Devotionals

Proverbs 18:2 and 19:8, NIV
“A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions . . . he who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who cherishes understanding prospers.”

No-one likes being called a fool – but, sadly, many people behave in a very foolish way in respect of understanding the things of God! Not having knowledge or understanding of God’s Word puts them in the situation of being ignorant about the most important things of life! The Psalmist also told us that someone who says that there is no God is a fool. (Psalm 14:1).

There are people, however, who are foolish, even though they don’t deny the existence of God. They are so full of their own ideas and opinions, that they never stop to think about whether or not they are right or wrong or listen to what others are saying. As our Scripture for today makes so very clear, they do not even seek to gain understanding. When God was speaking to his people through the prophet Hosea, he said, “My people are destroyed through lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6).

Faith is, of course, absolutely essential for salvation – without faith it’s impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). But when it comes to day to day living, as believers in God, we should be sure to be diligent in seeking to gain understanding – both about God and the ways of God. For then we will have a better perception on situations as they develop and be in a much better place to make good choices and godly decisions. Many of the people whom I have had the privilege of ministering to over the years, have had plenty of faith in God, but they are still having to live with the consequences of not having sought understanding and wisdom. They made choices that left them with, sometimes, serious lifetime consequences.

But the end of our Scripture for today encourages us with a wonderful promise – that if we cherish understanding and then, presumably, make godly choices, we will enjoy God’s blessing on our lives.

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to always seek to gain knowledge and understanding of You and Your ways, so that I will be in a much better position to make godly choices in all the decisions of my life. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.

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Psalm 59:17, NIV
“You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.”

You may be quite familiar with the story of David and his courageous slaying of the giant Goliath, which secured victory for Israel against the Philistines. It might seem as if it wasn`t too long after that he became king; after King Saul died in battle. Actually it was a long and hard fifteen years, after killing Goliath, that David was finally installed as king of Israel.

In 1 Samuel 19 we read about David fleeing from Saul, who was doing his best to kill him. Saul even used his own daughter to try and end David’s life. Saul had become jealous and bitter over David`s successes.

I`m personally impacted by how difficult and terrible this time was for David. He was stripped of everything. It was a Job type experience. Everything seemed to go wrong, and there were the murder plots against him by King Saul. Yet David was trustworthy and hadn`t done anything wrong. He was impeccable, faultless, and a good, loyal soldier to the king. So how awful that Saul wanted him dead as much as the Philistines, the enemy!

When David`s best wasn`t good enough, it was time to leave and relocate somewhere else. He was totally alone when he fled to Ramah to see the prophet Samuel. What did David do at this time of terrible hardship? David sought refuge in God and drew close to his people (1 Samuel 19:18).

If you`re disappointed at how your life`s going, and you think God`s punishing you rather than rewarding your obedience, you need to do what David did here. Draw close to God. Don`t go away from him.

When I listen to the stories of many Christians, it seems that the mistake they make, when things go wrong in their lives, is to move far away from God. They stop reading their bibles. They stop praying as much as they used to. They stop seeking fellowship with God`s people. They draw away from God, because they`re disappointed in Him.

It`s too easy for the enemy to lie to us at such times, saying things like `God`s not interested in you. Why don`t you just throw in the towel?` Listen to what Job`s wife said: `Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die`. But how different it was with David. David went to Samuel and poured out his heart to him, telling him what Saul had done.

At this time of year we might be reflecting about the new year and how last year went. Let`s copy David`s example. Even when things become extremely difficult for us, and suffering seems to be our lot, let`s draw close to God and His people.

We shouldn`t be content with anything less than the fullness of the Spirit of God working in and through us, giving us salvation, drawing us close to Him by His Spirit. As David wrote in Psalm 59:17, when he was fleeing Saul, `You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely`.

Prayer: Father, would you help us to look at this passage afresh, and what our heart attitude is towards you, when we go through times of hardship. Thank you for David and his heart after you. Help us to follow his example and to know your presence in difficult times. As we draw near to you, Father, reveal to us, in an even deeper and more intimate way, who you are to us, and who we are in you. Amen.

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Proverbs 16:20 and 25, NIV
“Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord . . . there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”

We received many Christmas cards in the run up to the 25th December and not a few of them also wished us a happy and prosperous New Year. It is not wrong to want to prosper – there are many verses in the Bible, which promise prosperity – but the general understanding in the world of the word prosperity and of how to get it, is significantly different from what the Bible teaches!

As is clear from this verse, one of the keys to becoming prosperous in God’s way is not only to listen to the instruction which comes right to our spirit from Him and the Word of God, but to take heed to what the instruction is saying. This means apply the teaching in your life and keep walking forward in obedience.

In the years before Ellel started I was a publisher, running my own companies. I desperately wanted them to be successful. One day a proposal came to me in the post through which I thought I could make a lot of money – and become prosperous. The only problem was that God spoke to me in my heart and told me not to have anything to do with the man who was writing the book in question! Because I wanted to be prosperous (in my way!) I deliberately closed my heart to the instruction of the Lord, thinking that I new better than God! That was the biggest mistake I ever made in my business career. It very nearly cost me everything I had and at one stage I was hovering between bankruptcy and losing my very life.

Through that experience, I learnt the most important lesson of my life – that God’s instructions matter, and that when he speaks it’s our responsibility to obey. On other occasions, when I did obey the Lord and allowed Him to direct my steps and the way I ran the business, I had some remarkable and very blessed business experiences.

And so the message the Lord has laid on my heart for this first day of the New Year, is simply to encourage you to trust God and His Word and to listen for His instruction every day of the year. He has promised to show you the way to go and I pray that you will indeed enjoy a prosperous New Year, enjoying the blessing of God’s presence with you as you choose to resist the temptations of the evil one and walk in God’s ways.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that You have given us vital keys in your Word to help us live for You and to enjoy the sort of prosperity you have planned for us. Forgive me, Lord, for the times when I’ve chosen to ignore your gentle voice of instruction and help me to always to have the courage to obey You and Your Word. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

John 1:3-5, NIV
“Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.”

Isaiah prophesied that the people who are walking in darkness would see a great light and that this light would dawn on those living in the land of the shadow of death (Isaiah 9:2). John, knowing that Jesus described himself as the Light of the World (John 8:12), began his gospel by picking up on Isaiah’s prophecy and declaring the amazing truth that we read about in today’s scripture – THE light has come!

Isaiah saw the light coming, like the headlamp of a distant train speeding down the centuries on the track of time. John saw the light arrive and then watched it speeding further down the track of time into the future. For all generations since, Jesus has not only been the Light of the World but also, as John expressed it, the light of men. Jesus is the light for all generations of people who choose to believe in Him. His light shines into the darkness of our sinful lives and transforms us from the inside out.

Later in the chapter, John expresses the amazing truth that all who receive Him and believe in His name have the right to become children of God – born afresh into His wonderful Kingdom. Tragically, not everyone wants His light. Isaiah spoke so accurately when he said that the darkness would not understand the light. The simple fact is, we live in an increasingly dark world – a world which is becoming less and less interested in the truths of Scripture and more and more tolerant of spiritual darkness.

The way of life of those who choose to live in spiritual darkness is challenged by the life and the teaching of the Son of God. What Jesus says, on so many different issues, stands in sharp contrast to what people want to hear. They don’t want to know about sin and the reality of eternal judgment and death. If you don’t understand the darkness which has become your normal way of life, then you won’t be looking for the light which can lead you away from death and into the new life which God offers to all who will believe in His Son. As the Christmas season approaches, this is a wonderful opportunity to remind yourself of who Jesus really is and to welcome Him, the Light of the World, into your life.

Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for being the light of the world and for being the light of all those who receive you as Saviour and Lord. Today, Lord Jesus, I welcome You into my life and invite you to shine Your light into every corner of my being, so that I may see myself as You see me, receive forgiveness and healing, and step forward in faith and trust to live all my days in your service. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.

Ephesians 2:10, NIV
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

I love making things and have made many different things in my life – ranging from book shelves to toys. I learnt the art of making things from my Dad, who clearly enjoyed making things for different members of the family. Every Christmas he would present Mum with a new piece of furniture which he had lovingly made. The joy of creating things for a purpose – things which we have thought about, designed and then completed is very deep-seated in the heart of man.

The reason why we get such joy out of making things like this is because, as God’s children, we are a direct reflection of our Heavenly Father – the ultimate Creator. God is good and, therefore, as God’s workmanship, we are also designed to do good works. Our salvation comes through faith – but as redeemed sinners we now have a new nature, and from this comes the desire to do good works.

And just as when we make things, we create them to fulfil a purpose, God has given each one of us a purpose to live for. It is as we follow Him, day by day, that we gradually discover the good works that He has created us to fulfil – the things that he prepared for us in advance. This advance preparation is an expression of God’s wonderful providence. He has gifted each of us with different desires, gifts and abilities so that we can uniquely fulfil the purposes that He has laid before us and know the joy of walking in our destiny.

There are no exceptions – God has created each and every one of us for a purpose and today we can each rejoice in the amazing blessing of knowing that the deepest joy of our lives will be experienced as we discover and do those good things God has prepared for us.

Prayer: Thank You for Your amazing love and for preparing good things for me to enjoy doing. Help me to discover the gifts you have given me so that I can use them to Your glory. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

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Nehemiah 9:21, NIV
“For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.”

Recently I was preparing a teaching series on Moses and I found myself completely amazed at the remarkable way in which God provided for His people during their time in the desert! It is estimated that the two million Israelites (and their cattle!) trudging through the wilderness would have needed two million gallons of water and six hundred tonnes of food per day, to sustain them in the dry and hostile environment they were living in. What an unbelievable feat for God to provide such huge amounts of food and water, day after day for forty long years.

How amazing that the manna and quail were delivered, day after day for forty years! How amazing that the people had sufficient water to drink, day after day for forty years! How amazing that even their shoes did not wear out! What do you think was the greater miracle – miraculous deliverance from slavery in Egypt, or the day by day provision of God in the desert? When we are praying for our daily needs and really looking to God for a miracle, how often do we overlook the miracle of God’s provision for the Israelites in the desert?

God sustained the needs of His people, on an ongoing basis, even as they dwelt in the most hostile of environments. Day by day He fed them, maintained their clothing and gave them water to drink. Let’s remember this astounding miracle of continued provision each time we come before our Father in heaven, asking for our daily bread as Jesus has taught us to do (Matthew 6:11).

We can read in Exodus a detailed account of the many miracles that preceded and accomplished the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. However, out in the wilderness, the people of God fell quickly into rebellion and mistrust. They did not follow the Lord wholeheartedly and as a result all those who were over the age of twenty years (at the time of the Exodus) were barred from entering the Promised Land (Numbers 32:11–12). Instead, they spent the remainder of their lives in the desert and it was reserved for the younger generation to enter into the Promised Land in their place.

How sad for Moses (in particular) that after all He had done in obedience to the Lord he was disallowed from entering the Promised Land. Disobeying the instruction of God, Moses struck the rock with his staff in order to provide water for the people, when God had instructed him only to speak to the rock. He then took the credit for this provision himself, rather than glorifying God who was the true provider. As a consequence of this sin, He was barred from entering the Promised Land. Yet, wonderfully, when Jesus took Peter, James and John up the mountain on the day of transfiguration, Moses was finally able to enter Promised Land himself (Matthew 17:1–13)!

The distance from Egypt to Canaan was only about a two week direct journey. Yet because of their disobedience to God the generation of Israelites who were delivered from Egypt wandered in the desert for 40 years. Do you realise that if you walked seven and a half hours per day for forty years you could walk around the entire world eight times in forty years? None of us want to walk around Sinai for forty years because of disobedience.

I imagine it was quite difficult for the Israelites to keep on moving – they moved around forty times in forty years and never traversed the same place twice. The average person in the west today moves just eight times in their life. I think we would find it quite difficult if the pillar of cloud kept moving and we had to pack up all our stuff and start again somewhere new every year. Yet, today God calls us to be willing to go wherever He leads. However difficult that is, the best thing we can do is to immediately follow.

There is an old chorus that says: ‘My Lord knows the way through the wilderness and all I have to do is follow. Strength for today is mine all the way and all I need for tomorrow’. Let’s be encouraged today to follow the Lord, wherever He leads us, and to trust in Him to provide for us and sustain us daily, in every place that He leads us through.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for the daily miracles of provision and protection that You give to me. Help me never to take these for granted and to know that every good and perfect gift comes from above. Help me to follow You whenever You call me to move on in Your journey for me, and to trust in You for my daily needs, wherever I go with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Colossians 3:12-13, NIV
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

When we meet and greet someone, we see very little of their actual body – apart, that is, from their face and hands. What we see the most of is their clothing! So often we make an assessment of someone based on what they are wearing. What they are wearing is sometimes an extension of the image they want to present. We all know people who make a habit of paying special attention to some particular aspect of their clothing – they seem to have their personal dress code!

For some it’s a colour, maybe bright red or dark blue, that they like wearing best. For others it`s a particular style that they feel suits their personality, or a particular item of clothing, such as (for ladies) their hand-bag or their shoes. Some people, men and women, are always very smart. Whereas there are others who would never want to look particularly smart and deliberately dress down, sometimes to the extent that what they feel comfortable in, could be considered by others as being rather slovenly. The fact is, whether we like it or not, our personal dress code gives out a signal to others, which can be a reflection of the person we are on the inside.

And just as our physical clothing can be seen as a message to others, telling them something about ourselves, our spiritual clothing can do exactly the same thing. Paul was hitting a very big nail firmly on the head when he drew the attention of the Colossians to the fact that our spiritual clothing is a reflection of our spiritual nature. And the important question, for each one of us to ask and answer for ourselves, is this: Does our spiritual clothing reflect the nature, the character and love of Father God, as was so wonderfully demonstrated to us in the life of His Son, Jesus?

One of the reasons why Jesus came was to show us what the Father is like. His spiritual clothing was a perfect replica of the character of Father God himself. God has commissioned us to be salt and light in a fallen and spiritually very dark world, so that others will have the chance of discovering what God is really like and be drawn to Him for themselves.

So Paul urged the Colossians to wear spiritual clothing that demonstrated such things as compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. All of these attributes are the outworking of God’s Love in our hearts and we can only demonstrate them through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. He will show us what to wear so that we can become true representatives to others of the character of God Himself. Believers should have a spiritual dress code that marks them out as followers of Jesus!

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to be constantly aware of how important it is that my spiritual clothing truly reflects Your character. I invite You, Holy Spirit, to so dwell in me that every day I will be able to listen to your voice and as a result grow to be more like Jesus. I want my clothing to be a true witness to the love of God so that others may want to come to know Him as well. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Matthew 19:27-28, NIV
“Peter answered him, ‘We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth …’”

Following Jesus is more than just putting your feet down in someone else’s pathway. True followers of Jesus face great challenges and have great opportunities.

There is a real cost and a real sacrifice when we choose to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus told us we would need to take up our cross daily and follow Him. The challenge is, ‘Is Jesus worth it? Is Jesus worth your sacrifice?’ We all know that the answer to that question is a resounding Yes! But it is not always easy to make the right choice when faced with the temptations of life – many of which can seem very attractive.

We all need to know the fact that God has a dream and vision for each of our lives. And the key to knowing God’s unshakeable call on your life is to get to know God better! Do you really know God? Do you spend quality time with Him? Getting to know God takes time – ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ God will test what’s in our hearts, but the good news is that God will always use what He’s tested.

This `knowing God` is much more than an intellectual knowledge of Him; it’s a deeper understanding than that. In your heart you need to be at peace with yourself, to know ‘I’m OK’. You need to know your uniqueness and giftings – those talents God has given you. You need to know yourself and your abilities – even your limitations.

But above all you need to know the heart of God for you. ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ (Jeremiah 29: 11).

Let’s pray as we go through today that when we’re tested, we’ll make the right choices as we follow Him and then come forth as gold.

Prayer: Lord, I present myself afresh to You today. Search me and know my heart, for I desire, with Your help, to walk in Your ways and in Your destiny for my life. Help me to hear Your voice and to know You more. In Jesus name, Amen.

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Isaiah 33:5-6, NIV
“The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness. He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.”

The word treasure can fire the imagination with pictures of wonderful and amazing riches; perhaps of finding a treasure chest buried under the ground full of amazing jewels and precious metals. But there could be few things more frustrating than having such a fantastic treasure chest, which you know is full to overflowing, but which you can’t get into – a chest that is securely locked and for which you don’t have the key! Having the right key would open up a hoard of unimaginable riches and treasure. Without the key, you cannot get the treasure.

Our Scripture for today describes God as being an absolutely secure foundation for our present circumstances, whatever they may be. It says that He is the ultimate source of salvation, wisdom and knowledge. These are spiritual treasures of inestimable value. But how can we access them and then apply them in our own lives?

We recently mislaid the key to one of the doors in our house. We have a box of old keys and I tried every single one in the door – but none of them fitted the lock. It was impossible for us to open the lock and go through the door. We needed to find the right key. Many people try to gain the blessings of God in their own way – but they fail because they do not have the right key in their hands.

Isaiah tell us in very simple words that the key to these priceless treasures of God is the fear of the Lord. Hebrews 11:7 tells us that it was “in holy fear that Noah built the ark”, which resulted in the salvation of mankind. God had given him a commission and Noah was determined to do what God has asked him to do in the way that God had said. Willing obedience to the will of God for ourselves and to the Word of God as expressed in the Scriptures are true hallmarks of holy fear. It is indeed a joyful thing to walk in the ways of God – but so many miss out on the best things in life because in their minds they create a god of their own making and have no fear of the living God.

I’m not afraid of God, in the sense of being frightened of Him. But I do fear not walking in His ways and doing His will. I know that if I choose to do things ‘my way’, I’ll very quickly get off course. The blessings God promises to those who do have a holy fear of getting out of line with Him are tremendous. Holy fear will keep us on track with God. It is the key to being blessed by having these precious treasures of God for ourselves.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for the incredible treasures you have reserved for those who love you and choose to walk in Your ways. Help me, Lord, to understand what it means to live in the fear of the Lord so that I will want to use this wonderful key every day of my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Isaiah 30:15, NIV
“In repentance and rest is your salvation; in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.”

God has provided a very special means of our receiving His grace, mercy, healing and deliverance – all of which are …