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February 23: Luke 6:23-26
Key Verse: Luke 6:25
Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
Devotion:
There is always another side to the coin… we were reminded yesterday how God is willing to bless all those who are in need, those who are poor, those who are weak and those who are struggling. The other side of the coin points to those who have all they need, more money than they need, more food than they need and who are not willing to step forward and offer help to those who have not…
To these, God issues a warning. The poor and needy will rejoice and leap for joy because they will have everything they need in heaven, but those who have been spoiled here on earth will not be spoiled in heaven. The rich are warned they have already received their comfort because they have spent it all on themselves. Those who have had more food than they needed have eaten all they could. Those who have laughed at the expense of others have had their laughs.
The kingdom of God is based on holiness and justice! That means there is no place for sin no matter how small or insignificant we think it may be. That sin may be the ignorance we feigned about other who were in need, the things we held back from others when we saw them in need, the things we overlooked because it did not please us to look at them. We may think of ourselves as being upright people – and that we may well be. But what are we ignoring around us.
Look to the people around you. Don’t just glance but look long and hard. Do you realise what is going on in your communities? Are you turning a blind eye to the needs of the few in your community? God wants us to have open eyes, open hearts and be willing to see and hear exactly what is going on around us. He wants us to step forward and make a difference to those people we have ignored in the past. He wants us to show people how great the Kingdom of Heaven is going to be by being His examples right here and right now!
Points to Ponder:
How do you look at the poor people?
Are you willing to make a difference?
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February 22: Luke 6:20-22
Key Verse: Luke 6:21
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
Devotion:
The more people gathered around Jesus, the more He wanted to tell them about the kingdom of God. The more people who gathered to be healed and blessed, the more He wanted to bless them in the positions they were in. He did not wait until the right amount of rich people gathered together before He addressed the crowds. He did not wait until the right amount of sick people gathered before He healed people. He worked with the people who gathered there and then!
Too many times in our lives we wait until the right opportunity arises or we wait until the right people hear our message before we deliver what we have promised; we give in to the ways of the world instead of making the ways of the world. Look around you at the people who are close by – what do you see and what do you hear? Do you hear gossip and bragging, do you see flamboyance and degradation?
What is God laying on your heart? Is He giving you a heart to step out of your daily routine and help people who have no routine? Is He asking you to leave your lifestyle behind and go and be with people who are poor and in need? Is He asking you to step forward and be with people of great stature? We cannot impose our ways or our wants on God; we have to listen for His ways and His desires. He is the one who does know what is best for the people you see around you, be it with your eyes, hearing with your ears or watching over news channels…
God blesses the poor because they do not see the riches of heaven in their world. God blesses the hungry because they do not have the opulent lifestyle of some others. God blesses those who weep because they are in need of comfort when the world has taken them away from that comfort. God blesses the people who hate you and your Christian ways because He wants them to see what they can have if they would turn to Him. Wherever God is calling you, step forward, one step at a time and move on with Him!
Points to Ponder:
Do you have a heart to serve other people?
What is God asking you to do – and will you listen?
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February 21: Luke 1:46-55
Key Verse: Luke 1:53
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
Devotion:
How would you describe the Lord when you are asked to describe your God? Mary chose several ways to describe God and her position with Him. She was now not under any illusion that God was not fully in control of what had happened and what was about to happen to her, and indeed Elizabeth. She had accepted fully the path God had laid down before her… so today I want to look at a few things we must remember about God as reminded her by Mary.
Christ is our Saviour and we need to let that sink deep into our minds and our spirits; nothing should make us doubt this or persuade us otherwise! This is true no matter what our position is in society, remembering we should be behaving like a servant to God alone. No matter how low or how high we think we are in our community, we are still God’s children because He has shown us this already! The more we remember this and act accordingly, the more we give Him all the glory He deserves.
God has shown us mighty and terrible things against all who dared to come up against Him or dared to come up against His children. God continues to love and protect all His children just as a shepherd cares for the sheep in their protection. He continues to protect the people who need it most and lift up the poorest who need Him most. He does not care for rules or politicians who do nothing for His children; they are nothing despite their belief they are invincible!
God has shown us throughout history how He cares for His children and we are called to be His children too. God’s promise to Abraham was upheld despite his and Sarah’s ages and despite the fact everyone though it not possible. We need to wait on God and allow Him to work according to His will and not our own will. God alone is God and His promises stand forever!
Points to Ponder:
Do you grow weary when things do not go your way?
Are you still willing to wait on God?
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February 20: Psalms 34:7-11
Key Verse: Psalms 34:10
The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
Devotion:
One thing I loved about being brought up in Africa was the opportunities we had to be able to see nature in action on a scale available in only a few countries in the world. The lion is considered to be the king of the jungle (though lives in the bush and not the jungle) because of their position in the food chain. They are considered to be strong and able to take on any other animal to get food – but that is not always true.
Despite there being some animals they will shy away from, they are dependant on the animals they like to eat being available. If the country is in the grips of a drought, their preferred prey may not be available, so they go after something else. But if the drought is severe, they may not have anything they can eat available; they will grow weak and hungry because they have not got food…
For those lions which are kept in game parks or zoos, a ready supply of food is made available to ensure they can continue to thrive. They have a safe haven in which they are not just welcome, but where they do not have to stray from in order to find food enough to eat. Any good zoo or park will make sure the lions still have to work for their food and also have the right food available to them – lions do not choose to be vegetarians and require the right meat to grow strong and keep healthy.
We need the right food in order to keep healthy too; but I am not talking about our diets be they carnivorous, omnivorous, vegetarian or vegan… I am talking about the spiritual food we need in our lives to keep our souls healthy. If we are spoon fed things all our lives, we may well grow weak and lazy; we need to go hunting for our spiritual food so we can keep on form and be able to tell the difference between good input and unrighteous things. Seeking the Lord at all times will keep us in good spirits just as good exercise keeps us physically healthy.
Points to Ponder:
What things do you seek in your life?
Are you focusing on Godly things?
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February 19: Isaiah 66:12-13
Key Verse: Isaiah 66:12
For this is what the Lord says: “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees.
Devotion:
One thing which is always impressed me, and sometimes made me a bit jealous, is how a mother can always seem to calm her children down no matter what is going on around them! When Isaiah got word from God He was going to look after Jerusalem just as a mother looks after her children, I’m sure he was more than willing to pass this gem on to the people.
As we see the flooding in England once again after some pretty horrific rain over the past few weeks, we begin to see the unstoppable power of a river which is bursting its banks. No matter how much we try to build man-made defences against such occasions, they don’t seem to measure up to the power of nature. This is how we should be looking at the power of God as well. Not because of the destructive power but because of the unstoppable power…
When we are flooded out of our house or community, we feel separated from the rest of the town or city, but close to the people also affected by the flood. The same can be said about our Christian communities – we feel separated from the rest of the town or cities we live in, but close to other Christians we know. So how do we reach out to those we feel separated from?
The clue is in these verses which show us the unstoppable power and overwhelming love of God. This is the example we must live by and hopefully try to replicate toward others around us. Don’t cut yourself off any further than the overwhelming flood has done so already – rater use the power of the flood to reach out to others and invite them in to stand by your side. This is the way Christ wants us to be...
Points to Ponder:
What do you do when things go wrong for you?
Are you ready to reach out and invite someone in despite your circumstance?
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February 18: Luke 15:1-7
Key Verse: Luke 15:2
But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Devotion:
Jesus always had a way of using the current circumstance or conditions to His advantage in teaching the gospel. Here He was surrounded by all manner of people many of which were considered sinners or bad people by the Jews. This did not stop Jesus from giving them the gospel and encouraging them; something we often neglect because we consider some people as being not good enough or our enemies!
Jesus went on to tell them a few parables; the first of which was the Lost Sheep. He talked to them in a way they would be able to understand things – they knew the work of shepherds. If one of the sheep has gone for a wander, lost itself or got trapped in a ditch with no way out – the shepherd will notice one is missing and will go looking for it. We were born as part of the fold, belonging to Christ and being looked after by Him, our shepherd.
When we go off and get ourselves into trouble or get lost, God is going to come looking for us. He does not wait until we have to shout out for help and until the end of the day – He takes time out there and then to look for us in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in. It does not matter that we may have wandered off by ourselves, or that we have got ourselves into terrible trouble because of how we acted – He still comes to look for us.
Now, this is where we differ from the sheep. God will find us and will hold out His hand for us to grab hold of, but we are given a choice as to whether we grab that offered hand, or ignore it! And yes, many times we do ignore that offered hand and try to dig ourselves out of the mire. Sometimes we feel too embarrassed and hide a bit more (as if we could ever hide from God!) But if we admit to getting ourselves in our tight spot and accept the hand God is offering, we will be saved from our troubles and He will direct us back to the way we should be… if we listen!
Points to Ponder:
How often have you got yourself in a tight spot?
How often have you fully accepted God’s helping hand?
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February 17: Psalm 119:113-120
Key Verse: Psalm 119:115
Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God!
Devotion:
What takes your praise out of your breath? I know it is easy to forget to praise God, especially when things are going wrong in your life or even when things are going right! We tend to leave out the praising part because our minds are set on the things of the world around us rather than the things of God – like they should be!
None of us like people who constantly tell lies or who constantly spread gossip about others – yet we allow those things to consume our thoughts and take away our concentration of the very things we should be focusing on. We would rather get involved with what is going on around us than in lifting up what needs to be lifted up and praising those who deserve the praise!
When we start to feel overwhelmed by the things of the earth, we need to pray for strength to rise above those things so we can continue to focus on what God has in front of us. We need to focus on God’s law so we can allow others to see how important God is in our lives and not the world…
Remember that the things we feel are important in our lives will tend to get the most focus and attention from us. If we do not admit how important God is in our lives, we will tend to uphold the things of the world around us more than God! We need to remember just how much God has already done for us and to know He has promised so much more for us if we are willing to continue our communion with Him. When we focus on God and His ways, the ways and distraction of the world become just that – minor distractions we can move away from!
Points to Ponder:
What has the focus in your life?
Will you allow God to get more attention than your have given Him lately?
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February 16: Job 31:16-23
Key Verse: Job 31:23
For I dreaded destruction from God, and for fear of his splendour I could not do such things.
Devotion:
This puts a whole new spin on the duty we have toward those who are less fortunate than us! Job was not under any illusion he was above anyone or deserved anything more than any other person under God’s eyes! Indeed he was fearful the God’s destruction should he have fallen short in any one of these ways toward the poor and needy… so how do we measure up to Job?
I think the most amazing thing which drilled it home for me was walking into town with a very dear friend of mine. After walking past a person sitting down, wrapped up in blankets and clearly worse off than us, he went directly to a good sandwich shop where he purchased a hearty sandwich and a drink. I was hungry so also bought something to eat… but what he did next floored me! He went back to the poor man on the streets and gave him his sandwich and drink, wishing him well and blessing him.
There I was, thinking on myself, my own needs above those of a person who clearly needed it more than me – but my first thought was not for this poor individual, but for myself. It still makes me stop and do things for people who need our help!
God knew Job was an upright man and He knew Job cared for the people and not just himself; yet Satan was willing to try and break Job’s resolve by taking every blessing he had away from him and making him the poor soul who needed the support now. Yet, despite all Job went through, he did not blame God for anything which happened. One of his friends had suggested this all happened because he had ignored the poor and needy – Job knew otherwise and continued to praise God and not to blame Him.
What happens to us when things go wrong – do we turn round and blame God, or do we look for the next way we can bless those around us instead?
Points to Ponder:
How often do you bless those who need your help?
How often do you ignore those who really need your help?
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February 15: Matthew 14:13-21
Key Verse: Matthew 14:15
As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
Devotion:
Jesus was no stranger to crowds! Everywhere He went, people would gather round and follow Him hoping to be blessed or healed in some manner. People were surrounding Him with their faith – in their belief that He was willing and able to change their lives; so much so they would not always plan their days accordingly.
If we are going to spend the day out then we make plans for getting food for our lunch time, either by making sure there is somewhere we can have a meal or by taking enough food with us in the form of a picnic or sandwiches. But when we get caught up in the moment, we do not always make sure those plans are set in place and that is what was happening here. The people were more interested in following Jesus and in receiving a blessing than in planning how they were going to eat and drink during their day out!
Even though Jesus made a point of taking a boat to stop too many people following Him, they continued to come out of the towns and walk to where He was. The more the sick and poor came to see Him, the more compassion He showed and the more people He healed. The more Jesus did to heal the sick, the more people seemed to gather around Him. Late in the afternoon, the disciples were getting concerned people would not be able to get food and drink because the crowds were so big. It was at this stage they asked Jesus to send people away so they would be able to have time to go and get food… but Jesus had other plans!
The fact there was not enough food in the crowd for even a small portion of the crowd was not an issue for Him. He knew His Father in heaven would answer prayers and would supply enough for everyone to eat and drink. Jesus didn’t just start handing out food, He stopped and took what was available and used it as an offering to God before asking God to bless the people. He then stepped forward in faith and took what they had and instructed the disciples to hand out food to everyone – as much as they needed! God answered their faith!
Points to Ponder:
Do you impose limits on God in your daily life?
Are you ready to depend on your faith?
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February 14: Matthew 8:14-17
Key Verse: Matthew 8:17
This was to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.”
Devotion:
Name some of the ways in which you have shown someone you care about them. If you are like me, you could probably name more times when you have done something wrong and upset people rather than done something right for them… But lets not dwell on the things we have done wrong but try and focus on things we have done or can do right.
We often make jokes about mother-in-laws in this country, but Jesus did the opposite and showed love toward Peter’s mother-in-law as well as to Peter by healing her with a simple touch. Nothing is too much or too hard for God to do – we often look at a fever as being a long time in bed and full rest to try and recuperate. Jesus touched her hand and the fever left her just like that! She responded by getting up and waiting on Jesus, returning some love.
But it was not about Jesus getting her well just so she could get the dinner ready! This was about making a difference in people’s lives. He continued on to heal many who were demon-possessed, driving out the spirits and healing the sick as well. Jesus wanted people to know God loved them and wanted them to be fit and well; something we often forget about in our lives because we take so much for granted without even thinking things through.
Jesus was not only fulfilling what the prophet Isaiah had said so many years ago, but was showing the people then how God can be depended upon. God has made many promises through the prophets and through Jesus – we need to know we can depend on those promises no matter what. Imagine having someone in your life who loved you that much and was willing to do anything for you – show someone you care today!
Points to Ponder:
How do you show people you care?
Who are you going to care for today?