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April 3: James 2:18-24
Key Verse: James 2:18
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
Devotion:
How do you see your faith? Is it a faith in secret where you don’t tell others, do you go out of your way to tell people about it or do you live out your faith? This is a question I asked myself when I was at school in Zimbabwe as a ‘New Christian’; I saw people around me shouting about their faith on Sundays but only a few who would do the work to keep things going… I’m not talking about work which has to be done around the church building and logistics to keep that building functioning and open… I’m talking about the few who make it their mission to keep the people together and focus them on our common goal of bringing glory to God!
I count myself lucky to be a part of a local church who continue to be active even in this time of self isolation. We continue to offer our help to people who would like it and those who need it – they don’t have to be members of the church, just local people we can reach out to without compromising public and personal safety. This is who we are and it makes me proud to be able to share God’s Word to anyone who would like to listen or read.
Some may question the work we do or offer; some of those who question our work are supposed to be the people who do the work we pick up. Why limit yourself to do the work which is sanctioned when you know there is someone who needs help in some way?
You see, when God asked us to go out into the world and take the gospel with us, He was not meaning we need to buy a plane ticket to the furthest community around the world we can imagine, He meant we need to go to the people who need help. That could be your next door neighbour! It could be the old couple just down the road who have been told they cannot go out. We just need to listen to God’s instructions and faithfully follow them to where He wants us to be. He will take care of us and protect us as best He can – and that has no limits!
Points to Ponder:
Do you ignore pleas for help just because the rules say so?
Will you listen to God’s instructions and reach out to the people around you?
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April 2: Matthew 25:41-46
Key Verse: Matthew 25:42
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink
Devotion:
At first read this passage may seem dire and even heartless, but when you read it alongside all the warnings and all the advice we have been given – we should expect nothing less! No matter what other leaders around the world said about getting people to distance themselves from each other during this pandemic, governments of certain countries did not respond to the warnings… until they began to see the results of not listening to the warnings.
It is much the same in our spiritual world as well, God has given us the warnings, He has given us the advice and shown us the way forward – yet so many people choose to ignore these warnings and carry on doing their own thing. Jesus came to give people the warnings verbally; thankfully many people listened – but still more ignored those warnings.
Who is to blame? Is it God who has given out plenty of warnings? Is it Christ who came to warn us verbally? Is it the church who continues to proclaim the word and give the warnings? Or is it the person who ignores all of those warnings and continues to do their own thing? Unfortunately this does not just affect the person who ignores the warnings but all who come into contact with them. We have seen stark pictures of how physical distancing can stop the spread of a virus – but some people choose to ignore those warnings and they place everyone they are in contact with into the same danger they expose themselves to.
When a person chooses to openly ignore God’s warnings, they are showing all the people around them it is OK to ignore the warnings. Some of those people will see them doing wrong and choose to follow that example. Some people will simply give in from the struggle against evil and go with the flow. These are the people God is warning who will not get the chance to go to Heaven!
Points to Ponder:
Do you uphold God’s word?
Will you show others it is good and right to follow God’s word?
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April 1: John 8:21-30
Key Verse: John 8:21
Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”
Devotion:
What is the first thing you thought about when you read this sentence from Jesus? The first thing which struck me was the words “and you will die in your sin!” And yet, the people around Him did not hear that but rather heard “Where I go, you cannot come!” I suppose we will all get slightly different things from the passages we read, but my reaction to getting this reading through our church group yesterday was “how did they miss the point!”
Jesus did re-iterate these words to them and they got upset with Him for daring to pull them up on the things they were doing. According to them, they were following the teachings of Abraham and Moses as written down thousands of years before this; but in their hearts they knew they did take short cuts and do things wrong all the time. This is why they got upset – because Christ pulled them up on the sins they were committing.
Non of us like to get pulled up on the things we are doing wrong! I was mildly amused at people complaining about how some police forces are coming down too hard on them for not staying at home. Their real problem is they are not listening to the advice from the government and even the doctors! They did not like the fact they were pulled up on things they were doing wrong. As a person who is struggling with all this and trying to keep clear of people to ensure I do not become infected as my body continues to heal, I fully support some police getting upset and pulling people up!
We really do need to listen to all the words Jesus tried to teach us whilst He was on earth in human form. Those were the times when He was most vulnerable and yet He listened to every word from God. It is God alone who know what is happening and the rest of us continue to guess our way through life. The more we listen to Him, the closer we get to the truth and the way...
Points to Ponder:
How often do you get upset with people for pointing out your mistakes?
How often do you get upset with God for pointing out your mistakes?
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March 31: Daniel 7:13-14
Key Verse: Daniel 7:14
He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
Devotion:
One of the things which amazes me is how some people are able to have such comprehensive and meaningful dreams; or they are able to make sense of the dreams they have! Personally, my dreams are all over the place and it is hard to make sense of some of the things which come out of my mind at night! Daniel was a man after my own heart – he always prayed and always made sure God was at the centre of his life.
When he dreamed of Jesus, it was not a pie in the sky dream or one which he had to think deep and long about to make sense of – it was matter of fact… or was it? We have the history of the life of Jesus written down for us in books and we can compare the dream with what we know has happened.. The words in the New Testament are probably taken from books like this so we can marry up the text with what happened. But what about Daniel and the others with him? What would they think of these things?
The key here is to remember that God is able and willing to do all things. No matter how difficult it is for you to believe He is going to do something, He is able to do it! Don’t limit your expectations by your mind – don’t limit things to what you think is possible or probable! God already knew what would have to be done and He knew when it had to be done. Daniel was willing to listen to Him and to tell other people about what God had told him.
I can only pray that I am willing to accept the things God shows me are possible and trust Him to bring us through this pandemic so I will be able to do the things He has shown me in dreams! God is able. I am scared, but God is able! I have limits, but God is able!
Points to Ponder:
Do you limit God to what you can do?
Will you trust Him to do so much more through you?
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March 30: Acts 1:6-11
Key Verse: Acts 1:11
“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Devotion:
Can you imagine what was going through the disciples minds as they spoke to Jesus just before He ascended into Heaven? Can you imagine how their minds were blown away when they did see Him ascend! But Jesus’ last words were words of encouragement and empowerment, and not words just of hope and love.
Too often people just hang on to the words of love, peace, mercy and hope, leaving behind the real message Christ gave to us all. Yes He wants us to know the love, joy, peace, mercy and all the rest; but He also wants us to get out there and put these things into practice! Jesus said to the disciples their role would change from being the students to being the teachers because the Holy Spirit would indwell them to give them the wherewithal to teach people according to God’s wishes.
We do need to remember just how much we can do with the Holy Spirit’s guidance too. This is God being in us in a form we cannot see but can understand and listen to. If, like me, you have always strived to look for eye witness accounts for everything, then saying something like this seems alien – but is not. God really does want us to go out there and tell others about Him and He is going to give you the words to do exactly that!
Taking the first step to come forward and trust God to give you the words is the hardest step to take – because you are stepping into the ‘unknown’ world where you cannot see everything in black and white! But, once you take that step and trust God will be there with you, the Holy Spirit is there giving you what you need to teach others about God. I do like reading through some of the devotions I wrote over a decade ago to see how God was leading me back then – it makes me realise just how much I rely on Him every day.
Points to Ponder:
Do you crave support?
Will you step forward and expect the Holy Spirit to be with you?
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March 29: Philippians 3:17-21
Key Verse: Philippians 3:20
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ
Devotion:
As Christians we need to be leading by example – just as Paul and the other disciples did after the death and resurrection of Christ. We have these truths written down for us to read and be encouraged by, but unless we are willing to show others how we are encouraged, what use is it other than ensuring our own place in Heaven? We do have a duty to spread the gospel just as Jesus asked His disciples to do because that is the same message He gave to all who were willing to listen!
We will not be able to reach everyone, but we will be able to reach out to the people God gives us in our communities. As long as we are willing to continue listening to God, we will be placed in the right place at the right time to reach the right person who is going to make a difference! Just as this virus spreads through interaction, our task is to spread the gospel through interaction – not physical at this time, but spiritual and by example.
Paul told the people to keep an eye on others – how apt for these times! We really do need to be the example by reaching out to others where we can and showing them there is always someone who cares. They may not know Christ as their Saviour, but by being an example and showing them His ways, we can encourage them to start a journey where they seek out what we know as the truth and know in our hearts.
This does put a burden on us during these tough times, but we have God who is willing to take care of our burdens so long as we trust Him to do so. We have the comfort which goes beyond the fears of this world and we have strength given to us in abundance by Him which we can always call on. We do this through our faith. If we can give this example of faith to others, they too will be helped and strengthened just as we are!
Points to Ponder:
Do you enjoy the peace and strength you get from God?
Will you show someone else how to get that strength today?
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March 28: Hebrews 2:14-18
Key Verse: Hebrews 2:18
Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Devotion:
One thing many people cannot get their heads round is how Jesus came to live amongst us as a human being and not as an angel or godly spirit. He did this so He could show He fully understands how we are and what we feel. He went through great temptation, great pain, great sorrow and so much more; yet through it all, He remained faithful to God the Father.
It is possible for us to remain faithful – even though we are weak and seem to give in to things much more than others – it is possible. Jesus wanted us to know we are able to do so much more when we fully place our faith and trust in God. What would He be doing in this time? I’m not sure, but whatever it was it would be the will of God. Jesus listened to God and obeyed whatever He said. Yes, He did question whether it was necessary and pleaded with God on many occasions; but He still obeyed God.
It is the devil who brings all the pain and sorrow into this world. The devil who tries to make us slaves to death and not to life. God wants us to reach out to Him and ask for His help daily so we can have that light in our lives instead of the death hanging over us. Jesus did not come here to make sure His angels would survive but to make sure we, mankind, would survive. This is just one of the reasons why He came as a human being – so we would be witness to the resurrection of a human being!
When we are tempted, especially in these times, we really must reach out to God and ask for His protection and His strength to allow us to get through this period in our lives. We need to be the example others will see and be encouraged by so they will turn to Him and ask for this protection and strength too. God knows! Believe me, He knows!
Points to Ponder:
Do you find yourself giving in to temptation?
Do you ask His for your daily strength?
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March 27: Luke 7:11-17
Key Verse: Luke 7:13
When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”
Devotion:
When we lose someone we love, our hearts break and we cry. People around us see the heartache we are going through and feel sorry for us, often-times trying to comfort us in our time of need; because we do need comfort in sad times. As we are spread far and wide in our various homes and places of work, we are not always close to friends and people we love. This probably makes us more aware of our need for love and support from others.
I know some of you will face losing someone over this pandemic and maybe it is going to be the one we love more than anything. I am very anxious I will lose the people I love but I also know there is very little I can do to prevent this apart from staying away from them; and I know there are many of you out there who are even more anxious than me. My prayers and love go out to you all.
So how do I cope? I cope through my faith in Christ. I cope because I know God has me firmly in His grip. Does this mean I am not going to get the virus – probably not. Does this mean I will survive – probably. So what’s the difference? Why do I have so much faith and hope in comparison to many out there?
I have faith and hope that God has all of this in control. Yes, many are going to die simply because many people have not listened to the advice from the doctors and scientists. My dad was a pharmacist and always drilled home how important it was to wash our hands – I am really thankful at this time that I do remember this and know how important it is!
We are in a global crisis where many people are going to die – but many more are going to survive and live to tell the tales. How many of us are going to lift God up high and praise Him for remaining faithful even though we may have wondered off? How many are going to see prayers answered because they have trusted God to answer them? Lift up your prayers to God this evening and thank Him for looking after you!
Points to Ponder:
Do you cry out to God all the time?
Or are you waiting to have Him walk past you before you cry out?
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March 26: John 5:19-23
Key Verse: John 5:21
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.
Devotion:
Jesus made sure people were told how He would not do anything God, His Father, would not sanction. Jesus made sure people understood how He worked directly with God in everything He did. He made sure He listened to everything God told Him and obeyed God’s commands. Something which struck me was how Jesus was listening to what God was saying then and there, not going by what Moses had said so many years before or by the habit people had got used to doing...
We need to be doing the same by making sure we are actively listening to the latest advice from God – by praying to Him and listening for the answers! Just as people around the world need to be listening to the latest advice from their governments about the state of their countries and the safest way to make sure they are kept safe from this pandemic. Listening to the latest advice has always got to be the right thing to do!
As a modern society we have grown callous in our ways with God because we have continued to do things the way of the world instead of doing things God’s way. The more we get involved with the ways of the world, the more we tend to ignore God because of the peer pressure we have continuously around us. You can think of it as you trying to have a conversation with a friend in the middle of a dance floor where the music is drowning out your every word – eventually you give in and just enjoy the dance… Now imagine 3 of you on that dance floor; the one in the middle is the messenger for talk going both ways and becomes the integral part of every conversation.
We do need to stop and focus on what God is trying to tell us. We will not always hear it because of the ‘volume’ of the world around us, but the more we do listen the more we will be in tune with what God says and the easier it will be to hear Him in the din of the world. Jesus was totally in tune with God the Father and had no problems hearing what He wanted Jesus to do.
Points to Ponder:
How much do you listen to the news and gossip around you?
How much do you separate yourself so you can hear God?
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March 25: John 5:1-8
Key Verse: John 5:7
“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
Devotion:
How many of you read these verses and thought about the mad scrambles in supermarkets all around the world where people don’t seem to care for those around themselves but do all they can to get what they want! It does seem very alien when I see scenes like this on the television, bringing to mind such things like Shaun of the dead! Please take a few seconds to think about your neighbour...
This particular man had been an invalid for thirty eight years and was, no doubt, used to people treating him badly. My heart goes out to the people who are in real need in our society who do not have the physical capacity to fight for what they want; but, honestly, my heart goes out more to the people who have changed their heart and now fight for things they do not need, but simply want!
So many people have bought more than they need from the shops, leaving little or nothing for those who actually need it most. People used to be able to go into the supermarkets and look around for the savings shelves where they could purchase something which was almost out of date at a price they could afford – but now they only see empty shelves!
God is the one who is watching over everything and He is the one who will come to you in your hour of need. All we have to do is ask Him for the help we need and He will answer in ways you did not think possible or likely. I love the way so many people are doing things for others in their communities now as they are all stuck indoors. I love the way people are beginning to think more of their neighbours. I love the way people are polluting less and God’s creation begins to shine once again.
Let us take this time to not just think about our neighbours, but to pray with and for them. Let us take this time to show God’s love to those around us. Let us take this time to allow people to meet with God in ways they did not previously see.
Points to Ponder:
Are you helping people in need?
Are you willing to put down your wants and lift up someone else's needs?