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November 8: Titus 2:1-10
Key Verse: Titus 2:1
You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.
Devotion:
We have looked at how we should learn from our mistakes, how we should learn from the scriptures and various other ways of learning, but what good is this learning if we are not going to pass it on to anyone? The apostle is reminding Titus here to pass of this knowledge and righteousness to the people in the community and in the church.
It goes for all people in the community, not just the ones you meet in church or are friends with or are teaching in classes; our wisdom we learn from God and the scriptures needs to be spread and shared amongst all people. It is the people who are sick in spirit who need sound guidance most of all. It is the people who have fallen who need a hand in getting up and walking the right path again. It is the people we may look down on who need a hand most of all!
Each of us are probably of different ages but the wisdom we learn can be shared with others of all ages. The elderly should be encouraged to continue walking with Christ and doing what is righteous – both women and men. These are the people who are looked at as being the elders of our society and many look up to them as examples.
Those who have learned to be teachers need to continue teaching but also need to set the examples as well. It is no good saying one thing and doing another because people will stop trusting us if we stray from our own words.
And those who are still learning the basics are the ones who are put most at risk by idle chatter or words said out of turn because they are learning quicker from everything and everything they hear and see...
Points to Ponder:
Are you passing on your wisdom gained from God?
Do you encourage all people?
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November 7: Luke 17:1-4
Key Verse: Luke 17:1
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come.
Devotion:
How many times have you given in to a temptation because a friend has given in already – thinking it can’t be that bad if they have done it… This is the type of trap Jesus was warning the disciples about here. We are more likely to do something if someone else has already done it & Jesus does not want us to be the ones who start the ball rolling!
It is so easy to give into temptation when you think nobody is looking, even when we know in the back of our minds God is watching every move we make… The more we think nobody is watching the more likely we are to sin; but what if you do and someone else sees you? You are now responsible for them thinking it is OK to sin because they have seen you do it!
Jesus also warned them to remind people when you do see them sin rather than cover it up and make as if nothing has happened. Rather point it out to them in a nice way so they know someone is always watching. That way they are less likely to give into it again. Better to stop it before they get used to it and continue as if it is a habit!
But then if we are going to do anything like this, we have to be willing to forgive others when they do something against us. Christ is always willing to forgive us, but He may just point it out again and again if we don’t do something about it in our lives! Just like the friends we should be toward others, Christ wants to be that friend who points out your sin so you have a better chance at not falling into the same pit again.
This all sounds terrible when we talk about it like this – and it is when you think what Christ did to make sure we are forgiven!
Points to Ponder:
Do you make light of some sins in your life?
Are you willing to face Jesus and admit your sin?
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November 6: Job 19:23-27
Key Verse: Job 19:24
that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock for ever!
Devotion:
How do you think people are going to remember you? Have you written a book about what you have done? Have you recorded a daily vlog saying what you have been up to? Have you recorded what you have done so people will remember you? All these things will only get you remembered here on earth for the things you have done here… How do you think God is going to recall your works?
Job had more than any of us would normally be able to handle, and yet He continued to praise God and to glorify Him one way or another. Would we be able to do that if we were persecuted day in and day out?
Job realised his earthly life was going to be but a moment when compared to what lay ahead of Him in Heaven. He continued to believe and trust in God and knew in his heart he was destined to live out his immortal life in Heaven with God! He also knew Christ would come and be amongst us on earth… He knew this from his communion with God – not by reading the scriptures, because they had not been written down yet after all this book of the life of Job is believed to be the oldest out of ever account in our bibles!
Instead, Job knew this because God had impressed this upon him. This is the truth we have now got written down for us and what we can all get to believe in if we choose! But so many people still choose the earthly life instead of the spiritual life. They choose what they can see and physically feel because that makes more sense to them. If we spent the time meditating upon the words God gives us, we too would reach the same conclusion as Job, that our Saviour lives and we will get to spend eternity with Him!
Points to Ponder:
Who knows you like a book?
Will you try to live a life people will notice giving glory to God?
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November 5: Luke 16:9-15
Key Verse: Luke 16:10
Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
Devotion:
How do you work out who to trust? Is it not by trusting a little first to see if the other person can be trusted first of all? We like to be able to trust people because it gives us confidence as well as giving them some confidence too. Jesus tried to tell the disciples how they could become more trustworthy and the answer was quite simple – start out by allowing people to trust in you a little and after a while of them being able to trust you, their trust will grow… as long as you continue to be trustworthy!
Jesus made sure He always told the truth to everyone so they would know they could always trust Him. He continues to make sure we know the truth and are able to trust in Him because He has always given us the truth – whether we want to listen to the truth is our choice!
If you want to be trusted by others you should also entrust them – make sure you do trust them and show them you do trust them. If people do feel like they are trusted by you, they are more likely to trust in you; it goes both ways!
Jesus gives us the choice. He trusts us to keep our word to Him and to others. He knows we will not be able to do this all the time, but He still trusts us! There is the start of where we should be headed if we want others to trust us. Start by trusting them too.
Points to Ponder:
Are you very trusting?
Are you trustworthy too?
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November 4: Philippians 3:17-21
Key Verse: Philippians 3:19
Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
Devotion:
How many things have tempted you this week? How many things have you given in to, however small and insignificant they seem in the big picture of life? How many times have you been jealous or envious of someone else and their life choices? How many times have you thought it would be nice to have juts a little bit of what they have?
These are the type of thoughts which probably go through our heads most weeks; not necessarily the things we give in to or do, but thoughts we have in our lives. Each one of those thoughts poses a potential point of failure in our lives, or a point where we give in to temptation and have a little fun.
Is it little wonder then the apostle is telling the people of Philippi they need to focus on the Godly people and the righteous people instead of the people of this world. The more we look at things of the world, the more we open ourselves up to temptation and the things of this world. This does not mean we turn our backs on the world or ignore the people who live in worldly ways. How are they ever going to hear about God unless we open up the gospel to them in some way.
God wants us to be safe and secure, but He also wants us to step forward and share the truth with people. We can do both at the same time. We can be safe in His grip as well as stepping out and sharing the gospel with people who know nothing of the truth yet. Be the difference!
Points to Ponder:
Do you give in to temptations too easily?
Have you tried depending more on God?
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November 3: Matthew 3:1-10
Key Verse: Matthew 3:6
Confessing their sins, they were baptised by him in the River Jordan.
Devotion:
The more I think about what John the Baptist was like, the more I get confused about him… I live in a world where I have clothes, shoes, a warm flat to live in… and yet John chose to live out in the desert next to the river so he would not be distracted by things in the cities… probably! You see, we don’t get to know the real reasons why John chose to live where he did other than he listened to God and obeyed Him!
What would your life be like if you stopped obeying the world and started obeying God? Mine would be a bit different to what it is now. Each time I have got close to the path God wants me to take, things go wrong with friends, family or my health. Each time I get a bit older and a bit more tired of fighting – but each time my resolve is stronger and I learn new ways of coping with life.
John must have learned how to live for God and how to share the gospel message. He learned how he could reach out to people and get them to turn away from the sin in their lives and when that happened he did not shy away from baptising people. There is nothing like a good baptism to show people the meaning of turning away from the old life and stepping into a new life with Christ.
Just how far we are willing to go will depend on our inner resolve and our willingness to listen to God’s instructions. Some of us will only just be able to do one thing for God whilst others will be able to live their lives very close to how God wants them to live. Each one of us has to make a choice to invite Christ into our lives so we can learn more from Him and care less about the world. It is a very different life!
Points to Ponder:
How hard do you hold on to the world?
Are you willing to let go of one more thing for Christ?
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November 2: Luke 14:25-33
Key Verse: Luke 14:33
In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
Devotion:
I wonder what the reaction from the crowd was when they heard Jesus saying these things! There are some who will tell you all about the love Jesus has for you and how much He is willing to forgive you and all the good things, but they will leave out the parts where Jesus asks things of you; because that would seem like hard work!
Jesus knew what He was letting Himself into when He stepped forward to take our position on the cross. He did not do it for nothing! He does not require we do things right before He will forgive us or love us… but what is going to happen when He asks you for something? Are you going to pretend you did not hear Him, or turn around and look the other way?
We may say we will not, but if we are honest we will admit we will turn round at some stage in our lives especially when the going gets tough and we can’t stand the work or what Jesus is asking of us. He knows this already and that is why He went to the cross first! But in order to get the best out of any situation, He is going to ask something of you and if you are not willing to drop whatever circumstance you have in your life and say yes, then He will have to ask someone else!
Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him more than the people around him. And each time Peter answered that he did love Christ; but when push came to shove and he was cornered, Peter denied Him three times! Jesus knows we are weak and we will fail, but he is going to ask us anyway because once we figure out we are weak, we will depend on Him more and make a better go at living for Christ!
Points to Ponder:
Have you denied Jesus yet?
Is it time for you to admit you are weak and ask Jesus for help?
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November 1: Ephesians 1:11-14
Key Verse: Ephesians 1:14
who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.
Devotion:
I can remember studying this letter to the Ephesians for the first time and having to go over and over various sections because I could not wrap my head round the things I was reading. This is the enormity of God’s love for us expressed in ways which we can only dream about, but the writer tries to describe this love God has for us in the letter.
It is really hard to wrap your head round the fact God knows this all before He sent Jesus to do what He did. It is harder still to accept God had a plan all along which we got to hear about after the fact… what makes it hardest still is we live in a world where so many things go wrong around us and we immediately wonder how God could allow these things to happen!
We are human and we are sinners, ergo we do things wrong. This affects us and all the people around us… so when things go wrong, it is not because God deems it necessary for those things to happen, but because we live in a corrupt world where things happen! Good things and bad things happen to us and all the people around us…
But God had this plan to allow Jesus to pay for our sins and to send us the Holy Spirit so we could get to know Him better and also feel His presence even when things go wrong. The Holy Spirit is always with us and gives our souls the hope we need to continue onward aiming at the great calling of being with Jesus in Heaven forever!
Points to Ponder:
Do you have doubts when things go wrong?
Do you remember God is always with you?
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October 31: Luke 14:12-14
Key Verse: Luke 14:13
But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,
Devotion:
When Jesus went to the house of a prominent Pharisee on the Sabbath, He watched the people around Him carefully. When a man in front of them clearly needed help with the abnormal swelling of his body, Jesus first asked the Pharisees if it was legal to heal on the Sabbath – He knew they had very strict rules about doing anything that may resemble work on the Sabbath… even though they would expect to be fed on the Sabbath!
When He saw the guests all striving to take the seats of honour, He told them they should not go to the best seat in the house in case the person who invited them had invited someone of greater stature than them; to save on the embarrassment of having to move! He could see they were more worried about what other people thought of them than the actual reason they were at the gathering!
He then told them they should not invite all the great people and honourable people but the poor, crippled, lame and blind – the people who were not seen with great honour in the community. His reasoning was they would be blessed greatly by inviting people who would not be able to pay them back… in other words we should be taking care of the people we know cannot pay us back!
If we simply go about doing things for people who we know will do something for us later on, then we are not really blessing anyone other than trying to gain blessing ourselves! God wants to bless those who are willing to give all and expect nothing in return. To Him those are the people who have genuine love in their hearts...
Points to Ponder:
Do you have parties to have more parties?
Will you try to help someone who cannot hope to pay you back?
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October 30: Luke 19:1-10
Key Verse: Luke 19:7
All the people saw this and began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.’
Devotion:
I wonder how many people have looked at me and said something similar just because I offered help to someone who was unjust in their eyes… I know I have gone against what some people say I should have done; I didn’t do it to rile anyone or to make them angry… I did it because I had compassion for the person I was helping at the time.
Having someone standing with their face a few inches from yours and shouting at the top of their voices is intimidating at the time, but quite amusing after the fact. Having them break things around you whilst you stand up for the truth is always scary. But standing up for the truth is what Christ wants us to do as much as we can.
This is why I love this story about the tax collector named Zacchaeus! The tax collectors were amongst the most hated people at the time – some still hold grudges against them nowadays. Jesus did not see him as a hated individual; Jesus saw a man in need of a Saviour and one who would accept Christ in the near future if given the right chance.
What was that chance? To be loved by someone and to be shown compassion! Jesus knew he could love Zacchaeus and knew Zacchaeus would come to love Him too. If we could see into the future like this we may want to show compassion to more people in our lives just because we know what is going to happen. What Christ wants from us is to trust Him and show that compassion even when we do not know the outcome!
Points to Ponder:
Do you like helping people?
Will you help someone even though you don’t know if they will like it?