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November 9: 2 Timothy 2:1-7
Key Verse: 2 Timothy 2:6
The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.
Devotion:
How good is your country at serving justice? Unlike tyranny, justice works for the good of the country and its people, not for the good of a single leader! The people who do the work should be the people who are rewarded for what they contribute toward the good of others. Individual reward should be given when it is due, not because the few have the positions which have titles to them...
Jesus did not come down as a God who did everything His own way, or as an all-powerful God who wanted complete control over everything. Instead, He humbled Himself before mankind to show His utter love for us. He gave His life for us so that we could be free. The United Kingdom has just celebrated a Remembrance Day with a big difference because the crowds were not there due to the Covid pandemic. We remembered all those who humbled themselves before their country and gave their lives so we could live.
We should never forget what they have done, just as we never forget what Christ has done for us. These are the people who deserve the reward, not the people who govern with iron fists or guns...
I used to live on the edge of a farmer's field where I would see farmers working long and hard hours, even into the small hours of the morning if that was what was needed. They did this because they wanted to, and they knew what was best to deliver the best crops every year.
Everyone can reach out to others in a humble and loving way; if we try!
Points to Ponder:
Are you reaching out to people?
Will you step forward and offer help to someone today?
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November 8: 1 Peter 5:5-7
Key Verse: 1 Peter 5:6
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
Devotion:
For all of us who still view ourselves as Children of the church and not elders (despite us being “really old” in our grandchildren’s eyes) we do have our parts to play in the church just as much as the elders who should be living as examples. We need to show we are willing to listen and learn from people in the church who have been learning God’s Word a tad longer than we have!
I must admit to finding it difficult to follow some church leaders who display a rambunctious attitude toward their positions within God’s church. We need to set aside our pride for self-worth and humble ourselves to the people around us. God does not want a bunch of self-righteous people leading a church in a deprived area! God wants people who are willing to set things aside to live with the people and help from the inside.
We are God’s chosen elect – we are people who have been selected by God to make a difference in our areas, in our communities and with our neighbours. To do this we need to put aside our ways and look for the need in our communities. We cannot drive our communities to live as we do. We must live according to God’s will in our lives and be examples for and with the people around us even if we don’t agree with them. We are not called to judge others. We are called to love one another!
Does this get you worried you will not be able to live up to the example or accept other people as being different? Well, step back and give your worries to God. He is able to work things out with you in ways you don’t know or think about – because He is God and knows the needs of others. If we stop and listen to Him instead of racing ahead of ourselves, we will be able to be the example He wants us to be!
Points to Ponder:
Do you dismiss some people's lives because they are different?
Will you stop and think what Jesus did whilst in human form?
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November 7: 1 Peter 5:1-4
Key Verse: 1 Peter 5:2
be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them – not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve;
Devotion:
After continuing to hear business leaders in the UK react to the lock-down with shouts of “unfair” and other short words, I was taken back by some church leaders who are reacting in a seemingly worldly manner to the locking down of church buildings. We are all people living in the same country and we are being led by people we have elected to position. Whilst we should make ourselves heard as Christians, we should also be setting an example for others to follow.
God calls us to be leaders in our communities and as leaders we need to encourage people through positive actions and not dismissive or negative actions which undermine society and community. We should not be doing this because we are elected into position or because we think it is our civil duty, but because we want to and are willing to make a difference.
The church is not the building – that is just a place where the church meets. The church is us! We are the church. All of us! Our local church used to meet in a community centre as we have not been able to meet up for a very long time because of this pandemic. But we continue to work together as a church and help out our communities as much as possible.
God has entrusted us with positions within the church to lead. He has made us the way we are so we can help the people where we are. He has led us to this time and this position to make a difference with the people, not the buildings! Love your neighbours and make a difference for them today!
Points to Ponder:
Where do you meet as a church nowadays?
Are you willingly doing what God is asking of you?
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November 6: 1 John 5:1-5
Key Verse: 1 John 5:5
Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
Devotion:
Ok, I get it. We need to follow the law. This is the will of God, our communities and of our countries... But... How many of God’s laws have we corrupted because we think we know what God means! We read a few verses and we think we know the will of God! Let’s get real...
It takes a whole lot of studying and even more prayer, meditation and even more reading and studying before we can begin to fully understand God’s Word. I believe that is why Christ made sure we have the Holy Spirit to guide us through our lives. The more we try to figure things out, the more we get tied up in the definition of things according to our country ways or our community ways.
When Jesus talked about love, it was all inclusive love, loving the people who are around us; not because we think we should, not because we think they know what is right, but because God wants us to love openly! I despair at so called Christians who use their positions to influence others into doing things their way because I must question whether they are listening to God!
How do we overcome this? How do we get away from peer pressure? How do we figure out what is right? God has given us instructions, His Word, the scriptures, from which we need to learn how to trust and obey God and obey His ways!
I want people to stop using political excuses, social variances, racial prejudice and homophobia to justify rules in their lives which they say come from God. God inspires me to love people, not matter what their background and no matter where they are in life. Yes, it is hard to love people who abuse your trust or your way of life, but we need to allow God to show us how to include them in our love. Believe in Christ and love all people like Jesus does!
Points to Ponder:
What do you do when your country imposes hard-to-follow rules?
Will you believe and trust God to give you the answers?
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November 5: 2 Timothy 3:10-17
Key Verse: 2 Timothy 3:17
so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Devotion:
In this second letter to Timothy, Paul writes about a few of the hardships he has had during his ministry and encourages Timothy to stay resolute, not because of the hardships he will face but because he has learned the scriptures from people he knew. Timothy accepted the scriptures as the truth in the beginning and continued to grow in his faith because of what he had seen and heard.
We don’t get to hear much about some of the important people who lived during these times because they simply believed the scriptures and got on a did the work which was required. They did not boast about things they did or make sure they attained important positions within society or the church – they just got on and did what was asked of them by God.
This is the example we need to follow; just like the example Jesus gave to us as well. Now, we know of Jesus and many things He did because He is the Son of God, but so many of the things which Jesus did are not written down because the disciples could not write and remember of them all the time!
The one thing I want to highlight here is Timothy knew what to do and did it because he read about things in the scriptures. The same scriptures some were using to try and trip Jesus us were used to support Timothy’s teaching. We need to take the scriptures and use them to support our argument that Jesus is the Son of God and has come to save the world. We need to be the workers who get out there and do the work because God has asked us, not because important people said we should!
Points to Ponder:
Do you trust God’s Word?
How do you listen to Christ?
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November 4: Isaiah 42:10-13
Key Verse: Isaiah 42:10
Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them.
Devotion:
How many times do you put something off because you are either afraid to step forward or you just cannot see how you can do what is being asked of you? I know I have put things off many times in my life and last year showed me how dangerous putting things off was when I was hospitalised for much of the year due when I may have been able to avoid things if I had gone to the doctor and had a diagnosis earlier!
But many of us also put off doing things for God because we just cannot see how we can be as good as any of the evangelical people we may see and hear about! God is probably not asking us to be high profile evangelical prophets, but He is asking every single one of us to spread the gospel to those who don’t yet know it!
I have missed not being able to sing out loud in church as we celebrate having a Saviour who is Jesus; but I fully understand how difficult it is to live within social and medical guidelines during this pandemic. So, going into a further country-wide lock-down does not sit well with me; but I understand. This is not going to stop me from being an example to others as well spreading the gospel through written word either!
We may not be able to meet up in church as a congregation, but we can continue to sing out our praises in any way we can. Sing out your joy in knowing Christ. Sing about what He has done in your life. Sing about the hope we have for our future with Him. Sing in your own, new way...
Points to Ponder:
Are you ready to tell others about Christ?
What new way will you think of to make the gospel known?
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November 3: Isaiah 43:16-21
Key Verse: Isaiah 43:18
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
Devotion:
We have a God who has demonstrated beyond doubt how precious we are to Him through the example of leading His chosen people out of the hands of tyranny in Egypt. He did this through miraculous examples where the people were protected beyond belief – something many people nowadays forget and discard through worldly suggestions.
But God is also telling us far more things are going to be different as we move through our lives and through the lifetime of this world. God is the same today as He was and will be. He is the God of change when change is necessary! The more things get out of hand on earth, the more He has to change things in our present times!
He has told people over the ages to forget about the old ways of doing things and focus on the present and future ways in which He is guiding us. Much like the times we are going through with this pandemic. We have messed up, we broke rules, we relaxed and did not act in time. Yes, governments should have acted instead of waiting and re-acting, but we must bear responsibility as well.
Just as we must bear responsibility for our own sins and bring them to God, we must bear responsibility for things we have done wrong against medical advice and must move on in a new way of living. This does not mean turning our backs on God or His people but turning towards Him and them with a new way of doing things safely and earnestly. This is the will of God!
Points to Ponder:
Do you know how much prayer can change lives?
Will you start an active prayer chain to lift up your country today?
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November 2: Isaiah 43:1-7
Key Verse: Isaiah 43:5
Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.
Devotion:
It is no secret Isaiah 43 holds special meaning to me, not just because it was the chapter from which we chose a verse to use as a tag-line for our youth organisation, but because people have pointed me back to this chapter on so many occasions – people who do not know what I have done with and without God.
This is a reminder to the Jews that God has chosen them to be the example of what His love can do in our lives. Even when they went astray and needed a kick in the pants to get back on track, God continued to be there and encourage them in all walks of life. Here is where God was reminding them they would be called to be a people together, worshipping God. Not as split communities competing against each other, but as one family working to live together with God!
God’s words of encouragement, delivered by Isaiah, are He is with us every step of our lives. When we feel overwhelmed with the world around us, He will make sure we can make it through. When we are drowning in the worldly things around us, He will keep our head above the water. He does not say we have to swim harder and out-live the troubles through our own strength... He says He will make sure we survive.
This may mean a few hard knocks in our lives after which we will feel like we have been battered; but because of His great and enduring love for us, He will ensure we survive. This could be other people popping up just at the right time to hold our hands, or something changing in our lives – but God is behind each and every step, helping us along the way!
Points to Ponder:
How often do you feel overwhelmed?
How many of those times have you given the situation to God?
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November 1: Ephesians 3:14-19
Key Verse: Ephesians 3:16
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being
Devotion:
One more month closer to Christmas. One more month deeper into this pandemic. One more month we feel like the world may be closing in on us... but Christ is bigger and stronger than this all! I ask each of you to stop what you are doing for a couple of minutes and pray for someone you know of who is in need at this time; physically, mentally or spiritually.
Stop and pray.
Right, now that you have lifted up your prayers to the One God who is always listening and answering prayers, rest in the knowledge He has been and always will be faithful to answer prayers. And as He answers prayers, meditate on the knowledge He has been able to do things beyond comprehension and will continue to do so as we pray.
Just like the author says here, I do pray each one of you is able to see and acknowledge the power of our God. I certainly would not be here if it were not for God; I don’t want any of you to have to go through things I have been through – but I know many of you have gone through so much in your lives too. But God has been able to keep us going – just because we asked Him to!
Think about it. This is the God who we prayed to in the hopes we would get some respite from our troubles. This is the same God who was able to allow us to get through things and come out a little bit stronger because of His amazing strength.
Points to Ponder:
I pray your prayers will be answered more than you can realise.
I pray that God will give you strength to help others now too.
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October 31: Isaiah 60:1-3
Key Verse: Isaiah 60:1
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
Devotion:
As we creep into Halloween, pun intended, we often get carried away with all the horror and evil which this evening carries with it. Many people would celebrate this evening with a party and dressing up in weird and wacky outfits – not so this year! Much of the world is slumping into worsening Covid-19 conditions and running around from door to door is just not going to be acceptable behaviour for many.
Let us not forget we are Christians. We stand for the Light of the world. We stand for Christ. We shine for Jesus. We are examples other people look to. If we are going to act like the rest of the world, people will see no different and will not be encouraged to find God; instead, they will continue to follow the world and sink with it...
God has chosen us to be different for a reason. He has not chosen us to judge others by what they say or do, but to encourage others to say and do what Jesus would like us to say and do. That is a very big difference! We cannot judge because we have been as guilty ourselves as any other people. But we have now been chosen to celebrate God, His ways and His will, to be a helping light for others to follow!
Jesus is the Light of the world and we are guards and guides for people to follow so they can see Jesus. Think of yourself as a person with a torch who can show others the way by shining the light on the world and allowing them to make their way toward Jesus. Don’t switch off your light for any reason because people in the dark are relying on your light to shine for them to find hope!
Points to Ponder:
How often do you shine for Jesus?
Will you keep your Jesus light switched on tonight?