He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me, who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes; from a violent man you rescued me.
Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name.
TO PONDER
I don't know about you, but I'm not sure I always feel like God delivers on this psalm in my life. I know of a couple of old schoolyard bullies who, according to Facebook, seem to be doing pretty well for themselves. I'm not seeing too much subduing and I'm not feeling particularly exalted above said enemies at this point in my life.
It's at times like this that I realise I'm thinking about the wrong enemies. Other people are not my enemies. In fact, even if they were, Jesus told his followers to love those who hurt you and to pray for those who persecute you. It's then that I remember that, despite how badly sin may have distorted the image, that these people who I might consider my enemies are made in the image of God, just like I am. How could I do anything but love them, just like Jesus commanded.
Sin, death, and the devil are the enemies we face as Christians today. It is sin that makes me see other people as the enemy. It is death that Christ has exalted me above, raising me with himself to eternal life, its the violent and deceitful plans of that 'ancient foe' from which Jesus has rescued us. In fact, our rescue and God's vengeance against our real enemies is total and complete. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and praise the Lord among the nations, sing praises to His holy name.
PRAYER: Jesus, I know I misinterpret the mission parameters all the time. I often see those you have called me to love as 'the enemy'. Sometimes I freeze or cower in fear when you call me to act. I worry about saying or doing the wrong thing and losing a friend or making more enemies. Help me to remember that the only enemies I need to fear, you have already conquered, and you invite me to share in your victory. Help me to live courageous and victorious every day. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
TO PONDER
The phrase 'be strong and courageous' appears 6 times in scripture; 3 times in the book of Deuteronomy and 3 times in the book of Joshua. They are words spoken at a transition, at the end of Moses' time leading the Israelites and the handover to Joshua as the next leader. This was also a transitional time in terms of God's people shifting from a nomadic, desert wandering people, to a people coming into their inheritance and taking possession of the land God had promised them. There was a lot of change going on.
Sometimes I think that we forget that our God is a God, not just of creation, but also of re-creation and restoration. Just because he has done things one way in the past, does not necessarily mean we can expect him to do things the same way now. The one consistent thread though through all the amazing stories of God's interactions with His chosen people (which now also includes you and me) is that God does big things when his people are strong and courageous in trusting Him.
So look out for opportunities today where you can be strong and courageous in trusting God and see what He does with your courageous faith in Him!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, sometimes it's easy to pray the words "Your kingdom come, Your will be done" but then fail to do anything about it. Your kingdom can feel so far away and my faith and courage can feel so small. Please make me strong and courageous in trusting you to always be there with me and to never forsake me, even when you ask me to take a leap of faith into new territory and unknown places. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
TO PONDER
Doing the right thing, in other words doing the will of God, often draws opposition. There are plenty of people who do not want to hear the message of hope that Jesus offers, some of them are happy enough to just ignore Christians, others can get quite direct and aggressive.
Nehemiah encountered that kind of opposition while he worked at rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Those who didn't want the walls rebuilt worked to discredit Nehemiah, to sabotage his work plans and undermine his authority. His response in almost every situation is to down tools, pray to God and then put the situation in His hands.
Yet often we do fail to act when an injustice is done or a fridge door is left open or a toilet seat left up, preferring to whinge and moan about the problem rather than do something about it. God is inviting you today to step out of the shadows and get involved in the work he has four the church do do. And whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God the Father. Amen
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you say all power and authority in heaven and on earth has been given to you and you send us out as your people with that same power and authority. Help me to trust that you are at work through me and my life. Please help me to see today all the places I should be making a stand. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Then the king commanded Ebed-Melek the Cushite, “Take thirty men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”
TO PONDER
Sometimes doing what God asks you to do gets you "stuck in the mud", at least that's what happened to Jeremiah. He was given a difficult message to deliver to the king and people of Judah and the people living in Jerusalem. When the locals heard the message, they didn't like it and threw Jeremiah to the bottom of a muddy well.
To most outsiders it might have seemed like God let Jeremiah down. here was a guys who faithfully delivered the word of God and what does he get in return? He just gets thrown in a well and forgotten about... or so it seams.
Even in the dark and damp mud of the well, God had a plan for Jeremiah's safety. He used an outsider, a man from Cush (modern day Ethiopia), to rescue Jeremiah from the well. Yes, following God's will and plan led to a time of darkness and trial, but it also ended with God bringing about a safe solution for all involved.
God tells us himself that he will not ask more of us than we can handle (1Cor 10:13), so why not be courageous and take on the tasks God puts before you and let him surprise you with what you can achieve when you do things with Him.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, you have given me so many good things, like grace and forgiveness, my friends and family, my house and clothing all good things come from you. Help me to remember your goodness, especially when life gets tough and my situation is less than ideal. In Jesus name, Amen
Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”
The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”
TO PONDER
Moses was concerned he wasn’t the right person for the job. Moses was probably 80 years old when he was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
He’s not alone in beginning things at an older age. Colonel Sanders founded KFC at age 65. Daniel Defoe wrote the classic novel Robinson Crusoe, when he was 58. Samuel L Jackson’s acting career only took off when he was in his 40’s. Martha Stewart only published her first cookbook when aged 41.
In this reading today, God is quick to remind Moses who is in charge. He politely tells Moses to pull his head in. He recaps to Moses just who he is and what he has done, and what he will help Moses go and do. And he’s telling Moses, to borrow the famous Nike tag, ‘just do it’. Just do it, and I’ll be with you. Just do it, and I’ll take care of the rest.
Sometimes that’s the only prompt we need. In fact, in times of doubt, ‘just do it’, and let God handle the worrying.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we often get a little lazy when it comes to doing Your work. We’ll make every excuse under the sun to avoid speaking up, or sharing the Good News, or even telling someone off. So help us to be bold enough to ‘just do it’, and to rely on your protection and grace to get us through. Amen
So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
TO PONDER
A man was having difficulty communicating with his wife and suspected she may have a hearing problem. He decided to conduct a test without her knowing about it.
One evening he sat in a chair on the far side of the room. Her back was to him, and she couldn’t see him. Very quietly he whispered, "Can you hear me?" There was no response. Moving a little closer, he asked again, "Can you hear me now?" Still no reply. Quietly he edged closer and whispered the same words, but still no answer. Finally, he moved right in behind her chair and said, "Can you hear me now?" To his surprise she responded with irritation in her voice, "For the fourth time, yes!"
Do you hear God’s voice? Even Samuel didn’t realise it was God the first few times. A lot of the time we don’t hear the voice of God, and maybe it is because we are too easily distracted by the world we live in. So many choices and so many distractions demanding our time and our attention. So many things getting in the way of hearing the voice of God - or maybe we’ve chosen not to hear him or are not willing to listen. The hearing problem is not with God. It is with us.
If you know the voice of God, you have security. You are living securely. A living security means living without fear. A living security means fear is pushed aside.
Take the time each day, and maybe it’s about now when you read these devotions, to stop. Stop and listen. To be still and listen for the voice of God.
PRAYER: Help us dear God, to eliminate the distractions of this life, so we can hear what you have to say to us. Help us listen closely, and then respond to whatever it is you are telling us. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping
Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvellous deeds.
TO PONDER
‘Since my youth’, means hopefully we’ve learnt something, and we’re still around to pass it on.
And I thank God that I’m still around because there are some things from my youth, that I am embarrassed about. There are some things I did as a teenager, that are outlawed now. There are some things that wiser people have now made into law, so the world is safer, and the ID 10 T syndrome (idiot) doesn’t appear as much as it used to.
Being older gives me a chance to share what I’ve learnt, and much of what I’ve learnt has been from my mistakes.
That’s one thing God never does – make mistakes. Oh, he’s often accused of much of the hurt in the world, but he is crying as much as the victims.
God doesn’t get it wrong like I do. And God would like me to tell that to others. As I’m older now and am at the stage in life in realizing what people think of me is none of my business, I’m free to declare Gods’ marvelous deeds – of love, and grace, and forgiveness, and a future with him.
You are allowed to share that message too.
PRAYER: Thank you, Father, for being with me throughout my life. Continue to watch over me, and my family, and all those around me. Thanks for giving me a second, and third, and numerous chances, when I muck up. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them.
TO PONDER
Sometimes I wonder how much of my instruction my kid’s listened to. There are times I wonder if anything at all sunk in. My parents probably think the same about me!
As parents though, my wife’s and my instructions to our children would always be accompanied with a ‘why’. Too often the answer to ‘why’ when I was growing up, was ‘because I said so’. So when raising my three boys, my wife and I would tell our children what the instruction was, and why we were passing it on.
Sometimes though, the ‘why’ was not required, as in learning to drive a manual car, changing a flat car tire, or roll-starting a manual car. No need for explanations in those circumstances.
But when mediating an argument, or stopping a fight, or giving advice, these always were supplemented with a ‘why’.
And as people of faith, or living as children of God, people will occasionally ask why we do what we do, because often to the world we live in, it makes no sense. And that answer is easy because He first loved us. Give that answer to the question and follow up from there.
PRAYER: Thanks for your unconditional love, Lord. Thank you that we can live in your wonderful world as your followers. Thank you for parents, teachers, and all those in authority that assist us in our lives. Help us to listen to them more. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
TO PONDER
Nurture or nature. This was a term often brought up when studying for teacher training. It was linked to the behaviour, or more likely the misbehaviour of the child in the classroom. We explored the concept in a psychology class, because as a teacher, it is sometimes important to know the ‘why’ behind the undesirable behaviour.
Our theology tells us that due to original sin, it’s nature.
But there’s also the response to the gift God has given us, and that is to live as a child of God, meaning we will do our best to act in love, faith and purity. Usually, our parents are instrumental in bringing up their children as responsible citizens in God’s world – and that’s nurture.
I reckon Paul knew this when writing this instructional letter to his co-worker, Timothy. It’s an encouragement to Tim, and an encouragement to us.
So it’s ok to be reminded of our original sin – the nature bit - but then always always finish with the gospel. Always remember that Jesus overcame the sin for us, giving us the opportunity to live in love and faith and purity.
PRAYER: Thanks, Lord, for your servants throughout the ages that have kept us on the straight and narrow path. Help us to do this and shove us back on the path when we begin to fall off or lose our way. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping.