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May 19: 1 John 5:9-13
Key Verse: 1 John 5:13
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
Devotion:
What does it take for you to believe something? What if a stranger told you something – would you believe it? What about a friend? What if you read a story in a trashy tabloid newspaper? What if you read it in a scientific journal? We each have our definition of what or who we can trust and we tend to stick with our pre-defined ideas of what we can trust. Sometimes those things we trust in are what we learn from friends – so how far back do you have to go before you actually trust?
When you read the bible, do you trust the words written down, or do you think they are just a guide book for what you can think yourselves? We have to have a definition of what we believe is the truth or we have nothing to compare the stories to! The disciples spent a long time walking round with Jesus, watching the miracles and listening to every word He taught. They had learned to believe in what Jesus was saying!
We may not have the luxury of walking around with Jesus, but we do have our bibles which are a written account of Jesus’ life as well as a history book of what had happened before Jesus came to earth in human form. When the writer penned these words, it was as a definition of what the truth he had learned. The truth he had witnessed.
Jesus came and did this all so we would be able to have faith in what God was and is trying to teach us. He came to display the truth in front of others so they could write it down for us to learn from. He did this all without hesitation because of His love for us and for the world He created. When we place our faith and trust in this truth we have in our hands, we can be encouraged by everything Christ has done for us and everything He has promised us. This is faith – believing in the unseen, knowing it to be true and righteous!
Points to Ponder:
How far do you trust the truth?
Are you trusting the truth given to you by Christ?
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May 18: John 17:6-19
Key Verse: John 17:11
I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.
Devotion:
These are the words Jesus prayed to His Father when He was faced with the finality of His work and the frailty of His human disciples. How often do we think so deeply for the people who we have come face to face with in this world? Do we aim all our prayers at ourselves, or do we lift up the people around us like Jesus asked us to do?
Much of the time we do focus too much on ourselves because we see just how difficult things are about to become – we can’t take the pressure and we lift up our prayers to God, asking for His protection over us as we face our hardships... Not the same with Jesus. When He prayed these prayers, it was not to try and get out of the hardships and pain which He was about to face, it was to make sure God was going to look after His children!
Jesus wanted to make sure we were all safe and secure! He wanted to make sure, no matter what happened to Him, we were going to be ok! This was Jesus, the Son of God, lifting up His prayers to God the Father, asking for protection for the disciples and then all believers!
Jesus did not want God to simply take us out of the world so we would not face any dangers – but to continue living in this world, but with a protector who would be able to keep us safe no matter what was going on in the world! Jesus knew the horrors which he was about to face, but His prayers were so we would not have to face those horrors for our own!
Points to Ponder:
How much do you think of others?
Would you beg for your life first, or the lives of others?
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May 17: Psalm 1:1-6
Key Verse: Psalm 1:6
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Devotion:
When I first read this Psalm as a young Christian, I thought it was talking about my life and the way I was, blaming me for keeping bad company... I immediately thought someone was telling me it’s all karma; I was facing a bad life ahead of me! But then I got to know Christ properly and someone was kind enough to explain what the love of Jesus was all about... then this Psalm took on a whole new meaning.
Today I listened to someone who simply stepped through this Psalm one verse at a time and reminded me to think about the words. Not to sit there like a frightened student listening to a strict teacher, but as an eager pupil wanting to know more from an ancient writing. These are the worlds God gave to the writer many hundreds of years ago – words to give encouragement to people and not to lay blame!
If we listen to the world, we start to try and find blame; isn’t it easier to blame someone else instead of admitting to things we have done wrong! Isn’t it easier to find blame somewhere else so we don’t have to worry about who is guilty! This is not what God wants us to know. God wants us to remember what Jesus has done – what He did hundreds of years after this Psalm was penned!
So, do what my friend asked me to do and think about the words in this Psalm, one phrase at a time. Think about where we choose to be in our lives. Think about who we choose to be with. Think of what we choose to do. Think of the ways Jesus chose to live, who He chose to be with and where He chose to be. This is more the line of life God wants for us too. We have a choice to make about where, how and who we live our lives with!
Points to Ponder:
Who do you mix with in your life?
Are you mixing with Christ enough?
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May 16: Acts 1:15-17
Key Verse: Acts 1:17
He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.
Devotion:
How do you react when you find out someone who you have trusted for a long time can no longer be trusted? What if that person was part of your church family? Would that make a difference? The apostle had a very clear view of things here – he had read up in the scriptures and realised the stories he had learned about David recounting how someone would turn against the Messiah. The apostle put everything together with the help of the Holy Spirit about how Judas would betray Jesus – and this was foretold many years before Jesus came amongst them!
Sometimes we are going to struggle to see how things can possibly be from God when they seem to go so wrong. But God knows what is going to happen before we do. He has already planned the best possible way forward and how to get the right people involved at the right time to make sure His promises are kept for our sakes! He continues to uphold things because He loves us!
Just because we do not see the way forward, does not mean God cannot make a way forward. We have to put our faith and trust in Him and keep that faith and trust no matter what starts to happen around us. Sometimes we will be confused by what happens and cannot see how everything will work out for God’s glory – but it will when we listen to Him!
God is a just God. When we continue to do something wrong, we can expect to come up against Him in the end. Just as Judas had chosen the wrong side and had continued to choose the wrong side, did not mean God was going to let Him get away with things all the time. God is going to make sure the truth and justice will prevail in the end. He chose to allow Jesus to be hung on the cross so we would not have to – as long as we choose to turn away from our sins and ask for forgiveness...
Points to Ponder:
Do you get worried about the number of bad things happening in the world?
Have you noticed how there are always bad people near bad things?
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May 15: Psalm 46:1-3
Key Verse: Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Devotion:
Just how much are you willing to place in Jesus’ hands? I know we sing about how He has the whole world in His hands – but how much do we believe that in our hearts? We continue to be troubled by what is going on in the world around us and we are side-tracked from the truth by the troubles around us... Our faith dwindles at times because it is exactly that – faith. It is our belief and trust in that belief we depend on for strength and comfort.
So, when we are feeling troubled, downtrodden or even side-tracked, it is normally the troubles of the world around us which are encroaching in our life rather than the troubles themselves. God really does have the whole world in His hands and has promised us to be here for us at all times. If we don’t believe that, then we are going to be pulled away from God by the peer pressure around us and the woes of the world...
God keeps His promises! This is why we can depend on the promises and keep our faith He will deliver us from the woes around us. The more we trust in Him, the more we will see how much he does for us. But the more we focus on the woes and troubles, the more we think they rule the world!
I love the words used by the Psalmist here saying that no matter what calamity befalls the world around us, we can be assured God is with us and keeping His promises. No matter how loud the world shouts, God’s voice will always be heard by those who choose to listen to Him. No matter how fractured our lives are, we always have a Saviour who has beaten the odds just because He loves us and kept His promise!
Points to Ponder:
How many times do you have to hear God’s promises?
Will you trust a little more today?
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May 14: Ephesians 1:15-23
Key Verse: Ephesians 1:22
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church
Devotion:
The apostle continued to remind the people in various church how important God was in their lives, how they should live their lives for Christ and continue to commune with God... but He also reminded them how special they were because they were chosen by Christ to be children of God, not through anything they could do but because of what Christ had done for them!
His constant prayer for the people who had come to know God was that the Holy Spirit would enable them to understand God’s Word even more than he could teach them. There are limits as to how much we can glean from other people, but there is no limit how much we can learn directly from God through the Holy Spirit – the same Spirit Christ promised would come to be with the people when He left to go back to heaven!
It is not just the understanding we receive from the Spirit, but the power we receive through knowing Him and trusting Him. Christ showed the disciples just how much power they could have by believing God would answer prayers when they asked for things in the name of Jesus; the same power we can receive through believing how God continues to work in this world and in our lives.
The more things I pray for, the more answered prayers I see and the more I get to know this same power the apostle was talking about to the people in Ephesus. Christ was not held back by this world because He knew God and demonstrated ultimate faith in God the Father throughout His ministry. We will not be held back by this world when we have faith in Christ!
Points to Ponder:
How much faith do you place in Christ’s hands?
Will you trust Him a little more today?
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May 13: Acts 1:1-5
Key Verse: Acts 1:5
For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’
Devotion:
This is the day we remember and celebrate how Jesus ascended into Heaven to be back with God His Father. It is not something we often think too much about because we see death as final in our lives; once we die, we go to be with Jesus if we have accepted Him into our lives... but have you thought about how the disciples must have felt when they saw Jesus back in fleshly form after they were witness to Him dying on the cross after being punished so much!
We don’t like to think of death too much because it will separate us from our families and loved ones; but it is the start of a whole new adventure which will last for eternity! We cannot conceive how we can escape death when we know how final it seems. But Jesus came back to be with the disciples to open their eyes and hearts to something extraordinary – life after death!
While they were trying to digest this, Jesus impressed on them how important it was to receive the Holy Spirit in the same way as they had accepted Christ as their Messiah. Not because it was going to save them any more than He could, but because the Holy Spirit was going to be their constant companions whilst they were still here on earth.
Jesus had been in constant communion with God all the time He was here in human form; He wanted the disciples to know this constant love and communion He knew. He had shown them how real He was, I.e. back in human form, by doing so many special things and even the ordinary everyday things with them. Our lives should be lived constantly with God, both the spiritual and everyday human lives in constant communion with God through the Holy Spirit.
Points to Ponder:
How often do you think of God being with you?
Will you live today as if He was walking by your side?
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May 12: Colossians 1:9-14
Key Verse: Colossian 1:9
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives
Devotion:
One thing I learned while driving to and from work every day was to mind my time by praying for people and things... Not because I was tired or had nothing to do, but because the more I was able to pray, the more I saw differences in my life and the world around me!
Paul continued to pray for so many people whom he had got to know by visiting so many places around the Mediterranean! I marvel at the number of names he was able to remember – because I am so bad at remembering names! We see the writings not as a reminder for himself, but as a result of what he was doing. We need to emulate his example; we need to do a whole lot more praying for people around us all the time. When you are walking to work, driving to work, whatever you are doing (but don’t drive with your eyes closed!)
God wants us to know He answers prayers. If we pray once in a blue moon, we get to see the results of answered prayer once in a blue moon! But if we are going to pray every day, we are going to see the results of those prayers every day – we will not have to wait ages before we are encouraged by what God does in our lives!
But don’t stop there! Don’t shoot your prayers up to God and sit and wait... you’ll be waiting most of the time and not praying! God wants to be in constant communion with Him, which means praying all the time and not just once a day or week or even year! Don’t limit your prayers to what you need or want; start thinking about the needs of others before you pray and see how much more productive your prayers will be. This forms the essence of what Jesus was teaching the disciples – to love one another; I.e. pray for one another all the time!
Points to Ponder:
How often do you pray?
Will you try filling in your time with prayers instead of TV?
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May 11: Philippians 2:25-30
Key Verse: Philippians 2:27
Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.
Devotion:
I think I can relate to this story about Epaphroditus! When my partner and I went to London, it was to get involved with mission work Locally on disadvantaged estates. We were very sure this is what God wanted us to do through hearing from God and through prophecy too. When we arrived in London, we were not able to live on the estate we were serving and continued to pray God would open up a place for us on the estate. Pretty soon a house became available, and we moved onto the estate.
But, after a few years work, I fell gravely ill with necrotising pancreatitis followed by many complications! Being away from family was one of the hardest things I had to endure, and no sooner had I started to get better and my Dad’s health degraded to the state where the doctors could do no more for him. Then Covid arrived and we were not allowed to see him. Being away from friends and family at times like this is extremely difficult and something I would not wish on anyone!
But throughout my time in hospital and recovering at home, I knew God was with me and wanted me to recover! The best doctors were where they needed to be to make sure I survived a few close calls where my partner was called in in case I did not make it. God was with us and looking after us in ways we only begin to understand now. What happened when my Dad went to be with Jesus also cemented our belief God was watching every step!
I am now back, close to family and friends – though we made many new and exceptional friends in London as we worked for God. Friends stay with you no matter where you are in the world, but sometimes, you have to be close to family because distance and health difficulties do make you very weary. Always look to God for your guidance and obey when He calls you to do His work – He will look after you even in the more dire times!
Points to Ponder:
Do you fear having to leave friends and family?
Will you obey Christ and allow Him to look after you?
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May 10: Philippians 2:12-13
Key Verse: Philippians 2:13
for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose.
Devotion:
Sometimes when you are going through the bible a verse will stand out and shout at you! I have been watching all manner of things on YouTube and stumbled upon a family who have been creating music videos whilst they have been in lockdown and just listening to them prompted me to find something which was suitable from the bible!
This family put so much love and joy into their time together as they sing and play music together and it got me thinking... What if your life was all recorder on something like YouTube? How would you feel if anyone around the world was allowed to watch whatever was going on in your life at any time!
When I read these verses, they shouted out loud! Far too often in our lives we put on a stage show for others to see so they will think good of us! But behind the scenes we may well be doing all sorts of strange things. What we need to remember is that when God said He would be with us at all times, it was a promise! He has a permanent YouTube channel directly to our inner lives!
Just as the Apostle writes to his friends in the church saying they have always been amazing while he was with them, he reminds them they should be continuing to behave like that at all times because God is with them! God wants to be in our lives celebrating love and joy at all times – so inviting Him into our lives is an open invitation to bring His love and Joy into our lives permanently!
Points to Ponder:
How do you behave in church?
How do you behave at home?