Devotion Thoughts - 25/06/2011

2 Kings 9:14-37. 2 Kings 10:1-31
The LORD said to Jehu, "You have done well. ... You destroyed Ahab's family the way I wanted you to... " (10:30)...But Jehu was not careful to follow the law of the LORD with all his heart. Jehu did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam that caused Israel to sin. (10:31). (ERV).

Ahab's dynasty started with murder and the usurping of the throne of Israel, and ended the same way, with Jehu wiping out Ahab's family. Ahab's family murdered the Lord's servants (9:7), and made the deliberate choice to be idol worshippers. God saw that there was no point in allowing them to continue in their evil ways.

Acts 17:1-34
God began by making one man, and from him he made all the different people who live everywhere in the world. He decided exactly when and where they would live (v26,ERV).
It is through him that we are able to live, to do what we do, and to be who we are. ...'We all come from him.' (v.28,ERV).

Having created us, God has a right to use us as He sees fit. It is up to each individual to realise this, and to make the most of the situation. Having given us His Word for our guidance, it pays us to get to know what He wants of us and to fit in with Him. And to those who give Him their all He gives His best - eternal life with Him in the wonderful new heaven and earth that will replace the spoiled earth we currently live in.

Psalm 144:1-15
LORD, why are people important to you? Why do you even notice us? (v3,ERV).

Those are interesting questions. As we read through the Bible we find the answer very simple: God made us because He wants to have fellowship with us. But because of Satan the serpent, Adam and Eve were enticed into sin, a condition inherited by their descendants, all of mankind. A holy God does not fellowship with unholy people, so God made a plan by which we can become holy: believe in Jesus for salvation and cleansing. Forgiven sins are gone forever, making us holy, and enabling God to fellowship with us. That is why we are important to Him!

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Devotion Thoughts - 14/05/2011

As from today I am going to write 'believers', that is, those who are born again through faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, as 'Believers'. Too many who claim to be Christians are not born again; in spite of 'serving' God they are going to be rejected by Him at the Judgment (Matthew 7:21-23). Believers believe that the whole Bible is the Word of God, designed to help us to honour Almighty God in thought, in word and in deed when we believe what His word says and do what He wants.

1 Samuel 15:1-35
... but Saul ... (v.9).
... to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams (v.22.) ... rebellion is as bad as witchcraft, and stubbornness is like idolatry and idols ... Because you rejected the word of GOD, He has rejected you from being king (v.23).
The warning to Saul about obedience being better than sacrifice (or religious activities) is also appropriate for Believers. We are to obey God's word to the letter and not decide for ourselves what He should have told us to do, ending up by only partially obeying Him.

1 Samuel 16:1-23
Jehovah said to Samuel, 'Don't look at his face ... or height, or size ... because I have rejected him: for ... man looks on the outward appearance, but I look on the heart'. (v.7)
God is never fooled by appearances and a glib tongue. Many will only find this out when they are rejected at His Judgment throne. Seeing as we can't ever fool God, it makes good sense to be honest with Him at all times. In my younger days I would get upset when God did not answer my prayers the way I wanted, and shouted at Him (but always apologised afterwards). I have since learned to accept His will, so now I don't shout. You could say I related to God much like I related to my earthly dad; saying how I felt, but never losing my respect for Him, which He could see in my heart.
Try being natural with God yourself; He understands very well!

John 8:1-20
But when they continued asking Him he ... said to them, He that is without sin among you, let him be the first to cast a stone at her (v.7)
It is a good idea to judge ourselves before passing judgment on others. If we can see that we are no better than others in God's eyes (and we aren't!) then we must surely want a compassionate judgment to be passed on us. And it will happen if we put into practice these words of Jesus:

'For with what judgment you judge [others], you shall be judged; how you measure others shall be used as a measure against you' (Matthew 7:2).

Psalm 110:1-7
I will make Your enemies Your footstool. (v.1)
YHWH? To 'my Lord'? Of course! The Father and Son of the Holy Trinity!
Just as God the Father looked after His Son , so He will look after us, but we must approach Him via Jesus' name. The name of Jesus is powerful with the Father! This, to the point where, in Jesus' name, we will be enabled to rule over all that comes against us (v.2).
Think on this: like any other father who wants to see his child succeed, God is longing to help us cope with the challenges of life!

Proverbs 15:8-10
The underlying message of the Bible is: those who honour God will be honoured by Him; those who dishonour Him are losers. Sometimes (v.10) it takes some serious testing and correction to get one who has strayed from God to return to Him.

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Devotion Thoughts - 01/04/2011

Deut 18:1-22


In spite of not having any land, the Levitical priests would have all their needs met, for they would receive from the offerings of the people. Again comes the reminder to not follow the sinful practices of the inhabitants of Canaan; such practices were an abomination to the Lord, which is why He was driving them out of the Promised Land. Holiness (blamelessness) is required of us.


Deut 19:1-21


Having previously set up three cities of refuge in the Israelite lands east of the Jordan, the Lord now appointed three cities of refuge in Canaan. They would benefit only those with a genuine case of accidental killing.


Luke 9:28-50


Peter, James and John were given an opportunity to see something of Jesus' glory when He was visited by Moses and Elijah. God spoke from heaven, saying how pleased He was with His Son, and that the disciples were to pay attention to what He said. Men are still required to 'pay attention' today. If they choose not to listen to Jesus they will lose out, for there is no other way to please God and make it into heaven.


That Jesus expected his disciples to be able to heal is clear. When the disciples were sent out they preached the Kingdom and healed the sick as in v.2. It seems we should all be used for healing, but somehow we don't try to. But it is not by our own power that we minister; God's power works through us. We surely can allow God to bring healing through us - if we have the faith!


We should never argue against those who serve Jesus according to His Word, even if they are not 'with us'. If God chooses to use them, so be it! I have only one question by which I can know whether or not a person is saved: 'Has that person trusted in Jesus alone for salvation?' If so, then he or she is a born again believer like me!


Psalm 73:1-28


Asaph begins by writing in appreciation about the goodness of God while very aware of his own tendency to sin. He confesses to being envious of those who are prosperous; describing their sins in graphic terms, especially of how they despise God by their attitude. He compares himself to them; of his thinking that to honour God seems futile. But then he spends some time in God's sanctuary. There, in the quietness he has time to reflect and to meet with God. It is then that he becomes aware that the prosperous people who have no time for God will lose out in the end because they have despised One Who can, and will, wipe them out. He then realises that his own thinking about wasting time in worship was ridiculous and ignorant. Once again he acknowledges that God is his all-sufficiency, and will look after him until he goes to heaven.


We are often tempted to think wrong thoughts about God over such earthly issues as material blessings. The trick is to remember that we are passing through this world, and will not be able to take anything from it when we go to heaven.

Prov 12:10


The wicked have no love for their fellow men. The evil leaders of many nations are not slow to torture and kill those who oppose them. As for the righteous, not only do they care for their fellow men but they are also thoughtful towards their animals.

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MM 1: Is it possible to understand the Bible without the Holy Spirit’s guidance?

Some relevant scripture verses [given in my words for greater clarity].
John 1:12 To as many as received Him [Jesus, as Saviour and Lord] He gave the authority to become the children of God, to all who believe on His name.

John 3:6-7 Flesh produces flesh; only the Spirit can give birth to spirit [in believers]… So you must not be surprised by Me [Jesus] saying to you that you must be ‘born again’ [i.e. born of the Spirit].

Galatians 4:6 Because you have become sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, so now you can call Him [God] ‘Abba’, which means ‘Father’!

Romans 8:9 You, however, are not [i.e. no longer] of the flesh but under the control of the Spirit [ever] since God's Spirit lives in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ [living in him], he does not belong to Him [God].

John 16:3. However, when the Spirit of truth [another name for God’s Holy Spirit] enters your heart He will guide you into all truth [about the Bible, God, Jesus etc].

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture [not just selected parts] is inspired by God and is useful for teaching doctrine, for reproving sinfulness, for correcting false teaching, and for teaching righteous living.

What these scriptures teach:
(This is actually what the Gospel – the Good News – is about!)

1. We need to become a child of God. As per John 1:12 we need to believe that Jesus came to be the Saviour of all who acknowledge that they are sinners not worthy to enter God’s Kingdom. We have already been born of the flesh; we must still be ‘born again’, this time of the Spirit, as stated in John 3:6-7.

2. Once we have confessed our sins and asked Jesus to be our Saviour we are ‘born again’. Simultaneously we become children (sons and daughters) of God. Because we are cleansed of all sin, thanks to Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary, we have become a fit temple for God’s Holy Spirit to dwell in us. From within us He becomes our Counsellor, Guide, Teacher, and Comforter, and we can call God ‘our Father’; just some of the things the Spirit does for us. That is the teaching in Galatians 4:6.

3. Some ‘Christians’, including church ministers and theologians, might try to persuade you that you don’t need to be born again to get into heaven; that to live a ‘good’ life for God is sufficient. It is not. Jesus said we must be born again for the Spirit of God to live in us. Romans 8:9 states that if the Spirit of Christ is not in us we are not children of God. Either you have the Spirit of God in you or you don’t. Make sure you are born again and have the witness of the presence of the Holy Spirit in you!
4. Once you are born again you will have the Holy Spirit living in you. He will teach you all the truth that you need to know about the Bible and its teachings. And because the Holy Spirit inspired the writing of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16) He will teach it correctly. He will never teach anything contrary to what He has inspired the writers of the Bible to write. So called ‘Christians’ who are not born again and are not led by the Spirit tend to cast aspersions on Bible teachings and live contrary to them.


SUMMARY: No one will understand God’s Word without the guidance of the Holy Spirit living in him or her.


May God help you to learn and apply these truths to your life!