July 14: Ephesians 4:1-6
Key Verse: Ephesians 4:3
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Devotion:
Do you find it hard to live a life as a Christians when you are surrounded by so many people who are doing their own thing and not caring too much about anything else other than themselves? We are encouraged to look out for ourselves and to make sure we live a life we enjoy... but this is not what God teaches us and not what the Bible teaches us!
God continues to try and encourage us to live a life filled with love for one another where we can keep the peace because we know God’s word and we are encouraged by it. It if God through Christ and the Holy Spirit who continues to encourage us to live a life for Him. When we do listen and obey, we find it a lot easier to live with love for each other – this is the way Christ taught us and the way the Holy Spirit encourages us.
We need to focus on God, which means focusing on Christ and the Holy Spirit, keeping abreast of things through reading His Word and listening to Him at all times. When we do focus on God, our lives become more attuned to living His way and keeping Him as the focus in everything we do.
The more we live our lives with God in them, the more we begin to realise He is in everything and we see just how much He has done for us from the very beginning! Don’t wander off down the path which leads to worldly ways and possessions – instead keep God close and allow Him to show us how love and sharing go so much further!
Points to Ponder:
Do you live for personal goals?
Will you try to live for God’s goals today?
July 13: Psalm 25:8-11
Key Verse: Psalm 25:9
He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
Devotion:
It is good to read through God’s Word. It is better to stop and think about what you read from God’s Word. God has set many things in motion to include sinners from all around the world in His teachings. He has made sure the bible is written in many different languages for people all round the world. He has made sure it is printed and spread everywhere... we are all given a chance to get to hear the bible.
What makes the biggest difference is what we do with the words we hear! Do we listen to the words but not hear them because we are thinking of something else when they are read to us. Do we listen and then move on to another topic as soon as we have heard them? Do we stop and think about the words? Do we meditate on the words?
God is good and continues to make sure we all get opportunity to hear His Word. He even gives His word to the most ardent of sinners. But it is the humble who stop and ingest His Word – these are the people who get to learn the most from God’s Word.
When we do hear His Word, we should not just listen, think and meditate... we should try to move forward and change our lives to fit in with what we are learning. Yesterday I was wearing a T-shirt which has the words Pray & Obey on it. When we get to hear God’s Word, we need to take it in and pray for understanding from the Holy Spirit. When He teaches us what we should understand, we should obey His teaching and move forward with Him in our lives. Not just sinners – all of us!
Points to Ponder:
How do you hear God’s Word?
How do you react to God’s Word?
July 12: Mark 6:14-16
Key Verse: Mark 6:16
But when Herod heard this, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!’
Devotion:
How many times have you heard a short passage from the bible and recalled what you thought was important rather than listening to the actual words being spoken? I know I have drifted away many times in church because I have thought I knew the passage – but the more we read the bible and think about the words we are reading, the more we will learn about God and about us.
Jesus was becoming a bit of a talking point. Many people knew about Him and many could probably tell you a story about Him which they had heard before or from someone else. People were talking! But when people talk, the truth is not always passed on – we tend to embellish on the story to suit our own wants or we change things a bit to make it more exciting!
When Herod heard the stories, he even extended the truth a bit in how he retold it! We all get caught up in the heat of the moment and we all tend to say things which may not be the exact truth, or we leave out key parts so the story sounds better! This is our human nature – one which Jesus had to face and fight every day He was here with us.
When we tell stories, we have to stand by what we say because people are going to expect us to uphold our word! So we should be very careful how we tell people stories or we may end up having to extend the truth, hide facts or make things worse because we have to cover up an untruth we have told before – things just keep getting worse and pilling up on our shoulders!
Points to Ponder:
Do you like telling a good story?
Will you stick to the truth when you tell people about God?
July 11: Amos 7:7-9
Key Verse: Amos 7:8
And the Lord asked me, ‘What do you see, Amos?’ ‘A plumb-line,’ I replied. Then the Lord said, ‘Look, I am setting a plumb-line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.
Devotion:
How many times have you read things which don’t seem to make sense until someone explains them to you? At first glance, this could be one of those passages, but when we read it a few times and think about it we may come to a very different conclusion!
God was angry with the people because they were no longer following His ways and had turned to do all manner of things for themselves and for worldly gain instead. Each time God told Amos He was going to do something bad to the people, Amos pleaded with God to not let it be so... why was Amos pleading with God on behalf of a people who did not seem to care for God anymore?
Amos must have seen some good people and for God to do something against all the people would mean they would get into deep water too. Amos knew God had every right to do whatever He wanted, but that did not stop him pleading for the people. When God then showed Amos the Lord standing by a wall with a plumbline in His hand, Amos was a little confused by this.
A plumbline is there to make sure the builders are building walls which are vertical and hence stronger. If they are not vertical, they will fall down more easily when any force comes up against them. God wants us to be strong and upright so we can stand against temptations when they come in. Any walls which are not upright should be torn down and rebuilt to make them strong again – this is what God was saying would happen to the people who were no longer living upright lives!
Points to Ponder:
How do you think you compare to God’s plumbline?
Jesus is our builder who is building perfect walls!