[Friday's Devotional] - We have left everything

5     We have left everything

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The rich young ruler had walked away from Jesus.  His riches could not save him.  Indeed Jesus had said that his riches had been an impediment: they had prevented him from entering the kingdom. 

The thunderstruck disciples now considered themselves.  If it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom, what chance did they have?  Peter spoke up for them.  He said to Jesus:

“We have left everything to follow you!  What then will there be for us?”  Matthew 19: 27 [NIV]

They had left their families, their jobs, their homes, their boats and some of them their reputations in order to follow Jesus. 

Jesus still calls us to give up everything when we first believe.  He tells us to take up our cross and to follow him: to die to our old selves and live only for him.  But with our commitment, there comes a precious promise:

“I tell you the truth...,” Jesus said to them, “everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”  Verses 28, 29

Do you feel that you have had to make sacrifices to follow Jesus?  Jesus promises that the riches of eternity will more than compensate.

William Booth founded the Salvation Army.  When he was asked to explain the phenomenal impact of his life, he replied

"For the last eighty years, God has had all that there is of William Booth.”  

Lord, please help me not to hold back, but to give you my all.  I know that your grace and mercy will never disappoint me.

David Long

[Thursday's Devotional] - Who then can be saved?

4     Who then can be saved?

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The rich young ruler had to decide between riches and Jesus. He chose his riches and walked sadly away.

 

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”  Mark 10: 23 [NIV]

 

and Jesus repeated himself to make the point:

 

“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”  Mark 10: 24, 25.

 

 

The man’s wealth was a stumbling block.  Because it was so central to his life, it precluded his entry into the kingdom.  But Jesus’ disciples were astonished and said to each other “Who then can be saved?” verse 26

 

In the culture of the times, it was easy for the rich to get whatever they wanted.  Indeed, being rich was commonly seen as evidence of God’s blessing; hence the amazement of the disciples.  If a rich man could not enter the kingdom, what chance was there for an ordinary person?

 

The truth is that it is impossible for anyone to be saved by themselves – not the rich man with all his wealth or the disciples with all their failings.  Jesus’ response contains a divine paradox:

 

“With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”  Verse 27

 

There is nothing we can do to save ourselves.  Salvation is totally the work of God.  Neither riches, nor good works, nor regular Sunday attendance can bring about our salvation.  On the other hand, there is nothing we have to do to be saved.  Salvation is a free gift to all who believe.

 

John Stott writes,

 

Salvation is a rescue operation, undertaken for people whose plight is so desperate that they cannot save themselves. 

 

Lord Jesus, thank you that you died for me.  Help me to live for your greater glory.

 

David Long

[Wednesday's Devotional] - If you want to be perfect

3     If you want to be perfect

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The rich young ruler claimed to have kept the commandments.  Yet clearly this was not enough for his passport to eternal life.  “What still do I lack?” he asked Jesus. 

 

Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.”  Matthew 19: 21 [NIV]

 

Jesus touches a raw nerve in the man’s life: his wealth.  Jesus is saying, “You have to decide between your present life and eternal life, between treasure on earth and treasure in heaven, between the security you have in your money and the security you will have as my follower.”

 

Notice that it is not just the selling of his possessions that the man needed to do; there was also the call to follow Jesus, to be his disciple.  Giving to charity will not win us a place in heaven.  We need to put Jesus first and follow him.

 

Does this story tell us that riches are wrong, and that we cannot be saved without disposing of them?  Certainly the Bible sees money and possessions as potentially dangerous.  Paul writes that love of money is a root of all kinds of evil [1Timothy 6: 10].

 

But the point Jesus is making is that the man’s possessions and riches were a barrier preventing him from having a life of discipleship.

 

This man chose riches above Jesus, but there are also many other potential barriers to discipleship.  We might think of them as “I’ll follow Jesus, but only if...” To set conditions on following Jesus, to say we will only follow him if he will allow us to do this thing or that thing, is not true discipleship.  Either Jesus is first in our lives or he is not there at all.

 

Graham Cray writes,

 

Disciples are determined by their service to Jesus.  The challenge to us is whether we will serve Jesus or make excuses.  Are we willing to learn from Jesus' attitudes, priorities or values, or are we too obsessed with our own agendas?

 

Lord, please help me to be willing to leave everything behind and follow Jesus.

 

David Long

[Tuesday's Devotional] - Why do you call me good?

2     Why do you call me good?

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The rich young ruler called Jesus ‘good’:

“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  Luke 18: 18 [NIV]

No one would have described a rabbi as ‘good’.  That was a term you could only have used about God himself.  The rich man was only using the word as flattery.

So Jesus responds:  “Why do you call me good?  No one is good except God alone.” 

Taken at face value, the man is right: Jesus is good because he is the Son of God.  Not that the man knew who he was addressing, of course.

So Jesus takes the man’s question at face value.  It is as if Jesus is saying, “OK, I’ll go along with you.  If you want to earn eternal life, this is what you need to do – keep all the commandments perfectly”.

“You know the commandments.  ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honour your mother and your father’.”  Luke 18: 20 [NIV]

But the man claimed to have kept all of these commandments from his youth.  However, the commandments Jesus quotes are about our duty to other people, not about our duty to God.  The man knew that he did not have eternal life, so he cannot have been keeping all the commandments.  Some obedience was missing.

Martin Luther wrote,

Good works do not make a man good, but a good man does good works.

Doing good works, keeping the commandments, will not change God’s view of us.  Only God himself can make us good by forgiving our sins.  And when we are good, then we will be able to do good works because God himself will be working through us.  [See Ephesians 2: 10]

Lord, please fill me with your Spirit so that I will be better able to serve both you and other people.

David Long

[Monday's Devotional] - What must I do?

1     What must I do?

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The story of the rich young ruler appears in all three synoptic gospels.  This week we will look at this man’s encounter with Jesus and try to see how his story might apply to us.

You can find the story in Matthew 19: 16 – 29, in Mark 10: 17 – 30 and in Luke 18: 18 – 30.  The incident took place as Jesus was making his way to Jerusalem for the Passover weekend.

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him.  “Good teacher,” he asked, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  Mark 10: 17 [NIV]

All of the accounts tell us that this man was wealthy.  Matthew tells us that he was young, and Luke that he was a ruler.  So, in worldly terms, this man had it all – money, authority and his whole life in front of him.  But he was deeply aware that something was missing.

See how he runs up to Jesus in the middle of the road and falls on his knees before him.  He is certainly in earnest if he is willing to make a spectacle of himself like that.

And his desire is good too.  He wants to have eternal life.  He is not so dazzled by the attractions of this world that he forgets about the reality of the world to come.  But he thinks that eternal life is something to be earned, something he could achieve through his own effort.  Perhaps, being rich and powerful, he had always got what he wanted – after all, money and authority will open many doors in this life.  But that is not the way to eternal life.

Eternal life is a free gift, given to all who believe in Jesus.  No amount of money can secure it; but it is freely available to all who trust in Jesus as Saviour.  Jesus said,

I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.  John 11: 25 [NIV]

Lord Jesus, please help me to believe and put my trust in you.

David Long

[Friday's Devotional] - "Repent therefore..."

“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,”
Acts 3:19 ESV

So, the man has been healed and God’s glory revealed and now Peter lays out the gospel before the listeners.  He then asks them to respond to what God has done for them on the cross and the request is simple: repent.  You need to repent and turn back to God so that your sins can be blotted out.  Hang on, didn’t Peter point out to the crowd that they had killed the author of life?  Yes he did, and even that sin can be washed away by the person’s repentance.  This term “blotted out” may well refer to the ancient method of reusing papyrus (early paper) that had been written on.  To re-use a piece of papyrus, it was possible to simply wash the ink off the page.  Peter is telling his listeners that God can do that for them, even though you had a part in killing the Christ, the anointed, holy one of God.  Wow!  That is forgiveness.  As we saw yesterday, what is true for the crowd of on-lookers as Peter preached is true for us too.

Too often my repentance is Lukewarm.  Too often I seem to say “sorry God I sinned again.” “Ok” says God, or so it seems.  But if I read Isaiah 6, about the angel taking the burning coal and touching it to the lips of the man of unclean lips who lives among a people of unclean lips, I start to get an idea.  This isn’t God shrugging his shoulders and saying “Ok”.  This is burning cauterisation that doesn’t wound the sinner.  This is sin being radically dealt with, and sin has to be radically dealt with.  God cannot shrug it off, he would be untrue to his own perfection if he did.  If I look at the cross of Jesus, I know that sin has been radically dealt with.  So radically, that it has no more hold over my eternal future.

When I come to God in repentance he doesn’t shrug his shoulders and say ‘Ok then John’. The truth is more like this:

John: Sorry Lord, I have sinned.
God:  John, I paid for it so you don’t have to; it’s gone.
John: But Lord, what about the other thing that I have done and I find it hard not to…
God: Oh yes John, I’ve paid for that one too; it’s gone.

“Repent therefore, and turn back (today), that your sins may be blotted out,”

Thank you God for your radical mercy.

John Martin-Jones

[Thursday's Devotional] - "...and you killed the Author of Life"

The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.  But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life,
Acts 3:13-15 [ESV]

“…and you killed the Author of life,” Modern preachers don’t tend to put such comments into the opening lines of their sermons.  We preach about the love of God and our sinfulness, but this is very hard hitting stuff from Peter.  However, Peter is preaching to people who were physically involved in the death of Jesus.  Many of those who ran to see the healed paralysed man would be the same people who had shouted ‘crucify’ when Pilate had made his offer to them a few weeks earlier.  Even if individuals in that crowd had not been part of the crowd that bayed and shouted for Jesus’ blood, the charge would still have hit home. Ancient peoples had an understanding of communal guilt that we, in the heavily individualised west, have lost.  Had Peter preached those words today, individuals would have protested their innocence, but back then people understood communal guilt and the need to repent as a nation.

Very little good news here for the listeners, then?   The crowd would be thinking: so we killed Jesus who was the Christ and the author of life himself and God has raised him and by his power, people are healed, and so we are very much on the wrong side of the fence right now.  Peter then goes on to give the first of the good news, by saying that you acted in ignorance but God had ordained this action and had foretold it through the prophets.

But before we read this as simply a piece of contextual preaching, ask yourself a question.  

Whose sins did Jesus die for?  Was it just the crowd in Jerusalem 2000 years ago, or just the paralysed man’s?  Was it yours and mine too?  Yes, of course it was.  We may not have been there shouting for Jesus’ blood in Jerusalem at that Passover all those centuries ago, but we are all just as much a cause of Jesus’ death as those people were. It was our sins that God was dealing with when he planned our salvation and spoke of it through the prophets.  In fact, I believe, that God in his omniscience (all knowing) knew what the cost of loving was would be before he created us.  I believe that the need for the cross was a known factor throughout all eternity.  The author of life made us because he is love and planned the cross because he cannot stand the thought of eternity without me and you.

So set some time aside today.  Just think about the breadth, height and depth of the love of God for you.

John Martin-Jones

[Wednesday's Devotional] - It's all about Jesus!

And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.   And all the people saw him walking and praising God…

“Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?”

Acts 3:8-9 &13 [ESV]

I don’t know about you, but if I had just ministered God’s healing power like Peter did, I would be rather ‘pumped up’.  All my feelings of inadequacy and any questions about the closeness of my walk with Jesus, or the quality of my ministry would vanish (for a while anyway).  I would be the ‘Daddy’!.  I would be insufferable at home (even more so than usual) and would really feel that I had arrived.  It is easy to see, perhaps, why people with high-powered public ministries sometimes fall into temptation.

However, there is no self-congratulation in Peter’s response to the healing at all.  That may have been the case with the Pre-Pentecost Peter, but not now.  Peter has healed this man in the name of Jesus and now is going to preach Jesus to anyone who will listen.  God is to be glorified by this healing, not Peter, not John and not the, now, ex-lame man.  The man shows his joy as he walks and leaps: leaping for the shear-joy of being able to leap and for the same reason as a young horse leaps, I guess.  He leaps and praises God and this is not a dignified thing for a man in his forties to do!  This display is an advert that attracts the attention of everyone around.  Peter uses it to address the crowd that has gathered and tell them about Jesus.  The man’s healing is all about the glory of God and those who witness the scene need to be told what is happening.

So today, how are you going to give Jesus the glory?  What opportunities will you seek to glorify God?  Jesus will not be our only topic of conversation, of course, but we want to share the difference he has made in our lives, don’t we?  You may not get the same crowd that Peter got, but the people in your life, like the crowd, need to know what all the fuss is about.

John Martin-Jones

[Tuesday's Devotional] - "Look at us"

Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms.   And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.”  And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.   But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.  Acts 3:3-7 [ESV]

You can imagine the scene, can’t you?  The down cast beggar looking at, but not making eye contact with those he is seeking money from.  No doubt he is continually repeating a phrase of asking for any spare denarius. Then it happens, Peter fixes his gaze on him and John commands him to look at them.  It can be disconcerting when you have to look at someone that you don’t know well, particularly if you are on the ground and they tower above you, they have self -respect and you try not to consider your existence too much while begging for alms.  But engage he does.  He probably then just half hears a sentence that includes the name Jesus and the next thing he knows, he is being helped to his feet. 

Peter’s words to the man are that he has no silver or gold to give.  He then gives him what he has and what he has is the healing power of the Holy Spirit.  The man stands and walks; his ankles are made strong.

The lesson is simple:  give what you can to those that God has put in your path.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you too have the resources that you need to be Jesus’ hands and feet among the people that you live among and work with.  Maybe one day, you will hear the Spirit telling you to go and speak healing to someone, maybe it has already happened, but it doesn’t matter if it never does.  What matters is that you give what you have.  Think and pray today about how you can better give what you have to those that God has brought you into contact with.

John Martin-Jones

[Monday's Devotional] - Waiting at the Beautiful Gate

I want to spend this week looking at the incident of the healing of the Lame Beggar in Acts chapter 3 and the proceeding sermon that Peter gave.  You can read the whole chapter for yourself by following the link below Acts 3.  Today I want to focus on the beggar himself.

 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.   And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. Acts 3: 1-2 [ESV]

Luke, the writer of Acts is referred to as being a physician (medical Dr) by Paul (Col 4:14), so it is little wonder then that Luke takes a keen interest in the medical detail of people and events.  Luke tells us that the man had been lame from birth.  Later on (in 4:22) we are told that the man was over forty years old.  So this man, who had been crippled all of his life was carried daily to his ‘pitch’ in  one of the temple gateways where he begged for money ‘alms’ from people going up to worship.

We know that Peter ministers healing to this man, but let’s just think about the life of the man, up to this point, for a minute.  The man had been laid daily at that spot for a time; it was his spot to beg from.  Each day at the hour of prayer, around 3pm, that is where you would find him.  He had almost certainly seen Jesus, probably had Jesus walk by him.  But it wasn’t Jesus who was going to bring him God’s healing. Sometimes, when our spiritual lives don’t seem to be going anywhere, we talk about being in a season of waiting.  This man was in no such place; well not knowingly anyway.  He wasn’t consciously waiting for God to act in his life.  He was simply going about his daily routine of begging for alms from the passers-by.  

This was the only way that he could make any money and stop himself being a total burden on those who faithfully carried him there each day.  But, as we will see tomorrow, God was going to meet the man in his place of hopelessness and transform his situation.

So if today, you find yourself in a comfortable, or an uncomfortable rut, with little thought of development, change or improvement, look up, look beyond the edge of the trench you are in. Be expectant that God will change things.

John Martin-Jones

[Friday's Devotional] - The Love of God

Some people are easier to love than others.  If you have a friendly old lady living in your street, who is always smiling and greeting you warmly, it is quite easy for you to do some small favour if and when the opportunity occurs. 

Many years ago, back in the mid-80s, I discovered a near neighbour who was much harder to love.  She lived a stone’s throw away.  She was dirty and apparently poor, and when I went into her house it was untidy and smelling because her eyesight was failing and she was finding it difficult to keep it warm, dry and clean.  I was able to do a good deed for her, but she didn’t seem very grateful and she didn’t have a nice word to say about anyone.  She was bitter and spiteful and seemed very unapproachable.  Regrettably, I didn’t persist – after that time I would see her occasionally walking down the street, but I made no effort to go out of my way to help her.

God loves all of us and encourages us to follow his example.  Loving the lovable is easy – loving the ‘unlovable’ is more of a challenge:

‘But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.  Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.’ Luke 6: 35 [NIV]

When you are confronted with someone who is challenging and threatening in their approach, and seems to have no lovable qualities - try to respond to this ‘enemy’ in the way you would to a life-long friend.  It is very easy to mirror the attitude they present – if they are pointing out your faults and weaknesses, I am sure that you could respond by making them aware of some of their failings too.  But, God shows us a different model.  Far better to be visibly different to the world, than to be invisibly the same.

Lord, help us to show your love at every opportunity; in the way we behave towards the hardest to love.  Amen.

Dave MacLellan (first published in 2003) 

[Thursday's Devotional] - The Righteousness of God

‘But my righteousness will last for ever, my salvation through all generations’
Isaiah 51: 8 [NIV]

I discovered a while ago, how much gold there is in the ‘gold’ jewellery you buy in the shops – perhaps you already know this?  If you have a 9 carat gold ring you may think it is 100% gold, actually it is only 37.5% gold (by mass, not volume).  This means it is more not-gold than gold.  The rest is likely to be silver and copper (much cheaper!), and there could be some zinc in there too.  So your 9 carat jewellery could have more copper in it than gold.  18 carat gold has twice as much gold in it (75%).  If you want pure, 100% gold then you need to buy 24 carat gold (rare and expensive).

Gold is referred to often in the Bible, to illustrate what is valuable, rare and dependable.  Gold has a value which although not constant is safer than any other currency.  Even today banks and governments keep reserves in gold. 

God is the ‘gold standard’ against which we can measure our righteousness.  God is 100% pure and without sin.  Outwardly we may look like we are 18 carat gold, but if tested we are probably significantly less. We can improve ourselves and sometimes we compare ourselves against others, however all that matters is that against the gold standard of God we are not pure.

God loves righteousness and hates sin (though he loves sinners, otherwise we would have no hope at all!).  If we are to become more like God, we need to recognise sin and come to hate it.  The world’s view is that sin is out of fashion and it is not politically correct to stand up against it.  There is a creeping slipping of standards evident today.  Look at what is on TV, even before the 9 o’clock ‘watershed’ when programmes are supposed to be suitable for children.

Lets guard against the acceptance of sin, and spend today looking to God’s gold standard of righteousness.   

Dave MacLellan (first published in 2003)

[Wednesday's Devotional] - The Faithfulness of God

I have a confession to make.  Sometimes I make a promise, which I fail to keep.  Sometimes, I even know that I will fail at the time I make the promise.  Other times, I set out fully intending to keep the promise, but something comes up which means that it just doesn’t happen.  Hopefully, you are not surprised and shocked by this behaviour.  Perhaps you have said ‘You must come round for a meal’ and then not followed it up with a proper invitation.  Whether we intend it or not, our faithfulness is less than perfect.

God is faithful to his promises, even if we can’t see how it can be.  God promised Abraham that he would have many descendants – yet he and his wife Sarah were way beyond the age where this would be considered possible.  Abraham was over 100 and Sarah more than 90 years old. 

Abraham even tried to ‘help God along’ by taking his maidservant Hagar as a wife (as they believed Sarah was infertile) and having a son by her.  Yet, God was faithful to his promise:

‘”This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir.”  He [God] took him [Abraham] outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars – if indeed you can count them.”  Then he said to him “So shall your offspring be.”’ Genesis 15: 4-5 [NIV]

In time, God’s promise was fulfilled through their son Isaac, and there are already more descendants of Abraham than there are visible stars in the sky.

God is not a God of shifting sand; He is a rock on which we can build our foundations.  Let’s make sure of the ground we are building on today.

Dave MacLellan (first published in 2003)

[Tuesday's Devotional] - The Forgiveness of God

How easy is it to forgive someone who has harmed you, physically, mentally or emotionally?  Our capacity for forgiveness is a mark of our Christian maturity.  How much progress have we made in our goal of transforming our character and personality to be like Christ?

When we consider how much we have done wrong (and therefore need to ask God’s forgiveness), it is difficult to rationalise how angry we get when someone else crosses us in some minor way.  We find it hard enough to forgive even if they say sorry (and sometimes they even mean it!). 

Even harder is unconditional forgiveness.  This is especially required, and most difficult to achieve, in family relationships.  So many families are broken apart by fathers who won’t talk to sons or mothers who cannot forgive the decisions of their daughters (and all kinds of other permutations).  Sometimes the wrong that caused the damage is so far in the past it is difficult to remember what started it.  But unless one person takes the first step, the path to reconciliation cannot be travelled. 

Forgiving is not the same as forgetting.  We can do the first and hope that in time the second will come.  But time is not always the ‘great healer’.  If we have not forgiven, the passage of time will only allow unforgiveness to fester and do more damage.

Christ is the model of forgiveness.  Even though he was betrayed, falsely accused, mocked, beaten and executed in a humiliating manner for a crime he did not commit he was still able to ask: 

‘Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing’ Luke 23: 34 (NIV) 

Let us put aside our pride and have enough grace to follow this example in some way today.

Dave MacLellan (first published in 2003)

[Monday's Devotional] - The Glory of God

This week we are looking at some of the characteristics of God, starting today with Glory.

What does the word ‘glory’ mean to you?  We have glorious food, glorious victories (perhaps sporting successes) and glorious weather (usually abroad).  But what of the awesome glory of God?

Moses asked God to show him his glory in full.  God told him that no-one may see his glorious face and live.

‘When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.  Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.’ Exodus 33: 22-23 (NIV)

Not only was the glory of God evident to Moses, but when he spent time with God on Mount Sinai and then returned to talk to the people of Israel, his face was so radiant they were afraid to approach him!

 

Sometimes we have a too ‘human’ view of God – we should remember that we are made in God’s image, not the other way round.  As well as the kindly images of a gentle and loving father, God is mighty and awesome (another word we don’t value much these days).  To understand God better, we need to appreciate that we do not approach him in any sense as equals.  If we look at the moon on a dark and cloudless night it appears very bright.  Yet this is only a pale reflection of the sun – which we cannot look at directly without damaging our eyes!

How can we view this awesome aspect of God as an encouragement?  Well, when we are discouraged by the devastating effects of evil and sin, or dismayed by the stranglehold the devil seems to have on the earth, we should take heart in the fact that God is all-powerful and there is no question of the final outcome of the battle of good against evil.  It is only the sin and impurity in us, which makes us afraid.  One day our fear will be replaced with purity and perfect worship and love of God.  In the meantime we have a role-model in Christ, who understands what it is to be human and He has left His Spirit to remind us of Him and guide and comfort us until we meet Him face to face.

Let’s remember that today.

Dave MacLellan (first published in 2003)

[Friday's Devotional] - Long Life and Victory

Jesus had just healed a dumb and blind person and was now facing opposition for what He had done.  They accused Him of doing all these miracles by a demon spirit. Jesus replied:

 “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.  If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?  And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.  But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.  Matthew 12: 25-28 [NLT]

This statement deals decisively with any doubts you may have regarding who is behind your troubles. Jesus is not the One who causes sickness and disease, and death from these.

Further down the passage Jesus says something more serious:

“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.  And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven”. Matthew 12: 30-31 [NLT]

This Truth, also tells me Jesus is for doctors and nurses and so if you are sick, seek medical treatment - but do so prayerfully as you will still encounter Satan's opposition through unbelief by those who trust in the medicine and the profession and not Jehovah Rapha, the Healer. If Jesus is for healing and then people die in the process, why do most Christians blame God for their loved one's death. Statements like, “it was God's will, well their time was up, death is God's judgment” are not quite true.

If God wants to give us long life, why do we doubt?  Firstly, Satan rules through fear of death which Jesus destroyed including death itself on the cross.  Through fear, Satan manipulates believers to doubt and confess defeat at the slightest concern of sickness and disease. With all due respect, I believe we may have gone through what we went through for other reasons known to God but certainly not because His Word failed us.

Friends, when faced with the impossible - life and death, facts and the Truth – stand for your loved one, come what may, by choosing God’s Word – the Truth!  

Farai Mutsambiwa

[Thursday's Devotional] - Choose to be different

I don’t know whether it’s true or false but someone told me this interesting story:

 

An experiment was conducted with a group of monkeys.  They were put in a very large cage and a tall tree with a few branches at the top was planted at the centre.  Once a day, bananas were hung onto the branches of the tree in clear view of the monkeys.  When the monkeys tried to climb up the tree to reach for the bananas, a jet of cold water was fired upon them before they could snatch the bananas.  The monkeys would scamper down the tree empty handed.

 

The experiment was repeated many times over many days, until the lesson was well learnt - don’t reach for the bananas at the top of the tree, or else you will be showered with cold water.  The monkeys were only to eat a ration of a few oranges dropped on the ground.

 

A new monkey was later introduced to the group.  As usual, when bananas were hung onto the tree, all the monkeys except the new one, did nothing.  The new monkey quickly ran to the tree.  But out of “love”, the other monkeys quickly ran for him, grabbed and stopped him from climbing up the tree.  But unknown to the rest of the monkeys - the experiment was over and the monkeys could now go up the tree and eat as many bananas as they wanted!

 

Miracles are often hindered by tradition, culture and unbelief even among God’s children. The bible records that even Jesus could not perform miracles in His home town except healing a few because of unbelief of those around Him (see Matthew 13 vs. 53-58).

 

Friend, the coming of Jesus and His cruel death on the cross has changed the playing field. Beware of well-meaning friends, believers and family, who because of religion and lack of knowledge of what Christ has done for you, will hinder you from taking the step of faith.  God has a specific promise for you and not others.  David is a perfect example that comes to mind.  He was rebuked and nearly hindered from believing God that he could kill Goliath by his own elder brothers.  Is there something God has revealed and promised you, but now you are hesitant because of those around you.

 

I like what Jesus says here:

 

 “Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy.  I’ve come to cut—make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God.  Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies.  If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me.  If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.”  Matthew 10: 34-37 [The Message]

 

Friend, don’t miss God’s plan for you because …“it runs in the family”.

 

Farai Mutsambiwa

[Wednesday's Devotional] - All you need is Joy from Above

Come to think of it, everyone is seeking joy.  A little child likes playing with toys because it’s fun and enjoyable.  People do all sorts of things because we are all seeking joy.  When I went to Tenerife several years ago, I had the opportunity to go out into the deep ocean by boat.  I was thrilled to see some whales and this was the very first time to see such wonders. I enjoyed watching the high cliffs and seeing my daughter taking that breath-taking dive into the sea for a swim.  I enjoyed the different sea food, playing in the water park, shopping and taking a bus ride for a day excursion, etc.

 

While holidays are really good and indeed a blessing from God, they come and go and now I can only reminisce on my joyful experience.  If on the other hand, you are trapped in something you shouldn’t be doing, I bet, the main reason for doing it is you are seeking joy.

 

It’s probably not your fault.  The truth is, the world in which we live is so hurting.  It’s like we are swimming up a river with a very strong current and the river is determined to take us out.

 

Friends, let us all remember, these short lived experiences of trying to make ourselves happy and joyful, come and go.  However, there is joy everlasting in Jesus Christ.

 

In order to find strength to overcome the challenges of this world, you don’t need drugs, you don’t need to rob people of their property, you don’t need to watch pornography, and you don’t need to kill another human being, let alone commit suicide.

 

All you need to do is ASK and our heavenly Father is very clear about this:

 

“What causes fights and quarrels among you?  Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?   You desire but do not have, so you kill.  You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God”
James 4: 1-2 [NIV]

 

Strength to overcome problems comes from joy and it’s there for the asking:

 

“…..those who don’t have anything: This day is holy to God.  Don’t feel bad.  The joy of God is your strength!” Nehemiah 8:10 [The Message]

 

Spend time reading the bible, pray to God and ask Him for whatever you need.  Above all, ask Him for everlasting joy and strength.  Be honest with Him.  Tell Him, “if you don’t help, this is what I am going to do and I don’t like it. Will you not help?”

 

You will be surprised; God doesn’t want you to pray very long spiritual prayers.  But very short, precise and genuine prayers are all you need.

 

So ask for real joy!  It’s a promise from God that whosoever asks, receives.  And we know from Monday’s devotional that, God will always follow up His promises with action!

 

Farai Mutsambiwa

[Tuesday's Devotional] - You are good enough

“And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.   Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;  Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;  Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.”
Matthew 10:1-4 [NKJV]

 

When I read this, my mind was captivated by the word “power” over all kinds of evil things.

Friend, how about persuading you today to go back to the basics of real faith in Jesus, God’s Word and the power of His Holy Spirit?

 

If you are a born again child of the Most High God, today I want you to rejoice because you have the power over your adversary Satan and nothing whatsoever shall harm you.

 

Do not be cheated by the Devil, who wants you to think that you are not good enough, strong enough or righteous enough to deal with him.  You have the power and Satan knows it, and he is afraid of you.  What’s interesting in the passage above is, even Judas who later betrayed Jesus was among them!

 

After the Lord had finally delivered him from all his enemies, hear what David who knew the kindness and goodness of God, says: “He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.  The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.”
Psalm 18:19-20 [NIV]

 

We know that in his moments of weakness well before he was delivered from all his troubles, David killed people including Bathsheba’s husband and took Bathsheba as his wife, etc.  Yet in all this, he had the audacity to declare the above delight and righteousness.

 

Friend, if you have repented of your sins and asked for forgiveness from God, your sins have been washed away by the precious Blood of Jesus.  Friend, you are innocent, blessed and have the power to overcome sickness, disease, drug addiction, lack, debt and poverty, etc. You are good enough!  Like Abraham be “fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises”- Romans 4: 21 [NLT] and that, those who believe shall lay hands on the sick and they shall be healed.  Amazing, how the hands we take so much for granted have been anointed with power to prosper us and heal people!

 

Farai Mutsambiwa

[Monday's Devotional] - It will be so good

Jesus told a very interesting story, which I paraphrase here.  There were two brothers, who were asked by their father to help in his vineyard.  One brother said "Yes I will do it!"  But the other said "You must be joking, I will not go into the field in this hot weather".  Both brothers later changed their minds. The one who said Yes did not go whilst the one who said No actually went out into the field and did a fantastic job.  Jesus then asked a question – "Which of the two brothers did what was right?" Those listening said – the one who actually did what his father had said. (See Matthew 21: 28-31 for the full story).

From this story, I find it fascinating that God is saying to us, He values our actions much more than our promises!  Keeping it very simple today, I want to remind you of what we already know – Like Father, like Son.  What Jesus teaches us is exactly what He himself will do.

If you are believing God for any promise, put a smile on your face, even if you have to force it as an act of faith, and know that God will indeed do what He promised He will do.  Why?  Because, He attaches more importance to His own actions than to His words.  If this weren’t true, why then would He say in James Chapter 2, “faith without works is dead”?  If not convinced yet, just read the bible from A to Z and you will find the same thread to be true.  He always follows up His promises with something, not just good, but very good!  For example, after speaking the words “Let there be …..!” in Genesis 1, whatever He said happened and when He looked back at all He had created, it was very good. When the Son came into the scene, His first miracle was turning water into wine.  I like The Message Bible description of this miracle in John Chapter 2:

When the host tasted the water that had become wine (he didn’t know what had just happened but the servants, of course, knew), he called out to the bridegroom, “Everybody I know begins with their finest wines and after the guests have had their fill brings in the cheap stuff. But you’ve saved the best till now!” John 2:9-10 [The Message]

Friend, I tell you, it may just be a matter of time. Whatever God has promised you, it will be the “finest …. “ and “best till now!” answer you will have. He is not like man that He should lie.

As I punch these words on my computer, I am just looking out of my window and guess what - a rainbow!  I have been praying for weeks, asking God for a message for His hurting people. “I have turned the bow upside down. I would rather shoot Myself, than hurt you!”, He seems to be suggesting. And yes, it’s all true:

 

“This exile is just like the days of Noah for me:

 I promised then that the waters of Noah would never again flood the earth.

I’m promising now no more anger, no more dressing you down.

For even if the mountains walk away and the hills fall to pieces,

My love won’t walk away from you, my covenant commitment of peace won’t fall apart.”   

The God who has compassion on you says so. Isaiah 54: 9-10 [The Message]

Farai Mutsambiwa

[Friday's Devotional] - Talking to Our Father

We have considered regular prayers at a time of our choosing, and in conjunction with passages from the Bible.  In fact, the Bible shows us that we can pray to God at any time, in any place, and for any reason.

 

Prayer is human communication with God.  If we look through any section of Psalms in our Bible it is apparent that we are reading a collection of song-prayers.  Many were written by David and it is clear that he prayed to God at all times, whatever situation he was in.  He prayed thanks when all was going well and for help and guidance when he was in trouble.  It encourages us to speak to our Lord regularly and often.

 

All it takes is perhaps a few words, at other times something more expansive.  I’ve said before that occasionally the scent of a flower or an unexpected pleasant surprise can spark an instant prayer of thanks.  Similarly, when things suddenly seem to be going wrong, a plea for help can spring forth.

 

The important thing is that we talk to our Lord.  He has accepted us as his children because of his son, our saviour, Jesus Christ.  So we speak to him as our father, with all due reverence but with that special privileged openness permitted a dear child.  That is one reason why he created Adam, and subsequently all of us.  He has someone to talk with and listen to.  He loves to listen to us and answer us in his own special way.  And if it has been a while since you really prayed that’s fine, be the new prodigal, come back and speak to God today.  Make your Father happy.

 

Jim Finch

[Thursday's Devotional] - Reading the Word

Here we are at the start of a new month, and spring well into full swing.  We have looked at our regular prayers.  I’m sure we each have our own time and way of speaking to our Lord, and I know this can vary according to circumstances.

It may be quite helpful to read a section of the Bible and then pray about it.  I know quite a few do this and have tried it myself.  It can be good to do this and perhaps get a better understanding of God’s words.  Maybe I should do that more often.  It will certainly bring a new perspective to both the reading and the praying, and bring us closer to our Lord. We know that we can ask anything of him and he will listen and act according to his will.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him.  1 John 5:14-15 [NIV]

So it will be encouraging to read the Bible regularly, and in some order, for random reading is not always too beneficial I am told.  So I will remember that!  Therefore we should be encouraged to read the Bible thoughtfully and speak with our Lord about that which we have just read.  I have no doubt that quite a few of you already do.

Jim Finch