Devotion Thoughts - 05/07/2011

1 Chronicles 1:1-54. 1 Chronicles 2:1-17

'Adam, Sheth, Enosh ... (1.1) ... [to] ... David ...' (2.15).

This is part of the genealogy of Jesus from Adam to King David. Because the genealogical records of the Jews were destroyed when Titus conquered Jerusalem in 70 A.D., there is no certainty about who the descendants of Aaron are who had the responsibility for offering the sacrifices on behalf of the people. But the genealogy of Jesus, a descendant of King David, is known. In place of the Temple sacrifices annually on the Day of the Atonement, Jesus was sacrificed on a cross on Calvary's hill, a sacrifice that is totally efficacious forever for every Believer. Never again does a sacrifice have to be made for atonement for sin!

Acts 23:11-35

'... the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome' (v.11).

God had a plan for Paul's life, just as He has for every Believer. To be a winner in God's plan we must surrender our plans and wills to Him. Of course He might choose to use our plans, but He is just as likely to set us off in a whole new direction. That is why we must not insist in God using 'our' plans. In the long term, the benefits from serving God are far greater than what we, with our limited resources, can gain by our efforts.

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Devotion Thoughts - 28/05/2011

2 Samuel 13:1-39
Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab... a very subtle man (v.3).
In many situations where an answer is sought, there are those who can think up what are thought of as good solutions. Jonadab was such a man; he suggested a plan for Amnon. However, his plan was not from God and had an unhappy outcome.
We must always look to God for guidance when the way forward seems unclear.
John 17:1-26
As Jesus prayed He lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You in return (v.1) I don't pray that You should take [My disciples] out of the world, but that You should keep them from evil (v.15). Nor do I pray for [My disciples] only, but also for those who will believe in me through their witness (v.20).
Jesus was serious in His praying for His disciples, and for the spiritual descendants who came to Christ through them, right down to today's Believers. There are many powerful thoughts in this chapter, of which I have selected three:
1. The glory that Jesus was looking forward to was not just what He would have once back in heaven, but included the opportunity to go to the cross in obedience to His Father's desire to make a way of salvation for mankind (v.1). (Wow, Lord!)
2. In the world evil abounds, but Believers will only grow spiritually by staying in the world and overcoming evil with the Father's help, just as Jesus did (v.15).
3. We Believers must be eternally thankful that Jesus thought about us, too, when He prayed (v.20).
Psalm 119:81-96
O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven for ever (v.89). I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have made me alive (v.93).
Jesus said heaven and earth would pass away but not His word (Luke 21:33). The psalmist was inspired to have realised that God's spoken words are far more permanent than the somewhat solid-looking universe we inhabit! Let us heed the word of Jesus as we have them in the New Testament.
Proverbs 16:6,7
(v.6) By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. (v.7) When a man's ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Just for a change I am using the Good News Bible for their rendering of these two verses. I have often made good use of this translation. Anyone who wants to really get to grips with what the Bible is about will find this translation easy reading, much like a novel. If you have the time, reading through in a week will jumpstart your Bible knowledge!
v. 6. Be loyal and faithful, and God will forgive your sin. Obey the LORD and nothing evil will happen to you.
v.7. When you please the LORD, you can make your enemies into friends.

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Devotion Thoughts - 26/05/2011

2 Samuel 9:1-13

David asked if there were any of Saul's family left so that he could show kindness to them for Jonathan's sake (v.1). {My paraphrase}.

Having promised Jonathan that he would show kindness to his descendants (1 Samuel 20:14,42), David did so once he was established in his kingdom. He was a man who kept his promises, which is according to God's description of him as 'a man after my own heart'. God expects us to keep the promises we make in life.

2 Samuel 10:1-19

David went to meet [his envoys] for they felt greatly ashamed of their treatment, and he told them to remain in Jericho until their beards had grown and they felt comfortable about returning home (v.5).

This is another incident that confirms that David was a thoughtful man. Having been embarrassed by their treatment at the hands of the Ammonites, David went personally to comfort them, and told them to stay in Jericho until they were ready to return home. It was this sort of conduct that made David popular with his people.

2 Samuel 11:1-27

When the mourning period was over, David sent for [Bathsheba]. She became his wife, and bare him a son. But what he had done displeased the LORD (v.27).

What a blemish on David's character! We have been reading about David being a man of his word and very thoughtful of others. Now, however, we find him concealing his adultery by arranging for the murder of the husband! Of course God was displeased, and was not going to allow David to get away with it.

We all commit sin! Fortunately our wonderful God does not write us off or stop using us for His service. However, sin always has consequences. The son born to David and Bathsheba from the adulterous relationship died, as God had said he would. But we can be encouraged in that God did not hold their sin against them forever. After losing the son born of their adultery, their next son, Solomon, became king, even though he was not the oldest of David's sons.

Psalm 119:49-64

Remember Your word to me, Your servant, by which You caused me to hope. It comforts me in my affliction, for that word from You inspired me (vv.49,50).

When God called me into full-time ministry He did so by using certain verses of Scripture. Through the years those verses have kept me on track, helping me to remember that I am a servant of the Lord. At times when I have not seen the purpose in some of the things that happened in my life, those verses assured me that God would work things out in my life; all I had to do was be a faithful servant.
If God has given you messages of hope, trust them. Like a spiritual life belt, they will keep you afloat until the Lord lifts you out of the stormy waves of doubt and confusion.

Proverbs 16:1-3

Commit your works to the LORD, then what you have envisioned will happen (v.3). {My paraphrase}.

First, the Lord lays on our hearts certain things He wants us to do. We spend time praying over them, and getting some clarity about how they can become reality. The next stage is to let the Lord know that you are ready to proceed, and how you plan to proceed, and pray for Him for the means to complete the thing planned. God then makes it become a reality.
It really is that simple, but sometimes our faith is tested while we wait for God to act!

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Devotion Thoughts - 20/05/2011

1 Samuel 26:1-25

David said to Abishai, "Don't harm him. No one can touch the Lord's anointed and be guiltless" (v.9). "The LORD forbid that I should harm His anointed, but take his spear and flask of water, and let us go" (v.11). (My paraphrase).

I believe that every saint of God, that is, every one who has received cleansing from sin by having them washed away in the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, has been anointed by having the presence of Almighty God in his heart. It is true that many believers do not experience an outpouring of His power through their lives, limiting God's use of them by a lack of expectation. Nevertheless, they are anointed, and those who dare to harm any believer will, sooner or later, be dealt with by God. Hopefully they become believers themselves, but if not, they will know the severity of God's displeasure.

1 Samuel 27:1-12

"David said in his heart, I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul; : there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines" (v.1).

There are times when even the most fervent of believers tires of daily battles for survival, and looks for an escape. Weary of being chased by Saul, David goes to live amongst his enemies, the Philistines. With a 'friend' like Saul, he saw no problem with this arrangement.

Usually David asked God for guidance before making any moves, but on this occasion there is no mention of such a request. He seems to have made the decision to move 'in his heart', that is, on his own. This does happen to believers; it's as if they don't ask for guidance because they think that either God is not going to help, or will expect them to continue struggling. They think they have found a solution themselves. Fortunately, God is aware when we do not mean to rebel. Knowing what the future holds, He will use our deviations to teach us lessons that bring about a return to His will.

Thank You, Father, for Your understanding!

1 Samuel 28:1-25

Then said Samuel, "... the LORD has left you and become your enemy" (v.16).

For our faith in God to be effective for our guidance it needs to be consistent. We can see that this was not the case with Saul. He starts off well enough, then disobeys some of God's commands given through Samuel. Then, after the slaying of Goliath, comes his blessings upon David. But when the people began to praise David more than they did Saul, he became jealous, and his vendetta against David took off. After the Spirit of the Lord departed from him, Saul became unpredictable. He killed off the priests of God, yet prayed for blessings on those who served him well; he rid the land of sorcerers and mediums, yet sought one when his prayers to God were not being answered. He was like a yo-yo!

When believers are in trouble their ways can be like those of Saul. Then it is time to turn humbly to God again, confess their sins and start from square one with the buildup of their faith. It is important to approach God humbly, placing no reliance on previous service for God or knowledge of the Bible. We must see ourslves as 'new' believers, just beginning to learn how to walk with God. When we approach Him in sincerity and with purposeful intent to serve Him, He will give us guidance. Believe me; I have been there!

It's like someone who has had an accident, broken legs and bones, and has to learn to walk and function normally again.

John 11:1-53

Jesus said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby" (v.4).
Jesus said, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he dies, is still alive, for whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (vv.25,26). (My paraphrase).
Jesus wept (v.35).

Normally I select one thought from a passage to chew on (we are to feast on the Bread of Life!), but I just had to dwell on these three thoughts:

• 1. Our lives - through sickness or trials, as well as when things go well - are intended to glorify God, in this way glorifying Jesus. I cannot express it better than in these beautiful words from Annie Johnson Flint, who suffered with an incurable illness:
  He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
  He sendeth more strength as our labours increase.
  To added afflictions He addeth His mercy.
  To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.
• 2. It is not enough to know that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. If we believe this, then we must show the proof by living these words out in our lives.
• 3. 'Jesus wept'? Does it not surprise you that Jesus, Almighty God, Who had the power to raise the dead, should weep? After all, He knew He was going to raise Lazarus to life!
  Well, Jesus was not weeping over the death of Lazarus; He wept for He empathised with the pain and hurt that was felt by Lazarus' family and friends. Know this: when we have lost someone we love, Jesus weeps for our pain and sorrow, and prays for strength for us from His privileged position at the right hand of God (Hebrews 4:15; 8:1).

All of this adds up to believers having a wonderful Saviour and Friend.

Psalm 117:1-2

O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.

These verses are at the midpoint of the Bible. I see this as a reminder that whatever in life has gone before, and whatever lies ahead, we must make it our business to praise the Lord!

Proverbs 15:22-23

22. Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.

Those who go through life trusting only in their own reasoning might do well enough, but will not achieve the greater success that will come from having access to the wisdom of many other counsellors.

23. A man feels satisfaction from his own good counsel, and a timeous word of wisdom gives much pleasure. (My paraphrase).

As a counsellor for others, it feels wonderful when God inspires us to give sound advice that we know will greatly benefit those we are counselling.

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Devotion Thoughts - 18/05/2011

1 Samuel 22:1-23

David went to Mizpeh of Moab and asked the king of Moab, "Please allow my father and mother to live with you until I know what God will do for me..." (v.22:3)

Here is the secret of David's success: whatever he had to do he first asked God for guidance. This is apparent throughout the record of his life. God appreciates it when we defer to Him, and willingly responds to our humble requests for His help.

1 Sam 23:1-29

Saul was on this side of the mountain, David and his men on the other side. David made haste to get away, for Saul and his men surrounded David and his men and were about to capture them (v.23:26). But a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Come quickly! The Philistines have invaded the land!" (v.23:27). (My paraphrase).

We don't always notice when God is busy in our lives, but He is - all the time! Saul was about to capture David, but God had already set in motion the Philistine invasion which prompted the message that caused Saul to return home. It might appear that the messenger arrived 'at the last minute', but God has everything well timed.

When it seems that God is not going to rescue us we must not fall into despair, for God says: 'It will happen that before they [His people] finish praying I will respond' (Isaiah 65:24).

If you are busy doing what you know God wants you to do, then believe that His answer is on the way. He never neglects obedient servants!

John 10:1-21

'I came that they might have life, abundant life!' (v.10). (My paraphrase).

If we focus only on the financial or the physical, we might not agree that we have 'abundant' life. There is not doubt that, compared with many wealthy non-believers, believers generally do not have much by way of material good. But that is not the reason we became believers. We are believers because we accept that Jesus died to take away our sins, cleansing us so that we are eligible to live in God's heaven.

I believe that the 'abundant life' applies to life on earth and then in heaven. The cause of problems on earth is about our perceptions of what life should be made up of. If we believe that 'abundance' is about material wealth and we are poor, then we will believe that we do not have 'abundance'.

But if we think of wealth in terms of the spiritual, then having God in our lives will be more important to us than anything else in the world; we will believe we have abundant life when Almighty God lives in our hearts. Then the closer we walk with God the more we see ourselves as enjoying abundant life.

Psalm115:1-18

They that make [idols] are like them; so is every one that trusts in them (v.8).
You who fear the LORD, trust the LORD: he is their help and shield (v.11).

The psalmist gives a description of the man-made idols: they don't speak, see, hear, smell, or feel, nor are they mobile. In short, they are totally useless, unable to help in any situation. That is in stark contrast to the Lord, Who helps and protects those who trust in Him.

Who makes idols these days? Other than Islam, most non-Christian religions make what God described as 'graven images' and bow down to them (Exodus 20:4,5). However, not all idols are visible images. Some idols take the form of wrongful desires (Colossians 3:5), or attitudes such as rebellion against God, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge His right to be honoured as the Creator. Because they have rejected God and His word, He is going to reject them at the Judgment (1Samuel 15:23).

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Devotion Thoughts - 07/05/2011

1 Samuel 1:1-28. 1 Samuel 2:1-21
We should not wait for confirmation before believing. Our faith, in itself, is evidence of our belief and expectations (Hebrews 11:1).
Samuel's parents, Hannah and Elkanah, were a God-honouring couple. When Eli the High Priest told her her petition would be granted she did not doubt. In due course she had Samuel, which means 'Because I asked him of the Lord'. She did not forget to thank God for answered prayer (21:1-10).
Being a priest did not guarantee that Eli's sons grew up to honour God. Children must be TAUGHT to worship and respect God (Proverbs 22:6). Samuel was taught by the example set by his parents.

John 5:1-23
In 'The Practice of the Presence of God', Brother Lawrence tells of his daily chats with God amidst the mundane things of life such as preparing food and cleaning up the kitchen. It was a routine thing for him, the result of a deliberate plan to talk to God every day, something we can all do.
Here's a suggestion:
List what you are going to do (the Lord's Prayer is a helpful guide). Start with praise and worship of God, then your list of prayer requests. These must include a daily surrender of your will to God, confession of sins and asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into a life of purity and victory.
Follow a systematic daily Bible reading programme (I use my favourite translation of the One Year Bible on which I base my comments). Ask the Holy Spirit to help you grasp the essential theme of each reading; write it down in a daily journal.
Don't expect everyone to gain what you have from each reading. Jesus, the Son of God, was crucified for His perfectly correct teachings!

Psalm 105:37-45
When God blesses He does so abundantly (v.37). He caused the Egyptians to push the Hebrew slaves out, but not empty-handed (Exodus 3:20-22). We must make a practice of believing that God is in control of our affairs (tell Him that you believe it to be so) and He will see to it that we do not go short. It is a great way of life!

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Devotion Thoughts - 27/04/2011

Judges 7:1-25


'You have too many men!' Most men would have been nervous if told that just when they were preparing to go into battle against an army so large that 'they were thick as locusts'. We prefer to have the visible odds stacked in our favour. But Gideon had already learned that the invisible God was with him and had already promised him victory, and so did not argue. We too have been promised a victorious Christian walk. Paul experienced it, and so could write 'I can achieve all my goals through Christ Who helps me' (Philippians 4:13 - my words). Go for it!

Judges 8:17


Allow God to guide in every situation we face, for we do not know the best way to go. Sometimes we need to be diplomatic (vv.1-3); at other times we must take a firm stand (v.7), perhaps with a tad less harshness than Gideon contemplated! (Remember James and John, the sons of thunder who wanted to wipe out a Samaritan village? Only later did they learn what love was about!).


As a young person I thought I knew all the answers. The older I get the more I realise how wrong I was. Now I know there is no shame in asking advice of others with experience and wisdom. I do not have to slavishly follow their advice, but they provide me with more options to think about.

Luke 23:13-43


Those who ask why God allows pain and suffering into the world are asking the wrong Person. They must ask the religious leaders, the scribes and priests, why they chose that an innocent Man suffer, and a murderer be released. Their choices are indicative of the kind men have been making since Adam's day. Injustice does not emanate from God, but from men who allow evil to reign and good to perish. As for God, He saw His own Son suffer sacrificially for the sins of others, but He allowed it so that men might choose to have their sins washed away and spend eternity with Him.

Psalm 97:1-12, Psalm 98:1-9


The psalmist waxes lyrical in praise of God - and so should we, for He enjoys our praise, just as any earthly father enjoys expressions of appreciation from his children for what he means to them. I nearly wrote 'for God is human'. Of course He is divine, but just as we can love because God is love, so we can be 'human' because God, through Jesus, experienced our humanity.

Proverbs 14:7-8


This also holds good about people who lie; they shall not be found in heaven (Revelation 21:8). Of course there are those who once told lies - just as there are those who stole, murdered, practised homosexuality etc. - who have had all their sins washed away in the blood of the Lamb. They are regarded as sinless by God, Who has cast their washed away sins as far from Himself as possible.

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Devotion Thoughts - 12/04/2011

Joshua 5:1-15


Circumcision was a reminder of God's covenant; this sign had to be on all the males before the people entered the Promised Land. They honoured God by their obedience, so He honoured them by causing the Amorite kings to be afraid upon hearing about the great things He had done for the people.


A good way to remember the great things God can do for us is by reading our Bibles and memorizing verses that have special meaning for us!


Joshua 6:1-27


Marching around a city to make its walls collapse doesn't seem possible. Sometimes we do feel that way about some things we believe God is asking us to do; if that is how His blessings will be ours then why argue with Him? 'With God all things are possible' should be our motto.


Joshua 7:1-15


John Donne coined the phrase, 'No man is an island unto himself'. Whatever we do impacts on someone somewhere. This chapter details how one Israelite man's covetousness led to defeat and death for others, including his own family. Just because God is not visible does not mean that He does not see my secret activities. With the wicked, God either acts against them immediately or leaves it until the Judgment Day.


It is a different story with believers; He always acts in this life, sometimes immediately, sometimes taking longer.


Luke 15:1-32


Jesus' parables provide clues as to how God feels regarding certain issues. In this parable about the lost sheep, Jesus reminds us that God (in heaven) rejoices when a lost sinner repents and returns to Him. He does not rejoice alone - He wants the whole of Creation to share His joy! This is borne out in Phil 1:6 and 2:13 where God is active in our lives, 'cleaning out the mess so that He can bless' (one of my poetic lines), making us pure, holy people by the time Judgment takes place. The Parable of the Prodigal Son supports this idea. Only when he had lost everything is the prodigal ready to return humbly to his father. The father is cognisant of the sons remorse; that is all the prodigal needed to do to obtain forgiveness. God is always keen to cleanse away our bad habits, and will leave us wallowing in the results of our sin until we repent and return to Him!


Psalm 81:1-16


We actually encourage ourselves when we sing God's praises. The psalmist believes we have good reason to praise God: in heaven, all the trials of this life will be over; God will have defeated His (and our) enemies; and we will forever be enjoying the good life prepared by God for us.


Proverbs 13:1


It is almost impossible to get dogmatic, self-opinionated people to admit they are wrong about certain issues. It is a sign of immaturity, accompanied by an unwillingness to accept instruction or correction. This was the attitude of the scribes, Pharisees and Sanhedrin towards Jesus.

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Devotion Thoughts - 11/04/2011

Joshua 3:1-17


We have not passed through life before (v.4); but our God knows the past, present and future. The best thing we can do for ourselves is to leave our future in His hands, and become seekers after sanctification (v.5). Whatever obstacles lie ahead (v.15) God will take care of them, making a way through life for us.


Joshua 4:1-24


It is helpful to have reminders about the wonderful things Almighty God has done for us (v.5-7). That was the idea behind the magnificent cathedrals with spires that pointed to heaven.


I can rightly expect the Lord to 'dry up' the problem rivers along my life's journey, provided I am following the road He has told me to.


Luke 14:7-35


If I am smart I will be the least in any company I am with. That way, I imitate my Saviour Who made Himself the least amongst His disciples by washing their feet (John 13:5). I see that God loves the humble, but rejects the arrogant and haughty (v.11). By extrapolation, I should rather give food to those in poor circumstances than throw a feast for my rich friends and neighbours to impress them. They cannot reward me in eternity, but God can and will reward me at the Judgment for caring about those who can't pay me back.


The rest of the chapter is about using God's type of common sense. Humbling myself and looking after the needy is what He regards as a common sense lifestyle! (See also: 1Peter 5:6).


Psalm 80:1-19


Asaph (the writer) acknowledges that God has the right to punish the people for their sin. He ends with the request that God step in and 'turn' the people [back to Himself] again. If we know that we have sinned and are in trouble with God, then the smartest thing we can do is ask Him to help us get back on track. He will do that gladly!


Proverbs 12:27-28


Do you want to live forever? Then live for God!

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Devotion Thoughts - 31/03/2011

Deut 16:1-22


The Passover: the symbolism of the Passover was extremely important for the people to remember. It was to remind them of the time when, while slaves in Egypt, the Angel of Death flew over the houses. Those that had the blood of the sacrificial splashed on the doorposts were safe from death; those that did not, suffered the death of the eldest son. This prefigured the shedding of the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, on Calvary. Those washed in the blood of the Lamb (as in Rev 7:14) will be safe from the spiritual death (separation from God in eternity) that will be the lot of those who reject Jesus as Saviour and Lord.


Also mentioned are two other feasts that were required to be kept:

• Feast of Weeks - celebrating the harvest the Lord has blessed them with


• Feast of Booths - remembering the time when the nation dwelt in tents in their wanderings in the desert. (Leviticus 23 has the complete list).

At these feasts, gifts were given according as the giver was able to. Just and impartial judges and officers were to be appointed, and, once again, the people are reminded to avoid idol worship.

Deut 17:1-20


God does not want second rate sacrifices or service; and He alone is to be worshipped. Those who broke this law were to be put to death. Whilst, in our day, we are not likely to be stoned to death if we do not honour God, it is certain that at the Judgment the same assessment as to whether or not we have honoured or dishonoured God will kick in. The criterion will be: did we honour Jesus by appreciating that His death on the cross was for us, and accept Him as our Sinbearer and Saviour? Or did we not believe in what He did for us and so have dishonoured Him? (Obeying or disobeying the Ten Commandments will also indicate whether or not our lives have honoured God). Rules were also made for a king in the event that the people chose to have one.


This reminds me of the saying, 'There is nothing new under the sun' (see Ecclesiastes 1:9). Basically, God's laws have not changed since Creation. To every generation has come the warning to honour God or pay the price. Those who disobeyed under the Old Testament dispensation died immediately (usually stoning), undoubtedly followed by eternal spiritual death. In the Christian era those who have disobeyed (rejected) God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ will be sentenced to eternal spiritual death at the Judgment.

Luke 9:7-27


Many, including King Herod, wondered who Jesus was. The preaching of the twelve would have attracted a lot of attention. At Bethsaida Jesus was healing and teaching when night was falling. When the disciples came with a logical request - that Jesus send the crowds away so that they can get food for themselves - He challenged them to take the task upon themselves. I believe that Jesus often challenges us to undertake a seemingly impossible task and, like the disciples, we choose to think logically and decide it can't be done. What this means is that we never learn the power of God to help His obedient children through impossible situations successfully and so never learn to rejoice in the power of God at work in our lives. As the saying goes: 'Nothing ventured; nothing gained'.


Moses was told to lead over two million people into the desert, an illogical task if ever there was one. Logistically, even for just one month, there would never be enough food and water for such a large group. But he had learned to obey God and to expect miracles from Him, so he led the people out of Egypt, and God saw to their needs, not just for a few days or weeks, but for forty years! Only by walking with God can we discover what He is able to do; it is a learning experience that develops with commitment to His leading.


Luke mentions the incident where, in answer to Jesus' question, Peter answers that He is 'The Christ of God'. There is no space here to discuss this description except to say that it was never intended that Peter be recognised as the 'rock' on which the church was to be built. All I want to say is that 'Jesus the Christ, the Son of God', is the One on Whom the church will be built.


As for the 'keys to the kingdom', it does not violate the sense of the verse (Matthew 16:18-19) to accept that it was all of the disciples (and their spiritual descendants) who would hold the keys. No New Testament writer credits Peter with having special jurisdiction over them. We must take care to not build our beliefs on isolated verses that are interpreted in a way that does not find support in the light of the rest of scripture.


I once heard this saying: 'To follow Jesus does not take much of a man; but it does take all there is of him'. Very true!

Psalm 72:1-20


'Justice' for the king? 'Righteousness' to the royal son? Have you ever wondered why Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, went off the rails? David possibly prayed this prayer because he could see looming problems for Solomon and his son, Rehoboam, once they ascended the throne. Why should that have been?


Let us look at some of the verses we read earlier in Deuteronomy 17:16-20. Obviously Solomon did not bother with his copy of the law (v.18-20), for he had many horses and wives (1 Kings 11:3), as well as huge amounts of gold and silver (1 Kings 10:21-22). With such blatant disobedience towards God's word by the father, Solomon, we could expect the same from the son, Rehoboam.


As always, after praying for his son and nation, the aging David ends with grateful praise to the God he had worshipped from when he was still a young shepherd boy.

Prov 12:8-9


There are two lessons here:

• A community will readily detect a man with sense and reject one who is warped in his thinking.


• A community will also know who is well-to-do and who is not, in spite of the appearance of each individual.

The lesson for us is: 'Don't pretend to be what you are not'.

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Devotion Thoughts - 29/03/2011

Deut 11:1-32


Repeatedly Moses stresses the importance of obeying God's commands; we do well to pay attention! To put it in modern parlance: 'obey and be blessed, or disobey and be bashed!' God's great power means He knows everything about every person; whether to bash or bless. Moses was speaking to those who have seen God's mighty deeds (how else can you describe the feeding of over two million people for forty years without any crops being planted and no infrastructure to get food to everybody?) at first hand (v.7), so should have been able to expect obedience. But he knew that the people were prone to disobedience. Although all they had to do in return for land and blessing was to obey God, they still failed once in the land. The wearing of certain items denoting their faith in God was meant to encourage obedience.

Deut 12:1-32

Again the rules and regulations were explained to the people. The most important one was that only God was to be obeyed. Anything to do with the worship of idols was to be destroyed. God was going to tell them where they were to offer sacrifices to Him; no where else would do. (This culminated on the building of the Temple in Jerusalem, the only place where God accepted sacrifices; only fellowship offerings could be eaten in the towns and villages.)


God's laws were never to be altered by addition or deletion. Jesus found the scribes and Pharisees disobediently 'interpreting' God's laws in whatever way suited them, changing what God intended into what man wanted.

Luke 8:22-39


When Jesus stilled the storm the disciples were stunned. After all, they did not expect that the rabbi Who called them to follow Him was no ordinary man. But Jesus' words: 'Where is your faith?' (v.25) implies that the disciples could have performed the same miracle. How? By believing implicitly that God would answer their prayers. Having laid His glory and power aside when He became a Man for a season, Jesus demonstrated through His life how we are to live lives of faith in God. He did not use any personal divine powers during His earthly ministry. To do His miracles He used the same tools - faith, prayer, belief in the Father's power, and spiritual gifts - as are available to all believers!


In the same way as He stilled the waves, Jesus drove the demons out of the demented man. It is sad that the people of that region preferred to have their pigs back than have Jesus dwell amongst them. However, the formerly demented man was left to witness to the healing power of Jesus. Telling others about the wonderful things God has done for us is what witnessing is about!

Psalm 70:1-5


In the midst of his petitions for God to help him against his enemies, David finds time to praise God before continuing with his appeal. We, too, must not dwell only on our needs, but make a point of praising God for Who He is.

Prov 12:4


An 'excellent wife' will please her husband, but a wife who shames her husband hurts him far more than merely superficially.

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POEM : You Are Special

I have written a number of poems, some of which have been published in South Africa and overseas. Earlier this year, at the urging of family and friends, I compiled a collection of Christian poems in an anthology entitled 'You are Special'. The anthology takes its name from the first poem in it, the one below. I hope you are blessed by it. Permission is given for it to be used in church bulletins etc as long as it is not charged for, and credit is given to me as the composer.



'And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand'. (Revelation 8:3,4)

YOU ARE SPECIAL!

When life is like a desert
And praying seems in vain,
It is so hard to praise God
And wait for heaven’s rain.
But hang in there, believer,
For God is never slow
To send those healing showers
That make your spirit grow!

For He knows what is needed
To make your faith mature;
By trusting Him through hardships
You’ll learn how to endure!
Just think of Job’s great anguish,
Unable to conceive
Why he should be the target
Of trials that made him grieve.

And what of Moses? Waiting
Through forty long, long years
A-wand’ring through a desert
Before God’s voice he hears?
Think, too, of brave Elijah
Who cracked, and swiftly ran
When Jezebel would slay him
Because he was God’s man!

There are so many others,
God’s heroes who once failed
But, by God’s mighty power,
Triumphantly prevailed!
So do not be disheartened,
God knows your heart today,
And all that you are needing
He’ll surely send your way.

So thank Him for your trials
For they are for your good.
Just wait on Him for guidance
As all God’s children should.
And do expect those showers,
For they are sure to come.
From time to time you’ll have them
Along your pathway home!
…………