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September 2: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 4:1
Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.
Devotion:
I find the honesty in the letters the apostle wrote enlightening and something we should strive for in our own lives with the people around us. Why should we every try to deceive anyone when the truth will be known in the end? The church in Thessalonica must have been doing well because this letter is very supportive but there is an underlying tone of ‘you can do more!’
It’s not a case of the writer telling the people they have fallen short of the mark but a simple encouragement on all fronts. When we know we are doing good in our communities, there is always room for improvement in one way or another. This does not mean that we have to work twice as hard! This means we can do more by sharing what we do and encouraging others to take up the work too.
The encouragement is not to be louder and more brazen but to do things quietly and behind the scenes so others can get the right idea of what being a Christian is all about. The way to make disciples is not to shout at them to do more but to show them by example so they will feel they can do more too.
One of my friends who has travelled all over the place is a true inspiration to me through their selfless actions they do as a matter of normal life. Not going out of their way to show others what they can do but simply to do it without broadcasting what they are doing. I wonder, do you know someone like that?
Points to Ponder:
Are you living like Christ wants you to live?
Are you encouraging others to live a better life too?
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September 1: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 4:7
For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
Devotion:
The letters to the various churches written by the apostle and brave and typically forward words where the writer expresses what they understand to be the guidance God is giving them through him. This is what being a disciple is all about and something each of us should be aiming to do every day just as the apostle is encouraging the church of Thessalonica.
We have this choice as to whether we wish to live like the world or to live like you want to be with Christ. This is a bit more difficult that what it first seems because we are surrounded by people trying to encourage us to live the way they wants us to or expect us to; not all of them are doing so because of God! The instructions God has given us through our bibles are not so difficult to follow…
The apostle writes to encourage the people to be more like Christ in how they live. They are acknowledged as living in a good manner but there is always room for improvement. Christ lived a life which stood out during His ministry on earth. We are encouraged to stand out more like this!
God is Holy. This means He cannot and will not accept sin in any form. This makes it difficult for us sometimes because we are sinners in nature and we are tempted to do so many things by the world around us. Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice so we can be presented to God as being innocent – but that does not give us the right to do anything we like; that would be an affront to Christ...
Points to Ponder:
Do you try to live a good life?
How many things can you do better at?
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August 31: Matthew 24:42-51
Key Verse: Matthew 24:45
Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?
Devotion:
One of the things we never expect is the unexpected – why else would it be called the unexpected! But seriously, there are things in life we just don’t think about and when they do happen to us we are caught unawares. How we handle those times will often be seen by others as the times which shaped our lives… and I don’t think God looks at us any differently, because He will see those times and He will know why we made the choices we did.
How many of those times do you call on someone to help out? How many of those times do you call on God for guidance and help? Too often when we are faced with worldly things and dangers we call upon worldly people to help us out when we could be calling on someone who is way above that position!
God may not physically be here like Jesus was here, but it does not stop Him from getting involved in our lives. If He cannot do something physically He will probably get the right person to approach us at the right time. Who we allow to help us out is also going to be a choice we have to make which defines us too. If we call out to people who do not have a vested interest in us, we may well find ourselves being let down by them when we do not dance to their tune!
God has created each of us different and He wants each of us to dance to our own tune so we can be an encouragement to others in one way or another. If we all follow the crowd we will get lost in the crowd; but when we stand up for justice and love, we get to shape a lot of what others see in their lives. God wants to use us in ways we cannot imagine He is looking for the right people at the right time!
Points to Ponder:
Who do you call for help?
How often do you call for God’s help?
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August 30: Matthew 23:16-24
Key Verse: Matthew 23:16
‘Woe to you, blind guides! You say, “If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.”
Devotion:
After reading through the woes on the teachers of the law and the Pharisees I thought I would do one more before moving on to something new. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees were heavily pushing the giving of gold and other gifts to the temple but Jesus was questioning their motives. People wanted to offer what they could and make these sacrifices from their hearts and by what they were able to do. The temple guards were being instructed to only allow certain offerings.
How does that sit with you? I get cross when I hear of people trying to manipulate people’s relationships with God through their own rules and regulations; that just does not sit well with me! We can look back at things like this and heap up criticism on what they were doing, whilst ignoring the march of the big churches in modern society – which again does not sit well with me.
God wants us to come to Him will a willingness to listen to His will and to do what he asks of us. He does not want us to be driven down a certain path just because some leaders are dictating we do things in a particular manner. He wants a personal relationship with us…
So do we ignore what big church organisations tell us? Far from it. We need to compare what they are telling us with what God tells us through our bibles. It is God’s word which should be the driving force in our lives and we should be upholding what God tells us through His Word, just as Jesus was trying to do during His ministry on earth. Stick to making your promises with God a direct and personal link rather than a dictated event.
Points to Ponder:
What is more important to you, your church building or the people?
What is the most important part of your relationship with God?
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August 29: Matthew 23:23-26
Key Verse: Matthew 23:24
You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
Devotion:
I love the descriptive nature of some languages and Jesus was using some descriptive terms here. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees were supposed to be the ones who were teaching the people how to behave like God had asked them to. Instead they were focusing on the letter of the law from the prophets and ignoring the worldly laws of justice and mercy.
In our modern law system there is always room for justice and mercy which is why we have judges who should be the ones to discern what has happened and provide justice to all. The teachers and Pharisees were ignoring the people and demanding the giving of one tenth of everything. What happens when there is a family who cannot afford to give one tenth whilst the others around them are all giving just enough because that is what the law says. Where is justice and mercy in that?
Jesus wanted people to think more about the people around them and to express love to their neighbours instead of simply doing what was written down. If you are just doing what God said to do then you may not be doing what He wants you to do. Jesus came to show us how important love and mercy are. Without love and mercy we do not have a society in which Christians can thrive.
Jesus came to show us how to be different from the world. Without thinking we do tend to express what is in our hearts and minds and the people around us may have a very different view of what we are than what we say we are. Jesus wants us to focus on what we are thinking and feeling so we can aim to be more like Him than like the Pharisees described here. We have to balance what we know God asked for and what we know is a life living with Christ. Love and mercy need to be at the centre of our lives!
Points to Ponder:
Do you always try to follow the law?
How close is your heart to the law Jesus is talking about here?
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August 28: 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10
Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 1:8
The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia – your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it
Devotion:
If you get scared about trying to explain the Gospel to others and you are worried you are not obeying God by telling others about the Gospel, then just be yourself and allow people to see you for what and whom you are. If you have a good relationship with God and talk to Him all the time, then you are a good example to others already. Here the apostle is telling the people from Thessalonica they are renown for being who they are!
Somehow I got a name for being someone of great faith in our community when all I thought I was doing was being a normal Christian and following what I believed God was asking of me. If you are able to do the same, someone is going to notice and it may be the encouragement they need to seek God in their own lives!
We cannot reach all people all the time through what we do and say, but people like to talk to other people and if they have noticed something different about you, your reputation will go before you. Now, what sort of reputation goes before you is going to be based on how other people see you!
We need to be honest and open about our lives with God so others can see we are in a good place with Him. This will encourage them to seek a good place with God too because they will see the joy and peace you have in your life. We don’t have to be able to recite the gospel, though it does help if you can give others encouragement through knowing the gospel. You don’t have to preach in front of a crowd of people – just be yourself!
Points to Ponder:
Do you know how other people see you?
Are you showing them you trust Christ?
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August 27: Isaiah 51:12-16
Key Verse: Isaiah 51:12
‘I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mere mortals, human beings who are but grass,
Devotion:
How often do you have to be reminded about someone who does good things in your life? I am probably not the best at acknowledging the good others do in my life; I do take some people for granted some of the time. It does not take much to go wrong in your life before you begin to see just how much others do and how you depend on others for so much in your life.
Without the links and bonds we have with others in our lives we would not be able to do half the things we do. From the friends and family who stick by our sides to the professionals who’s task is to serve and protect us, we are all bound in communities in many ways.
The prophet was reminding the people of all the things God had done in their lives to make it possible for them to live the relatively free lives they now looked forward to having. When we grow used to having good things in our lives we often do forget the people who put things in place so we could get to the place we are in now. It is well worth stopping and remembering things before, now and what we can look forward to in the future.
If we do not see God in every step in our lives, then, just maybe, we are taking Him for granted because we are too used to having all the gifts He has given us in our lives. Take time out to stop and thank God for all He has done in your life, from the people He placed in them, the places He has opened up for you and the promises He has given for your future with Him!
Points to Ponder:
Do you take people for granted?
Do you take God for granted?
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August 26: Ruth 2:1-11
Key Verse: Ruth 2:8
So Boaz said to Ruth, ‘My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me.
Devotion:
I don’t pretend to understand the ways of the ancient people of Israel and how they felt they had to do things in accordance with ancient rules – but they did. Here we are reading about a woman and daughter in law who used to be in a ‘normal’ family but have been all but destroyed. Naomi and Ruth were living by whatever means they could; following the harvesters and picking up the pieces they dropped or left behind was their way of life now. No longer did they have the money to spend on food coming from the farmers...
What I find amazing is just how God works behind the scenes and how much He does look out for us when we place our faith and trust in Him. Naomi knew all the rules and what was expected. She knew Ruth would be able to follow the harvesters and glean some food left behind during the harvest. Ruth was the one who was willing to go out into the hot day and do the work for her and her mother in law.
What neither of them expected was for Boaz, a distant relative and owner of the field she chose to work in. The workers did not have to allow the people to glean after them but it was understood they should allow people to do so. This was one way God allowed the poor people to be able to get some food – not a hand out but something they had to work for.
God softened Boaz’s heart who told Ruth to continue working in his field alone to make sure they got enough food. He even offered water to Ruth as she worked, and, later on in the chapter we hear how he instructed the harvesters to leave a little more than normal for Ruth to pick up. The rest, we say, is history. They get together, have a child which turns out to be King David’s grandfather!
Points to Ponder:
Do you wonder how God could ever change your life?
Will you trust Him to do what he knows is best?
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August 25: Matthew 22:34-40
Key Verse: Matthew 22:39
And the second is like it: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”
Devotion:
Whenever someone in charge thinks their position may be at risk because of another person rising through the ranks who seems to be able to do a better job than them, they either accept new people can do better or they rebel and try to make the next person look bad in the eyes of the people! This is no more true than in politics where the politicians seem to spend more time fighting amongst themselves than they do looking out for the people.
The Pharisees and the Sadducees had made an art out of political wrangling and many people probably felt lost at the time because of their constant bickering between themselves. Sadly modern time are no different because we have many so called church leaders who would rather take a swipe at each other than look after their congregations!
Jesus’ answer this this was to simply remind everyone of their duty toward God. To love Him more than anything else in their jobs – which means making sure He is above all and is the choice before their own fame and fortune! Then the next is to love the people around them, not their own rewards and their own popularity! This is a bit of a kick in the teeth for politicians because they base their careers around their own popularity!
If we are willing to make the same goals in our own lives then our relationship with God is going to be a whole lot better. The more we love God and the more we love the people God has put around us, then the more love and peace we will share in our communities; the better off the whole community will be too. It is not all about what we can do for ourselves to make our own lives better, but what we can do for and with others to make our communities better.
Points to Ponder:
What would you do if you were famous?
Do you find it easier to love God as yourself?
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August 24: Luke 22:24-30
Key Verse: Luke 22:26
But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.
Devotion:
As Christians we often talk about being servants of God and some people do not quite understand what that means; why do we see some church leaders lord it over their congregations, or the church as an institution lording it over the local churches? I think Luke wrote down these words in a simple to understand manner and one which we should take on board from the very top of our church institutions right down to the newest member of the congregation.
We are not called to be a slave but a servant. Jesus was not a slave to everyone but a servant to everyone. He did not have to do anything and everything everyone said but chose to do many things asked of Him. He did not fear the people around Him (except at certain times when they were out to kill Him) but respected those who were willing to treat Him properly.
We have social structures which dictate who is in charge and who we look up to and we should be willing to live within those confines. None of those confines gives anyone the right to treat another as a slave or to mistreat anyone. When Jesus was mistreated by others He let them know. Jesus knew He was Lord but did not force that on anyone, instead giving everyone the chance to accept Him as Lord and believe in what He could do!
As Christians we should be trying to show others we are willing to serve them in whatever way we can, not give in to everything everyone wants. We should be willing to look out for others and help in any capacity we can but not to be taken for granted and used by others. We are given these special positions by God and Christ gives us the opportunity to work with Him in spreading the gospel – the best way being to love others and serve where we can and should!
Points to Ponder:
Do you see the difference between a slave and a servant?
Are you more willing to be a servant for Christ now?