- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Hits: 714
May 30: James 4:1-10
Key Verse: James 4:6
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble.’
Devotion:
We do like to blame fights and quarrels on just about anything we can but truth be told it is because of our own wants and desires being in conflict with someone else's wants and desires – it really is as simple as that! How far we are willing to go will dictate how other people see us. How God sees it is entirely on the truth which is within your heart, that is the big difference between man and God!
Where we go to fulfil our wants and desires is what will either separate us from God or draw us closer to Him! God wants us to talk to Him and ask Him for things in our lives. How He answers and how we listen will show us whether we are willing to obey our God or to continue to work against Him and His will. Sometimes we ask one thing and expect another because of our wants and desires – we are looking for the earthly answers to our desires instead of looking to God for guidance in our lives.
If we are willing to humble ourselves before God and to listen to His advice, then we move closer to living the best life we can; God is the one who wants us to have the best life we can have and He will continue to try to guide us forward in that life. If we are too proud to admit He knows best, then the most we can expect in life is to have earthly rewards and not Heavenly rewards.
Which brings us back to the opening statement… If we do ignore God’s advice and listen to the world’s advice, we get to enjoy worldly rewards which often work against God’s ways – because people have their own wants and desires and will go in whatever direction they can to fulfil those wants and desires. This is why the apostle says we work against God if we do not do things His way.
Points to Ponder:
What are you desires in life?
Do these fall in line with God’s will?
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Hits: 677
May 29: Mark 10:17-27
Key Verse: Mark 10:21
Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’
Devotion:
No matter how good we think we are, we don’t get to Heaven unless we believe in Christ; not just that Jesus was real but He came to die for our sins, was buried and resurrected to defeat our debt we owe for the sins we have done. Sometimes, however, we hold on to the sins without realising just how much we hold on to them.
This rich man begged Jesus to tell him the way he could get to heaven and the response was not what the man was expecting. He obviously thought he was a good person but somehow he knew he would not make it to heaven especially after Jesus told him to sell everything and give to the poor.
Jesus does not just want us to be good people within ourselves and to our families, He wants us to be good to everyone. When we are too focused on the things of this world we do often forget the needy people who are quite close to us but whom we ignore because “they are not our problem!”
When Jesus said we need to love our neighbours as we love ourselves, it was not just to say we need to love those people who live next door! Jesus meant we need to love all of His people. We need to show compassion and mercy to the people who are being ignored by governments and leaders. We need to show love to the people others hate. It does not mean we allow them to get away with things just because they are important people in society!
Points to Ponder:
What gets your focus daily?
Are you willing to give Christ more focus?
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Hits: 685
May 28: 1 Corinthians 12:3-11
Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:6
There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Devotion:
When Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to the disciples, He came directly to them and they received The Spirit. When we receive the Spirit it is through Christ even though He is not physically with us – this was His promise to us, a promise He has kept! The most interesting part for me is how people change when they receive the spirit and these words here in the letter to the churches in Corinth give us a clue as to how people will change.
Each of us is a different person, created by God in His image and for His purpose. The Holy Spirit will work differently in each one of us because we are different and The Spirit will know what to do. As the words here show, all changes in us are for the common good and not to raise ourselves into any positions or elevate our status in any way – we become a vessel for the Holy Spirit to work through!
Some people will pick up wisdom in God’s Word, others great knowledge (yes there is a difference between wisdom and knowledge), some the gift of healing others, others seemingly miraculous powers. Some will be able to pick out evil spirit whilst others will be able to talk in languages others cannot figure out except for a select few whom the Spirit chooses.
Each one of these does not come from different spirits but the same Holy Spirit we all get to receive. Each of us will see different things happen in our lives and this is all done when the Spirit determines what is best for us. We could wait a long time before we get to know what the Spirit has chosen for us… But our task is not to question God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit, but to accept what they give us and to use that to the best of our ability!
Points to Ponder:
How different did you feel after accepting Christ as Saviour?
Are you listening to and obeying the Holy Spirit?
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Hits: 695
May 27: John 21:20-23
Key Verse: John 21:22
Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.’
Devotion:
When Jesus started talking about someone betraying Him, the disciples were on edge; which one of their group would be the one! This was a moment when many of them could have doubted things and brought on confusion amongst them. Jesus tried to stem that by reminding them they had a personal relationship with Him and it was not up to them to judge each other – simply to love Him.
When anything untoward happens in our church we start to chatter about things and people and we often go too far and place blame where there should be none. But it is a fine line between ignoring things which are clearly wrong and allowing people to have their sins forgiven by Christ: a line which we should always be aware of and one we need to protect each other with too.
Any language has it’s complications where people can say one thing and mean another without realising it. I’m not talking about the spelling mistakes we all make or the auto-correction mistakes due to ‘intelligent’ devices we use, but the verbal mistakes we make. Saying something out of turn or agreeing with something you think you heard can be awkward when another person is involved.
Christ wants each of us to try and do our best for and with Him, this means we should be focusing on the things we do and the things we say. If we focus on the things others do and say we will get annoyed at times because each of us is different and we cannot see inside people’s minds or hearts like God can. There is nothing wrong with pointing things out to the person involved, but there is pointing it out to everyone else when you are not sure!
Points to Ponder:
How often do you talk about others?
How often do you admit yourself to Christ?
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Hits: 678
May 26: John 21:15-19
Key Verse: John 21:16
Again Jesus said, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.’
Devotion:
What do these verses say to you? Do they talk about a disobedient Peter, or a warning to Peter or a prophecy about Peter? We cannot put these words into a single pigeon hole because they have so much meaning – just like the rest of the bible!
Often we restrict the meaning of words from our bibles to suit ourselves or set boundaries which we can follow instead of taking the words for what they mean. Each of us reading these verses will probably focus on a different things – that is the way God speaks to us through His Word. We are not all the same and so we will be guided differently by His Word.
The repetition of the instructions to Peter may well have pointed to what Peter would do when Jesus was taken away and these words are often used in the liturgy of services around the world. Jesus was giving instruction to Peter and wanted Peter to think about what was happening, what would happen and to reflect on this after things had happened.
We describe God’s Word as being the Living Word because it raises different feelings and thoughts in each of us as God speaks to each of us. If we do love God, then should we not be willing to read His Word, meditate on what it says to us and to obey the instructions we gain from it? But we need to go further as we grow in Christ. Listening to the Holy Spirit, meditating on what He says and obeying Him is an integral part of our lives!
Points to Ponder:
Do you love God?
Do you obey God?
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Hits: 651
May 25: Psalm 16:5-11
Key Verse: Psalm 16:11
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Devotion:
The more you get to know God the more you get to know just how much He does for you. The more you rely on God the more you get to see how much He does for you. The more accept Him in your life, the more you see how He can do so much more! We really do need to praise Him for everything He has done, does and has promised!
As we go through our lives we get to see how much the world can break things, how much hatred there is in the world, how much greed and pride people have and how much all of these things can and do affect us in our lives. The secret is to try and have someone by your side who will help you get through these rough times, help you combat the evil and help you avoid the things which bring you down. That is God!
The more things go wrong, the more we look for help and the more we are willing to accept help as well; or at least the more we should be willing to accept help! There are times when we are going to have feeling which prevent us from asking for help because of our pride. God does not want us to give in to the pride but to ask for and accept the help He offers. The more we get to ask for and accept the help He offers, the more we get to see how much more He is willing to do…
This is sounds too good to be true to the outsiders who do not believe; and it is that belief or lack of belief which will separate us from the help God offers. God wants: to keep you secure, give you an inheritance, counsel you, instruct you, keep watch over you and make sure you are safe from everything. Ask Him for that help and allow Him to help!
Points to Ponder:
Do you get caught up in shame and pride rather than ask for help?
How often do you really ask God for help?
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Hits: 640
May 24: Acts 20:28-38
Key Verse: Acts 20:35
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Devotion:
I wonder how many people you have helped in the past and wondered how they are doing without your help nowadays? Many people might shy away from helping others because they may think the person or people will abandon the help and go back to their old ways once they leave… but I put it to you “how are they going to know there is a different way of living unless you show them in the first place!”
It is not our job to make sure people all stay on the right track all of the time. We are sent as disciples to go and show people there is a new way of living despite what the world says about them. We are not here to be a mother hen who looks after ever person we meet – we cannot be with everyone all of the time. That is the domain of God!
We should not be put off by the evil ways of the world either. God is going to continually be with us in one way or another. How we survive in the world is going to be our testimony to others about our life with God. It is not all about our testimony as a human or a success story, but our relationship with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. If we cannot convince people there is a different choice in life, then they will never know!
God wants us to open people’s eyes to what He has done, what He is doing and what He can do. It is not our job to police them and make sure they always do it right; God has given us free choice and we need to extend that free choice to others. They do need to be told there is a choice and shown what choosing Christ will be like in their lives. God then does the looking after and continued teaching through us or others.
Points to Ponder:
How often do you say no because you can’t see a way forward?
Will you trust God to show you a way forward when there seems to be none?
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Hits: 669
May 23: John 17:6-11
Key Verse: John 17:9
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.
Devotion:
I find the way Jesus prayed here for the disciples fascinating. Jesus stands up to say to His Father in Heaven He is witness to the fact the disciples believe in Him as being the Son of God. Jesus is standing up on their behalf and saying to God the disciples’ lives have been redeemed through what they have done. What have they done? Simply believed in Him as being the Son of God. In other words, nothing they have done – even though they were trying their best to keep the laws – accounted for their entry into Heaven but their belief!
This is why we see the gospels and letters in our bibles proclaiming the only way to Heaven is to believe Jesus is the Son of God and came down to give His life for our sakes. They do not say we have to make sure we keep every single law of the Old Testament or that we have to sacrifice innocent animals in stead of us paying for our sins – they are saying the new order dictates we simply believe in Jesus Christ!
Jesus says here not everyone is being counted innocent. He is saying those people who believe in Him are being counted as innocent and Jesus asks God to make sure they can join them in Heaven. Whatever Jesus asked of His Father was granted! In other words, Jesus has already asked for us to get to Heaven if we believe! Simple!
All this time Jesus is acknowledging God as Holy Father, sitting on His throne in Heaven. This is the title He wants us to call God too – Holy Father. He declares us innocent because He gave His innocent life in our stead. He personally asks God for us to join Him in Heaven, to be as one!
Points to Ponder:
Do you doubt your position in Heaven?
Will you simply trust Christ because He has already asked God!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Hits: 687
May 22: Psalm 68:4-6
Key Verse: Psalm 68:7
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
Devotion:
This is one of the things I love about God – He is not only always there for me but He looks after me in ways I cannot understand! I have done some pretty stupid things in my lifetime, not all of them within the law, and despite all of that I am still here and still able to share the gospel. I have not intentionally tempted the Lord nor have I gone out of my way to do something silly, but there have been times when I have asked myself “WHY!” after the fact!
It is only when you look back on life you begin to see how God has been looking after you. It is those moments when the unexpected happens such as falling ill and spending time in hospital when you do realise God is looking after you because He still has plans for you!
I have a friend who has recently spent time in hospital too and they came out with this new realisation of how much God looks after you too. They are musically capable and so wants to be able to sing praise to His name. I can’t sing much nowadays so I will be supporting them in different ways when they want to be able to sing!
I know He looks after people in many ways, most often seen in support of the lonely, orphans and others who do not have what we think of as a normal life. He is able to comfort the people who have no way to turn and who have not got the support many of us enjoy in life. That is what sets my God apart from anything on this earth and that is why I love Him so!
Points to Ponder:
What keeps you going when the going gets tough?
When will you call on Him next?
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Hits: 691
May 21: 1 Peter 5:6-11
Key Verse: 1 Peter 5:9
Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
Devotion:
How many times have you thought “why me” or “how car I bare this” when you are faced with things going bad? What we do in times of trouble, anxiety and depression will factor how best we can face the obstacles in front of us. I know it seems easy to say that, especially when you do not have these feelings but someone you love is struggling with them, but the answer should always be similar – take God with you on the journey.
When we face things which seem insurmountable, we should have someone with us who understands the problem and knows a way to help you out. Whilst many of our friends may fit one particular problem or be able to help out in one particular case or at one particular time, it is only God who can help out in all cases and all the time.
Christ wants us to know we are going to face trials and tribulations in our lives and He wants to be with us and helping us to get through those times; which means we must invite Him along for the journey. It is hard to call out for help from a friend sometimes because we can see them, see their reaction, see the reaction of people around us and that in itself brings fear and anxiety. But when we call out to God we can rest assured He will never turn us down or ignore us!
That calls on us to have faith in our unseen God. Faith in a God who is willing to stop and listen, willing to walk with you and willing to guide you and help you. We have to be ready to call on Him when we need to and not continue putting things off until it has gone too far. We are not the only ones to suffer in the ways we do; we may not know anyone ourselves who is in the same boat as us, but God knows plenty of people all around the world and all over time who are. Allow Him to help you by calling out to Him!
Points to Ponder:
Who do you call to when things get tough?
Will you try calling out to God before things get out of hand?