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June 19: Matthew 5:38-42
Key Verse: Matthew 5:39
But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
Devotion:
I have heard many people say the bible teaches you to allow others to run all over you – but that is not what these verses are actually saying. First off, I’m pretty sure it does not talk about encouraging other to have their way with you whether you are a Christian or not! If we look at the verses surrounding these it is all about how we should act toward others and not how we should give in to others all the time!
The world will teach you it is OK to retaliate when someone does something against you – again not what these verses are tell you. What we have, I’m sure, is an account of how we should act when people do have grievances against us or do things against us because they believe we deserve it…
God does not want us to react against others because they do something we don’t like. He does not teach us to hit someone because they hit you first. What He does teach us is to love our neighbours no matter what. Jesus went to the cross even while we were sinners working against Him. He did this to show us true love. When people did things against Him, He did not over-react or work to pay them back. He worked to show them real love and mercy.
If people do things against us, then we should be willing to try and show them the love of Christ, which may well involve turning the other cheek or giving them more than they demand; not giving them the right to do whatever they like to you! Jesus was always fair and just trying always to give people the truth. In the end He did give in and go to the cross to die, not because He wanted them to do whatever they liked, but to fulfil the scriptures and to pay for our sin debt.
Points to Ponder:
Do you stand up for yourself as a Christian?
Will you stand up for justice and share Christ’s love?
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June 18: Matthew 10:1-8
Key Verse: Matthew 10:5
These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.
Devotion:
Have you ever wondered why Jesus told the disciples to not go out to the Gentiles or Samaritans but rather to stay with the Jews? Do you think it was to only look out for His chosen race, or maybe there was something more to it? I don’t believe it was simply to make sure the Jews came first because they were the chosen race; I think it was more to build up a foundation for Christianity!
We can see how God chose Paul and other people to be missionaries going out into the rest of the world to spread the Gospel, so it can’t simply be to make sure the Jews came first. But, equally, the spreading of the Gospel has to have a starting point, one which has a sure foundation and many people to call on for support. I believe Jesus wanted a sure foundation of people who would always pray for support and train up more people who would go out into the world.
If we want to be able to send out missionaries to go and spread God’s Word, then we have to have a place they can call home where they will always get the support they need when they need it. Yes God is always going to be with them wherever they go, but having people who can send aid for earthly needs when needed is going to make sure the missionaries will be able to survive when the going gets tough!
We need to focus on the here and now to build up a core of people who are willing to pray and build up the local community so the outreach can be greater and more sustained. God wanted the disciples to see this and this is why people like Paul were able to go to all the countries knowing someone was watching their backs...
Points to Ponder:
Do you think God is calling you to do something?
Do you have people who are willing to pray and support your efforts?
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June 17: 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 have you been let down by someone who has sworn an oath to you only to break that oath under pressure or over time? Our society seems to be rife with people who are quite content with promising to do something and never getting round to doing it, often simply promising so they can gain some reward before breaking the promise. So, by reading this here we can see this is not something new – it may be there are more people willing to break promises, but it has been going on since time began!
God has seen this trait in humans forever because we are easily led away by evil thoughts planted by the original evil one and harvested just when we don’t want them to be! The devil continues to try and take us away from God by making us do things which we ought not to and then casting the seed of doubt in our minds so we turn away from God before we ask for His forgiveness.
The advice here is to not go there and make promises which you know there is a chance you will break in the future. Simply say you will try to do such and such or find another way of supporting the person you are going to make the promise to. Most of our promises are to support another person in one way or another, something which is righteous – unless it is taken away later!
We do like to attach our promises to either loved ones past or present or to God. But are we really thinking about the consequences when we do go back on our word; are we thinking about what that open up to our loved one or to the people we are promising. God shows us how important promises are and has always delivered on His promises; but He also knows our weaknesses and does not want us to be burdened by the consequences of broken promises...
Points to Ponder:
How often do you swear by an oath?
How often do you think of the consequences of said oaths?
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June 16: 2 Corinthians 4:7-15
Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 4:10
We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
Devotion:
One of the things I like to say when asked if I am religious is to say “no, but I have a relationship with God!” This is one of the greatest things we have in our lives, this relationship with God! Paul was very religious until he got to know God through the Holy Spirit; he would do everything that religion had taught him to do, upholding the religious laws and working toward some reward he believed he would get. But once he found a true link to God, everything else was put aside and his real life with Christ began.
As I was reading through these verses today I began to think about my relationship with Christ and realised just how important it is, but also how hidden it can be to others! When I was in hospital a few years back I always felt safe and secure in God’s hands. It is a feeling I cannot forget and one which gives me great strength today. Unfortunately I was not telling the people around me what I was experiencing and they saw it as a nonchalant approach to my illness!
We must allow people to see the relationship we have with Christ out in the open and not hidden under our beds or away in cupboards. The more we get to know Christ the more we get to see how much He looks out for us in our daily lives. The writer laments about being pressed on every side, perplexed, persecuted and struck down, but never crushed, in despair, abandoned or destroyed. These are the feeling I had in hospital – I knew I was in a very bad state because of the way the doctors were treating me, but I also knew Christ had me firmly in His grip!
No matter what happens to us in this world, we can know we have a Saviour who has gone above and beyond to make sure we have access to eternal life through Him. Jesus showed us this by going through unimaginable events before being hung on a cross to die; then He rose triumphantly from the grave to show us what we can expect in our futures!
Points to Ponder:
Do you get upset with things in your life?
Will you try to trust Christ during those times?
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June 15: Psalm 78:36-40
Key Verse: Psalm 78:38
Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath.
Devotion:
How many times do you forgive someone before you have had enough? How many times do you show mercy when others are already withdrawing from the situation? When we look back on God’s chosen people we find a long string of events which work against the law given to Moses and hence against God; yet He continued to show them mercy time and time again.
We need to take note of how far God was willing to go in showing love and mercy and try to replicate that in our lives toward the people around us. Yes, that does mean we need to show mercy to those who work against us and ignore the law and rules everyone else follows… but it does not mean we need to follow them in what they do or to support them in breaking the rules.
God showed righteousness throughout history and continues to uphold righteousness. He cannot accept the sins we do or the evil ways of mankind; but He shows us mercy and gives us the chance to say we are sorry and ask for His forgiveness. If we do that He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and start again – what we do next is what will define our relationship with Him!
God wants to love and support us all the time, but when we walk away from Him and embrace the ways of the world instead of His ways, there is not always room for the love and support He reaches out with. We need to actively seek Him out and invite Him to be a part of our lives. We need to be willing to listen to His instructions and follow His guidance so we can get the help He is constantly offering us all!
Points to Ponder:
How many thing did you do wrong this last week?
How far did you wander away from God?
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June 14: Psalm 78:1-4
Key Verse: Psalm 78:2
I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old
Devotion:
Have you ever wondered how you could convince someone God is real? When I started out in ministry I think that was my biggest fear – how do I convince these young people God is real when they are so materialistic and cannot seem to separate themselves from the world and all its scientific wonders! I think the best way I can answer this question is by asking another question of you: what made you change your mind about God?
Sometimes we look in all the wrong places when we want to get something done, none more so that when we want to be able to tell people about God, you know, that unseen being who made everything and is made up of three parts which are the same, but different…
Jesus spent much of His ministry telling parables. He did not stand there and try to justify God or convince people unless called upon to do so – most of the time He was telling stories so the people could relate to the idea God is real. Those parables allowed people to see the difference between the world and God and allowed people to want to find out more. You see, our task is not to convince people God is real but to open their hearts to the idea He is real.
Once people start asking within themselves, God through the Holy Spirit will be able to convince them of the truth. Just like in a court of law, the attorney tries to open the jurors minds that there are possibilities they have not heard of yet. They then expand on those ideas and give witness accounts to allow the jurors to make up their own minds about the innocence of the accused.
Points to Ponder:
What allowed you to see God is real?
What parable do you think you could tell people to open their minds to God being real?
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June 13: 2 Corinthians 1:18-22
Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 1:20
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.
Devotion:
How many times have you asked someone for a definitive answer and they give you “well yes and now?” When we ask a question we do expect to have a definitive answer – i.e. it is going to be a firm “yes” or a firm “no” and not something which is a mixture of those answers. I come from a part of the world where it was common to hear the answer as being “yes but no” because that had become a part of our lives...
When you are asking a serious question the last thing you want to hear is an answer which is going to immediately contradict itself! Fortunately we don’t get those sorts of answers from God; we may not always like the answer He gives us because it may go against what we think we want to hear from Him, but we will always get an honest and truthful answer!
When people asked Jesus questions He answered them with the truth. When people were trying to trick Him into breaking the laws they had created, He either questioned them on their stance or He gave an honest answer which brought their law into question. When people tried to make a witch-hunt out of looking for Jesus, He would often turn the other way and leave them to fight amongst themselves rather than giving in to man's laws.
We should be aiming to be more like Christ and to give honest and truthful answers to everything. When we see people trying to entrap us by asking difficult questions we should not tell a ‘white lie’ to get out of it but to give an honest answer or question them on why they need to know. If they are expecting an honest answer should we not expect an honest answer from them too?
Points to Ponder:
Do you often give in with a white lie or two?
Will you try to give honest and open answers?
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June 12: Matthew 5:1-12
Key Verse: Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Devotion:
When Jesus was teaching the disciples it was to prepare they to be the next disciple makers and not just to get them to teach people the gospel – the two must go hand in hand for without the actions the words may seem to be empty! Jesus wanted them to know how important it is to do the work on top of talking the talk...
The way Jesus described the blessed people should speak volumes to us and make us want to go out and bless others in the same way as Jesus wanted to bless others. This is the core of loving our neighbours. The people who need to be blessed are the people who are having the most difficult lives. Those who are rich and comfortable probably do not need as much support as those who are poor and in need. We need to be the people who stand up and offer our help because we are the children of God being spoken of here!
Jesus called people to take action and help the people who need it the most. The people who are not sick do not need to go to hospital, but the people who are sick may well need the help of the right people to make them better again. This is the same philosophy Jesus is teaching them here. The people who need to know about Christ the most are the people who are being hurt the most through the lives they are living.
Jesus wants us to have good lives which must entail others stepping up and helping when they can. Without the people who can help, we get stuck in ruts and go downhill, but with the people who can help we manage to get out of trouble and live a better life. The best we can hope for is to live a life with Christ at the centre where He will be able to give us the love and support at first hand!
Points to Ponder:
Who are the people who have helped you the most?
Are you willing to step forward and help someone in the name of Christ?
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June 11: Job 29:11-16
Key Verse: Job 29:16
I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger.
Devotion:
What does it mean to love your neighbour? Well, Job had a rough time as the evil one tried to get him to turn against God, but he never forgot what it was all about in his heart. Yes we give in to things in our lives and when the going gets too tough we ask for help or even give in, but that does not change our core beliefs; and this is what I see when I read Job’s final defence against the aggravation he was receiving on all fronts.
He turned back to examine himself to make sure he had not missed anything and in doing so remembered what he was doing for all of his neighbours. Those who knew him or met him would talk fondly of him and would commend him for the work he did, something I’m sure he took in his stride and played down. But it was to the people whom were directly affected by what he did his memories turned here.
The poor who cried out for help would be the ones he would target for help and support. Those orphans and families who had lost parents would be there on the list to help. Those who were reaching their end of life would praise him – so he must have been doing something for them too! The widows who were shunned by others would be helped by him. The disadvantaged would be supported wherever he could help…
It did not have to be friends or friends of friends before he would step forward and help, he stepped out and helped before people came to him asking for help. This is the righteousness he was talking about – the righteousness according to God’s standards and not to man’s standards. He chose to actively be active for the needy rather than waiting to see who falls before he stepped forward to help!
Points to Ponder:
Do you count yourself as a good person?
How often do you help the needy before they ask for help?
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June 10: Mark 12:38-44
Key Verse: Mark 12:38
As he taught, Jesus said, ‘Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the market-places,
Devotion:
One of the things which stood out to Jesus during His ministry on earth was the way the teachers of the law did more than they were supposed to do, and not in a good way! As a church warden for our local church in the village I can be called on to do many things which people don’t normally think about, and there is more which we do over and above the things we are asked to do, but we aim to do it with the same love Jesus did things for His disciples and the people He came into contact with.
There are, unfortunately, some who take on positions in the church and abuse their position of authority. Jesus saw this happening and was teaching the disciples this may look like the right thing according to the law, but not according to God’s wishes. If we impose rules and regulations on the people we come into contact with which are not in line with Christ’s teachings, then we are no batter off that the teachers of the law Jesus is talking about here!
Jesus went out of His way to love and support those around Him. If we are not doing the same then we may be seen as falling short in God’s estimation! God wanted us to see what real love is about and taught us through what Jesus did during His ministry. The love we show through what we do for God is a measure which seems to have grey lines in our world!
We see people who make a show of putting money in the offering or make a show of doing things for the church and yet turn away from doing things to support the local community. On the other hand we see people who do everything they can to support others in the community but cannot afford to put much in the offering… Just as Jesus saw the true love they show, God sees what is in our hearts...
Points to Ponder:
Do you make a show of doing things for ‘God’?
Will you do more for Him in secret?