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October 2: Luke 9:46-50
Key Verse: Luke 9:50
‘Do not stop him,’ Jesus said, ‘for whoever is not against you is for you.’
Devotion:
One thing I continue to struggle with in church is the human assessed hierarchy imposed which people stick to rather than what Jesus was teaching! We this this in action when the disciples were discussing between them who would be the greatest: They were probably doing this by assessing who would do more and who would have the greater following.
God does not measure our worth by how many people get to follow us or how many people we say we ‘saved’ because it is not us doing the convincing and saving but the Spirit of God doing that in people’s hearts. We are only the instruments by which they can open the book and see what is available and God who changes their hearts by giving them purpose in His kingdom!
When we go about church business as a business instead of God’s kingdom, we lose focus on the important things in God’s eyes. When Jesus caught on to what the disciples were discussing He brought a child to stand next to Him and made it a personal choice. If they were willing to accept a strangers child as their own just because He asked them to, then would not Jesus accept them just because the Father had asked it of Jesus.
This is a very personal relationship we have with God and one which we should concentrate on because it is our personal relationship. If we simply do things because ‘the business’ demands it, then we are not considering God’s will in anything but man kinds will alone!
Points to Ponder:
How do you see yourself in your local church?
Will you simply be a child of God and act accordingly?
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October 1: Luke 12:22-30
Key Verse: Luke 12:23
For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
Devotion:
I don’t know about you but I love to watch videos of the various harvesting methods from around the world at this time of year to see how much food the land gives us; all because God said He would provide for us! I know the farmers do work extraordinarily hard especially over the past month as they gather in all the crops and plan for storage and delivery; so I ask God to bless them for all they do and allow them to have plentiful harvests for their sakes.
We are reminded through these words by the apostle how we are reliant on God through nature to make the seeds germinate, how they seedlings have to be taken care of and eventually the harvest gathered for all people to enjoy. But we also see how God supplies all of nature with the food they need to continue their survival too. Animals of all kinds do not normally have to store vast amounts of food in hugs bins and silos because God has taught them how to gather the right amount.
We should take notice of the fact they know how to gather the right amount because many try to store up more than they need or buy too much when others are in need. We need to remember God has placed us in charge of keeping each other alive and not just survival of the fittest!
God placed so much provision and beauty around us through nature and we need to remember who the supplier is. We need to remember how much we need to work and support each other so we can all survive. We need to love our neighbours so nobody needs to go hungry when they don’t have the means to gather or buy supplies… because God has asked us to do so!
Points to Ponder:
Do you have a hand in the food supply chain?
Why not try to be a helping hand for someone who needs assistance?
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September 30: Jeremiah 31:10-13
Key Verse: Jeremiah 31:11
For the Lord will deliver Jacob and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they.
Devotion:
God’s plan for us all is not written down in books so we can be ready for everything which comes our way, but He does know what our destinies are. He continues to place the right people at the right places at the right times so others can get to know Him and to reach for a life in Heaven with Him. When we look back in our lives and in the lives of the people around us we will see just how much God is doing behind the scenes to try and make our lives better. That is how much he loves us!
We may be very surprised by some of the things which God has planned in our lives and we may question how some of those things could have anything to do with Him and His love for us; but God is always there watching out for us.
Sometimes the evil one does get his way because not everyone will listen to God. Sometimes terrible things seem to happen in our lives and we wonder why God is allowing them to happen. It is not God’s doing all the time! God has given us free choice in our lives and sometimes we, and the people around us, make the wrong choice. When that happen we may well have to suffer the consequences of our choices.
It is not God controlling everything otherwise that would make us puppets and Him the puppeteer. God wants us to be safe and secure, filled with the Spirit and enjoying all the love and grace He tries to push our way.
Points to Ponder:
Do you find joy living with Christ?
Will you allow Him to guide you more?
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September 29: Hebrews 1:10-14
Key Verse: Hebrews 1:14
Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Devotion:
I think the Hebrew people had been caught up in worshipping anything which was greater than them in their own eyes, not necessarily at this time but throughout their history. God wanted them to know just how precious they were to Him and this is described in one way here by the apostle.
We could probably all think of a passage or verse where God lifts up Jesus or where people thought Jesus was lifting Himself up to the level of God since they are emotive sections of scripture. The apostle uses words here which are designed to make the Jews think about their own position and the position of being such as angels.
We know angels have been described in ways which can frighten us when we think of them, but this last verse should remind us just how much He loves us and what He has done to make sure we know He loves us! That is how special we are to God and why we need to worship God alone in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit!
All three parts have always been and will always be and will always love us no matter what we have done. If we are able to get that round our heads and to see how He has allowed angels to minister to us we should have no problem worshipping Him with everything we have!
Points to Ponder:
Do you begin to see how important you are to God?
Will you show Him how much He means to you?
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September 28: Haggai 1:3-8
Key Verse: Haggai 1:4
‘Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your panelled houses, while this house remains a ruin?’
Devotion:
One thing which does impress me is the authority by which the prophets were able to live by. God would speak to them through visions and dreams, or even audibly, instructing them in which way the people of Israel should be headed. How many of those people listened is what the problem was. But God knew the right place for the prophets to say things to get the biggest impact on the people as a whole.
God knows who the people are in any community who will lead others, not because they want to be leaders but because they are the people others respect and listen to. There are some who do all the shouting and talking but few people want to listen to them because they feel those people are doing it for themselves. God chooses people who do things selflessly for Him!
Haggai was instructed to tell a few truths to the people because they seemed to have grown very fond o their panelled houses rather than worrying about doing things for God. They were self promoting rather than lifting up the name of God! That is an easy trap to fall into!
Whatever we have in this world is because God has allowed it to be so. If we do not acknowledge God for allowing everything into our lives, then we are missing the point and others will begin to see us as empty vessels. We do have to look after what God gives us and part of that is the buildings He allows us to have for worshipping Him...
Points to Ponder:
How much do you do freely for your local church?
Are you willing to give a little more time and effort?
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September 27: Luke 9:1-6
Key Verse: Luke 9:3
He told them: ‘Take nothing for the journey – no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.
Devotion:
One of the things I have learned is to wait on God for instructions and when He does give me instructions, I should obey them and know He has already set the things in motion which will allow me to do whatever He is asking. Sometimes I get impatient and sometimes I am too slow to answer, but we get there eventually!
When Jesus sent the disciples out to continue the ministry He had started He told them to simply rely on God’s provision. When we, as Christians, say we should rely on God’s provision, it can come in many form and not just miraculous supplies of food or water. God knows where we should be going and He prepares the hearts of people ahead of us so they will be willing to help us make a difference.
God knows we cannot do much by ourselves, but He knows a team of people starting with the local community will make a big difference. If we go somewhere and show them we are self-sufficient and start trying to change things, people may get upset with us because we are changing the rules; but when we go in with nothing, they are willing to accept us and help us.
This is the love Jesus was trying to impress on the disciples when He told them the most important thing, besides loving God, is to love the people around us. God knows love makes a big difference and He wants to see His people joining hands and helping each other to make Christians communities: this is His church!
Points to Ponder:
Are you trying to tell people what to do?
Have you tried seeing what they would like to do?
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September 26: Ezra 6:7-12
Key Verse: Ezra 6:7
Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site.
Devotion:
When God has set something in motion there are always going to be a set of people who object to what is going on, not because it is wrong but because they want something out of what is happening – normally through personal pride and greed! Sometimes God will take it to the highest levels to ensure things get done.
During this time in our history, the king had heard from the prophets how they should allow the Jew to rebuild the temple so they could worship God. As soon as some of the other leaders heard what was going on and how certain riches should be returned to the Jews so they could be put back in the temple, the greedy leaders objected and tried to stop the work.
They bribed official and tried to make it very difficult for the Jews to keep going… but God had already stepped in… A governor wrote a letter to King Darius to try and stop things. Darius went through the royal archives and found the original decree of King Cyrus which stated the royal treasury should be paying for the temple to be rebuilt! God made sure that document had survived!
When we start working for God and listen to what He wants from us, we can be sure things will fall into place as we do the work. But we can also be sure someone is going to object because of their pride and greed! We need to remain faithful to God and continue His good works!
Points to Ponder:
Do you get upset with people objecting to you doing God’s Work?
Will you stay faithful to what God is asking of you?
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September 25: Luke 8:16-18
Key Verse: Luke 8:17
For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.
Devotion:
It is illuminating to see the differences between the gospels because it gives you an insight into how the disciples thought and what caught their attention when they listened to Jesus. The same goes for each one of us, we pick up different things from the same person telling the same sermon because we all think differently. This is probably why Jesus chose a wide variety of people to retell the gospel, and why He has chosen you!
We can act as if we don’t know things or act as if we do know them, but when the final moment comes we will be found lacking in knowledge one way or another. When Jesus was teaching the disciples He wanted them to know God is able to discern everything, not just in what they were doing in the synagogues but everywhere and always!
Everything we do as disciples of Christ can be counted for or against us – depending on what we are doing. It does not matter whether we are the highest priest or the lowest servant, God know what is happening in our lives and knows what we face each and every moment. When we call out to Him, if we are simply recounting words without feeling, do you not think He would get a bit bored listening to you… But if you are saying those words from your heart, then they will strike home every time with God!
Be honest and earnest in all you do with God!
Points to Ponder:
Do you sometimes repeat long prayers from a book?
Will you say a short prayer from your heart today?
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September 24: Philippians 1:21-30
Key Verse: Philippians 1:22
If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!
Devotion:
Something you don’t often have to think about when you are young is what is going to happen when you die, but as you grow older you begin to think more about what will happen. Now, being a Christians, we know we will be in a much better place with Christ in Heaven after we finish this life on earth… but what about the here and now?
Each of us has been given a life on earth with which we should be aiming to get the best out of it for Christ’s sake. Because we believe in Christ we are guaranteed a place in Heaven with God, but what about the people around us who do not yet know Christ? This life has been given us to do with it what we wish; this is because Christ loves us so much!
So how do we show our love for Christ during this life on earth? One way is to try to open other people around us to the faith we have and allow them to see what we are so happy about. We have this joy knowing we are ultimately safe. Other people may be concerned about what happens after they die; being able to show them we have a guaranteed place in Heaven may be enough to persuade them to seek Christ too.
Everything we do here on earth will count toward any reward we may see in Heaven and not just here on earth. Spread a little bit of your happiness and allow people to know they too can gain when they die if they seek and ultimately believe in Christ as well!
Points to Ponder:
Would you rather continue living or depart to be in Heaven?
Will you allow someone else to have that choice?
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September 23: 1 Timothy 6:13-16
Key Verse: 1 Timothy 6:14
to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ
Devotion:
This letter to Timothy is one we should all be trying to accept into our own lives. The writer encourages Timothy to keep the Christian faith and to fight against all who try to go against God, to encourage those who need it and to support those who are finding it hard. These are simple things in our minds but make a big impact in the personal lives of those around us.
Confessing we are Christians and showing people we are living a different life, one filled with love, joy, peace and hope will encourage those around us to find out why things are different in our eyes. If we live as the world lives then we will be seen as being no different from everyone around us. To encourage people we need to show them we have more than we need in many ways which cannot always be defined by worldly measures.
We need to be strong and courageous to show we have the Holy Spirit guiding and protecting us in ways which the world will not be able to understand. This courage will allow the world to see we are different and may even make them question their own ways. When they do that, the Holy Spirit will be able to convince them in their own hearts there is a different life they can lead.
God alone is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords and He alone is the Light which should be seen to shine through our lives. Don’t try to lift yourself up into a high position but rather lift up Christ to allow people to see Him through you!
Points to Ponder:
Do you think you live a good life?
How much of Christ do people see through you?