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November 13: Malachi 4:1-3
Key Verse: Malachi 4:1
‘Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘Not a root or a branch will be left to them.
Devotion:
I think many Christians grow up thinking everything is going to be OK and we will all get to heaven in the end. What God has warned us about and has told us over and over again in the scriptures is there is going to be a time when He says enough is enough! That day is not going to be what many people expect. There will be some who will tell you when this day will be, but remember, Jesus told the disciples He did not even know when He was here as a human being!
As long as we truly believe Jesus has done what He did for us and is our Saviour, then we will not have to worry about this day because we will get to be with Christ in heaven before the destruction of things. This is not to say we will not see natural disasters and horrific events (such as the ever present worry about a nuclear event) because these continue to happen (but hopefully not the nuclear one) all around the world.
Then there is the ‘reality’ side of things where we live in this world and have people who seem to be intent on the destruction of property and/or people. We all live in this world and so we are all affected by these types of people. Just because we say we are a Christian will not stop us from being hurt when we are standing next to someone when an avalanche happens… I believe if we are truly listening to God, then He would warn us to stay away from that place if we have more work to do for Him…
God is good; it’s the people of this world we have to worry about!
Points to Ponder:
Do you believe and trust in God?
Do you listen?
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November 12: 3 John 1:5-8
Key Verse: 3 John 1:6
They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honours God.
Devotion:
How many strangers have knocked on your door recently; maybe trying to sell something, to ask for money or your vote or other strange reasons. How did you treat them? Would you have treated them any differently if they had known you were a Christian?
We do tend to treat people differently based on current circumstances, how well you know them and how much you like them. How does that relate to the way Jesus treated people when He was with us? Jesus treated all people equally. It did not matter if you were a king or a beggar, He would treat you with respect and humility. But if you worked against God then Jesus would have no problem telling you where you had gone wrong and what God thought of it!
When I was young and just out of university there were not many jobs going so I went along to join a sales team with some door to door sales… This is where I learned a very different story to the advert for the job; the sales people were dishonest in their dealings with people. I could not handle telling people lies when I could see they clearly could not afford the books we were trying to sell them! I left before the day ended!
Jesus wants us to treat strangers the same way as we treat our friends and family, always telling them the truth and sharing the gospel story with them wherever we can. When we see others doing God’s work, we should be willing to step in and help wherever we can too. The goal is to share Jesus with the whole world!
Points to Ponder:
How do you treat strangers to your door?
Will you greet someone differently today?
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November 11: 2 John 1:4-9
Key Verse: 2 John 1:6
And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
Devotion:
Today we remember all those who have gone before us and have served their country in order to keep us safe. We remember them for their sacrifice and their willingness to give the ultimate price for keeping other people safe – what love!
Jesus always reminded people they need to love one another and the disciples took this forward to all the places they visited, encouraging more people to share love instead of wars. We continue to face wars and all manner of fighting from people not sharing love and not caring for others; the opposite of what Jesus was trying to get us to do.
What is left from all the wars and the fighting? The pain of sorrow. Our feelings for those who have given their lives for us should never diminish over time, but they do because our memories grow cold and as generations move to new generations, people don’t remember the fallen like those who’s brothers and sisters fell.
God wants us to remember our love for others, even during these torrid times. He wants us to remember love will be so much better than the loss we will incur after fighting wars with our neighbours. We need to continue remembering the fallen generation after generation so the new generations can see the loss in real terms, but we also need to share the love so they can compare the loss with the love...
Points to Ponder:
Will you remind your children of the importance of remembering the fallen?
Will you remind your children of the importance of love to prevent the wars?
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November 10: Luke 17:20-25
Key Verse: Luke 17:23
People will tell you, “There he is!” or “Here he is!” Do not go running off after them.
Devotion:
Have you ever been asked what Heaven is going to be like? I know I have been asked by many a youth as they tried to get to know God better, but it is an answer which I could not give in the way they wanted. We describe Heaven as being a place where there is no hatred and no suffering, and yet we cannot describe it as being a place where we all get married to the perfect partners and have a jolly good time...
We long to be able to see things with our own eyes so we can believe them. We try to imagine everything in terms of what we have seen before. Heaven is not going to be like anything we have seen or experienced before because it is going to be so very different! How can we then try to describe this place to people who want to know?
I like to try and describe it in terms of inner feelings rather than outward seeing. I try to get people to imagine something which they will not see unless they have their eyes closed… how can we see with our eyes closed? It is not the physical seeing we need to do but the spiritual seeing, and that seems to fare better when we do have our eyes closed!
We are going to get people who try to con us by saying they have seen where heaven is and try to get us to follow them. Instead, try to think of it in terms of Jesus descriptions where He does not give physical descriptions but tries to show us through spiritual meaning.
Points to Ponder:
Do you ever try to figure out where heaven is?
Will you trust Christ to have heaven prepared for you, no matter what?
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November 9: Psalm 23:1-6
Key Verse: Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
Devotion:
This is probably the best known psalm from the bible and one which is used often to encourage people with support from God. It is one which I have seen many war movies with these words written on helmets or walls. It is one which is now written and displayed in many pictures on the Internet.
The words from the first verse say it all. The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing… Because Christ is our shepherd and high priest, there should be nothing we lack in our lives – yet we choose to see many places where we think we lack things. If we stop and have a proper look at the things we think we lack, we will see those things are normally things of this world and not spiritual or heavenly things!
Even though these words are talking about the spiritual and heavenly things we have in abundance, it is also reminding us Christ will support us in earthly ways as well. When it talks of green pastures, quiet waters and refreshing our souls, these are all things we relate to in earthly terms but which span both earthly and heavenly realms. When we know Christ is on our side we are sustained both spiritually and physically – this is why these words are used in dire times to give us strength and courage.
Even though we may face all manner of terrible things, we can always look forward to the eternal and amazing rewards awaiting us with Jesus. Nothing on this earth is bigger than the eternal rewards we are going to get. Nothing here on earth should phase us; but things do and we need reminding of the awesome power and might of God. These words in this Psalm do just that – remind us nothing is impossible with God!
Points to Ponder:
How many things get you down in life?
Will you try to compare those with what awaits you in heaven?
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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?