- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2450
Galatians 2:7 On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised.
At first the disciples would not accept Paul as being sent by God because of his willingness to go out to all the non-Jews; they probably thought this was against Christ’s teaching.
But when they finally accepted the truth, they knew the gospel was meant for the whole world even though their focus was on the Jews.
Christ gives each of us a place to go and tell someone about Him. Where is He telling you to go?
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2516
Romans 15:8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed
Jesus was sent by God to save the world. The world, as spoken of in the bible by the Jews, was Israel. Here Paul is reminding us of Jesus’ words when He said He had come for the lost Jews.
So what about the rest of us? Jesus was actually sent to the Jews as proof of a Messiah being sent. Their belief is what has spread as Jesus told them to go out and spread the gospel.
God’s plan was very specific and targeted. We should have a plan to work for Christ which is equally specific so we can focus on that plan!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2433
Matthew 15:24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
How many times in Jesus’ ministry do you think the disciples got to the stage where they thought they were better than everybody else? I’m sure Christ would have said something each time…
We all get to the stage where we think more of ourselves than the people around us, sometimes rightly so, but mostly just out of pride!
Jesus did not come to make the church a middle class society, Jesus came to get people out of the gutters and bring them into a loving, caring church.
It would be wise for us to follow His example!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2408
Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
When Jesus went about His ministry on earth, He did not choose the rich and famous to do miracles for; He chose the poor and needy, the sick and the lame.
We must do likewise with our lives before God. We need to reach out to the people around us and not be selective based on earthly belongings.
It is God who works the miracles through us. It is God who chooses where we should be to do His bidding. Follow God faithfully and carefully!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2531
John 3:2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
Nicodemus was a member of the Jewish council and as such would have upheld the laws as recounted by Moses so many years ago – but He also saw something in what Jesus did!
If it were not for what He saw Jesus do, he would have continued to struggle in believing a man could call himself the Messiah.
He saw what Jesus did and he knew there was no way a mere man could do such things without God being totally behind him. So He believed Jesus!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2527
John 10:38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.
When it comes down to it, some people are not going to believe you no matter how hard you try to explain things – that is where the miracles come in!
Jesus knew there would be people who would not believe what He said but would believe in what He did in from of their eyes!
Don’t give up just because you cannot explain things in the way others want to hear it – trust God to give you the right things to do so they see the truth in you!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2395
Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
Isaiah was a prophet telling people of the hope and peace they would have one day through the Messiah. Many people chose to believe in this event. But many rejected Christ when He did come.
Listen carefully to what God has to say and act on it because it will give you peace – a peace He has promised us for a very long time… but we need to accept it as the truth.
Don’t just accept it, but keep it in your heart, ready and willing to share with the people around you. That is when your peace shines the most and gives others more hope!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2382
Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
When we get to know God, we get to realise the hope He is giving us. Before we know Him we seem to drown in the dejection of this world.
God wants us to know He has given us the Holy Spirit so we can go out and be brave in this world, not just knowing the hope we have but being able to share this hope with the people around us.
If you want to make a difference then start by showing people you have hope and explain to them how they too can have this hope. Christ has given it freely to us all!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2530
Acts 2:13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
When the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, they started behaving in ways no people had seen them behave. They were talking in other languages and probably loud about it too!
So, naturally, the people of the world thought they were drunk because that is all they could relate this way of behaving to.
When God fills us with His Spirit it gives us courage to do things we have not done before. It gives us power to boldly do things in Christ’s name.
Don’t hide the Spirit, let it shine!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2588
Acts 3:1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer – at three in the afternoon.
Is there a time you set aside for your prayers each day? If not, why not? Throughout the bible we see mention of people setting aside time for prayers and it is an example for us to follow.
We should probably not be stuck to a religious time and day when we always pray because we will just get into the habit of it instead of being earnest about it.
God wants genuine prayers from the heart where we show Him we mean what we pray and we expect Him to respond.
But be regular about it and not just once a month or once a week!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2325
Psalm 55:17 Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.
When do you pray? Do you make it a regular event or do you only pray when you need something?
Talking to your parents as a child is something you do all the time in amongst the asking for things and the complaining about stuff.
God wants that sort of interaction from us too. He wants you to share things going through your mind, not just the stuff we need or the thanks we need to say.
If you need to complain about something, take it to Him and complain… but listen afterward!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2610
Psalm 55:16 As for me, I call to God, and the LORD saves me.
Who do you call out to for help? Who is the first person you think of when you need help?
I must admit to calling out to various people in the past, but my first thoughts for help are normally to God – because I know He is there and will answer my prayers.
Do you have the confidence to call out to Him no matter what? Do you have the expectancy of an answer when you call out?
Try changing your attitude and expecting an answer every time you call out to Him…
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2567
Psalm 69:13 But I pray to you, LORD, in the time of your favour; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.
When the going gets tough, the tough get down on their knees and pray! Christ Himself spent much time in prayer, especially when He knew the troubles which lay ahead.
It is not that we should only pray when we are in need asking God to fulfil our needs; we should be praying as a matter of course!
God knows what is ahead and He knows the best way forward, but until we pray and listen to Him, we are not going to find that way. We may even walk off in the wrong direction instead!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2574
Psalm 69:2 I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.
We will all face hardships in our lives and the hardships will be very different for each of us. Some will come from natural occurrences such as hurricanes or earthquakes, whilst others come from self-inflicted actions!
Jesus took on the sins of the world by going to the cross – what mess could be deeper or worse?
We may look at our own messes and think they come pretty close to Jesus’ moments on the cross, but they don’t.
Jesus is willing to take on our burdens, take on our problems and take on our hardships – if and when we ask.
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2573
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
What is your faith based on? Morals? Laws? Miracles? Professions? Doctrine? Promises? Blessings?
If you are clinging to one thing and basing your faith on that single thing, what will happen to your faith if something goes wrong with that one thing?
The evil one looks for weak links in our lives, and basing faith on a single thing is showing weakness.
Look up to God. Look at all He has done. Look at all He has promised. Look at what others have said. Look at The Word. Make sure you see as much of the picture as possible!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2550
Romans 8:24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?
Our faith is built on the hope we have in Jesus Christ. We have not actually seen Jesus yet and we will not until we meet Him face to face; then our hope will become reality.
Even though our hope is in the unseen, Christ will fill us with love and joy so we know this hope is real.
Let us not hope, therefore, in things we build, things we collect or things we earn. Let us hope in our awesome God alone!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2509
2 Corinthians 5:7 For we live by faith, not by sight.
Faith is looking for, trusting, believing and seeking the answers from Christ for all He can do in our lives.
Faith is not a single act by which we attain entry into heaven but a continual way of living which supports our entry into heaven.
Christ alone is judge. Christ alone allows us into heaven. It is our way of living which is going to be the example others will see and act upon.
Be the example Christ wants you to be!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2562
2 Corinthians 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Take a look round you and think about the things you see. If you are at home these are probably things important to you. If you are at work they may be important for work.
But if you are looking at electronics or computers, these things will be out of date within a couple of years.
When we look for God and what He can do in our lives, we are looking for long-term and permanent things (by permanent I mean things which last as long as we do).
God is good and will surround us with the right stuff, if we let Him!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2468
Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
This is more like something we should find in the book of Proverbs, but it is something we don’t often think too much about.
If we are going to spend all of our time chasing after something or trying to build up certain treasures, then that is probably where our heart is focused.
God would love it if our focus was on Him instead of the things of this world. Far too often we follow what we can see, hear, touch & smell rather than what God is building up for us.
Take a bit of time to focus on God each day and build up the treasures He desires for you!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 2600
Matthew 6:19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
What do you do with your most prized possessions? Do you keep them in a safe place to make sure they are safe or do you use them?
Many people keep things away from others just to make sure they last longer – but what use is it when it is never used for the task for which it was designed for?
God warns us about storing things away when we could be using them, and also about what sort of things we do store up or save up.
He wants us to save toward our eternal future with Him and not the short existence we have here on earth.