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August 28: 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10
Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 1:8
The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia – your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it
Devotion:
If you get scared about trying to explain the Gospel to others and you are worried you are not obeying God by telling others about the Gospel, then just be yourself and allow people to see you for what and whom you are. If you have a good relationship with God and talk to Him all the time, then you are a good example to others already. Here the apostle is telling the people from Thessalonica they are renown for being who they are!
Somehow I got a name for being someone of great faith in our community when all I thought I was doing was being a normal Christian and following what I believed God was asking of me. If you are able to do the same, someone is going to notice and it may be the encouragement they need to seek God in their own lives!
We cannot reach all people all the time through what we do and say, but people like to talk to other people and if they have noticed something different about you, your reputation will go before you. Now, what sort of reputation goes before you is going to be based on how other people see you!
We need to be honest and open about our lives with God so others can see we are in a good place with Him. This will encourage them to seek a good place with God too because they will see the joy and peace you have in your life. We don’t have to be able to recite the gospel, though it does help if you can give others encouragement through knowing the gospel. You don’t have to preach in front of a crowd of people – just be yourself!
Points to Ponder:
Do you know how other people see you?
Are you showing them you trust Christ?
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August 27: Isaiah 51:12-16
Key Verse: Isaiah 51:12
‘I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mere mortals, human beings who are but grass,
Devotion:
How often do you have to be reminded about someone who does good things in your life? I am probably not the best at acknowledging the good others do in my life; I do take some people for granted some of the time. It does not take much to go wrong in your life before you begin to see just how much others do and how you depend on others for so much in your life.
Without the links and bonds we have with others in our lives we would not be able to do half the things we do. From the friends and family who stick by our sides to the professionals who’s task is to serve and protect us, we are all bound in communities in many ways.
The prophet was reminding the people of all the things God had done in their lives to make it possible for them to live the relatively free lives they now looked forward to having. When we grow used to having good things in our lives we often do forget the people who put things in place so we could get to the place we are in now. It is well worth stopping and remembering things before, now and what we can look forward to in the future.
If we do not see God in every step in our lives, then, just maybe, we are taking Him for granted because we are too used to having all the gifts He has given us in our lives. Take time out to stop and thank God for all He has done in your life, from the people He placed in them, the places He has opened up for you and the promises He has given for your future with Him!
Points to Ponder:
Do you take people for granted?
Do you take God for granted?
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August 26: Ruth 2:1-11
Key Verse: Ruth 2:8
So Boaz said to Ruth, ‘My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me.
Devotion:
I don’t pretend to understand the ways of the ancient people of Israel and how they felt they had to do things in accordance with ancient rules – but they did. Here we are reading about a woman and daughter in law who used to be in a ‘normal’ family but have been all but destroyed. Naomi and Ruth were living by whatever means they could; following the harvesters and picking up the pieces they dropped or left behind was their way of life now. No longer did they have the money to spend on food coming from the farmers...
What I find amazing is just how God works behind the scenes and how much He does look out for us when we place our faith and trust in Him. Naomi knew all the rules and what was expected. She knew Ruth would be able to follow the harvesters and glean some food left behind during the harvest. Ruth was the one who was willing to go out into the hot day and do the work for her and her mother in law.
What neither of them expected was for Boaz, a distant relative and owner of the field she chose to work in. The workers did not have to allow the people to glean after them but it was understood they should allow people to do so. This was one way God allowed the poor people to be able to get some food – not a hand out but something they had to work for.
God softened Boaz’s heart who told Ruth to continue working in his field alone to make sure they got enough food. He even offered water to Ruth as she worked, and, later on in the chapter we hear how he instructed the harvesters to leave a little more than normal for Ruth to pick up. The rest, we say, is history. They get together, have a child which turns out to be King David’s grandfather!
Points to Ponder:
Do you wonder how God could ever change your life?
Will you trust Him to do what he knows is best?
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August 25: Matthew 22:34-40
Key Verse: Matthew 22:39
And the second is like it: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”
Devotion:
Whenever someone in charge thinks their position may be at risk because of another person rising through the ranks who seems to be able to do a better job than them, they either accept new people can do better or they rebel and try to make the next person look bad in the eyes of the people! This is no more true than in politics where the politicians seem to spend more time fighting amongst themselves than they do looking out for the people.
The Pharisees and the Sadducees had made an art out of political wrangling and many people probably felt lost at the time because of their constant bickering between themselves. Sadly modern time are no different because we have many so called church leaders who would rather take a swipe at each other than look after their congregations!
Jesus’ answer this this was to simply remind everyone of their duty toward God. To love Him more than anything else in their jobs – which means making sure He is above all and is the choice before their own fame and fortune! Then the next is to love the people around them, not their own rewards and their own popularity! This is a bit of a kick in the teeth for politicians because they base their careers around their own popularity!
If we are willing to make the same goals in our own lives then our relationship with God is going to be a whole lot better. The more we love God and the more we love the people God has put around us, then the more love and peace we will share in our communities; the better off the whole community will be too. It is not all about what we can do for ourselves to make our own lives better, but what we can do for and with others to make our communities better.
Points to Ponder:
What would you do if you were famous?
Do you find it easier to love God as yourself?
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August 24: Luke 22:24-30
Key Verse: Luke 22:26
But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.
Devotion:
As Christians we often talk about being servants of God and some people do not quite understand what that means; why do we see some church leaders lord it over their congregations, or the church as an institution lording it over the local churches? I think Luke wrote down these words in a simple to understand manner and one which we should take on board from the very top of our church institutions right down to the newest member of the congregation.
We are not called to be a slave but a servant. Jesus was not a slave to everyone but a servant to everyone. He did not have to do anything and everything everyone said but chose to do many things asked of Him. He did not fear the people around Him (except at certain times when they were out to kill Him) but respected those who were willing to treat Him properly.
We have social structures which dictate who is in charge and who we look up to and we should be willing to live within those confines. None of those confines gives anyone the right to treat another as a slave or to mistreat anyone. When Jesus was mistreated by others He let them know. Jesus knew He was Lord but did not force that on anyone, instead giving everyone the chance to accept Him as Lord and believe in what He could do!
As Christians we should be trying to show others we are willing to serve them in whatever way we can, not give in to everything everyone wants. We should be willing to look out for others and help in any capacity we can but not to be taken for granted and used by others. We are given these special positions by God and Christ gives us the opportunity to work with Him in spreading the gospel – the best way being to love others and serve where we can and should!
Points to Ponder:
Do you see the difference between a slave and a servant?
Are you more willing to be a servant for Christ now?
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August 23: Judges 9:6-15
Key Verse: Judges 9:15
‘The thorn-bush said to the trees, “If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thorn-bush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!”
Devotion:
At first, when I read this section of scripture, my first thought was ‘what was that about?’ But as you get to sit and think on the words, new things come to mind. God does not want us to blindly accept all things and just do whatever is said we should do. Jotham confronted the people to try and make them stop and think about what they were doing. One of the things we seem to need in society is a leader who is willing to lead; but not only that, a leader who will take responsibility.
Unfortunately many leaders will hype up their position and their willingness to do all things to improve our communities, but most of them cannot hope to fulfil their promises they are making because they have not though things through. Even when one stands up and tells the truth people may be less likely to follow them because their path seems a bit tough to go through!
God has not promised us the easiest path in our lives, just the right path. If we look around and choose the easy parts and go with them, we are likely to miss out on the true path God has given us to tread. It is not always right to choose what we think everyone is following or to choose the popular path; sometimes we have to stand up for the truth and follow whatever that takes us through.
Most of all God wants us to stop and think about what we are doing and where we are going. Yes, sometimes it will be sitting in the shade of a thorn tree where we will get all manner of scratches when the wind blows or when people jostle us about; but when that is the path God is directing us on, we should follow. Not blindly, but with His guidance and through obedience.
Points to Ponder:
Are you going through a troubling time in your life?
God may not have chosen your immediate path, but He still wants to guide you!
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August 22: Matthew 19:23-26
Key Verse: Matthew 19:26
Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’
Devotion:
There is much debate at to what the significance of the camel and the eye of the needle refer to in this passage, needless to say it is seemingly impossible for the task to be done whether it is referring to an actual camel or an actual needle… Jesus was making a point which would stop and make the disciples think! There is nothing like an impossible task being set for you which will make you stop and think!
What Jesus wanted to do was to change the disciples’ minds about what God can do. They knew the scriptures and knew the stories of their ancestors’ journey through the desert after being freed from slavery. They knew the stories of how God did miracles and they were beginning to see how Jesus did miracles in front of them. So what was different about this time?
Jesus was introducing them to the idea something miraculous would have to be done in order for them to be able to join Him in Heaven after they had lived their lives. The path for what had to be done was already laid out and Jesus was walking that path already – the impossible had already begun and they would have to understand the steps to be taken so they could pass on this good news to everyone else.
Do not fret you are asking God to do things which you cannot do. Do not concern yourself how it can physically be accomplished. Just know you are asking God for something He has already promised can be done simply because you are asking it in the name of Jesus Christ who has taken away all your sins already!
Points to Ponder:
Do you get worried God will not do something for you?
Have you asked Him lately?
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August 21: Judges 2:11-19
Key Verse: Judges 2:19
But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshipping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.
Devotion:
How many times did you get into trouble as a young person because you were left on your own? I know I did some pretty horrifying things when I was a young boy left to my own devices; things which my parents did not always find out about until many years later. But there lies the difference between our birth parents and our Father in Heaven! He gets to see everything you do all the time!
We really should look back on the history of the people of God in the bible and take some notes about how not to live! Even though God was the one who got them out of the slavery they were trapped in serving the people of Egypt, they would not always follow God. Much the same can be said about our own lives where we are directed by so many people to do what is right, but as soon as we think nobody is looking we run off and do strange things!
We see this pattern from the very beginning when God left Adam and Eve to their own devices; just a little temptation and they did strange things! We will continue to see this same pattern in the world because people are always going to be tempted to do what they desire instead of doing what is right.
God will always continue to put the right people in our lives to try and remind us of the righteous path we should be following. If we do not stop and listen to those people God puts in our lives, we may well see things go wrong. This does not mean we live a boring mundane life! God wants us to be happy and have fun – just within the bounds of righteousness where we can be safe with Him!
Points to Ponder:
How often do you get into trouble?
How often do you listen to God?
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August 20: Isaiah 56:1-8
Key Verse: Isaiah 56:3
Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.’ And let no eunuch complain, ‘I am only a dry tree.’
Devotion:
The stereotypical view of the bible is the Old Testament was all about the Jews and excluding other people from their race, but as we see here in these verses, it was all about a relationship with God. It is true we see so many places where the Jews were told not to mix with other people but there is good reason for this. Other races had other gods in which they believed. God knew His people and knew they would be easily side-tracked by other people’s beliefs because they were a loving people.
I know my family is a loving family and we welcome all sorts of people into our lives. We have had God-fearing people in each generation who have continued to teach the next generation to have a relationship with Christ. It is this sort of close-knit family which God wants us all to be, loving God and loving each other, and this is what Isaiah was trying to impress on the people at this time.
I does not matter what walk in life you are from, you have the right to have a loving relationship with God. At the time Isaiah was teaching others the people would still make sacrifices and offerings to God. He wanted them all to know that the deeper you get into a relationship with God, the more He will be able to bless you!
All sorts of things happen in our lives which are out of our control. We live in the same world as the people around us so are affected by the same events which effect others; but what we have which separates us from others is our relationship with God through Christ. Jesus opened the doors for everyone to be able to have a loving eternal relationship with God – all we have to do is to believe it and trust Him!
Points to Ponder:
Do you have a good relationship with others?
Do you have a good relationship with God?
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August 19: Matthew 19:13-15
Key Verse: Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’
Devotion:
The more I read through these few verses the more convinced I was Jesus was not just talking about the young children who had come to make a fuss around Jesus. Children will always get excited about crowds or something different which is happening. Our modern society frown upon children getting involved because of child safety issues, but as long as there are responsible adults involved who are impartial, things can be done safely!
I say it was more than just the children because we see people being shunned by churches because they do not fit in, or do not come from the right area. This is as bad as the Pharisees policing the people instead of allowing God to work. God wants the gospel to be accessible by everyone, which means allowing people from all walks of life to be able to come and join in with worshipping God.
Our places of worship must be safe places where anyone can come to be safe and to share in finding out more about God. We should encourage people to come in and not discourage them. If we set up rules and expectations we may well be excluding people without realising it; and by the time we do find out it is already too late because they have the wrong opinion about church life already!
Some societies actually encourage people to be themselves and work together to make sure everyone feels included. If our churches are not like that, then we are excluding people from the gospel and from meeting with Jesus. If we are too stiff-necked about the type of people we expect in church, we shouldn’t expect to see many people joining us in worshipping God because we are more likely worshipping our ideas instead of God!
Points to Ponder:
How inclusive do you think your church is?
Are you willing to talk to anyone today?