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March 24: Psalms 69:16-18
Key Verse: Psalms 69:18
Come near and rescue me; deliver me because of my foes.
Devotion:
What sort of things do you wait for before you call on God to save you? I know we all try to call on God all the time, but if truth be told we do stop asking when things are good and then suddenly fall on our knees when things are bad! How much worse could things get than a pandemic?
But it does not have to be a global crisis which has to happen in order for us to get God’s attention. We can call on His name at any time and in any state we are in. It is not our condition which will somehow enable Him to respond to us, it is His great mercy which allows Him to reach out to us! We don’t have to be in the correct state or position before we can call on God – His door is always open to anyone who is willing to call out to Him!
We don’t have to be poor and lonely, we don’t have to be at the end of our tether, we don’t have to be in a pit of despair… We can call out to God from the highest point in our lives, from the most joyous time we have and from the special places we get to go! But still, when we get into trouble, we call out to Him more earnestly and expect Him to answer us quicker than when we are in a good place!
You will be surprised just how close God is when you call out to Him too! Have you ever shouted out to your partner or friend thinking they are far away when they are actually sitting right next to or behind us? God is our silent partner, our forever friend, here with us during the rough and the smooth times. God is listening to us in our moments of joy and in our moments of grief. He is listening to us throughout everything – even when the rest of the world seem to be going mad!
Points to Ponder:
Do you call out to God often?
Will you make a point of calling out to Him and allowing Him to know how you feel?
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March 23: Acts 3:17-23
Key Verse: Acts 3:18
But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer.
Devotion:
Even though we read of various places where God was very upset with the people of Israel and we read of the terrible things which happened to them – most of that is part of life, but God was always there and always listening! He knows many of the people acted out of ignorance, not knowing what they should be doing and not knowing the long-term effects of what they were doing then – but God was still there with them, listening and waiting!
God knew what had to be done in order to free these people, to free us, from the sin traps we were and still are caught up in. He knew He had to do something drastic which would even seem barbaric to some, but it was the only way people could be set free from their lives of sin!
We have now seen what God has done, what He has allowed His Son to go through on our behalf… so what are we doing about it? Are we going to continue to ignore the truth and the things God has done, or are we going to stop in our tracks and ask for forgiveness? That is all we need to do – we just have to take a moment out of our busy lives and ask God to forgive us for the lives we have been living and for the things we have done wrong against Him.
He has promised to forgive us. He has promised to accept us into Heaven – as long as we come to Him and ask for forgiveness. We have so much written down for us which makes it virtually impossible for us to ignore the truth and carry on in our old ways. We need to turn to God and allow Him to fulfil His promise to us; a promise which was made right at the beginning and one which has always stood no matter what mankind got up to. God wants to restore everything in its proper place and wants us to join Him in this restored place. Who will listen?
Points to Ponder:
Do you get too caught up in life to go to church?
God makes ways we can still enjoy church, even during times like this?
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March 22: Luke 18:35-43
Key Verse: Luke 18:38
He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Devotion:
Each time I read this I am reminded of my dear friend who bought some lunch for a homeless man back in Ipswich. Jesus was a man, just like us, when He came to live amongst us, but He did not let that stop Him from being kind to others or from making sure each person got what they needed.
When they disciples were walking with Jesus, their reaction is probably like our reaction would be – they shouted down the beggar and wanted Jesus to be ‘raised above the beggars’ in social standing. We think so much more of ourselves than we realise and so much less of God than we need to. Jesus did not have this problem because He dedicated His life to serving God in every walk in life!
When the disciples tried to shut the beggar up, Jesus stopped and made a point of speaking to him and asking him what it was he wanted. I’m pretty sure Jesus already knew the answer would be for the man to receive his sight, but He stopped to allow the man to ask in person. How often do we walk quickly past someone because we think they are not worthy of our attention – how many times do we walk past on the other side of the street to avoid those in need.
When we moved to London it was with the vision of giving up our personal wants and desires and serving the local people on the estate we moved to. At first we could not find accommodation on the estate because it was ‘overbooked’ but we did not give up. After a year of waiting we managed to find a house on the estate where we set up a place we could invite people into. I still struggle with the way of life sometimes because it is so different from what I was used to. Sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zones and step into the place where God wants us to be!
Points to Ponder:
Do you always stick to your comfort zone?
Are you willing to step forward with God into the unknown?
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March 21: Hebrews 5:7-10
Key Verse: Hebrews 5:8
Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered
Devotion:
I can remember thinking how hard it was to be brought up by parents who seemed to be harder or harsher than my friends parents – but I learned this was only on the surface because I did not know what was actually happening behind the scenes at the time. We all tend to think we have a rough time because of the rules and regulations, but once we understand what they are for we should have no problem following them.
As we see the coronavirus unfolding around the world we see very different outcomes from each country as their lifestyles and governments unfold very different scenarios. If we were all the same we may well have done what was ordered by the governments, and they may have followed the governments of the originating site(s) of the virus. We may well be in a very different position to what we are in now – but that is something we shall never know because we are all very different.
Imagine what a task God has in hand as He tries to manage the different cultures and societies around the world – imagine how He feels when whole countries are prevented from coming to Him and asking for help? We can only imagine…
Jesus came to carry out the will of His Father. He knew what lay ahead and still continued to do what was required. He pleaded with God, because He was in human form and had all the wants and needs of a human being at the time. But, He remained true to His Father and obeyed Him all the time.
We need to have that same attitude toward God by casting all of our cares on Him, not just by saying so, but from our hearts. We need to mean what we say and do what we say we will do as well. Jesus said what was true and did what God wanted Him to do. God did not send Jesus to the cross, but told Him that is what was required. Jesus willingly took on that mantle so we would be set free – He was designated by God to be our High Priest!
Points to Ponder:
Do you complain about your life style?
Do you complain about your life choices?
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March 20: Genesis 45:1-5
Key Verse: Genesis 45:2
And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.
Devotion:
We may not have been sold as a slave by our brothers and sister or our parents, but there are people in this world who have to face such things! But there are so many more people, some we may know personally, who have had to face bad things happening to them in their lives. I am amazed at how many of those people are willing to step forward and offer forgiveness to those who have wronged them in some way.
Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers, but was willing to bring them into his protection at this time when they were in great need. He was willing to forgive and try and move past what had happened – the experience was difficult for him and he wept so loudly that people outside the room heard him. How far are you willing to go when you are faced with people who are in need in your life? Are you willing to forgive what they may have done against you in the past so you can now help them out?
Jesus calls us to love one another, but He also calls us to forgive again and again so we can help those in need. It is times like this when that act of kindness may be the act which sinks in and changes their hearts toward Christ and brings them home to be with God!
When people have done wrong against you, they may well steer clear of your because they are ashamed for what they have done and don’t want you to be unkind to them like they have been to you in the past. They may have every right to be scared – but if we are able to turn that round into an act of kindness which covers their wrong-doings, then, just maybe, they may find it in their hearts to change their ways. This is Jesus’ way and the way He wants us to follow. Yes, it is hard, but we need to be the difference now when so many people are in need.
Points to Ponder:
Do you carry a grudge against someone?
Are you willing to forgive and move on with Christ?
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March 19: Psalms 16:5-8
Key Verse: Psalms 16:6
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.
Devotion:
I love God and I love it more when I am in a happy place and feeling like I am surrounded by love and care… but that does not always happen. We do have to face up to things which we may not like and face up to life in general – stuff happens! But through this all there are going to be those times when we feel absolutely great because everything seems to come together at that moment! Don’t stop praising God in these times; it is easy to forget about Him when you are so focused on the good things surrounding you…
The more good things happen the more we can look forward to how wonderful Heaven is going to be. The more we will be able to dream up the amazing things God has in store for us. But, even in the bad and sad times, we can look forward and know that things are going to get better. We can fall back on the many instances in our bibles which show us just how great God is and how much He cares for us. Take hold of those instances and know that God has done this before and will do it again!
When we live with God and continue to listen to His instructions, our hearts are filled with the knowledge He cares for us and we realise how much He does! It is through the good times we can lose focus and through the really rough times when it is hard to focus; but that should be our aim – to focus on Him daily. When we do we gain strength through our faith as we see so many things He is doing in our lives.
Let’s equate this to a race happening on the other side of the world – unless we link up to that race through the media or other means, we will lose focus on the race, the racers, its outcome and how it affected people. We don’t just delay the results… We need to constantly keep focus on God and in everything He is doing in our lives!
Points to Ponder:
Do you like ‘people watching’ where you sit and watch people go by?
How much do you watch God and listen to Him?
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March 18: 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:
These words in this letter to Peter are words we should all be trying to live up to in times of global concern. As Christians we know what Christ went through on our behalf and know how much God has put in place for us – but what have we done in return? The bible reminds us what we do to the people around us is virtually the same as doing that to God – because we are all God’s children!
The news is so full of bad news and despair at the moment as the world faces the global pandemic of the coronavirus. We have seen some governments try to hide figures, some governments treat it as if it was not real and we see people doing all manner of things through sheer panic. So what can we do as Christians?
We are effectively the ‘elders’ of our communities and we need to take heed of these words in these verses. God has asked us to care for the people around us – whether we like it or not! We see people going against governmental advice just because they don’t trust the advice. What we need to do is to continue to uphold God’s Word and His ways, no matter what else happens around us. Don’t be tempted into panic buying like your neighbours just because they have done it. Don’t be tempted to break the law just because others are in this strange time!
We have been given so many people around us whom we can care for and who need our help in this time. We shouldn’t be doing this just because I say so, or because God says so or anyone else says so. We should be doing this because we want to make a difference – we want to care for others and we want them to be blessed!
Now is the time we can step forward and be the examples others can look to and through this God will be given the glory and His flock will expand...
Points to Ponder:
Do you like helping others?
Will you step up and help a few more people?
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March 17: James 5:13-18
Key Verse: James 5:17
Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
Devotion:
One of the things we are taught to do as a Christian is to pray. This is not as a plea when everything else has failed, but as a daily and constant occurrence whereby you are taking your ideas, worries, needs and praise to God. No matter how many times it is said, we tend to allow our prayer life to fade as time goes by – because we get comfortable in the position we reach and in our relationship with God. Well, just like any relationship, you cannot just ignore your partner and expect them to carry on doing everything you want them to do without reciprocating the deeds!
Elijah showed the power of prayer by praying for a lack of rain (which lasted over three years) and then praying for rain to revive the crops. Both prayers were answered by God – not in the way which everyone wanted them to be answered, but in the way the man of God asked. Everyone else had allowed their prayer life to become cold and unresponsive.
It is at times like this when we have a global pandemic where people are going to wake up to the fact they have allowed their prayer life to go cold. It is times like this when new people are going to call out to God in desperation. God is listening to each and every prayer and is judging each of those prayers according to their sincerity – not according to the authority of the figure asking, but the sincerity of the person asking.
God wants us to be honest with Him. He wants us to be humble in our dealing with Him and the people around us. No matter what we have done in our lives and how far we think we have wandered away from God – He is listening to each one of your prayers and will answer them according to His pure and holy judgement. We can do wonderful and amazing things through prayer – I know they work because I have been on both the asking/pleading end and receiving answered prayers end. God can do immeasurably more than we can imagine – we need to ask in faith and expect the answer!
Points to Ponder:
What do you think happens to your prayers?
What is your attitude to prayer?
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March 16: Matthew 5:33-37
Key Verse: Matthew 5:37
All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
Devotion:
How many times a week do you ‘swear an oath’ thinking that this will carry more weight than simply saying what you will do? I used to do this a lot until it was pointed out that we don’t have control over everything around us, so we should simply be saying what we know we can do – and if people are asking for more, then we say we will try to do that…
God made many promises to us, but He did not swear an oath. He always tells us the truth and when He says He will do something, we know it is true and we can depend on what He has said. Why is this not the same for all mankind? Because we are corrupt at the core! We have also learned not to trust people because what they have told us and what they do seem to be two different things! What we should be aiming at is bringing trust back into our relationships so we can depend on people once again.
As the world struggles to contain this current outbreak of coronavirus, people seem to have lost the will to trust in anything in many places and would rather build up their own ‘defence’ against anything by buying even more than they need to survive on. They are ignoring the needs of their neighbours and trying to go it alone – where has the trust gone in our societies?
We need to put aside our wants and desires and start thinking about the promises we made to God… “But I didn’t make any promises to God” may be your response, but I look at it differently. God simply says what is going to happen and we take that as a promise. He expects us to say what we are going to do and expects us to fulfil those words – taking it as a promise just as we take His word as a promise. That is the way we should all be living – simply saying what we can do and getting out and doing it! As an individual I promised to help people on the estate where I now live and I am trying to fulfil that as best I can – even within Governmental guidelines in the current crisis we face. We can still do this!
Points to Ponder:
Do you use excuses so you don’t have to do your work?
What excuses have you used with God?
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March 15: Matthew 5:13-16
Key Verse: Matthew 5:14
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
Devotion:
Have you ever bought, or had given to you a sample of different salts? I had a present given to me which was a set of different salts from around the world: blue salt, grey salt, white salt and even pink salt. Each of the salts got their colours from the surrounding elements where they are found from volcanoes to waters. But what was common amongst all of those salts? They tasted of salt! Sounds a bit silly, but what use would any of them have been if they did not taste of salt? We expect things to taste like what we know they should taste of!
If we have salt which has lost all of it’s flavour, then the only good thing left for it would be to throw it on the ground to be used to melt ice… if it even did that any more! The same can be said of lights – we expect lights to shed light in places where we need to see after dark. We know they can do that and we expect them to do so when we flick the switch on! But what use would a light be in a closed box into which we could not see?
God looks at each one of us as salty or able to shed light. The saltiness may not be what we can do by ourselves; we may need God to enable us to be the salt which people want to taste. The light is probably not going to be us because we live in a world where we are constantly surrounded by dark and where many people try to hide in that darkness – but we are that light in many cases. The light may only be a reflection of God’s light, but it will seem to come from us at times.
The people around us are going to expect us to remain tasty and remain as a light source. We may not feel like it at times, but after we have show people a bit of God through us, they will continue to expect to see God in us when they look at us. To be of real use to these people around us we need to be filled with the salt and light which comes from God in the beginning. We need to continue allowing others to take away some salt and share the light. Don’t hide away just because you think they may not like it – it may be the one thing they have been waiting for in their lives!
Points to Ponder:
Have you ever been described as salty or full of light?
Are you ready to share that salt and light?