Sunday 11 Feb 2024

DJ

Feb 11: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 4:5
For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

Devotion:
When you read somewhere how you should be preaching the gospel or at least telling people about Christ, what do you think? Do you get worried about how you should go about it, or do you think that it should be left up to those who have studied the scriptures? I’m not here to tell you how you go against God’s wishes if you don’t spread the gospel. I’m not here to say you are doing anything wrong by not preaching on street corners…

Being an outgoing person who stands up in crowds and shouts about Christ is not something we can all do. I do like telling people about Jesus, but not shouting about it on street corners. Instead I look at it from a slightly different light than the evangelical people who can do those things.

Here we have a very good clue about how God would have us tell others about Jesus and the scriptures. We should try to be examples because being a good example is going to make a big impact on someone’s life who is too timid to stop and listen to another shouting out the gospel.

We should be trying to make sure people see Jesus through what we say and do. Jesus did preach to many, but it was normally when they wanted to hear something. Jesus did act differently from others – all the time. Jesus did talk differently to others – all the time! So if we want to be more like Jesus we should do what He did – always...

Points to Ponder:
Do you get scared about preaching?

Will you simply try to act more like Jesus did?

Saturday 10 Feb 2024

DJ

Feb 10: Mark 8:1-10

Key Verse: Mark 8:4
His disciples answered, ‘But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?’

Devotion:
One of the things Jesus was always doing was showing the disciples, and others, just what can happen when you fully trust in God! I wonder how many times people would go away thinking Jesus was doing this by Himself… Just like all other times Jesus stops and gives thanks to God for what is about to happen – none of this is a solo effort but done in conjunction with God the Father!

The disciples grew to know this from the start because Jesus always made sure they knew He was not acting alone. Even then, when Jesus stopped and showed compassion for the people, the disciples would often allow their worldly limitations and expectations to get in the way of things – they would doubt because their earthly expectations were limited!

Jesus wanted them to learn just how much is possible with God and to fully rely on God at all times and not just when up against the wall! This demonstration of feeding the four thousand was just another thing to remind them of God’s ultimate power over everything!

When we get to trust fully in God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we will get to see just how much He can do for us when we ask things of Him. God wants to please us and wants us to know there are no limits when it comes to living with Him. The limits are imposed by our minds and our hearts, nothing more...

Points to Ponder:
Do you limit what God can do?

Will you trust a bit more and see what He can do?

Friday 9 Feb 2024

DJ

Feb 9: Psalm 81:8-14

Key Verse: Psalm 81:9
You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not worship any god other than me.

Devotion:
The psalmist recounts God’s feeling for mankind here, something we get to understand when we do have a relationship with Him. The closer we draw to Him the more we are able to understand this love and jealousy He has toward us; and hopefully, the more we get to understand just how important it is to love God with everything and to worship Him alone!

When we try to listen to God and open our hearts to His will in our lives, He teaches us His ways and tries to direct us down the best possible path in our lives. It’s the listening part which we seem to have problems with. We get carried away with everything the world has to offer us and lose track of what God is saying in our lives. The more we listen to the world the harder we find it listening to God!

He is the one who has done so much for mankind and for His chosen people. He is the one who allowed His Son to die on the cross for our sakes. He is the one who guides and, strengthens us and directs our every move – so long as we allow Him to!

When we don’t listen we go in the ways of the world and find out the hard way things are not as they seem. Our enemies are all around us and they will take hold of us if we do not have a guard against them in our lives. That guard is God!

Points to Ponder:
Who directs your life?

How is it going with them directing your life?

Thursday 8 Feb 2024

DJ

Feb 8: 1 Kings 11:4-13

Key Verse: 1 Kings 11:9
The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.

Devotion:
What was your first thought when reading through these verses? Was it a sense of disbelief of how Solomon could turn his back on God even though God had done so much for him and been so close and even direct with him? Or was it a feeling he was only human and what could we expect? I put it to you God is speaking directly to you through those very thoughts!

Solomon had go so involved with the world, his wives, their ways and now was giving in to peer pressure. He had been given great wisdom by God, but he was turning his back on that very wisdom to follow after human traits by trying to please his wives instead of God. I’m not saying we should turn our back on our families, but if our family loves us they will allow us to worship God in full!

God is a jealous God and will not allow us to go off worshipping other gods without something happening. God had promised Solomon things and was going to keep those promises; but he would have to know the things he had done were now going to affect his offspring instead – they would have to face losing the kingdom because of his own actions!

God continues to support us and all the promises He has made to us will always stand; but there will be consequences to all of our actions we do in our lives. For those things we do against Him, we will see the consequences unless we turn back and ask for His forgiveness.

Points to Ponder:
Do you do things which God has said not to?

Will you ask for His forgiveness?