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March 19: Romans 4:13-18
Key Verse: Romans 4:18
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’
Devotion:
It is reminders like these which not just give us hope, but give us encouragement and strengthen our belief in a God who keeps His promises. Abraham did not inherit anything because he kept the laws or because he was a good man – he got his inheritance from a God who promised it to him if he kept his faith!
Was it a requirement to have demonstrate his faith in some way? No, it was the act of having faith in the promise God had given him. We all fall over at times because we stumble or lose our footing. But if we keep on believing we can continue to get up and walk even after we fall over, then we have faith in something! God wants us to have that belief in His promises for and to us. God wants us to know we can depend on His promises!
If we relied on the law, then we would all be in for a big disappointment – the only thing we would gain is the wrath of God when we broke the law! If we make our hope in laws, then the only thing we will definitely see is how we falter and break the law! But we know how Jesus came to earth and gave us hope because He took on the debt we owe for our sins – He gave us a way of ensuring we have hope!
We need to step up and believe in that hope Christ has given us. We need to remain strong in our belief God allowed this to happen so we could join Him in Heaven! It is our faith, no matter how small and insignificant, which will allow us to join Him in Heaven!
Points to Ponder:
Do you think you have enough faith?
If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you have enough!
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March 18: Exodus 32:7–14
Key Verse: Exodus 32:14
Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.
Devotion:
How many times have you given into temptation because it looked so much better than what you were going through at the time? The English saying “the grass is always greener on the other side” comes to mind – we see what we don’t have as being better than what we do have because we don’t actually know what we don’t have! We look for a fast and easy solution!
When the people of Israel were at the bottom of the mountain and Moses was at the top with God, they became restless and wanted some sort of comfort and gratification there and then... why should they have to wait for Moses to come down the mountain after days or weeks when they could go back to their old ways and their old gods right then and there!
God was trying to educate Moses by showing him what was needed and how the people could draw closer to Him; but the people chose to follow their own ideas instead of waiting patiently on God. Sometimes we are called to wait while we learn more and those are the hard times for us because we want instant gratification instead.
God wants us to learn the right way so we will remember those ways He wants us to learn. God wants us to have the choice of doing the right thing and that is why He allows us to make our own decisions – even when they are the wrong ones. It’s not too surprising this makes God cross! But as we see here, He is willing to forgive no matter what the crime; as long as we are willing to come before Him with humility!
Points to Ponder:
Do you take decisions based on what you want to need?
Will you allow God to show you what you need?
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March 17: John 5:19-23
Key Verse: John 5:20
For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.
Devotion:
This is one of those sections of verse which speak deeply to me as a father. I can look back at my life as a child and relate to this in my relationship with my Father, but I can also look back as a father and view my relationship with my son... and I can even look at my relationship with my grandchildren too now! How time passes!
When we do love and respect our parents, we tend to listen to them and try to obey them – yes, I know we get it wrong and we go off and do bad things, but in large we try to obey our parents in a loving relationship. The same has to be said with our relationship with Christ – when we do love Him, we try to obey Him. We still get things wrong and make mistakes, but as long as we are trying to do what He wishes, our relationship will continue to grow deeper.
Now the relationship between Jesus and God is something more difficult to get our heads round – but we have the ultimate example through Him because He obeyed His Father at all times and because of His closeness to Him, was able to do so much more during His life on earth. Because of this closeness, when He asked something of God, the requests were granted; something we can relate to in our relationships with our parents – if we are in a good relationship with them, they are more likely to say yes when we ask...
As a parent I can say I am very defensive when anyone does anything to my children or my grandchildren. There are times when we do have to stand by and just watch because it is the right thing to do. This is how love looks...
Points to Ponder:
Do you try to do what God asks?
Do you try to help God’s other children?
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March 16: John 5:16-18
Key Verse: John 5:17
In his defence Jesus said to them, ‘My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.’
Devotion:
Do you work for a church? Have you noticed Sunday is actually a very busy day for you! So what about God’s instruction to not do any work on the Sabbath? Well, we could go into all manner of arguments about what day the Sabbath is or what is recognised by your particular church, but the fact remains, God says we should take a day off every week – and this goes back to the beginning of time when God created everything!
Jesus stepping into this argument to try and stop people from making this law such a big deal because they were forgetting about “the main thing!” We worship God. If we start making all manner of rules take us away from worshipping God, then we are forgetting about the main thing! Not doing something because it goes against a law which is being upheld by mankind may well be taking us away from the main thing!
Jesus reminds us God is always working. God does not take the day off because He is getting tired or is over-worked. He took the day off in the beginning as an example to us. As humans we do need to take time out and rest; that’s why we sleep every night! We are not gods!
I am currently working for a couple of churches every Sunday, one I get to go in and do the audio-visual side of the service, and the other I do completely remotely as I set up the videos on YouTube while they are in lock-down. I also have a ‘normal’ job which I work during the week... but I do make sure I take time for myself and time for God too. My weeks are variable to try and fit in to other’s requirements; but I always make time for God.
Points to Ponder:
How much time do you set aside for work every week?
How much time do you set aside for God every week?
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March 15: Psalm 30:1-5
Key Verse: Psalm 30:5
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
Devotion:
I love verse 5... How many times do you get angry at someone for doing something wrong and how long do you stay angry with them? Are you still angry inside when they come to you to ask for forgiveness? It is hard for us to sweep aside our anger and to forgive someone totally, but this is what Christ is asking of us for His people!
We are His people and He is asking us to forgive and forget. Think about a time when you have done something wrong and have had to ask someone to forgive you. What did it feel like when they were able to forgive you and you felt that weight being lifted off your shoulders?
We may think we have done something so bad it will take God a long time to forgive us – maybe we have done something wrong against Him and we knew we were doing it wrong at the time... But, because Jesus was willing to give His life as a perfect sacrifice for us, when we ask Christ to forgive us, God sees us as perfect once again – because Jesus is perfect!
So, now is the time to lift up your voices and praise God for all He is doing in your life. Not just the big things we ask for, but the little things like the comfort He brings when we feel down. Lift up your burdens to Christ and allow Him to carry them away from your shoulders giving you the peace and rest He has promised to give you.
Points to Ponder:
Have you asked Christ to forgive you?
Will you extend your mercy to others?
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March 14: Numbers 21:4-9
Key Verse: Numbers 21:9
So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
Devotion:
How long before you start complaining about what God is NOT doing for you? We live in a world which is driven by people demanding more for less, and nothing much has changed since the beginning of our time on earth. We continue to want bargains but never want to be the ones who have to shell out in some way to make sure these bargains can be made available.
Back when Moses was trying to lead the people through the desert, they became restless and began to want more from God. We may look back on it and say “how dare they demand more from God”, but we are just as guilty as them nowadays. We have been given so much from God and yet we want more and start complaining when we don’t get it quick enough!
This is what the people were doing – complaining because things were not going according to how they wanted! They wanted God to change up the timetable and make them more comfortable again. Instead, God allowed them to remember just how much He was doing for them. Never mind the fact they had been allowed to escape from slavery and they had made it out of the clutches of a great army...
Stop and think about what God has already done for you and give Him thanks for everything He continues to do. You will be surprised to find out how much God continues to do for you every day and how much we have to praise Him for! Don’t give in to greed and impatience; step back and allow God to show you what to do next and obey!
Points to Ponder:
How often do you complain about things?
Are you still complaining even though God just wants you to look up?
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March 13: Luke 18:9-14
Key Verse: Luke 18:13
But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
Devotion:
This is one of those parables which sums up Jesus to me, one I should want to live my life by, one a do strive to live close to. I know I am not worthy of all Christ does for me, but I do know he does so much for me all the time and I praise Him for this! Jesus looks at the heart of the person and not what the world will see or what the world proclaims about the person!
I do wonder what I would be like if I had continued to strive for all the earthly things I once strived for. I do wonder how far I would have gone away from God as I tried to embrace more of the world and more of the wealth I though was important at the time. But then I also look back at what has happened in my past and I realise a lot of it happened that way so I could learn what is like to be both rich and poor, careless and careful, dishonest and honest. God was allowing me to grow into the person I thank Him for today!
Despite people telling me I should be doing more, investing, and all the trapping of this modern world, I continue to set time aside every day to draw closer to God and to find out what it is He wants me to learn about today. As we move slowly out of lockdown and move forward with hope these vaccines are giving us in the fight against this virus, I thank God He has managed to keep me safe and prepare me for what comes now.
I know my past and I admit to the things I have done wrong – I can’t hide that. I know I still have issues and I still grow weary in my walk with Christ – but I do strive to move forward and to try and draw closer to Him each day... just by spending time with Him and being reminded of my path I chose in life. Be thankful for each day God gives you and move a little closer to Him instead of trying to impress the world!
Points to Ponder:
What do you think your strengths are?
What do you admit as your weaknesses to God?
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March 12: Mark 12:28-34
Key Verse: Mark 12:30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”
Devotion:
I do love coming back to these verses and trying to think about my relationship with God in comparison to what this man replied to Jesus when he heard what Jesus said. We can begin to see how Jesus was steering the people away from the habit of making sacrifices and toward a greater community spirit.
I despair at some groups who call themselves Christians but seem more intent on getting a greater number of people through the door than for caring deeply for those who are already coming. I know it is a difficult balance to make all the time – that of trying to get more people to hear about God and caring for those who are already in church, but we do have to remember just who God wants us to reach out to.
Jesus made sure they knew it was important to love God with every fibre in your body, but also how important it is to love the people around you. We don’t know what is going through their minds or in their hearts – God does, but we don’t. We should not simply expect people to be able to call on God like we can, or to rely on God like we do... We need to love and support every person around us, from the people who only come to church for celebrations, to the church leaders themselves...
We need to love and support each other as if we were family, after all we are in God’s family together. What do you do with your church? What have you been doing during these troubling times?
Points to Ponder:
What are you doing to keep your neighbours happy?
Will you reach out to someone next to you today?
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March 11: Luke 11:14-23
Key Verse: Luke 11:21
When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe.
Devotion:
We all like to think our home is the safest place we have and, indeed, there are many laws which support this for us in most countries of the world. Our home is supposed to be the place where, by law, people should not be allowed to get to us. But there are people in the world who do not have any respect for the law and they will try to break into your home to steal your belongings.
Just like our physical homes, our bodies are our spiritual home where we like to think we are safe – but there are those spirits in the world who would like to break in and disrupt your spiritual life. Jesus disrupted the evil spirits lives whenever He came across them; He would not allow them to continue living in other people!
It is not often thieves will work together to rob a place because their greed takes over and they want it all for themselves. In the same manner the evil spirits of this world would like your spiritual life to belong to them, and them alone. Jesus has promised to protect us from such entities when we ask Him into our lives because He knows how important our safety is.
The local police would love to have enough support and power to be able to protect our homes from thieves, but sadly they do not always have the power or funding to be able to do so. Fortunately for us, Christ has all the funding and power He needs to be able to protect our spiritual homes from anything and everyone; so long as we ask Him in to protect us and not try and do it ourselves – or worse still, ask some other spiritual entity to come in and try to protect us!
Points to Ponder:
Do you rely on Christ for His promised protection?
Will you make sure your spiritual life is safe and secure in Christ’s hands?
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March 10: Matthew 5:17-20
Key Verse: Matthew 5:20
For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Devotion:
If we set rigorous rules to follow, we have to live by those rules and keep them to the best of our ability otherwise we will look like law breakers instead of law keepers. When Jesus stood up to the Scribes and Pharisees, it was because their laws kept on growing and changing according to what they though should be good enough for God, not what God wanted them to keep!
When we live in a land which has laws, it is our job to keep those laws and not re-invent them as we go along. When Jesus came to live amongst us, it was no to set aside all the laws God had given to Moses, but to uphold them and to set the laws of the land right once again. Jesus came to make sure God’s Word was brought back to being the ultimate law and not what mankind had though should be best.
No matter how hard we try to make laws we think are good enough for God, we will always fall short of the mark. The more complex the laws we come up with, the more difficult it is for us to keep them and to be righteous according to them. Jesus came to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins so we would not have to try and give bigger and better sacrifices all the time as we got deeper and deeper into our pits of sin we dig!
God wants us to remember all of the laws and do our best to keep them; but Jesus came to cover all those laws we are not able to keep and protect. God knew we would not be able to keep them all, just as man sinned in the very beginning, so too do we continue to break the rules – because we just are not righteous enough to keep them all. This is why Jesus came – to cover those we cannot keep. We try and try, yet we do falter, trips up and sin... it is our nature. But that does not make it ok...
Points to Ponder:
How well do you keep God’s commandments?
Will you allow Jesus to take on your sin debt which you cannot hope to keep?