Devotion Thoughts - 25/05/2011

2 Samuel 7:1-29

Nathan said to the king, Go, do everything that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you (v.3). [But] that night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying (v.4), "Tell David, when you die I will set up one of your sons (v.12), who shall build a house for my name, and I will establish his throne for your descendants forever" (v.13). David's response was ..."O Lord God, please do as You say and establish my descendants on the throne of Israel forever" (v.25). {My paraphrase}.

The fulfilment of the prophecies is one of the reasons I believe the Bible to be the Word of God. In this chapter, relating to events some 1000 years before the birth of Jesus, Nathan the prophet has a knee-jerk reaction, much like Believers, most of the time! Without first asking God for guidance, he assumes that God is happy with David and will bless everything he does, and tells David to go ahead and build the house for God. But God has other plans which He reveals to Nathan. He tells David that his descendants will sit on Israel's throne forever.

Until taken away into captivity in Babylon, the kings of Judah were descendants of David, the shepherd boy from Bethlehem. And because the genealogical records of the Jews were destroyed in 70 AD when Titus sacked Jerusalem, Jesus is the last known descendant of king David! His genealogical records are written in the New Testament. Yes, there is a break in that Israel do not presently have a visible king, but Jesus has been alive all along (except for three days after Calvary), and He is going to sit on David's throne ...forever! When He, the One appointed to be King of kings and Lord of lords, returns He will not only rule Israel but all mankind ... forever!

2 Samuel 8:1-18

The LORD protected David, and gave him victory everywhere (v.14).

Strengthened and supported by God, David was unstoppable, gaining victories over all enemies along his borders. God did this so that when Solomon came to the throne there would be peace in the land, allowing him the opportunity to build the Temple.

Know this: When God has work for us to do He always prepares the way for us. So if we are facing difficulties it is because it is part of God's preparations for whatever He would have us do.

John 14:15-31

If you love me, keep my commandments (v.15).

Many claim to be in fellowship with Jesus but do not love their neighbour (Matthew 19:19), that is, they do not keep this particular command. According to Jesus, it means that they do not love Him. There are other commandments that Believers (yes, Believers) struggle to obey. Fortunately, because of His great love for us, Jesus is not going to summarily stop having fellowship with us. He will, thankfully, continue to help us to grow spiritually. But if we are to keep His commandments we must be prepared for a daily surrender of our will to Him and a commitment to ongoing spiritual growth. If we do, holiness is bound to grow in us.

Psalm 119:33-48

LORD, teach me Your statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end (v.33).

There is no way of knowing what God wants of us if we don't spend time every day reading our Bibles to find that out!

Proverbs 15:33

Through fearing the LORD we will want instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility (v.33).

Through (a healthy) fear and respect for God we seek to learn about Him so that we can please Him. Once we learn to obey God's word we will be able to instruct others.

We must be humble enough to be led by others before we can lead others well.

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Devotion Thoughts - 24/05/2011

2 Samuel 4:1-12, 2Samuel 5:1-25

David ... became powerful, for the LORD God of hosts was with him (v.10) ... and realised that the LORD had established him king over Israel and exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake (v.12). David asked the LORD, "Shall I go up to the Philistines? will You deliver them into my hand? And the LORD said to David, Go up: for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand" (v.19). David did as the LORD had commanded him; and defeated the Philistines (v.25). (My paraphrase).

Here's a clear outline of what spiritual progression should be in the life of a Believer.
v.10: On becoming a born again Believer you are aware that you are in God's powerful hands.
v.12: You realise that your life now has purpose: to bring blessing to others through service for God .
v.19: No reliance on self; only total reliance on God for direction in life. (Remember Peter? He was self-confident until he denied Jesus. We all have to learn this. John 13:37,38).
v.25: Obedience to God's will for your life as revealed in His Word and through wise guidance will bring about victorious living.

2 Samuel 6:1-23

David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of musical instruments made of fir wood, on harps, psalteries, timbrels, cornets, and cymbals (v.5)

David danced before the LORD with all his might (v.14)

Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death (v.23).

If we keep in mind that one day all the trials of life will be over and we will be rejoicing in the presence of God forever, we will find it easier to rejoice right now. Praise Him in every way that you can, particularly with music. Follow the advice given in Psalm 150 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice evermore; v.17 Pray without ceasing; v.18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

John 13:31-38

A new commandment I give you, Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another (v.34), for if you have love one for another all men shall know that you are my disciples (v.35). {My paraphrase}.

The command is simple enough to understand, but a huge ask when it comes to putting into practice. (Surely it is not only me that has discovered this?) If we get it right, people will take notice and will be born again without a word said! Actions do speak louder than words; let us not just talk the talk, but walk the walk! If you are struggling with this one don't give up wanting to get it right; keep going, while letting the Holy Spirit guide you into complete submission to God's will in every aspect of your life. There is no other way to get this right, and you will probably still be busy with it when Christ returns!

John 14:1-14

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father except by me" (v.6).

Again, the statement is simple enough for a child to understand, but those who want to find 'easier' ways to God have problems with it. Jesus preached very simply and in words easily understood, yet professors have problems with what He has said. Don't violate the clear meaning which is that you will never live in the presence of God if you try to get there by any way other than Jesus. Hoping to reach God via ancestors, good works, religious practices, singing spiritual songs, and even doing miracles, will not work.

Psalm 119:17-32

Open my eyes [understanding] that I may discover wondrous things in Your law (v.18).

We must approach God in an attitude of adoration and worship before we make any requests. In the words of Psa 19:14 - "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer". Once we have God's attention expect Him to hear us!

Proverbs 15:31-32

The ear that hears the reproof of life abides among the wise (v. 31).

He that refuses instruction despises his own soul: but he that hears reproof gets understanding (v. 32).

One day there will be the Judgment, and judgment on us will depend upon if we have wanted to enjoy God's favour or not. That, in turn, hinges on the degree to which we take care of our spiritual life. It is true that we need God's guidance in life, but there is one matter that is in our hands and not God's, and that is what we do with our lives. If we want total blessing from God we must be totally yielded to Him, a decision only we can make.

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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 - 12/05/2011

1 Samuel 12:1-25
And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand. 1Sa 12:4
How wonderful it was for Samuel to look back over the years and to know that there was not one person who could dispute his honesty. Any person alive today can be proud of such a record ... but it is not enough to get anyone into heaven! We are saved through faith, not by the works we have done for God (Ephesians 2:5,8,9). There is not a man who can say to God: 'You owe me, for I have done many good things in Your name'. God has decreed that it is only through faith in Jesus Christ that we are saved.

1 Samuel 13:1-22
But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD has sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be captain over his people, because you have not kept that which the LORD commanded you. 1Sa 13:14
If there is one thing God wants of us it is obedience to His commands. Saul was told to wait for Samuel to offer the sacrifice. But when Samuel did not come when Saul expected him Saul went ahead with the sacrifice, something he was not authorised by God to do, in spite of being the king; it cost him his kingdom.
When you are required to wait on God then wait! Thinking that you have no time to wait for God to act is foolish, arrogant, and a slight upon Him, implying that He has lost control of the situation.

John 7:1-29
Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment (7:24).
There is not a man alive, no matter how much training and study he has done, who can look at another man and know exactly what is going on in his heart and mind. Whatever assessment he comes up with will be superficial, and subject to change as more information about the subject person is discovered. Only God knows everything about a man, and He knows everything about every man, woman and child who has ever lived.
How can we judge with righteous judgment? By comparing a man's behaviour with what God has commanded in His word.

Psalm 108:1-13
Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies. Psalm 108:13.
There is something of an exultant mood expressed in this psalm, and it must have to do with the writers confidence in God's ability to help should trouble come. Believers who constantly seek after God through prayer, meditation and the reading of His word know that He is a great, big, wonderful God!

Proverbs 15:4
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
As translated in the Good News Bible: Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit.
If we are wise we will speak kindly at all times; and bite our tongue when we are about to say nasty things to others.

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Devotion Thoughts - 08/05/2011

1 Samuel 2:22-36

God said: Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Pro 22:6) . When God says 'He that spares his rod hates his son: but he that loves him chastens him when necessary' (Proverbs 13:24), then we had better believe that God knows best. Those who think corporal punishment will warp the character of the child are correct only if the rod is applied unjustly and more than necessary. When I misbehaved at school I was caned, but never told my parents, for they would have punished me as well for wasting the teacher's time! They feared God, believed His Word, and gave me a hiding when I needed it. I am glad about that!
Eli was too soft on his sons. God intended to kill Hophni and Phineas (2:25) for which their father had to share the blame (v.29); not only because 'they knew not the Lord' (v.12), but because Eli did not stop their ungodly behaviour which, in effect, made them superior to God. Jesus warned against ungodly behaviour (Matthew 18:3-7). Satan lost out for trying to be superior to God.

1 Samuel 3:1-21

Although it might not be as audible a voice as Samuel heard, God's call to His servants to give up all and follow Him is always clear. It can come through scripture repeatedly brought to mind; a challenge in a sermon; or a direct word through a fellow-believer. However the call comes, it is confirmed in one way or another. Samuel heard his call via the audible voice of God. I did not hear an audible voice but, along with repeated scripture passages, there was an inner voice telling me that God wanted me to leave my secure, well-paid job and go into full-time service for Him. I have never regretted following that call.

1 Samuel 4:1-22

There is no doubt that Eli was a godly man (v.13), fearing as he did for the safety of the ark of God. But the ark was only a symbol of the presence of God. Believers know that they have the presence in their hearts; that God goes with them everywhere they go!

John 5:24-47

This seems to contradict 2 Corinthians 5:6,8. However, a closer examination of other verses relating to the return of Jesus indicates that when we die our spirit leaves our body and enters heaven, while our bodies are buried. When Christ returns He will have the spirits of the 'dead' saints with Him. Their spirits will then join their resurrected but now incorruptible bodies (1Co 15:52) and, together with the living believers whose bodies will also be made incorruptible, will go to heaven. As for the spirits of dead unbelievers who have been sojourning in hell, a place of torment (Revelation 20:13), they will also join their resurrected bodies, but will end up in the Lake of Fire (v.29; Revelation 20:14) after Judgment.

Psalm 106:1-12

Children who have parents they love and cherish are fortunate and blessed. How much more of a privilege is it to be children of a loving God, and to offer praise to Him as our heavenly Father; to know that we are part of His family and will dwell in His house, the house of the Lord, forever! It will be ours through believing in the Lord Jesus for salvation! What's more, God is so keen to have us in His family that He is willing and waiting to adopt us as His sons and daughters!

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Devotion Thoughts - 04/05/2011

Judges 19:1-30
We can be wrong about any group of people, even those of our own people (19:12,22); the man and his concubine might have been far better off treated by 'strangers'. Never assume we know all there is to know about anyone; rather ask for God's guidance before making a decision.

Judges 20:1-48
Actions have repercussions. God commanded that there be no immoral sin in the land. Unfortunately, the Benjamites chose to defend the sin against the rest of the tribes.
It also happens in the Christian church that sins forbidden by God, such as homosexuality, are defended by some church leaders. Such sins and sinners have no place in God's kingdom, in spite of the veneer of religion and respectability church leadership might lend to it. Having said that, homosexuality is a sin like any other, and those who pick on it incessantly would do well to remember Jesus injunction:

"Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"

and:

"Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;".

John 3:22-36. John 4:1-3
When I became a Christian it was so wonderfully life-changing that all I wanted to do was talk about Jesus. But as time went by my fervour cooled, and I spoke less and less about Jesus, until eventually I stopped witnessing altogether; I had become a backslider. It was not only some six years later, after I rededicated myself to God, that I began to decrease again, allowing Jesus to increase. This time I was determined that I would be like John: 'He must increase; I must decrease' (3:30), a process that has not stopped, for which I thank God.

Psalm 104:24-35
I surely am looking forward to seeing the glory of the Lord! If I can be full of rejoicing at the albeit invisible presence of the Lord with me as I live my life on earth, then it must be far more wonderful to be in His visible presence! That is going to be something!

Proverbs 14:22-24
God will bless those who do good and punish those who do evil. This is a given, a constant that we can rely on. With God's help, let us aim to do good.

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Devotion Thoughts - 02/05/2011

Judges 15:1-20; Judges 16:1-31
(15:11) Although a physically powerful man, in twenty years of being Israel's judge (15:20) Samson had not helped them to conquer their rulers, the Philistines. He was too self-centred to realise he had responsibilities for which God had equipped him.
All believers have spiritual gifts and are given opportunities to witness. Knowing that God is waiting to use us, we should not be self-centred but yield ourselves to God, doing our best to honour Him in service.
Samuel was a glutton for punishment. Let down by a Philistine wife he still continues to seek diversion amongst them, aware that the Philistines are dying (sometimes literally!) to kill him. Relying on his own (God-given) powers, he toyed with the Philistines regarding the secret of his strength. But he was tricked, and ended up a blinded prisoner. For the first time we read of a humbled Samson praying a serious prayer to God for strength to bring down the house where he was being made sport of. God hears, and Samson is the most effective he has ever been, killing three thousand Philistines as well as himself.
Messing around with the opportunities God gives us is not a good idea. God can send us a lot of drama to get us to do His will. Rather let us surrender our will to him and humbly ask Him to use us. He sure will, and effectively, too!

John 2:1-25
Jesus began His earthly ministry in style, changing water into top quality wine! As the governor of the feast said to the groom. 'You have kept the best [wine] until last'.
Satan is not like Jesus. He is a deceiver, promising all kinds of things to those who follow him. Unfortunately for them he does not have the power to back up his promises.
Jesus, however, as the King of kings and the Lord of lords, is invested with all power; He is able to keep all His promises written in His Word. And what He will do for us is better than we expect, for He is keeping ' the best until last'. Now, He invites us to take up our 'cross' and follow Him. Once we have completed our earthly service, He will replace it with a crown!

Psalm 103:1-22
This is a magnificent psalm of praise to God, well worth memorising - especially the first five verses. It is helpful to memorise scripture, for we will have something the Holy Spirit can bring to mind when we need it.

Proverbs 14:17-19
One of the worst things we can do is to panic when threatened with danger. That is what training (knowledge) does for you; it prepares you to respond appropriately to a threat, enabling you to counter it, instead of reacting mindlessly or in anger and becoming a victim (v.17). This is also applicable from a spiritual perspective . Those who know they are the redeemed of the Lord are better able to stand firm in the face of attacks on their faith.

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Devotion Thoughts - 28/04/2011: Don't let success go to your head!

Judges 8:18-35


There was no doubt that God had given Gideon and his men the victory; how else to account for three hundred men defeating the huge Midianite army? God inspired the selection of the fighting men, and the methods to be used in their warfare. Total obedience brought victory.


Unfortunately, there will always be 'men of Ephraim' in our lives who want a part in any success and are upset when they are left out. Gideon played the diplomat, aware that victory was a fact and God was glorified. There are times when we can choose to react in an unpleasant way against other brethren who could have done more, but God prefers that we love them, leaving it to God to deal with them.


We must take care how we handle success; if it goes to our heads we might afterwards act without first referring to God. He had commanded that worship take place at Shiloh; Gideon thought it okay to worship at Ophrah. After his death things went badly for his children and the nation.


Some Christian ministries start well, only to lose out when their leaders stop being totally dependent upon God and obedient to His guidance.

Judges 9:1-21


Loving our relatives is one thing; acceptance of their smooth talk that leads to sin is something else. We should always be careful of who we believe, no matter the closeness of our relationship. Only God is trustworthy; He will give us needed guidance when we ask for it.

Luke 23:44-56


Joseph openly acknowledged his relationship with Jesus by going to Pilate to ask for His body. He had also stood up bravely for Jesus against the hatred of the priests (v.51), setting a wonderful example for all believers.


What if I told you that such deeds of service done for Jesus by those who are not born again believers are not acceptable to Him? Read Matthew 7:21-23. Only deeds performed according to God's will will be rewarded by Jesus. There is no way doing good deeds alone will get us into heaven; we have to go via Jesus Himself (John 3:16; John 14:6).

Luke 24:1-12


The women did not hesitate to do something good for their Lord, in spite of the difficulties they knew lay ahead. Their preparations made in faith, they went to see what could be done about the major obstacle: the huge and heavy stone covering the mouth of the grave. But God had already taken care of the problem; He had moved it out of the way!


When God lays it on our hearts to do some service for Him, we might be aware that certain obstacles are in our way, but that should not hold us back. We must prepare ourselves for service, go ahead, and see how God takes care of the obstacles. It is a great way to learn how God works in our lives!

Psalm 99:1-9


The psalmist views God as so high and holy that He is unapproachable. Thankfully, God in the form of Jesus is approachable even while He is holy! He came down to our level to make it possible, even allowing unholy men to scourge and crucify Him, a picture of God that the psalmist did not have. I am grateful that I have ready access to a warm and loving God Who willingly sacrificed Himself for my spiritual and physical well-being (Isaiah 53:5).

Proverbs 14:9-10


It amazes me that some supposedly Christian ministers do not believe men are sinners, in spite of the Bible containing verses such as Romans 3:23 - 'For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God'. Certainly they have not been led by the Holy Spirit to come to such a conclusion, for whatever the Holy Spirit teaches is in line with the Biblical record (John 14:26). It is clear, then, that such 'Christian ministers' are not born again believers, for then they would have the Holy Spirit in them, teaching them the truth. Beware of such false 'teachers' (Matthew 7:15); they will be exposed at the Judgment, too late for those they will have led astray.

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Devotion Thoughts - 21/04/2011

Joshua 22:21-34


There was almost a civil war until the situation was clarified. We must always find out the facts before we try to assess a situation. The Lord's guidance should always be invoked (v.23). Explaining our misinterpreted intentions can be an opportunity to witness for the Lord (v.34). In fact, we must use every opportunity to glorify the Lord in the presence of others.


Joshua 23:1-16


In summing up what has happened in his lifetime, Joshua takes no credit whatsoever; he gives all glory to God as follows:


The Lord fought for you (v.3). The land is allocated as promised by God; the inhabitants driven out by Him (vv.4-5).


Now it was Israel's opportunity to do something for God, namely, obey His laws. That would be the smart thing to do, because it would mean ongoing blessings (v.15a). Having seen how greatly God had blessed them, to disobey was a bad option (vv.15b-16). Surprisingly, Israel did disobey.


Luke 20:27-47


The supposedly knowledgeable Sadducees misunderstood the scripture, so Jesus enlightened them. Such people, who are supposed to know better, yet who need enlightenment, surround us. Are we able to enlighten others? We will be able to if we allow God to use us for the purpose.


In verse 38 we read that God is the God of the living. That is, from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, through David, and right up to ourselves. Believers are alive forever, for eternal life begins as soon as they are born again; the death of the body does not affect the life of the believer's spirit (2 Corinthians 5:8); we are not affected by the 'second death' (Revelation 20:6). Non-believers have to endure the second death.


Psalm 89:14-37


God is to be exalted for His power and mercy. He empowers His servants, like David (v.21) and us, for whatever He wants done.


It does not matter that there is no king sitting on Israel's throne at present. The Bible's genealogical records show that Jesus is a descendant of King David, the seed that shall be established forever (v. 36). One day, I hope very soon, Jesus is coming back to rule upon 'David's' throne - forever!


It should not really hassle us that we do not see hoped-for blessings right now; God has everything in hand, and His blessings will be ours one day! Hallelujah!


Proverbs 13:17-19


We have all met people who are nasty and intractable; working with such is a burden. What a difference when someone is F-A-T; that is: Faithful, Available, and Teachable. God loves having fellowship with him/her.

I made up this little line to encapsulate these thoughts:


"The unreliable are undesirable,


but what a pleasure to work with a treasure!"

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Devotion Thoughts - 14/04/2011

Joshua 9:3-27


'There are many deceivers come into the world...' How can we detect them? Don't do what Joshua and his elders did - they relied on their own abilities! The result? The Gibeonites deceived them. They worshipped idols, but that did not stop them from speaking about 'the name of the Lord' for their own ends. We can know deceivers 'by their fruits' - sometimes too late. When we are not sure about something, we must wait on the Lord to reveal the truth. This takes patience.


Joshua 10:1-43


Having been duped into accepting responsibility for the Gibeonites, the Israelites were obliged to protect them against their enemies. We can also be duped into having to fulfill obligations that we should not have taken on in the first place. Thankfully, even when we make mistakes, God can turn it to our good. The destruction of the Gibeonites' enemies required a miracle in the form of the sun being stayed for 'about' a whole day.


When we are obeying God's orders He will give us success (v.42), no matter how daunting the obstacles.


Luke 16:19-31


There are a number of lessons to be learned from this parable, especially about eternity. But one salient lesson stands out, the one encapsulated in v.31: "If they do not listen to God's Word ('Moses and the Prophets') then they will not be convinced [about God and the Good News of salvation] even if someone returned from the dead". The Bible, the Word of God, contains all we need to know about being right with God. If we don't heed its message we, like the rich man, will also end up in torment.


Luke 17:1-10


In these verses, the Lord gives his disciples and hearers some common sense about being in God's good books: do not cause anyone to sin; no matter how many times people sin against you, forgive them every time they repent; believe it or not, every one of us has enough faith to become great achievers in life; and, don't ever kid yourself into thinking that you have done your share for God!


Psalm 83:1-18


What's new about Israel's enemies trying to wipe them out (v.4)? That Arab nations are at it again shows that:

1. They are not led by the Almighty God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, for God will not fight against Himself. Therefore Allah is not God.


2. Almighty God is Israel's Protector; they are His people; which is why, for all their bluster, Israel's enemies have not wiped them out.

Proverbs 13:4


In the approximately 1000 years that the Arabs ruled Palestine the place was unproductive. With Israel re-established as a state, the land has blossomed. This not only shows them to be diligent, it also confirms that God is blessing the land of Israel because He promised it to them.

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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 - 07/04/2011

Deut 31:1-30


Although still in reasonable health, Moses knew that his death was imminent, so he shares his last thoughts with the difficult people he had led for forty years. For Christians facing an unknown and probably very difficult future there can be no better advice than what Moses gave the people in v. 6: 'Be strong etc...'. And the same advice is good for individuals as in v.8. It is good to know that, once we have committed the future to the Lord, we can step out in confident faith. This was to be taught regularly and to coming generations.


Although Israel had been given God's covenant, He Who knows the future knew that the people were going to stray after Moses died. To help them remember His commandments God taught Moses a song that he was to teach the people. While they might not read the Law regularly, they certainly would know the song!


Deut 32:1-27


This was the song Moses taught the people. Throughout His relationship with Israel God was busy teaching and instructing them (v.10 ff).


[NOTE: If God instructed such a huge number of people simultaneously, it is reasonable to suppose that He also taught Adam and Eve all they needed to know about life and living.]


The song stresses the punishment in store for those who ignored God and made a point of worshipping idols.


So why did God not wipe Israel out altogether? There is a clue in v.27. If God had wiped out Israel by using their enemies then the enemies would believe that it was by their own power that they wiped out Israel. God wanted to make it clear that He helped their enemies by foretelling the consequences of Israel's disobedience, their downfall, in the song.


Luke 12:8-34


Here Jesus encourages us to witness for Him. When we do He, in turn, will tell the Father that we belong to Him. I believe this is what Christians will do, even if, when challenged, they can only say: 'I am a Christian'. I also believe that those who don't witness for Jesus when challenged are not Christians; which is why Jesus will reject them in the Father's presence.


When I was a senior at school I came to use the name of Jesus as a swear word. I'm not proud of that, but I do know that I have been forgiven, for that is the meaning of 'everyone who speaks against the Son of Man will be forgiven [after confession, of course]' (v.10). So when I hear others, including actors in movies, using the name of Jesus wrongly (it does not say 'blasphemously' in the Greek) I know I can still, and feel I must, pray for their salvation. But it is futile to pray for those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit [belittle the Holy Spirit and His work]. But God is so gracious in this respect. Many a time I have heard the name of Jesus 'spoken against' (probably Paul the Apostle did as well until his Damascus Road encounter with Jesus), but rarely have I heard anything blasphemous said against the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, as our Teacher, will know who will be saved and who will not be. He must be the One Who ensures that we never speak blasphemously against the Holy Spirit.


Jesus warns against covetousness, telling a couple of parables that highlight that God is against it. The lesson is: only fools are materialistic enough to leave God out of their lives (v.21). Paul was right to suggest that we should 'learn' to be content with or without' material goods (Phil 4:11,12). There is more to life than material things. Jesus recommends the pursuit of a place in God's Kingdom as being the best employment for us to engage in (v.31).


Psalm 78:32-55


The psalmist bemoans the fact that in spite of seeing all God's wonders and miracles and having Him to lead them in the cloud by day and the fire by night, they still disobeyed Him (v.32). It seems that there was a 'yo-yo' effect going on: sometime sinning - getting punished - asking forgiveness - being restored - sometime sinning .... ad infinitum. Wow! It is so much easier to simply obey the Lord!


In a similar way, Christians also have a yo-yo spiritual life. One day we are on fire - the next day we do something wrong - we confess - are on fire - do something wrong - confess - on fire .... So what's the answer? It took me many years to realise that I must see myself as a slave of God with no rights - but knowing that God loves me and is committed to my well-being, wanting me to have the best possible - so leave everything (my needs, my future etc) to Him (See Isa_43:25). Sounds simple, but it will take everything we are made of to be obedient to God's will for us (as written in His Word!).


Proverbs 12:21-23


The basic message does not change: blessings for the just; bad times for the unjust. This, indeed, is part of the message of the Bible. The purpose is to show us how we cannot save ourselves; we must live holy lives to please God, yet we cannot live holy lives without God's help.

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Devotion Thoughts - 03/04/2011

Deut 23:1-25

These rules seem harsh, applying up to the tenth generation. God must have felt very strongly against the Ammonites and Moabites if they were not to be prayed for. As for Edomites and Egyptians, only from their third generation were descendants allowed to worship with the Israelites. There were also special wartime hygiene rules to observe so that the camp of the Israelites remained holy, allowing God to walk in their midst and fight for them against their enemies. A close look at the rules given for social practices reveals that they are an amplification of the Ten Commandments, the basis for sound community living in Israel. For example: worshipping God leaves no place for cult practices.


Thankfully, it's a wonderful new world! Since Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross for mankind, anyone who confesses to being a sinner, even the most wicked amongst us, and receives Him as Saviour is acceptable to the Father!


Deut 24:1-22

Further rules, that have a basic foundation in the Ten Commandments, are enumerated, all intended to make for common decency in the community lifestyles. Thinking of the well-being of others plays a significant part in their interpretation of the commandments.


Deut 25:1-19

Humane and decent practices that encourage good social relationships are emphasised. Nations like Amalek that refused to subscribe to such decent practices were to be wiped out.


Luke 10:13-37

Jesus pronounces the end for those that reject His ministry. When the disciples return and tell Him about their successes, He tells them about God's victory over Satan and how His disciples will have even greater power. But they were not to become arrogant or complacent about having such power. Instead, they were to always be grateful that their names were written down in God's Book of Life.


As for who our neighbour is, Jesus gives a parable in which it becomes clear that anyone in need is our neighbour. Those who thought themselves righteous and not in need of help (Matthew 9:13) are not our 'neighbours' in the sense conveyed by the parable.


Psalm 75:1-10

A song written by Asaph.


He starts by praising God, then says what he imagines what God would say about not being proud or arrogant. He then tells how only God has the power to pass judgment. For this reason He alone is worthy of our praise.


Prov 12:12-1


Again the theme is about the blessings of God that will be upon those who practice an industrious and righteous lifestyle, as opposed to the troubles that will overtake the wicked.

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