September 12: Joshua 4:19-24
Key Verse: Joshua 4:21
He said to the Israelites, ‘In the future when your descendants ask their parents, “What do these stones mean?”
Devotion:
When you have something different, or live differently to others, people will ask you why or how... This is the way we are as humans, we are inquisitive, and we like to know why, where, how and even who! I like wearing my Christian T-shirts because it gets people to ask why or to comment on them – that gives me a chance to share a bit about who I am and why I do it!
After the Israelites had crossed over the Jordan and things were getting back to normal (as normal as they could be,) Joshua got the twelve stones the twelve tribes had picked up from the riverbed and he set them up as a monument for everyone to see. Why a monument? Is this not making an idol? No, it's not making an idol, it is setting up a reminder for the people and future generations to ask why, who, when and other interesting questions – it gives us the chance to tell people about God and what He can do and has done!
If you, like me, sometimes find it hard to start conversations, then maybe you need something which can be a conversation starter – something which will get people to as the interesting questions so you can give them the amazing answers we know about God!
Someone is bound to cross the line and call you names or mock you for doing things to remember Christ – but if there is just one person who will get to hear about the gospel because of what we have done, then that is a good thing!
Points to Ponder:
Do you act like a normal person does?
Will you do something different to get people to ask why?
September 11: Joshua 4:1-7
Key Verse: Joshua 4:6
to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, “What do these stones mean?”
Devotion:
What things do you have which remind you of what God has done in your life? When the people of Israel finally got the go-ahead to cross over the Jordan, it was Joshua leading them over and not Moses. Even though so much had gone wrong over the time they spent in the desert, God was still willing to stop the flow of the Jordan river so they could all cross over in safety; and God wanted them all to remember this had happened.
So, He told Joshua to appoint one person from each of the twelve tribes and to get them to pick up a large chosen stone and take it with them as a reminder of what God had done. These were no ordinary stones, but stones from the riverbed when the flow of the river was stopped for them; rather unique!
I think we should all take something from our journey with God and use it as a reminder for what God has done. When we have these items, people may stop us and ask what the significance of these items are. We then have the chance to tell them of the great things God has done in our lives!
Take a bit of time out from your busy day today and pick something in your life which reminds you of what God has done – something unique which can be a starting point for a conversation. Take this item with you, physically or in spirit, so you can tell others of what God has done for you. Keep it close and be willing to share how great God is!
Points to Ponder:
How much has God done in your life?
What makes you think of something God has done for you?
September 10: Galatians 3:15-18
Key Verse: Galatians 3:16
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds’, meaning many people, but ‘and to your seed’, meaning one person, who is Christ.
Devotion:
If we read our first book in the Old Testament, we will read about Abraham being told by God his offspring would inherit the land. We can also read about how Abraham went about trying to have a child which God had promised him. But if Abraham had waited on God to fulfil His promise, Abraham would not have gone through so much heartache!
Far too often we try to hurry God along, or we try to help God to do the things He promises to us. I have learned to be patient, not just for a minute or two, or even hours, but to be willing to wait for days, months and years. When God promises us something, we should be willing and faithful to wait for that promise to be fulfilled by Him!
We can now look back on the Old Testament writings and see Christ was the one to inherit the land. This is because Christ is a descendant of Abraham – however many generations there are between Abraham and Jesus – they are family. We can continue to compare the Old Testament promises with what was delivered in the New Testament and see just how many promises came true.
We should be more than willing to expect His promises to come true based on past history! We should be more than willing to wait patiently for God to fulfil those promises. Yes we get impatient. Yes we want things to be our way. God has made the promises – stand back and wait!
Points to Ponder:
Do you look back and check up on promises?
How many prayers do you look back on and see them answered?
September 9: Galatians 3:1-6
Key Verse: Galatians 3:3
Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?
Devotion:
How many times have you started doing a job one way, only to finish it off another way because it was getting hard or you just wanted the easy way out? I can think of a few projects I have been involved with where corners were cut and the product came out not being what was ordered in the beginning!
Christ came to demonstrate once and for all He needs us to have faith in what He has done for us. This means not just believing it, but continuing to believe it and to depend on it! It's no use saying we believe only to change our minds when the rules look a bit easier to follow on the other side of the fence! What faith is that!
We believe so we can have Christ's gift. We trust so we can depend on His promises. We obey so we can be sure we are doing the right thing. If we give in and follow the 'good old ways' then we are saying to Christ we don't think what He did was enough! I really don't think any of us would dare say that to His face – so why say it behind His back... It's not really behind His back because He sees what we do anyway!
All the people from the Old Testament did believe! Their righteousness was because of their belief and not because they managed to sacrifice the right animal at the right time! Without their belief, they would not have deemed it necessary to follow the rules give to them by God through Moses. Our belief is what counts. Don't make it count for nothing!
Points to Ponder:
Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
Will you continue to trust and obey Him?