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March 29: Philippians 3:17-21
Key Verse: Philippians 3:20
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ
Devotion:
As Christians we need to be leading by example – just as Paul and the other disciples did after the death and resurrection of Christ. We have these truths written down for us to read and be encouraged by, but unless we are willing to show others how we are encouraged, what use is it other than ensuring our own place in Heaven? We do have a duty to spread the gospel just as Jesus asked His disciples to do because that is the same message He gave to all who were willing to listen!
We will not be able to reach everyone, but we will be able to reach out to the people God gives us in our communities. As long as we are willing to continue listening to God, we will be placed in the right place at the right time to reach the right person who is going to make a difference! Just as this virus spreads through interaction, our task is to spread the gospel through interaction – not physical at this time, but spiritual and by example.
Paul told the people to keep an eye on others – how apt for these times! We really do need to be the example by reaching out to others where we can and showing them there is always someone who cares. They may not know Christ as their Saviour, but by being an example and showing them His ways, we can encourage them to start a journey where they seek out what we know as the truth and know in our hearts.
This does put a burden on us during these tough times, but we have God who is willing to take care of our burdens so long as we trust Him to do so. We have the comfort which goes beyond the fears of this world and we have strength given to us in abundance by Him which we can always call on. We do this through our faith. If we can give this example of faith to others, they too will be helped and strengthened just as we are!
Points to Ponder:
Do you enjoy the peace and strength you get from God?
Will you show someone else how to get that strength today?
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March 28: Hebrews 2:14-18
Key Verse: Hebrews 2:18
Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Devotion:
One thing many people cannot get their heads round is how Jesus came to live amongst us as a human being and not as an angel or godly spirit. He did this so He could show He fully understands how we are and what we feel. He went through great temptation, great pain, great sorrow and so much more; yet through it all, He remained faithful to God the Father.
It is possible for us to remain faithful – even though we are weak and seem to give in to things much more than others – it is possible. Jesus wanted us to know we are able to do so much more when we fully place our faith and trust in God. What would He be doing in this time? I’m not sure, but whatever it was it would be the will of God. Jesus listened to God and obeyed whatever He said. Yes, He did question whether it was necessary and pleaded with God on many occasions; but He still obeyed God.
It is the devil who brings all the pain and sorrow into this world. The devil who tries to make us slaves to death and not to life. God wants us to reach out to Him and ask for His help daily so we can have that light in our lives instead of the death hanging over us. Jesus did not come here to make sure His angels would survive but to make sure we, mankind, would survive. This is just one of the reasons why He came as a human being – so we would be witness to the resurrection of a human being!
When we are tempted, especially in these times, we really must reach out to God and ask for His protection and His strength to allow us to get through this period in our lives. We need to be the example others will see and be encouraged by so they will turn to Him and ask for this protection and strength too. God knows! Believe me, He knows!
Points to Ponder:
Do you find yourself giving in to temptation?
Do you ask His for your daily strength?
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March 27: Luke 7:11-17
Key Verse: Luke 7:13
When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”
Devotion:
When we lose someone we love, our hearts break and we cry. People around us see the heartache we are going through and feel sorry for us, often-times trying to comfort us in our time of need; because we do need comfort in sad times. As we are spread far and wide in our various homes and places of work, we are not always close to friends and people we love. This probably makes us more aware of our need for love and support from others.
I know some of you will face losing someone over this pandemic and maybe it is going to be the one we love more than anything. I am very anxious I will lose the people I love but I also know there is very little I can do to prevent this apart from staying away from them; and I know there are many of you out there who are even more anxious than me. My prayers and love go out to you all.
So how do I cope? I cope through my faith in Christ. I cope because I know God has me firmly in His grip. Does this mean I am not going to get the virus – probably not. Does this mean I will survive – probably. So what’s the difference? Why do I have so much faith and hope in comparison to many out there?
I have faith and hope that God has all of this in control. Yes, many are going to die simply because many people have not listened to the advice from the doctors and scientists. My dad was a pharmacist and always drilled home how important it was to wash our hands – I am really thankful at this time that I do remember this and know how important it is!
We are in a global crisis where many people are going to die – but many more are going to survive and live to tell the tales. How many of us are going to lift God up high and praise Him for remaining faithful even though we may have wondered off? How many are going to see prayers answered because they have trusted God to answer them? Lift up your prayers to God this evening and thank Him for looking after you!
Points to Ponder:
Do you cry out to God all the time?
Or are you waiting to have Him walk past you before you cry out?
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March 26: John 5:19-23
Key Verse: John 5:21
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.
Devotion:
Jesus made sure people were told how He would not do anything God, His Father, would not sanction. Jesus made sure people understood how He worked directly with God in everything He did. He made sure He listened to everything God told Him and obeyed God’s commands. Something which struck me was how Jesus was listening to what God was saying then and there, not going by what Moses had said so many years before or by the habit people had got used to doing...
We need to be doing the same by making sure we are actively listening to the latest advice from God – by praying to Him and listening for the answers! Just as people around the world need to be listening to the latest advice from their governments about the state of their countries and the safest way to make sure they are kept safe from this pandemic. Listening to the latest advice has always got to be the right thing to do!
As a modern society we have grown callous in our ways with God because we have continued to do things the way of the world instead of doing things God’s way. The more we get involved with the ways of the world, the more we tend to ignore God because of the peer pressure we have continuously around us. You can think of it as you trying to have a conversation with a friend in the middle of a dance floor where the music is drowning out your every word – eventually you give in and just enjoy the dance… Now imagine 3 of you on that dance floor; the one in the middle is the messenger for talk going both ways and becomes the integral part of every conversation.
We do need to stop and focus on what God is trying to tell us. We will not always hear it because of the ‘volume’ of the world around us, but the more we do listen the more we will be in tune with what God says and the easier it will be to hear Him in the din of the world. Jesus was totally in tune with God the Father and had no problems hearing what He wanted Jesus to do.
Points to Ponder:
How much do you listen to the news and gossip around you?
How much do you separate yourself so you can hear God?
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March 25: John 5:1-8
Key Verse: John 5:7
“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
Devotion:
How many of you read these verses and thought about the mad scrambles in supermarkets all around the world where people don’t seem to care for those around themselves but do all they can to get what they want! It does seem very alien when I see scenes like this on the television, bringing to mind such things like Shaun of the dead! Please take a few seconds to think about your neighbour...
This particular man had been an invalid for thirty eight years and was, no doubt, used to people treating him badly. My heart goes out to the people who are in real need in our society who do not have the physical capacity to fight for what they want; but, honestly, my heart goes out more to the people who have changed their heart and now fight for things they do not need, but simply want!
So many people have bought more than they need from the shops, leaving little or nothing for those who actually need it most. People used to be able to go into the supermarkets and look around for the savings shelves where they could purchase something which was almost out of date at a price they could afford – but now they only see empty shelves!
God is the one who is watching over everything and He is the one who will come to you in your hour of need. All we have to do is ask Him for the help we need and He will answer in ways you did not think possible or likely. I love the way so many people are doing things for others in their communities now as they are all stuck indoors. I love the way people are beginning to think more of their neighbours. I love the way people are polluting less and God’s creation begins to shine once again.
Let us take this time to not just think about our neighbours, but to pray with and for them. Let us take this time to show God’s love to those around us. Let us take this time to allow people to meet with God in ways they did not previously see.
Points to Ponder:
Are you helping people in need?
Are you willing to put down your wants and lift up someone else's needs?
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March 24: Psalms 69:16-18
Key Verse: Psalms 69:18
Come near and rescue me; deliver me because of my foes.
Devotion:
What sort of things do you wait for before you call on God to save you? I know we all try to call on God all the time, but if truth be told we do stop asking when things are good and then suddenly fall on our knees when things are bad! How much worse could things get than a pandemic?
But it does not have to be a global crisis which has to happen in order for us to get God’s attention. We can call on His name at any time and in any state we are in. It is not our condition which will somehow enable Him to respond to us, it is His great mercy which allows Him to reach out to us! We don’t have to be in the correct state or position before we can call on God – His door is always open to anyone who is willing to call out to Him!
We don’t have to be poor and lonely, we don’t have to be at the end of our tether, we don’t have to be in a pit of despair… We can call out to God from the highest point in our lives, from the most joyous time we have and from the special places we get to go! But still, when we get into trouble, we call out to Him more earnestly and expect Him to answer us quicker than when we are in a good place!
You will be surprised just how close God is when you call out to Him too! Have you ever shouted out to your partner or friend thinking they are far away when they are actually sitting right next to or behind us? God is our silent partner, our forever friend, here with us during the rough and the smooth times. God is listening to us in our moments of joy and in our moments of grief. He is listening to us throughout everything – even when the rest of the world seem to be going mad!
Points to Ponder:
Do you call out to God often?
Will you make a point of calling out to Him and allowing Him to know how you feel?
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March 23: Acts 3:17-23
Key Verse: Acts 3:18
But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer.
Devotion:
Even though we read of various places where God was very upset with the people of Israel and we read of the terrible things which happened to them – most of that is part of life, but God was always there and always listening! He knows many of the people acted out of ignorance, not knowing what they should be doing and not knowing the long-term effects of what they were doing then – but God was still there with them, listening and waiting!
God knew what had to be done in order to free these people, to free us, from the sin traps we were and still are caught up in. He knew He had to do something drastic which would even seem barbaric to some, but it was the only way people could be set free from their lives of sin!
We have now seen what God has done, what He has allowed His Son to go through on our behalf… so what are we doing about it? Are we going to continue to ignore the truth and the things God has done, or are we going to stop in our tracks and ask for forgiveness? That is all we need to do – we just have to take a moment out of our busy lives and ask God to forgive us for the lives we have been living and for the things we have done wrong against Him.
He has promised to forgive us. He has promised to accept us into Heaven – as long as we come to Him and ask for forgiveness. We have so much written down for us which makes it virtually impossible for us to ignore the truth and carry on in our old ways. We need to turn to God and allow Him to fulfil His promise to us; a promise which was made right at the beginning and one which has always stood no matter what mankind got up to. God wants to restore everything in its proper place and wants us to join Him in this restored place. Who will listen?
Points to Ponder:
Do you get too caught up in life to go to church?
God makes ways we can still enjoy church, even during times like this?
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March 22: Luke 18:35-43
Key Verse: Luke 18:38
He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Devotion:
Each time I read this I am reminded of my dear friend who bought some lunch for a homeless man back in Ipswich. Jesus was a man, just like us, when He came to live amongst us, but He did not let that stop Him from being kind to others or from making sure each person got what they needed.
When they disciples were walking with Jesus, their reaction is probably like our reaction would be – they shouted down the beggar and wanted Jesus to be ‘raised above the beggars’ in social standing. We think so much more of ourselves than we realise and so much less of God than we need to. Jesus did not have this problem because He dedicated His life to serving God in every walk in life!
When the disciples tried to shut the beggar up, Jesus stopped and made a point of speaking to him and asking him what it was he wanted. I’m pretty sure Jesus already knew the answer would be for the man to receive his sight, but He stopped to allow the man to ask in person. How often do we walk quickly past someone because we think they are not worthy of our attention – how many times do we walk past on the other side of the street to avoid those in need.
When we moved to London it was with the vision of giving up our personal wants and desires and serving the local people on the estate we moved to. At first we could not find accommodation on the estate because it was ‘overbooked’ but we did not give up. After a year of waiting we managed to find a house on the estate where we set up a place we could invite people into. I still struggle with the way of life sometimes because it is so different from what I was used to. Sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zones and step into the place where God wants us to be!
Points to Ponder:
Do you always stick to your comfort zone?
Are you willing to step forward with God into the unknown?
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March 21: Hebrews 5:7-10
Key Verse: Hebrews 5:8
Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered
Devotion:
I can remember thinking how hard it was to be brought up by parents who seemed to be harder or harsher than my friends parents – but I learned this was only on the surface because I did not know what was actually happening behind the scenes at the time. We all tend to think we have a rough time because of the rules and regulations, but once we understand what they are for we should have no problem following them.
As we see the coronavirus unfolding around the world we see very different outcomes from each country as their lifestyles and governments unfold very different scenarios. If we were all the same we may well have done what was ordered by the governments, and they may have followed the governments of the originating site(s) of the virus. We may well be in a very different position to what we are in now – but that is something we shall never know because we are all very different.
Imagine what a task God has in hand as He tries to manage the different cultures and societies around the world – imagine how He feels when whole countries are prevented from coming to Him and asking for help? We can only imagine…
Jesus came to carry out the will of His Father. He knew what lay ahead and still continued to do what was required. He pleaded with God, because He was in human form and had all the wants and needs of a human being at the time. But, He remained true to His Father and obeyed Him all the time.
We need to have that same attitude toward God by casting all of our cares on Him, not just by saying so, but from our hearts. We need to mean what we say and do what we say we will do as well. Jesus said what was true and did what God wanted Him to do. God did not send Jesus to the cross, but told Him that is what was required. Jesus willingly took on that mantle so we would be set free – He was designated by God to be our High Priest!
Points to Ponder:
Do you complain about your life style?
Do you complain about your life choices?
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March 20: Genesis 45:1-5
Key Verse: Genesis 45:2
And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.
Devotion:
We may not have been sold as a slave by our brothers and sister or our parents, but there are people in this world who have to face such things! But there are so many more people, some we may know personally, who have had to face bad things happening to them in their lives. I am amazed at how many of those people are willing to step forward and offer forgiveness to those who have wronged them in some way.
Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers, but was willing to bring them into his protection at this time when they were in great need. He was willing to forgive and try and move past what had happened – the experience was difficult for him and he wept so loudly that people outside the room heard him. How far are you willing to go when you are faced with people who are in need in your life? Are you willing to forgive what they may have done against you in the past so you can now help them out?
Jesus calls us to love one another, but He also calls us to forgive again and again so we can help those in need. It is times like this when that act of kindness may be the act which sinks in and changes their hearts toward Christ and brings them home to be with God!
When people have done wrong against you, they may well steer clear of your because they are ashamed for what they have done and don’t want you to be unkind to them like they have been to you in the past. They may have every right to be scared – but if we are able to turn that round into an act of kindness which covers their wrong-doings, then, just maybe, they may find it in their hearts to change their ways. This is Jesus’ way and the way He wants us to follow. Yes, it is hard, but we need to be the difference now when so many people are in need.
Points to Ponder:
Do you carry a grudge against someone?
Are you willing to forgive and move on with Christ?