has given us directions for our lives; at least they are partial directions, we do still have to find out a lot by ourselves...
But, sometimes we look at those directions and we read more into the directions than there is actually there. I can remember sitting down for a test in a technical drawing class (engineering drawing or mechanical parts) and coming up with a complex answer only for the professor to tell me I was wrong and to show me the simple answer I should have looked for. I was distraught because I was convinced I was doing it correct… I was seeing more in the picture than there was actually drawn!
Jesus tried to give us simple directions, but because of the complexity we think of in our lives, we often seek out very complex answers for what He asks. We should always be looking for the simple, obvious answers because Jesus was very direct. God does not want us to have to try and decipher cryptic clues so we can live our lives – He wants us to look for the obvious answers and to follow the simple directions!
When we think we are in an important position, or a position of authority, we often look for very complex answers to very simple problems. I think of the extraordinary puzzles, rules and regulations the politicians are coming up with to process refugees from around the world… why can’t they see the simple solutions we all can see? Maybe because we are all a bit like that!
Points to Ponder:
Do you over-think problems in your life?
Will you trust Christ for the simple solutions?