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15 September: 1 Corinthians 12:27-31
Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:29
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work powerful deeds?
Devotion:
I was just reminded today how some leaders of some churches use (or abuse) these verses to promote church leaders as being above everybody else. This isn't just something in the church though, because it is endemic in society!
People abuse their titles to promote themselves above their positions and try o force others into doing things their way instead of for the good of the community / congregation or society!
I believe what the apostle is trying to advise is for people to try their best to attain higher positions in life but not to abuse the authority they think they have.
Jesus showed this to us by giving in to the authority of the land and the Jews even though he is our King of Kings! He did not abuse his position but used it wisely, with authority, to try and improve the position of others!
Points to ponder:
Do you go overboard with you own version of authority?
Or will you try to share righteous authority?
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14 September: 1 Corinthians 12:12-19
Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:19
If all were a single member, where would the body be?
Devotion:
I do love the way each of us think about things in very different ways and each of the authors of the bible as we know it certainly wrote things down in different ways.
Just as our bodies are made up of so many parts, each having its own function and level of importance. One thing I did not know was how important my pancreas was until I had problems with mine - leading up to the present day where I am now diabetic because my pancreas refuses to work properly any more! Who would have thought something I had not heard of would be so important to me!
We can look at the design of our bodies and marvel at all the things which it does automatically and all of the things it does to fight infections and stuff. God made a pretty good design to start with...
But it is our duty to try and keep our bodies in good shape. To exercise. To eat and drink healthily. All because we should be looking after our bodies for God.
Points to ponder:
What are you good at doing?
Do you share your expertise with others?
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13 September: Exodus 14:19-25
Key Verse: Exodus 14:19
The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them.
Devotion:
Can you imagine the terror the people of Israel must have felt when they realised they were trapped between the water and the advancing Egyptian army - the people they had just escaped from!
But God made his move; he stopped being in front of them and positioned himself between the Israelite people and the Egyptian army. Not only that but he made sure the Egyptians and the people could all see it was him in between, protecting the people.
When the army got their courage to start advancing in the daytime, God instructed Moses to walk with the staff to the waters edge and he would do something amazing. He drew back the water so the people could walk 'over'/under the sea!.
This is the God we have on our side. This is our protector and guide, the same God who parted the sea for the people to walk without harm, and the same God who allowed the sea to recover and drown the advancing army, protecting the people he loved.
Points to ponder:
How often do you put restrictions on the things you want God to do?
Will you simply ask and wait for an answer this time...
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12 September: Psalm 23:1-6
Key Verse: Psalm 23:4
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Devotion:
When I was in hospital back in 2019, I clung to the words in this Psalm and took them as if it was for me.
No matter what the doctors and nurses said while I was in intensive care and high dependency wards, I always knew God was with me and knew he was looking after me. It was not just because someone had said so or anything like that because I did not get to have many people visit me because of the wards I was in and having pipes stuck in all sorts of holes.
But those who did visit knew they just had to sit and pray more than talk. I only found out after being released that the doctors had said on several occasions that I would probably not make it through the night; but God had told me otherwise!
When you read verses like these, take them for your own; don't assume it is meant for someone more worthy or someone not in your circumstances - God made sure these words were written for you to have comfort during the hardest and most dire of times.
Points to ponder:
Always assume God is listening to you and watching over you!
If it were not so, he would have told us before now...
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11 September: Luke 6:39-42
Key Verse: Luke 6:39
He also told them a parable: ‘Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit?
Devotion:
Have you ever rebelled against church elders or leaders? Have you ever thought priests only work on Sundays and have a week off all the time?
Luke wanted people to remember there are scholars who do know more than us and they continue to learn all the time. There are also priests and church leaders who work most days for their church congregations.
We need to respect the people who have taken time to learn more about God because they want to be able to teach us more about God - but only if we are willing to listen!
Yes there are 'preachers' who shout out what they know on street corners, and sometimes they are needed just to reach that one person who is searching... but so can we reach them...
Points to ponder:
Do you try to seek out the truth from your bible?
Are you willing to share what you have learned?
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10 September: 1 Corinthians 8:1-7
Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 8:4
Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ‘no idol in the world really exists’, and that ‘there is no God but one.’
Devotion:
Some of the wording in our bibles may be a bit strange to us but that is because we have grown up in a society which has changed the languages we talk to suit ourselves and to make communication easier for us.
When Paul wrote to the Corinthians he was writing as the person he was and trying to use words the churches in Corinth would be able to understand; but I think the message is quite clear!
We believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Others believe in many gods and, to me, that is very confusing because each god has their own speciality - so how can they be a god is they are not omnipotent and omniscient?
I think Paul is also saying that no matter what gods others have offered their food to, we know only one God and should thank him for what we have. Full stop!
Points to ponder:
Are you concerned about others looking up to other gods?
Do you show them you only recognise one God?
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9 September: Zechariah 7:8-14
Key Verse: Zechariah 7:10
do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts
Devotion:
I love going through the words of the prophets and comparing what they were warning against with the modern world. We have gone astray in so many ways in our modern world compared to times back then - but then we can also look at how far astray the people of Israel went at times and think that we are quite good compared to them.
The truth is that we all go astray and we all have good times. That is the world we live in and the condition of the human soul / heart.
God would love it if we were good all the time and worshipped him all the time, but the fact is we don't and we need help.
Our heavenly Father is here, willing and able to help us no matter what we do - but we should take note of many of the things he has asked of us which we ignore in our modern world.
Points to ponder:
Do you care for the widows, orphans, aliens, poor and others in need?
Who are the people who have cared for you over the years?
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8 September: Psalm 149:1-5
Key Verse: Psalm 149:4
For the Lord has pleasure in his people and adorns the poor with salvation.
Devotion:
When these words were written it was during a time when God had chosen the oppressed people who had been slaves to the Pharaoh. He wanted to show the world something new.
The more the people turned to God and put their trust in him, the more they found new blessings and a way of living which was far superior for their souls than living in slavery as they had done.
God promises our souls will find a special place with him, a place which cannot be removed from us, a place where our souls will be free to love at all times - no more death and destruction!
But, we still live in a world full of evil people. We live amongst people willing to do anything for their greed and lust.
Points to ponder:
Do you aim for the world, money or happiness?
Will you accept a new form of happiness through Christ?
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7 September: Psalm 1:1-6
Key Verse: Psalm 1:3
Like a tree planted by streams of water bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither, whatever they do, it shall prosper.
Devotion:
As we continue on through this season of remembering God's creation, celebrating all he has done for us and remembering he put us in charge of this earth, we still need to be reminded where we get our daily bread from.
I'm not talking about the slice of toast, butter and marmalade you may like in the morning (yes that is quite 'British') but the food for our souls.
Our souls need food just as our physical bodies need nutrition to survive. When we go without our daily bread for our souls, we become weaker inside and we may well give in to the troubles and temptations of the world around us.
But when we ground ourselves in God's word we are more like a tree planted closer to water. It will be able to draw on the abundant water supply to grow and provide for others.
Points to ponder:
Do you find yourself lacking in spiritual strength to help others at times?
Are you continually feeding your soul from God's word?
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6 September: Isaiah 55:12-13
Key Verse: Isaiah 55:12
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Devotion:
I think one of the song we shall sing today in church will be centred around these words, not because this verse is what shall be read out, but because of the love it is centred around.
When we sow seeds of doubt, doubt grows around us. When we sow seeds of love, love grows around us. The stuff which comes out of our mouths will do more in the lives of the people around us than we first realise.
The more we begin to see just how our words affect others, the more we will start to think about the words we say and the actions we take. God wants us to stop and think before we say and do!
The closer we act to the life of Jesus, the more the people around us will think like the way we act and thus more like Jesus. We are not just disciples, we are his examples!
Points to ponder:
What was he last thing you talked about to the people around you?
Do you think it was what Jesus would have wanted to hear?