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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
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Isaiah 65:22 No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands.
When Isaiah was telling of the good times ahead, he was not just saying how good life could be when we all believe in Christ, but also reminding us we live for a short time on earth.
When we build up things, work for a living and generally try to get things right for our life, we are doing so for our life span.
Yes, we need to think about the future and our children’s futures, but that is still within our lifespan.
Live now with Christ and enjoy your life with Him. Encourage others to join you all the way!
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 1705
Deuteronomy 28:3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
We don’t have to be from a particular class, race, or whatever in society in order to be blessed by God.
Yes, God has a special heart for the poor and needy, but that includes all walks of like from all around the world!
Don’t exclude someone just because they are different; include everyone and allow God to work with them all – He loves us all the same!
Be inclusive and stop trying to belong to the exclusive Christian club!
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 1796
Mark 10:16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
Even though the disciples had thought the children were doing wrong by clambering to see Jesus, He made a great statement by laying his hands on them and blessing them!
We have opinions which make us see certain circumstances as troublesome when God sees the opposite; we need to trust Him more and ask for His constant guidance as we walk through our lives.
We see stumbling blocks because something is different; God sees new opportunities because things are different!
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
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Luke 18:16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
This moment when Jesus tells the disciples to allow the children to come to Him because they are the ones who will listen how He wants them to listen – openly!
As we grow up, we carry more and more baggage with us in the form of opinions we build up. Those are often counter productive to Christ and His ways.
God wants us to be able to come to Him with all innocence and with an open heart and mind, willing to listen and obey without question!
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 1918
Mark 9:50 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”
Almost every chef will tell you to add a pinch of salt to various things to add a bit of flavour; but it can be used for a whole lot more.
Salt is used to dry and preserve foods, to keep germs from corrupting those foods.
We need God in our lives for the same reason, to protect and preserve us against the corruption surrounding us.
Without God, corruption comes in and corrupts everything very quickly!
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 1782
Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Some people seem to think Christians should never say anything unless it is meek, quiet and unconfrontational!
Jesus’ example was certainly different to that at times and this verse hints at why.
Whilst we should always show grace and mercy, having a bit of saltiness will make people stop and listen to what we have to say.
Be polite – but be heard!
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 1929
Deuteronomy 6:7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
When is the best time to tell people about God? Always!
Does that sound scary? Well it probably would be if you were thinking about going out and doing it once a week or something; but when you make it a part of your life it becomes exactly that.
Being a Christian should mean living the life of a Christian at all times; openly showing people you are a Christian.
People, especially family and friends, notice when you act differently to other people and they will want to know why…
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
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Psalm 145:4 One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.
One of the most important parts of being a Christian is probably to tell your family about God.
Does that sound scary? Does it sound hard? Do you have family who are against Christ?
Focus on who comes after you – your children or those in your family who are younger than you; they may well be the ones who are more willing to listen first!
But don’t sit there and not tell anybody about your Awesome God!
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
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Psalm 145:12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendour of your kingdom.
Why should we say good things about our God? How else are people going to hear about God unless we talk about him?
We get to know of all the good things about God as we grow up with Him in our lives; that good news needs to be spread to other people so they will be encouraged to find out more for themselves.
There is no end to the good God has done for us all, so there should be no end to the good things we can tell others about God!
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 1899
Job 36:24 Remember to extol his work, which people have praised in song.
Even though Elihu was placing the blame for what happened in Job’s court, he did say some good things too.
The people around us may not say the things we want to hear, but we should listen to what they say and discern what is right and wrong.
But, as ambassadors for God, we should always aim to spread the truth alone because it is what people will hear.
Support what God says through your actions and your words together.
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 1890
Psalm 8:3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
It does not take a rocket scientist to see the beauty and splendour of the universe; in fact, they may take far too an objective view on things!
David did stop and look at the world around him at times, and when he did, he knew God was behind this great design!
Stop for a moment are really look at what is around you. Look further and see what is there. Look out to the stars and imagine what is out there.
This is what God has created for us to live within…
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 1955
2 Chronicles 33:3 He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them.
When Manasseh became king, he was only 12 years old. I don’t think he had much chance against the people guiding him at the time, and that was the people around him and not God!
He seemed to go out of his way to rebuild all the evil his father had got rid of; that really does sound like a lot of people wanting to do their own things instead of doing God’s will.
Sound pretty much like what many people of this world are like today – they are going after their own desires instead of listening to truth and wisdom from God.
He will be angered!
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 1892
1 Corinthians 15:41 The sun has one kind of splendour, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendour.
How do we know who to follow in life? There are so many stars and so many who say we should follow them!
Well, we can follow earthly stars because they do often give us something to look up to and aim for in our lives, but we don’t have to worship them!
God alone requires and deserves our true worship; others on earth are asking you to worship them to lift themselves up.
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 1927
Matthew 2:2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
We like to uphold stars in our lives, whether they be entrepreneurs, sports people, artists or even stylists.
A star has become synonymous with something to follow…
But the reasons why we follow certain stars in our lives should be brought into question. Are we following them because of what they do, what we would like in our lives or what they stand for?
God wants us to follow Him because it is the right thing to do and so we can be safe in His arms; He does His best for us when we are closest to Him!
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 1842
Luke 8:14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
I still find it amazing how Jesus talked so much about the things in life which trap us into false security and tempt us away from Him, and yet we all still do it!
This life is the only life we do have on earth and if we do not spend it wisely, we may well start to regret things and get trapped into a spiral of worrying more than we can raise our heads above.
That is similar to these words used here by Jesus; we need to allow His words to guide us no matter where we are in our lives.
Don’t allow the world to take God out of your life because you are in control of Him in your life.
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 1791
Luke 21:34 Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.
When Jesus was warning people of the time when He would return He made sure they understood it would be like a thief coming in the night – totally unexpected!
We tend to get involved with the world around us and often lose sight on what is important because of the pressures of events and others in our lives.
Don’t lose focus on God, because He wants us to be ready for that day when it comes so we will not be left behind to clear up a mess.
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 1813
Luke 21:16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.
When Jesus was talking about the end of times, He used fairly strong words warning of betrayal and fighting on all fronts.
What He is trying to get over is that we cannot depend on this earth to give us the truth; the truth only comes from God.
Our earthly friends and family will probably let us down at some stage in our lives, but God is not going to. Yes, we may let Him down, but He will never let us down!
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 1841
Philippians 1:17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.
How do you use the gospel? Is it a weapon, a pacifier, a rule book or a bit of a guideline? Well, it’s kind of all of that and more! But it is not a single one of them! It’s a combination…
Our bibles have so much in them which we need to know about in order to understand our God; without the gospel we are just passing on our own take of the story.
It is important to go back to what is written down and use it to tell people about God and help them to understand Him so they too can love Him.
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 1805
Philippians 1:15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
How did you first hear about Jesus? Did someone tell you of this God who would destroy things if they were wrong, or did someone tell you about a God who loves absolutely everything?
Well, we all have our own personal opinions of God, but His word actually holds the truth – not us.
How we go about telling others is going to reflect on us and on God. We could go around blaming everyone who is doing anything wrong, or we could go around telling people to do absolutely anything because God still loves them… neither are what God tells us!
God does love everyone; He also expects others who say they love Him to behave like it!
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- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 1919
1 Corinthians 13:8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
But let us never forget we do need love to make things happen in our lives. We could be abounding in faith, but, without love, we would not know what to do with it!
Love is the thing Jesus focused on too, telling people it was the most important thing in their lives; without it, people are just separate people.
But, with love, people become communities and communities become congregations and that is how the church is expanded!