Battle Drill Devotional: Recent Episodes
Rob Westwood-Payne
Welcome to Battle Drill, a weekday devotional from Lieutenant Rob of The Salvation Army. Join us as we share hope and encouragement as we read and study the Bible together.
Jesus calls us to take the women around us seriously too, especially any who might be seen as outcasts or marginalised in society. Women are as key to future of the church as anyone else. Everyone matters to God.
Mary was one of Jesus’ disciples. She chose to sit at his feet to listen and learn from him. She showed Jesus she was a woman of thoughtful and worshipful action by anointing him with oil before his crucifixion. And she led Jews to Jesus to witness his miracle of raising her brother from the dead.
Mary is unquestionably a hero of our faith. She showed remarkable courage and faithfulness to God. We can imitate her faith and her courage in obeying God’s call and being available to be used by him.
God’s redemption ensures dignity, leadership, and partnership for all human beings. If at times you feel like a failure, or an outsider, remember Rahab trusted in God and was used mightily by him.
Eve is typical of all of us - men, women and children. We consistently repeat her mistake. Rather than blaming Eve for our plight, we should instead learn from her and keep God in our decision-making process.
Let’s be living stones and help build his church, being the very best representative of Christ wherever we find ourselves today and beyond.
God will build his church together, creating a place where God lives by his Holy Spirit.
Read 1 Peter 2:4-10. What is the church? Many people think of the church as a building. People speak of the local church or the church down the road, and what is in their mind is the building. Peter portrays the church not as a building but as the li...
Read Genesis 28:11-18. As you think back over the history of your corps, church, or place of worship, I am sure you are aware of both ups and downs in its life.There will have been incredible high points - when all was good, when people were being s...
This week on Battle Drill Devotionals, we reflect on the awesome privilege of being God’s people. Each weekday we share hope and encouragement as we read and study the Bible together.Read Genesis 28:11-18. How many generations of Christians have the...
Read Mark 9:33-37. I wonder if King Charles III Coronation made him happy. Certainly, it was good to see him, Queen Camilla and other members of the Royal Family smiling as they returned to Buckingham Palace after the Service.Jesus says that true ha...
Read Mark 9:33-37. Are you a procrastinator? I know people who can’t act to do something unless they are under a stressful deadline! But many of us can be guilty of waiting to do something until the conditions are right, or until it’s more convenient...
Read Mark 9:33-37. Have you ever been guilty of conducting a “man search”? You go to a drawer looking for something, and because it’s not right in front of you, you can’t find it. You complain to your wife, who looks in the same drawer, moves somethi...
Read Mark 9:33-37. Where do you look for your self-worth? In the make of car you are driving? In the logo on your tee-shirt or trainers? In the amount of money you earn? In a relationship?
Jesus’ disciples were looking for their self-worth in their status. They were arguing over which of them was the greatest! They were consumed by ambition, pride, and even insecurity.
When we look for our self-worth in the wrong places, then obedience to God and service to others can easily be pushed aside. We can come to overvalue our position and prestige. The wrong motives are destructive.
Jesus says that our self-worth comes from service. It comes from thinking about others more than we do ourselves. It comes from using our God-given gifts, skills, talents, and abilities not for our own benefit but for the benefit of those around us.
When we do that, then our self-worth is found in our place in God’s Kingdom, and our ambition is properly directed towards advancing it rather than ourselves.
It is always painful to measure our motives against those of Jesus. That is why his disciples were so embarrassed to answer Jesus’ question about what they were discussing on the road. But each of us must examine our hearts and renounce any pride or status-seeking we might have, even our insecurity.
We are meant to serve God by serving others. Let’s find our significance in that today.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• How are you using your God-given gifts, skills, talents, and abilities to serve others?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Click on the link - https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources - to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
This past weekend, many in the United Kingdom and around the world have enjoyed watching the Coronation of King Charles III. Amid all the pomp and circumstance, this week in Battle Drill Devotionals, we are reminded Jesus described leadership from a new perspective - of serving people.
Read Mark 9:33-37. When it comes to leadership, who do you admire? Your answer will reveal much about how you view leadership.
Real leadership is about serving others. That’s what Jesus taught us. He told the people around him that his mission on earth was to serve others and give his life away. He wants us to have the same servant heart. Servant leaders appreciate others’ worth more than their own and realise they are not above any job. If they see something that needs doing, they simply get on with it. They don’t feel entitled to high positions, honours, and special privileges. Instead, they look for ways to help others.
Whether you find yourself with leadership responsibilities or not, each one of us is called to serve God by serving others. One day you will serve God forever in heaven. In the meantime, he wants you to practice serving him by serving those around you.
You can use whatever you are good at - whatever gifts, talents or abilities God has given you - to serve others. What needs doing today?
Think It OverThink about the following:
- What do you look for in a spiritual leader? What does that say about how you view leadership?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Click on the link - https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources - to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
Read Psalm 23:1-6. Are you a “glass half full” or “glass half empty” person? The answer is an important indication of how we experience life.
If you are a “glass half empty” person then you will run around thinking you don’t have enough time to get everything done. You will never have enough money, which might mean you overwork to earn more, or over extend on your credit card, for example. You will feel you never have enough energy, which means either your work or your family and friends never get the best of you. A shortage mindset like this focuses on our limited resources, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and short-changed.
On the other hand, when our “glass is half full”, we focus on the goodness of God and all he provides for us. We recognise he has unlimited resources and that he has promised to give us everything we need. We can see that God has more than enough to supply our needs and the needs of everyone around us. We don’t have to worry about running short. He will provide all the blessings, all the goodness, and all the unfailing love we will ever need.
God wants to meet all our needs. He wants us to overflow rather than be overwhelmed. Let’s make the Good Shepherd the source of our life and enjoy the abundance that brings.
Think It OverThink about the following:
- Why do we worry about “keeping up with the Jones’s” instead of focusing on all the many good things God has given us?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Click on the link - https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources - to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Psalm 23:1-6. What are you worried about today? The cost of living crisis? Your health? The backlog and delays in the National Health Service? Your next energy bill? Your future?
Whatever it is that you fear, God promises to walk beside you as you face up to it.
On Easter Sunday at Maidenhead Corps we focused on the words of the angel, sitting on top of the stone rolled away from Jesus’ tomb. He told the women who had come to tend to Jesus’ body, “Don’t be afraid!” (Matthew 28:5). He was echoing a refrain that comes throughout both the Old and New Testaments: Don’t be afraid! In fact, there are 365 “Do Not be Afraids” in the Bible, one to remind us every day of the year!
We fear we are on the losing side. Whilst we might overcome pain, depression, disease, and injury in our lives, we know we cannot escape death. It will have the final word.
Except, that because of Jesus, it won’t! God has shown his grace and mercy by sacrificing Jesus on the cross for everything we have and will ever do wrong. God has the final victory! Death is defeated.
So, the next time something bad happens to you, remember the ultimate Victor walks beside you. He is close beside you and will protect and comfort you. Don’t be afraid!
Think It OverThink about the following:
• Why do you think God is so keen for us to get that we should not be afraid?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Click on the link - https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources - to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
Read Psalm 23:1-6. Do you have a hard time coming to some decisions? Do you find yourself prevaricating? Perhaps you’re afraid to make the wrong decision.
How do we know when we’re making a right decision? Is it a feeling? A sense of peace and calm, perhaps? Or do we look for advice amongst the many self-help articles we can find on the Internet - 5 Steps to Making the Right Decision Every Time, for example? Maybe you take a supernatural approach to decision-making and look for a miraculous sign that you’re making the right choice - if the next car that comes around the corner is red, then I know I’m doing the right thing?
The problem with these signs is they can be deceptive. Our feelings can trick us. There isn’t a proven formula for making the right decision every time. The miraculous sign you put your faith in could just be a coincidence.
Instead, the best way to know you’re making a right decision is simply to follow God’s guidance. He will guide you along the right paths. He will get you to the right places. When you have a decision to make, he is there with you, guiding you every step of the way.
If you want to make the right decision, then simply let God guide you to it.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• What do you look for when you are deciding if your decisions are in God’s Will - a feeling, a formula, a miraculous sign, or something else?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Click on the link - https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources - to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
Read Psalm 23:1-6. Do you suffer from hurry sickness? John Ortberg suggests some tests to decide. If, when you drive towards a red stop light and two lanes of traffic, you calculate, based on the make, model, and age of the two cars in front of you to decide which one is going to move off quicker, then you are suffering from hurry sickness! Likewise, if you have two queues at the supermarket and you calculate which one you think is going to move faster, and join that one, but keep a beady eye on the person in the other queue who would have been you, you have hurry sickness!
There is no doubt the pace of modern society appears to be getting faster and faster. We’re overworked, maxed out even on leisure activities, and many of us feel permanently exhausted.
That’s not what Jesus wants for us. He wants us to find contentment and refreshment. The Good Shepherd knows where the green meadows are. He knows where to find the peaceful streams. We simply need to follow him to find the restoration we need.
A lot of the hurry and worry in our lives stems from trying to go our own way and do our own thing. But that’s against our own best interests!
So, relax. Let go. Learn to rest. Learn the “unforced rhythms of grace” (Matthew 11:29 MSG). Go the Shepherd’s way and live in the goodness of God.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• Why do you think we value overworking so much in society?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Click on the link - https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources - to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
The world can sometimes seem a frightening and chaotic place. This week in Battle Drill devotionals, we are reminded to depend on Jesus, our Good Shepherd, for our provision, guidance, and protection.
Read Psalm 23:1-6 (TLB). My Mum’s favourite Bible version was The Living Bible. She based her opinion on one verse, and one verse alone:
Psalm 23:1 LBP
Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need!
My Mum would say that word “Because” makes all the difference to the sense of the words the psalmist wrote. We have everything we need because the Lord is our Shepherd.
David, the psalmist, was, of course, writing out of his own personal experience. He had been a shepherd. He knew sheep inside and out. He knew they were completely dependent upon their shepherd for provision, guidance, and protection. Without the shepherd they would soon become frightened, passive animals.
In some senses, we are liable to become passive and frightened, especially when our world seems so chaotic and confusing. But if we are obedient followers, following the One we know will lead us in the right ways and to the right places, then we have nothing to fear.
When you recognise the Good Shepherd, all you have to do is follow him! When you do, you’ll have everything you need.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• When was the last time you turned to the Lord for guidance? What was the outcome?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Click on the link - https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources - to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
Read John 15:1-17. Every Christian has a mission from Jesus. It is to produce fruit. Not apples or pears but people.
Jesus wants you to be fruitful. Productive. Successful. That doesn’t mean busy. And it doesn’t mean successful in the eyes of the world. He’s after Kingdom success. He wants fruit that will last.
Most of what we do, won’t last. Our work will fade. Our holidays will get forgotten. What we watched on television won’t matter. What will matter is what we do that will help someone get to know God for themselves. It might be a conversation. It might be a service such as providing food or help to find a job. It is most likely to be in building a relationship that then gave you the opportunity to explain how they could find out more about the God you serve.
When you invest your life in people, you’re bearing fruit that will last. Who can you invest in today?
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- Who will be in heaven because you shared the Good News about God with them?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Click on the link - https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources - to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read John 15:1-17. Why should I obey God? Many people (including some Christians!) think it is a duty – a sense of obligation. But Jesus says it’s because of love.
If you’re a follower of Jesus then he is Lord of your life, and you must obey his guidance and leading. You can’t carry on doing your own thing. Jesus says you are his friend only if you do what he commands. But that leads many people to think we obey God out of a sense of fear or obligation, the idea that we’ll be punished if we don’t. But that’s not how friendship works! We obey Jesus because he is our friend. He knows what’s best for us. That’s why he loved and saved us.
And so we obey him as a way of returning his love to him. Many of us listening to and reading this devotional are Salvation Army soldiers. We have promised God to do some things like upholding Christian integrity in every part of our lives, to maintain Christian ideals in all our relationships and to be actively involved in our local Salvation Army corps. We have also promised to abstain from some things like alcoholic drink, tobacco and non-medicinal drugs. We do so, not out of a sense of duty, not because we think we’ll win God’s approval, but because we love him, and we believe those things are best for us.
Obeying God makes him smile, because it means we’re making the right choices. And making God smile and making the right choices brings us joy – much more joy than the cheap thrills of other things that look so tempting. Choose joy today – choose obedience!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• Do you see obeying God as unnecessarily restrictive or as something that brings you deep joy?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Click on the link - https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources - to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
Read John 15:1-17. Would you like to make God smile? Then be fruitful by using the gifts he has given you!
Sometimes, we can be guilty of thinking God only smiles at us when we’re doing “spiritual” things. Things like praying, reading our Bible, serving in church or listening to the sermon. But God smiles when we are being fruitful and using the gifts he has given us. They may not seem very “spiritual.”
Perhaps it’s counting money and completing a reconciliation. Perhaps it’s cooking a meal for someone. Maybe it’s making a phone call to someone you know is lonely. Maybe it’s making some craft or colouring in a picture. It doesn’t have to be “spiritual.” If you are using the gifts and talents that God has given you, then that’s worship and it will be fruitful. And God smiles as he sees you doing it.
Why? Because it brings glory to him! He’s the gift-giver! When we do what we’re created to do, God smiles, and you feel good doing it too!
I can testify that the best feeling comes when you use the gifts God has given you for his purpose and to bring him glory. May you find it’s the most exciting thing in your life too!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What gifts or talents has God given you (everyone has at least one!)? How are you using them to bring glory to God?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Click on the link - https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources - to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
Read John 15:1-17. Can you remember your telephone number? Where you left the TV remote last night? What your favourite meal is? We remember what’s important to us.
One of the most important ways we can ensure that Jesus’ words are guiding and directing our lives is to memorise Scripture. But many people say, “but I can’t memorise!” Whilst I agree it takes some effort, you’ve probably just proven that you can memorise what’s important to you!
Memorising Scripture can help in so many ways. It can help have the victory over worry (worry is negative memorising in many ways!). It can keep you encouraged when things are tough. It can help you resist temptation. It can help develop your prayer life. In fact, Jesus says that if his words remain in you, then you can pray for anything you want, and it will be granted! (Of course, if Jesus’ words remain in you, you’re not going to ask for anything that’s contrary to those words). Memorising Scripture can also make it easier to share God’s Good News with those with whom you come into contact.
If you haven’t tried it before, I encourage you to give it a go. Just start with one verse a week. Write it on a piece of paper or a Post-It note and put it somewhere prominent to remind you. Or make it your smartphone’s home screen. There are even apps that will help you. Review it several times a day and only move on to another verse when you have the first one under your belt. As you move forward, keep reviewing the verses you have already learned. It might be helpful to ask a friend from the corps or church to help you. You could say the verses out loud to each other and you could encourage each other to keep going when you come across a tough verse to crack!
Memorising Scripture is the key to unlocking the Bible. Give it a go today!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What can you do today to start the habit of memorising Scripture?
This week in Battle Drill devotionals, we focus on what it means as God’s family to remain connected to Jesus. How does that change the way we “do” church?
Read John 15:1-17. Do you want your church to grow? Do you want to see it continuing to bear fruit? Then each member must remain connected to Jesus.
Jesus uses the metaphor of the grapevine, which in the Bible is a picture of God’s people. The church is God’s people of today. Jesus wants the church – your Salvation Army corps or church – to be fruitful. To be productive. To grow. In order to do that, we all need to stay connected to him.
The church – as the Body of Christ – has a part to play in this. It is in the church that collectively we find the Holy Spirit power to live on. It is in the church that we find the Christian family that Jesus wants us to live with and learn to love as he loves them. It is in church that collectively we learn the principles to live by. It is in the church that we discover God’s plan for the world and his plan for our own lives. And it is in the church that we find our purpose in life.
You won’t find all of that outside of the church. So get connected today. It might be difficult. It might be uncomfortable. It might take some sacrifice. But it is worth being connected to Jesus and to his people. It’s time to plug in!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• Do you find it easier to have a deep relationship with God or a deep relationship with other followers of Jesus? Why do you think that is?
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Do you ever think about heaven and what it will be like?
I think your answer to that question might depend on your age. When you’re young there doesn’t seem to be much motivation for thinking about heaven. But as we get older, we are confronted by human mortality. Soon, family and friends whom we love have passed away from this life, and we begin to think more about what it will be like to be reunited with them.
Who are you excited to see when you finally get to heaven? Of course, nothing will compare to meeting with and worshipping the Lord in person. But who else do you want to see? I have recently seen a clip of pastor Alistair Begg, who really wants to interrogate the prisoner who died on Jesus’ left when he was on the cross. How on earth does Jesus’ promise that “today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43) accord with his understanding of Scripture?!
But along with famous Bible characters and famous Christians throughout history, many of us will be excited to see family and friends whom we miss terribly.
It’s going to be exciting. It’s going to be joyful. It’s going to be emotional. Paul encourages us to encourage each other with the hope we have that one day this great, big family reunion will happen.
Death is not the end! We will see our loved ones again. We will be with God and with them for eternity. Be encouraged!
Think It OverThink about the following:
- How does knowing about the coming family reunion in heaven motivate you to tell others about God’s good news?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/407191/85811149952517907/share. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. You can even catch up with them three times a day on Salvationist Radio!
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read 1 Peter 4:7-11. What talent has God given you?
Some people are tempted to think God hasn’t given them any talent - nothing with which to serve his people. But that’s just not true! Each one of us has been given at least one thing we can do to serve God’s family and others.
Peter encourages each of us to “use them well to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10). If you keep your talent or ability to yourself, then I suffer, just as you suffer if I don’t serve you with the gifts God has given me. I would be nowhere if people didn’t share their gift of DIY - the ability to repair things - because God hasn’t given me that gift! But God has given me the ability to preach and teach his Word, and I am grateful that people encourage me that they are blessed when I use that gift.
We need to use the gifts God has given us to bless others. In that way, we contribute to God’s Kingdom. Don’t keep your talent to yourself! Use it to serve others, blessing them and glorifying God in the process.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• What gifts has God given you? How are you using them to serve others?
Read 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 MSG. Are you a team player? Or are you an outlier?
I know people who hate working alone - they need the creative spark of a team around them to function at their best. I’ve known others who like to do everything alone and will complain if others help that they don’t do the job to the same standard they do it to.
The Bible makes it clear that God’s work is meant to be done together. That’s why it holds so much teaching about what we should do towards “one another”.
In 1 Corinthians, Paul writes to a rather difficult church that they should “learn to be considerate of one another” (1 Corinthians 1:10 MSG). Consideration is one of the most important aspects of living and working together.
It is consideration that helps us learn to cooperate with each other. We begin to see what we each bring to the team. We learn to notice each other’s needs. We soon see that though we are all different, we are stronger together.
It is consideration that leads us to be thoughtful with our words and actions, learning to take people’s fears and doubts into consideration.
Being considerate takes time and effort. It is challenging work. But it brings happiness, strong relationships, and a good and effective team.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• Why are members of our church family often the hardest ones to get along or work well with?
Read Romans 12:9-16. Do you love your work? Do you love what you do?
Sometimes, we choose to work simply to survive - to earn enough money to live on each month. It’s not what we would choose to do, but it keeps us going until we can finally do what we’ve always wanted to do. It must be difficult to love our work in those circumstances.
But whatever we do, we can choose to work in love. That can be the motivation we need. When we do anything in love, it pleases God. You can look at a computer screen and please God. You can clean a floor and please God. You can fit hundreds of widgets every day and please God.
The key is to love those around you. Paul encouraged the Romans to “live in harmony with each other” (Romans 12:16). That sounds great, until you remember the people you work with who make life difficult! Those who are disagreeable, those who are grumpy, those who are defensive, and so on.
If we are going to be God’s witnesses in our workplaces, then we are going to have to learn to love these people. We can live in harmony with them by treating them with kindness. We can live in harmony with them by keeping quiet about at least some of our opinions. We can live in harmony with them by responding with grace and forgiveness when they hurt us. We can live in harmony with them by trying to be at peace with those we work with.
Let’s choose to work in love by living in harmony with those colleagues we find difficult. We will please God as we witness to his love.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• What would have to change in your work - and in your own attitude - so that you can work in harmony with as many people at your workplace as possible?
One way we can encourage each other as Christians is to practice the “one anothers” in the Bible. This week in Battle Drill devotionals, we focus on just five of the fifty-nine “one anothers” found in Scripture.
Read John 13:31-38. “My faith is fine, thanks. I don’t need a church to be a Christian”. Have you ever heard someone say that? Perhaps you believe it, yourself?
Whilst Christians have a personal, individual relationship with God, the Bible makes it clear that we were created to be together. Never is this so important than when it comes to our collective witness to God’s love. Jesus makes it clear to his disciples that it is our love for one another that proves to the world that we are his followers.
When we gather as a church family, we strengthen each other. We encourage each other and provide each other with motivation to keep going on our faith journey. We need each other to grow. Spiritual growth towards holiness happens in community. If you’re in a good place and growing, then you can encourage those who are struggling.
Let’s commit to loving one another - however difficult that might be on occasion - and witness to the world that we follow the God who loves them.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• What would you say to someone who once attended church but no longer does so because of a hurt or disappointment from the past?
Read Matthew 28:1-10. What’s one of the first things you want to do when you receive good news? Tell other people! It might be the birth of a child. Perhaps a new job. Maybe exam success. A new relationship. But when you have some good news, you just want to share it.
What’s remarkable about Jesus’ resurrection, is that once his followers found out about it, they just wanted to tell others the good news! The women ran back from the tomb to tell the disciples. Peter and John went home to tell their families the tomb was empty. Soon, all the disciples were spreading the gospel in Jerusalem and beyond.
The resurrection is the basis of our good news for the world. The resurrection means Jesus wasn’t just a good man. He wasn’t just a remarkable teacher. He wasn’t just a religious leader. The resurrection means he was indeed the Son of God. Your family, friends, neighbours, and co-workers – in fact, anyone you meet – can have a relationship with God because of Jesus’ resurrection. Now that’s good news worth telling, isn’t it!
Think It OverThink about the following:
- Who do you know who needs to hear the good news of Jesus today?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. You can even catch up with them three times a day on Salvationist Radio!
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Matthew 28:1-10. Have you seen those battery adverts where dead electronic items are brought back to life? The message is: all you need is the power from our batteries and life will be good again.
When it comes to our lives, there are two types of power: the power of bad and the power of good. Satan has the power to control your life. He can control your mind; your emotions and you can allow him to control where your life goes. We are powerless against Satan without Christ. On the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). At that moment, Satan was defeated. No longer can he control you. No longer can he manipulate you. No longer can he condemn you.
Jesus destroyed Satan. And the power that brought him back to life is available to you and me today, to resist Satan in the future. Jesus can breathe new life into our spiritually dead selves and then give us the power to live for him. Satan can’t harm you. Jesus will protect you. You have the power to say no. With Jesus, you can power on today!
Think It OverThink about the following:
• What do you need Jesus’ resurrection power to say no to today?
Read Matthew 28:1-10. Do you sometimes wish you had a crystal ball? I wonder what your response would have been if just over three years ago your crystal ball had told you what we faced in 2020 and beyond?
Sometimes we wish we could see into the future. But do we, really? How many of us could face the future knowing all the difficulties and problems we would face?
But because of the resurrection of Jesus, we can see into the future. If we trust him, our future is secure. One day, like him, we will be resurrected. He has promised us that death is not the end. And his resurrection proves what he says is true. An eternal future awaits us. One day we will see him face to face. Because of Jesus’ resurrection we have hope for the future. Who doesn’t need some hope today? God will not disappoint us. What an amazing promise! How do you claim it? Simply believe in Jesus today.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• What does it mean to know you have been accepted into God’s eternal home today?
Read Matthew 28:1-10. One of the hot topics now is scamming and those who fall victim to it. Some people have lost thousands of pounds worth of their savings paying money over to imposters who have scammed money from them through seemingly legitimate purposes.
Once you know about these scams it makes you sceptical about many of the promises you see. Sometimes, things seem too good to be true. Perhaps that’s how you feel about Jesus and his promises. Could he really make right our relationship with God and make the world perfect again?
His resurrection shows us that he is indeed who he says he is. He is the living Christ who rules God’s eternal Kingdom from heaven. Jesus is not a scammer. He is not a false prophet. He is not an imposter. He is God’s Son. He came to die for your sins and mine and he did. Jesus kept his word. His resurrection split history in two. It changed my life, and it can change yours too. You can rely on Jesus to be who he says he is.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• Why is the resurrection proof that Jesus is God as he says he is?
“He isn’t here!” This report of Jesus’ resurrection is the key to Christian faith. This week we focus on the different those three words can make in our lives and in the lives of those around us.
Read Matthew 28:1-10. Do you trust every promise that has ever been made to you? How about the preacher who says, “And finally …”. Maybe not! The truth is that for a variety of reasons, sometimes we are not particularly good at keeping our promises. You may have every intention of keeping your promise, but something prevents you from following through, and you end up breaking the promise you made.
The resurrection of Jesus proves you can trust God’s promises. Jesus told his disciples he would rise from the dead three days after he was killed. On that first Easter Sunday, the angel who met the women who had come to his tomb, exclaimed that Jesus wasn’t there. He was risen, just as he had said would happen. He had kept his promise.
The Bible holds over 7,000 promises from God to you. They cover any subject you can think of: your health, your wealth, your relationships, your work, your past, your present and your future, your salvation from sin and your own resurrected, eternal life. God’s promises can help end any fears you have. Read them, remember them, and trust them. Thank him for his resurrection power and ask him for a new touch of power in your own life. You can find hope today because Jesus lives.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• Which of God’s promises do you need to claim today?
Read Mark 15:33-37. Can you really understand the events of Good Friday? I have to say I struggle at times.
Jesus is the Son of God. More than that, he is God the Son. So, on Good Friday, God goes and gets himself killed on a cross, suffering the cruel, excruciating death of a common criminal. Explain that!
No wonder Paul exclaims:
1 Corinthians 1:18 NLT
The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.
It all seems like utter foolishness. Surely the point of God is that he is all-powerful, indestructible? How can we worship and offer our whole lives to a God who allows himself to be hanged to death?
And yet this moment is one of the most intense divine revelations. What we discover about the God who created us is that he chooses to reveal his power through powerlessness. The power of the cross is the power of selfless love. And there is no greater power in the universe.
As Jesus dies, the powerful are shown to be utterly powerless. Those who indulge in handing out injustices are faced with God’s justice. Those who oppress are placed under God’s judgment. Those who pollute God’s world face their day of reckoning.
As we gaze upon Jesus and as his life ebbs away, we see a world transformed by love. Our sin is overcome by his love. Our selfishness is replaced by his selflessness.
What can we do in response? Simply love as Jesus loved. We may not fully understand it all, but the cross must become our lifestyle. We must offer our lives as a living sacrifice to those who have nothing.
Think It OverThink about the following:
- When do you most often doubt God’s love for you?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. You can even catch up with them three times a day on Salvationist Radio!
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Mark 15:16-20. He came in at the end of our evening worship meeting. He swore like a trooper. The Salvationists heard some words that night that would have been an education to them! I tried to placate him. He calmed down for a bit. But then he was off again. And as he made his way out of the doors, he turned and spat at me. I was shocked, but somehow God still gave me words of peace and calm to give him as he left us.
Being spat at is revolting. The lady at the dry cleaners who was tasked with cleaning my uniform almost refused to do so.
But spitting is just one of the appalling abuses that Jesus faces from the governor’s soldiers. They rough him up. They pretend to worship him. They mock him. The make a fake crown out of sharp thorns and press it into his skull. It’s horrible and humiliating and just reading it makes us want to turn our heads away.
But as Jesus suffers the ignominy of the soldiers’ abuse, he puts himself in the place of all human suffering. Whatever you have suffered in your life, Jesus has suffered it too. He can identify with the victims of bullying, with the person who is always mocked and put down in the workplace, with the victim of torture. He can walk alongside victims of abuse. He stands with the fearful and anxious, with those who look in terror at the future.
Jesus doesn’t offer a quick fix. But he is there with those who suffer. He is willing to take their pain on his shoulders. If you are suffering today, know that Jesus is there with you amid it all.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• Do you find it difficult to reach out to Jesus when you’re suffering? Why or why not?
Read Mark 15:1-15. Do you ever despair over our political class? There sometimes seems to be culture of abusing power, whether it’s a case of bare faced lying and hoping to get away with it, or potential fraud, nepotism, bullying or a number of any other problems we are faced with on our television screens and in our newspapers.
Pontius Pilate is alive and well it seems! He underpays his staff and subjects them to poverty. He covers up his crimes and those of his cronies. He deliberately spreads lies and disinformation.
People like Pontius Pilate think they are in control. But they are not. Their power is a sham. One day they will be judged for the way they used and abused power by the One whose power raised Jesus from the dead.
By his silence, Jesus made it clear to Pilate that he was not in control. Real power is found only in trusting ourselves to his power. Jesus is the One who holds creation in the palm of his hand. He was the only One with power to bring about God’s plan of salvation. Are you ready to give him the power over your own life?
Think It OverThink about the following:
• When do you tend to hold on to power in your own life?
Read Mark 14:66-72. What is sin? Many of us, including many Christians, name sin as an action or series of actions. We could name several of them: murder, theft, gossip, greed and so on.
But sin is deeper than the action. It is a condition. It describes a broken relationship with God from which negative actions may flow. Sin is the attitude that we know better than God how to run our lives.
Peter wept because of his sin. He thought he knew better than Jesus. Any one of his eleven fellow disciples might deny they knew Jesus, but he never would. Peter would defend Jesus to the death. In the end, he didn’t even have the courage to make a stand for Jesus. He denied him three times instead.
You might think that would be the end of Peter. Like me, there might have been times in your own life when you have let Jesus down and thought there was no way back for you. But for those of us who have been beset by sin, perhaps the two greatest words in the Bible are those found in Mark 16:7:
Mark 16:7 NLT
Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died”.
The angel outside Jesus’ empty tomb specifically included Peter when he instructed the women to go and tell his disciples that Jesus was risen from the dead.
His sin was not the end for Peter! It’s not the end of the story for us either. We simply need to understand we have no power to overcome sin by ourselves. Instead, we must rely on the forgiveness of Christ, just as Peter had to learn. Peter was able to start again with a clean slate. So are we!
Think It OverThink about the following:
• Do you believe God will forgive your worst sin? Why or why not?
This week, during Holy Week, we meditate on some of the events of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday as we journey with Christ to the cross. Will we be changed by this encounter?
Read Mark 14:32-42. Our cocker spaniel, Harley, has a look. I can’t describe it, but when I am out with him and see it, I instinctively know he’s about to run off and make a burst for freedom!
I’ve always said dogs have much to teach us! In those moments (or sometime afterwards when the panic has subsided!) I reflect that Harley’s bid for freedom matches our own. Since the beginning of time, humanity has wanted to be free of God’s call on our lives. We want to be in control ourselves.
This is the fundamental question Jesus faces in the Garden of Gethsemane in the late hours of Maundy Thursday: will he follow God’s will and all that he knows that will mean for him, or will he bid for freedom and take back control of his own life?
Mark 14:36 NLT
“Abba, Father”, he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine”.
In that moment, Jesus hands his freedom over to God, fully trusting that by doing so he will one day find in him the freedom that lasts for ever.
Following our own will and having control over our own lives is not what it’s cracked up to be. We cannot set ourselves free. We need a Saviour who is willing to give up his own freedom so that we can be free. The best we can do in response is to offer our own lives to God in response. That is the path to true freedom.
Think It OverThink about the following:
- Where are you still trying to take or keep control in your own life?
Read Psalm 130:1-8. Where is God when you find yourself in a hole? The psalmist certainly wonders if God has abandoned him. He calls for help. He asks God to listen to his prayers.
Sometimes, God appears to be missing-in-action, especially when we are struggling. This feeling of separation from God is a test of our faith. God has promised us that he will never leave us, that he will never abandon us. So, the psalmist continues to count on God. He puts his hope in his word. He throws himself on God’s unfailing love.
The test is, when we cannot feel God’s presence, will we continue to trust the promise? Will we continue to trust him, to obey what he has asked us to do and to worship him?
If we can hold on to the promise, if we can look ahead to the endless life in his presence that’s before us, then we will be drawn into deeper relationship with him. His love will reach us and heal us.
Think It OverThink about the following:
- Have you ever experienced a time in your life when God seemed to have abandoned you? How did God use it to grow your faith?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. You can even catch up with them twice a day on Salvationist Radio!
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Psalm 130:1-8. Just over three years ago, our world seemed to fall apart. Everything changed as the Coronavirus pandemic hit hard around the globe. Many people went into lockdown, isolated from their family and friends. Some found their jobs in peril. Children’s education was interrupted. Many did not get help for health problems. Some wondered if God had abandoned us. Coronavirus was a huge hole for the world, and we still see the effects of this pandemic today and, I suspect, for years to come.
But God reassures us that his presence is inescapable. He will never abandon us. And nothing that happens to us can separate us from his love. We can continue to hope in him. Christian scholar, David Bartlett writes:
The Christian looks at Good Friday and Easter, at the love of God in Jesus Christ, and knows that God is God and shall be God and that nothing will be able to separate us from God’s love. That is our Hope. That is our confidence.
As we look back on the pandemic, we can reflect on and celebrate the ways in which God has delivered us through it and look back and see his presence with us throughout.
If this pandemic has taught us anything, surely, it’s that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God! That’s worth celebrating!
Think It OverThink about the following:
• How did you experience God’s presence through the Coronavirus pandemic?
Read Psalm 130:1-8. What happens when you find yourself in a deep hole? Do you give up and stop trying? Do you decide to simply drift through life instead? Do you simply change your priorities and jettison what mattered to you before? Or do you simply sit in despair?
If the hole you find yourself in is a setback, you need an anchor to stop you drifting. God’s presence is that anchor. When Paul was writing to the Roman church he explained that whatever hole they found themselves in – death, spiritual warfare, frightening situations, the day’s little worries – nothing would ever separate them from the love of God (Romans 8:31-39). A few years later, the Christians in Rome needed to hold on to that anchor for dear life as they faced terrible persecution for their faith.
God loves you. No matter what happens to you, no matter where you are, no matter how deep the hole, we can never be separated from the anchor of God’s love. He will seek you in your pain and assure you of the promise that one day he will help you overcome your setbacks with his unfailing love and redemption (v.7).
Think It OverThink about the following:
• Have you suffered a setback lately? How have you known God’s presence in such times?
Read Psalm 130:1-8. If you ever find yourself in a hole, it will likely be dark. Certainly, the hole the psalmist found himself in was - he describes it as “the depths of despair” (v.1).
When we’re in the dark and we’re afraid, we often reach out to a reassuring presence. It might be a parent, a leader, a spouse, a trusted friend. That’s true both for physical darkness and for dark times in our lives such as a mountain of debt, a relational conflict, grief, depression, or discouragement.
Because God is the Love who will never let us go, no matter what we do or where we go, we can never be far from his reassuring presence. We can reach out to him because darkness and light are the same to God. His Son is the Light of the world. We can trust him to guide and lead us as we lean into his comforting presence.
The psalmist didn’t just call out for help. He called out to God. He put his hope in the unfailing love of his Lord.
When you sense you are in darkness, the best thing you can do is turn to God’s light. He will lower your stress as you trust in him. He knows your journey and he will guide and lead you.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• How has God kept you safe during dark periods of your life?
This week we are reassured that God’s love is deeper than any hole we may find ourselves in.
Read Psalm 130:1-8. Where are you now? I don’t mean geographically. I mean in your head. In your mind. Some of us may find ourselves in a hole and losing hope that we will ever see the light of day again.
One hole we often fall into is that of spending too much time on the past or of worrying about the future. We replay difficult or painful or worrying times from our past. A challenging conversation. When someone has hurt us. When we felt abandoned by God. Or we worry about the future. What is going to happen to us? What is going to happen to those we love? Perhaps a challenge is on its way. Maybe a difficult conversation is needed. Perhaps we just cannot see the next step to take.
Allowing our minds to focus on the past or the future can lead to discontent and unhappiness. Our hole becomes deeper. The key to the happiness we crave, to the contentment we are searching for, to the peace of mind we so desperately need is simply to rest in the present moment in the presence of God. He is always there. We can put our hope in him:
Psalm 130:5 NLT
I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word.
God hears our cries. He pays attention to our prayers. Will you rest in his presence - in the moment – today?
Think It OverThink about the following:
• What can you do to help you live in the present (rather than the past or the future) today?
Read 1 Corinthians 2:1-9. What hopes and dreams did your Mum have for you? I know my Mum longed for me to be a Salvation Army officer, and I am glad she was alive to see me commissioned. God has hopes and dreams for us too.
In fact, Paul tells us we cannot begin to imagine the hopes and dreams God has in store for us, both in this life and for eternity.
In this life he sends us his Holy Spirit. His Spirit gives us the courage to go forward in this life, to press on through all the challenges it throws at us. It his Spirit who gives us the power to endure hardship and avoid giving in to temptation. His Spirit reminds us the best is yet to come!
And the best is that one day God will create a new heaven and a new earth. We will live with him forever. The Bible gives us but a tantalising, breath-taking glimpse of what this will be like. We can be confident that Christ has great blessings in store for us when one day we are Promoted to Glory.
Our hopes and dreams are not yet realised. So, let’s continue to love God with every fibre of our being. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to unfold to us increasingly the love God has for us. And let us – mothers, fathers, children, brothers, sisters, friends, whoever – express that love to those around us. Forward, ever forward to God’s hopes and dreams for each one of us!
Think It OverThink about the following:
- How is your outlook on life affected by God’s hopes and dreams for your future?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. You can even catch up with them twice a day on Salvationist Radio!
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Isaiah 53:1-12. I was often reluctant to tell my Mum when I was hurt. Why? Because I could tell she carried that hurt in her own heart. How much more then does Jesus carry our pain and sorrow and the world’s hurts and weaknesses on the cross!
Today’s passage vividly and unmistakably describes and explains the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross. Because of the depth of the love and holiness of God, Jesus chooses the path of obedience, one that led to intense pain and terrible suffering, as he bore our pain and sorrow on that tree of death.
He took our place. He was pierced because of our rebellion. He was crushed by our sins. He was beaten so we could be made whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
On the cross, Jesus took our sin and its consequences on to himself. Jesus says to you and me, as he did the disciples at the Last Supper:
Matthew 26:26 NLT
As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body”.
Let’s not be afraid to accept God’s love for us. Jesus has done everything necessary for us. We must accept the offering. It’s time to be free!
Think It OverThink about the following:
• What spiritual wounds has Christ healed in you?
Read Luke 10:25-37. “It hurts, Mum! Ouch!” Can you remember running to your mother for comfort and sympathy when you fell over and scraped your knee? Mum was the one who would supply the plaster and kiss away the tears. Likewise, Jesus wants to soothe our wounds.
Often, we read Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan as a call to live a life of neighbourly love. And of course, it can be read that way. As we thought about yesterday, Jesus wants us to show compassion on those with physical needs, just as he did.
But like a mother, Jesus wants to heal us too, and his parable has hidden depths that can bind up our wounds too. Perhaps, particularly as Salvationists, Jesus wants to heal us of the notion that we must do something to earn God’s love.
The expert in religious law is an activist, like many of us. Notice his question. He does not ask about a way of life. His question is how he could make his way to life:
Luke 10:25 NLT
One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”
To bind up the activist’s wounds, Jesus first meets him where he is. The expert wants to know what he must do to merit God’s favour, so Jesus tells him. Jesus’ story isn’t a nice, comforting story about a man who spots someone else in trouble and helps him out. The twist in the tale is that this is an encounter between sworn enemies: a Samaritan helping a Jew. Unheard of! They were sworn enemies. Imagine a black freedom fighter helping a white supremacist. You get the idea. It’s impossible!
But that’s the point Jesus is making. It’s impossible to do anything to inherit something. Inheritance is based on relationship, not on performance. It’s impossible to do anything to make God love you. He loves you already!
Life with Jesus isn’t about religion. It isn’t about frenzied service. Discipleship is different from busyness. God doesn’t ask for incessant good works. Following Jesus is about devotion and dedication. Jesus seeks our commitment, not our achievements. He’s not impressed by our activities, but our attitudes.
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus looks to heal the wounds of the activist, as a mother puts a plaster on the skinned knee of her child. May each of us be healed of the futility of trying to win God’s love through human effort.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• Am I tempted to try to earn God’s love? How does that leave me feeling?
Read Mark 6:30-44. Mum’s picnics were legendary affairs. I remember a battered, old green hamper that came out, with proper China plates and silver cutlery. There were beautiful sandwiches, crisps (which were a treat in those days!), other snacks, cake, and fruit. Each one was an event!
Mothers are generally loving, caring, and feeling people. They want to look after every aspect of their children’s lives. Likewise, Jesus provides this picnic to 5,000 men and their women and children, not because he wanted them to believe in him, not because he had something to teach them, but simply because “he had compassion on them” (Mark 6:34). He saw they were lost, straying from God and in grave danger, “like sheep without a shepherd”. He was deeply moved, and like a mother, simply had to do something about it.
He could have sent them away, of course. But like a mother, Jesus is concerned with every aspect of our lives – the physical as well as the spiritual.
But as well as meeting their physical needs, Jesus did have something to teach his disciples. It’s a lesson we must learn too. When his disciples point out the problem of a large crowd in a remote place, late in the day, needing something to eat, Jesus’ response must have astounded them:
Mark 6:37 NLT
But Jesus said, “You feed them”. “With what?” they asked. “We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!”
It is a command we cannot afford to take lightly. Jesus’ compassion for the hungry is such an important lesson that it’s one of those rare events that is recorded in all four gospels. For people who are desperately hungry, there is no better way to show God’s love than simply to feed them. As the consequences of the current global pandemic continue to unfold, I suspect there may be many opportunities to meet people’s physical needs as well as their spiritual ones, in the name of Jesus, who likewise as compassion on them.
If my Mum could supply a feast of a picnic, may I do the same to those who most need God’s love.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• What excuse might you be tempted to make when God calls you to do something about the human needs in your community?
This week, having celebrated Mothers’ Day in the UK, we consider the ways in which God is like a mother to us.
Read Deuteronomy 32:9-18. Our thoughts about God are dominated by him as father. Images of a God who nurtures and cares for us, who holds us, grieves with us, and laughs with us are less common.
Do you remember running into your Mum’s arms when something had scared you? Can you recall the comfort and security you felt when you reached her, and she flung her arms around you to protect you?
Deuteronomy 32:9-18 is part of the great Song of Moses, composed as he was coming to the end of his life and as the children of God prepared to cross into the Promised Land.
In it, Moses paints a picture of a God who mothers us. Moses reminds God’s children that as they journeyed through the barren and dangerous Sinai desert on to the Promised Land, God “found” them and seeing they were vulnerable, surrounded, watched over and guarded them. He calls them the apple of his own eyes.
The theme of God’s mothering love and care for his children continues, as Moses conjures up the image of an eagle spreading her wings and taking hold of the eaglet, carrying them away to safety. When the Israelites reach the Promised Land, it will be God who deserves the credit.
Moses goes on to remind his people that God has fed them in the desert, supplying food spontaneously from the rocks. He supplies food through livestock, from both the animals themselves and what they produce.
Sadly, Moses’ Song ends with him calling God’s children out for forgetting the God who mothers them, exclaiming:
Deuteronomy 32:18 NLT
You neglected the Rock who had fathered you; you forgot the God who had given you birth.
God our Mother gives us many blessings. Many of us can look back to times of material wealth or success. We can remember times when God protected us, when he has kept us safe and supported us. Let’s ensure that whilst we enjoy these blessings, we don’t make light of God. Let’s not become soft and entitled. May God’s blessings draw us closer to him rather than turn us away from him.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• What kind of mother is God to you? What kind of child are you?
Read John 4:5-14. Where do you go to worship God? The Salvation Army Hall? A church? A cathedral? Have you ever thought about worshipping God in your home? At your place of work? In the supermarket queue? In the park?
As a Samaritan, the woman Jesus met at the well thought God could only be worshipped on Mount Gerizim. The Jews on the other hand thought God could only be worshipped in Jerusalem. Jesus revealed the truth: God is not confined to a particular building or a specific setting. He can be found anywhere! So, we can worship anywhere!
Our worship is not dependent on a place or time. It depends on our attitude. We can work with an attitude of worship – working for God, whatever we do. We can clean dishes with an attitude of worship – doing it whilst aware of God’s presence with us. Any activity – if it has God at the centre – can be an act of worship.
Think It OverThink about the following:
- What are your plans today? What can you do to ensure God is at the centre of them all, and that you are worshipping him throughout your day?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. You can even catch up with them twice a day on Salvationist Radio!
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read John 4:5-14. Yesterday, I suggested coming home to Jesus satisfies our souls greatest longings. So why is it that many Christians still feel so dissatisfied with life?
If you look at many Christians today – me included – you might conclude they are as unhappy and dissatisfied as anyone else over feelings of low self-esteem, a lack of love in their lives, of loneliness. They seem to struggle as many others do over sex, money, work, and their position in life. What’s that about?
Did Jesus overstate his claim to be the Living Water that could satisfy us fully? Or is it because, like the woman at the well, we’ve misunderstood what Jesus is saying to us?
When Jesus told the woman he could give her water so she would never be thirsty again, she was thrilled! Imagine never again having to make the long journey in the midday sun to draw water from this well. Now all her needs would be met from this man’s gift!
But Jesus didn’t promise an escape from life. He promised freedom within life. In fact, later he would tell his followers they should expect trouble in their lives (John 16:33). But he also promised he would overcome them all.
We may experience the same problems and worries as many other people do, but the presence of Jesus in our lives makes a significant difference in the ways we respond to them. Jesus gives us the spiritual power we need to face the challenges of everyday life. And one day he will hand us the ultimate victory!
Think It OverThink about the following:
• How does Jesus strengthen you to face the challenges in your life?
Read John 4:5-14. Are you satisfied with your life? Or do you find yourself hungering and thirsting for something else? The world offers several ways to satisfaction, but often they leave us wanting something more.
Watch any advert break on your television and will find a list of things that will make you feel happy and secure. It might be a takeaway. It might be a new brand of perfume or aftershave. It could be a new car or a new gadget. It might be a complete change of wardrobe. It could be the promise of limitless wealth if only you part with a little money for a worthy cause.
Jesus tells the woman at the well that the problem with these things is that they come up short. They are like water: they may quench your thirst for meaning for a while, but soon you will be thirsty again.
Jesus says that only he – the Living Water – can satisfy our hungry and thirsty souls. When we come to him, it is like coming home. We will never hunger or thirst again. Jesus satisfies that desire every one of us has – whether we know it or not – for God’s presence.
This Living Water – this sense of happiness, security, of wholeness – is available to you and me today. Maybe it’s time for you to come home to Jesus today?
Think It OverThink about the following:
• What did you thirst for before you met Jesus? If you haven’t met him yet, how do you quench your thirst?
Read John 4:5-14. Do you ever avoid God because you feel ashamed and guilty about something? That can be your experience before you become a Christian, but it can also happen when you’ve been a Christian for many years.
Jesus meets a woman at a well when she approaches in the middle of the day to draw water. Nothing unusual about that, you might think. Except that there were wells that were closer to the village she lived in – she had walked further than she needed to. And women generally drew water from the wells much later in the afternoon, when the temperature was cooler. What was this woman up to? She may have walked further in the heat of the day to avoid contact with other women. She was ashamed.
This woman was a Samaritan. She was hated by the Jews. She was known to be living in sin – having had five husbands, the man she was now living with was not her husband. And she was a woman in a public place. No respectable Jew would have anything to do with her in such circumstances. But Jesus did. He shows remarkable grace to her, even though he is tired and thirsty.
If you’re loaded down with guilt today, why not allow Jesus to take your guilt away? If you dread judgment and rejection, why not sink into his acceptance of you? Jesus wants to speak with you. He wants to strike up a conversation. He loves and cares for you no matter who you are or what you’ve done. Today, you can rest in the unconditional love of your Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• Why is shame such a powerful trap in our lives?
This week in Battle Drill devotionals, we focus on what it means to place God at the centre of our lives – our work, our rest, and our worship.
Read John 4:5-14. Is there an area of your town that you avoid? A place that has a bad reputation – perhaps because of violence or drug misuse. Or perhaps it makes you afraid and uncomfortable. Jesus gives us an example of breaking down our barriers to these areas.
The account of Jesus’ meeting with a woman at a well begins by telling us he had to go through Samaria. Why is this significant? The Jews hated the Samaritans, and strict Jews would do anything they could to avoid going through Samaria as a result. When travelling from Judea to Galilee, they would take a route around it, through Perea, east of the river Jordan, even though the journey took much longer.
So why did Jesus have to go through Samaria? It was unlikely to be roadworks! Jesus was not following those yellow diversion signs! We can understand it was necessary for Jesus to go through Samaria because the gift of salvation he had to give was for the Samaritans – in fact, it was for everyone – not just the Jews.
Jesus’ good news is for everyone – no matter their race, social position, religious orientation, or past sins. As his followers, we want to be prepared to share this good news with everyone at any time and in any place.
Jesus crossed all social barriers to share his good news. We must do the same!
Think It OverThink about the following:
- Where is your Samaria? What could you do to share Jesus’ good news in that place this week and beyond?
Read Romans 4:1-4; 15-17. Whilst we are saved by God through faith alone, we also know we need spiritual exercise too. There are things we can do to help strengthen our faith. We are looking at four of them during this week. We’ve already looked at the first three.
The final habit is to find a small group of Christians to share with. If you're looking for ways to strengthen your faith, it's important to make sure that you have people in your life who will support and encourage you along the way. One of my favourite times of week is to join my online Growth Group and to read and discuss God’s Word together.
A small group can help strengthen our faith by reminding us that we are not alone. Small groups are a place where you can share your story, find people who understand you and relate to each other's struggles and joys. We can support each other as we grow in faith together.
A small group helps us learn from each other because we're encouraged to share openly about our struggles - and everyone has struggles! This creates an environment where everyone feels safe enough to talk about their feelings without judgment. But it also allows each person's experience become part of the fabric of community life together.
And a small group helps us receive encouragement. We can get discouraged when things don't go our way or when we feel like we're struggling with something. But our small group can listen to our struggles and encourage us. They can even celebrate our victories with us!
The Bible tells us we need each other to grow as Christians and to strengthen our faith.
Think It OverThink about the following:
- Are you part of a small group? If not, who amongst your Christian friends might be willing to get together with you to start one?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. You can even catch up with them twice a day on Salvationist Radio!
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Romans 4:1-4; 15-17. Whilst we are saved by God through faith alone, we also know we need spiritual exercise too. There are things we can do to help strengthen our faith. We are looking at four of them during this week. We’ve already looked at the first two.
The third is to write out your testimony so you are ready to share it. No one else can tell your story but you. Some of the most powerful testimonies come from people who have been through demanding situations in their lives. When they share their stories with others, we quickly see that everyone has their own struggles, but these struggles are what makes us stronger as individuals and as a church.
When you're asked about your Christian testimony, you should be prepared to share what God has done for you and how Jesus has changed your life. Don't let an opportunity pass by because of fear or shyness! The Bible tells us that our hope is found only in Jesus Christ--and this means we must be able to explain why we believe what we believe.
Writing your testimony down can strengthen your faith and help you share it more easily with others and make sure that it doesn't get lost when people ask about your faith journey.
It’s time that you started sharing your story. Just like nobody else can study for you, nobody else can tell your story like you can.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• Why is writing down your testimony so helpful?
Read Romans 4:1-4; 15-17. Whilst we are saved by God through faith alone, we also know we need spiritual exercise too. There are things we can do to help strengthen our faith. We are looking at four of them during this week. We looked at the first yesterday.
The second is to read Christian books. Reading is one of the best ways we can learn more about God and strengthen our faith. The Bible tells us that reading can help us understand God's word and grow in our faith, which leads to understanding God's will for your life.
Reading can also strengthen your faith through relationships with other Christians. Reading books can help you form those relationships because it allows you to connect with others who share your beliefs and experiences, which can lead to deeper understanding of God's word.
Reading also gives you an opportunity to share your thoughts and ideas with other people who may not agree with you.
Reading is a fantastic way to strengthen your Christian faith. It not only helps you better understand God and his Word, but it also gives you access to other believers who share your beliefs. The benefits of reading are many: it can improve your memory, reduce stress levels, and even improve brain health! And if you really don’t like reading, you could always turn to audiobooks!
If you're looking for ways to strengthen your faith in Christ, consider picking up some books on Christianity today.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• If you struggle with reading, how could you make reading Christian books more interesting and engaging?
Read Romans 4:1-4; 15-17. Are you into exercise? Since the beginning of the New Year, I have started going to the gym again, after an absence of a few years. I can’t say I ever wake up thinking, “Oh great! I get to exercise today”! To be honest, the only think I find “great” at six o’clock in the morning is a mug of coffee! But I do know that I need physical exercise.
Whilst we are saved by God through faith alone, we also know we need spiritual exercise too. There are things we can do to help strengthen our faith. We are going to look at four of them during the rest of this week.
The first is to study the Bible. You can’t strengthen your faith simply by listening to someone else preach from the Bible. You must study the Bible for yourself.
The Bible is the inspired Word of God. It’s the source of truth and wisdom. Spending just a few minutes in it every day will strengthen your faith. When we read small portions of the Bible at a time, our minds are more prepared for deeper understanding - and we're less likely to be distracted by life's daily distractions that come between us and God's Word (like Facebook).
God wants you to know his Word so that it can strengthen your faith, transform your life, and keep you strong during difficult circumstances.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• How can you make studying your Bible more engaging?
During Battle Drill devotionals this week, Paul reminds us we are saved by God through faith alone. In what ways can we strengthen our faith?
Read Romans 4:1-4; 15-17. Are you a worrier? If you are, then when you hear that we are saved by God through faith alone, you probably start to worry. Do I have enough faith? Is my faith strong enough the save me?
If you do, then I’m afraid you miss the point. Faith is not about us. It is not about our efforts. It doesn’t matter how powerful our faith is. It is Jesus Christ who saves us. He does not rely on our feelings or even our actions. He is strong enough to save us no matter how weak our faith might be.
Our salvation is a gift from God. He gives it to us because he loves us. We cannot earn it. Our own efforts will never be enough. So, what do we do:
Hebrews 11:1 NLT
Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.
Faith is to look for that for which we hope. It is to trust in Jesus for the things we cannot see. All we can do is reach out to accept the wonderful gift of salvation he longs to give to us.
Think It OverThink about the following:
• How can you show your faith in God today, even when you can’t see what the future holds?
Read Genesis 2:15-17 and Genesis 3:1-7.
I said I’m free / To do what I want, any old time / I said love me, hold me / Love me, hold me / ‘Cause I’m free / To do what I want, any old time.
So sang British and Albanian singer, Dua Lipa, back in 2019 for a Yves Saint Laurent advert with the strapline, “Don’t be afraid of your freedom”.
That’s what many people think freedom is. Freedom to do what they want.
That was the freedom Adam and Eve craved. Satan tempted them into deciding they wanted to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that they wanted the freedom to judge what was good and what was evil for themselves. And as a result, they disobeyed God. The consequences were disastrous.
God tells us that true freedom comes from obeying him. As our Creator, he knows what’s best for us. Freedom comes from following God’s guidance and knowing what not to do. The restrictions he places on us are for our own good. They help us to avoid evil and its disastrous consequences.
We don’t have to give in to temptation to learn more and enjoy life. The best way to be free from the things that tempt us is to always follow God’s guidance.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- Where have you looked for freedom outside of God’s will? What was the result?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. You can even catch up with them twice a day on Salvationist Radio!
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Genesis 2:15-17 and Genesis 3:1-7. Do you try to keep up with Joneses? Or do you look over the fence and think the grass is greener over there?
One of Satan’s biggest strategies for tempting us to sin is to make us doubt God’s goodness to us. That’s what he did to Eve. He got her thinking that God was being strict, stingy, and selfish by telling her and Adam not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Why would God want to keep their eyes closed and their minds ignorant like that?
By introducing this doubt to Eve, Satan succeeded in getting Eve to forget all that God had given her. She lived in a beautiful garden. She could eat from any tree in it, except one. God had given her and Adam stewardship over all the animals and plants in the garden and had encouraged them to multiply over the earth. He was close to them and walked in the garden with them. But suddenly, as Eve focused on what God had forbidden rather than all he had given, it wasn’t enough. The countless blessings and promises seemed worthless.
Satan tries to do the same with us. If he can get us feeling sorry for ourselves for all we don’t have, then he has a chance to persuade us to doubt God and all his goodness to us.
The next time that happens, choose to focus on all you do have and thank God for it. When you list everything you’re grateful for, your reminded just how generous and loving God is. That’s a fantastic way to resist temptation!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What are the first three things that come to mind for which you are grateful?
Read Genesis 2:15-17 and Genesis 3:1-7. How can we resist temptation? By following four simple guidelines. We looked at two yesterday, and today we study two more:
Say No when confronted with what we know is wrong: Have you ever told yourself you couldn’t help it? I know I have. The problem is that’s a lie. How do I know? Because God’s Word says we will never be tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). God will always give us a way out. He will always give us the opportunity to say “No.”Saying no can be painful. It can even be embarrassing at times. But it is the first step to winning the battle of temptation in your mind. Satan is shrewd. He’ll use all sorts of weapons to attack you. He can suggest the wrong things are good, pleasant, and desirable. He can get you to rationalise that the wrong things are harmless and that you are entitled to say yes to them. We need to be ready to say a firm “no” as soon as Satan comes scheming.
Hold firmly to God’s Word: God’s Word is a sword. A sword that can puncture any puffed-up temptation Satan might put in your way. A sword is no good if it stays in its scabbard. Your Bible is no good if it stays on your bookshelf, or even on your desk. What happens when you’re away from it?It's not very practical to carry your Bible everywhere with you, although those of us who have the Bible on our smartphones might come close. What is much better is to learn to memorise Scripture. That way we have it to hand when we need to brandish it in front of some temptation.
These guidelines will all help to resist temptation. They can be used in combination, as the temptations arise. As we use them, we can strong against sin and become more like Jesus.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What could you do to start memorising Scripture?
Read Genesis 2:15-17 and Genesis 3:1-7. How can we resist temptation? By following four simple guidelines. We’re going to look at two today, and two tomorrow:
Pray for the strength to resist: The Bible is full of people who prayed to God to give them the strength to resist temptation. David, Daniel, Peter, and Paul all prayed this prayer in several ways.What do you pray? It doesn’t have to be complicated. When you’re being tempted, there isn’t much time to construct a prayer full of poetry and beauty! Most of the time, it’s enough simply to pray, “Help!” “Help! I’ve got to work with that co-worker who really winds me up, today, Lord”. “Help! I’m supposed to be dieting, but that piece of chocolate cake looks good!” “Help! I really want to have a social media rant today!”
We can find the strength to resist temptation simply by asking God to help us.
Activate the emergency plan: Run for your life! Sometimes, the best thing to do when faced with a temptation is to run away from it! That’s not weakness. You don’t win any brownie points for getting as close to a temptation as you can, especially if you then fall into it because you’ve gotten too close!Tempted to think about something you shouldn’t because of what’s on your television? Change the channel, or better still, turn off the television and do something else. Tempted to overindulge in snacks? Lose yourself in an enjoyable book instead or go for a walk.
Run away from the situation. Don’t stick around to see if you can resist the temptation. Just get away from it.
Every time you follow one of these guidelines and resist temptation, you become more like Jesus.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What changes might you need to make in your life to minimise your exposure to temptation?
This week in Battle Drill devotionals we look at temptation and how to resist it.
Read Genesis 2:15-17 and Genesis 3:1-7. Are you frightened by tempting thoughts? Do you feel demoralised that you aren’t beyond temptation? Many Christians are, including me at times. The first thing that will help us resist temptation when it comes is to realise and remember that being tempted is not a sin. Jesus was tempted to sin.
Of course, unlike Eve, and unlike us, Jesus did not sin. And he stands ready to help when we face temptation. He understands our weakness because he has had to resist temptation himself. He was tempted to get angry. He was tempted to give up. In fact, the Bible says he was tempted in every way we are. But he did not sin. And he has the power to help us not to sin too.
Because Jesus was tempted to sin but did not sin, he can help you overcome any temptation that comes your way. He wants to help you. Ask him to defeat your fear and discouragement about being tempted and he will give you the power to resist the temptations you face each day.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• How does knowing Jesus never sinned help you trust he has the power to help you overcome your temptations?
Read Matthew 17:1-9. Do you ever look at your weaknesses and your vulnerabilities and think I’m never going to amount to much for God? I’m destined to being a mediocre Christian at best?
I suspect poor Peter might have felt a little of that as he, James and John, and Jesus began to make their way back down that high mountain. Six days before, he’d tried to protect his friend Jesus by challenging him over his insistence that he would be going to Jerusalem, where he would suffer at the hand of the religious and political leaders in the city and would eventually be put to death, before rising again. Jesus called him Satan in return! (Matthew 16:21-23).
Then he’d got over-excited at seeing Jesus transformed on the high mountain and had suggested building three shelters as memorials of the event, and God had to interrupt him to get him to shut up and listen to Jesus!
A bad week in anyone’s book!
As they made their way of the mountain, Jesus tells Peter, James and John not to tell anyone what they had just witnessed until after his resurrection. Why? Because he knew they did not yet fully understand. In fact, perhaps they could not fully understand until Jesus had died and been raised from the dead.
We can’t always understand our weaknesses and vulnerabilities. We’d rather not have them. But we can learn to sit with them. We can lean into the truth that God has the strength to transform them, to equip us to take the next step in our journey of faith. We have so much more to learn! And there is so much more to come!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- What weakness and vulnerability might you need to learn to sit with and allow God to slowly transform?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne.
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Matthew 17:1-9. Are you a talker? I’ve met people who can sit for hours and say nothing. I’ve also met people who can “talk the hind legs off a donkey”!
If you’re one of the latter, then this report of Jesus being transformed on a high mountain whilst three of his closest disciples watched on has some good news in it for you!
Matthew reports that as Jesus was transformed, his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as light. Then suddenly, two of the most important people in the Jewish faith - Moses and Elijah - appeared with Jesus. And what were they doing? They were all talking together!
This transformation was a foretaste of heaven - and the participants were talking! Why? Because in the Kingdom of God, relationships matter. The Kingdom of God reminds us we are individuals that are part of a wider whole, connected by relationships - our relationship with God, and our relationship with others.
The great thing is we don’t have to wait until heaven before we start talking! We can have them today (and some of us have a lot of catching up to do to some others!). We can talk with God. And we can have good conversations with each other. Both are good training for eternity.
The Kingdom of God is a community. One day it will be the perfect community. You and I can start building it today. And all we have to do is talk!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• Who does God want you to have a good conversation with today?
Read Matthew 17:1-9. Have you ever been in a noisy, crowded room when a teacher, or someone else in authority has shouted for everyone to be quiet and listen? The silence that follows often seems like a miracle!
I wonder if that’s what happened on this high mountain to which Jesus brought his disciples Peter, James and John? I can imagine Peter babbling on about how wonderful the whole experience was and whether he should build these three shelters in remembrance of it all, when suddenly the voice of authority - the voice of God himself thunders: “This is my dearly beloved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him”.
Shut up, and listen! It’s a message I need to hear from God more often that I might choose to admit! Shut up, and listen! Don’t know what to do next? Shut up, and listen! Need direction and guidance over a big decision you need to make? Shut up, and listen!
Jesus is more than a great leader. He is more than simply the best example of how to live the human life. He is more than a good influence. He is the Son of God. When you understand this profound proof, then what other response is there but to shut up, and listen?
He is our authority for truth and guidance. We must listen to him. We must learn to pause and wait for his direction. We must align our lives to his will.
If we call Jesus, “Lord” then we have no choice but to listen to him and follow his guidance today.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What is Jesus saying to you today?
Read Matthew 17:1-9. Have you ever wondered if the disciple Peter was a Salvationist? He was an activist! He always wanted to do something, to say something, to act on what Jesus was teaching him!
Peter has just experienced the most spiritual mountaintop experience he has had in his life. His teacher, Jesus, whom he has recently declared is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, has just proved it to him by being transformed so that his face shone like the sun and his clothes were as white as light.
And what’s his response? I must do something! I know, Jesus, shall I build these three shelters as a memorial? Poor Peter had missed the point, as we so often do. He had the right idea about Jesus, but his timing was off. There is a time to act. But there is also a time to simply worship and adore.
The heart of worship is surrender. Arch-activist, General William Booth had it right when he said, “The greatness of a man's power is the measure of his surrender”.
Peter wanted to please Jesus. He wanted to do something to win his approval. But so often, the Bible teaches us that rather than trying, rather than acting, rather than doing, what Jesus wants us to do is to submit, to obey, to surrender. To stop doing and be what he wants us to be.
Let’s be ready to say “Yes, Lord” to whatever Jesus asks of us today: whether it’s being still, worshipping and learning from him, or whether it’s a specific action.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What might you need to stop doing today in order to be with Jesus?
In Battle Drill devotionals this week we examine a true mountaintop experience and consider what Jesus’ divinity means for us today.
Read Matthew 17:1-9. Until you come to understand that God created you to worship, life will not make sense. But if you look around you, and consider your own experience, you will realise that every human being has an innate need to worship someone or something. That someone or something we worship is where we discover our own worth.
If we don’t worship God, then we will find something else to worship - money, possessions, career, family, even a football team!
After nearly three years together, it seems as if Jesus’ disciples had finally understood this. When Jesus asked them who they thought he was, Peter replied, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16). But immediately afterwards, this declaration of Peter’s was tested, and he came up short (Matthew 16:21-23).
So a few days later, Jesus leads Peter, James and John up a high mountain, to be alone. In this place, the disciples experienced a vision, a brief glimpse of Jesus’ true glory. His face shone like the sun. His clothes became white as light.
This was a special revelation of Jesus’ divinity to them and God’s affirmation that he truly was what they had declared him to be. It was also a reminder that the only proper response to Jesus’ glory and divinity was to worship.
When we truly worship Jesus, when we focus on his glory and his divinity, then anything else that might call on our attention, anything else that might seem worthy of worship, fades into darkness. As Cathy and Wayne Perrin wrote:
When I look into your holiness,When I gaze into your loveliness,When all things that surroundBecome shadows in the light of you;When I’ve found the joy of reaching your heart,When my will becomes enthroned in your love,When all things that surroundBecome shadows in the light of you: I worship you, I worship you,The reason I live is to worship you. Wayne and Cathy Perrin © 1981 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music/Adm. by Capitol CMG Publishing excl. the UK, adm. by Integritymusic.com, a division of David C. Cook, songs@integritymusic.com Used by permission. CCL Licence No. 135015Copied from The Song Book of The Salvation Army Song Number 402
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- What are you tempted to worship instead of Jesus? What can you do to ensure you remain focused on him?
Read Deuteronomy 30:15-20. “I just fell in love!” Have you ever heard or said that? It gives us the impression that love is something uncontrollable. It just happens to you.
But here’s the problem. Jesus commands us to love one another:
John 13:34–35 NLT
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples”.
How could Jesus command us to do something that is outside of our control? The answer is, he can’t. Because love isn’t uncontrollable. It isn’t something that just happens. It’s a choice. It’s a commitment.
God gives us the choice to love and to follow him. You can choose to turn away from God and go your own way. But he warns you that ultimately, that choice will lead to death. He still won’t force you because love is a choice. It can’t be forced.
The same is true in respect of our relationships. We choose whether to love someone else. God won’t force us to love anyone. It’s a commitment only we can make.
Will you choose to Love God and Love Others? If you do, then you’ll choose life.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- How do you understand love differently once you realise it’s a choice rather than a feeling?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne.
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Deuteronomy 30:15-20. What’s the difference between dogs and cats? Adam and Eve asked God to create a companion for them, that would remind them of God’s love for them. So, God invented the dog, a reflection of his love for humanity.
But there was a problem. The dog loved Adam and Eve so much that they became prideful, strutting around the Garden of Eden like peacocks, believing they were fully worthy of the love that dog gave them.
The angels complained about Adam and Eve’s pride, so God said he would create a companion who would see them for who they really were and would remind them of their limitations. So, God invented cat. Cat would not obey Adam and Eve and when they gazed into cat’s eyes, they weren’t sure whether he loved them or was just waiting for them to supply his next meal.
Adam and Eve learned humility.
Humility is a choice. It is easy to become proud and forget about God, particularly if we are experiencing some success. But we can choose to think about God and others more than ourselves. That was the choice Moses laid out before God’s people: choose to focus on God, on his commands and his ways and you will choose life. Rely on yourselves and think the Promised Land is all down to you and what you’ve done and choose death.
Like our humble dogs, will we choose life by focusing on others? Or will be cats who think life revolves around them? It’s up to us to decide!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- How can you choose humility in the small, insignificant choices you make every day, as well as in the more obvious ones?
Read Deuteronomy 30:15-20. Continuing Professional Development. CPD. What a pain! When I was a solicitor, even after I had qualified, I was expected to undertake a certain number of hours learning every year to keep my right to practice law. In the first five years after being commissioned as a Salvation Army officer, I was obliged to carry out 160 hours of added learning.
Why? Because learning never stops! There is always more to learn. Being teachable is a lifelong choice we should make. When Moses encouraged God’s people to choose life over death, he made it clear that this meant “to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways” (Deuteronomy 30:16). You can only do that if you learn what they are! But you don’t just learn them once and then decide you’ve made it. God has so much more to teach you.
God wants us to learn something new every day. He wants us to grow. We should be able to look back over the past year and see that we have become different because of what we have learned. Lifelong learning will make me a better leader. It will make you a better worker, parent, spouse, and friend.
Author Stephen R. Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People ends with Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw. Lifelong learning is the way to sharpen your saw. Learning and relearning to keep God’s commands and to walk in his ways will make create growth and change in your life and make you more effective as a follower of God. What will you learn today?
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- What’s one specific way you could “sharpen your saw” today?
Read Deuteronomy 30:15-20. “God’s in control. I’ll let him decide”. Have you ever thought or said that? Like God is some kind of Magic 8-Ball who will make a choice for you, if only you give him a shake!
The Bible teaches us life is not like that. Whilst God planned our existence - when he would create us and the number of days we would spend on the earth - and has a purpose for our lives, neither are automatic. God gives us choices to make.
God wants us to choose whether to love him or not. He gives us the choice to accept his gift of salvation or to reject it. We have the choice to obey him or to disobey his directions in life. We can choose to accept his purpose for our lives or to try our hand at what we want to be and do.
Even as God led his people to the brink of crossing over to the Promised Land he had given them, he made it clear through his servant, Moses, that they had a choice. They still had to choose between life and death, between prosperity and disaster.
God wanted his people to enjoy the Promised Land he was ready to give them. But he wanted them to make the choice. In the same way, he gives us the choice: do we want to escape the slavery of sin? Do we want to experience the freedom he longs to give us? The choice is ours. The Israelites had to choose to love God, obey him and commit their lives to him. You and I have the exact same choice to make.
God gives you the choice between life or death. Which will you choose?
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• Can you think of a promise of God that came true because you chose to follow and obey him?
Moses encouraged God’s people to Choose Life. This week in Battle Drill devotionals, we explore what that means for us today.
Read Deuteronomy 30:15-20. One of my favourite bands of the 1980s used to wear t-shirts emblazoned with the anti-drug abuse and suicide slogan, Choose Life. But the phrase was not invented by fashion designer Katherine Hamnett. It comes straight from Scripture. As Moses reviewed God’s covenant with his people before they crossed over the Jordan into the Promised Land, he encouraged them to love God, obey his commands, and walk in his ways. In that way, they would choose life. But if they chose to turn away from God, refuse to listen to him, and to serve and worship other gods instead, then their choice would lead to death.
Our lives are defined by our choices. Good choices lead to life. Bad choices lead to death. Take difficult circumstances as an example. If we choose to respond to painful situations in positive ways, then they can help us grow and mature. If we choose to resent terrible things happening to us, and wonder “why me?” then in the end we will become bitter. Two people may face the same situation. How they respond and the choices they make will decide whether they experience life or death.
God will put choices in front of you today. How will you choose to respond? Will you choose life? Or will your choices lead to death?
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What choices is God placing before you just now? Will your response lead to life or to death?
Read Exodus 2:11-25. Do you ever find yourself in a hopeless situation and wondering if praying about it will work? When all around you seems hopeless, when God seem silent and uninterested in your situation, it’s tempting to think that praying is a waste of time.
It would have been tempting for the Israelites to look at their situation – the might of the Egyptians, the hundreds of years of slavery they had endured – and to think, God’s forgotten us. Who do we think we are, even thinking God would be interested in our plight?
But prayer works because God is in control, and he always comes through on his promises. He had promised the Israelites they were his chosen people. His power and authority were greater than the Egyptians, and now was the time for him to act. In his wisdom and goodness, he sent Moses to be their leader and to lead them out of Egypt and slavery.
Your situation is in God’s control. You may not be able to change it. But he can. Pray to him. Leave your situation with him. He’s in control. He knows best and he will answer at the right time and in the right way.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- How do your prayers reveal whether you genuinely believe God is in control of the universe?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne.
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Exodus 2:11-25. Do you have a prayer that God has not yet answered? Then keep persisting. God knows the best time to act.
If you’re feeling hopeless at the moment, then perhaps the most difficult words to read in our key verses for this week are at the beginning of Exodus 2:23: “Years passed …”.
The Israelites had been in slavery to the Egyptians for hundreds of years. And as the years ticked by, they still found themselves groaning under the burden of slavery, with no end in sight. God had promised to free them, but perhaps he had forgotten. It would have been easy to give up. But they kept persisting.
God’s rescue doesn’t always come when we want it. Sometimes, we must wait a long time for the right time to come. But God doesn’t forget us, or our troubles. He has a plan that we cannot see. And at just the right time, he will answer our prayers.
In the meantime, as we persist in prayer, God helps to focus our attention. It reminds us that God is the answer to whatever we need. It helps us see that we should not rely on ourselves to get us out of our hopeless situation.
When God seems silent, keep praying. He is the one who Paul describes:
Ephesians 3:20 NLT
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What is something you’ve been praying for a long time? How can you show your willingness to be persistent to God?
Read Exodus 2:11-25. When you feel hopeless and you talk to God, he can help you make specific prayers to him. As you turn to God and lay before him your situation, and the difficult circumstances you find yourself in, you begin to gain some perspective on what is causing your difficulties.
As the Israelites began to cry out for help, they knew for certain what was causing their misery. God had promised they would be set free from their captivity in Egypt. But they were still under the burden of slavery. They knew they needed rescuing. They knew they needed God to fulfil the promise he had made them.
The Bible holds many verses that can help, whatever the source of your unhappiness. There are verses of lament, which can help you to cry out to the Lord in your pain. There are verses that tell you of the goodness of God, about his justice, his grace, and his mercy. And there are many, many promises. In any difficult situation, you can pray one of those verses back to God.
And when you do, you will sense hope returning and filling your heart once more.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What Bible verses do you find particularly comforting when you are facing difficult circumstances?
Read Exodus 2:11-25. How do you speak to God when you pray? Do you speak formally to him? Do you tell him what you think he wants to hear? Or are you honest with him?
Many Christians think they can’t be honest with God. They want to shout at him with anger about the situation they find themselves in, or express doubts about what is happening or perhaps whether he is working in their circumstances or not, but they don’t think that’s “religious” enough.
My answer is: have you read the Psalms? The psalms are full of the psalmist telling God exactly how they feel. The psalmist does not hold back! And in our passage for this week, the Israelites don’t just politely ask God if he could perhaps think about doing something about the slavery they find themselves in, and perhaps try to recall the promises he made. They shout! They cry out! They groan. And God doesn’t smite them! He doesn’t turn a deaf ear, thinking, well, if they can’t address me properly, then I’m not going to listen. He remembers and he gets ready to act.
God wants to hear your heart. He wants to hear from your honestly about your anger, your fears, your doubts, and everything else. God cares about what you’re going through and the pain it’s causing.
If you’re feeling hopeless, don’t just pray the same, emotionless prayer. Cry out. Groan. Shout. Whatever you need. God promises to hear and to respond.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• Do you think it’s wrong to be emotional with God? How does knowing that God wants to hear your heart change your thinking?
This week in Battle Drill devotionals, we hear God’s people cry out for help and God’s answer through his covenant, reminding us that God knows the best time to act.
Read Exodus 2:11-25. What do you do when you feel hopeless? Surrounded by worry or conflict, or plagued by depression and guilt?
The Israelites – God’s people – were in slavery in Egypt. Even the death of the king had not freed them from their oppression. They were at rock bottom. Hopeless. In their suffering, they looked up to God. They groaned and cried out for help. They begged God to fulfil his promise to bring them out of Egyptian slavery.
Some problems can only ever be overcome through prayer. Institutional oppression like slavery could only be overcome through God’s intervention. You may have deep-rooted problems, or a sudden, deep crisis. That requires persistent prayer, speaking over and over to God. The God, as Exodus tells us, that sees your hopelessness and is ready to act at the right time.
If you’re feeling hopeless today, don’t despair. Instead, look up to God and reach out to him in prayer. He is listening and ready to answer.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• Have you ever wondered if God has forgotten you in your troubles? Can you look back and see his hand in your situation?
Read Micah 6:1-8. Many people spend a lifetime pursuing happiness and yet never seem to find it. In one small verse, God sets out the requirements for finding true happiness. We’ve looked at the first two requirements over the last two days. Today, we explore the final one.
Are you growing in your journey with God? Or are you stuck? Many Christians fail to reach spiritual maturity because they think they’ve got it all together, that once they’ve reached a certain stage in life that they have arrived and there’s nowhere else to go.
But if we want to be truly happy, God says we must “walk humbly” with him. The Hebrew word translated as “humbly” is haṣnēaʿ which doesn’t just mean being modest and self-effacing. It also has the meaning of being teachable, of never stopping learning and growing as we are attentive to God, walking with him and watching him during our journey together. It requires us to pay attention to God’s will rather than our own, looking to him for guidance and correction, where needed.
How can we be sure we are walking humbly with God? The best way is to give ourselves a regular check up. We could ask God each day what he wants us to work on. That should keep all of us going for a long while! Happiness comes from continuing to grow in Christ.
As Jesus encourages:
Matthew 11:29–30 M:BCL
Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Walk humbly with Jesus and you can find happiness today!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- Do you honestly think you have grown spiritually in the last year? Why or why not?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne.
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Micah 6:1-8. Many people spend a lifetime pursuing happiness and yet never seem to find it. In one small verse, God sets out the requirements for finding true happiness. We’ve been looking at the three requirements beginning with the first yesterday. We explore the second today, and the third tomorrow.
When you look at others, do you see their good points, or their bad ones? Someone who chooses to judge, criticise and second-guess others often ends up miserable. It makes those around them miserable too!
Instead, God encourages us to “love mercy”. Actually, the Hebrew word is ḥesed and it means so much more than mercy. Ḥesed is covenant love. It is the love that binds us together with God. In human terms, it is the deepest love a spouse has for their husband or wife or that a child has for his or her parent. We are to love that same covenant love so that it binds us together with those around us, whoever they are.
Happiness then, comes from loving others and giving ourselves away to them. If you choose to be an agent of mercy, an agent of ḥesed, then you’ll be happy and so will those around you! Life will be so much more enjoyable. If you want to be happy, show mercy.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• Think of someone who has judged, criticised or second-guessed you. Can you pray for that person? Why or why not?
Read Micah 6:1-8. Many people spend a lifetime pursuing happiness and yet never seem to find it. In one small verse, God sets out the requirements for finding true happiness. We’re going to look at the three of them over the next three days.
Firstly, God says you must “do what is right”. Many translations translate the Hebrew word of mišpāṭ as “act justly”, which gives it connotations of justice in a court of law. But generally, “do what is right” is a better translation. Mišpāṭ is about setting up every area of your life so that it matches God’s will and purpose for you. It means letting go of your advantages, comfort, and desires.
Thinking only about yourself, your problems, your worries, and your needs will lead to unhappiness. Genuinely caring about others and their needs, focusing on who needs your help and how others are doing is the best way to be happy.
As the United Kingdom and Ireland Salvation Army’s mission statement says, Love God, Love Others. That’s where you’ll find true happiness.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What distractions in your own life keep you from focusing on the needs of others?
Read Micah 6:1-8. Do you ever think you need to do something in order to earn God’s love? It’s a trap many people fall into, and Salvationists - as part of an activist church - need to be especially wary of it.
When God accused his people of taking him for granted and of never being satisfied, their response was to say, “what shall we do”? They came up with some pretty over-the-top ideas! The list gets weirder and weirder! Shall we make burnt offerings to God? Perhaps that will satisfy him? Maybe it shouldn’t be just any old sacrifice? Perhaps we should sacrifice yearling calves? Maybe that will make God happy? Perhaps it’s about the quantity of sacrifice, not the quality? Maybe we should offer thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Perhaps that will make God love us again? Better still, perhaps we better join the pagan religions around us and sacrifice our firstborn children? Maybe then God will stop being angry?
If only the children of Israel had realised that God could not love them any more than he did, even as he charged them for their unfaithfulness. Knowing there is nothing you can do to make love God love you more is one of the most freeing lessons you can learn.
Trusting in what you can do for God is called legalism. It leads to following a list of orders and regulations in order to prove yourself worthy to God. And it’s a trap. It leads to judgmentalism and being critical of others.
When you realise life is about what Jesus has done for you, then you can show the grace he has shown you to others around you. You can relax and you can find happiness.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• When are you most tempted to rely on your performance for God, rather than on the pardon God has shown you through Jesus’ sacrifice?
Many people spend their lives seeking happiness. This week in Battle Drill Devotionals, we discover God’s surprisingly simple requirement for happiness.
Read Micah 6:1-8. Are you grateful for the people around you, or are you guilty of taking them for granted? It takes effort to show gratitude to those around you.
The people of God were guilty of taking God for granted. They had forgotten all he had done for them over the years and yet they had grown tired of him and his will and purpose for their lives.
If only they had remained grateful that God had freed them from slavery and helped them escape Egypt. If only they would recall that God had raised up godly leaders for them, starting with Moses, Aaron and Miriam. How could they forget that God had saved them from the curse of Balak. How could they take for granted the Promised Land that God had given them and led them towards.
When we, like the children of Israel, refuse to see how fortunate we are as God’s children and begin to take all God gives us for granted, we become self-absorbed, just like they did. Everything centres around us, our lives, and our priorities.
The antidote to this is to regularly remember God’s goodness to us and to thank him for it. Remembering what God has done for us in the past will help us see what he is doing for us in the present.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- What are you grateful to God for today?
Read Matthew 14:22-36. Where is Jesus in all this? He seems to have abandoned me when I needed him the most. Have you ever thought that? The account of the disciples caught in a storm on the Sea of Galilee promises that’s not the case.
There must have been moments when the disciples were battling the wind and the waves, far from the shores of Lake Galilee when they thought, Why isn’t Jesus here? Why did he insist we get in the boat and make our way to the other side? Didn’t he know there was going to be a storm? Why has he abandoned us when we need him the most?
But Matthew tells us Jesus hadn’t abandoned them at all. Jesus knew there would be a storm and he was praying for his disciples. Jesus is God in human form, and so he knows the past, the present and the future. He was praying about the storm even before the winds started picking up.
Jesus had prayed for us and all that we’ve faced in the past. He’s praying through this cost of living crisis and anything else you’re facing right now. He’s prayed for what we’ll go through this year too. He’s praying we’ll make it through whatever storms we face.
The Bible says that no matter what life storms you are going through at the moment, Jesus is praying for you. He loves you. He is for you. If you trust him as your Saviour, he is interceding for you right now.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- What would you ask Jesus to pray for you today?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne.
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Matthew 14:22-36. When you look around you, what do you see? A creaking health service? Workers striking? A cost of living crisis? War in Ukraine? Failing health? A difficult economic outlook? A shrinking job market? A generation falling behind in education? Jesus says, look at me instead.
Only Peter had the faith the step out of the boat. Physics tells us that a grown man could not walk on water. But Peter did. Often, we move so quickly to focusing on his sinking that we forget to pause and note: PETER WALKED ON WATER!
So, what went wrong? Peter took his eyes off Jesus. The moment he looked away from Jesus and looked at the circumstances around him – the wind and the waves – he began sinking:
When we focus on our circumstances – whatever they are – we start to sink. If you want to walk about the storms of life, you have to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus:
If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed; if you look within, you’ll be depressed; if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest.
Pastor Rick Warren
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What helps you focus on Jesus in the storms of life?
Read Matthew 14:22-36. Have you ever been water skiing? Or surfing? Or ice skating? It takes courage to step on the water, or to catch a wave and let it take you, or to step onto the ice rink. I’ve only ever attempted the latter and fallen flat on my face!
But if you’re going to achieve any of those things, you have to take the step of faith at some point. There’s no point in standing on the shore with water skis on. You have to get out on the water. A surfboard might make a fashion statement, but it’s of little use unless you’re going to plunge into the ocean and surf the waves. Ice skates make terrible shoes! You have to get out on the ice.
Sometimes, God uses the storms of life to encourage us to take a step of faith. If my line of legal work hadn’t changed beyond all recognition, I might still not be a Salvation Army officer. And being made redundant probably pushed me to make the right decision to obey God’s calling rather than prevaricating over whether I should or not.
Peter would never have attempted to walk on water had it not been for the storm. The storm caused him to react in faith and to experience a special outpouring of God’s power. If you feel you’re in a storm at the moment, pause and ask God what he wants you to do. And be willing to do it. It’s time to get out of the boat!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• Where is Jesus inviting you to step out of your comfort zone and “walk on water?”
Read Matthew 14:22-36. Have you ever thought you’d seen a ghost? I’m not sure I have, although I do remember when we were teenagers at Norwich Citadel Salvation Army frightening ourselves silly with stories of the “ghosts” that wandered around that old building! Only peer pressure kept us standing firm and not running out of the door!
At the moment, there’s probably enough going on in your life that you don’t need to be frightened by ghosts! But what stops us from running away from the storms of life we find ourselves in? Only Jesus.
The disciples were fighting exhaustion. They’re trying to keep a low profile following Herod’s murder of John the Baptist. They’re recovering from the responsibility of trying to feed five thousand men and their women and children in the remote area on the shore of Galilee to where Jesus had led them. And they’d been fighting the wind and waves for several hours.
Jesus comes to them. But he comes walking on the water. It is unexpected. Impossible. No wonder they thought they’d seen a ghost! They were terrified. But Jesus says, Don’t be afraid. I am here.
Do you need to hear those words today? Don’t be afraid. Jesus is here. He brings unexpected help and encouragement just at the time you are most desperate. In his presence, fear is gone. Take courage in him today.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• How would you have reacted to seeing someone walk on water in the middle of a storm?
This week in Battle Drill devotionals, we are focusing on encountering Jesus in the storms of life.
Read Matthew 14:22-36. Some of us have been blown off course over recent years, particularly by the Coronavirus storm of 2020-2021 and its aftermath. We feel out of control. Our health, our finances, our jobs, even our spiritual lives are nowhere near where we intended. We just want to feel safe again! That’s why so many of us were so keen for things to “go back to normal.”
Where is Jesus in all of this? He shows up! He doesn’t ask us to come to him. In fact, John records the boat had gone three or four miles from the shore. So, Jesus walks a long way on the water to come to us in our storms. He doesn’t stand on the side lines shouting instructions at us.
What we need most in the storms of life is his presence. So that’s what Jesus does. He shows up.
You may feel abandoned and lonely just now. As if no one cares what you’re really going through. All is well, despite your storms. Jesus comes to you with his peace-making presence. You can trust the one who controls the storms of life and ensure they do not overwhelm you.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• How does Jesus try to calm your fears?
Read John 10:1-10. “If one door closes, another will open”. Have you ever heard or used that phrase? It suggests that with every end, there’s a new beginning.
Sometimes that is true. Sometimes it isn’t. People have been made redundant or voluntarily chosen to leave a job and struggled to open the door on a new job. Some people have closed the door on a relationship and opened the door of a new one, only for that door to close soon after.
But God does want you to be free and he is ready to open doors for you. In fact, he is willing to be the door for you. Jesus said, “I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9 MSG). In Jesus, you can move about with freedom. When his door opens, it is always to something good.
The same power that rolled away the stone and opened up Jesus’ tomb, the same power that sprung Paul and Silas from prison, is the same power that will open the door of freedom for you. Choose Jesus and he will help you break free!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- What door do you wish you could close? Do you believe God wants you to be free from it?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne.
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read John 10:1-10. Many people mistakenly believe that being a Christian is full of restrictions. That it’s all about following the rules and a long list of “don’ts”.
But that cannot be further from the truth. Jesus said, “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of” (John 10:10 MSG). God wants us to live in freedom.
He wants you to be free from your past. Many of us are locked down by regret about something we did or didn’t do in the past. We are wracked by guilt. Others resent something that was done to them. They allow bitterness to continue to eat away at them. It keeps us from the freedom God longs for us.
God wants us to be free from the stress and exhaustion we face from trying to control our every day lives. If only we hand over the complexities of modern life over to God and allow him to take control, we would find the freedom we crave.
And God wants us to be free of the worries we have for tomorrow.
The best thing we can do is to let go of all of those and grab hold of God instead, the One who offers us true freedom and a more and better life than we’ve ever dreamed of.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- How can you plug into the freedom God longs for you to experience?
Read John 10:1-10. It’s pantomime season. Some pantos include a genie, a mythical person who grants their master or mistress’s every wish.
Some people mistakenly believe that when Jesus promises “real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of” (John 10:10 MSG) that the Christian life will be an easy one. All we have to do is click our fingers, or rub the lamp, and Jesus will come running, ready to serve our every whim. But the life that is better than we have ever dreamed of doesn’t mean a comfortable lifestyle, perfect health, the perfect job, instant relief from problems and constant happiness.
Earth is not heaven. God is planning heaven for you in eternity. In the meantime, we will inevitably face difficulties in our lives. That’s how God grows and strengthens our character so we are ready for eternal heaven. If you need to grow more love in your heart, God will send someone unlovable to help you. If you need more patience, then God has an endless supply of circumstances that make you feel impatient! God wants to help grow your character, so you become more like his Son, Jesus Christ.
If you ever wonder, “why is this happening to me?” then the answer might be that God is using your circumstances to help you grow towards that more and better life you’ve never even dreamed of.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• How does God’s character development help you gain perspective on the difficulties you face?
Read John 10:1-10. Are you a worrier? Do you worry so much that if you’re not worrying, you start to worry that you’re not worrying?
Worrying is a scourge. It robs us of any joy there is in the world. How can we rid ourselves of worry? One of the best ways is to remind ourselves that God is God. We are not! That means he is in control. We can relinquish control! When we understand that, we can start to let go of worry.
The God who is God has promised to take care of us. He is a good God and he wants to provide all of our needs and more. Jesus said, “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of” (John 10:10 MSG). If we relinquish control then he will feed us, lead us and meet our needs today.
Perhaps one we can combat worry is to remind ourselves of this each day. If we begin each day reminding ourselves that God is good and that as the Good Shepherd Jesus will feed us, lead us and meet our needs for today, we can let go of worry and trust him.
Why not give it a go?
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• How might Jesus’ promise of “more and better life than they ever dreamed of” help you not to worry?
Jesus said, “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of” (John 10:10 MSG). This week on Battle Drill devotionals, we explore what that might mean for us today.
Read John 10:1-10. Do you feel your life is overflowing? Or are you focused on what you don’t have?
Many people today suffer from what’s called the “scarcity mindset”, the sense that there is not enough to go round. Not enough money, food, time, energy, attention, followers, friends, praise, and so on. This kind of thinking leads to feelings of not being in control. And so we overwork, over eat, overwork our bodies, overvalue what others think of us, and so on.
Jesus wants us to move on from this mindset. He promises us "real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of” (John 10:10 MSG). This is the “abundance mindset”. This is thinking that recognises God’s resources are limitless. God wants to meet all of our needs. He will never run out. He has more than enough resources to meet your needs, whilst meeting other people’s needs too.
If God is the source of your life then you no longer need worry about not having enough. He wants to overflow in your life with goodness, joy, peace, love and many other blessings.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• How might an abundance mindset produce peace in your life?
Read Matthew 3:13-17. Do you know how much God loves you? God created you to love you. Love is the essence of his nature. So he cannot help but love you. He wants to love you. He enjoys you. He takes pleasure in you all the time.
And it’s not because of what you do for him. When Jesus came up out of the waters of the River Jordan following his baptism, a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy”. Jesus hadn’t done anything yet! He was just about to start his ministry. And before he had the opportunity to do great things for God, God exclaimed that he already loved him and that he already gave him great joy!
Some Christians only think God is pleased with them when they are doing something “religious” for him. That’s just plain wrong! God loves watching you, whatever you’re doing, because he made you who you are.
If you ever struggle with knowing who you are, or with a lack of self-worth, then take this truth on board today: you are OK. You are wonderful, in fact! You are great. You are a beloved child of God. It’s in his love that we find our soul, our identity, and our life purpose.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- Do you struggle to accept the truth that God takes pleasure in you and loves you? Why?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne.
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Matthew 3:13-17. It sometimes seems that the height of ambition in our society is to acquire as much as we can. To live a comfortable and enjoyable life, surrounded by our possessions and basking in our status.
That is not the life Jesus calls us to. He asks us instead to focus on a life of service and sacrifice to God. He asks us to deny what this world seems to offer us. He asks us to forego pleasure and the consumer goods the rest of the world values. Jesus teaches us to live simply and generously instead.
Jesus came to serve and to give to others. If we are not doing the same, then we are not following Jesus. Our faith compels us to offer our lives to God as living sacrifices and to serve him by serving others. It calls us to live simply and to give generously.
Perhaps your response might be to say you don’t have enough to be generous. But that’s when God calls us to sacrifice the most. Jesus came to the River Jordan with nothing. He began his ministry of living simply and generously with nothing. It’s easy to be generous when we have a lot to be generous with. But God calls us to be generous when we don’t have enough money, when we don’t have much time, and when our energy seems spent.
That’s radical obedience! Will you make that your ambition today?
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• In what ways are you generous with your money, time, and energy?
Read Matthew 3:13-17. “If you want something done properly, do it yourself”. Have you ever said that, or heard it said? It’s often said in frustration when someone hasn’t done something in the way you would have done it.
What’s amazing about God’s work in the world is that he doesn’t take this attitude. He leaves his followers to learn how to do things the way he wants them to be done.
Matthew tells us that Jesus was baptised in the River Jordan by John to “carry out all that God requires”. A better translation of this might be to “fulfil all justice”, a justice that comes from the heart of God. It is clear from the outset of Jesus’ ministry that he is on the side of the weak, the helpless, the people at the margins of his society. Fulfilling all justice, then, is doing things the way God wants them to be done.
Our call is the same as Jesus’ call. God tells us we need to have the same attitude of humility and submission to the will of God as Jesus did. He wants us to have the same desire for justice that comes from the heart of God. And he promises us that if we call on the power of the Holy Spirit, then we can have the strength and the determination to see it through, just as Jesus did.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What could you do this week to bring justice for the weak, helpless and marginalised in our society?
Read Matthew 3:13-17. Being identified with God’s mission is dangerous. Jesus was baptised by John to validate and advance God’s work in the world. Some Christians are baptised as a sign of taking on God’s purpose for them. Salvation Army soldiers are not baptised with water. But they are baptised in the Holy Spirit, and they wear uniform to signify that they belong to Jesus and that they are taking on the mission and message of Jesus.
That means, like Jesus, we can be exposed to frightening danger. Like Jesus, we may be tempted to settle for a comfortable, powerful life (see Matthew 4). Satan may try to pull us away from the life of service and sacrifice that God calls us to lead through the Soldier’s Covenant we have signed.
We are called to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to bring God’s justice for the poor, the infirm, the immigrant, the stranger, the unloved, and the lost. Our ministry may take us to the most dangerous parts of our towns and cities. Our uniforms might propel us into back alleys and hostile territory. We are called to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. The rest of the world may react negatively.
Being baptised in the Spirit and wearing uniform is dangerous, but when we live out the vocation God has given us, it is also world-changing. It marks us out in the eyes of God as children who will join him in renewing his good creation. Whether the tasks God gives us are easy and safe or dangerous and frightening, uniformed Salvationists, like all Christians in the world, are called to follow Jesus out of the water and into the world. Are you ready to go with him?
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- What’s the most dangerous situation you have found yourself in as a Christian?
This week on Battle Drill devotionals we focus on Jesus’ obedient service to the Father, and how following his example will lead to God’s approval.
Read Matthew 3:13-17. “The name’s Bond. James Bond”. When a superhero bursts on the scene, he or she often announces their arrival with all guns blazing.
When Jesus began his ministry, he did the complete opposite. His first ever words recorded by Matthew did not announce his arrival. Instead, he simply asked to be baptised by John. Just reflect on that for a moment. Jesus, God’s one and only Son, asked his cousin John to baptise him. No wonder John felt unqualified to do so!
Jesus, the perfect man, who never sinned, did not need to be baptised. But he accepted baptism in obedient service to his Father. He did it to “carry out all that God requires” (v.15). Jesus wanted to accomplish God’s purpose for him. He saw baptism as validating and advancing the work God had for him to do.
You and I cannot earn our salvation. There is nothing we can do to make God love us any more than he does now. Salvation comes as a gracious gift from God alone. But as children of God, like Jesus, we can bring pleasure to our heavenly Father by obeying what he asks of us. Why? Because our obedience shows we truly love God.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What has God told you to do that you’re delaying doing? Are you ready to obey?
Read Luke 15:11-32. Do you have a role model? It might be someone in your life whom you admire - a parent, a teacher, a leader. Or it might be a celebrity - a footballer, a singer, a dancer.
When you read the story of the Lost Son, who do you identify with? Maybe you’re the lost son or daughter, returning to God after an absence from him? Maybe, if you’re honest, you can see some of yourself in the reaction of the older son – harbouring resentment against the lost son because the father chooses to show him grace.
As we begin 2023, I am sure that God wants us all to identify with the father rather than the two sons and make him our role model. As followers of Jesus, we are each on a journey to become more like him – growing his heart, his mind and his other-centredness in our lives each day.
That’s exactly what the father shows. He continues to show love and compassion to his lost son, scanning the horizon, praying, and hoping for his return.
We are called to resemble this father of love, compassion, and grace by allowing the Holy Spirit to make us more like the loving, compassionate and gracious Son.
Will you resolve to look more like Jesus in 2023? Will you make him your role model? As each of us opens to more of his Holy Spirit’s power in our lives this year then we will grow to greater Christian maturity and become who God wants us to be.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- Do your New Year’s resolutions reflect a desire to become more like Jesus in 2023?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne.
Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Philippians 3:12-21. Do you have a to-do list for 2023? Maybe it’s a work one, or maybe it’s fun things that you want to do – holidays, days out and so on.
Many of us have a to-do list, and it seems to be a never-ending one! What we sometimes do not realise is that whenever we say “yes” to something and add it to our to-do list, we say “no” to something else. There are only 8,760 hours in 2023 – if we fill them all then we are saying no to other things!
One of the ways to combat this is to have a not-to-do list running alongside your to-do list. For example, not having my emails open all day and responding to them as they come is on my not-to-do list, so that work that needs focus – like preparing these daily devotionals – can be carried out without interruption. To focus on one thing, I must move everything else to my not-to-do list.
That’s what God wants you to do in 2023. He wants you to focus on his purpose for your life – this year and every year. Surely, you don’t want to miss God’s plan for your life by filling it up with all sorts of other things.
So, ask God to clarify what he wants you to do this year. Then ask him what he wants you to eliminate so you can focus on that goal. Add those things to your not-to-do list and then fix your eye on the goal, and in God’s power, go for it!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What is God’s purpose for you in 2023?
Read Mark 2:18-22. Do you begin the New Year with excitement and ready to make those changes in your life you’ve been promising yourself for goodness knows how many New Years? Many of us start a New Year with good intentions – me included – but end up breaking our resolutions even before we’ve put the Christmas decorations away! Why?
Jesus says that often it’s because we’re trying to pour new wine into old wineskins. When we do that, we’re bound to fail because the old wineskins will burst. If we try to pour the new wine of “kindness” into the old wineskin of “being judgmental”, for example, then it will never work!
If you want to become the person God wants you to be in 2023 – more like his Son, Jesus Christ – then you must throw out your old wineskins – whatever they are – so that God can pour the Holy Spirit of his new wine into your New Year’s life.
Are you ready to throw out the old stuff? Are you excited that God has the power to mould you into the person he wants you to be, and that deep down, you want to be too? Do you trust that God won’t just help you to make the changes you want to make but lead you through them? Then get ready: 2023 is going to be a life-changing year!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What are some of the “old wineskins” you need to discard at the beginning of this New Year?
Read 1 Corinthians 2:1-16. Here we are at the beginning of the New Year. Many of us are back at work today. Others are preparing to return to school or clearing up the house from the festivities. Are you still struggling to make a New Year resolution?
Then Paul has one for you: forget everything except Jesus Christ. Don’t you think that’s a great resolution? For Paul, life and ministry is simply Jesus Christ and nothing else.
What does that mean for you? It means that life is not Jesus Christ plus being good so that God is pleased with you. It’s not Jesus Christ plus not missing a day of Battle Drill. It’s not Jesus Christ plus all the things you do at church. It’s not Jesus Christ plus the pips on your shoulders. It’s not Jesus Christ plus how much you put in your weekly giving. It’s not Jesus Christ plus how many Christian books you read this year.
Life is Jesus Christ plus nothing. The best thing we can all do in 2023 is focus on Jesus, who he is, what he did for us and what he has planned for us this year and beyond.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What do you try to add to Jesus Christ to ensure God is pleased with you?
Welcome to 2023! What’s going to be different this year? Have you made any New Year resolutions? On Battle Drill devotionals, we’re going to consider some this week.
Read Psalm 51:1-19. Do you ever wish you could start again? That your life could be a blank sheet of pristine, white paper, waiting to be written on for the first time?
Of course, that’s not possible. What we’ve done, what we’ve said and what we’ve thought before follow us into this New Year. We wish we could just get rid of them.
And yet, with God it is possible. God has the power and the will to wipe our slates clean so that we can start again. We can seek this from him at any time, but a New Year is always a good moment to ask for a Genesis moment. Any power we have to think right, to live right and to speak right comes through the Holy Spirit.
If your life is in chaos, if you sense that all you do is react to circumstances, events, or feelings, if you feel as if life is going nowhere and you’re lacking in energy and motivation, then simply ask God for a fresh start. Pray the psalmist’s prayer today: “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me”. Give me a new beginning. Give me new hope. Give me new life.
It’s yours to claim today.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- How does it feel to know that God always has the power to give you a fresh start?
Read Romans 8:31-39. So here we are at the end of 2022 and the end of another year of the Battle Drill Devotional. Thank you for taking this journey with me. I look forward to sharing more daily devotionals with you in 2023. As we reach the end of the year and look back over this past year, what role has God played in it?
Do you think he’s been brooding over you, waiting for you to slip up and ready to judge you for every wrong you did? Or do you see that God has wanted what’s best for you throughout the year? That he has a plan for your life and wants you to be happy?
God never wanted us to be afraid of him. That’s why his Word – the Bible – holds 365 times when he says to us, Do Not Be Afraid! One for every day of this past year!
None of us knows what 2023 will bring. The last few years have taught us that if nothing else! But we can go into the New Year knowing that God loves us, that he is with us and that he is on our side. Jesus stands ready to rub out anything you’ve done wrong in 2022, anything you regret, and he’ll do the same again for you in 2023 and beyond. So, there is no need to fear. It’s a reason to celebrate instead!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- As you look back over this year, where do you see God’s hand on your life?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Ephesians 3:14-21. Why does Christmas even exist? It’s because God loves you. He loves you so much that he came to earth as a human – the only way you and I could really begin to know him and love him back. When you look at the baby Jesus, lying in the manger, you begin to understand what God is really like.
You are made in God’s image. You have the ability to love God. But he doesn’t wait for that! He makes the first move by sending Jesus so we could better understand his love and our need for God. God could have chosen a myriad of ways to communicate with us. Instead, he chose the best way: in the face of a child.
God is love. Love is his nature. Love is the essence of his character. He made you to love you. He loves you on your good days as well as your bad days. He loves you when you’re full of Christmas joy and when you’re channelling the Grinch! He loves you whatever mood you’re in, whatever you think and whatever you do. There is nothing you can do to make God love you more, and nothing you can do that will make him love you less.
You may not be able to understand that. A love so great is beyond our understanding. But that doesn’t make it less true. The face of the child Jesus says to you today, God loves you!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• How does it feel to know that God loves you this much?
Read Luke 2:8-20. That’s it! It’s over. Christmas Day has come and gone. Even the extra Bank Holiday is over.
Some of you may have cleared up and put your Christmas decorations away. Some may still be enjoying meeting family and friends, eating too much and being off work. But what’s it all about? Why do we celebrate Christmas? Why does an unremarkable birth of a Jewish peasant boy over two thousand years ago merit the largest celebration in the world each year?
It’s because the birth of Jesus Christ transformed our lives. Quite apart from anything else, do you realise it transformed our calendars? Now every event is classified as BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini, the year of our Lord)!
The angel told the shepherds that Jesus’ birth would bring extraordinary joy to all people. I don’t know whether that has been your experience this Christmas or not. I hope so, but I also recognise that it can be a difficult time for some, and many of us are feeling exhausted and worn out after another year of turmoil.
May this Christmas season be an opportunity for all of us to remember that Christmas brings all of us immense joy because it proclaims that God loves us, that he is with us, whatever we are going through and that he is on our side. Those are good reasons to keep celebrating!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• Do you find Christmas a time of boundless joy or is it more of a hassle?
Read Matthew 1:18-25. Have there been moments this Christmas when you have felt all alone? Perhaps you have spent Christmas alone, for whatever reason. But we can feel lonely even when surrounded by family and friends.
The good news of Christmas is that however we feel, we are never alone. Matthew tells us that one of the names Jesus is called is Immanuel, which means God is with us. God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ to remind you he is always with you, wherever you are and whatever circumstances you find yourself in.
Whether you are full of joy, celebrating Christmas and spending quality time with friends and family, or whether you feel stressed, in difficulty and abandoned, God is there with you. He will never abandon you. God knows what you are experiencing today – good or bad – and he cares about it, he understands it and he is experiencing it with you. You are never alone.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What can you do today to “tune in” to God’s presence with you?
This week as we continue through the season of Christmas, we examine what it’s all about. Is it just a time of socialising and overindulging in food and drink? Or does it mean something more?
Read Luke 2:8-20. What are you celebrating this Christmas?
Maybe you’re just celebrating the fact you’ve made it through 2022 – another year of turmoil as the world reels from the consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic, a war in Ukraine, and a cost-of-living crisis. Perhaps you’re celebrating having time to spend with family and friends, especially as so many of us missed this over the last couple of years. Perhaps you’re glad of some time away from work or school. Maybe you’re not celebrating at all – just gritting your teeth and surviving from one day to the next.
God wants us to celebrate at Christmas. Through his angel, he told the shepherds that Christmas – Jesus Christ’s birth – was an event that would bring immense joy to everyone. Christ’s birth is good news that causes us to rejoice and celebrate.
The good news of Jesus’ birth is for you personally. It is something positive in our lives – we all crave good news amongst all the unwelcome news we hear each day. And it is for everyone – all people! It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve had a good Christmas or not. It doesn’t matter what has happened in your life.
This good news is for you: God loves you! He is with you, and he is on your side.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• Does God’s good news give you a reason to celebrate this Christmas season?
Read Titus 3:1-11. For many of us, friends and family might be arriving today to spend the Christmas weekend with us. This can sometimes lead to strained relationships!
God calls us to love everyone. That means the unlovely. It includes the difficult people in our lives. It means the irritable and the irritating! It includes those who are difficult or demanding. How on earth can we love people like that? We can only do so if we have God’s love in us. We must open ourselves up to the extravagant, unconditional love of God so that it lives in us - in fact, so that he lives in us! When he does then our whole focus in life changes from ourselves to others, even the difficult ones.
You and I must have God’s love flowing into us so that it can flow out of us to others. Will you take time this Christmas to know and experience God’s love overflowing in you so that it can flow out of your life to others around you?
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- How can you get to know God’s love better this Christmas?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne.
These Advent devotionals are based on Max Lucado’s book, Because of Bethlehem (© 2016 Max Lucado, published by Thomas Nelson).
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Titus 3:1-11. Do you feel good enough to receive God’s love this Christmas?
The truth is that none of us deserve his love. We have all let him down in various ways. It can leave us feeling hopeless. But we are not without hope! God always shows us his love, mercy, and grace.
God’s mercy and grace towards us is based on his love for us, not our performance for him. You can’t do anything to make God love you any more than he does now. And there is nothing that you’ve done that will ever make him love you less. Isn’t that amazing? We should be amazed by God’s love! It is totally undeserved. It is totally unmerited. It’s not something we can earn. It is not something we can work to obtain. It’s God’s free gift to you and me.
As a follower of Jesus, you may make mistakes this Christmas. It’s a busy and stressful time. Sometimes, we spend time with family and friends that we don’t spend much time with the rest of the year, and relationships can come under pressure. Often, things will go wrong when we want it all to be perfect. The good news is that God doesn’t get angry with us. He always acts in love, mercy, and grace.
We can celebrate God’s grace this Christmas, knowing that when we mess up, he will respond with mercy and we can hope.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• Is it difficult for you to accept God’s love, mercy, and grace? Why?
Read Psalm 89:1-52. What’s your favourite carol? Have you sung it yet this Christmas?
I have so many, it’s difficult to pick just one. But this year, I have been struck once again by the words of It Came Upon the Midnight Clear:
For lo! the days are hastening on,By prophet bards foretold,When with the ever-circling yearsComes round the age of gold,When peace shall over all the earthIts ancient splendours fling,And the whole world give back the songWhich now the angels sing. Edmund Hamilton Sears (1810-1876)Used By Permission. CCL Licence No. 135015Copied from The Song Book of The Salvation Army Song Number 111
It speaks of so much hope and peace in a world that seems hopeless and conflicted so often.
Why are Christmas carols so popular? It’s because they are an accessible way for us to express the wonder of God’s love. All of us can sing (well, make a noise, at least!). So since the earliest of times, humans have sung their love to God. As the psalmist says:
Psalm 89:1 NLT
I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.
Can you hear the psalmist’s heart as it opens wide to God? Can you sense the fervency and devotion?
Let’s be so amazed by God’s love this Christmas that it gives an extra polish to our carol singing! If you haven’t sung your love to God yet this Christmas, or you haven’t sung your favourite carol yet this year, it’s not too late. Go to a carol service, or find one on radio, television or online and sing your heart to God.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• Which line in your favourite Christmas carol best expresses your love for God this Christmas?
Read 1 John 4:7-21. The story of Christmas is that God loves us. We don’t have to make it any more complicated than that. God loves us. Christmas reminds us that God loves us so much, he is willing to wrap himself in human flesh - in the form of a helpless baby - and to become fully human in order to connect with us. There is no question of his love for us!
Max Lucado writes:
You might question his actions, decisions, or declarations. But you can never, ever question his zany, stunning, unquenchable affection. (Because of Bethlehem)
Of course, that might depend on your experience of love during your lifetime. You may have endured a painful breakup. Perhaps there are times in your life when you’ve felt abandoned. You may have received little attention as a child. Sometimes, the bad experiences of human love we experience can colour our perception of God’s love.
But there is no person God does not love. No person is too afraid of love. There is no person he cannot reach. His love has no limits. Christ was born so that we would know just how much God loves us. That includes you!
So what is your response? Can I suggest inviting him into your life. Give him a seat at your table. At your request he will scatter the darkness and bring everlasting light into your life. He’ll be born in you if you love him back.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• Do you find it difficult to let God love you? Why?
Advent is a time for us to renew our love for God. This week on Battle Drill devotionals we celebrate the One who “came down at Christmas” to take the initiative of loving us first.
Read 1 John 4:7-21. What’s your purpose in life? Jesus says it is to love God and love others.
Jesus was once asked what the greatest commandment was that God had given his people:
Matthew 22:37–39 NLT
Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
That sounds impossible, especially when you consider that Jesus suggested everyone is our neighbour! There is no way I can always and for ever wholeheartedly love God, and there is even less chance of me being able to love everyone, especially at this busy time of year! But that kind of love – other-oriented, self-sacrificial, choice-based love – comes from God first. God loves us first, and that gives us the power to love others.
So, in order to be able to love God with all our heart, soul and mind and to love our neighbour as ourselves, we first need to understand just how much God loves us. But it’s not enough just to read about his love for us. It’s not even enough to think about how much he loves us, or to talk about it to other people. We need to truly experience his love for us.
When we can feel just a little of how much God loves us, then we can begin to truly love others. We won’t get so irritated by them. We can stop being frustrated when they don’t behave in the way we want them to behave. We can show love and grace to them. This Christmas and beyond, let’s live as people who know we are loved by God and risk loving others with his love too.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• In what ways could you love others with God’s love this Christmas?
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22. Are you going to be driving home for Christmas? Or travelling during the season? Many of us travel to spend time with family and friends, or to go on holiday at this time of year.
As we do so, let’s take God’s joy with us and spread it amongst those we meet. Joy travels well. This week, we’ve seen it travel in the past, as the Psalmist reminded us:
Psalm 126:3 NLT
Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!
Paul’s admonition is to be joyful in the present:
1 Thessalonians 5:16 NLT
Always be joyful.
And we can look forward with joy to what God is planning for our future:
Isaiah 61:10 NLT
I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels.
As we remember the past, experience the present, and anticipate the future, we can do so with boundless joy, knowing that God promises to lavish goodness on us. We look back this Christmas and remember with joy the gift of God’s Son, Jesus. We experience, with joy, God’s presence with us in the present, and we anticipate with joy Christ’s return.
Will you ask Jesus to be your joy this season? And will you spread the joy you receive to those around you?
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- What brings you the greatest joy? The past, the present, or the future?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne.
These Advent devotionals are based on Max Lucado’s book, Because of Bethlehem (© 2016 Max Lucado, published by Thomas Nelson).
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read 1 Corinthians 15:35-58. Soon, 2023 will be upon us. Another New Year. How do you feel about the future? Can you face it with joy? Or are you filled with dread?
Part of the problem, of course, is that we don’t know what the future holds. Even those of us who have accepted Christ as our Saviour, and who know we are on the way to heaven, have no idea what that looks like. It’s a mystery!
However, we do know what it won’t look like, and that helps us face the future with joy. We do know that in heaven, there will be no more sickness. Our bodies might be broken. We may suffer weaknesses. But when Jesus returns, our bodies will be raised in glory and strength.
If you are suffering now, then you can face the future with joy, because God promises that when his Son, Jesus, returns, there will be no more suffering. One day, our suffering will be transformed.
And in heaven, God promises there will be no death:
1 Corinthians 15:54–55 NLT
Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
The reason we can face the future with joy is that one day we will be in God’s presence forever, free of sickness, suffering and death. Now that’s worth celebrating!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• Is it enough to help you face the future with joy to know that God will one day take away all suffering, sickness, and death?
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22. It’s easy to turn into the Grinch at Christmas! As the season gets busier and we get more tired, there seems to be more to grumble about! Extra activities, queues in shops, late deliveries, a shortage of some foodstuffs, inconsiderate drivers - the list goes on!
It can be a hard habit to break. We seem surrounded by negativity - just watch or read the news if you don’t believe me! It’s easy to fall into the trap of negativity, grumbling and grumping!
But we can choose to be joyful! It’s easy to think that others make the choice for us. We blame others for making us feel negatively - if only people didn’t expect so much from us, if only the shops had more tills open, if only delivery drivers would turn up when they say they would, if only the supermarkets would sort out their supply chain issues, if only people wouldn’t cut me up on roundabouts! But joy is our choice, not someone else’s responsibility.
Paul encouraged the Thessalonians and us to “always be joyful” (v.16). Joy and gratitude are always healthier than grumbling and complaining. We can choose one or the other. So much of what we grumble about isn’t worth the effort. We get so hung up on the small stuff!
So why not let go of grumbling this Christmas and choose to be joyful instead? You’ll feel much better, I promise! Christmas reminds us that God is always with us, he lives in us, and he is for us. That should bring us never-ending joy!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What are some of the practical ways you can choose joy throughout your day?
Read Isaiah 61:1-11. We live in uncertain times. There is a cost-of-living crisis. Some of us are worried about how we will pay our energy bills as the weather turns colder. The war in Ukraine continues. We face political uncertainty.
But God’s promises cut through the uncertainty:
Isaiah 61:3 NLT
To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.
If we can hold on to God’s promises of a crown of beauty instead of ashes, of joyous blessing rather than mourning, of festive praise rather than despair, then even in these dark days, we can be released from our fears and anxieties.
How do we hold on to God’s promises? By relying on God’s power to help us. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power that can bring us beauty for ashes, joy instead of grief, and turn our despair into praise.
In uncertainty, the only certain thing we can reach out for is the joy found in Jesus. Will you reach for him this Christmas?
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• How does remembering how God has brought you through uncertainty before, help you to reach for joy today?
Advent reminds us that our hope is sure. We have peace with God, and his Messiah is coming to put everything right. We can choose to respond with joy. This week, in Battle Drill devotionals, we look at ways in which we can respond to God’s love and goodness.
Read Psalm 126:1-6. Do you find choosing joy challenging work? It’s not always easy to be kind to people. It’s not always easy to be generous when time and money are short. It’s sometimes hard to find hope when everything seems so hopeless.
Sometimes, our circumstances make us want to weep rather than choose joy. Biblical writers, like the Psalmist, never gloss over evil and suffering. They don’t encourage us to simply “don’t worry, be happy”. Instead, they promise that God will give us real joy even amid our dark realities and conditions:
Psalm 126:5–6 NLT
Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.
If we choose to spread joy, even when we don’t feel like it, God’s promise is that we will harvest with shouts of joy. Sometimes, we are called to sacrifice. That could be our money, our time, our talents, even our whole lives. Sometimes, it’s our feelings. But when we make the sacrifice God asks from us - whatever it is - he will bless us beyond measure.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• What does it look like to live by faith and choose to spread joy, even in difficult circumstances?
Read 2 Peter 3:1-16. So, are you busy? Many of us wear busyness like a badge of honour. And the lead up to Christmas is a busy time for most.
Time is short. Today, there are only sixteen shopping days left until Christmas! Our to-do lists are long. Someone asked a couple of weeks ago if my to-do list had footnotes! There is so much to do to prepare for Christmas.
But God is much less interested in what we do than in who we become. Our passage invites us to focus on who we want to be - who God wants us to be - people who live holy and godly lives. We are invited to slow down and discover God’s peace - the peace which is beyond our understanding, the peace the world cannot give us.
How might our priorities change this Advent season, if we chose to focus on being the people God wants us to be rather than on what we have to do?
We will find peace if we choose to take on God’s values, his attitudes and his character. My prayer is that all of us will grow spiritually this Advent season. I pray we will be found doing the right thing even when we’re tired and stressed and don’t feel like it.
Let’s all be determined to be more interested in who we are and who we are becoming than about what we are doing.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- How might God be trying to build your character during this season?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
These Advent devotionals are based on Max Lucado’s book, Because of Bethlehem (© 2016 Max Lucado, published by Thomas Nelson).
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Colossians 1:24-29. Do you ever sympathise with Paul writing in Romans 7? He tells his readers that as a follower of Christ he wants to do what is right, but he doesn’t do it.
He goes on to say he wants to do what is good, but he doesn’t. And he doesn’t want to do what is wrong, but he does it anyway. Does that sound familiar?
Why are we often caught up in sin like this? As Paul says, “it is sin living in me that does it” (Romans 7:17). Our sinful nature is such that under the right circumstances, we will do the wrong thing, even if we don’t want to. Usually, those circumstances involve a degree of stress. Stress often shows us up for who we really are.
We cannot become more like Christ in our own strength. Years of failed resolutions, will power and good intentions testify to that! What’s the answer? The answer is that not only does Jesus do a work for us in coming to earth and then going to a cross to die on our behalf, but he does a work in us. This is the secret, Paul says, Christ lives in you. His Holy Spirit inhabits us so that Christ lives in and through us.
Jesus comes not only to save us, but to change us. We can be transformed because of our relationship with Christ. How? By influencing the choices we make. He helps us makes the right choices so we become more like him.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• How would you describe yourself when under stress? Does this differ from who you really want to be?
Read Matthew 1:18-25. Do you sometimes feel as if you are your own worst enemy? Do you make choices you know are bad for you, seemingly unable to stop yourself? Many of us simply need saving from ourselves!
The problem is that each one of us entered the world with a sinful nature. Salvation Army doctrine describes us as “totally depraved” - which is a bit Victorian - but simply means that every part of our lives is touched by sin. As Max Lucado puts it in his book, Because of Bethlehem:
The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart.
Only God can fix that problem. We cannot save ourselves. He must save us from ourselves. The angel of the Lord explained to Joseph that Mary’s son - Jesus, the Son of God - would save us all from our sins.
Jesus’ name literally means, God saves. Jesus is “God saves”. God does not simply sympathise about our sin. He doesn’t just listen to us as we complain about the bad choices we make. He doesn’t just help us try to make better decision or simply assist us in avoiding temptation. He doesn’t stand idly by and then applaud us when we sometimes make good choices. He saves us.
We can find true peace this Christmas because we are saved from ourselves. We are saved from the guilt of our sin. God continues to save us from the problem of our sin. And when Christ returns, we will finally forever be saved from our sin. Thanks be to God!
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• When was the last time you thought you “just weren’t yourself” in a particular situation?
Read Psalm 85:1-13. Satan doesn’t have to be very creative in tempting us to do wrong. Usually, he simply tempts us to fall back into our usual bad habits. If you think back over the sin you have battled throughout your life, I suspect you will see it’s been the same one!
And yet the Psalmist says we should not return to our foolish ways. Why do we do so, so often? Our bad habits are built over many years. They may even have developed in childhood. They may help us resist pain or deal with stress. They’re so familiar to us we are tempted to think there are no better ways to deal with pain and stress in our lives.
Often our bad habits reward us with something that seems good at the time (another cream cake, anyone?). The short-term reward often seems to cover up the long-term consequences.
And Satan is very good at whispering in our ears. If we do try to deal once-and-for-all with our bad habits, he will tell us it won’t work. He’ll persuade us we’re not strong enough. He’ll remind us how many times we’ve failed before.
So how can we sin less and get rid of our bad habits? It’s by learning to know Jesus, the One through whom you were created and to allow his Holy Spirit to help us become like him:
Colossians 3:10 NLT
Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.
Take the opportunity this Advent to listen carefully to what God is saying to you and ask his Son to help you turn your back on your bad habits. That is the path to true peace.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• How does it feel to know it is possible to leave in freedom from your bad habits?
Advent is a time when we remember Jesus first coming to earth, and eagerly await his return. This week in Battle Drill devotionals, we reflect on whether we are ready for Christ’s coming or if anything is keeping us from being at peace with God.
Read Isaiah 40:1-11. Many Christians today emphasise God as a loving and all-forgiving God rather than as a God of wrath and anger. In an unloving, dark world that emphasis seems particularly needed.
But the Bible holds God’s love, mercy and grace and his judgment in tension. Isaiah prophesies that Jesus will be both the Sovereign Lord who comes in power and a Shepherd who will feed his flock.
This can leave us very confused, especially if the message we hear about God emphasises his love and grace and fails to hold in tension his sovereign power and judgment.
But God’s judgment is not about punishment or vindictiveness. The Psalmist makes it clear:
Psalm 19:9–10 NLT
Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.
The message is that if we choose to trust in God, then all will be well. The promise of God’s judgment is also the promise of his grace and peace. God’s fierce anger is coupled with his infinite forgiveness.
We must be ready for Jesus to return. We can trust God to help rid our lives of all that would affect our relationship with him. Then we know his judgment will be given in love, mercy and grace.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- In what ways do you seek God’s approval, even though you already have it?
Read Romans 15:1-13. Will you be “driving home for Christmas this year”? Or are you opening your home to others who are coming home to spend time with their family and friends?
Many people “come home” at Christmas. Others don’t want to, because for them, home is full of anger, violence, abuse, shame, resentment, or manipulation.
God’s home is not like that. And he wants you to come home to him this Christmas. Jesus sent his Son Jesus Christ into the world, as a human being - as a weak, helpless baby - because he doesn’t love us from a distance. He makes his home with us. God invites you to make your home with the One who created you, who loves you, and sent his Son to die for you.
God is ready to welcome you whenever you are ready to come home to him. All you have to do is accept the invitation. You can have a relationship with God simply by saying you want him to make his home in your heart.
That really is the best Christmas present you could receive this year.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
- What next step might you need to take to come home to God today?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
These Advent devotionals are based on Max Lucado’s book, Because of Bethlehem (© 2016 Max Lucado, published by Thomas Nelson).
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Revelation 21:1-7. Things are beginning to gear up for Christmas. Today is the first day of December! Before you get too far into the season, I invite you to stop and to receive the promise of Christmas: God is for us. God gets us. He understands the human condition. God wants to save us. From ourselves and from the world. God is always near us. He has “moved into the neighbourhood” (John 1:14 MSG).
But Christmas is not the end of the story! Jesus may well have arrived on a silent night in Bethlehem, but the Bible tells us he will arrive again one day. And not so quietly this time! The skies will open, the trumpet will blast, and a new Kingdom will be ushered in.
What will it look like? John tells us that Jesus will wipe every tear from our eyes, that graves will be emptied and the winter of death will pass into the summer of eternal life. Sorrow will end. Crying will stop. Pain will be healed.
The hope of Christmas will endure long after the last carol is sung, and the Christmas decorations are taken down. God’s promises endure. He offers each one of us a lifetime of hope.
May each of us live in anticipation of the thrill of Christmas hope.
THINK IT OVERThink about the following:
• If Christmas this year could be everything you ever hoped for, how would you describe it?
Read Luke 7:36-50. Advent is full of anticipation. We anticipate the giving and receiving of gifts. We anticipate a feast. Many of us anticipate peace and quiet after a busy season!
Some of us may be anticipating the arrival of guests into our homes, either for a meal, or for a longer stay. We may be preparing to show hospitality, to make them feel warmly welcome in our homes. This might include cleaning and tidying, making a bed up or preparing a meal.
Hospitality was highly valued in Jesus’ day. As this story shows us, welcoming a guest might include greeting them with a kiss, providing water for them to wash the dust from their feet, and anointing them with oil. These gestures made guests feel wanted and appreciated.
Advent is an opportunity to get ready to welcome Jesus into our world. To tell him that not only do we worship him, but we want and appreciate his presence too. In his book, Because of Bethlehem, Max Lucado asks:
"If you knew Jesus was coming tomorrow, what would you do today? Then do it! Live in such a way that you would not have to change your plans."
Let’s live in anticipation of Jesus’ return and be ready to welcome him. After all, he is the best gift we can ever receive.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• In what ways might you need to reschedule your life to prepare for Christ’s return?
Read Isaiah 2:1-4. The lead up to Christmas can be a stressful time. If we’re not careful, we can become tired and irritable, snapping at those around us, or cursing those who jump in the supermarket queue ahead of us or cut us up on busy roads. Advent can become a time when we get our own swords and spears out! It might be the sword of cutting words or the spear of well-aimed elbows.
But that’s not what the real Christmas is all about! The grand vision laid out by Isaiah is not one of conflict, but one of peace; overwhelming, healing peace. Isaiah says that when Messiah comes nation will no longer fight nation, or even train for war anymore. All their weapons will be hammered into ploughshares and pruning hooks. Fighters will become farmers, soldiers will tend the soil, and troopers will tend the flocks.
Christmas is an opportunity to find peace with God. In Jesus Christ, God took on flesh and became one of us - a human being - because he no longer wanted us to be disconnected from him. Christmas is also an opportunity to find peace with others. The closer we are to God, the better our relationships will be. A relationship with God pulls us all closer together. Christmas is finally an opportunity to find the peace inside ourselves. To discover emotional peace. Wholeness. Shalom. The peace of God.
Will you lay down the arms of Christmas this year and find the real peace God longs to give you?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• When Christmas gets stressful, what are your weapons of choice? How could you hammer them into ploughshares and pruning hooks instead?
The season leading up to Christmas - Advent - is an opportunity to immerse ourselves in hope. We can wait in certain hope knowing that God will always fulfil his promises to us. This week in Battle Drill Devotionals, we focus on some of those promises.
Read Isaiah 9:1-7. Are you looking for Christmas gifts yet? Whether you go window shopping and look in physical stores for the right presents for those around you, or whether you spend hours online scrolling through Amazon or other online retailers, many of us spend a significant amount of time looking, looking.
God’s people spend an awful lot of time looking - for light, for rescue, for the good things God promises. Isaiah’s prophecy looks in eager and hopeful anticipation for a great light to banish the deep darkness. He prophesies that light will come when “a child is born to us, a son is given to us” (Isaiah 9:6).
As we draw to the end of this year, at times, it has felt as if we have been surrounded by a great darkness: the darkness of war and conflict, the darkness of a cost of living crisis, the darkness of the continued impact of the global pandemic and its aftermath. We are lethargic and exhausted.
God promises to bring light, rescue, vitality, rest and above all hope, in his baby Son, Jesus Christ.
Jesus can light up your life this Christmas. Will you look to his light today?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• Which do you think you will most need this Christmas? Light, rescue, vitality, rest or hope?
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13. Paul’s words to the “idle” can seem quite harsh if you misunderstand who they are directed towards.
The suggestion that “those unwilling to work will not get to eat” (v.10) seems cruel until you understand that Paul is addressing those who are unwilling to work. In other words, he was warning those who were fully able to work and had work to do, but chose not to, for whatever reason.
Paul was not attacking those who were involuntarily unemployed or who were unable to work. When it comes to the unemployed and those unable to work, Paul follows the Christian obligation to provide help for those who cannot maintain themselves. That is why he encourages the Thessalonian Christians – and us – to “never get tired of doing good”.
If we’re honest, many of us earn more money from work than we need to earn a living. If that’s the case, then we have an obligation to give our money away and share it with those in need. Paul encourages us to give freely and spontaneously to others – to use our money to do good.
As we do so, we discover that God blesses our work and our money even more, because he is a generous God. Let’s all do good and as we do so, we become more like him.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
- What do you need to change about the way you share with others that will help make you more like Jesus?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13. What are you working for? More stuff? To keep up with the Joneses? For recognition and approval?
The problem with working for more and more stuff is that we never have enough. John D. Rockefeller once had a net worth of around one percent. of the entire economy of the United States of America. But when he was asked how much enough money was, he replied, “just a little bit more”. The problem with keeping up with the Joneses is that we’re haunted with the idea they’re catching up or overtaking us. Recognition and approval are drugs which we can never escape from.
If we place our worth in our work, then often we end up overworking, stressed and spending much less time with our family and friends.
The answer is to allow God to control our work. He will help us to “earn our own living” but he will also provide times of relaxation and recreation to bring much needed balance to our lives. He will assist us to make the most of our talents and time, doing all we can to provide for ourselves and our dependents, but he will also help to keep our values in check.
Working for God and not for our worth will help us work when we should be working and rest when we should be resting.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• Do you think our society puts too much value on work and not enough on rest? Why or why not?
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13. Do you find yourself demotivated at work? Is your default position procrastination? Do you feel stuck?
There may be one very good reason you’re feeling this way: you’ve never invited God to be in your work. Maybe that’s what had happened to those whom Paul warned for “living idle lives” in Thessalonica? Perhaps they just didn’t see a connection between their faith and their work?
One of the best examples of this in the Bible is the disciples. Twice they went out to fish – their usual work – and despite the fact they were experienced fishermen, they caught nothing. At sunrise, Jesus comes along and tells them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. This time, they catch so many fish, their nets almost break. Same lake, same boat, same fishermen, but a very different outcome. What was the difference? Jesus was in their work.
When we ask God to take control of our work, he can use it for great blessing. When we give our work over to God, he can work through it. He can use your work for his glory.
If you want to find true meaning in your work – whatever it is – then give control of it to God. Then watch him bless it beyond your imagination!
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• What would it look like if you dedicated your work to God?
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13. You have a calling on your life. Sometimes, we think God’s calling is only for Salvation Army officers or church ministers and pastors. Salvation Army officers used to describe ministry as “the work”.
But the truth is that God calls all of us to work. Paul and Silas were God’s missionaries, working to honour God and to help others. Paul encourages the Thessalonian Christians and us to imitate them and do the same. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Salvation Army officer, a teacher, a cleaner, an office-worker or a stay-at-home parent, Paul encourages you to see your work as working for God. Do it to honour him and to help others.
Whatever you do, do it in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Teaching children, writing a proposal, selling something or taking out the rubbish can all be a blessing if they are done to honour God and to help other people.
Your work – whatever it is – is significant. So, let’s all work for God and help others today, whatever we’re doing.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• Have you ever thought of your work as being done for God? Can you think of something you do that could be done with this in mind?
Work is a fundamental foundation of human life. But often we separate God from our work and our work becomes disordered. This week in our Battle Drill devotionals, we explore ways to find God’s intended rhythm in our work and rest.
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13. Are you a “doer”? Do you set out every day to achieve, to accomplish, to work hard, to push forward, to make things happen?
If so, then I would imagine that at first glance, this passage must feel as if it’s right up your street. If there’s one thing that really annoys “doers” (and I speak with some experience!) it’s people who prefer not to do! So, Paul – who appears to be to be a gold-plated “doer” – coming along and telling the idle to get on with it deserves a round of applause!
Except, when you look at the word that is translated as “idle” it has an odd history. It wasn’t translated as “idle” until 1948, and many scholars wonder why it’s still translated that way today. It would be better translated (as the King James Version did) as “unruly” or disordered, out of line.
What Paul is saying here is applicable to anyone whose work-life balance is out of kilter. Human beings are called by God to work (see Genesis 1:27-31). But out of that same creation story comes the command to rest (Exodus 20:8-11).
Some of us might need to work more. But many of us need to work less. Our work-life balance is unruly, disordered and out of line. Let’s work when God wants us working and rest when he wants us resting. It’s the only way to get back in line.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• What does you work, rest and worship rhythm look like? Does it need rebalancing? What can you do to bring it back in line?
Read Matthew 26:6-13. It may have been expensive. It may have been a family heirloom. But Mary’s decision to anoint Jesus with expensive perfume would have meant nothing if it was not given in love.
Mary could have made her sacrifice in expectation that Jesus would give something back to her in return. She could have poured expensive perfume on Jesus’ head because she felt guilty about something. She could have done it for attention – after all, she chose to do it in the middle of meal in someone else’s house! But love was the motivation for her giving. Jesus – who knows our deepest motivations – said so. He said that what she did was a good thing. He said that she had done it to prepare his body for burial – perhaps the most loving thing someone can do for someone else. He said that because her sacrifice was given in love, her deed would be remembered and discussed.
Today, almost 2,000 years later, it is still an example for all of us. If we don’t give out of love, then nothing we give will matter. If we give in love, then it will be remembered.
As we remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice once more, let’s pledge to give our lives away for others. As we do so in love, God and they will remember our sacrifice.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
- What do others say about how you show your love to others?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Matthew 26:6-13. What are you good at? What capabilities has God given you? Whatever they are, they have been given to you not for your own benefit, but to benefit others. When you serve others, they remember.
Mary used what God had given her to serve her Master, Jesus. As he faced the long and lonely road to Calvary, where he would make the ultimate sacrifice for you and for me on the cross, Mary discerned that he should be anointed with the expensive perfume that God had placed under her stewardship. How soothing it must have been for Jesus as the expensive ointment flowed down his body from his head. What love he must have felt pouring from Mary as she served him in this way. Jesus said her service – her giving – would be remembered.
Whatever capabilities and abilities God has given you, the best thing you can do with them is to give them back to him by serving others with them. You can use them for the purpose for which God gave them to you. One day God is going to ask you what you did with what he gave you. How did you use your abilities? Did you make a living with them? Did you serve others? How wonderful it will be if he is able to interrupt you and remember that “whatever you did for the least of these … you did for me”! (Matthew 25:40).
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• How can you show God you are using your abilities to serve others rather than yourself?
Read Matthew 26:6-13. How much are you willing to give to others? Are you miserly with your time, money or other resources? Or are you willing to sacrifice your time, money and resources to give to others? People remember those who make sacrifices for them.
Mary sacrificed a great deal to show her love to Jesus by anointing him with expensive perfume. The alabaster jar she carried it in was beautiful. It likely had a long, slender neck and was carved from translucent gypsum. It was beautiful and expensive. The pure and genuine nard from the mountains of India was also very expensive. We don’t know how Mary came to possess it, but it could have been a family heirloom. But she loved Jesus so much she was prepared to break the vase and pour all the ointment on Jesus’ head. It was a royal anointing, suitable for her Messiah. Jesus made it clear her sacrifice would be remembered and discussed, and now it appears in our holy scripture.
There is always a cost in giving to someone else. We must be prepared to give up our resources – time, money, talents, whatever – to give them to others. We must be willing to make sacrifices if we are going to be agents of healing in the world.
Those who gave their lives in the two world wars and conflicts since, gave the ultimate sacrifice, and in many ways helped to heal the world, if only for a little while. They are remembered today for that sacrifice. We may not be called to give the ultimate sacrifice. But every time we sacrifice something for the benefit of someone else, that deed will be remembered – both by the other person and by Jesus himself.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• How do you use your worldly resources to benefit others?
Read Matthew 26:6-13. All of us remember people who are generous towards us. People who can’t wait to bless us because God has blessed them. Whether it’s their time, money or other resources they share with us, we remember their generosity.
The woman who anointed Jesus’ head with expensive perfume from her beautiful alabaster jar was certainly generous. The perfume is described in Mark’s gospel as pure nard, a fragrant ointment imported from the mountains of India. It was very expensive! Mary was nothing but radically generous with what she had.
What if you and I were as radically generous? What if our Salvation Army corps and churches were as radically generous? We are all responsible for what God has given us. But his blessings are not to be hoarded for ourselves. They are to be shared with others. We can use the resources God has given us – individually and corporately – to make an impact. A Kingdom impact. We can make an impact in our families, amongst our friends, in our neighbourhood, in our community, in our school or workplace and in the world at large. Christians and the Christian church can be remembered for their radical generosity. We have been blessed! Let’s be a blessing to others.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• What’s one practical step you can take this week to be radically generous towards someone?
On Battle Drill devotionals this week, in the week following Remembrance Sunday, we ask, what will we be remembered for? The brave men and women who gave their lives in the two world wars and in conflicts since leave a legacy of freedom for many people. What will our legacy be?
Read Matthew 26:6-13. Do you know someone who always shows gratitude in everything they do? It is so beautiful! A gift to those around them. Something they will be remembered for.
The woman who anointed Jesus during a meal at Simon the Leper’s house in Bethany certainly showed her gratitude. She is identified in John’s gospel as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. She had much to be grateful for! She was a long-time follower of Jesus, sitting at his feet and learning about the Kingdom of God from him. She believed Jesus was Messiah, the Saviour of the world. Jesus had raised her brother, Lazarus, from the dead.
Her decision to take a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and pour it over Jesus’ head was a sacrifice of praise. In doing this, she was proclaiming who she knew Jesus to be and how thankful she was for his presence in her life. Jesus says it is an act that will be remembered and discussed. Sure enough, here we are nearly 2,000 years later remembering what she did that day. That’s the power of an attitude of gratitude!
We have much to thank God for today too. An attitude of gratitude is contagious. As we show gratitude to God and to others around us, it catches on! Others begin to do it too. People remember someone who shows gratitude to them.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• What are you grateful for today?
Read Nehemiah 9:1-38. Which do you find the most difficult? To confess to something you did years ago? Or to confess to something you’ve just done?
There is no right answer! Sometimes, it’s easier to confess something you did ages ago, because somehow the lack of immediacy takes the emotion out of it. Confessing to something you’ve just done is sometimes more difficult because our pride gets in the way.
Nehemiah and the people of God found one particular difficulty with waiting to confess their sins: there were a lot to confess! In Nehemiah 8 they had spent six hours listening to the Book of the Law and confessing their sins. Then later in the month - in Nehemiah 9 - they spent another three hours listening to the Book of the Law and confessing more sins! They had let their sins pile up in their lives over many generations and therefore had many to confess before God.
You don’t let rubbish pile up in your home. So don’t let sin pile up in your heart either! Take the rubbish out of your heart on a daily basis by examining yourself before God every day and confessing any sins he brings to mind.
God will never get bored of your confessions. He never tires of forgiving you - even for the same sins over and over again. God doesn’t criticise you. He blesses you with love, grace and mercy.
If you stumble, confess that straight away to God. He will forgive you and help you grow away from what makes you stumble. Don’t let the rubbish pile up!
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
- In what way are you struggling with sin today? Take a moment to confess it to God and make a clean start.
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Nehemiah 9:1-38. As we reminded ourselves yesterday, if we ever want to change, then we have to move from blaming and complaining about everyone else and the circumstances we face, and confess the problems we bring on ourselves.
Nehemiah and the people of God could have blamed God for exiling them from Jerusalem and placing them under the evil Persian empire. They could have blamed their enemies for enslaving them. But having studied the Book of the Law, they recognised they and their ancestors were the architects of their own downfall. They had no one to blame but themselves. So they confessed their part to God. And life began to change for them.
We too will never be able to change unless we openly, honestly, authentically, and humbly confess our sins, our weaknesses, our faults, and our character defects to God and to others.
When we approach God to tell him about our sins and our weaknesses - everything that’s wrong in our lives - he isn’t surprised. He already knows! But he does want us to confess to him before he can begin his work of change in us.
Why not confess to him today, knowing that his grace and forgiveness are bigger than anything we have ever done in our lives? If we do, then change will certainly follow.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• Do you really want God to change you? If so, what steps are you willing to take to confess to him today?
Read Nehemiah 9:1-38. When things are going wrong in your life, what do you do? Do you complain that it’s everyone else’s fault or that events are conspiring against you? Or do you confess your part in what is going wrong?
Complaining comes from a sense of pride; confession comes from a sense of humility. God responds to those who confess their sins and their failures with a sense of humility.
Having listened to the Book of the Law and realised just how far they were from God’s standards for their lives as God’s people, Nehemiah and the Israelites humbly confessed their sins. The decisions to fast and wear burlap and dust on their foreheads were all signs of their desire to be humble before God in their confessions. God responded with forgiveness, mercy and grace.
Unconfessed sin creates distance between God and us. A prideful attitude that leads to complaining about others or our circumstances simply deepens that distance. Only humble confession allows our holy God to bridge that gap and to answer our prayers as we agree with him about our sin.
God will never reject a broken, repentant, and humble heart. Give him yours today.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• Why do we struggle to be honest and humble about our sin when we know God already knows all about it?
Read Nehemiah 9:1-38. What comes to mind when you hear the word confession? Depending on your tradition, or perhaps the way you’ve seen it portrayed in films or on television, you might picture a confession box in an empty church, and an embarrassing conversation with the local priest. Those of us who are Salvationists, might recall conversations at the Mercy Seat.
However you picture it, confession is the first step on a life of integrity. Until you agree with God that you have failed to live your life in accordance with God’s standards, integrity will evade you.
Nehemiah and the Israelites understood this. Having read from the Book of the Law for hours, they recognised just how far from God’s standards they had fallen. At last they chose to agree with God about the state of their lives.
God wasn’t surprised by this. He knew exactly how his people had sinned. But he still loved them. His unfailing covenant of love remained intact. So instead of condemning them, he gave them grace.
When we decide to take the first step to integrity and to confess our sins to God, he is faithful to forgive us. We can trust him and his love. Why not take the first step to integrity today?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• As you listened to or read this devotional today, did God bring to mind any parts of your life you are not living with integrity? Why not confess that today and faithfully believe that God forgives you?
This week in Battle Drill devotionals, we focus on confession. It’s tough to admit our sins and entrust ourselves to God’s grace, but it is essential if we want to be God’s Future Builders.
Read Nehemiah 9:1-38. Do you find it easy to admit your failures? I know I don’t!
But sometimes, you reach a point in your life when you realise it’s not working. Life is just not as it should be. This is the point Nehemiah and the people of God had reached. Having been exiled from Jerusalem many years before and having returned to rebuild its walls, they realised just how far from God they had wandered.
So they confessed their sin and entrusted themselves to God’s grace. They were determined to put God back front and centre in their lives. They reminded themselves what he had done throughout their history and trusted that God’s unfailing covenant of love would mean he would save them once more.
There are times when we too must admit we have wandered far from God and his purposes for our lives. When we let go of our pride, our stubbornness and our fear, God moves in with his grace. Great is his faithfulness!
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• Do you struggle to confess your sins to God? Why?
Read Nehemiah 8:1-11. Do you have much to worry about? We are in the middle of a cost of living crisis. The financial markets have been in turmoil. There is a war being waged in Ukraine. Sometimes, it seems even our streets are not safe. Most of us have plenty to worry about!
How can we learn to worry less? Nehemiah and God’s people had plenty to worry about too. They faced severe opposition to the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls. They were on the brink of war as the work continued. Then as they read the Book of the Law they realised just how far away they were from being the people God wanted them to be. No wonder they were worried!
But worship helped them to move their focus from their worries to focus their lives on God instead. As they did so, they were able to lift their eyes from their worries and celebrate God with great joy!
Once a week we are called to come together with a family of God’s people to refocus and to re-centre our lives in God. When we do, our worries can melt away. If you want to worry less, then worship more!
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
- How would life be different if you gave your worries to God and worshipped him instead?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Nehemiah 8:1-11. How are you at exams? Do you relish the opportunity to show your learning? Or do they make you sick with worry? Are you always the first to finish? Or do you run out of time?
Worship can help us become great students! How? Because worship tells us what is most important. Our world is full of information - many of us have mini computers in our hands in the form of smartphones and we have access to huge amounts of information. If you Google the word “student” for example, you have around 7,300,000,000 pieces of information to wade through!
When Nehemiah and God’s people completed the rebuilding of the walls around Jerusalem and met together to worship, their worship soon turned them into great students. As they listened closely to the Book of the Law, they quickly realised the most important thing they needed to know: they had strayed horribly from the laws God wanted them to follow. It left them mourning and weeping. But it also gave them the necessary information to put things right and soon they were able to celebrate with great joy and to begin celebrating the Festivals God laid out for them.
Our worship and study of the Scriptures help us learn more about God and his purpose for our lives. When we stand before God and face our final exam, he will ask us, “Did you learn to know me?”
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• Do you think it’s possible to be well-educated but miss God’s purpose for your life?
Read Nehemiah 8:1-11. How do you know when you’ve been to a good worship meeting or service? Is it when you get to sing your favourite song? Or hear a good piece of music sung or played by a talented group of musicians? Or hear your favourite Bible verse? Maybe when the preacher tells a funny joke? Many people seem to rely on their feelings when it comes to judging what a good worship meeting is. If they feel uplifted and encouraged then it’s been a good service.
It’s a good job Nehemiah and God’s people didn’t think that way! Nehemiah 8:9-10 tell us their worship left them mourning, weeping, dejected and sad! They had listened so closely to the Word of God they realised there lives were far from the ones God wanted them to lead. They had discovered that worship wasn’t seeking an experience, a feeling - it was seeking God.
God doesn’t want us to depend on our feelings when we worship. He wants us to seek him. To focus on him. To listen intently for what he has to say to us. As we do, we are drawn into a closer and deeper relationship with him. That’s the reason we worship.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• How do these thoughts about worship change your attitude to the worship meetings and services you attend in church?
Read Nehemiah 8:1-11. What does it cost you to be a Christian?
When Nehemiah and God’s people obeyed God and set about rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, they faced much opposition. They were afraid, but they kept going. They also turned to worship.
We may not face the kind of opposition Nehemiah and his people faced. But there are ways in which Christianity is being repressed as our western society becomes more secularised.
If we are going to face such opposition with courage rather than with fear, then worship can help us. We can focus on God and who he is. We can recall that he has already had the victory. We can pray for the strength and courage we need.
Worship helped Nehemiah and God’s people to focus on God rather than on the persecution they faced. Worship can do the same for us too. It can help us take our focus off our problems and turn our attention to God.
When you face opposition, you face two choices: you can worry or you can worship. Which will you choose?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• What opposition have you faced because of your faith? How did worship help overcome it?
This week we focus on worship, one of the most important ways God uses to transform us.
Read Nehemiah 8:1-11. Where do you worship? I guess most of us who are Christians have been conditioned to answer that question with the name of our church or Salvation Army corps.
But think about it for a moment. Is church or a Salvation Army hall the only place you can worship God? Of course not! We can worship him at any time and anywhere.
When God’s people returned with Nehemiah to the ruins of Jerusalem to rebuild its walls, they had no building to worship in. The temple had been destroyed. When they completed the work on the walls, they gathered together instead at the square by the Water Gate. It didn’t matter. It didn’t stop them from worshipping God!
You certainly don’t have to wait until you are in church to worship God! He will accept your worship at any time and anywhere. You can worship God at home. You can worship him in the shower. You can worship him at your desk. You can worship God in the garden. You can worship washing the dishes (or loading the dishwasher!). You can worship him whilst you’re driving (just don’t close your eyes to pray!). You can express how much you love God at any time and anywhere. Where will you choose to worship him today?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• How often do you sing in worship and love to God? Where and when could you do it?
Read Mark 3:31-35. Throughout this week we have reflected on the impact our family have on the way we think and act in the present. But our family’s past does not decide our future. God does!
When we place our faith in Christ and his work on the cross, we are spiritually reborn by the Holy Spirit into the family of Jesus. God adopts us. We are a new creation reborn into a new family. We are now in a new relationship with God our Father. This is the profound truth Jesus was pointing to when he looked at those seated in the circle around him in Mark 3 and declared: “Here are my true family members” (Mark 3:34b TPT). The church, our fellow Christians, now becomes our “first family” – the place where we learn new patterns of thinking and new ways of behaving.
Being a Jesus follower is about putting off the sinful patterns of our past – usually passed down to us by our families – and being transformed into new creations and learning to live as members of Christ’s family.
The church is the place where slowly but surely, we are “re-parented” on doing life in Christ’s way. It’s where we learn that success means being faithful to God’s purposes for us. It’s where we learn to seek God and his righteousness first. It’s where God declares we are loved and that we are good enough in Christ. God intends the church to be a family where we are set free.
We honour our parents. We love our family. But, as Jesus’ followers, we learn to obey God.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
- What was considered “success” in your family?
This daily devotional draws widely on the book, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazzero, published in 2006 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Mark 3:31-35. When you look back at your family, you may challenge me and suggest that it has not passed on any unhealthy habits or patterns of behaviour. Or you may feel that your family are so messed up, there is no hope of breaking free and moving forwards.
The truth is that all families are broken and fallen in some way, because all human beings are broken and fallen to some extent. There are no perfect families with perfect parents because only Jesus was perfect! Most parents do the best they can in bringing up their children, but as we have been reflecting this week, it’s likely they were passed unhealthy habits and patterns of behaviour by their parents. It is no reflection on them or us or on their love for us.
But if we are unwilling to go back to move forwards, then our unhealed wounds open us up to habitual sin against God and against other people. The good news is that if we do face up to our past, then in Christ we can emerge from it free, more whole, and newly alive in him.
Our family is part of God’s plan for us. Even the most painful family experiences are part of our total identity. The more we know about our families, and the more we find out about ourselves as we go back to move forwards, the more we can decide – with God’s help – what to keep and what to let go.
And we don’t do it alone. Our Christian family can help us. Wise friends, a mentor, our officer, or pastor, or even a therapist or counsellor can all help us on this journey. Are you ready to go back to move forwards?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• What challenging work of discipleship might you have to undertake?
Read Mark 3:31-35. Our families teach us so much. If we grew up in a Christian family, then they may have taught us how to pray, how to read the Bible, and how to take part in worship. But they may also have ingrained habits and ways of behaving which have an annoying habit of raising their ugly heads when we’re under stress.
Dealing with these is painful. None of us want to feel we are betraying our family in any way. And digging up the “dirt” on them seems unfair. But if we do not do the challenging work of going back to move forward, then the only way we can deal with these unhealthy habits and ways of behaving is to compartmentalise our “spiritual life” from the rest of our lives.
The problem is, of course, that it doesn’t work. I know from my own experience that we can make sure that our shoes are clean and that our uniforms are well pressed, and then dress up in them on a Sunday morning and then proceed to have an almighty row because someone in the family isn’t ready on time, or the girls are fighting or no one helped to get lunch ready. The family arrive at church barely speaking to each other and silently seething. The jack is out of the box again!
If we have unhealthy habits and patterns of behaviour that “pop out”, especially when we’re stressed, then the only thing we can do is go back to move forwards. It’s painful but we have little choice. The good news is that Jesus is more than willing to help remove the weight of this baggage. Let’s choose to place our hope in him.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• Over two or three generations, how was conflict handled in your family? Can you see this pattern in the way you handle conflict?
Read Mark 3:31-35. What beliefs does your family hold that still have an influence on you today? We often underestimate the deep imprint our families leave on us. But they teach us certain ways of behaving and thinking. These can be hard to break without God’s help and a life of biblical discipleship.
We are taught to believe things like the more money you have, the more important you are; avoiding conflict at all costs; sex must not be spoken about openly; you must get over losses quickly and move on; sarcasm is an acceptable way to release anger; you don’t air your family’s “dirty laundry” in public and so on. These beliefs affect us and our relationships today.
It is therefore essential that we reflect on these messages that have been handed down to us and submit them to God and to his Word. The cost of simply ignoring our past and its impact on our present is just too costly.
If our family’s script is contrary to God’s purposes for us, then we need to deal with them and ensure we are following God’s desires for our life rather than the rules and beliefs of our family. It’s time to go back to move forwards.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• Are there any heroes in your family? What about losers? Why do you think of them that way?
Following Jesus requires us to break free from the destructive patterns of our past and living out the purpose God has for our lives. Sometimes, we need to go back to move forward. This week, we focus on the part our family plays in our life with God.
Read Mark 3:31-35. More people seem to be interested in researching their family tree, fuelled by television programmes like, Who Do You Think You Are? and websites like ancestry.co.uk. There was great excitement at the beginning of this year when the 1921 Census data was published, allowing many people to begin adding more pieces to their jigsaw puzzle of origin.
The Bible sees some importance in our ancestry too. When it talks of our “family”, it usually means our entire extended family over three or four generations. It is important, then, for us to know all about our brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, grandparents, and great-grandparents, and to delve back at least as far as the mid-1800s!
Why is our ancestry important? Because whilst our lives our shaped by our circumstances, by far the biggest influence on how we live life is our family. Some of us leave home determined to “break away” from our family ties, only to discover, years later, that our family way of doing things follows us wherever we go! What happens in one generation, often happens again in the next, however hard we try. The consequences of actions and decisions taken in an earlier generation can also affect us today.
You are not acting alone. You are a player in a much larger family system that may well go back three or four generations. It therefore helps if we know who our family are and what their patterns might be. Sometimes, going back is the only way to move forward.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• How would you describe each of the family members you know with two or three adjectives? What do you learn about your family from these descriptions?
Jesus seems to include a very 21st century concept in his command to love God and love others: love others as you love yourself.
Read Matthew 22:34-40. The command to love others as you love yourself is right down our 21st century street! So, some Christian writers will look to tell you that cannot genuinely love anyone else until you can truly learn to love yourself. For example, they might argue you need to build up your own self-esteem before you can affect someone else’s self-esteem in a positive way.
Unfortunately, that is the trend of modern society. As someone once pointed out, we have moved from People magazine to Us magazine, to Self magazine! Jesus teaches us to move in the other direction! He says we move from ourselves to us (the church) and then to the people (the world). Maybe The Salvation Army should think about changing the title of our periodical from Salvationist (which is the church) to Self-Denial!
Don’t get me wrong. Jesus’ command does assume a healthy level of self-love. He is thinking of the natural way we are created to look after our bodies, our minds, and our souls, and to attend to our needs (rather than our wants). But he expects us to avoid the kind of self-love that is selfish, always looking to put ourselves first before others.
If I am honest, I have to say I don’t need to work hard to focus on my needs. I must work much harder to think about loving others and loving God more than I love myself. I must constantly focus outwards rather than inwards.
Why? Because the meaning of life is to be found in loving God and loving others. It’s what’s at heart of Christianity. May this message soak into our souls in the coming days. May it transform us and the world around us. Love God. Love others. There is nothing better you can do with your life.
THINK IT OVER * What’s the motivation behind the ways you look after yourself and your needs?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The eighties might be the greatest musical decade ever, but I am showing my age this week! But Tina Turner’s question does seem to suggest that today we seem to have strayed so far from what love really is, we don’t really know what it is.
Read Matthew 22:34-40. Sometimes, if you look in our families, or around our community, or watch the news, or read social media, you’d be forgiven for thinking that love is in short supply. And yet, Jesus says it’s the essence of who we are as human beings. When he was asked, which is the greatest commandment, what is our first purpose in life, he said it was to love God, but then went on to say:
Matthew 22:39 NLT
A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’.
Some have used the shape of the cross to explain what Jesus meant. You have the vertical connection – the command to love God – and the horizontal connection – the command to love others. The two are connected. Our love for God is the motive force behind our love for others.
In giving this answer, Jesus is quoting from Leviticus in the Old Testament (Leviticus 19:18 and 19:34). In Leviticus, loving your neighbour isn’t a way to fulfil your needs or to get something from someone. It isn’t about feeling good about yourself or furthering your career or about loving someone only when things are going well. Loving your neighbour, according to Leviticus, is about not harbouring anger at someone in your heart. It’s about not seeking revenge when someone wrongs you in some way. It’s about not bearing a grudge. It is about reasoning with them and gently correcting them when needs be.
How different would the world be if we learned to love our neighbours as ourselves? Sometimes, we are guilty of minimising loving them down to showing them a little random kindness or asking if they’d like to come to church. We feel, if we’ve done that, we’ve done our duty and obeyed Jesus’ command.
But which of us can say we have genuinely loved this way, yet? I know I can’t. In many ways, we are all beginners. We’re still learners on this lifelong journey. We are utterly reliant on God’s love for us and the power of his Holy Spirit to enable us to love others as we should.
THINK IT OVER • How can you show true neighbourly love to someone today?
Even after the recent passing of Olivia Newton-John, you may be showing your age if you get the cultural reference in today’s title! But have you ever been head over heels in love?
Read Matthew 22:34-40. When you are totally in love with someone, the relationship almost consumes you. It takes up much of your time, and certainly takes over your thoughts. In many ways, this is what Jesus means when he says:
Matthew 22:37 NLT
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind’.
In response to the question, “Which is the greatest commandment”, Jesus replies, it’s not really about all the commandments and which one is the most important. What matters most is your loving relationship with the one true God.
And that relationship requires everything of you: all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. In other words, you must be totally devoted to God. The key is to notice how many times the word “all” is mentioned in that one sentence: all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.
This repetition reinforces the view that what is needed is total devotion. There is nothing half-hearted in our love for God. This is total allegiance. If you want to look for examples of the love Jesus is looking for then read about the widow who gave everything she had (Mark 12:41-44) or Mary, who washed Jesus’ feet (John 12:1-11).
God must be first in our lives. Not second, third or fiftieth. The whole of the Bible can be summed up in the commandment to love God and to love him before all others. We must love him more than anything or anyone else. Is the purpose of your life to live for God? Do you love him? Not perfectly, because we all fail at times. But completely, totally, with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind? I hope and pray that your answer is yes!
THINK IT OVER • How do you know what your true purpose in life is?
What matters most to you in life? Answering that question goes a long way to revealing what it is you worship.
Read Matthew 22:34-40. When Jesus is asked what matters most, his reply is to put God first:
Matthew 22:37–38 NLT
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind’. This is the first and greatest commandment.
Jesus says, first things first: If you believe God is God then the practical outworking of your worship is to love him with all you heart, all your soul and all your mind. In the end, he says, it doesn’t matter about all the laws, and which one is most important. What matters most is your loving relationship with the one true God.
Loving God is your first priority in life. When we make anything else our top priority, then our lives can be easily wasted. So, your life is not about you. It’s not about making as much money as possible. It’s not about being popular and seeking people’s approval. It’s not about anything the world thinks is important.
The goal of your life is to love God with total devotion. When we understand that, then life really starts to make sense.
THINK IT OVER • In what ways do you ensure loving God is your first priority in life?
This week we go right to the heart of Christian living, as Jesus answers the question, “Which is the most important commandment?”
Read Matthew 22:34-40. Have you ever been asked a tricky question? “How do you grow seedless grapes?” Or "Why do you never see a baby pigeon?”
An expert in religious law asks Jesus a tricky question. Or, at least one that had been debated amongst religious teachers and leaders for thousands of years: Which of the 613 laws of Moses was most important?
Jesus’ answer is not unexpected. First, he quotes from the daily prayer those of the Jewish faith recite at the beginning and end of each day:
Deuteronomy 6:5 NLT
And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.
You are here to learn to love God. Nothing else comes close. Not your achievements. Not your accomplishments. Not your acquisitions. You are here to learn to genuinely love God with your heart, soul, and mind, and to focus on giving yourself wholeheartedly to him.
Secondly, Jesus quotes from Leviticus 19:34:
Leviticus 19:34 NLT
Treat them like native-born Israelites, and love them as you love yourself. Remember that you were once foreigners living in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
The second most valuable thing in life is to learn to love others. We are to give ourselves away to them and ensure we do to them only things that are good.
If you want to know what God’s will is for your life, then there it is: Love God and love others. That’s the best practical advice I can offer anyone! How far are you following it today?
THINK IT OVER • How do you like the way Jesus reduces the whole of the Law down into two simple statements?
Read Luke 15:1-10. Are you glad that God is a God of second chances? I know I am!
What if the shepherd in Jesus’ story had just let the one sheep go? After all, he still had ninety-nine. He didn’t need the one. He could have told himself the silly sheep had decided to wander off. It was his own fault.
But the shepherd was willing to seek and find the lost sheep and to give him a second chance.
The Bible is full of examples of people being given a second chance by God. Moses murdered someone. David committed adultery and put the woman’s husband to death. Jonah knew what God wanted him to do and ran away from the assignment. Paul ruthlessly persecuted Christians before God gave him a second chance.
There is no doubt that God offers a second chance to anyone who is willing to take it. All you must do is reach out to him, face the future with the courage, and hope he gives you.
When you allow God to rescue you, bring you home and give you a second chance your darkness becomes light, the dry desert becomes a living stream, hopelessness becomes hopeful.
If you’re lost today, ask God to find you. He’s looking for you!
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
- Do you believe the promises God makes in the Bible are for you? Which one do you need to claim today?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Luke 15:1-10. What if the sheep had said “no”? They can be stubborn creatures, as anyone who has tried to round them up would tell you. The sheep could have told the shepherd he didn’t want to be rescued. “I’m OK thanks. This grass seems so much greener than the stuff back at the sheepfold”.
When I was younger, I vividly remember being stopped in my tracks by a wayside pulpit outside of a Methodist Church in Norwich. It read: “If God seems far away, who moved”? God doesn’t move. We do. If we no longer feel close to God, then oftentimes it’s because we’ve moved away from him, like the lost sheep.
God will seek us out, but he won’t force us to return. That’s a choice he leaves to us. He wants us to return, but we must be ready. We have to get to the point where we say, with the lost son (whose story can be found later in Luke 15), I’m tired of being lost and unhappy. When we’re ready to return, then God will carry us joyfully and safely home on his shoulders. Heaven will rejoice with him.
Returning to God and putting our relationship right with him is the route to peace and happiness. Like the lost sheep, we need to be willing to allow God to carry us home on his shoulders.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• How close to God are you just now? If he seems far away, are you ready to return to him?
Read Luke 15:1-10. What do you do when you lose something valuable? You search for it. You keep searching for it, until you find it! I recently helped a colleague search his computer for a lost dissertation that disappeared when his computer crashed. It represented a huge amount of work - it was valuable! I was determined to keep searching for it until it was found.
Jesus’ story of the lost sheep shows us that we’re lost only because we’re worth finding. The lost sheep mattered to the shepherd so much that he left the ninety-nine other sheep to find it. At face value that makes no sense: surely, it is better to let one lost sheep go and protect the ninety-nine? But the lost sheep was so valuable it was worth finding.
We matter so much to God that he has set out from the sheep fold to search for and rescue us. God came to earth as a human being - a baby - so that one day he could rescue us by dying on a wooden cross for all the wrong we have done.
God gave up his divine privileges, his glory, and his honour to set out from heaven to rescue us. He did so for one simple reason: because he loves us and believes we are worth finding. We may not fully understand why a shepherd would leave ninety-nine sheep to find one lost sheep. We may not fully understand why God loves us. But we don’t have to understand. We just have to accept it.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• Who do you know who most needs to hear that God loves and values them? How could you reach out to that person today?
Read Luke 15:1-10. Without God, you are lost. You are disconnected from God, separated from him, and out of step with him.
In the story of the Lost Sheep, Jesus explains that when we are without God we are not under his protection. We’re on our own. We must care for ourselves and supply our own security. That’s not how it should be. So, we end up stressed out, burned up, lost and insecure.
The good news is that God senses the danger. Because we are of such high value to God, he knows it is worthwhile to diligently search for us and to return us to his protection. God loves you so much that he seeks you out and rejoices when you are found.
You are not beyond hope. You are not on your own. God is searching for you. He is still seeking you. He wants to return you to his protection.
Will you stop wandering away and return to the safety of God?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• How does it feel to know that God is seeking you out?
This week we learn that our God is one who seeks the lost and returns them to his fold.
Read Luke 15:1-10. Without God, you are lost. To be disconnected from God, to be separated from him, to be out of step with him, is to be lost.
In the story of the Lost Coin, Jesus explains that when we are without God, we lose our purpose in life. The ten silver coins that belong to the woman may have been from her marriage dowry or from a family inheritance. Just one of the silver coins was of significant value. For most people in Jesus’ day the lost coin might have been essential to survival. Whilst the coin remained lost, it could not fulfil its purpose of enabling the woman to live a normal life.
Everyone who is still lost to God cannot fulfil the purpose he created them for. God grieves over this loss of potential. Just like the woman, he rejoices when one is found. When you turn to God and live for him then you begin to understand where he wants you to go and what he wants you to do in life.
You are immensely valued by God. He wants you to fulfil your life purpose. Are you willing to be found by him?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• What does it mean to you to understand that God is looking for and saving the lost?
Read Revelation 21:1-27. The redemption story we have been following this week is not yet over. We are living in it – stretched between the tension of a Kingdom that is both “already here” and “not yet.”
One day, God’s Kingdom will be fully here. Creation and humanity will be redeemed. John’s vision confirms that one day there will be a new heaven and a new earth. One day, sin, evil, decay and death and their consequences will pass away. One day, God will make everything new!
Whilst this is some time in the future, it is being built in the present and we are called to be Kingdom builders. We are blessed with the glory of God’s presence in our lives and that should be reflected in the way we live and in the way we treat creation and our environment. We can bring about God’s gift of a new heaven and a new earth through our words and actions today. What can you do today to continue God’s redemption story and help bring about its ultimate fulfilment?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
- How much do you think non-Christians in your circles see climate change as something the Church cares about? How might this limit their understanding of God and the gospel?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Romans 8:18-30. Many of us know the story from Genesis of the fall of humanity. Adam and Eve were tempted into thinking they could be like God, and as a result they disobeyed God. Ever since, humanity has been plagued by sin and wrong, suffering their dire consequences. But we often overlook that creation itself was destined to suffer the same fate.
In Genesis 3:17, God points out to Adam and Eve that the ground is cursed to suffer the consequences of sin and wrong too. Since then, the world has suffered decay and pollution, largely because – in our sin – human beings have forgotten or ignored the responsibilities God has given us to steward the earth. Climate change and its consequences are a direct result of this.
Because of this, Paul tells us that creation itself is groaning, longing to be set free from the tyranny of change and decay. Can you hear it? When you read or see reports of continuing climate change or of the effects it is having on our environment, can you detect creation groaning for rescue?
Paul’s words are not without hope. He anticipates that creation’s frustration will end one day and it will be free from sin, evil, decay and death, just as we will be. In the meantime, we can choose to do all we can in the light of that hope to clean up and care for the environment. But we must realise that creation requires the same kind of transformation as we do in order to be set right again. Thank God that he has a recycling plan in mind!
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• How could you as a Christian or your church take care of creation more seriously as part of your missional activities?
Read John 3:1-21. John 3:16 is the most famous verse in the Bible. You often see it displayed on banners at sporting fixtures or at other large gatherings of people. But we often miss that it’s not just about human beings.
Jesus tells us that God loves the world. God’s love is not inward-looking, it is outward-reaching, and it reaches out to all of creation. When you love someone or something you are ready and willing to make sacrifices for them. You seek ways to meet their needs. God’s love for the world expresses itself in infinitely practical ways. He sets out to rescue not only human beings but creation itself. And God paid dearly to do this. He gave his one and only Son, Jesus. That’s the highest price he could pay. God made his sacrifice on the cross and set about reconciling all things to himself through Christ.
We spend much time at present wondering how we can “save the world.” Certainly, there are things we can and must do to slow down climate change and its effect on creation and human life. But ultimately, only God can save the earth. We must put our trust and confidence in him and ensure we live in a way that fulfils his purposes for us. If we are guilty of overexploiting creation, then he alone has the power to change our attitudes and behaviour. Will you accept salvation for both yourself and for the world?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• To what extent does the care of creation fit into your understanding of mission? Has this always been the case? If not, what changed?
Read Leviticus 25:1-7. What do you think of when you hear the word, Sabbath? For many of us, it means our Sunday, the chief day of worship in our society. For others, it means a special day of rest for us as an individual.
In Leviticus 25, God radically extends this principle of Sabbath rest and relief to creation – to the land and the environment, to the economy and to society in general. God had already given an inkling of this approach in his commands found in Exodus 23, telling his people that allowing the land to lie fallow so as to not overwork it would also benefit the poor, wild animals, the animals made to work the land, and marginalised persons such as slaves and foreigners.
God’s commands remind us that creation is not ours. We do not own it to do with as we please. It belongs to God. He generously shares it with us. It is given to us to use, but not to abuse. Despite these commands, it is clear we have overworked the land. Our lifestyles demand more and more from creation. We are so reliant on so much land that we have to admit that trying to implement a Sabbath for the land every seven years would be challenging. But we must each pray that God would give us wisdom to ensure we are not contributing to over-exploitation of creation. Self-denial and Sabbath each have a part to play in the way the Christian interacts with creation.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• The Salvation Army has always striven to put people to work and take care of them. It is the foundation of the Cabhorse Charter and our approach to tackling poverty around the world. How could we apply this same ethos to our care for creation? What part might Sabbath play in that?
In the northern hemisphere we are in the middle of the harvest season, an opportunity to thank God, the Giver of Life and the Giver of Joy for all he provides for us. As we do so, this week we explore the redemption of creation. Our climate is in “code red” crisis. Can it be saved? And as God’s people, what can we do to help?
Read Genesis 1:1-2:3. Genesis tells us that God made human beings in his image. We reflect his nature. We are not little gods, but God has endowed us spiritually with the things we need to fulfil his purposes for us on earth – intellect, free will, self-awareness, consciousness of the existence of others, moral conscience, responsibility and self-control. They were given, not just for our benefit, but for the whole of creation. God decided that human beings would “reign” over creation.
But as we look at the world today, as we see and hear news reports on climate change and the effects it is already having on the earth, we have to admit there are times when humanity has gone beyond “reigning” over creation and turned to “abusing” it instead. We are called to rule, not to destroy. As God’s people we are challenged to ensure we are taking responsibility for God’s creation, as he envisaged, and that we are following our duty to make God’s purposes prevail. Let’s each pray for guidance on how we can best serve and preserve creation.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• Why do you think tackling climate change is important for a Christian? How does it fit with our values and beliefs?
Read Proverbs 21:5. Do you ever wonder where your money goes? As much as I hate to admit it, the only times I have ever thought this is when I have failed to plan my spending.
If you want to decide where your money goes, rather than simply wondering where it went, the only thing you can do is to budget. Budgeting is a spiritual discipline because it helps us to steward - to manage - the blessings God has given us.
Everyone needs to budget - regardless of their level of income. Why? Because finding financial freedom comes not from earning more, it comes from spending less. It comes from planning to spend less than you make. The wisdom writer of Proverbs says that good planning leads to prosperity. But hasty shortcuts - spending without planning it - leads to poverty.
Those with a budget, those with a spending plan, spend less. That’s responsible stewardship. That’s being faithful in money management. As God’s Future Builders, it’s essential we keep good records, give a percentage of our income back to God, save for the future and repay our debts. God will help each of us to become responsible stewards of all he has given us, if we ask him to help manage our finances.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
- What one thing can you stop doing so that you are spending less?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Matthew 25:14-30. Who owns your money? Some of the more cynical amongst us might answer the tax man! But if we are being serious, I guess many of us would say, I’ve worked for it, I’ve earned it, my money is mine.
That’s not what the Bible says. The Bible makes it clear that everything we have belongs to God. That includes our money. His purpose for us is that we manage everything he has given to us - including our money. We are to be stewards of what belongs to him.
Everything we have is a gift from God. After all, it is God who gives us the strength and the energy to earn the money we do. It is he who has given us the mind and the intelligence to work. We don’t own our money, it is on loan from God.
On the face of it, this might seem unfair. But instead it is liberating! Once we realise our money belongs to God and that we merely manage it for him, suddenly all the worries we have, the stress and the pressure surrounding money, all disappear.
Managing the money God has entrusted to us is a spiritual discipline. How we do it, as we build the future together, is a sign of how spiritually mature we are. Let’s focus on managing God’s money well and grow more like his Son every day.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• What role does prayer play in your financial decisions? Why do you think this might be important?
Read Luke 16:1-15.What’s the best thing you can spend your money on? In Luke 16:9, which is a verse we don’t focus on very often, Jesus says the best thing we can do is invest in resources that will have an eternal impact.
Jesus tells us to invest in friendships that will literally last for ever. When you use money to help people find or build a relationship with Jesus, that’s the shrewdest investment you can make with your finances. So how can you do that? You could buy a Bible or a devotional book and give it to someone who doesn’t have one. You can support a programme that introduces people to Christ. You can help build a church - a place where people can learn to love God and love others. There are many different ways to invest in eternity.
Please do not misunderstand Jesus, or me. Jesus is not saying you can buy your way into heaven. He knew that one day, he would pay the price for us to enjoy eternity with God. But you can use your money to help others meet Jesus. When you do, you can be assured that one day, you will receive a reward in heaven as you meet those people you have helped into the Christian faith.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• What are some ways you can use your money to invest in helping others meet Jesus?
Read Luke 16:1-15. Jesus’ story about the Shrewd Manager is problematic. It seems the manager was dishonest, or at the very least wasteful, but Jesus turns him into a hero!
So what did the manager do right? He looked ahead and he made a plan. As soon as he realised he was in trouble, he needed to budget. He planned how to spend the money he had. By lowering the debts that were owed to his master, he helped others and ensured he had friends.
We need to be careful how we handle this story. Jesus is not praising the manager’s dishonesty. What catches Jesus’ eye is the man’s attitude. His attitude was to think ahead, to make a plan and then to put that plan straight into action.
That’s what Jesus wants us to do about our own finances. We’re not to hoard our money. It’s not about stockpiling it. We’re certainly not to worship it. Jesus wants us to use our money, and to use it wisely. In order to do so, we need a plan.
As his Future Builders, Jesus wants us to plan ways we can use the resources God has put in our hands for good.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• What do you want to accomplish in the future with your money?
If we’re going to be God’s Future Builders, then we must be financially free. This week, we discover ways to ensure money supports God’s purpose for our lives rather than enslaves us.
Read Luke 16:1-15. If God asked you to sell your house, what would you say? If he asked you to give your car away, would you say yes? If you felt he was asking you to give up your television or your technology, would you do it?
If, on reflection, you feel there is something in your life you would not be willing to give up if God asked you to, then essentially you are serving that thing, not God. Jesus says we cannot serve both God and money. It’s impossible. If we want him to be Lord of our lives, then he has to be Lord of our purses and our wallets too.
God doesn’t need your money, of course. He can accomplish his purposes without it. But what he longs for is what your money represents: he wants your heart. Perhaps the best way in our modern life to show God that we have given him the whole of our hearts is to surrender control of our money to him. We may be willing to say that God is the centre of our life, but often our bank statement reveals that is not yet true.
Are you willing to cede control of your money to God? If so, then you will find the freedom to be his Future Builder and he will use it in service to him and to others.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• What can you start doing today so that the way you use your money reflects who or what you want your master to be?
Read Galatians 6:1-10. I’ve lost count of the number of times I have spoken to people who have decided to step away from church - either temporarily or permanently - because they are hurting. It might be a bereavement, a job loss, a relationship breakdown, any number of reasons for their pain, but their response is to step away from their Christian community. I am left baffled and hurt, because that’s not the way church should be. Christians should be there for each other in difficult times. We are called to bear each other’s burdens. I understand it’s natural for some people to want to isolate themselves and to handle their hurts in their own ways. But it’s a terrible idea! It’s then that you need your friends the most!
I’ve spoken with people who have told me, “I can’t even pray right now, I’m hurting so much”. That’s when you need friends around you to pray on your behalf. Sometimes, it’s the love and support of friends that gently brings us back into faith, when we fear we may have lost it.
Trying to handle pain and stress ourselves often leaves us feeling more tired and stressed than before. The best thing we can do is accept help from others and let our Christian family carry us through the pain, knowing they are the hands and feet of Christ who walks with us every step of the way.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
- Whose support can you count on to help you through times of loss and disappointment?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Ephesians 4:1-16. “I’m not a team player. I’d rather be alone. I’m an outlier”. Have you ever said anything like that?
The Bible tells us that every Christian is a team player. Why? Because that’s the way God designed us! We were never meant to walk through life alone. Every church, every Salvation Army corps, every Christian community should be a place where the followers of Christ walk together, work together and support each other.
Why has God designed it this way? First of all, it is safer. Most of us would not walk through a major city on our own in the dark. In the same way, the devil finds it much easier to pick off an isolated Christian than one who is deeply part of a loving community. Secondly, it helps us to grow in spiritual maturity. We learn more in a community than we do out on our own. If you walk and work alone, you come to think that whatever direction you’re heading in, you must be right. Sometimes, we need each other to say, “hang on, we’re going the wrong way. We need to get back on the right path together”.
God has designed it that you and I need to live, walk and work with other people in order to grow into the people God longs for us to be. God is love and he wants us to Love God and Love Others. We can only do that together.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• Are you a loner or a team player? How do you think that impacts your spiritual maturity and your Christian community?
Read Ecclesiastes 4:7-12. Have you ever wished you could escape people - especially the ones who wind you up - and be alone? Have you ever thought you’d be a better Christian if it were not for other people? The problem I’ve discovered is this: I can get angry, even when I’m by myself. I can have negative thoughts about a situation without help from anyone else! I can sin, even when I am all alone.
The problem isn’t other people; it’s me! In fact, God has designed the world so that other people can help me be the best I can be. We need each other to help us break free from our pain, our bad habits and our hang-ups.
The truth is we need each other to grow. The church is a laboratory for testing out how the fruit of the Spirit is growing in us. If you want to grow more love in you, then find someone you think is unlovable to love. If you want to be more patient, then spend time with someone who tests your patience. If you want to become more kind, then find someone who fails to return your kindness. That’s how you grow! We are called to Love God and Love Others. As we help each other to grow we become better at doing both of those things. Let’s help each other to be faithful to God’s purposes for our lives.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• What is one specific way you could help someone in your church to Love God and Love Others today?
Read 1 Peter 2:13-17. The relationships in a church or Salvation Army corps are precious. When they come under attack from those who want to complain about everything, or criticise what’s happening, or hang around with a negative attitude, or cause arguments or disagreements, the church is in danger.
Perhaps one of the chief dangers these days is a lack of respect. As the world has focused on people’s rights and entitlements and on flattening social hierarchies, so a dangerous side effect seems to be less value placed on showing respect. The Bible makes it clear that Christ followers should show respect to everyone - our parents, civil authorities, church leaders, spouses, basically everyone. No one is left out. Why does God think respect is so important? Because he created each one of us. No matter how many wrong decisions we make, we are still valuable to God. So valuable in fact, that Jesus - God’s Son - died for us. How can we show lack of respect to someone who God values so much?
Our mission as Salvationists in the United Kingdom and Ireland, in common with all Christians everywhere, is to Love God and Love Others. Love always treats people with respect. Let’s keep learning to love one another, and in doing so, let’s be eager to show each other respect.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• Why do you have trouble showing respect to some people?
One of the greatest strengths of a healthy church is the loving relationships between its members. This week we focus on how to cultivate those relationships.
Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. Why do Salvationists wear uniform? One very important reason is that it is a visible sign of unity in our movement across the world. Even our local name patches have a way of saying we belong to each other and the community we serve. Our uniform shows we belong to Christ and to the part of the family of God that is The Salvation Army.
Just because we wear uniform, it doesn’t mean we are all the same. Just as our physical body is made of many different parts, so is the church. But like our body, we are meant to work together in unity. We may have differences in culture, in race, in national background, in education, in family circumstances, but our uniform says it doesn’t matter. We are each baptised into the same Holy Spirit and that makes it possible for us to wear the same uniform and work together in unity.
God can do amazing work through a church or Salvation Army corps that is unified and focused on spreading his Good News. Are you willing to look past any differences that don’t really matter and focus on working together with your fellow Christians and Salvationists towards God’s purposes on earth?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• The Christians and Salvationists in your church or Salvation Army corps are your brothers and sisters in Christ. How does that change the way you feel about them?
Read Mark 10:35-45. The Queen was incredibly gifted. She was gifted a smile that could melt a room. She was gifted the ability to meet people where they were and put them at ease. It is clear that she was a world diplomat. She had wisdom and tact. She nurtured her family, and the nation and the Commonwealth.
Like the Queen, you too have unique gifts, talents and abilities that makes you who you are. The Queen learned that she had been given her gifts in order to serve others. We must learn the same lesson, taking to heart Jesus’s words that we must be the servant of others, slaves of everyone else.
You may be a musician. You may be a cook. You maybe a teacher. You maybe a communicator. You may simply have a winning smile or a way of connecting with people. Whatever gifts God has given you, he has given them to you to make a difference in the world, just as Her Majesty the Queen did.
Many people are finding ways this week to mark the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Perhaps the best way you and I can commemorate her life is to follow her example, follow her Saviour and use the gifts he has given to serve others and to bring them into his Kingdom.
May Her Majesty the Queen rest in peace and rise in glory! Amen.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
- Can you really believe that the gifts God has given you are as important in changing the world as the ones he gave the Queen?
You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Mark 10:35-45. It must be pretty special to be the Queen! The monarch is sovereign in our nation and in many places in the Commonwealth. Everyone looks to you for leadership. You are acclaimed wherever you go. If you are Queen, then you can make a difference in the world.
We are tempted to think that those of us who are not kings and queens cannot make a difference in the same way. What on earth can we contribute to human life? But that’s not what Jesus thinks. He knows that serving others, becoming a slave of everyone else, can change the world! Each one of us has good things to do for God. If you’re a Christian, God has something for you to do to serve others. And it will make a difference to those people.
The Queen spent over seventy years serving other people. Every time she did so, she was actually serving God. The same is true for us: we serve God when we serve others.
What are you doing to fulfil God’s purpose for your life? Are you doing the good work he has given you to do? God has a mission for you in the world. May he help all of us to answer his call.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• Do you ever struggle with the idea that God has a good work for you to do?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
Read Mark 10:35-45. What makes you happy? I wonder if the Crown Jewels made the Queen happy? Maybe it was her wealth? Perhaps it was the castles and the palaces? Or the acclaim of people around the world?
Whilst Her Majesty may have enjoyed some of these things - it is clear, for example, that she enjoyed spending time at Balmoral, Sandringham and Windsor especially, and clearly enjoyed making other people happy - she also famously would have preferred not to have been Queen.
What made her happiest, I believe, was serving other people. Giving herself away to others is what gave her a happy heart. You only have to see photos or film of her broad and winning smile as she greeted and spoke to people to understand that. A servant’s heart is a happy heart!
Jesus came to serve and to give his life for others. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II followed his example and served others for the whole of her life as Queen. It gave her lifelong happiness as God blessed her work.
How is your faith encouraging you to offer your life as a living sacrifice to God and to others?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• When have you experienced happiness through serving other people?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
Read Mark 10:35-45. “His problem is that he thinks the world revolves around him!” Have you ever said that about anyone? Some people are so self-centred and self-absorbed that they only seem to think about themselves.
The Kingdom of God is different. Jesus says that instead of thinking of ourselves first, we must first seek the needs of others. Start with what others want rather than what you’d prefer. Focus on understanding them rather than being understood. Be thoughtful of them.
Again, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a supreme example of this to us. People who met have spoken of feeling they were the only ones in the room when she spoke to them. Over many years, she met hundreds and thousands of people and put their needs before her own.
The good news is that when we follow her example and the example of her Saviour, Jesus, God promises he will meet our needs. Queen Elizabeth was rewarded with a long life - more time to meet the needs of others and to be God’s blessing to them - and with the strength and energy required to do it.
God will bless us too as we follow Jesus’ instruction to be the slaves of everyone. Let us pledge to serve others as Her Majesty the Queen did throughout her reign.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• How can you meet someone else’s need this week?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
This week we are reflecting on the life and Christian service of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and what they say about how we should shape our own lives.
Read Mark 10:35-45. What makes a Christian a Christian? It is not just a belief in God. The Bible tells us even the devil believes in God.
Faith is more than just belief. It is more than head knowledge of God. It is a relationship. It’s a commitment to Jesus. It is something you do. It’s active.
Her Majesty the Queen understood that. To the very end of her life, her faith was active. She never wavered in her duty. She continued to serve her people, day after day, for over seventy years. It was her Christian faith that motivated her to do so. Her faith shone through her daily lifestyle.
Jesus calls us to live life with same attitude. To exercise our faith. To make sure it is a faith of action, not just of belief. Our faith changes us and changes the things we do. What can you do today to serve other people? How can you serve those around you? How can you encourage them? How can you support them?
Let’s follow the Queen’s example and demonstrate our faith to those around us.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• How are faith and action a part of your daily lifestyle?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
Read Nehemiah 4:1-15. How do you defeat discouragement in your life? You remember that God loves you. And because God loves you, he doesn’t give you what you deserve. He shows you grace and mercy instead.
The people of Judah didn’t “deserve” to have Jerusalem’s walls rebuilt. They didn’t “deserve” to have Jerusalem safe and secure again. They had sinned against God. They had turned away from him and abandoned their covenant with him. They had not obeyed his commands. They had been unfaithful.
God had every right to be angry with them. He could have refused to listen to Nehemiah’s prayers on their behalf. But instead, he showed them grace and mercy. He brought them back to Jerusalem, the place he had promised to dwell with them. God gave them what they needed, not what they deserved.
He does the same for us. He loves you. All you need to do is to let him love you. When you do that and you experience his love, mercy, and grace, then your discouragement disappears. You can pursue his purpose for your life and fulfil all that he has planned for you.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
- When you hear God speak, do you feel he criticises you or speaks to you in love? Why?
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Nehemiah 4:1-15. What has the most potential to make you feel discouraged? I guess most of us would say the difficult situation we’re in. But consider this for a moment: entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn once famously stated, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
The people you spend most time with have the most potential to make you feel discouraged. If they are negative people, you will feel discouraged. If they are positive people, they will likely encourage you to be positive, even if your situation isn’t. To avoid feeling discouraged and fearful, the best thing you can do is avoid negative people as much as you can.
Nehemiah saw the impact the people of Judah’s enemies were having on them. They were angry about Jerusalem’s walls being rebuilt. They mocked the people’s efforts. They suggested they weren’t up to the job. They made fun of what they had achieved, suggesting it wouldn’t last five minutes before it collapsed again. And suddenly the people of Judah were discouraged. They started to complain. They lost confidence in themselves and in God. So, Nehemiah placed armed guards around the wall and kept the enemies away.
Don’t listen to the negative people in your life. Don’t let them drag you down. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. He will enable you to keep going.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• Is there anyone in your life who drags you down? Are there ways you can avoid their negativity?
Read Nehemiah 4:1-15. Do you ever feel like you’ve failed when you’re feeling discouraged? When things don’t seem to be going right, when you haven’t achieved what you had planned it can be easy to feel discouraged and to lose confidence.
When the people of Judah looked at the progress they had made in rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls and on the mountain of work still left to do, when they feared attack by their enemies, they began to feel like failures. They thought they’d never get the job done! So, what did Nehemiah do? He reminded them that God was greater than their disappointment! He was more powerful than their feelings of discouragement. God had a plan. And he would ensure the plan was fulfilled.
When you find yourself giving in to self-pity, when you start blaming others for your lack of progress, when you think that what God is asking you to do is impossible then it’s time to refocus on God and who he is and get moving again.
Don’t give up! Everyone gets discouraged. Everyone makes mistakes. The important thing is to remember who God is and, in his power, to respond positively to your setbacks.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• How can you reduce the negative thinking that keeps you feeling discouraged?
Read Nehemiah 4:1-15. Do you get frustrated when you get discouraged? It often feels like your head is too full of “stuff” and you don’t know where to begin.
That’s how the people of Judah felt as they began rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls. They looked around and saw the rubble from the destruction of the walls, and they didn’t know where to start, and they certainly couldn’t see how they would ever finish the job!
What do you do when you’re surrounded by rubble? The best thing to do is have a clear up! Clear it out and dispose of it so that you can make progress. If you’re discouraged, if you’re stressed, if you’re frustrated, if you’re overworked, if you’re tired, then deal with what’s making you feel like that. You may have to own up to your own part it in and make changes in your life.
The best thing you can do is re-evaluate your relationship with God. Turn back to him. Ensure he is in control. He’ll help you clear out the rubble in your life and soon your discouragement and frustration will start to ease.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• What is the rubble in your life?
This week we discover that discouragement is curable!
Read Nehemiah 4:1-15. Do you ever get discouraged? I know I do. It can affect me in many ways. We are going to look at four of them this week and some of the cures for discouragement.
When I get discouraged. I get tired. Like the people of Judah, I start complaining! I’m tired. There’s too much to do. This work is too hard. I’m never going to get it all done. Do you ever feel like that?
When you feel tired and discouraged, you need your friends to encourage you. The people of Judah’s response to their tiredness was that they all returned to working on repairing Jerusalem’s walls (v.15). The encouraged each other and then did the work together.
Your friends will encourage you when you get tired and discouraged. They are the ones who will have faith for you when your faith is done. Trying to handle discouragement by yourself will leave you more tired, more stressed, and even more discouraged. Your friends are the ones who will carry you through it, knowing that God is with you. Isn’t that encouraging?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• Who supports you when you are feeling tired and discouraged?
Read 1 John 4:7-21. What’s your purpose in life? Jesus says it is to love God and love others.
Jesus was once asked what the greatest commandment was that God had given his people:
Matthew 22:37–39 NLT
Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
That sounds impossible, especially when you consider that Jesus suggested everyone is our neighbour. There is no way I can always and for ever wholeheartedly love God, and there is even less chance of me being able to love everyone!
But that kind of love – other-oriented, self-sacrificial, choice-based love – comes from God first. God loves us first, and that gives us the power to love others.
So, to be able to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind and to love our neighbour as ourselves, we first need to understand just how much God loves us. But it’s not enough just to read about his love for us. It’s not even enough to think about how much he loves us, or to talk about it to other people. We need to truly experience his love for us.
When we can feel just a little of how much God loves us, then we can begin to truly love others. We won’t get so irritated by them. We can stop being frustrated when they don’t behave in the way we want them to behave. We can show love and grace to them. Let’s live as people who know we are loved by God and risk loving others with his love too.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
- How do you go about loving others with God’s love?
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Deuteronomy 33:1-29. When I was a child, I used to love to swim in the sea. But I remember one occasion when a large wave pulled me under, and I really thought I was going to drown!
I just about got my breath back, when another large wave hit and pulled me under again. I struggled to reach the surface and struggled for air and manage to get to the shore.
Have you ever felt like you’re about to be pulled under? Sometimes, we think we’re about to sink. Maybe we’re about to go broke. Maybe our emotions have hit rock bottom. Maybe a relationship is breaking up and we feel like we’re sinking. Maybe a health problem makes us want to give up.
It’s then we need to remember that God’s love is deeper than our problem. Just when you think you’re about to hit the bottom, at the end of your rope, there you find God is underneath you. His everlasting arms are holding you up, keeping your head above water.
One of the things they teach lifeguards is to try and get the person they are saving from drowning to stop struggling. Continue to struggle and the concern is that both the victim and the lifeguard could drown. Maybe it’s time for you to stop struggling and drop into the deep and everlasting arms of God’s love. Let him catch you. Let him support you. He can keep your head above water.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• What pain or hurt do you need to hand over to God today? How could you sink into his everlasting arms of love?
Read Romans 8:31-39. Have you ever felt lonely? I can remember times in my life when I’ve sat in a room – in a bedroom, even in an office – and felt all alone. I can even recall times I’ve felt lonely even in a crowd.
Loneliness is a scourge of our age, and it has been made worse by the global pandemic we journeyed through. Many people have been left locked down in their homes for months at a time, feeling very lonely. Some have lost loved ones – loved ones they couldn’t even properly say goodbye too because of certain restrictions – and have been left all alone and grieving.
The antidote to loneliness is this: there is nothing that can ever separate you from God’s love for you. No situation can ever pull you apart from God’s love – not even a global pandemic. There is nowhere you can go – even in lockdown – where his love isn’t. Whenever you feel lonely, look at God’s love and realise that the Creator of the universe loves you, now and for ever. You can’t stop him from loving you!
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• What is the closest you have come to feeling the despair and loneliness of being separated from God?
Read Psalm 89:1-52. I was seven years old when I fell in love with my first girlfriend. We used to share a chaste kiss in the cloakroom before going home from school each day. I thought it would last forever. It didn’t!
That’s the problem with human love. It doesn’t matter how many promises we make or receive; human love is limited. It sometimes dries up or runs out.
But God’s love never gives up. The Bible promises us it will last forever. Not just for our time on earth, but for eternity. It’s long enough to last forever. God cannot love you more than he does now. And there is nothing you can do that will make him love you less. That’s a true today as it will be 10,000 years into eternity.
All we must do is accept his love. When we do, we will sing of his love, just like the psalmist did.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• Does God keep his promises with you, or have you ever felt he has misled or confused you?
This week we return to the subject of God’s love, reminding ourselves of the width, length, height, and depth of his love for us, and the power he gives us to love others.
Read Psalm 145:1-21. Do you have an object that makes you feel good about yourself? It might be an item of clothing, or a status symbol like a fast car. Those who experience the width of God’s love find their worth in him.
God’s love is as wide as creation. It encompasses everything. He is gracious in all he does with us.
God never made a person he didn’t love, which means he loves you. His love for you is unconditional – it is not based on how you perform. You do not need to earn his love. If you ever suffer from low self-esteem, if you worry that you are unlovable, then know that you matter to God.
We don’t have to prove our worth or our value. God has already done that. He values you so much he sent his one and only Son to show you. May that be sufficient for you today!
THINK IT OVER Think about the following:
• What has influenced your picture of God? Does that picture need adjusting?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Jesus is the Image of God
No one I know has ever seen God. So how can we know him, if we’ve never seen him?
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoNRs7nEM_xqJQELnWA?e=cXvhFe - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Why Knowing God is Love is Important - Part 2
God is love. Why is this important? We’re looking at five different reasons – we discovered three yesterday, and we’re looking at the final two today.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoNRs7nEM_xqJQELnWA?e=cXvhFe - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Why Knowing God is Love is Important - Part 1
God is love. Why is this important? We’re going to look at five different reasons – three today, and two tomorrow.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoNRs7nEM_xqJQELnWA?e=cXvhFe - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Show Others That God is Love
Our world says, “Love is God.” Put whatever you love in life – whatever makes you feel good – first, even if that means trampling over other people to do so.
The Bible says, “God is Love”.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoNRs7nEM_xqJQELnWA?e=cXvhFe - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Life is Really All About Love
Many people are obsessed by love. They look for it. They crave it. They would do anything for it. This week we are reminded that God is love.
Everyone agrees that love is important. We talk about it. We sing about it. We show it. Sometimes, our society seems obsessed by it.
John remind us that love starts with God.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoNRs7nEM_xqJQELnWA?e=cXvhFe - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
What does it mean to be “saved”? Saved from what? Many people today feel they don’t need saving from anything. They have a good life and have no time for God.
But if they stop and think for a minute, they know, deep down, that’s not true.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoNRhSbDCZUH36k-4ZA?e=SCf1lO - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
Does God’s grace ever astound you? Have you ever been tempted to think, “Jesus, I don’t have a clue what you see in him!”?
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoNRhSbDCZUH36k-4ZA?e=SCf1lO - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Over the years, I have heard several people testify to a dramatic change in their lives because of their encounter with Jesus. My experience is less dramatic, but nevertheless, I have been slowly transformed throughout my life by the presence of Jesus.
Zacchaeus’ life changed in one day.
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There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Having recently taken up a new appointment, I am getting to know, and hopefully to remember, people’s names. I must admit to making a few mistakes in the early days! I am always mortified because I know how important it is to be known by name. When someone knows your name, it confirms they know you.
When Jesus finds Zacchaeus, he calls him by name.
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There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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This week the story of Zacchaeus reminds us that each one of us is loved by Jesus, no matter how good or bad we are.
When you look at someone what do you see? Their gender? Their race? Their wealth? Their talent?
That’s not how Jesus categorises them. To Jesus, people are either saved or they’re lost.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoNRhSbDCZUH36k-4ZA?e=SCf1lO - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email - http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
I can think about experiences I have missed out on in my life because I was worried or fearful about something. Have you ever missed out on something because you looked at it with the eyes of fear rather than the eyes of faith?
Nehemiah had every reason to be fearful about what he would face when he reached Jerusalem.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoNRd1gyUI0F9Nd86_Q?e=1TcJo3 - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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“We shall send to the moon 240,000 miles away, a giant rocket, more than 300 feet tall on an untried mission to an unknown celestial body, and then return it safely to Earth. … We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things not because they are easy, but because they are hard”. So announced President John F. Kennedy more than sixty years ago. Many said it could never be done. But they were proved wrong.
What happens if you listen to the negative naysayers in your life? The ones who tell you God’s vision can never be achieved?
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Do you ever find yourself looking for something that turns up to be right under your nose? Sometimes I wonder if it’s “a man thing” but I have seen at least one woman looking for the spectacles that were on top of her head!
Sometimes we find it difficult to see God’s vision too.
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Proverbs 29:18 (KJV 1900) Where there is no vision, the people perish.
Read Nehemiah 2:11-20. I’m pretty useless without my glasses on. I can see blurry shapes, but not much detail. Similarly, if you ever come to say hello at my office door when I am using my computer, I may not recognise you, as my reading glasses make everything further away look blurry too!
For Future Builders, being able to see God’s vision clearly is essential. If you don’t know what God’s vision for your life or for the mission of your church is, then it is more difficult to make the right decisions about what to do. You end up drifting through life and ministry instead.
If you cannot see God’s vision for your life, then you are at risk of living life to the expectations of others. A church without a sense of God’s vision is likely to lead to conflict as different groups in the church assume what the vision is.
Not being able to see God’s vision clearly often leads to conflict, at home and at church. Visionless people and churches often lurch from one crisis to another as they are buffeted from all sides.
Nehemiah carried out a night survey on Jerusalem’s broken walls so he could mull over the vision God had given him. As a result he could see more clearly and had a better understanding of how to move forward.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What vision do you think God has for you?
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Seeing More Clearly
This week we focus on the importance of catching God’s vision. It’s essential we know what God thinks our situation is supposed to look like.
Sometimes, we are guilty of not being able to see the wood for the trees. We focus on the here-and-now and the minutiae of everyday life and fall into the trap of short-term thinking.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Get Ready to Act!
Whilst you’re waiting, God is working. There may be a delay, but at some point, God will release you to take the next step. You’d better be ready!
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Timing is Everything
What does your life look like today? What needs to stay the same? What needs to change? And most importantly, how do you take God’s timing into account?
Timing is everything.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Waiting Patiently in Prayer
What are you like when you’re waiting for something? Think back to when you were last standing in a long queue. Did you wait patiently and quietly? Or did you start to get restless, moving from one foot to the next?
We can sometimes get restless and wriggly when we’re waiting for God to answer a prayer!
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Learning to Wait Expectantly
Do you ever wonder what’s going on in your life? Are you waiting for God to make something better and wondering why it seems to be getting worse? Are you unsure about a decision you need to make and wondering why God hasn’t given you the answer? Are you confused about a relationship and wondering what to do next?
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God is Working Even While You're Waiting
This week we are reminding ourselves about the spiritual discipline of waiting. When God makes us wait, we have to learn to trust he is still working.
Do you like waiting? When you’re in a queue in the supermarket, do you remain super cool and relaxed? Or do you start getting fidgety if the line is moving too slow? Does your blood start to boil if you’re stuck behind a slow-moving vehicle for too long? Or what about waiting for that must-have Amazon delivery you’re desperate for?
Life is full of waiting. Sometimes, God makes us wait too.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Has a Divine Appointment for You Today
It’s amazing how many times God drops a person or situation into our day to give us an opportunity to do something for him. As Future Builders, we must be alert to this and ready to respond.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God's Power Shines Best in the Darkness
Do you ever wonder if God is still working when your circumstances seem dark? How can he be in control when you face such difficult circumstances?
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoNRSbJdi2k9QdIpV1w?e=PmA4jh - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Can Do Extraordinary Things Through an Ordinary Person
Do you ever feel too inadequate to be called by God? God’s work is not done through the famous. You don’t have to be able to do extraordinary things to be used by God. You don’t have to be a Salvation Army officer to be called by God. God calls every Christian to be a Future Builder. He uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: What Kind of Builder Will You Be?
Sadly, not everyone in a church is a Future Builder.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Wants to Build and Bless the Church
This week we focus on our calling as Christians to be Future Builders, building God’s Church and the Kingdom of God.
After five years with a low-maintenance garden, I am looking forward to getting back to maintaining and improving a lawn and growing plants and flowers. A garden needs health and growth to flourish. So does the Church.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Happy People Know They Can Call on God with Confidence
How close are you to God today? Can you sense his presence in your life, or are you disconnected from him?
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Happy People Know God Has Not Forgotten Them
In times of trouble, you may feel that God has forgotten you. But nothing is further from the truth.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Has a Plan of Hope for You
Do you have a plan for your life? Or are you just drifting along, wandering around aimlessly and wondering what to do next?
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoNQ4HjU0jphkbDGMVA?e=E6sX3s - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Don't Hate Your Political Leaders - Pray for Them!
What do you think about your national government? What about your local civic leaders?
If you’re in the United Kingdom, or your country is anything like mine, then around half of you will love or at least tolerate your government and the other half will really dislike them!
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Praying for Your Community Can Bring Happiness
This week we focus on bringing happiness to our communities. How can Christians spread hope to those who live nearby?
What do you think about where you live? Do you love it? Or maybe you wish you were somewhere else?
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: You Are Allowed to be Happy at Church!
Have you ever met a miserable Christian? Don’t look at them if you’re sharing space with them at the moment!
The idea of a miserable Christian should be a contradiction in terms!
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God's Blessings Are for Sharing
What do you do with the blessings God gives you? The example of the early church is to share them.
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There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Your Church Family Helps You Grow
What does a baby need to grow? Food? Water? Perhaps what the baby needs most is a family.
Just like babies need a family to help them grow, Christians need a church family to help them grow too.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoNQx71b9Vox2jgDdfQ?e=h6aZZc - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: A Loving Church is Attractive
What do you think attracts people to church? Good music? Great preaching? Superb coffee?
The early church didn’t have any of those things!
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Give Your Friends the Good News Today!
This week we focus on the life of the early church. They lived differently to those around them. What does that have to say to the church and to Christians today?
If you knew the cure for cancer, what would you do? You’d tell people! We have the cure for humanity’s broken relationship with God that means people don’t have to spend eternity separated from him. Whilst there is one person we know who doesn’t know and follow Christ, we need to keep reaching out.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Your Love Makes You More Like Jesus
Every time you show love to someone, you become more like Jesus.
Every time you do something loving for someone, you move a step forward towards becoming the finished article God wants you to be.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Praying for Others Strengthens Your Relationships
Do people wind you up sometimes? Do you have someone in your life who seems to know what buttons to push? Do you find yourself getting irritated around someone in particular? Do you know they best thing you can do?
Pray for them!
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Always Finishes What He Starts
I hate leaving things unfinished! I find it so difficult to walk away. To my shame, I know I have been late for so many appointments because, “I just need to get this done before I set out”. I’m not too thrilled by the fact I am an unfinished Christian either! I’d love to be able to say I have no weaknesses. It would be great if I had no failures and made no mistakes. I wish I was secure in who I am in Christ. But I am not the finished article.
The Bible tells us we are all created to be like Christ. The good news is God always finishes what he starts.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Choose to Dwell on Good Memories
When you look back over a time in your life, do you see the bad things or the good things that happened? When you think about your relationship with someone, do you see their faults or their strengths?
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There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Gratitude is the Key to Happiness
This week we are reminded that becoming more like Christ is a lifelong journey that is never finished until God completes his work in us.
How do you feel when someone thanks you for something? You feel good! The same is true for the people in your life.
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There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Celebrate God's Goodness!
This week we have focused on the goodness of God. God is good, all the time! All the time, God is good! That’s a cause for celebration.
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There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Good Wants to Do More Good Than You Can Imagine
What do you most want God to do in your life today? Paul reminds us that God can do infinitely more than we can ever ask him to do!
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There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: You Can Trust Our Good God
Do you sometimes feel like you’ve been waiting an age for our good God to bless you? Sometimes, to help us grow to trust him more, God makes us wait for a blessing. If we received all we ever wanted any time we wanted it, we would soon take it for granted!
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoMxSKgqsC3wkERMgiQ?e=sfEEAT - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Our Good God is Patient With Us
When my parents disciplined and corrected me, I lost count of the time when they would say, “I’m only doing it for your own good”! Has anyone ever said that to you?
It’s true, of course. Every loving parent corrects their children. And they do so in love. God does the same with you and me.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoMxSKgqsC3wkERMgiQ?e=sfEEAT - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God is Good Even When We're Not
When you mess up, do you ever feel it’s the end of the world? Do you ever wonder if you’ve reached the end of the road with God because you just can’t stop sinning?
The Good News is that it’s not.
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There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: If You Want to Know Your Father, Look at Jesus
No one I know has ever seen the heavenly Father Jesus encourages us to speak to. So how can we know him and speak to him if we’ve never seen him?
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoMw-AZRBZHOEUBcizA?e=GCM0vO - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Your Heavenly Father loves you. Why is this important? We’re looking at five different reasons – we discovered three yesterday, and we’re looking at the final two today.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoMw-AZRBZHOEUBcizA?e=GCM0vO - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Why is it Important for You to Know Your Father Loves You? (Part 1)
Your Heavenly Father loves you. Why is this important? We’re going to look at five different reasons – three today, and two tomorrow.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoMw-AZRBZHOEUBcizA?e=GCM0vO - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Learn to Forgive as Our Father Forgives
Our world says, “Love is God.” Put whatever you love in life – whatever makes you feel good – first, even if that means trampling over other people to do so. Our heavenly Father says differently.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoMw-AZRBZHOEUBcizA?e=GCM0vO - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Your Father Loves You
This week, following Fathers’ Day, we focus on our Father, God, who encourages us, through the words of his Son, Jesus Christ, to speak with him like we would with a good human father.
Read Matthew 6:5-18. Everyone agrees that love is important. We talk about it. We sing about it. We show it. Sometimes, our society seems obsessed by it. But where does love come from?
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There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Your Love Leaks Out When You're Tired
Do you get irritable, defensive, and judgmental when you’re tired? I know I do!
Loving people is exhausting. Love is hard work!
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoMw34LksqeEjhZ6cug?e=rhOhDV - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Instructs You to Rest!
Do you remember those safety posters they used to have at public swimming pools? No running, no pushing, no shouting, no ducking, no bombing and the one all parents dreaded having to explain to their children: no petting! They were on display because they were important. Ignore them and you could find yourself in serious trouble. If you ran, you might slip over on the wet floor. If you’re shouting, then the lifeguard might miss a cry for help. If you bombed into the pool, you might hit someone and injure them.
Your rest and restoration are so important to God, he made them a part of his big ten rules: the Ten Commandments.
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There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Burnt Out? Accept God's Peace
Are you exhausted? Do you feel like you’ve wandered off the path that God has set for you? Do you find it difficult to rest?
That’s not what God has planned for you.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoMw34LksqeEjhZ6cug?e=rhOhDV - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Refocus When Your Emotions Get Beyond You
Have you ever been so emotionally exhausted that you’ve told God you’ve just had enough?
I know I have. And I know I’m not alone.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoMw34LksqeEjhZ6cug?e=rhOhDV - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Works Whilst You Sleep
This week we remind ourselves that God, our Creator, is in control of the universe. The world does not depend on us! We can rest as we confess our trust in God.
Have you ever noticed the sequence God follows as he creates the universe?
Genesis marks each of the days as “evening passed and morning came.” Most of us mark our days as beginning with morning and ending in the evening. Following the creation sequence of evening followed by morning is a good reminder that as we go to sleep, God continues his work. The world does not depend on us!
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoMw34LksqeEjhZ6cug?e=rhOhDV - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God's Word Always Requires Action
Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” (Acts 2:37)
Read Acts 2:1-21. What happens after you read God’s Word or listen to a sermon? Does it fill you with power to do something about it? Are you moved to do something or does life carry on as normal?
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoMw1yuXp6POkArR1mw?e=c8a6MM - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: An Empty Tomb or an Empty Faith
But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip. (Acts 2:24)
Read Acts 2:1-21. How do you feel about Christ’s resurrection? In the 1980’s it became fashionable for Christians to deny that such supernatural events had truly taken place. But a Christian faith without the power to empty a tomb is an empty faith!
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Everyone Can Receive God's Power
‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. (Acts 2:17)
Read Acts 2:1-21. Have you ever looked at someone so filled with Holy Spirit power and wished it was you?
Perhaps you’ve watched them confidently share their testimony with a stranger or preach a powerful sermon or show love to someone who seemed unlovable and wished you could do the same.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Holy Spirit Power Gives You Courage
Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. (Acts 2:14)
Read Acts 2:1-21. Is that so-and-so? But he was such a terrible drunk! What’s happened to him? And she was a terrible mother! What’s turned her life around?
Finding God, turning to Christ and being filled with Holy Spirit power often meant a complete change of lifestyle for early-day Salvationists. It still happens today. There are still soldiers joining our ranks around the world who have a life-changing testimony to tell.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoMw1yuXp6POkArR1mw?e=c8a6MM - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Holy Spirit Power Makes People Curious
Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. (Acts 2:14)
This week we continue to focus on the events of Pentecost. The powerful arrival of God’s Holy Spirit changed people’s lives forever. It can change ours too!
Read Acts 2:1-21. How can you handle pain so well? How do you manage to stay calm when someone is so irritating? Why do you find it so easy to forgive someone? How come I’ve never seen you hold a grudge?
Has anyone ever asked you a question like that? As Christians, our lives should be different from those around us because of the light of Christ in us. When Holy Spirit power descended on Jesus’ disciples at Pentecost, they were suddenly so different the crowd asked, “What can this mean?” (Acts 2:12). They recognised something supernatural was taking place.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoMw1yuXp6POkArR1mw?e=c8a6MM - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: We Will Never be Far from God's Presence
If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. (Psalm 139:8)
Read Psalm 139:1-24. Today in the United Kingdom we celebrate the presence and commitment of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as she marks her Platinum Jubilee and 70 years on the British throne. Many of us have never known life without her. She has been a comforting presence in many of this country’s darkest days.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoMwzXJ8O-LC7mof3wQ?e=oBVjdP - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Nothing Will Ever Separate You from God's Love
No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39)
Read Romans 8:31-39. Just over two years ago, our world seemed to fall apart. Everything changed as the Coronavirus pandemic hit hard around the globe. Many people went into lockdown, isolated from their family and friends. Some found their jobs in peril. Children’s education was interrupted. Many failed to get help for health problems. Some wondered if God had abandoned us. We are still seeing the effects of this pandemic today and, I suspect, for years to come.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God is Your Anchor in Every Storm
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. (Romans 8:38)
Read Romans 8:31-39. What happens when you face a setback in your life? Do you give up and stop trying? Do you decide to simply drift through life instead? Do you simply change your priorities and jettison what mattered to you before? Or do you simply sit in despair?
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: His Light Illumines Your Way
Even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you. (Psalm 139:12)
Read Psalm 139:1-24. When we’re in the dark and we’re afraid, we often reach out to a reassuring presence. It might be a parent, a leader, a spouse, a trusted friend. That’s true both for physical darkness and for dark times in our lives such as a mountain of debt, a relational conflict, grief, depression, or discouragement.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoMwzXJ8O-LC7mof3wQ?e=oBVjdP - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Rest in God's Presence
No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39)
This week we are reassured that nothing can separate us from God’s constant presence. His love is so great we can always feel totally secure in him.
Read Romans 8:31-39. Where are you now? I don’t mean geographically. I mean in your head. In your mind.
Most of us spend a good deal of time in either the past or the future. We replay difficult or painful or worrying times from our past. A challenging conversation. When someone has hurt us. When we felt abandoned by God. Or we worry about the future. What is going to happen to us? What is going to happen to those we love? Perhaps a challenge is on its way. Maybe a difficult conversation is needed. Perhaps we just cannot see the next step to take.
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoMwzXJ8O-LC7mof3wQ?e=oBVjdP - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Wants You to Live with a Clear Conscience
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. (Psalm 139:23-24)
Read Psalm 139:1-24. In the brilliant television comedy series, Yes, Prime Minister, the Prime Minister’s Principal Private Secretary, Bernard, is in conversation with the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Humphrey Appleby about what he should put in some Committee Minutes. Sir Humphrey asks him what he wants. Bernard replies, “I want to have a clear conscience.” Sir Humphrey snaps back, “And when did you acquire this taste for luxury?”
Click on this link - https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak_QYEqdXpfKoMww3lQiEkB-6Mab4w?e=WhyCC0 - to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Knows Your Intentions
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. (Psalm 139:4)
Read Psalm 139:1-24. Have you ever said to someone, “ Don’t say it! I know what you’re going to say!” Usually, it’s someone we’ve gotten to know well – perhaps our spouse, another family member or perhaps a co-worker we’ve worked closely with for a number of years. When we know someone well enough, we think we can complete their sentences for them!
Click on this link to read more of this devotional, or listen below.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Knows Your Thoughts and He Wants to Help You Manage Them
You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. (Psalm 139:2)
Read Psalm 139:1-24. How would you feel if you were pursued throughout the day with a speech bubble above your head revealing to everyone each thought you had? I’m not sure I would ever want that to happen!
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There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Knows Your Weaknesses, and He Still Loves You!
O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. (Psalm 139:1)
Read Psalm 139:1-24. One of our deepest fears is that if others were ever to see us as we really are, then they would reject us. It is a fear that causes many of us to pretend to be someone we’re not, to wear a mask in front of other people.
That fear extends to God. We fear a God who knows everything about us. We are reluctant to be known so well by anyone, let alone our Creator. He has watched us all along. He sees our comings and goings. He knows when we have been faithful to him. He also knows when we have shown nothing but faithlessness. If that’s the case, then how can he love us?
But he does! God is always good. He could never reject us. He remains present with us. He fully knows and loves us. We can trust him even when we let him down. If we come to him and confess our wrongdoing he receives us. He never rejects us.
God knows our weaknesses. He still loves us. He’s a good Father, and in the end, that’s all that matters.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
How does it feel to know that you don’t need to pretend with God?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Knows Everything About You, and He Loves You
O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. (Psalm 139:1)
This week we are reminded our God is an all-knowing God, and that’s good news! It means we can call on him whenever we need direction and hope.
Read Psalm 139:1-24. God knows everything about you. Everything! Does that fill you with fear or fill you with hope?
The psalmist tells us that God knows everything we do: when we sit down, when we stand up and when we lie down. When we’re travelling and when we’re at home resting. Even when we are thinking! And not only does he know what we are doing, he is able to understand and evaluate our motives behind what we are doing, much better than we can ever do ourselves.
There is a sense of impending judgment in these words as God “examines” us. But the general spirit of the psalm is one of trust rather than fear. The psalmist finds God’s all-pervasive knowledge comforting as well as demanding. It is precisely because God is all-knowing that the psalmist has a profound sense that God loves him and is in a deep, personal relationship with him.
God knows your faults and your failures. He knows your feelings and your frustrations. You don’t have to pretend to him. You can leave them all with God because he loves you. Now that’s good news, isn’t it?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
God knows you in every possible way. Is that good or bad news to you? Why?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Above All, Your Love Will be Your Legacy
She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. (Matthew 26:12)
Read Matthew 26:6-13. It may have been expensive. It may have been a family heirloom. But Mary’s decision to anoint Jesus with expensive perfume would have meant nothing if it was not given in love.
Mary could have made her sacrifice in expectation that Jesus would give something back to her in return. She could have poured expensive perfume on Jesus’ head because she felt guilty about something. She could have done it for attention – after all, she chose to do it in the middle of meal in someone else’s house! But love was the motivation for her giving. Jesus – who knows our deepest motivations – said so. He said that what she did was a good thing. He said that she had done it to prepare his body for burial – perhaps the most loving thing someone can do for someone else. He said that because her sacrifice was given in love, her deed would be remembered and discussed.
Today, almost 2,000 years later, it is still an example for all of us. If we don’t give out of love, then nothing we give will matter. If we give in love, then it will be remembered.
So, let’s pledge to give our lives away for others. As we do so in love, God and they will remember our sacrifice.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
- What do others say about how you show your love to others?
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: People Will Remember the Way You Served Them
I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” (Matthew 26:13)
Read Matthew 26:6-13. What are you good at? What capabilities has God given you? Whatever they are, they have been given to you not for your own benefit, but to benefit others. When you serve others, they remember.
Mary used what God had given her to serve her Master, Jesus. As he faced the long and lonely road to Calvary, where he would make the ultimate sacrifice for you and for me on the cross, Mary discerned that he should be anointed with the expensive perfume that God had placed under her stewardship. How soothing it must have been for Jesus as the expensive ointment flowed down his body from his head. What love he must have felt pouring from Mary as she served him in this way. Jesus said her service – her giving – would be remembered.
Whatever capabilities and abilities God has given you, the best thing you can do with them is to give them back to him by serving others with them. You can use them for the purpose for which God gave them to you. One day God is going to ask you what you did with what he gave you. How did you use your abilities? Did you make a living with them? Did you serve others? How wonderful it will be if he is able to interrupt you and remember that “whatever you did for the least of these … you did for me”! (Matthew 25:40).
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
How can you show God you are using your abilities to serve others rather than yourself?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Your Generosity Will Stick in People's Minds
While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head. (Matthew 26:7)
Read Matthew 26:6-13. How much are you willing to give to others? Are you miserly with your time, money, or other resources? Or are you willing to sacrifice your time, money, and resources to give to others? People remember those who make sacrifices for them.
Mary sacrificed a great deal to show her love to Jesus by anointing him with expensive perfume. The alabaster jar she carried it in was beautiful. It likely had a long, slender neck and was carved from translucent gypsum. It was beautiful and expensive. The pure and genuine nard from the mountains of India was also very expensive. We don’t know how Mary came to possess it, but it could have been a family heirloom. But she loved Jesus so much she was prepared to break the vase and pour all the ointment on Jesus’ head. It was a royal anointing, suitable for her Messiah. Jesus made it clear her sacrifice would be remembered and discussed, and now it appears in our holy scripture.
There is always a cost in giving to someone else. We must be prepared to give up our resources – time, money, talents, whatever – to give them to others. We must be willing to make sacrifices if we are going to be agents of healing in the world.
We may or may not be called to give the ultimate sacrifice. But every time we sacrifice something for the benefit of someone else, that deed will be remembered – both by the other person and by Jesus himself.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
How do you use your worldly resources to benefit others?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Your Blessing Will be Remembered
I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” (Matthew 26:13)
Read Matthew 26:6-13. All of us remember people who are generous towards us. People who can’t wait to bless us because God has blessed them. Whether it’s their time, money, or other resources they share with us, we remember their generosity.
The woman who anointed Jesus’ head with expensive perfume from her beautiful alabaster jar was certainly generous. The perfume is described in Mark’s gospel as pure nard, a fragrant ointment imported from the mountains of India. It was very expensive! Mary was nothing but radically generous with what she had.
What if you and I were as radically generous? What if our Salvation Army corps and churches were as radically generous? We are all responsible for what God has given us. But his blessings are not to be hoarded for ourselves. They are to be shared with others. We can use the resources God has given us – individually and corporately – to make an impact. A Kingdom impact. We can make an impact in our families, amongst our friends, in our neighbourhood, in our community, in our school or workplace and in the world at large. Christians and the Christian church can be remembered for their radical generosity. We have been blessed! Let’s be a blessing to others.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
- What’s one practical step you can take this week to be radically generous towards someone?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Your Gratitude Will be Memorable
While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head. (Matthew 26:7)
This week we ask ourselves, what will we be remembered for? What will our legacy be?
Read Matthew 26:6-13. Do you know someone who always shows gratitude in everything they do? It is so beautiful! A gift to those around them. Something they will be remembered for.
The woman who anointed Jesus during a meal at Simon the Leper’s house in Bethany certainly showed her gratitude. She is identified in John’s gospel as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. She had much to be grateful for! She was a long-time follower of Jesus, sitting at his feet and learning about the Kingdom of God from him. She believed Jesus was Messiah, the Saviour of the world. Jesus had raised her brother, Lazarus, from the dead.
Her decision to take a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and pour it over Jesus’ head was a sacrifice of praise. In doing this, she was proclaiming who she knew Jesus to be and how thankful she was for his presence in her life. Jesus says it is an act that will be remembered and discussed. Sure enough, here we are nearly 2,000 years later remembering what she did that day. That’s the power of an attitude of gratitude!
We have much to thank God for today too. An attitude of gratitude is contagious. As we show gratitude to God and to others around us, it catches on! Others begin to do it too. People remember someone who shows gratitude to them.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
What are you grateful for today?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Revel in Your Calling!
Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. (Mark 3:14)
Read Mark 3:13-19. Little did Jesus’ apostles know when he called and appointed them, but they were about to embark on a lifetime journey of adventure when they said “yes” to him.
And that’s what happens when you accept that Jesus has chosen and called you too. It’s an adventure. It’s exciting. It is something to be enjoyed! When you are using your God-given talents, abilities, and skills for him, you know you are in the right place doing the right thing. When you follow the passion of your heart that he has given you, you have a sense of fulfilment that nothing else can bring. When you are using the spiritual gifts God has given you, then you know you are fulfilling your life purpose.
We don’t serve God out of a sense of duty. We don’t work for God because he forces us to. We don’t answer his call because we feel guilty. We do it all because we know he loves us, and we want to learn to love him back. When we do what God has called us to do, it brings glory to him!
What has God called you to do? Whatever it is, say yes and do it! And find the greatest joy available on earth. It’s the only way to truly live!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
- What steps can you take today to accept that Jesus has chosen you and to answer his call to work towards your purpose in life?
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Trust Jesus to Help You Find Your Calling
These are the twelve he chose: Simon (whom he named Peter), James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them “Sons of Thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him). (Mark 3:16-19)
Read Mark 3:13-19. Are you ever tempted to reject Jesus’ calling? Do you ever think Jesus can’t have chosen me?
Most of us have things we don’t like about ourselves. They might be to do with the way we look physically. Or perhaps it’s about the abilities and gifts we have – perhaps we’re tempted sometimes to compare ourselves to others. Or it might be a character flaw or a habit we just don’t seem to be able to get rid of.
But Jesus chose you and called you with your strengths and your weaknesses. Look at the twelve men he chose and called to be his apostles! He called Simon the Rock, but he was anything but! What do you imagine was behind the nickname “Sons of Thunder?” Matthew was a hated tax collector. Thomas doubted he even believed in Jesus. Simon was a political troublemaker. And Judas? Well, Judas betrayed him.
The reason many Christians fail to answer Jesus’ call is that they just don’t trust him. They just don’t trust that he loves them, that he has chosen and called them. They don’t believe he has a purpose for their lives. All this can prevent them from being the person God has made them to be.
But Jesus does love you. He has chosen you and he is calling you. Will you believe that today? Will you trust him to help you fulfil your life purpose?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
What have you always wanted to change about yourself? How do you think Jesus might use that to help fulfil his calling on your life?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: You Have a God-Given Gift to Bless Others
Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him. (Mark 3:13)
Read Mark 3:13-19. As a Christian, the Holy Spirit has given you at least one special ability to help fulfil God’s calling on your life.
The moment you accepted that Jesus had chosen you, the moment you answered his call, and came to him, he saved you. He forgave you for all the wrong things you have done in your life. He gave you eternal life. He gave you the gift of his Holy Spirit to help you become more like him and as a witness to your salvation. And he gave you at least one special ability with which to serve him and other people.
We call these special abilities “spiritual gifts.” There are several of them, dotted throughout the New Testament, but they are all given to help you do what Jesus has chosen you for and called you to do.
Sadly, most Christians don’t know what their spiritual gifts are, and as a Christian leader I must take my share of the responsibility for that. But you have at least one, and if you don’t know what it is, then I urge you to discover what it is. There are small group courses like Network you can take, and assessments or questionnaires you can complete. Ask your spiritual leader for some help.
Once you know what your spiritual gifts are, God doesn’t expect you to keep them to yourself. They should be used to benefit other people! I can be blessed by your spiritual gifts (which may be different to mine), and you can be blessed by mine.
Perhaps the biggest blessing in your life is when you are using your spiritual gifts to bless others and fulfilling Jesus’ calling on your life. Why not take a step towards that today?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
How are you using your spiritual gifts today to bless others?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Doesn't Call the Equipped - He Equips the Called
Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach, giving them authority to cast out demons. (Mark 3:14-15)
Read Mark 3:13-19. Jesus has chosen and called you for a life purpose. But he doesn’t wait until you say “yes” before he equips you for it.
God did not create you without a purpose. He knew what he was choosing for you and calling you to do before he created you. God’s calling on your life is to fulfil that life purpose. We were not meant to be spectators. We’re not here just to breathe in the air and use up resources!
Jesus has chosen and called you to work, just as he did his first disciples. As you look at the abilities, talents and skills God has given you, as you sense the passion he has laid on your heart, as you discover the spiritual gifts he has given you, you can begin to discover what your life purpose is.
It might be a job. It might be a career. It might be to serve your family. It might be to help your community. But whatever your abilities, talents, skills, passions, and spiritual gifts are pointing to, that’s God’s purpose for your life.
And the best thing you can do is to fulfil it! Life is too short to do anything else! If you have not yet answered Jesus’ call, if you are not doing what you have been chosen for, then ask God to open doors to allow you to do it. Don’t waste another minute doing something Jesus has not chosen or called you for.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
What do you think God has chosen you for? Do you need to make changes to do it more effectively?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Why Has Jesus Called You?
Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. (Mark 3:14)
This week we focus on Jesus’ calling. How we discover it and how Jesus wants us to use our talents, skills, abilities, passions, and gifts to serve him and connect with others.
Read Mark 3:13-19. Jesus has chosen and called you for a purpose. Do you know what it is? If you haven’t discovered it yet, how do you find out?
God designed you with talents, abilities, and skills. He has put a particular passion in your heart and as a Christian, he has given you at least one spiritual gift so you can serve others. Jesus doesn’t expect you to follow someone else’s calling. He doesn’t choose you to fulfil someone else’s purpose.
God made you to be you and no-one else. Jesus has chosen you for a specific calling, a divine purpose. A calling is not just for Salvation Army officers! Everyone has been called by Jesus. Your God-given abilities, talents and skills, the passion he has placed on your heart and the spiritual gifts he has given you are all a clue to your life’s calling, your purpose, your mission in life.
Once you’ve spotted the clues, are you ready to accept your calling?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
What do you think Jesus wants you to do with your life? Are you doing it?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: You Reflect Our Relational God
Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26)
Read Genesis 1:1-2:3. As a human being designed to connect with others, you reflect the image of the God who desires to connect. You are not exactly like God. But you do reflect both his glory and his character. And a major part of his character is the desire to connect with others. He has planted that same desire in each one of us. We have an innate need to connect with God and with other human beings.
As we do what we are designed to do and develop deep and lasting relationships with each other, we reflect his love in the love we have for each other. As we are patient with those who sometimes irritate us, we reflect God’s infinite patience with us. As we forgive others when they hurt us and cause us pain, so we reflect God’s willingness to forgive every wrong thing we have done in our lives. As we show kindness to each other, we reflect God’s kindness and care for us. And as we are faithful to each other, we reflect God’s faithfulness through all time.
When we see and connect with another being, we should remember that person is also made in God’s image. No one is made more in the image of God than another. We should not define others’ identity by culture, experience, or environment. Each person has an innate worth because they are God’s image bearers too. May our connections – our relationships – bear that out, today and every day.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
- How can you let someone know today that they are valuable to God and to you?
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: You are Designed to be Relational
Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26)
Read Genesis 1:1-2:3. God made you in his image and designed you to connect.
Have you ever noticed how God uses the plural when he says, “Let us make human beings in our image”? What does this mean? Some have argued it is regal language – the “royal we,” like Queen Victoria stating, “We are not amused.” Some suggest that God was consulting with the angels of heaven, but this is not borne out elsewhere in the Bible.
Whilst the original writer of Genesis nor the original hearers of the creation account would not have understood it this way, as God continued to reveal himself to human beings through the rest of the Scriptures, Christians can now see the Trinity – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit – all of whom are God discussing the creation of humanity together. Genesis 1 clearly mentions God the Father and God the Spirit in the creation account, and at the beginning of his gospel, John echoes “In the beginning God …” by declaring that “In the beginning was the Word” – Jesus.
In the beauty and mystery of the Trinity, God continually reveals himself in the plural, and we discover that God himself is relational. Our God is a connecting and connected God. And designed in his image, we are designed to connect too – with God and with each other. You were not designed to walk alone!
The best way to fulfil your destiny to connect with others is in a local church family. Your church family can protect and support and help you become the person God designed you to be. Life is about deep and lasting relationships. God is love and he created you in his image to learn to love him and to love others with his love.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
Who are the people in your life who walk with you and support you? How could you connect with them today?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God is Actively Watching Over You Today
The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. (Genesis 1:2)
Read Genesis 1:1-2:3. The Bible has many pictures of the ways God cares for and protects you. For example, it describes God as like a mother bird caring for and protecting her young (see Deuteronomy 32:11-12 and Isaiah 31:5). But right at the beginning of the Bible, in the account of God’s creation of the universe, we have this picture of his Holy Spirit hovering over the surface of the waters. God’s Spirit was actively involved in the creation of the heavens and the earth. And he is still actively involved in our world today. Through his Holy Spirit, God continues to care for and protect you.
When you bring your hurt and your pain to God, his Spirit soothes you and shows compassion towards you. When you don’t know which way to turn, his Spirit will guide and lead you to the next step to take. If you are confused and feel as if you become disconnected from God, his Spirit is there to reconnect you. If you trust God to save you, then he will, and his Holy Spirit acts as the witness that you belong to God and are connected to him as his child. May you sense God’s Holy Spirit hovering over you as you face whatever today will bring.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
Do you trust that God’s Spirit will never leave you and will always search for you if you wander away from him?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Places Great Value on You
So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)
Read Genesis 1:1-2:3. God chose to create you. You are loved by and valuable to God. The creation account in Genesis makes it clear that God chose to create the universe because he wanted to connect with a family to love. He placed human beings – you and me – on the earth so we could be his children. God loved you before the heavens and the earth were made and created you so he could connect with you and continue loving you for ever!
In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul declares:
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. (Ephesians 1:4-5)
If you ever feel unloved or rejected and long to be chosen, or if you ever suffer from a lack of self-worth or struggle with your identity, then know this today: God loves you, God has chosen you and you are accepted by him through Christ Jesus. That is your identity! You are a child of God. Take time to connect with God, your Father and rest in these truths today.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
How does knowing you’re loved and accepted by God make you feel?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Our Creator Designed Everything to Connect
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
This week we consider how everything God created – including you and me – is designed to connect with each other.
Read Genesis 1:1-2:3. Have you ever stopped to think how incredible it is that everything in our universe fits and works together? The very beginning of the Bible starts with the very simple yet profound statement that God created the heavens and the earth. Our faith is tested by only the fourth word into the Scriptures!
The galaxy we live in is vast! It is spinning at a speed of about 490,000 miles an hour, but it still takes it over 200 million years just to make one rotation. And there are at least another one trillion galaxies like ours in the universe.
The number of stars in the universe is more than all the grains of sand on the beaches of the world. But this complex sea of spinning stars functions with remarkable order and efficiency. There would be disastrous consequences if just one of the features of the universe were to get seriously out of kilter. If all that is true, then it seems to me that it takes more faith to believe that anything other than God is behind it all. God really did create this universe and he is worthy of our worship and praise.
The connectedness of the universe reveals something of this God. He is relational. He wants to connect with his creation. God did not need to create the universe; he chose to do so. God’s creation of the universe, this earth, and its people – you and me – is an expression of his love. As you move through creation today, marvel once again that God created it all because he loves you!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
Where is your favourite place to “get away from it all” and connect with your Creator?
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Take Time to Gaze into the Eyes of God
And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. (Revelation 22:4)
Read Revelation 22:1-6. Richard Rohr, the American Franciscan priest, and writer says that if you want to know how God looks at you, then look into your dog’s eyes. He has a point!
Sabbath gives us time to gaze into God’s eyes. To contemplate his love for us. He remains the central focus. Sabbath includes worship with God’s people, which is why Sunday remains the ideal time for Sabbath-keeping, if possible.
As we gather as God’s people in his presence, we get just a glimpse of that glorious eternal party of music, food and beauty that awaits us when we are Promoted to Glory and arrive in heaven. Then we will forever gaze into the face of God. Observing Sabbath together puts our short, earthly lives into perspective as we look forward to the day when God’s Kingdom is fully consummated.
Our lives are a preparation for this day. Similarly, we need to prepare for our Sabbath. How do we prepare for worship on a Sunday? What do we do to help us receive from the Word of God? What time do we need to go to bed the night before?
If, at the end of this week together, you decide to begin practising stopping, resting, delighting, and contemplating for one 24-hour period every week, I promise you will soon discover those same qualities in the other six days of the week. May you have the courage to embrace God’s command and gift of one “no obligation day” every week.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
- How does it feel to have permission from God to stop for one day every week?
This daily devotional draws widely on the book, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazzero, published in 2006 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
There's a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Enjoy the Good Things in Life
Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! (Genesis 1:31a)
Read Genesis 1:1-2:3. Do you think God wants you to have fun? Unfortunately, for many of us, the way we have practised church over the years means we have come to see God as the fun police! Christianity seemed to be a list of don’ts. Don’t play sport. Don’t dance. Don’t go to the cinema. Don’t go to the pub.
But God looks at his creation and proclaims, “it was very good!” God delights over it all. He looks at us with a sense of joy, completion, wonder and play. Christians should never be “delight deficient!”
On Sabbaths God commands us to enjoy and delight in his creation and its many gifts. We take the opportunity to slow down. We can pay attention to our food and its aroma and taste. We can take time to see the beauty in nature – a tree, a flower, the beach, the sky. We can walk slowly and stop for unexpected conversations. We can gaze into the eyes of our dog!
Creation and life are God’s gift of a playground to us. Sport, dance, games, time with family and other leisure activities can nurture our sense of fun and help us observe Sabbath rest.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
What do you find most fun to do? How do you think God feels about that activity?
There's a new episode every Monday through Friday.
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Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Calls Us to Rest
And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation. (Genesis 2:3)
Read Genesis 1:1-2:3. Are you overworked? Are you physically exhausted? Harried? Worrying? Addicted to your technology and machines? Sabbath calls us to replace these things with rest.
So, what do we do instead? The answer is very simple: things that delight and replenish you. Because I am preaching and working on Sundays, Saturday is my Sabbath. On a good Sabbath I nap, go for walks, read a novel, watch a film, or go out for a meal. I try to avoid my computer and leave my mobile phone alone.
I also try to ensure that any household tasks and errands are done on another day of the week. Paying bills, cleaning the house, and shopping do not delight and replenish me! Sabbath is a call to stop work and to rest and delight in God, it is not simply a day off.
When we stop and rest in this way, we respect the image of God in us. We are not nonstop Duracell bunnies. Observing Sabbath will help you become a human being rather than merely a human doing!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
What sort of activities delight and replenish you? How could you build them into a Sabbath?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Stop and Embrace Your Limits
“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honoured by every nation. I will be honoured throughout the world.” (Psalm 46:10)
Read Psalm 46:1-11. I have a confession to make: I find it difficult to stop until I have finished what I am doing. Even if I know I will have time to go back to something, I will still rather get it done. There always seems to be one more thing to get done before stopping!
Keeping Sabbath means embracing our limits. Many of us (me included!) need to be reminded that God is God, not us! He is the one who is indispensable. I am not. He is the Creator. I am merely his creature. The world will continue to revolve even when I stop!
We stop on Sabbaths to remind us that God is still on the throne. He assures us the world will not fall apart because we have chosen to stop working for 24 hours! God takes care of the universe without much help from us. So, he commands us to be still and to stop worrying about tomorrow.
Do you trust God enough to stop?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
Do you think you could find 30 minutes today to stop and simply do nothing?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Has Given You the Ability to Stop
Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. (Exodus 20:8)
We are each made in God’s image. That means that like him, we can stop. If we do not have a regular pattern of work and rest, then we have stopped imitating God. This week we consider what it means if we truly observe God’s command to Sabbath each week.
Read Exodus 20:1-20. Many of us live lives that are full and overflowing. We are overscheduled, stressed, preoccupied, and exhausted. We do not have enough hours in the day. We know God longs for us to find rest. We know we should slow down. We know we need to rest and recharge our batteries. But we can’t stop. If we aren’t busy, we feel guilty. How can we ever get off this merry-go-round?
God offers us a way out. It is ground-breaking. It goes totally against all that the modern world teaches us. But it is a powerful weapon to help us reset our entire lives towards God. It’s Sabbath. It comes from the Hebrew word that means “to cease, to stop working” and it is commanded by God.
Every week, God gifts us the command to stop working and rest for one 24-hour period. Choosing to do so is both radical and extremely difficult. It forces us to look at our spiritual maturity, the core of what we believe about the way the world works, the core of our faith and the priorities of our lifestyles.
But it is essential if we want understand God and his role in our lives, and if we want to find our true selves in the modern-day blizzard of activity, stress, and exhaustion.
It’s an incredible invitation. Are you ready to embrace it?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
How often do you catch yourself multitasking? Do you think its effective?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: "He Isn't Here" Encourages Us to Tell Others that Jesus is Alive
He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. (Matthew 28:6)
Read Matthew 28:1-10. What’s one of the first things you want to do when you receive good news? Tell other people! It might be the birth of a child. Perhaps a new job. Maybe exam success. A new relationship. But when you have some good news, you just want to share it.
What’s remarkable about Jesus’ resurrection, is that once his followers found out about it, they just wanted to tell others the good news! The women ran back from the tomb to tell the disciples. Peter and John went home to tell their families the tomb was empty. Soon, all the disciples were spreading the gospel in Jerusalem and beyond.
The resurrection is the basis of our good news for the world. The resurrection means Jesus wasn’t just a good man. He wasn’t just a remarkable teacher. He wasn’t just a religious leader. The resurrection means he was indeed the Son of God. Your family, friends, neighbours and co-workers – in fact, anyone you meet – can have a relationship with God because of Jesus’ resurrection. Now that’s good news worth telling, isn’t it!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
- Who do you know who needs to hear the good news of Jesus today?
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: "He Isn't Here" Means We Can Claim Resurrection Power
He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. (Matthew 28:6)
Read Matthew 28:1-10. Have you seen those battery adverts where dead electronic items are brought back to life? The message is: all you need is the power from our batteries and life will be good again.
When it comes to our lives, there are two types of power: the power of bad and the power of good. Satan has the power to control your life. He can control your mind, your emotions and you can allow him to control where your life goes. We are powerless against Satan without Christ. On the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). At that moment, Satan was defeated. No longer can he control you. No longer can he manipulate you. No longer can he condemn you.
Jesus destroyed Satan. And the power that brought him back to life is available to you and me today, to resist Satan in the future. Jesus can breathe new life into our spiritually dead selves and then give us the power to live for him. Satan can’t harm you. Jesus will protect you. You have the power to say no. With Jesus, you can power on today!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
What do you need Jesus’ resurrection power to say no to today?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: "He Isn't Here" Means Our Future is Certain
He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. (Matthew 28:6)
Read Matthew 28:1-10. Do you sometimes wish you had a crystal ball? I wonder what your response would have been if just over two years ago your crystal ball had told you what we faced in 2020 and beyond?
Sometimes we wish we could see into the future. But do we, really? How many of us could face the future knowing all the difficulties and problems we would face?
But because of the resurrection of Jesus, we can see into the future. If we trust him, our future is secure. One day, like him, we will be resurrected. He has promised us that death is not the end. And his resurrection proves what he says is true. An eternal future awaits us. One day we will see him face to face. Because of Jesus’ resurrection we have hope for the future. Who doesn’t need some hope today? God will not disappoint us. What an amazing promise! How do you claim it? Simply believe in Jesus today.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
What does it mean to know you have been accepted into God’s eternal home today?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: "He Isn't Here" Encourages Us That Jesus Keeps His Word
He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. (Matthew 28:6)
Read Matthew 28:1-10. One of the hot topics at the moment is scamming and those who fall victim to it. Some people have lost thousands of pounds worth of their savings paying money over to imposters who have scammed money from them through seemingly legitimate purposes.
Once you know about these scams it makes you skeptical about many of the promises you see. Sometimes, things seem to good to be true. Perhaps that’s how you feel about Jesus and his promises. Could he really make right our relationship with God and make the world perfect again?
His resurrection shows us that he is indeed who he says he is. He is the living Christ who rules God’s eternal Kingdom from heaven. Jesus is not a scammer. He is not a false prophet. He is not an imposter. He is God’s Son. He came to die for your sins and mine and he did. Jesus kept his word. His resurrection split history in two. It changed my life and it can change yours too. You can rely on Jesus to be who he says he is.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
Why is the resurrection proof that Jesus is God as he says he is?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: "He Isn't Here" Means We Can Be Confident in God's Promises
He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. (Matthew 28:6)
“He isn’t here!” This report of Jesus’ resurrection is the key to Christian faith. This week we focus on the different those three words can make in our lives and in the lives of those around us. Read Matthew 28:1-10. Do you trust every promise that has ever been made to you? How about the preacher who says, “And finally …”. Maybe not! The truth is that for a variety of reasons, sometimes we are not very good at keeping our promises. You may have every intention of keeping your promise, but something prevents you from following through, and you end up breaking the promise you made.
The resurrection of Jesus proves you can trust God’s promises. Jesus told his disciples he would rise from the dead three days after he was killed. On that first Easter Sunday, the angel who met the women who had come to his tomb, exclaimed that Jesus wasn’t there. He was risen, just as he had said would happen. He had kept his promise.
The Bible contains over 7,000 promises from God to you. They cover pretty much any subject you can think of: your health, your wealth, your relationships, your work, your past, your present and your future, your salvation from sin and your own resurrected, eternal life. God’s promises can help eliminate any fears you have. Read them, remember them and trust them. Thank him for his resurrection power and ask him for a new touch of power in your own life. You can find hope today because Jesus lives.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
Which of God’s promises do you need to claim today?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: The Cross is God's Promise to Love You Forever
Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. (Matthew 27:50)
Read Matthew 27:45-56. I continue to be perplexed by the fact that Christianity is symbolised by the cross, an instrument of execution. Can you imagine if our churches and corps had an electric chair on the wall at the front? Or if we wore a hangman’s noose around our necks. Or maybe the representation of a gun in our logos?
So why is the cross the symbol of our faith? Because it represents where God’s love intersects with his holiness. The cross is where God’s truth and justice meets his grace and mercy. By placing our sin on his Son, God was able to forgive us without lowering his standards.
John tells us that God’s love is wide enough to include the whole world (John 3:16). That includes you and me. But often we think there must be a limit to God’s love. Surely it must end somewhere. But the Bible is full of people who hit rock bottom but never found the end of God’s love. And neither will you. The cross proclaims that God will love you forever. No wonder they call today Good Friday!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
- Have you ever felt you must have reached the limit of God’s love for you? What happened?
These devotionals rely heavily on the book, He Chose the Nails by Max Lucado. © 2000 Max Lucado.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Understands Your Pain
The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it. (Matthew 27:34)
Read Matthew 27:32-44. Where do you go for advice? If you needed advice on your children, would you approach someone who has never been a parent? If you were in financial difficulty because you couldn’t make enough money to make ends meet, would you approach a millionaire for some advice? If you needed help in your garden, would you go to someone whose very fingers turn everything brown and lifeless? Probably not! Why? Because when we need help, we turn to someone we can trust. And a big part of that trust is their experience.
That’s why it was so necessary for God to come to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. He could have solved all the problems of the world with a wave of his hand. He could have obliterated our sins with a heavenly eraser. But God chose to experience our human condition with us. Jesus didn’t just appear, die for our sins, and then head back to heaven. He lived a whole human life. He experienced anger, weariness, sleepiness, hunger, grief, pain, and suffering. He even experienced death. Why? Because he wanted us to trust him. To trust that he has experienced all that we experience. He endured it all because he knew we would endure it all.
Jesus went through excruciating pain on the cross and eventually death to proclaim to you and me, “You can trust me”. We all need help from someone who is stronger than us. Jesus’ final message is that he is that person. You can trust him.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
If Herod had managed to kill Jesus in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16) and was raised to life three days later, what questions might have been left unanswered?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Nails Our Wrongdoing to the Cross
After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. (Matthew 27:35)
Read Matthew 27:32-44. When a Salvation Army officer moves from one Quarters to another several people will come and inspect both homes. It can be a sobering experience! All those flaws that perhaps you don’t notice are suddenly brought into the light! That needs redecorating. This piece of furniture should be replaced. That needs a good clean before you move. And so on.
I wonder how we would feel if God produced a list of our weaknesses for us. A snagging list if you like. I know some of my flaws, but God who knows all things and has been resident in my heart for over 40 years must know so much more. If you had a list, would you be willing to share it? What if it was made public? Imagine it displayed on the LCD screens on Piccadilly Circus!
I have bad news for you: that list has been made public! Fortunately, you have never seen it. And neither have I. But echoing the words of Paul in Colossians 2:14, Stuart Townend in Song No. 32 in The Salvation Army Song Book, writes, “It was my sin that held him there, Until it was accomplished”. The record of our sins, the list of our weaknesses, was nailed to the cross with Christ’s hands. That’s what held him to the cross. But it’s good news because that list has been blotted out by Christ’s blood. If you will accept the outstretched arms of Jesus, then you too can proclaim, “But this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom”. Praise God!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
How does it make you feel to know that Jesus “did not want heaven without us” (What a Beautiful Name, Ben Fielding & Brooke Ligertwood)?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Will Not Abandon You
Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Matthew 27:32)
Read Matthew 27:32-44. One of my favourite Easter songs, ever since Basingstoke Songsters introduced it to me is Via Dolorosa, “the Way of Sorrows”. It tells of Jesus’ tortuous journey down up from Pilate’s Hall through Jerusalem to Golgotha, the Place of the Skull.
But of course, Jesus’ journey to the cross did not start at Pilate’s Hall. It began in the mind of God. His plan has always been to reconcile you and me to himself. From the very first moment in time, God has been searching for us. Reaching out to us. And when sin first marred his creation and our lives, he has been seeking to reverse our rebellion.
Christ’s journey to Calvary leaves us in no doubt just how far God is prepared to travel to win us back. There is nothing we can do to make Jesus take that journey for us. We can never be good enough to be rescued. But there is nothing that we’ve done that will ever stop Jesus from making that journey for us. No one is too bad to be rescued by God. Whatever your journey looks like, Jesus will still walk – still stumble along – the Way of Sorrows for you. Will you allow him to reconcile you to God?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
Are you more susceptible to pride or shame? Why do you think that is?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Became One of Us!
They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a sceptre. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” (Matthew 27:29)
This week, as we journey through Holy Week, we focus again on what Jesus’ journey to the cross means for us, and how we can carry this good news into the world.
Read Matthew 27:27-31. Do you like roses? They are one of my favourite flowers. But I recently heard someone say they didn’t like roses, not because of the flowers, but because of the thorns. It’s true that you need to be careful when you’re handling a rose, otherwise you can quickly draw blood!
In the Bible, thorns are often used as a metaphor for the consequences of sin and wrongdoing. When Adam and Eve fell into sin, God told them one of the consequences of this would be that the land would forever be cursed with thorns and weeds (Genesis 3:17-18). Gardeners will testify this curse is still in force today! When God urged Moses and the people of Israel to purge the Promised Land of its godless people, he warned them that failure to do so would result in them becoming thorns in their sides (Numbers 33:55). Proverbs reminds us that living outside of God’s will and purpose for our lives results in a path of thorns and traps (Proverbs 22:5). Paul spoke about a “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7).
When God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ, he who was boundless chose to be bound by the same things we are as human beings. Suddenly, he was bound by time. He was bound by location. He was bound by human knowledge. But perhaps most amazing of all, God in Jesus chose to be bound by sin for us. Jesus surrendered his sinlessness for us.
Jesus chose to share in our shame, fear, disgrace, discouragement, and anxiety, for us. He became sin for us. He gave up the crown of heaven for a crown of thorns. For you. And for me. Amazing love!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
What “thorns” have you experienced in your life?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: It's Radical Love that Helps Your Corps to Grow
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. (Philippians 2:5)
Read Philippians 2:1-11. Do you know what happens when you truly love those in your church or corps family? The answer is it grows! It stands to reason, doesn’t it? Often, it feels like love is in short supply in the world. So if someone comes across a community – a family – that really and truly loves each other, through thick and thin, often they are drawn into that community.
The Early Church saw phenomenal growth. Why? Because everyone could see how much they loved each other. They lived in wonderful harmony and shared everything with each other. The Church grew on a daily basis.
Wouldn’t you love to have that kind of growth in your church or corps? If you do, then you all need to love each other like the early Christians loved each other. People love being around those who love them. When a church or corps genuinely loves others, it will soon be time for a building scheme!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
- Are you the kind of Christian that attracts people to Jesus or puts them off Christianity?
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Don't Let Gossip Destroy Your Corps
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)
Read Philippians 2:1-11. Keeping a confidence allows people to grow to trust you. On the other hand, if you’re known as someone who talks about other people behind their backs, they’re unlikely to ever trust you.
Gossip is often seen as one of those “lesser sins”. After all, it’s not really as bad as murder or sexual immorality, is it? God says it is. And he’s very wise. He can see how gossip can destroy relationships. I’ve seen it break relationships between Christians and even threaten to break apart churches or Salvation Army corps.
Gossip makes us feel better or more important than the person we’re talking about. If you talk about someone’s difficulties or problems we can forget about our own. We try to impress others or think of ourselves as better than others. That’s not the way of Jesus.
Keeping confidences, keeping what you know to yourself helps develop healthy and genuine relationships and provides a safe space for people to open up and be vulnerable about the hurts and problems they are facing. Will you help deepen relationships in this way?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
- Has anyone ever gossiped about you? How did it make you feel?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Be a Friend Who Builds Up Rather Than Tears Down
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)
Read Philippians 2:1-11. Who do you look like? Do people say to you that you look like your mum or dad or perhaps brother or sister?
Who are you like? If your corps or church is working the way that Jesus envisaged, then after a while you will begin to look like – or more accurately, be like – your corps or church friends, those you spend most time with.
If that’s true then the best thing we can do is build relationships with them and build them up so that we’re all moving in the same direction, all becoming more like Jesus. It’s much easier to pull people down than it is to build them up, so we will need to be intentional about it.
Be an encourager. Surround yourself with encouragers. And then cheer each other on to grow the same attitude that Jesus had. Do whatever it takes to build those relationships. Be a builder not a demolisher!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
- Who are your closest friends? Are they helping you become more like Jesus?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: You are an Important Part of the Jigsaw Puzzle
Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. (Philippians 2:4)
Read Philippians 2:1-11. The church – or your Salvation Army corps – is like a jigsaw puzzle. Each piece fits together into a unified whole, and when it is complete, then it is beautiful.
If you are missing, then that beautiful picture is marred. It is incomplete. Your presence and your service is essential. Every ministry is important. Nothing is insignificant.
Those ministries that are “up front” like preaching and music are no more important than those that take place behind the scenes, like administration, finance, even cleaning the building. In fact, it’s often the behind the scenes ministries that make the biggest difference. Your church or corps would quickly cease to function if its finance wasn’t kept in order!
Every act of service matters because we all depend on each other to function effectively. So don’t be a spectator, get involved! Do something. Take your place. Ensure that your part of the picture is filled. God is calling you to service. Will you listen and do whatever he asks you to do?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
- Where have you seen God use what some might think is an insignificant ministry to make a big difference in your life or in someone else?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: You Belong Here!
Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. (Philippians 2:2)
This week we consider what we can do to build up our church, our corps, the Body of Christ to be as beautiful as it can be.
Read Philippians 2:1-11. Picture in your mind the people you worship with each week. You belong to them! And they belong to you! Every one of them is different and you are different to them. But just as a human body fits together and works together, so should the Body of Christ.
Whatever differences there are – gender, race, culture, even differences of opinion – don’t matter as much as the unity of the church. We have all been baptised by the same Holy Spirit and that helps us to live and work together in unity.
You belong here and are part of that unity. Many of us have made that sense of belonging visible, by being made adherent members or enrolling as a soldier and wearing uniform. But whether you’ve taken those steps or not, you still belong here!
If we look past the differences we have and focus on the unity Christ wants for us, then God can do amazing work through us. Are you willing to take your place and play your part?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
- What part do you believe God is asking you to play in the work of The Salvation Army or your church?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Honour the Women in Your Life
Read Proverbs 31:10-31. We began this week by discovering these verses are a poem, not a job description. That these words show us how we should do the things we do, not what we should do. They are about our character, not about our deeds.
In these twenty-two verses, there is only one command, one instruction, and it’s for the men: “Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise” (Proverbs 31:31). When you see a godly woman living out the values and characteristics listed in Proverbs 31, praise her. Honour her and ask others to do the same. Actually, we can all do that.
And whilst the command isn’t explicit, I believe there is an instruction here for women too: be a woman of valour. Remember that valour isn’t about what you do, it’s about the way you do it. Whether you’re an office worker, nurse, teacher, in ministry in your church, retired, rich, poor, single, married, mother or childless — do it all with valour. Exhibit strong godly character in all that you do. Actually, we can all choose to do that too, can’t we. After all, it is your character that defines you, not what you do.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
- What is one area of your life, such as finances, parenting, relationships, career, where you feel you could show more valour?
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Head Up the Family Learning Centre
Read Proverbs 31:10-31. Can you remember some of things your parents taught you? I remember Mum teaching me how to bake. I can recall Dad teaching me how to plant vegetables. I was also taught Kingdom values like kindness and forgiveness.
And that’s exactly how God planned it. He wants families to be learning centres. Not only do we learn basic skills like walking, talking, and eating in families. It’s also where we can learn wisdom, spiritual maturity, and good relationships. Even Jesus needed a family. Mary and Joseph helped him to grow physically, mentally, spiritually, and socially.
Raising children well is the responsibility of every family. Others – such as teachers and church members – play a part. But the primary responsibility falls to parents – it’s part of your job description! Let’s pray for mothers and fathers everywhere, that they will do what they can to help their children to grow strong, mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
How do you help prepare your children for life?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Go the Extra Mile with Unexpected Kindness
Read Proverbs 31:10-31. What’s the first word that comes to mind when you think of God? What’s his most important characteristic? You might think of his sovereignty. You might think he is all-knowing. You might think he is everywhere. Sadly, many people think he is angry or judgmental.
But our God is first and foremost a God of mercy. The Bible tells us he is full of mercy towards us. What is mercy? It’s love in action. It is often unexpected kindness. God is full of love and compassion for us. He is slow to anger, quick to show his grace.
And he calls us to do the same. People need us to show mercy to them. People remember your unexpected kindness, because, sadly, kindness is so unexpected these days.
Let’s thank God for his mercy to us and then pledge to go the extra mile in showing unexpected kindness to our family, friends, neighbours, co-workers, and anyone else in need today.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
If God is first and foremost a God of mercy, how does that impact the way you live?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: As You Care for Your Family, God Cares for You
Read Proverbs 31:10-31. When a mother looks out for the needs of her children, there is always a cost. We didn’t have a lot of money when I was growing up. I know my Mum sacrificed many holidays so that she could afford to send her children to life-changing events like music schools and junior camps.
Looking after the needs of others always involves some sacrifice. It might require you to give up your time. You might need to give money. You might need to expend energy. It might require you to give up some privacy.
When we sacrifice our own needs for the sake of others, we are practising wisdom. We are also following the example of Jesus. He sacrificed everything for us. As he went to the cross for us, he was focused on our needs, not his own.
That’s all in God’s plan: he promises to meet our needs as we assume responsibility for meeting other people’s needs. Let’s be prepared to sacrifice for others, trusting in God that he will give us what we need.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
- Why do you think kindness always costs you something?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Be the Same Person in Private as You Are in Public
This week, following Mothers’ Day, we are considering the character of the Woman of Valour described in Proverbs 31. Her values are ones we should all cultivate in our lives, with God’s help.
Read Proverbs 31:10-31. Whether you are a mother or even a woman or not, how do you feel when you read these words? Daunted? As if you have been confronted by an overwhelming ideal? Who on earth can live up to that job description? you might be thinking.
Who makes their own clothes, gets up in the middle of the night to ensure everyone else is ready for the day, takes care of family business, works into the night, gives to those in need, is always strong and dignified, is always ready with a wise word, but can also relax and laugh a little, without taking yourself too seriously, only to collapse on to the sofa each day to be appreciated by your husband and children (or wife, family or friends)? You would be forgiven for giving a nervous laugh and thinking, no way!
But these words are a poem. They are not meant to be taken literally. This is a complete picture of what wisdom looks like, a culmination of the preceding thirty chapters on that subject. What it tells us is how we should do the things we do, not what we should do. It is about our character, not about our deeds.
If we are wise, we will do the things we do with integrity. There will be no difference between what we do in public and what we do in private. Then, people will be able to trust us. This is most proven in how we handle other people’s stuff – their money, their possessions, even their ministry. If we’re honest with other people’s money, if we look after their possessions well and if we work diligently under the authority of others, then we will show integrity and people will trust us.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
How does God test your integrity? Do people trust you?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Use Your Gifts to Serve Others
God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. (1 Peter 4:10).
Read 1 Peter 4:1-11. God has a purpose for your life. He has a contribution he wants you to make. You were not put on earth simply to breathe and use up resources.
You have talents and abilities that can benefit other people. My attempts at DIY are a family joke. So I’m very grateful to those who can turn their hands to jobs around the house. I also have a hard time knowing one end of a car engine from another. So I am thankful for those with mechanical and engineering skills who can look at it for me. Everyone has different talents and abilities.
When I use my gifts and abilities, they can benefit others. If we don’t use the gifts God has given us, then we all miss out. I can bless you with mine and you can bless me with yours. Peter encourages us to use our gifts, talents and abilities well to serve each other. When we do, we bring glory to God.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
- How are you using your gifts to serve others? What are some of the ways God might want you to use them to be a blessing to those around you?
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Put Your Service to the Test!
Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. 1 Peter 4:9.
Read 1 Peter 4:1-11. Do you remember the Disney film, Beauty and the Beast? A French prince is cursed and turned into a hideous beast by an enchantress who warned him not to judge by appearances and he sits in his dark, foreboding castle for over 10 years, wondering if the curse will ever be broken. A beautiful young peasant woman, Belle ends up at the castle one day, waking up the beast’s enchanted household items, who are excited at being able to serve someone again after so many years, and so they sing the catchy song, Be our Guest!
Peter encourages us to cheerfully say to our fellow believers, Be our Guest! Christian hospitality differs from “entertaining.” When we’re entertaining, the focus is on us. We want to be the host or hostess with the most. Our home has to be clean and spotless. The food must be perfect. We must appear to be relaxed and good-humoured, whatever’s happening in the kitchen! But when it comes to showing hospitality to our fellow Christians, like the enchanted household items, we must focus on the guests, not on ourselves. We must focus on their needs – whether they need time, comfort, a listening ear, nourishing food, or just acceptance. And all those things can happen whether our home is tidy or a mess, whether our food is homemade or out of a tin, and whether we are too tired or too busy or with plenty of time on our hands.
When you cheerfully open your home to fellow believers, it draws you closer to them. Where do you see a need to practice hospitality today?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
Who could you open your home to today? What do you think they need from you?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Don't be Controlled by Your Emotions
You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. (1 Peter 4:2).
Read 1 Peter 4:1-11. Have you ever had a meltdown? When you’ve felt so angry or frustrated or upset and you’ve just blown up or broken down in tears? I know I have. But Peter says that Christ’s followers should get their emotions – their “desires” or how they feel – under God’s control by living lives that are controlled by what God wants, rather than what we feel.
How can we do that? The best way is to ask God to help us take a breath and step back to reflect on why we feel the way we do. What’s the real reason why we feel angry, frustrated or upset? Often, it’s not the thing right in front of us, the straw that broke the camel’s back, if you like. It might be something that happened in the past that our current situation has triggered. It might be deep-seated fear about something, or worry, perhaps that we’re not up to scratch or that people will think badly of us.
We can think through whether the way we feel is true or not. Sometimes, we can feel as if everyone or everything is against us or that things will never get better. But on reflection, this is never true. Is the way we feel helpful or hurtful? Often, our anger, frustration and upset hurts us as much or sometimes more than it does others. Taking a deep breath and allowing the moment to pass is better for us in the long run.
When we pause and examine with God why we feel the way we do, we better manage our own emotions and find ourselves in the will of God.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
Think of a recent situation where you were angry or frustrated with someone or a situation. How might pausing and reflecting on those feelings have helped?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Your Faith Needs a Bench Press!
Strengthen yourselves so that you will live here on earth doing what God wants, not the evil things people want. (1 Peter 4:2 NCV).
Read 1 Peter 4:1-11. Last year at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Great Britain obtained its first female medallist in weightlifting when Emily Campbell gained a silver medal when she lifted 161 kilogrammes.
It takes a lot of strength training to lift almost twice your bodyweight! Your faith also needs a workout to continue to grow. What can you do to strengthen your faith? You need to practice what we call “means of grace” – workout programmes for your faith.
These include studying the Bible. You can do that by following these devotionals, paying close attention to the Bible Message each week and discussing the Bible with friends in a small group.
You can read Christian books and articles. Many wise and experienced Christians have committed their words to paper and we can benefit from learning from them.
We can also think about our testimony. Salvationists should always be ready to testify about what God is doing in their lives. But not of all of us can stand up on a moment’s notice and speak out our testimony. So we need to be ready. Someone might ask you about your faith today. What would you say to them? Think about writing something out. It’s amazing how often God gives us an opportunity to share when we’ve prepared ourselves to do so.
Be faithful to your church family. Meet with them on a Sunday. Join in worship with them. And support and encourage a small group of people.
Practice these habits and you will be a spiritual weightlifter!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
What Christian books could you recommend to a Christian friend or your small group?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Has a Purpose for Your Pain
So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. (1 Peter 1:1)
This week we consider living for God, as we focus on Peter’s words in 1 Peter 4:1-11.
Read 1 Peter 4:1-11. Have you ever been hurt or in pain, and thought to yourself (or even said), “I want my mummy!” When we are suffering all we really want to do is to be comforted by someone. To be held and to feel loved. It’s natural to think that way.
But Peter says that as Christians, following Jesus’ example, when we are hurt or in pain, we should try to see other people’s pain and reach out to help them, to comfort and hold them. Many of us have had the opportunity to do that over these past couple of years as we have all suffered the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic together. Whilst we have all experienced it differently, we have collectively suffered together.
We can’t do this in our own strength, of course. We need God’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome our own needs and to look out for the needs of others. When we do, we move away from sin and become more like Jesus.
God can give a purpose to your pain. He can help you to help others who are feeling hurt too. Who do you know who is struggling and what could you do to reach out to them today?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
What pain and hurt have you experienced that God might use to help you bring comfort to others who are suffering in the same way?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Make Love Your Number One Priority
If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:3)
Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Deciding to make loving well a priority is disruptive. It will disrupt your other priorities and your definition of success. No longer will love be about trying to “fix” people or arranging the world in the way you think God wants it. It is all about loving well.
What does this look like? Patience and kindness. Trustful and humble. Courteous. Self-sacrificing. Not easily irritated. Willing to forgive easily. Resilient and hopeful, whatever the circumstances. I did say it was disruptive!
But it is what Jesus calls us to. You can be a Christian but not be a follower of Christ. The sign of a true follower of Christ is supernatural love. When we live in the radical love defined by Paul and make it our number one priority in life, then we are living in the authentic Kingdom of God. When we live it out, we can experience more of heaven on earth.
Will you live God’s radical love into the hurting world around you?
THINK IT OVER
- Who needs you to show radical love to them today?
This daily devotional draws widely on the book, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazzero, published in 2006 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Loving Others is Messy
“Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master”. (Matthew 10:24)
Read Matthew 10:1-42. Do you sometimes wonder if life would be easier without other people? We can be tempted to think this way, particularly after meeting someone who really frustrates us! And there is some truth in it, of course.
Jesus came to give us a rich and satisfying life. But he didn’t say it would be easy! He left the safety of heaven for us, inviting pain and sorrow into his life. He was misunderstood. He was unappreciated. He died an excruciating, naked, lonely death on a cross. Jesus’ life and ministry was messy.
When Jesus called his first followers, he made it clear they should expect much of the same. As he says, “Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master” (Matthew 10:24). We will probably not die on a cross, but every day we will die to ourselves and our needs and desires as we seek to love others as Jesus did. Doing so costs time and energy and always disrupts our lives in some way.
When we make such sacrifices, when we decide to love others, however frustrating they might be at time, when we choose to live in the messy rather than the safe then we bring resurrection life and spiritual fruit in us and in those around us.
THINK IT OVER
Do you play it safe? Or are you OK with the messiness of life?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Be There for Others, But Don't Lose Yourself
Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. (John 13:3)
Read John 13:1-17. I remember the first time it happened: My sister suddenly declared, “Ooh! That sounds a bit Brummy!” I had been living and working around Birmingham for some years and had finally assimilated some of the accent, it seems!
That’s the problem for most of us when we enter other people’s worlds in the name of Jesus: we are in danger of losing our God-given selves in the process. We become like a chameleon: out of fear we no longer say what we prefer to do or voice our opinion. We follow the crowd and lose ourselves in the process.
Jesus took on flesh and became a human being. In doing so, he never ceased to be God. Even as he stooped to wash the feet of his disciples, John tells us that Jesus knew that he had come from God, would return to God and that God had given him authority over everything.
As we learn to genuinely love others, we also need to hang on to the truth that we have the choice to put boundaries in place. We need to be true to our legitimate interests and desires. In other words, let’s love others, let’s enter their worlds, but hold on to ourselves in the process.
THINK IT OVER
How often do you do something you don’t really want to do out of guilt? How could you hold on to your God-given self in these situations?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Learn to Listen Like Jesus
Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he cancelled the larger debt”.
“That’s right”, Jesus said. (Luke 7:43)
Read Luke 7:36-50. Are you a good listener? Or are you like me? If I’m not careful, I’m too ready to complete people’s sentences for them, or sit there crafting my response. Fortunately, repeatedly, Jesus models good listening for us to follow.
In our passage today, Simon the Pharisee starts an argument with Jesus about whether a sinful woman should be allowed to touch Jesus and anoint him with perfume. Jesus listens patiently. Then he replies and asks Simon if he’s understood. Only when he has learned that does Jesus advance his own argument: Simon has failed to show any of the usual courtesies to Jesus, in contrast to the woman who has paid for her sins by showing Jesus much love.
These days we call this reflective listening. We allow the other person to speak until they have finished. Then we try to enter their world by repeating back what we have heard. It helps us to lay aside our own agenda, questions, and defences so that we can understand what the person is saying to us.
Often, we can be so busy contradicting, correcting, judging, or arguing with the other person that we simply fail to understand what they are saying. Jesus never does this. He listens. He is present with the other person. He is never in a rush and never distracted.
Wouldn’t it be great if all Jesus followers were known as great listeners? Let’s follow him and enter other people’s worlds and be available and present by listening well.
THINK IT OVER
Who do you find it most difficult to really listen to? How could you take time to hear and understand them today?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: The Church is Christ with Skin On
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish. (John 1:14 MSG)
The mission statement of The Salvation Army in the United Kingdom and Ireland is, Love God, Love Others. That’s the essence of the life of a Christian. The best way to prioritise that is to intentionally follow the example of Jesus. This week we remind ourselves how to focus on loving well.
Read John 1:1-18. John sets out the amazing truth that our God, the Creator, Preserver and Governor of the universe intentionally decided to limit himself in time and space and in a human body. That God chose to take on human flesh is shocking.
Shocking but necessary. How could we truly relate to a God who is intangible? We needed a God with skin on. That’s why God took on human skin and flesh. He invaded our planet and it changed everything – forever! God showed his love for us by fully entering our world, physically and emotionally.
People still need “skin” today. They are desperate to be loved, to be touched, to be heard. They need someone who will enter their world and care for them. Jesus has returned to his Father. So where can people turn to God with skin on? The answer is his Church – you and me. Through the Body of Christ in whom God dwells, people can find God can still be seen, touched, heard, and tasted. The Holy Spirit dwells within each one of us and we can love, touch, listen to and love those around us.
THINK IT OVER
Who needs you to be “skin” for them today?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Your Weakness is a Witness
Read 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. Who are the people you are impressed by? Is it those who are wealthy and powerful? Those who are successful? Over the years, I have come to be more impressed by “the weak”. Those who have suffered adversity in their lives – ill health, setbacks, career breaks, loss – than those who sailed through live without having to face anything particularly difficult.
How we handle adversity earns the respect of others. Staying faithful when it would be easy to give up is what impresses people. How we handle pain can be a witness to our God and his power in our lives. How we face up to failure and mistakes can be a witness to those around us. Why? Because the only way we can handle suffering and hardship is with God’s help and power.
Your most powerful testimony will come out of your deepest hurt and pain. God will use it to help bring others from despair to the full and abundant life Christ desires for all of us.
THINK IT OVER
- How has God helped others through your difficulties?
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: You Bring Glory to God, Whatever You Think About Yourself
Read 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. What do you say to yourself when you look in the mirror? Are you pleased with what you see? Or do you wish you were different? Do you wish you were more like someone else and less like, well, you? What about your weaknesses? Do you accept them, or wish you could get rid of them?
If Paul had a mirror, he would have looked in it and wished the thorn in his flesh would disappear. But God had other plans! He said to Paul, you have this thorn in the flesh – this weakness – because both your strengths and your weaknesses can give me glory. All you need do is rely on my grace and my power. Just do what I have called you to do and stop trying to be someone else.
When we do not trust God and his plan for our lives, it can lead to frustration and bitterness, and we prevent ourselves from becoming what God wants us to be. But when we accept that God loves us – weaknesses and all – and has a purpose for our lives if we can just learn to trust him and his plans for us, then we can bring him glory.
THINK IT OVER
How does God use your weaknesses to bring glory to him?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: God Has a Purpose for Your Weaknesses
Read 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. How do you feel about your weaknesses? Are you pleased to have them? Or do they frustrate you? If we’re honest, most of us find our weaknesses annoying.
But God’s message to Paul was that his power is made perfect in our weakness. God has a purpose for us and our weaknesses. A good purpose.
As we reminded ourselves yesterday, firstly our weaknesses encourage us to rely on God. If we had no weaknesses, we would have no need of God! We would be self-sufficient. But ultimately, that would be unfulfilling, because we are made in God’s image and therefore created to be in relationship with him and with others.
Our weaknesses help us to value the contribution of others. If we could everything ourselves then we would have no need for other people. Instead, God has designed the world so that I need your gifts and talents as much as you need mine. We need each other.
Our weaknesses also give us a way to serve others. For example, Henri Nouwen wrote about the wounded healer, emphasising that like Christ, the wounds we have experienced in our lives can serve as a great strength and healing when helping others with similar wounds.
God uses our weaknesses to make us more like his Son, Jesus Christ as we learn to depend on him and come to see that he uses even the bad stuff in our lives for good.
THINK IT OVER
How can you use your weaknesses to serve others?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Weaknesses Encourage You to Lean on God’s Strength
Read 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. Your weaknesses can be a good thing. Why? They encourage you to rely on God’s strength rather than your own. When I rely on my own strength, I get tired. I struggle to get up in the morning and spend some quiet time with God. I become less loving to those around me. Why? Because my strength is limited. I need to learn to rely on God’s unlimited strength instead.
Paul was a strong man. He was proud. He was headstrong. He was straight-talking. He had authority. But he also had a “thorn in the flesh” that made him weak. That weakness forced him to depend on God rather than his own powers. What Paul discovered is the weaker his “thorn in the flesh” made him, the more he had to depend on God. The more he had to depend on God, the stronger he became.
It can be true for us too. You may feel too weak to do anything today. Perhaps you can’t even open your Bible or utter a word of prayer. Maybe the idea of going to worship is just too much. Perhaps you cannot even work or do anything, really. What do you do when you feel like that? You rest in God. Depend on him. You trust him and he will make you strong.
THINK IT OVER
Why do we find it so difficult to admit or show weakness?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Your Weaknesses Do Not Stop God from Loving You
We are crack pots! We all live out of brokenness and vulnerability to some extent. The good news is that the Kingdom of God is a bottom-up Kingdom. God uses our weaknesses for good. This week we learn again to live out of our failure and pain.
Read 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. Many of us spend our lives worrying that if people knew who we really were inside then they would reject us. It’s one of our deepest fears. Paul must have felt like this on occasions. He was proud and headstrong, but on more than one occasion his authority and position as an apostle was challenged.
But Paul knew that God would never reject him. Despite his weaknesses, despite the “thorn in his flesh”, Paul understood that God was working for his good. He could be bold and confident in his leadership because he knew that God was always good and gracious.
So why don’t we decide to remove our masks and stop pretending to be who we’re not? Let’s come before God boldly and with confidence. He loves us as we really are and will not reject us. Praise be to him!
THINK IT OVER
In what ways does your fear of rejection affect your relationship with God?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Decide in Advance to Say Yes to Whatever God Says
Read Luke 8:4-15. When God speaks to you, what’s your response? “Mmm. I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Let me think about it”? “Let me compare your request with my other options and get back to you”? Or are you willing – in advance – to simply say yes to whatever God asks of you?
Jesus describes seeds that fell on fertile soil, which grew and produced a huge crop. They represent honest, good-hearted people who hear what God has to say to them and are already willing to say yes. They hear God’s voice. They cling to it for dear life. Then they keep doing what God says until they produce a huge harvest.
As we end this week together, ask yourself if you are willing to find a quiet place to hear from God. Ask yourself if you are willing to hear what he says and to act on it. Ask whether hearing from God is the top priority in your life or if other things are crowding it out. Ask yourself if you are too preoccupied to hear God’s voice. If any of this is true, then join with me in praying for an open mind, for time to listen to God, and the courage to say yes to God whatever he asks of us.
THINK IT OVER
- Are you tired of not hearing from God? If so, what’s one thing you can change today that will open you up to the possibility of hearing from him?
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Weed Out the Distractions
Read Luke 8:4-15. “Sorry, what did you say? I wasn’t listening!” How many times does someone have to repeat something to you because you were distracted by something else? The same is true with God. If we are constantly distracted by our worries, or our plans or our activities – from television to the internet, to our mobile devices – then we will never hear what God has to say to us.
Jesus speaks about the seeds that fall amongst the thorns and are choked by them, explaining this is like those who are too busy worrying about tomorrow, or making money and having fun to listen to God.
Worry pulls in different directions. When we’re filled with anxiety and our nerves are stretched to the limit, it’s difficult to hear what God is saying. We can be so busy making a living that we have no time for God. It takes all our energy to put in long hours at work, arrive home exhausted, fall into bed, and then get up at dawn the next day and do it all over again. Sometimes, we’re so busy doing what makes us happy – having fun and getting on with our lives – that we forget God altogether, even though he would love to be involved in our fun.
As any gardeners will know, it’s easy to grow weeds. It takes no effort at all! If we make no effort to listen to God, then it will be easy for the weeds of worry, busyness, and the pursuit of pleasure to grow and strangle our spiritual lives to death.
Is it time for you to do some weeding so that God can get through and produce a huge harvest in your life?
THINK IT OVER
Do you know what is most important to you in life? Do your calendar and bank statement agree?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: You Can’t Hear God’s Voice if You’re Rushing Around
Read Luke 8:4-15. “I can’t talk now. I’m busy!” Have you ever said that to anyone? Has anyone said it to you? Many of us – me included, on occasions – say this to God all the time! We live life in the fast lane. We’re always in a hurry. We’re running from one activity to the next.
But God doesn’t want what’s left when we’ve done everything else. He wants to be at the centre of all we do. If we want to hear what God has to say, if we want him to direct our lives and our activities, then we must give him some time to listen. We must slow down. We must be quiet. We might even need to put it in our calendar!
Jesus speaks about the seeds that fell among the rocks. It begins to grow but the plant wilts and dies. Why? It can’t get enough water because it cannot grow deep roots. If you don’t take the time to reflect deeply on God’s word, then you will only ever have a superficial grasp of what God is saying to you. There will be no real change in your life.
How do you reflect deeply on God’s word and what he is saying to you? Two of the best ways are to have a daily quiet time with God – like this devotional – and to join a small group. Spending 10-15 minutes a day with your Bible gives you the opportunity to slow down and ask God what he wants to say to you from the passage you are reading. Joining a small group means you discuss what God is saying to you with other people and you can reflect on what he is saying to them too.
If we cultivate these habits, then we are signalling to God that we want to hear from him. How can you be intentional with the time you spend listening for God’s voice?
THINK IT OVER
What role does discussing God’s word, interacting, and learning from others play in your journey of faith?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Are You Ready to Hear God’s Voice?
Read Luke 8:4-15. Sometimes the reason we don’t hear God’s voice is because we don’t want to! We don’t want to give up control over our lives. We’re afraid of what God might say or what he might ask us to do or to stop doing.
If we want to hear from God, then we must be open to what he might say to us. We must be receptive. We’ve got to be ready.
Jesus describes a footpath where some of the seeds fell. A footpath is often narrow and hard. As people walk on it, it gets trampled down. The soil becomes compact. So, any seeds that fall on it will never be able to sprout because they can’t take root.
This is the tragedy of a narrow mind and a hard heart. It’s barren because nothing can grow there. Even if God speaks, his word cannot take root.
Let’s have open minds. Let’s be willing to hear what God has to say to us. Let’s accept his word. Let’s open our hearts and our minds to the possibilities he has for us.
THINK IT OVER
Have you been ignoring something God has been telling you? Are you willing to change your response today?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Find a Quiet Place to Hear God’s Voice
Christians often talk about hearing God’s voice. What does it mean and how can we hear from God? This week we consider the environment we need and most especially the attitudes we must adopt to hear what God is saying to us.
Read Luke 8:4-15. Do you want to hear from God? That’s the fundamental question we all must answer first. If we do, then we need to find somewhere we can hear him.
Modern society is full of noise. Even if you live on our own, we often have the radio or television playing in the background. If we live with others, especially children, then it can sometimes feel like we don’t get a minute’s peace.
It is tough to find a quiet place in today’s world. But it’s also essential. Jesus tells us we need to find somewhere quiet and secluded. Somewhere we can be honest before God. Somewhere we can focus on him and listen to his voice (Matthew 6:6).
Finding somewhere quiet to listen for God shows him our desire to hear from him. You’re never going to hear from God if you’re not quiet enough to be able to listen. Will you make the decision to withdraw for a few minutes and simply be with God today?
THINK IT OVER
Where is your quiet place? In what ways does it help you hear from God?
Today's Battle Drill Devotional: Humility is the Path to Transformation
Read Lamentations 3:1-33. Embracing our pain and loss and learning to wait on God can lead to great transformation in our lives. Jeremiah is able to let go of any need for control and to embrace the grief he felt about Jerusalem’s fate. As he did so he rediscovered his hope in God. He was able to reclaim God’s faithful love. He could once again declare his faithfulness and mercy. God blesses him superabundantly as he follows the difficult path of allowing his losses to transform him.
The central message of the gospel is that it is suffering and death that bring resurrection and lasting change. Our losses are real. Our pain is real. But so is God. Embracing our losses enables us to enjoy a more intimate, loving relationship with God. As we grieve with him, we are changed forever. My prayer is that each one of us will choose to take this journey of faith, and that like Jeremiah, we will still dare to hope that God’s faithful love never ends. That whatever our circumstances, we can hold on to the truth that his faithfulness is great and his mercies never fail. Let’s choose to wait patiently and quietly for his salvation. God bless you!
THINK IT OVER
- How might your pain and losses help you to love others as Jesus did?
This daily devotional draws widely on the book, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazzero, published in 2006 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Lamentations 3:1-33. The world tells us we can do or be anything we want. Sometimes, we are even guilty of telling our children this. But pause for a moment and we realise it’s just not true. God has placed limits on all of us, however gifted we might be. Our physical body has limits: we age, some of us experience health issues that limit us, one day we will finish our lives with unfinished goals and dreams. Our family is a gift, but it is also a source of limits – it gives us our ethnicity, it places us in a country of birth and in a particular culture. Our marital status gives us limits – whether that’s married, single, with children or childless. Our intellectual ability has a limit – we cannot be good at everything. Our talents and gifts are limited. Our material wealth – even if you’re a millionaire – is limited. Your personality and temperament are both a gift and a limit. Your time is limited. Your work and relationships have limits. Work is hard. Relationships are never perfect. Even our spiritual understanding is limited. Our God is a revealing God, but much of what he has revealed about himself is a mystery.
Many of us react to these limits by trying to do more than God intended. We burnout trying to do more than we can. We get stressed and blame others for it. We run around frantically believing the world would stop if we did. Or we get depressed because what we thought we could achieve seems so unachievable that it doesn’t seem worth doing anything at all. But accepting our limits is a necessary part of being a Christian. It helps us to see again that there is a God, but it is not us! It keeps us grounded. It keeps us humble. What limit might you need to accept today?
THINK IT OVER
Does the way in which you are living fit your God-given nature? Are you being faithful to your God-given talents, your unique story, and your weaknesses?
Read Lamentations 3:1-33. Do you like waiting? I’m not sure any of us do! We hate waiting for food, drink, buses, traffic, and people. We finish other people’s sentences. We talk too fast. We love to be in control. Waiting on God when life is confusing is one of our greatest challenges. But that is what Jeremiah suggests. Amid affliction, he takes time to stop and wait. He thinks about what is happening. He grieves over his loss. He says, “it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord” (Lamentations 3:26). Why? Because our waiting shows we understand God is in control. We are not. Too often in our lives we try to play God instead of letting God be God!
When we are stuck in the confusing in-between, when we’re not sure about what is going on and why, it can be frustrating. Often, understanding our situation can prove elusive. Finding a quick solution is out of the question. We simply have to learn to wait on God. He loves us. He is faithful. He has not abandoned us. One day he will act. Will we be ready?
THINK IT OVER
How quickly do you move on from Good Friday to Easter Sunday? What might that have to say about your willingness to wait on God in the confusing in-between?
Read Lamentations 3:1-33. It is perfectly natural for us to want to avoid the pain and loss in our lives. It can feel sado-masochistic to turn into it! But when you stop to think about it, that is the way of the Christian. The way to life in Christ is through death. We cannot have resurrection without first experiencing crucifixion. I have to admit, of course, that’s much easier to say than it is to live!
When we are children, we learn to create defensive walls around us to shield us from pain. Blocking out pain when we are young helps us endure painful circumstances. Otherwise, we might not survive such pain and loss. However, to mature, we must let go of these defence mechanisms and face reality. Some of us continue building the wall. We refuse to acknowledge pain and loss. We tell everyone we’re fine when we’re not. We minimise what is going wrong in our lives, making it appear less serious than it is. We blame others for the pain and loss we feel, or we blame ourselves when others are responsible. We offer excuses or justification for what is going on. Some of us turn to generalities – “there are others worse off than me”, for example. We change the subject or use humour as a shield. Or we become angry and irritable when our pain or loss is mentioned.
Jeremiah shows another, healthier way. He pays attention to the pain and loss he feels. He screams out in pain. He shouts at God. He struggles. He wrestles. He tells God exactly how he’s feeling. He complains to God. He weeps. We would do well to follow his example. Paying attention to how we feel and processing our feelings before God help us to avoid stuffing them down and trying to forget them, only to have them “leak” on us through passive-aggressive behaviour like turning up late, making sarcastic remarks, using a nasty tone of voice, or doling out the silent treatment. Pay attention to yourself and to God. Choose to enter the pain and loss you feel. And like Jeremiah, you will rediscover your hope in the faithfulness of God.
THINK IT OVER
•Do you spin or cover up your pain and losses or can you deal honestly and prayerfully with them?
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We all experience loss in our lives. We can try and escape it or if we have the courage, we can face it and find that it can be the place where self-awareness and powerful change can happen. This week, we discover what our limits have to say to us as human beings. Read Lamentations 3:1-33. We all have limits. We all face losses that interrupt our “normal” lives. We can deny them, we can blame others for them, we can rationalise them, we can turn ourselves over to addictions, we can try and avoid them. But there is no escape from them! We all face many deaths in our lives. We can allow them to crush our spirit, or we can ask God to use them to open us up to new possibilities and new depths of change in Christ.
In our culture, the most common way to deal with pain and loss is addiction. We watch mind-numbing television for hours on end. We keep busy, hoping that incessant activity will numb the pain and help us forget our loss. We overeat, some drink too much alcohol, others indulge in pornography, we take pills – anything that will help us avoid the pain we feel. Some of us demand that someone else – our spouse, our family, our friends, our career, even our church – take the pain away.
As Christians, we can feel guilty for being sad or depressed. Paul tells us to “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Surely, if I feel pain or loss or am anxious about the future, that all points to my unbelief? I just don’t have enough faith! Christians can and should cry and grieve. Jeremiah is surrounded by sin and sorrow. He faces his darkest moment. The time of judgement he prophesied was coming true. He feels depressed. It feels as if God has turned against him. He feels trapped. His prayers, simply bounce off the ceiling. He cries out in anger. But through it all he comes to see that “the faithful love of the Lord never ends!” (Lamentations 3:22).
In the midst of your grief and sorrow, God still loves you. You can still have hope. His mercy is fresh every morning. Hold on to that today.
THINK IT OVER
•What do you do with pain and loss in your life? Forget about it and try to move on? Or allow God to use it for your spiritual and emotional growth?
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Read Genesis 45:1-15. It is often said that hurt people hurt people. When someone has caused us pain and left us deeply wounded, often our first response is to want to hurt them in return. Joseph had a chance to respond to his brothers in anger. He could have destroyed them. He could have had them killed, or thrown them into prison, where he had spent much of the prime of his life. Instead, he chose to join God in blessing them. Does that seem impossible to you?
Joseph made a choice to trust God. His whole life is characterised by moment-by-moment choices to follow God. He had made the decision that God was good, and he could be trusted. So, when he faced a critical decision – that moment when he came face-to-face with the brothers who had sold him into slavery, when he had a split second to decide what to do – he was ready to make the right choice. We are faced with the same choice. We must make daily decisions on our own walk with God. Do we see God as good? Do we trust him? Or do we want to take control? Our answers are critical if we are going to be the blessing God longs us to be to those around us. What choice will you make?
THINK IT OVER
•What difficult choices might you need to make to be a blessing to those around you?
This daily devotional draws widely on the book, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazzero, published in 2006 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Genesis 45:1-15. The situations we’ve faced and the experiences we’ve had, particularly in childhood, often give us negative messages or life scripts that unconsciously inform how we see the world and the decisions we make. Maybe your past circumstances have led you to feel that your life is a mistake. Perhaps you’ve faced situations that have left you feeling worthless. You may find it difficult to trust anyone. Maybe the pain and hurt you’ve faced has made you risk averse. Perhaps you feel like a loser. Joseph could have felt this way. He had plenty of reasons for feeling like this. He was painfully aware of his past. He could have taken the script written by his past and simply acted it out, never examining it to see if it were true.
But Joseph didn’t do that. He thought about his past. He faced the pain and hurt he endured. Then he allowed God to rewrite his script. God can help you rewrite your life script too. He can help you break free from your past and live in what he has for you right now. Are you willing to open yourself to him?
THINK IT OVER
•In what ways might you be following the life script written by your past experiences rather than the new experiences God has for you today?
Read Genesis 45:1-15. Do you know what your name means? I remember my mum telling me that Robert means “bright fame”. I’m still not sure what to do with that! Long after his many years of suffering, when Joseph was prospering in Egypt, he had to children. He gave them names that reflected the sadness and pain he had been through in the past. His first son was called Manasseh, from the Hebrew word for “forget”, reminding Joseph that God had given him the ability to forget all his troubles. His second son was named Ephraim, which comes from the Hebrew word for “fruitful”. Joseph recognised that God had made him fruitful in his new land, despite the suffering and pain he went through to get there.
Going back and reliving the hurt and pain of our past can feel like being sucked into a black hole. Many of us do all we can to avoid it. But the Bible tells us Joseph faced up to his past. When he is finally reunited with his family, he weeps so loudly that the Egyptians could hear him (Genesis 45:2). His honest grieving helped him to truly forgive his brothers. So much so, he was willing to bless them and went on to support them financially, emotionally, and spiritually until the end of his life. Can you see how God has gone ahead of you to deliver you from the hurt and pain in your own life?
THINK IT OVER
•Have you grieved over any hurt and pain in your life, or are you avoiding it? With God’s help, can you name your pain and ask him to help you move on?
Read Genesis 45:1-15. Through his brothers scheming, Joseph lost his parents, his brothers, his culture, food, language, freedom and above all his hope, all in one day as he was sold into slavery in Egypt. Falsely accused of rape by his master’s wife, he was sent to prison and languished there for 10-13 years. His life was a tragedy. And yet, through it all, Joseph affirms the goodness of God, seeing his big, loving hand guiding him through all his pain and hardships. When he is finally reunited with his brothers in Genesis 45, he repeatedly tells him that everything that has happened to him is because of God, not his brothers. He sees it all as part of God’s plan and purpose for his life. Despite enduring years of darkness and obscurity, Joseph continues to believe he is in God’s hands. He believes God is big enough and good enough to work through human effort. That he can bring about his purposes for each person despite what humans do, sometimes working with them and sometimes working against them. He is sovereign.
You do not need to erase your past to embrace God’s purposes for you. God uses it all. Every mistake we’ve made, every failure we’ve chalked up, every detour we’ve taken. They’re all taken by God and made into a gift for our future of blessing.
I love your voice you have led me through the fire;
in darkest night, you are close like no other.
I've known you as a father I've known you as a friend;
and I have lived in the goodness of God.
'Cause all my life you have been faithful,
and all my life you have been so so good,
with ev'ry breath that I am able,
oh, I will sing of the goodness of God.
Ed Cash, Ben Fielding, Jason Ingram, Brian Johnson, and Jenn Johnson
© 2018 Alletrop Music (Admin by CapitolCMGPublishing.com)/Fellow Ships Music/So Essential Tunes (Admin by Essential Music Publishing LLC)/SHOUT! Music Publishing (Adm by SHOUT! Music Publishing UK)/Bethel Music Publishing (Adm Song Solutions www.songsolutions.org) Used by Permission. CCL Licence No. 30158
THINK IT OVER
•Can you see how God has used the mistakes and detours in your own life to bless you and others today?
This week, we continue the demanding work of selecting reverse to move forward - breaking free from the destructive patterns of our past and living out the purpose God has for our lives. The story of Joseph gives us a practical, biblical example of finding freedom from our family life scripts.
Read Genesis 45:1-15. God clearly has something to teach us through the story of Joseph. His story takes up 25 percent. of the book of Genesis. It’s clearly important! Many of us will know the story from our days in Sunday School or through singing about his “dazzling coat of many colours”. But Joseph’s story is about someone who lived in a family of great brokenness and sadness, stretching back over generations, and yet who managed to grow up into an emotionally and spiritually mature adult.
Joseph belonged to what we call today a “blended family”. He was the eleventh of twelve sons born to his father, Jacob. He lived with his father, his two wives and his two concubines and his eleven brothers, all under one roof. It becomes clear that in this maelstrom of complex family relationships, Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children. Not surprisingly, his brothers were jealous and couldn’t say a kind word to him. Poor Joseph didn’t help himself either! He comes across as immature and arrogant. Joseph has a dream, but as he recounts it to his brothers, in his telling the brothers begin to hate him even more. In the end, they decide to fake his death at the hands of a wild animal and sell him into slavery in Egypt, hoping they had heard the last of him. Joseph’s family was marked by a pattern of lying, half-truths, secrecy, and jealousy. Joseph’s father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all guilty of perpetuating this pattern. Joseph’s brothers took this to another level altogether!
Through his brothers scheming, Joseph lost his parents, his brothers, his culture, and his freedom in one day. Whilst serving as a slave in Egypt, he is falsely accused of rape by the wife of his master, Potiphar, and sent to prison. Joseph should have been filled with bitterness and pain for all he had been through. But he remains a faithful seeker and lover of God. Even as his circumstances swirled out of control, the Bible describes Joseph as a man walking with God. What about us? Are we willing to break free from any bad patterns of behaviour our families may have taught us? Are we willing to select reverse to move forward and walk with God? If we are, then like Joseph we can be a blessing to our family and those around us.
THINK IT OVER
•Do you have traumatic losses in your past or present? How might they affect who you are today?
Read Mark 3:31-35. Throughout this week we have reflected on the impact our family have on the way we think and act in the present. But our family’s past does not decide our future. God does!
When we place our faith in Christ and his work on the cross, we are spiritually reborn by the Holy Spirit into the family of Jesus. God adopts us. We are a new creation reborn into a new family. We are now in a new relationship with God our Father. This is the profound truth Jesus was pointing to when he looked at those seated in the circle around him in Mark 3 and declared: “Here are my true family members” (Mark 3:34b TPT). The church, our fellow Christians, now becomes our “first family” – the place where we learn new patterns of thinking and new ways of behaving.
Being a Jesus follower is about putting off the sinful patterns of our past – usually passed down to us by our families – and being transformed into new creations and learning to live as members of Christ’s family.
The church is the place where slowly but surely, we are “re-parented” on doing life in Christ’s way. It’s where we learn that success means being faithful to God’s purposes for us. It’s where we learn to seek God and his righteousness first. It’s where God declares we are loved and that we are good enough in Christ. God intends the church to be a family where we are set free.
We honour our parents. We love our family. But, as Jesus’ followers, we learn to obey God.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What was considered “success” in your family?
This daily devotional draws widely on the book, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazzero, published in 2006 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Mark 3:31-35. When you look back at your family, you may challenge me and suggest that it has not passed on any unhealthy habits or patterns of behaviour. Or you may feel that your family are so messed up, there is no hope of breaking free and moving forwards.
The truth is that all families are broken and fallen in some way, because all human beings are broken and fallen to some extent. There are no perfect families with perfect parents because only Jesus was perfect! Most parents do the best they can in bringing up their children, but as we have been reflecting this week, it’s likely they were passed unhealthy habits and patterns of behaviour by their parents. It is no reflection on them or us or on their love for us.
But if we are unwilling to go back to move forwards, then our unhealed wounds open us up to habitual sin against God and against other people. The good news is that if we do face up to our past, then in Christ we can emerge from it free, more whole, and newly alive in him.
Our family is part of God’s plan for us. Even the most painful family experiences are part of our total identity. The more we know about our families, and the more we find out about ourselves as we go back to move forwards, the more we can decide – with God’s help – what to keep and what to let go.
And we don’t do it alone. Our Christian family can help us. Wise friends, a mentor, our officer, or pastor, or even a therapist or counsellor can all help us on this journey. Are you ready to go back to move forwards?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What challenging work of discipleship might you have to undertake?
Read Mark 3:31-35. Our families teach us so much. If we grew up in a Christian family, then they may have taught us how to pray, how to read the Bible, and how to take part in worship. But they may also have ingrained habits and ways of behaving which have an annoying habit of raising their ugly heads when we’re under stress.
Dealing with these is painful. None of us want to feel we are betraying our family in any way. And digging up the “dirt” on them seems unfair. But if we do not do the challenging work of going back to move forward, then the only way we can deal with these unhealthy habits and ways of behaving is to compartmentalise our “spiritual life” from the rest of our lives.
The problem is, of course, that it doesn’t work. I know from my own experience that we can make sure that our shoes are clean and that our uniforms are well pressed, and then dress up in them on a Sunday morning and then proceed to have an almighty row because someone in the family isn’t ready on time, or the girls are fighting or no one helped to get lunch ready. The family arrive at church barely speaking to each other and silently seething. The jack is out of the box again!
If we have unhealthy habits and patterns of behaviour that “pop out”, especially when we’re stressed, then the only thing we can do is go back to move forwards. It’s painful but we have little choice. The good news is that Jesus is more than willing to help remove the weight of this baggage. Let’s choose to place our hope in him.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Over two or three generations, how was conflict handled in your family? Can you see this pattern in the way you handle conflict?
Read Mark 3:31-35. What beliefs does your family hold that still have an influence on you today? We often underestimate the deep imprint our families leave on us. But they teach us certain ways of behaving and thinking. These can be hard to break without God’s help and a life of biblical discipleship.
We are taught to believe things like the more money you have, the more important you are; avoiding conflict at all costs; sex must not be spoken about openly; you must get over losses quickly and move on; sarcasm is an acceptable way to release anger; you don’t air your family’s “dirty laundry” in public and so on. These beliefs affect us and our relationships today.
It is therefore essential that we reflect on these messages that have been handed down to us and submit them to God and to his Word. The cost of simply ignoring our past and its impact on our present is just too costly.
If our family’s script is contrary to God’s purposes for us, then we need to deal with them and ensure we are following God’s desires for our life rather than the rules and beliefs of our family. It’s time to go back to move forwards.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Are there any heroes in your family? What about losers? Why do you think of them that way?
Following Jesus requires us to break free from the destructive patterns of our past and living out the purpose God has for our lives. Sometimes, we need to go back to move forward. This week, we focus on the part our family plays in our life with God.
Read Mark 3:31-35. More people seem to be interested in researching their family tree, fuelled by television programmes like, Who Do You Think You Are? and websites like ancestry.co.uk. There was great excitement at the beginning of this year when the 1921 Census data was published, allowing many people to begin adding more pieces to their jigsaw puzzle of origin.
The Bible sees some importance in our ancestry too. When it talks of our “family”, it usually means our entire extended family over three or four generations. It is important, then, for us to know all about our brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, grandparents, and great-grandparents, and to delve back at least as far as the mid-1800s!
Why is our ancestry important? Because whilst our lives our shaped by our circumstances, by far the biggest influence on how we live life is our family. Some of us leave home determined to “break away” from our family ties, only to discover, years later, that our family way of doing things follows us wherever we go! What happens in one generation, often happens again in the next, however hard we try. The consequences of actions and decisions taken in an earlier generation can also affect us today.
You are not acting alone. You are a player in a much larger family system that may well go back three or four generations. It therefore helps if we know who our family are and what their patterns might be. Sometimes, going back is the only way to move forward.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•How would you describe each of the family members you know with two or three adjectives? What do you learn about your family from these descriptions?
Read Matthew 22:34-40. Sometimes I think the best way Gail tells me she loves me is by bringing me that first mug of coffee in the morning! Doing things we know people like us to do is a fantastic way of expressing our love for them.
Every week I see people helping others into work, supplying food, cooking lunch, playing, and singing music, teaching, and leading, using technology, texting, and phoning, running errands and all sorts of other activities as a way of serving God and expressing love to others.
I thank God for those who make the choice to serve God and show their love for others in many acts of service each week. Sometimes, the best way to tell someone you love them is by asking, “What can I do to help you, today?”
Why not spend some time in prayer asking God how you can serve him today. Be attentive to the opportunities he brings to mind. You could donate some clothing or other goods to the church or a local charity. Or perhaps you can think of someone who may benefit from your help at this time, either by offering to walk their dog, making dinner for them or helping them with the weekly shopping, for example. Today is the day to Love God and Love Others by carrying out an act of service in his name.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oWhat are some of the ways you could decide to serve someone today?
This week’s devotionals owe much to The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman (2010, Northfield Publishing) and material produced by The Salvation Army in the United Kingdom and Ireland in connection with Covenant Sunday 2022.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Read Matthew 22:34-40. Right at the beginning of the first Coronavirus lockdown in March 2020, I saw a picture that said, “To my friends saying they can’t wait to hug everyone when this ends. I didn’t hug you before this started and I’m not hugging you after!”
Not all of us value physical touch as a way of communicating love, but many of us do, and have missed hugging and shaking hands over the past two years. Just a few weeks ago, I received a hug for something that I’d done, and it seemed extra special for not having had one for so long from someone I had ministered to. Many of us can start to feel unloved without physical touch.
This can be especially true in times of crisis. As a pastor, it has hurt not to be able to hug people who have faced illness, grief, and bereavement, particularly when I could see the person longed for the comfort physical touch can bring.
Of course, the virus is still a threat to many of us as you listen to or read this daily devotional today. But asking someone if they don’t mind receiving a hug or a handshake is possible. They may just have been longing for one! Even bumping elbows can be all it takes to make someone feel loved today.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oIf you feel comfortable enough to do so, who could you reach out and touch in love today?
Read Matthew 22:34-40. “Come let us all unite to sing: God is love!” (Anon, SASB 8). “God’s love is wonderful, Wonderful that he should give his Son to die for me” (Sidney E. Cox, SASB 25). “Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see” (Thomas Obediah Chisholm, SASB 26). “God’s love is sufficient for me” (Anon, SASB 24). “Ours is not a distant God, remote, unfeeling” (John Gowans, SASB 10). Our Salvation Army Song Book is full of words of affirmation and love to God.
Our words are powerful communicators of our love for God. We can use great prose and poetry – either from ourselves or from others – or we can find simple, straightforward ways of affirming our love to God. He’s more than happy to accept “I love you, Lord” if it is sincerely meant and from the heart.
Why not take some moments today to find a song or verse yourself that speaks of God’s love. Try to find one that focuses on who God is, rather than just on what he has done for us. This isn’t always easy, because the two are linked. Read or sing these out to God. Or if you’re feeling creative why not write your own love song to God. If you need inspiration and help in expressing emotions to God in a suitable manner, turn to the Psalms. It doesn’t matter whether your song rhymes or fits to a tune. What is more important is that it expresses the truth and that it expresses your love for God.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oWhich song words have had the most profound impact on you in helping you express your love for God?
Read Matthew 22:34-40. Can you remember the first time you gave someone a gift? Maybe it was flowers from a garden for your mum, or a chocolate heart for your first Valentine, or a pair of socks at Christmas for your Uncle Fred. We often remember gifts we have given and gifts we have received because they are visual symbols of love.
God is, of course, the ultimate gift-giver. Everything we have is a gift from him. Everything in the created world is a gift. He gives his gifts of salvation, grace, and mercy. He gives us gifts of talents and skills. And his Holy Spirit gives us specific gifts for use in the service of others.
What can we do to show our gratitude for these gifts from God? We can give something back to him. When I gave Gail a ring on our wedding day as a symbol of my love for her, she gave a ring back to me to show me that she loved me too.
Why not set aside some time today to give God a gift. If you’re a musician, why not sing to him or play him your instrument? If you’re a dancer, you could dance a dance for him. If you’re a baker, then why not make him a cake (and if you decide to give it away after you’ve baked it, you might make someone else’s day too!). You could write him a letter or a poem. Or you could do something else equally as creative. Take time to express your love to God today.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oWhat gift could you offer to God today as an expression of your love for him?
Jesus tells us that the two greatest priorities for his followers are to Love God and Love Others. This week we explore five diverse ways we can do that.
Read Matthew 22:34-40. When was the last time you gave God your focused attention? There are so many things to distract us! Other people, entertainment and technology can all get in the way. But spending focused time with God is a powerful way to communicate you love him.
Having a quality conversation with God takes time and focus. It gives us an opportunity to really listen to what God has to say to us. You may reply that God has never spoken to you. But have you ever truly and properly listened for him?
God speaks to us through his Word. Maybe God has something specific to say to you through today’s reading. You will only catch it if you are focused on what you are reading and listening to.
God speaks to us through our difficulties. Often our problems can distract us from God, but if we pay attention to what is happening and how we feel and how God is supporting and leading us through them, they can become powerful indicators of what God is saying to us.
God also speaks to us through his Holy Spirit. Sometimes, it’s a physical feeling – a knot in the stomach, a sense that you must act on something. Sometimes, people hear a voice that is unmistakably the Spirit speaking. However the Spirit chooses to communicate with you, it’s vital you are quiet and still enough to hear him!
Let’s find time to spend quality time with God today. Sit in your favourite armchair, or go for a walk, and focus on being with God. Don’t bring a list of requests, but focus on being aware of his presence, listening to him and responding to him.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oWhat in your life detracts from spending quality time with God?
Read 2 Corinthians 9:1-15. How does your neighbour know you are a Christian? Paul suggests one of the best ways people can tell we’re followers of Jesus is in how we give.
Giving generously, sacrificially and cheerfully is a sign that we are genuinely following Jesus’ example and direction. It shows that our hearts have been cleansed of self-interest. It is proof that we are growing a servant heart after our Saviour’s own heart.
And Paul says that such giving will lead to thanksgiving to God himself. As those in need receive our gifts, they will raise their voices in praise and thanksgiving to God. When we opt-out of giving, we opt out of the privilege of meeting human need and the honour of promoting God’s glory.
As God works in our hearts as we deny ourselves to meet the needs of our brothers and sisters may we each be encouraged by him to give readily, generously and cheerfully in recognition of his immeasurable grace to us.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oWhat you will give up to ensure God is enthroned in your heart?
Read 2 Corinthians 9:1-15. It’s not a great time to be a saver, is it? Interest rates have been historically low for a long time. Your money isn’t earning you much. God’s interest rates are always high! When we invest, he multiplies beyond measure.
God gives us so much, doesn’t he? And yet, it’s not just for our benefit. He gives us those resources to use and invest for him. Paul uses the metaphor of the seed from Psalm 112 to explain that God does not give us resources to hide them away for ourselves, or to foolishly and selfishly devour them, or to throw them away as worthless to us. Instead, he encourages us to plant them, cultivate them, care for them so that they produce more crops.
And that’s the miracle of God’s economy. When we decide to invest our resources in him – whether it’s money, talents, time, our very hearts – his interest rates always ensure a high rate of return! When we invest what God has given us in his work, he promises to provide us with even more to give in his service.
Now that’s an investment opportunity not to be missed!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oWhat are some of the results you have seen when you have been generous in your giving?
Read 2 Corinthians 9:1-15. “It’s not what you said, it’s the way that you said it!” Have you ever said that to someone, or had it said to you? When someone says this, it means that the words used don’t matter as much as the attitude that was behind them.
The same is true for God when it comes to giving. The amount we give isn’t as important as the attitude we have when we’re giving. After all, Jesus didn’t commend the rich who were putting large amounts of money into the temple coffers. Instead, he highlighted the poor widow who gave only two small coins. He wasn’t interested in the amount of money, but the attitude in which it was given; he could see into the hearts of the givers.
The rich were giving a tiny proportion from their surplus. It would make no difference to them and their hearts were cold. The widow gave all she had, and she revealed a warm, kind and generous heart as those two small coins dropped into the treasury chest.
God is a cheerful giver. Think about all the things in our lives that he gives because he loves us and wants the best for us. And he is pleased when we give generously and joyfully, because we are created in his image, and the best thing we can do with our lives is to learn to be more like him.
So, let’s be thoughtful in our giving. Let’s examine our giving in our hearts, before God, and then choose to be decisive and cheerful in whatever we choose to give. When we stop to appreciate God’s grace to us, then we will be ready to respond and to give our all, generously and cheerfully.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oWhy do you give? What do you think are valid motives for giving?
Read 2 Corinthians 9:1-15. Money can often be a huge source of worry for us. How will I pay my bills this month? What if the current economic crisis means I lose my job? What will I live on when I retire? What happens if my money ever runs out?
These worries can have a huge effect on our ability to give generously. We worry if we will have enough money to meet our own needs if we generously give it away to others. Paul offers assurance. God is able to meet our needs. He is the Almighty. He owns the universe. And he promises to bless those who give back to him.
People who give back to God will lack nothing they really need. In the Old Testament, God promised his people:
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Malachi 3:10 (NLT)
God promises to bless the generous giver with enough for their needs and to multiply their resources to continue sharing with others. Don’t let worry rob you of his blessing! Instead, ask him to meet your needs today.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oWhat have been some of the results of your generous giving?
This week we are focusing on what happens when we are generous.
Read 2 Corinthians 9:1-15. Many of us sharing this devotional are “middle milers,” in the middle of the Christian race. It’s a place often less thrilling than the start of the race or reaching the end. It requires stubborn determination to keep going. We need motivation to persevere. And sometimes, we need a prod to rediscover our enthusiasm for doing the right thing.
The Corinthian Christians were initially enthusiastic about contributing to the collection for their brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. In fact, their willingness to do so had encouraged the Macedonian church to do the same. But now Paul is worried. The Corinthian collection has not yet been sent. Has their enthusiasm for it waned? In these two verses, Paul gives them a little prod to rekindle it.
Perhaps there are times we need to be reminded of God’s ways. We know – indeed we are eager – to be generous as our Heavenly Father is generous. But as middle milers, sometimes we can forget this principle for living. May Paul’s encouragement be encouragement for us all!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oHow do you decide what to give, and to whom?
Read 2 Corinthians 5:11-21. Once you begin to look at your emotional health, it can be disconcerting and frightening. Going beneath the surface of our lives can feel like doing a tightrope walk without a safety net!
However, God’s good news is our safety net. The Bible tells us that we are sinful and flawed – more than most of us ever care to admit – but at the same time we are more accepted and loved by God than we can ever imagine. We are so loved by God that he sent Jesus to live and die in our place.
God’s grace is available to us, and it is entirely separate from anything we try and do for him. As I often say – because it needs repeating! – there is nothing you can do that will make God love you more and nothing you’ve done that will make him love you less.
We don’t have to prove we’re good. We don’t have to show we’re loveable. We don’t have to demonstrate that we’re valuable to God. We don’t even have to be right all the time! God knows about the 90 percent. of our icebergs lying beneath the surface, and he totally and utterly loves us in Christ anyway.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•How does knowing that God loves you unconditionally help you to deal with some of the more difficult aspects of who you are?
Read Galatians 5:16-26. What happens when we deal with our emotions and learn to live God’s way? We grow spiritual fruit!
When your affection for others is growing, when you sense an exuberance and excitement about life, when you’re able to remain serene in the most chaotic of circumstances, when you are willing to stick with things however difficult the road ahead gets, when you deal with others with a sense of compassion in your heart, when you have a conviction that people and things are basically good and holy, when you keep loyal commitments, when you no longer feel the need to force your way through life and when you can marshal and direct your energies wisely, then you begin to live your best life.
God promises us that if we live our lives this way, then they will be beautiful.
Do you long for more spiritual fruit like this in your life? I know I do! Let’s allow God to love us where we are today, but then asking him to do his Holy Spirit work in us so that we become the kind of people he longs for us to be.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•To what degree are the spiritual fruit Paul describes realities in your life today?
Read Genesis 1:1-2:3. We are made in God’s image. Every aspect of our humanity is made after God. That includes our physical, spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and social dimensions. If we neglect any of these, it has destructive consequences.
Many Christians are taught to approach life and God through fact and faith. What is important is what we believe and what is true. These are important, of course. But this teaching often leads us to ignore – even suppress – our feelings, our emotions. “Bad feelings” like anger are dangerous, we are led to believe, and must be stuffed back down inside ourselves, never to become exposed.
But God works through these feelings and emotions too. We only have to read the psalms to see that! God can meet us in our sadness, in our depression and in our anger. He lovingly comes to us when we experience these emotions and speaks to us. He offers us the invitation to change through those experiences.
When we understand this then a revolutionary transformation can take place. It can transform our discipleship as a follower of Christ, it can change our marriages, our parenting, our friendships and even our churches!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What does your physical body tell you about your feelings? Do you ever have a knot in the stomach, a tension headache, grind your teeth, have sweaty palms or difficulty sleeping?
Read Matthew 11:25-30. Jesus promises his followers a life of rest. Following him, he says, is easy. The burden he gives us is light.
But often, living as a Christian doesn’t feel like that. We don’t experience the joy and contentment the Bible promises us. We wind up being unhappy, frustrated, over-busy and harassed. We feel exhausted and we just want to get off the treadmill for a while.
Why is that? Often, it’s because we’re leading a double life. There is a gap between what we believe and what we experience.
God is trying to get our attention! Sometimes, it’s only when life is painful that we find the motivation to make a change. When we sense discomfort and anguish, that’s when we are willing to go beneath the surface and deal with whatever’s in our hearts in a deep and meaningful way.
If you sense that you’re missing Jesus’ easy and light yoke and you feel that life is burdensome, then ask him to help you deal with the gap between your belief and experience. His healing balm awaits as you have an honest conversation with him.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Are you fully aware of what you are feeling and doing?
If you ever meet an iceberg, you should know that what you can see is only around ten percent. of its mass. As Christians, we can sometimes make changes that are visible to others, whilst the roots of who we are remain unaffected. This week, we begin a series looking at what it means to be an emotionally healthy Christian.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:11-21. Paul declares that when you become a Christian, God makes you a new person. Your old life is gone, and your new life has begun!
However, for many Christians – me included – that’s not our experience. Why? Often, it’s because our discipleship hasn’t helped us deal with the deep wounds and sin patterns that have grown up in our lives. We continue to be plagued by past difficulties, arguments, conflicts, and failures. How we live out our Christian lives doesn’t seem to transform the deep places in our lives.
One reason is because many of us do not emerge emotionally mature from our families. Our families are often cracked and broken, certainly not perfect, and that influences us. They are marked by the consequences of the disobedience of Adam and Eve described in the Bible. Even the best families can hide reasons for shame, family secrets, lies, relationship breakdowns and disappointments.
It is vital we understand all this to allow the Holy Spirit to transform us in the way Paul promises. Understanding the old things in our lives – our hurts and hang ups – can help us to be the people God longs for us to be.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•How does it feel to be honest with God about where you have come from?
If you want to know who you’re becoming, then take a look at your friends. We most resemble those we spend the most time with.
If you want to be wise, then make sure your friends are wise. Proverbs says if you surround yourself with friends who are wise – those who are encouraging, who build you up, and hold you accountable – then you’ll be wise. But hang around with fools and you’ll soon find yourself in trouble.
Spiritual maturity always occurs in community. Wisdom requires community, because it’s really about love. Wisdom proves itself in relationships. Wise friends love you for who you are but also want to encourage you to become the person God made you to be.
Friends help grow your wisdom by offering their own godly wisdom.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•How are your friends encouraging you in spiritual maturity and godly wisdom?
A few years ago now, a retired senior leader of The Salvation Army came to stay with us. At the end of the weekend, I worried I had been like the Spanish Inquisition having asked him so many questions! I had recognised he was a very wise person. He had something to teach me. But wise people are very humble (as we thought about yesterday), and so often you have to draw their wisdom from them slowly, like drawing water from a well.
How do you draw wisdom from someone? You ask them questions. But it’s not enough to simply ask them questions. You have to listen to their answers. I don’t learn much when my lips are moving! It’s when I learn to be quiet and listen that I learn the most.
If you want to be wise, then learn from the wise. In order to learn from the wise, be prepared to ask questions, keep quiet and listen to the answers.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•My wise mum taught me there’s a reason we have one mouth and two ears! If you spent a day speaking and listening in that proportion, what difference do you think it would make?
One of the lessons I am continuing to learn in life is: God is God, and I am not.
The problem is, of course, like most people, I want to retain control of my life. I want to be God of my life, even if I am not always honest enough to put it in those terms. But I want to be God in my relationships. I want to be God and have control over my money. I want to be God when it comes to deciding whether I am frustrated with someone, or resentful or wanting to hold a grudge. I want to have a control.
Wisdom begins when we accept we are not God. God is. Realising that God is God is what the writer of Proverbs calls, “Fear of the Lord.” Wise people are humble, which means recognising they are not God. They remain teachable, willing to learn anything from anyone, whether it’s in relationships, finance, career, conflict and any other life challenges you can think of.
Maybe the best thing we can all do today is simply repeat the mantra in our heads: God is God, and I am not. God is God, and I am not. Try it!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Do you think remembering that God is God, and you are not might reduce the stress in your life?
Do you know where the word hypocrite comes from? In Greek theatre, the acting company would be quite small, so the actors were required to play five or six different parts each. They would differentiate between the characters by wearing different masks. Actors that did that were known as hypocrites. Apt, isn’t it? Hypocrites today still wear masks. They try to appear to be something they’re not. They play a part.
Wisdom is learning not to wear a mask. To be genuine and authentic with people. To be open with God and with other people about your weaknesses. It’s getting away from perfectionism and pretending you’ve got everything together. What happens when you take off the mask? God promises to show you mercy. And godly people will do the same. Most people will appreciate your honesty, and it may encourage them to be open about their own weaknesses too. It’s the best way to build an authentic and genuine community.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Do you have a weakness you try to hide from other people? What do you think they would say if you were honest to them about it?
One of the greatest qualities we can possess is wisdom. The Book of Proverbs is full of timeless advice that takes us beyond mere education and knowledge and helps us understand the importance of wisdom in the Kingdom of God. This week, we look at five different aspects of wisdom.
What do you want most in life? What is your life built upon? In his parable of the wise and foolish builders, Jesus makes clear the consequences of building your life on the wrong things. Soon you discover you have built on sand, and eventually what you’ve relied upon collapses with a mighty crash. You can build your life on what other people think. But often, they’ll change their minds and then you find yourself left in the lurch. You can build your life on what’s fashionable. But fashions change. They get thrown out and replaced by something else.
The Bible says build your life on things you can trust: the truth, wisdom, discipline and good judgment. All are available to us as gifts from God. We can learn them by opening and reading God’s Word. The more time we spend learning what God is saying to us, and how he reveals himself to us, the more truth there will be in our lives and the more wisdom, discipline and good judgment we’ll learn.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•How much time do you spend in God’s Word each day? Does it reflect the amount of time you want to devote to gaining truth, wisdom, discipline and good judgment?
Read 1 Corinthians 2:1-16. Here we are at the end of the first week of the New Year. Are you still struggling to make a New Year resolution?
Then Paul has one for you: forget everything except Jesus Christ. Don’t you think that’s a great resolution? For Paul, life and ministry is simply Jesus Christ and nothing else.
What does that mean for you? It means that life is not Jesus Christ plus being good so that God is pleased with you. It’s not Jesus Christ plus not missing a day of Battle Drill. It’s not Jesus Christ plus all the things you do at church. It’s not Jesus Christ plus the pips on your shoulders. It’s not Jesus Christ plus how much you put in your weekly giving. It’s not Jesus Christ plus how many Christian books you read this year.
Life is Jesus Christ plus nothing. The best thing we can all do in 2022 is focus on Jesus, who he is, what he did for us and what he has planned for us this year and beyond.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: •What do you try to add to Jesus Christ to ensure God is pleased with you?
Read Philippians 3:12-21. Do you have a to-do list for 2022? Maybe it’s a work one, or maybe it’s fun things that you want to do – holidays, days out and so on.
Many of us have a to-do list, and it seems to be a never-ending one! What we sometimes do not realise is that whenever we say “yes” to something and add it to our to-do list, we say “no” to something else. There are only 8,760 hours in 2022 – if we fill them all then we are saying no to other things!
One of the ways to combat this is to have a not-to-do list running alongside your to-do list. For example, not having my emails open all day and responding to them as they come is on my not-to-do list, so that work that needs focus – like preparing these daily devotionals – can be carried out without interruption. To focus on one thing, I must move everything else to my not-to-do list.
That’s what God wants you to do in 2022. He wants you to focus on his purpose for your life – this year and every year. Surely, you don’t want to miss God’s plan for your life by filling it up with all sorts of other things.
So, ask God to clarify what he wants you to do this year. Then ask him what he wants you to eliminate so you can focus on that goal. Add those things to your not-to-do list and then fix your eye on the goal, and in God’s power, go for it!
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: •What is God’s purpose for you in 2022?
Read Luke 15:11-32. Have you ever changed your appearance to look like someone you admire? I’m not sure I ever had a specific person in mind, but I look back to photos of when I was a teenager and had hair, and my hairstyle certainly resembles some of the popstars of the time!
When you read the story of the Lost Son, who do you identify with? Maybe you’re the lost son or daughter, returning to God after an absence from him? Maybe, if you’re honest, you can see some of yourself in the reaction of the older son – harbouring resentment against the lost son because the father chooses to show him grace.
As we begin 2022, I am sure that God wants us all to identify with the father rather than the two sons. As followers of Jesus, we are each on a journey to become more like him – growing his heart, his mind and his other-centredness in our lives each day.
That’s exactly what the father shows. He continues to show love and compassion to his lost son, scanning the horizon, praying, and hoping for his return.
We are called to resemble this father of love, compassion, and grace by allowing the Holy Spirit to make us more like the loving, compassionate and gracious Son.
Will you resolve to look more like Jesus in 2022? As each of us opens to more of his Holy Spirit’s power in our lives this year then we will grow to greater Christian maturity and become who God wants us to be.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Do your New Year’s resolutions reflect a desire to become more like Jesus in 2022?
Read Psalm 51:1-19. Do you ever wish you could start again? That your life could be a blank sheet of pristine, white paper, waiting to be written on for the first time?
Of course, that’s not possible. What we’ve done, what we’ve said and what we’ve thought before follow us into this New Year. We wish we could just get rid of them.
And yet, with God it is possible. God has the power and the will to wipe our slates clean so that we can start again. We can seek this from him at any time, but a New Year is always a good moment to ask for a Genesis moment. Any power we have to think right, to live right and to speak right comes through the Holy Spirit.
If your life is in chaos, if you sense that all you do is react to circumstances, events, or feelings, if you feel as if life is going nowhere and you’re lacking in energy and motivation, then simply ask God for a fresh start. Pray the psalmist’s prayer today: “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me”. Give me a new beginning. Give me new hope. Give me new life.
It’s yours to claim today.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•How does it feel to know that God always has the power to give you a fresh start?
Welcome to 2022! What’s going to be different this year? Have you made any New Year resolutions? We’re going to consider some this week.
Read Mark 2:18-22. Do you begin the New Year with excitement and ready to make those changes in your life you’ve been promising yourself for goodness knows how many New Years? Many of us start a New Year with good intentions – me included – but end up breaking our resolutions even before we’ve put the Christmas decorations away! Why?
Jesus says that often it’s because we’re trying to pour new wine into old wineskins. When we do that, we’re bound to fail because the old wineskins will burst. If we try to pour the new wine of “kindness” into the old wineskin of “being judgmental”, for example, then it will never work!
If you want to become the person God wants you to be in 2022 – more like his Son, Jesus Christ – then you must throw out your old wineskins – whatever they are – so that God can pour the Holy Spirit of his new wine into your New Year’s life.
Are you ready to throw out the old stuff? Are you excited that God has the power to mould you into the person he wants you to be, and that deep down, you want to be too? Do you trust that God won’t just help you to make the changes you want to make but lead you through them? Then get ready: 2022 is going to be a life-changing year!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What are some of the “old wineskins” you need to discard at the beginning of this New Year?
Read Romans 8:31-39. So here we are on the last day of 2021. Thank you for taking this journey with me. I look forward to sharing more daily devotionals with you in 2022. As we reach Old Year’s Night and look back over this past year, what role has God played in it?
Do you think he’s been brooding over you, waiting for you to slip up and ready to judge you for every wrong you did? Or do you see that God has wanted what’s best for you throughout the year? That he has a plan for your life and wants you to be happy? God never wanted us to be afraid of him. That’s why his Word – the Bible – holds 365 times when he says to us, Do Not Be Afraid! One for every day of this past year!
None of us knows what 2022 will bring. 2020 and 2021 have taught us that if nothing else! But we can go into the New Year knowing that God loves us, that he is with us and that he is on our side. Jesus stands ready to rub out anything you’ve done wrong in 2021, anything you regret, and he’ll do the same again for you in 2022 and beyond. So, there is no need to fear. It’s a reason to celebrate instead!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•As you look back over this year, where do you see God’s hand on your life?
Read Matthew 1:18-25. Have there been moments this Christmas when you have felt all alone? Perhaps you have spent Christmas alone, for whatever reason. But we can feel lonely even when surrounded by family and friends.
The good news of Christmas is that however we feel, we are never alone. Matthew tells us that one of the names Jesus is called is Immanuel, which means God is with us. God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ to remind you he is always with you, wherever you are and whatever circumstances you find yourself in.
Whether you are full of joy, celebrating Christmas and spending quality time with friends and family, or whether you feel stressed, in difficulty and abandoned, God is there with you. He will never abandon you. God knows what you are experiencing today – good or bad – and he cares about it, he understands it and he is experiencing it with you. You are never alone.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What can you do today to “tune in” to God’s presence with you?
Read Ephesians 3:14-21. Why does Christmas even exist? It’s because God loves you. He loves you so much that he came to earth as a human – the only way you and I could really begin to know him and love him back. When you look at the baby Jesus, lying in the manger, you begin to understand what God is really like.
You are made in God’s image. You have the ability to love God. But he doesn’t wait for that! He makes the first move by sending Jesus so we could better understand his love and our need for God. God could have chosen a myriad of ways to communicate with us. Instead, he chose the best way: in the face of a child.
God is love. Love is his nature. Love is the essence of his character. He made you to love you. He loves you on your good days as well as your bad days. He loves you when you’re full of Christmas joy and when you’re channelling the Grinch! He loves you whatever mood you’re in, whatever you think and whatever you do. There is nothing you can do to make God love you more, and nothing you can do that will make him love you less.
You may not be able to understand that. A love so great is beyond our understanding. But that doesn’t make it less true. The face of the child Jesus says to you today, God loves you!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•How does it feel to know that God loves you this much?
Read Luke 2:8-20. What are you celebrating this Christmas? Maybe you’re just celebrating the fact you’ve made it through 2021 – another year of turmoil as the world continues to reel from the Coronavirus pandemic. Perhaps you’re celebrating having time to spend with family and friends, especially as so many of us missed this last year. Perhaps you’re glad of some time away from work or school. Maybe you’re not celebrating at all – just gritting your teeth and surviving from one day to the next.
God wants us to celebrate at Christmas. Through his angel, he told the shepherds that Christmas – Jesus Christ’s birth – was an event that would bring immense joy to everyone. Christ’s birth is good news that causes us to rejoice and celebrate.
The good news of Jesus’ birth is for you personally. It is something positive in our lives – we all crave good news amongst all the unwelcome news we hear each day. And it is for everyone – all people! It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve had a good Christmas or not. It doesn’t matter what has happened in your life. This good news is for you: God loves you! He is with you, and he is on your side.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Does God’s good news give you a reason to celebrate this Christmas season?
This week as we continue through the season of Christmas, we examine what it’s all about. Is it just a time of socialising and overindulging in food and drink? Or does it mean something more?
Read Luke 2:8-20. That’s it! It’s over. Christmas Day has come and gone. Some of you may even have cleared up and put your Christmas decorations away. Some may still be enjoying meeting family and friends, eating too much and being off work. But what’s it all about? Why do we celebrate Christmas? Why does an unremarkable birth of a Jewish peasant boy over two thousand years ago merit the largest celebration in the world each year?
It’s because the birth of Jesus Christ transformed our lives. Quite apart from anything else, do you realise it transformed our calendars? Now every event is classified as BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini, the year of our Lord)!
The angel told the shepherds that Jesus’ birth would bring extraordinary joy to all people. I don’t know whether that has been your experience this Christmas or not. I hope so, but I also recognise that it can be a difficult time for some, and many of us are feeling exhausted and worn out after another year of turmoil.
May this Christmas season be an opportunity for all of us to remember that Christmas brings all of us immense joy because it proclaims that God loves us, that he is with us, whatever we are going through and that he is on our side. Those are good reasons to celebrate!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Do you find Christmas a time of boundless joy or is it more of a hassle?
Read 2 Samuel 7:1-17. Thank you for journeying through Advent with me. I hope you are now ready for Christmas!
Christmas Eve is an exciting day of anticipation. In our house, after carolling, we prepare for Christmas Day, making the turkey stock and the sausage meat stuffing. Then we usually go to a midnight service somewhere – currently Winchester Cathedral – the only time I get to sit in and enjoy a carol service without leading it! It is a day of expectation!
And yet, getting prepared for Christmas might not be what God wants. We always think it’s about us. What we must do to prepare ourselves for Christ’s coming. (The metaphor used in our reading is building a house for God). But the central theme of God’s story is it’s not about what we do for him. It’s what he does for us.
God tells David he will build him a house. Jesus Christ comes to earth as part of that House of David and pitches his home among us. Let that sink in today, whatever you are doing. That will really prepare you for Christmas Day, and beyond. God bless you!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Are you trying to build God a house? Or are you willing to let him build one for you?
Read Luke 1:26-38. I am always amazed and motivated by Mary’s courage in saying “yes” to God.
As our key verse today shows us, she was not at all certain. She was confused and disturbed. And yet her priority was to say, “yes”. To obey God. “May everything you have said about me come true” (v.38).
It is more important to be obedient than it is to be successful. The more we are centred in God the more we know what we must do without always being able to prove it. God certainly speaks to many people today, but we don’t always hear a voice. I have heard God speak like that maybe once or twice in my life. Often, his speaking to me is a sense that I must do what I must do. I can’t explain it any better than that!
Mary faced her own “must” and thank God she said “yes” to it. She said so in the darkness of faith. She heard the angel’s words, and she did what God asked her to do. May each of us have that same desire to obey God and follow his will.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•In what way do you have the desire to obey God, no matter the consequences?
Read Luke 1:5-25. In Jesus’ day, to be barren and sterile was socially unacceptable. But God comes to heal those considered unacceptable and places them at the centre of his story.
Elizabeth’s pregnancy and John the Baptist’s birth was a healing. Not just of Elizabeth’s barrenness but of the exclusion she felt from her society. Jesus continued this healing ministry. He healed many who were taboo, contagious, disabled, and dangerous. Then he reintroduced them to their community.
His was a ministry of reintroduction! That was the real healing that was needed. Our own encounter with God reintroduces us to the community of his people too. And he gives us our own ministry of reintroduction. He wants more people to be introduced to him and the Kingdom as we show them the love and compassion they need.
In this final week before Christmas Day, who could you reintroduce to community? Who could you introduce to Jesus, God who is with us, in community?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Who do you know who has been rejected from our community? How could you help them to heal?
Read Matthew 1:18-25. Whose job is it to share the Word of God? If you belong to a Salvation Army corps or church, you might answer the Officer or the Minister. But if we leave it to those who are spiritual leaders – even though many of them have studied God’s Word professionally – then 99 per cent. of the world’s population will never hear it!
The story of Mary and Joseph shows us that God’s Word is being given back to ordinary people. The angel didn’t visit the religious leaders to proclaim the Messiah’s birth. He came to a poor, uneducated teenage girl, her poor, uneducated teenage fiancé and to poor, uneducated shepherds. Even the Magi, whilst educated were foreign sorcerers – “outsiders” for sure!
The Word of God is for everyone! You can read it. You can ask questions about it. You can discuss it. You can wrestle with it. You can share it. It doesn’t belong to employees of the religious system like me. It belongs to all.
As we come towards Christmas Day, and you read the old, traditional Christmas readings once more, take the opportunity to read them with freedom. Listen, learn, and grow. Then share the good news with someone else.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What simple message from the Gospel might you be missing?
This week we continue our preparation for Christmas, when, through the birth of Jesus Christ, God declares to us that it is good to be human and that he is on our side. As we journey through the season of Advent, we therefore say, Come, Lord Jesus. In our final week of preparation, as we journey towards Christmas Day, we continue to think about our response to Jesus’ coming.
Read Isaiah 7:10-25. Have you ever done anything courageous? I suppose the most courageous thing I did was to say “yes” to God and give up a career in law in order to enter full time ministry as a Salvation Army officer.
Mary was certainly courageous. As a young, virgin teen, there is no way she could have been prepared for the message the angel had for her: you are the one about which Isaiah prophesied! It must have been beyond her expectations! And in saying “yes” to God she at once moved out of her comfort zone. She showed great integrity and courage!
But that’s what Kingdom people are like! We’re history makers! We’re not content to protect the status quo and our status as “good Christian folk”. We want to change ourselves and our world. It’s not enough to simply love and admire Mary’s courage. We want to grasp it for ourselves.
As we move towards Christmas Day, let’s pledge again to trust our inner experience of God and follow it to Bethlehem and beyond. A wonderful adventure awaits!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•In what ways do you trust your inner experience of God? Do you ever fear being criticised if you do so?
Read John 5:31-46. Has anyone ever told you that actions speak louder than words? It’s not enough to simply say, “I love you”. You must do something to prove it!
This is true when it comes to being a Jesus follower too. It is not enough simply to read God’s Word. Even being the best theologian in the world isn’t enough! It isn’t about signing up to a set of doctrines or articles of faith and telling the world that’s what you believe in. In the end, you must know Jesus rather than simply believe in him. And that knowledge of him – that being in relationship with him – must motivate you to do what God’s Word says.
Only acting in a new way, based on what we know the Kingdom values are, shows we really believe what we say we believe. Richard Rohr says, “We do not think ourselves into a new way of living. We live ourselves into new ways of thinking”.
The Christian faith is an illusion unless we accompany it with changed action and lifestyle decisions.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What actions is God asking you to take to fully realise the power of the Holy Spirit in your life?
Read Luke 7:18-35. Why is life such a mixed bag? Why do both good and terrible things happen to us? Why isn’t everything always right with the world?
These are the kinds of questions the crowd were asking of Jesus. In seeking out John the Baptist in the wilderness, they were looking for the Kingdom of God, and they wanted all of it right now.
Jesus explains that’s not how it works. The Kingdom of God isn’t something you can own. It’s always God’s invitation to us. It draws us deeper, wanting to know more of God. But he is always in control. He chooses us, more than we choose him. So, the Kingdom is here, but not entirely here. John is both the greatest man who ever lived, and less than the least person in the Kingdom of God!
We live in the in-between. We do so in faith and trust. We accept our mixed bag, because we know that in the end, it is a good mixed bag. One day, God will resolve all our shadows.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•How does it feel to know you are not in control of God?
Read Matthew 21:28-32. I must admit something to you today: I am not perfect. Can you believe that? I’m a Salvation Army officer, a Christian spiritual leader. But I do not always get it right.
In fact, I’m a mass of contradictions. I can be kind on occasions, and very cutting on others. I can be very generous, but also stingy. I have been a Christian for many years, but I am still a sinner. I get it right. And I get it wrong.
But here’s the good news: God loves me. And he loves you too, even if you identify with my contradictions. God loves the saints, but Jesus tells us, he also loves the corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes! Can you understand that? I can’t! It seems a complete mystery much of the time.
Unless we surrender to this truth – that God doesn’t forgive, he is forgiveness – then we will never truly experience the transformation that Jesus brings. All we can do is simply accept his grace and mercy and then try to be a minister of the same to others.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Do you see any inner contradictions in your own life? Do you think God can still love you with those contradictions?
Read Isaiah 45:14-25. What image do you have of yourself? Is it a good, positive one or a bad, negative one?
So many people seem to struggle with their self-image, including me on occasion. Part of the problem, of course, is that our image keeps changing. Or we keep changing our image! I’m not just talking about getting our hair coloured (for those with that luxury!). At times in my life, I have tried to project the image of a successful musician, a high-powered lawyer, and a “cool” youth worker.
Rather than focusing on our idea of ourselves, it would be better if we could learn to know who we are in God. When we allow the Holy Spirit to strip away our self-image, we discover the “righteousness and strength” in God’s image of us. That’s how he sees us! Isn’t that better than the judgements others pass on us, or worse still, the judgements we pass on ourselves? It’s a solid and enduring image too, not one that changes with our hair colour or our job!
What Christ’s coming promises us is that we are the children of God. Now that’s a self-image to cling on to! This Advent season let’s use the time to ensure we build our identities on Christ, the Rock of Ages.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Does your self-image ever get in the way of your relationship with God?
This week we continue our preparation for Christmas, when, through the birth of Jesus Christ, God declares to us that it is good to be human and that he is on our side. As we journey through the season of Advent, we therefore say, Come, Lord Jesus. This week we remind ourselves of what God has done for us and what we might do in his name in response.
Read Isaiah 61:1-11. Sometimes, it seems the world has never been more divided or separated than it does today. Particularly on social media or when people discuss certain subjects, like politics, we have all but lost the art of disagreeing amicably.
Whilst humanity sometimes seems hellbent on tearing the fabric of life apart, the Holy Spirit always connects. He connects humanity to God and to each other. His is the ministry of reconciliation, of forgiveness, of healing. In him, two become one.
Jesus uses verses of this chapter from Isaiah to proclaim his earthly ministry. He comes to bring inside the outsider. He reunites the marginalised and those excluded by society: the poor, the broken-hearted, the prisoners and those in mourning. Jesus’ job description is to let the “last” know they shall in fact be first.
The more we allow the Holy Spirit to fill our lives, the more we allow him to give us the motivation to forgive, to include, to heal, to enjoy, the more we will become like Christ. Jesus is our model of healing, outreach, and reconciliation.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What divisions exist in your life? How can you use this season to allow the Holy Spirit to start to mend them?
Read Matthew 6:19-34. Have you ever asked someone, “How’s things?” or “How are you?” and received the reply, “Busy!”?
I try very hard not to say it, because I’ve come to realise that what I’m trying to say (to myself probably more than the person I’m saying it to) is “I’m important”. Busyness has become a status symbol! We buy more and more things to save us time, but of course, they do not, in the long run.
We never seem to have time. The one thing Western culture, with its abundance of things never seems to have enough of is time. And a lack of time impacts other important things too: relationships and wisdom, for example. We short-change our families and friends because we’re too busy. We make bad decisions because there’s never enough time to reflect on what we should do next.
Jesus brings us up short: Why are you always worrying? Why are you anxious about what to eat, drink and wear? Don’t worry about tomorrow! Seek God’s Kingdom instead and find the time you need for what you really need.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What are the one or two things you really should prioritise? What might you have to stop doing to do that?
Read Isaiah 48:12-22. Do you like to be in control? I don’t know many people who don’t. But then maybe that’s because I do like to be in control! I like life to be under control.
It’s no surprise really when we are drowning in options. You only have to switch on your television, and even with Freeview, you are immediately challenged by hundreds of channels. With so many options, how many times do we end up exclaiming, “there’s nothing on!”? The world trains us to be managers.
But we cannot manage our spiritual lives. To do so is wrong. If poor Mary had tried to manage her spiritual life, she probably would have said no to the angel who announced her pregnancy! Why would she have wanted to go through the public humiliation it entailed?
But Mary did not manage her response. She simply received the gift and surrendered to God’s will. The gift is Jesus himself and God gives that gift. Mary is our example of how to receive and treasure the gifts God gives us. Everything God gives us is undeserved and unearned. We can’t work for it or hope to get it as a reward for living a good life.
Mary does not manage, fix, control or perform in any way. She simply says “yes” to God’s gift and brings forth the peace and righteousness Isaiah promises.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•How can you receive God’s good gifts to you rather than trying to manage life?
Read Matthew 11:1-19. Have you ever despaired of someone who can’t – or more likely, doesn’t want to – see something that’s as plain as their face? Have you ever exclaimed in frustration, “There’s none so blind as those that can’t see!”?
I don’t suppose he ever said it in a frustrated tone, but throughout the gospels, Jesus often says, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!” I wonder who he was talking to? The scribes and the Pharisees? The Jewish religious leaders who wilfully failed to grasp what he was saying. The hard hearted? The wicked? The chilling thing is that often, as in today’s passage, he was talking to the crowds. In other words, people like you and me!
Are we deaf and blind to what Jesus is teaching? We may be sincere Jesus followers. We may want to do the right thing. We may want to be loving to those around us. But often, the big issues in life – love, freedom, evil, eternity, forgiveness, grace, mercy and justice – even the nature of God himself – will expose our real thinking.
Unfortunately, going to church, even listening to or reading these devotionals do not of themselves guarantee the transformation in our listening and seeing that we need. We may think we believe in what Jesus taught, but unless we are willing to reflect deeply on the big issues he tackles, listening carefully and seeing the world through his eyes then we will mostly end up thinking like the world, and those around us.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Have you thought deeply about the big issues of life? Does your thinking help you to be more loving and more obedient to Jesus’ teaching?
Read Matthew 11:25-30. If I ever tried to tell my mum something like, “I need chocolate!”, she would patiently point out that I didn’t need it. I wanted it. And there’s a big difference!
But the world today has certainly narrowed the gap. Most shops seem to sell wants rather than needs. In days gone by, a meal out would be a luxury. Now it’s almost seen as a necessity, a basic human right. Our “stuff” is designed to fail after some time so that we “have to” upgrade. And it leaves us trapped in the rat race. What an irony that Christmas often makes this even more obvious!
Jesus invites us to find freedom from all this. To escape the rat race and live a simple life of rest and happiness. Such rest and happiness are found in our simply being with Jesus. It’s not based on what we have.
This Christmas let’s choose to simply rest or abide in Jesus. Let’s become human beings again, not human doings. It’s what we most need. And it’s what’s most important in life.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What need might you be trying to meet through people or things that ought to be sought from Jesus instead?
This week we continue our preparation for Christmas, when, through the birth of Jesus Christ, God declares to us that it is good to be human and that he is on our side. As we journey through the season of Advent, we therefore say, Come, Lord Jesus. This week we ask God to show us what is most important in our lives and to help us get rid of the rest.
Read Psalm 85:1-13. When the clocks went back a few weeks ago, I saw a picture on social media that suggested for the next week or so, British people like me would go to the window at around 4pm and exclaim, “Look how dark it is”!
We may look at our world today and exclaim the same thing. Jesus was the Light that came into the world. He called us to be lights like a city on a hill. But despite all this, the world still seems very dark. World hunger remains. Nations invest far too much in weapons. Murder and violence happen on our streets too often. We seem to be killing the planet, unable to stop ourselves. Look how dark it is! The darkness never totally goes away.
Perhaps the best thing we can do is recognise the darkness and name it as such. When we do so, we can work in the Light and ensure the darkness does not overcome us. We must work and wait and hope in the darkness, knowing that God has given the world his unfailing love, truth and light.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•In what ways might you be denying the darkness in the world, instead of allowing it to transform you and move you towards the Light?
Read Isaiah 29:1-24. If you’ve ever watched a high wire artist at work, you will know they are often aided by a safety net. It is there in case anything else fails. Perhaps the artist loses their balance, or a piece of equipment breaks. If so, then the safety net will catch them and keep them safe.
We think many of things we trust in – power, success, money and control – are our safety nets. They will save us just when we need it.
But when proclaim Jesus is Lord! those safety nets must be let go. We cannot trust both in wealth and possessions or reputations and in the Lord. It is either one or the other. Whatever you trust to give you your worth and security is your god. God wants to be your God!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What might you be trusting in to give you the happiness and security that you need that prevents you from fully embracing Jesus as your Saviour and Messiah?
Read Matthew 7:21-23. One of my favourite Christian songs is Frances Ridley Havergal’s, “Who is on the Lord’s side”? It reminds me that following God is a choice, a stark choice: I am on the Lord’s side, or not? There is no middle way.
We can only be loyal to one kingdom: either God’s or our own. We cannot serve both. When God’s will is central in our lives, when we are living for his purpose alone, then the Kingdom of God is apparent.
Sometimes, we fall into the trap of thinking the Kingdom of God is what will happen at the end of the world. We make it heaven. When we do so, we are apt to putting our trust in the world instead, at least for this life. But the Kingdom of God is always now and not yet. We can be part of the Kingdom of God today. We can do what we can to ensure we are doing the work and will of God in our lives today.
When we truly say, Come, Lord Jesus, then we let go of trusting in worldly idols. Our worth is given to us by God, and we can live in freedom. Let’s embrace the Kingdom today.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What “kingdoms” might you need to let go of to fully enjoy the Kingdom of God?
Read Isaiah 25:1-12. Do you ever get obsessed by something that really doesn’t matter very much? Or do you overreact to something that someone said or did and you can’t shake it off, even though you know deep down that it isn’t as serious as you’re making it out to be?
When St. Bernard of Clairvaux was faced with the ups and downs of life – the daily problems, cares and hindrances – he would mutter under his breath, “What does it matter in the light of eternity”? In other words, will any of this matter in the end? Maybe it’s something we should mutter under our breath, rather than whatever we usually mutter when things go wrong! He used to say it in Latin, of course: “Quid hoc ad aeternitatem”? Practice it this week!
Repeatedly in Scripture, the Kingdom of God is presented to us. Jesus used stories, parables and metaphors to help explain what he knew but what we find more difficult to understand. Others did too, including the prophet Isaiah in today’s passage.
The Kingdom of God is the big picture of Scripture that tells us what life is really all about and what will really matter at the final reckoning. Jesus invites us to let go of the daily dramas we face, the hurts and slights we endure and our own agendas and to live in the Kingdom of God, to find ourselves in the final and full picture.
Will you join me in this great feast of life as envisaged by Isaiah? Let the passing things of life do just that – pass by – and eat at the Kingdom’s Great Banquet in God.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What trivial thing are you fixated about that you need to challenge with the question, “What does it matter in the light of eternity”?
Read Matthew 8:5-13. Do you have to remove some of your usual furniture and ornaments to make room for your Christmas tree and decorations? Jesus’ nativity would find no room in our house if we didn’t remove some ornaments first!
Suffering, failure and loss of control can often help us to make room for Jesus inside of us. In our story today, it was the Roman Officer’s servants terrible illness that brought the centurion out of his comfort zone to invite Jesus into his home. Unheard of for an occupying army, I’m sure!
The pursuit of happiness is self-centred and easily toppled by the ups and downs of life. Both sides of life – light and darkness – are necessary to help us grow and mature. In fact, I have found my failures have much more to teach me than my successes do!
Our own suffering and our capacity to share in the suffering of others has an immense capacity to ensure we have made room for Jesus in our lives. When problems arise, let’s learn to allow it to transform us rather than try to resist it. Let’s make more room for God.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What are you attached to in life that you need to let go of to make more room for God?
This week we begin our preparation for Christmas, when, through the birth of Jesus Christ, God declares to us that it is good to be human and that he is on our side. As we enter the season of Advent, we therefore say, Come, Lord Jesus. This week we focus on the foundation of Jesus’ message: the coming Kingdom of God.
Read Matthew 24:1-51. Did you ever keep watch on Christmas Eve to see if Father Christmas was coming? Eyes peeled and fixed on the sky, looking intently for any flying reindeer? I can certainly remember occasions when I snuck out of bed in the wee small hours wondering if he’d ever turn up.
Advent has more than a hint of this feeling. When it comes to the Kingdom of God, we live in the era where it is present, but not yet. The perfect fullness of the Kingdom of God is always to come. That’s why sometimes, life can seem empty. It’s why we demand our needs are satisfied – by God, by each other, by “the system”.
When we ask, “why did this have to happen?” or “why is life so difficult?” we show our impatience for the full picture of the Kingdom of God. We are refusing to say, “Come, Lord Jesus”.
When we come to see that our role is to watch and to wait, then we can live in the freedom, surrender and hope that is proclaimed in the Advent mantra of “Come, Lord Jesus”. We can live patiently, learning to trust without needing any sense of resolution. We can trust that Jesus will come again, just as he came in the past and as he comes into our present. Come, Lord Jesus is not a cry of desperation. It is a shout of hope!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What expectations and demands in your life today can you let go of to be more prepared for the coming of our Lord Jesus?
Read John 4:1-38. Where do you go to worship God? The Salvation Army Hall? A church? A cathedral? Have you ever thought about worshipping God in your home? At your place of work? In the supermarket queue? In the park?
As a Samaritan, the woman Jesus encountered at the well thought God could only be worshipped on Mount Gerizim. The Jews on the other hand thought God could only be worshipped in Jerusalem. Jesus revealed the truth: God is not confined to a particular building or a specific setting. He can be found anywhere! So, we can worship anywhere!
Our worship is not dependent on a place or time. It depends on our attitude. We can work with an attitude of worship – working for God, whatever we do. We can clean dishes with an attitude of worship – doing it whilst aware of God’s presence with us. Any activity – if it has God at the centre – can be an act of worship.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What are your plans today? What can you do to ensure God is at the centre of them all, and that you are worshipping him throughout your day?
Read John 4:1-38. Yesterday, I suggested coming home to Jesus satisfies our souls greatest longings. So why is it that many Christians still feel so dissatisfied with life?
If you look at many Christians today – me included – you might conclude they are as unhappy and dissatisfied as anyone else over feelings of low self-esteem, a lack of love in their lives, of loneliness. They seem to struggle as many others do over sex, money, work and their position in life. What’s that about?
Did Jesus overstate his claim to be the Living Water that could satisfy us fully? Or is it because, like the woman at the well, we’ve misunderstood what Jesus is saying to us?
When Jesus told the woman he could give her water so she would never be thirsty again, she was thrilled! Imagine never again having to make the long journey in the midday sun to draw water from this well. Now all her needs would be met from this man’s gift!
But Jesus didn’t promise an escape from life. He promised freedom within life. In fact, later he would tell his followers they should expect trouble in their lives (John 16:33). But he also promised he would overcome them all.
We may experience the same problems and worries as many other people do, but the presence of Jesus in our lives makes a significant difference in the ways we respond to them. Jesus gives us the spiritual power we need to face the challenges of everyday life. And one day he will hand us the ultimate victory!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•How does Jesus strengthen you to face the challenges in your life?
Read John 4:1-38. Are you satisfied with your life? Or do you find yourself hungering and thirsting for something else? The world offers several ways to satisfaction, but often they leave us wanting something more.
Watch any advert break on your television and will find a list of things that will make you feel happy and secure. It might be a takeaway. It might be a new brand of perfume or aftershave. It could be a new car or a new gadget. It might be a complete change of wardrobe. It could be the promise of untold riches if only you part with a little money for a good cause.
Jesus tells the woman at the well that the problem with these things is that, ultimately, they come up short. They are like water: they may quench your thirst for meaning for a while, but soon you will be thirsty again.
Jesus says that only he – the Living Water – can satisfy our hungry and thirsty souls. When we come to him, it is like coming home. We will never hunger or thirst again. Jesus satisfies that desire every one of us has – whether we know it or not – for God’s presence.
This Living Water – this sense of happiness, security, of wholeness – is available to you and me today. Maybe it’s time for you to come home to Jesus today?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What did you thirst for before you met Jesus? If you haven’t met him yet, how do you quench your thirst?
Read John 4:1-38. Do you ever avoid God because you feel ashamed and guilty about something? That can be your experience before you become a Christian, but it can also happen when you’ve been a Christian for many years.
Jesus meets a woman at a well when she approaches in the middle of the day to draw water. Nothing unusual about that, you might think. Except that there were wells that were closer to the village she lived in – she had walked further than she needed to. And women generally drew water from the wells much later in the afternoon, when the temperature was cooler. What was this woman up to? It appears she may have walked further in the heat of the day to avoid contact with other women. She was ashamed.
This woman was a Samaritan. She was hated by the Jews. She was known to be living in sin – having had five husbands, the man she was now living with was not her husband. And she was a woman in a public place. No respectable Jew would have anything to do with her in such circumstances. But Jesus did. He shows remarkable grace to her, even though he is tired and thirsty.
If you’re loaded down with guilt today, why not allow Jesus to take your guilt away? If you dread judgment and rejection, why not sink into his acceptance of you? Jesus wants to speak with you. He wants to strike up a conversation. He loves and cares for you no matter who you are or what you’ve done. Today, you can rest in the unconditional love of your Saviour, Jesus Christ.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Why is shame such a powerful trap in our lives?
What does it mean to place God at the centre of our lives – our work, our rest and our worship? This week we focus on that question through an encounter Jesus has with a woman at a well.
Read John 4:1-38. Is there an area of your town that you avoid? A place that has a bad reputation – perhaps because of violence or drug misuse. Or perhaps it makes you afraid and uncomfortable. Jesus gives us an example of breaking down our barriers to these areas.
The account of Jesus’ meeting with a woman at a well begins by telling us he had to go through Samaria. Why is this significant? The Jews hated the Samaritans, and strict Jews would do anything they could to avoid going through Samaria as a result. When travelling from Judea to Galilee, they would take a route around it, through Perea, east of the River Jordan, even though the journey took much longer.
So why did Jesus have to go through Samaria? It was unlikely to be roadworks! Jesus was not following those yellow diversion signs! We can understand it was necessary for Jesus to go through Samaria because the gift of salvation he had to give was for the Samaritans – in fact, it was for everyone – not just the Jews.
Jesus’ good news is for everyone – no matter their race, social position, religious orientation or past sins. As his followers, we want to be prepared to share this good news with everyone at any time and in any place.
Jesus crossed all social barriers to share his good news. We must do the same!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Where is your Samaria? What could you do to share Jesus’ good news in that place this week and beyond?
Read Matthew 26:6-13. It may have been expensive. It may have been a family heirloom. But Mary’s decision to anoint Jesus with expensive perfume would have meant nothing if it was not given in love.
Mary could have made her sacrifice in expectation that Jesus would give something back to her in return. She could have poured expensive perfume on Jesus’ head because she felt guilty about something. She could have done it for attention – after all, she chose to do it in the middle of meal in someone else’s house! But love was the motivation for her giving. Jesus – who knows our deepest motivations – said so. He said that what she did was a good thing. He said that she had done it to prepare his body for burial – perhaps the most loving thing someone can do for someone else. He said that because her sacrifice was given in love, her deed would be remembered and discussed.
Today, almost 2,000 years later, it is still an example for all of us. If we don’t give out of love, then nothing we give will matter. If we give in love, then it will be remembered.
As we remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice once more, let’s pledge to give our lives away for others. As we do so in love, God and they will remember our sacrifice.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What do others say about how you show your love to others?
Read Matthew 26:6-13. What are you good at? What capabilities has God given you? Whatever they are, they have been given to you not for your own benefit, but to benefit others. When you serve others, they remember.
Mary used what God had given her to serve her Master, Jesus. As he faced the long and lonely road to Calvary, where he would make the ultimate sacrifice for you and for me on the cross, Mary discerned that he should be anointed with the expensive perfume that God had placed under her stewardship. How soothing it must have been for Jesus as the expensive ointment flowed down his body from his head. What love he must have felt pouring from Mary as she served him in this way. Jesus said her service – her giving – would be remembered.
Whatever capabilities and abilities God has given you, the best thing you can do with them is to give them back to him by serving others with them. You can use them for the purpose for which God gave them to you. One day God is going to ask you what you did with what he gave you. How did you use your abilities? Did you make a living with them? Did you serve others? How wonderful it will be if he is able to interrupt you and remember that “whatever you did for the least of these … you did for me”! (Matthew 25:40).
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•How can you show God you are using your abilities to serve others rather than yourself?
Read Matthew 26:6-13. How much are you willing to give to others? Are you miserly with your time, money or other resources? Or are you willing to sacrifice your time, money and resources to give to others? People remember those who make sacrifices for them.
Mary sacrificed a great deal to show her love to Jesus by anointing him with expensive perfume. The alabaster jar she carried it in was beautiful. It likely had a long, slender neck and was carved from translucent gypsum. It was beautiful and expensive. The pure and genuine nard from the mountains of India was also very expensive. We don’t know how Mary came to possess it, but it could have been a family heirloom. But she loved Jesus so much she was prepared to break the vase and pour all the ointment on Jesus’ head. It was a royal anointing, suitable for her Messiah. Jesus made it clear her sacrifice would be remembered and discussed, and now it appears in our holy scripture.
There is always a cost in giving to someone else. We must be prepared to give up our resources – time, money, talents, whatever – to give them to others. We must be willing to make sacrifices if we are going to be agents of healing in the world.
Those who gave their lives in the two world wars and conflicts since, gave the ultimate sacrifice, and in many ways helped to heal the world, if only for a little while. They are remembered today for that sacrifice. We may not be called to give the ultimate sacrifice. But every time we sacrifice something for the benefit of someone else, that deed will be remembered – both by the other person and by Jesus himself.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•How do you use your worldly resources to benefit others?
Read Matthew 26:6-13. All of us remember people who are generous towards us. People who can’t wait to bless us because God has blessed them. Whether it’s their time, money or other resources they share with us, we remember their generosity.
The woman who anointed Jesus’ head with expensive perfume from her beautiful alabaster jar was certainly generous. The perfume is described in Mark’s gospel as pure nard, a fragrant ointment imported from the mountains of India. It was very expensive! Mary was nothing but radically generous with what she had.
What if you and I were as radically generous? What if our Salvation Army corps and churches were as radically generous? We are all responsible for what God has given us. But his blessings are not to be hoarded for ourselves. They are to be shared with others. We can use the resources God has given us – individually and corporately – to make an impact. A Kingdom impact. We can make an impact in our families, amongst our friends, in our neighbourhood, in our community, in our school or workplace and in the world at large. Christians and the Christian church can be remembered for their radical generosity. We have been blessed! Let’s be a blessing to others.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What’s one practical step you can take this week to be radically generous towards someone?
In the week following Remembrance Sunday, we ask, what will we be remembered for? The brave men and women who gave their lives in the two world wars and in conflicts since leave a legacy of freedom for many people. What will our legacy be? Read Matthew 26:6-13. Do you know someone who always shows gratitude in everything they do? It is so beautiful! A gift to those around them. Something they will be remembered for.
The woman who anointed Jesus during a meal at Simon the Leper’s house in Bethany certainly showed her gratitude. She is identified in John’s gospel as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. She had much to be grateful for! She was a long-time follower of Jesus, sitting at his feet and learning about the Kingdom of God from him. She believed Jesus was Messiah, the Saviour of the world. Jesus had raised her brother, Lazarus, from the dead.
Her decision to take a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and pour it over Jesus’ head was a sacrifice of praise. In doing this, she was proclaiming who she knew Jesus to be and how thankful she was for his presence in her life. Jesus says it is an act that will be remembered and discussed. Sure enough, here we are nearly 2,000 years later remembering what she did that day. That’s the power of an attitude of gratitude!
We have much to thank God for today too. An attitude of gratitude is contagious. As we show gratitude to God and to others around us, it catches on! Others begin to do it too. People remember someone who shows gratitude to them.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What are you grateful for today?
Read Mark 2:23-28. “I don’t need a church to be a Christian”! Have you ever heard anyone say that?
It is a popular opinion that you can be a Christian without going to church. That your Christianity is between you and God and no one else. But that’s not what Jesus showed us. He spent the Sabbath in the synagogue. It’s not what the Early Church showed us. They worshipped regularly together in the temple.
Why did they do that? Why is getting together with other Christians on the Sabbath so important? Because your church helps you to centre your life on God. Committing to worshipping with your church family once a week for an hour or so helps you focus and centre your life on God. It’s part of the rhythm of work, rest and worship that God designed for you.
It’s easy to find excuses not to do it. You can worship God anywhere, after all, so you don’t need to be in church to do it. It might be inconvenient to have to commit to a particular time and place to worship with others each week. Other activities might crowd in at that time. It might be easier to simply catch up with the worship meeting online when you have a moment, or to watch another church’s meeting online because the timing is better for you.
But not committing to worship with a particular church family at a particular time and in a particular place each week often means your life rhythm will get out of order. You’ll feel restless and lost. Out of kilter. Commit to being in worship with your church family this Sabbath and discover again just how restful that can be.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•How can worshipping with our church family benefit our spiritual lives?
Read Mark 2:23-28. Sabbath is part of God’s rhythm for our lives. And it is there for our benefit.
We worship on the Sabbath not for God’s benefit, nor – chiefly – for anyone else’s benefit, but for our own. We need to worship God on the Sabbath. Worshipping God on the Sabbath allows us to look up from our own circumstances – our worries, our problems, our circumstances – and focus on the God who is in control of them all.
Worship helps to put everything else into perspective. It helps us remember that our God is much bigger, much stronger and much more powerful than our problems. He can help us through whatever we have to face in the coming week.
We were not designed to face life on our own. We have a God who loves us, who cares for us and who wants to walk with us whatever we are facing. Worshipping on the Sabbath simply reminds us of him. Use the coming Sabbath to refocus on him and rest in his love, power and authority.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What is the biggest obstacle you face to ensuring you refocus on God by worshipping him each Sabbath?
Read Mark 2:23-28. How’s your focus? Do you find it easy to focus on the right things? Or does the constant bombardment from adverts and social media distract you from what’s important.
Our minds are constantly assaulted by the world’s messages. You’ll mean something if you buy this. You deserve to eat this. You’ll get what you want if you buy this. It’s exhausting!
God designed the Sabbath as a fire break from all of this. Sabbath gives us the opportunity to focus on him, and on his Word. Spending time on the Sabbath in God’s Word – reading it, listening to it, studying it, meditating on it – helps us focus on the right things. It helps us have a healthy mind.
What happens when you do this? You find the rest and the peace that you need. The peace that passes all understanding. When your heart and your mind is focused on God’s Word, they experience less stress and more rest.
We all need that, especially on the Sabbath. What will you do to focus on God’s Word and find that rest during your next Sabbath?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What is one thing you currently do on the Sabbath that you could replace with spending more time in God’s Word?
Read Mark 2:23-28. Do you have a mind that seems to go into overdrive when you lay your head on your pillow at night? Do you often find yourself lost in thought?
If so, then your mind might be trying to tell you something! It needs rest. God did not design our minds to keep going 24/7, even though it might feel that way sometimes! If we are not resting our minds enough, they have a way of telling us. The racing mind when we’re trying to get to sleep is just one way they do that.
We need a day every week to recharge our mental health. God designed the Sabbath to give us the space we need to do that. We all do it in different ways. Some of us like to spend some time in quietness. Perhaps the Sabbath is the only day we have space to be quiet. Others find mental rejuvenation through hobbies or other recreation. Still others find their mental health is recharged simply by being with the people they love – family or friends.
Whatever it is, plan now to do whatever recharges your mental health during your next Sabbath. You’ll be glad you did. Like a tennis racket, our emotions need to be unstrung and restrung on a regular basis, to ensure they don’t snap.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What’s the best way you have found to recharge your mental health?
This week we continue to explore the rhythm God intends for us in our work, rest and worship. We focus on the truth that rest is a gift from God that should be a normal part of our routine.
Read Mark 2:23-28. Are you one of those people who drops off to sleep whenever they sit down for a few minutes? Or perhaps you seem to catch a cold every time you take a few days off work?
If so, your body might be trying to tell you something! It needs rest! God did not design our bodies to keep going 24/7. We cannot go without rest. And if we try, as many of us have found, our bodies have a way of reminding us. You pull a muscle in your back. You fall asleep watching a good film. Or you catch a cold when you’re on holiday.
The rhythm God designed for our bodies includes a day of rest each week. Our bodies need it, and so God designed the Sabbath for it.
Maybe the best thing you can do on your next Sabbath is simply to give in to that Sunday afternoon nap! We all need a Sabbath every week. Take one this week and rest your body. It will be thankful you did!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What physical signs does your body give you when you are not getting enough rest?
Read Exodus 2:11-25. Do you ever find yourself in a hopeless situation and wondering if praying about it will actually work? When all around you seems hopeless, when God seem silent and uninterested in your situation, it’s tempting to think that praying is a waste of time.
It would have been tempting for the Israelites to look at their situation – the might of the Egyptians, the hundreds of years of slavery they had endured – and to think, God’s forgotten us. Who do we think we are, even thinking God would be interested in our plight?
But prayer works because God is in control, and he always comes through on his promises. He had promised the Israelites they were his chosen people. His power and authority were greater than the Egyptians, and now was the time for him to act. In his wisdom and goodness, he sent Moses to be their leader and to lead them out of Egypt and slavery.
Your situation is in God’s control. You may not be able to change it. But he can. Pray to him. Leave your situation with him. He’s in control. He knows best and he will answer at the right time and in the right way.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oHow do your prayers reveal whether you truly believe God is in control of the universe?
Read Exodus 2:11-25. Do you have a prayer that God has not yet answered? Then keep persisting. God knows the best time to act. If you’re feeling hopeless at the moment, then perhaps the most difficult words to read in our key verses for this week are at the beginning of Exodus 2:23: “Years passed …”. The Israelites had been in slavery to the Egyptians for hundreds of years. And as the years ticked by, they still found themselves groaning under the burden of slavery, with no end in sight. God had promised to free them, but perhaps he had forgotten. It would have been easy to give up. But they kept persisting.
God’s rescue doesn’t always come when we want it. Sometimes, we must wait a long time for the right time to come. But God doesn’t forget us, or our troubles. He has a plan that we cannot see. And at just the right time, he will answer our prayers. In the meantime, as we persist in prayer, God helps to focus our attention. It reminds us that God is the answer to whatever we need. It helps us see that we should not rely on ourselves to get us out of our hopeless situation.
When God seems silent, keep praying. He is the one who can “accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20).
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What is something you’ve been praying for a long time? How can you demonstrate your willingness to be persistent to God?
Read Exodus 2:11-25. When you feel hopeless and you talk to God, he can help you make specific prayers to him. As you turn to God and lay before him your situation, and the difficult circumstances you find yourself in, you begin to gain some perspective on what is causing your difficulties.
As the Israelites began to cry out for help, they knew for certain what was causing their misery. God had promised they would be set free from their captivity in Egypt. But they were still under the burden of slavery. They knew they needed rescuing. They knew they needed God to fulfil the promise he had made them.
The Bible contains many verses that can help, whatever the source of your unhappiness. There are verses of lament, that can help you to cry out to the Lord in your pain. There are verses that tell you of the goodness of God, about his justice, his grace and his mercy. And there are many, many promises. In any difficult situation, you can pray one of those verses back to God. And when you do, you will sense hope returning and filling your heart once more.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What Bible verses do you find particularly comforting when you are facing difficult circumstances?
Read Exodus 2:11-25. How do you speak to God when you pray? Do you speak formally to him? Do you tell him what you think he wants to hear? Or are you honest with him? Many Christians think they can’t be honest with God. They want to shout at him with anger about the situation they find themselves in, or express doubts about what is happening or perhaps whether he is working in their circumstances or not, but they don’t think that’s “religious” enough.
My answer is: have you read the Psalms? The psalms are full of the psalmist telling God exactly how they feel. The psalmist does not hold back! And in our passage for this week, the Israelites don’t just politely ask God if he could perhaps think about doing something about the slavery they find themselves in, and perhaps try to recall the promises he made. They shout! They cry out! They groan. And God doesn’t smite them! He doesn’t turn a deaf ear, thinking, well, if they can’t address me properly, then I’m not going to listen. He remembers and he gets ready to act.
God wants to hear your heart. He wants to hear from your honestly about your anger, your fears, your doubts and everything else. God cares about what you’re going through and the pain it’s causing. If you’re feeling hopeless, don’t just pray the same, emotionless prayer. Cry out. Groan. Shout. Whatever you need. God promises to hear and to respond.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Do you think it’s wrong to be emotional with God? How does knowing that God wants to hear your heart change your thinking?
This week we hear God’s people cry out for help and God’s answer through his covenant, reminding us that God knows the best time to act. Read Exodus 2:11-25. What do you do when you feel hopeless? Surrounded by worry or conflict, or perhaps plagued by depression and guilt?
The Israelites – God’s people – were in slavery in Egypt. Even the death of the king had not freed them from their oppression. They were at rock bottom. Hopeless. In their suffering, they looked up to God. They groaned and cried out for help. They begged God to fulfil his promise to bring them out of Egyptian slavery.
Some problems can only ever be overcome through prayer. Institutional oppression like slavery could only be overcome through God’s intervention. You may have deep-rooted problems, or a sudden, deep crisis. That requires persistent prayer, speaking over and over to God. The God, as Exodus tells us, that sees your hopelessness and is ready to act at the right time.
If you’re feeling hopeless today, don’t despair. Instead, look up to God and reach out to him in prayer. He is listening and ready to answer.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Have you ever wondered if God has forgotten you in your troubles? Can you look back and see his hand in your situation?
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13. Paul’s words to the “idle” can seem quite harsh if you misunderstand who they are directed towards.
The suggestion that “those unwilling to work will not get to eat” (v.10) seems cruel until you understand that Paul is addressing those who are unwilling to work. In other words, he was warning those who were fully able to work and had work to do, but chose not to, for whatever reason.
Paul was not attacking those who were involuntarily unemployed or who were unable to work. When it comes to the unemployed and those unable to work, Paul follows the Christian obligation to provide help for those who cannot maintain themselves. That is why he encourages the Thessalonian Christians – and us – to “never get tired of doing good”.
If we’re honest, many of us earn more money from work than we need to earn a living. If that’s the case, then we have an obligation to give our money away and share it with those in need. Paul encourages us to give freely and spontaneously to others – to use our money to do good.
As we do so, we discover that God blesses our work and our money even more, because he is a generous God. Let’s all do good and as we do so, we become more like him.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What do you need to change about the way you share with others that will help make you more like Jesus?
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13. What are you working for? More stuff? To keep up with the Joneses? For recognition and approval?
The problem with working for more and more stuff is that we never have enough. John D. Rockefeller once had a net worth of around one percent. of the entire economy of the United States of America. But when he was asked how much enough money was, he replied, “just a little bit more”. The problem with keeping up with the Joneses is that we’re haunted with the idea they’re catching up or overtaking us. Recognition and approval are drugs which we can never escape from.
If we place our worth in our work, then often we end up overworking, stressed and spending much less time with our family and friends.
The answer is to allow God to control our work. He will help us to “earn our own living” but he will also provide times of relaxation and recreation to bring much needed balance to our lives. He will assist us to make the most of our talents and time, doing all we can to provide for ourselves and our dependents, but he will also help to keep our values in check.
Working for God and not for our worth will help us work when we should be working and rest when we should be resting.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Do you think our society puts too much value on work and not enough on rest? Why or why not?
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13. Do you find yourself demotivated at work? Is your default position procrastination? Do you feel stuck?
There may be one very good reason you’re feeling this way: you’ve never invited God to be in your work. Maybe that’s what had happened to those whom Paul warned for “living idle lives” in Thessalonica? Perhaps they just didn’t see a connection between their faith and their work?
One of the best examples of this in the Bible is the disciples. Twice they went out to fish – their usual work – and despite the fact they were experienced fishermen, they caught nothing. At sunrise, Jesus comes along and tells them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. This time, they catch so many fish, their nets almost break. Same lake, same boat, same fishermen, but a very different outcome. What was the difference? Jesus was in their work.
When we ask God to take control of our work, he can use it for great blessing. When we give our work over to God, he can work through it. He can use your work for his glory.
If you want to find true meaning in your work – whatever it is – then give control of it to God. Then watch him bless it beyond your imagination!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What would it look like if you dedicated your work to God?
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13. You have a calling on your life. Sometimes, we think God’s calling is only for Salvation Army officers or church ministers and pastors. Salvation Army officers used to describe ministry as “the work”.
But the truth is that God calls all of us to work. Paul and Silas were God’s missionaries, working to honour God and to help others. Paul encourages the Thessalonian Christians and us to imitate them and do the same. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Salvation Army officer, a teacher, a cleaner, an office-worker or a stay-at-home parent, Paul encourages you to see your work as working for God. Do it to honour him and to help others.
Whatever you do, do it in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Teaching children, writing a proposal, selling something or taking out the rubbish can all be a blessing if they are done to honour God and to help other people.
Your work – whatever it is – is significant. So, let’s all work for God and help others today, whatever we’re doing.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Have you ever thought of your work as being done for God? Can you think of something you do that could be done with this in mind?
Work is a fundamental foundation of human life. But often we separate God from our work and our work becomes disordered. This week we explore ways to find God’s intended rhythm in our work and rest.
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13. Are you a “doer”? Do you set out every day to achieve, to accomplish, to work hard, to push forward, to make things happen?
If so, then I would imagine that at first glance, this passage must feel as if it’s right up your street. If there’s one thing that really annoys “doers” (and I speak with some experience!) it’s people who prefer not to do! So, Paul – who appears to be to be a gold-plated “doer” – coming along and telling the idle to get on with it deserves a round of applause!
Except, when you look at the word that is translated as “idle” it has an odd history. It wasn’t translated as “idle” until 1948, and many scholars wonder why it’s still translated that way today. It would be better translated (as the King James Version did) as “unruly” or disordered, out of line.
What Paul is saying here is applicable to anyone whose work-life balance is out of kilter. Human beings are called by God to work (see Genesis 1:27-31). But out of that same creation story comes the command to rest (Exodus 20:8-11).
Some of us might need to work more. But many of us need to work less. Our work-life balance is unruly, disordered and out of line. Let’s work when God wants us working and rest when he wants us resting. It’s the only way to get back in line.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What does you work, rest and worship rhythm look like? Does it need rebalancing? What can you do to bring it back in line?
Read Psalms 22:1-31. The global COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is going to impact our future in similar ways to world wars and other global crises. We have a duty to tell our children about God’s work amongst in these days.
As yet unborn generations are relying on our faithfulness to teach our children about God and his loving concern for us. As we teach them about the Lord, so we will encourage them to tell their children about him too.
If we fail to witness about God and his rescuing work amongst us to our children, then we are in danger of breaking the chain of God’s influence in the generations to come, a chain that reaches across thousands of years as one generation faithfully told of God to the next generation.
The gathered church family can help in this, of course. They can help to teach our children the truths of the Bible, whether it be in Sunday School, Kids’ Church, Messy Church or many other ways of teaching about God these days. But they must hear it from us too. Their Bible knowledge must be reinforced at home.
If you have children, what are you telling them about God’s loving work during this global pandemic, in particular? And if you don’t have children, think about those children under your influence – grandchildren, nieces and nephews, godchildren, neighbours’ children, children at church. What could you tell them about God in the days ahead?
Let’s ensure our children hear about our loving, faithful God, who gives hope and victory even in the most difficult circumstances.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oHow would you explain your faith in God to a small child? Who could you share that testimony with today?
Read Psalms 22:1-31. When God rescues us from a traumatic situation it deserves a public testimony. Others need to know!
In Psalm 22:21, God answers the psalmist mid-sentence, with just one word: Rescue! The psalmist’s response is to want to be amongst God’s people in worship in order to praise God with them. He wanted to share his testimony. From trauma and seeming abandonment, to rescue. What a story!
As we begin to emerge from the global COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, there will come a time when you sense that God has rescued you. You may not have yet gathered in-person with God’s people yet, and so God’s rescue may come quietly when you’re alone. But when it does, be prepared to offer public praise for his prayer.
Others will be encouraged by your testimony. They need to hear how God has helped and rescued you from your difficulties. It will give them hope that he will do so in their too. Who needs to hear your good news story today?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oWhat would your testimony about God be today? Who could you share it with?
Read Psalms 22:1-31. Who do you look to for rescue when you find yourself in a traumatic situation? Family? Friends? Neighbours?
When we are facing tragedy and difficult circumstances, our only sure help comes from a God whose concern for us goes way beyond our earthly existence. The psalmist remembers that God’s concern for us doesn’t begin on the day we are born and end on the day we die. It reaches back to the days before we were born and will reach ahead into eternity.
The psalmist recalls that God brought him safely from his mother’s womb, having loved and cared for him since the dawn of time. No one else could help him in his time of need.
God loves you. He has always loved you. And he will always love you. When you face trials and suffering ask him to come near to you. His loving concern will stay with you. He will be with you every step of the way, as you navigate your way through your difficult circumstances. You can trust him. You can find your hope for the future in him today.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oHow does knowing God has always, and will always love you make a difference to your circumstances today?
Read Psalms 22:1-31. Sometimes, when we find ourselves in a traumatic situation, we can feel that everyone has abandoned us.
Just at the very moment we needed them the most, not only does God seem far away (Psalm 22:1) but our family and friends seem to have deserted us too. Their absence mocks our affliction, and the pain and hurt we feel deepens.
And that makes us feel less than human. It dehumanises us. The psalmist describes feeling like a worm, a creature despised by the Israelites as one who could destroy their crops in an instant.
When we feel the sting of abandonment or rejection, the best thing we can do is to keep in mind the hope and victory that God promises us. Eventually, the psalmist feels able to proclaim that future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord and everything he has done (Psalm 22:30-31).
Our church family can help in this. They can be the hands and feet of Jesus, reminding us of our worth to God and to his family and helping us to remember the hope and victory we have in him.
If you’re feeling broken and abandoned today – somehow, less than human – then reach out in God’s name to them today, and trust in his promises and his people.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oHow can your church family help you to keep faith in God in the midst of the most difficult circumstances?
This week we focus on David’s cry of lament in Psalm 22. As God responds, David chooses to gather with his people in worship. This can help us search for the stars in the midst of our own trauma.
Read Psalms 22:1-31. What do you do when God seems a million miles away? What do you say to God when you are struggling through a major trauma in your life?
It’s easy to gather with your church family and to worship when things are going well. But sometimes you find yourself in a really difficult or traumatic time in your life. What do you do then?
One thing you can do is gather together with others and simply voice your complaints to God. That’s what the psalmist does here. He laments that God seems to have abandoned him. God seems far away, and it hurts. In the midst of his difficulty, the psalmist cries out to God, but God does not answer. He lies awake at night, pouring out his heart to God, but nothing seems to make his situation better.
Of course, God hadn’t abandoned the psalmist. And he won’t desert you either. God has promised he will never leave us. He will never abandon us. So, you can cry out to him your complaint. He’s listening. He may answer and act in his own time. He may remain silent for a while. But he will fulfil his promises to you. One day, you will gain the victory. Hallelujah!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oWhere have you found your faith in the middle of your struggles?
Read Jeremiah 29:1-23. How close are you to God today? Can you sense his presence in your life, or are you disconnected from him?
Maybe today you feel far away from God. Maybe you haven’t been to church in years. Maybe the Coronavirus pandemic has prevented you from attending and you feel disconnected from God and his people. Maybe you find yourself in difficult circumstances and God seems distant and aloof. Maybe you’ve just had one of those weeks – busy and stressful – where you think, “I just don’t feel God’s presence in my life just now.”
God’s people found themselves in a difficult place and time. Exiled from their city and enslaved in the enemy city of Babylon. But Jeremiah told them they need not despair. God was with them. He was ultimately in control. They could reach out and speak to him at any time in prayer and he would answer with his grace.
God’s promise is that however far away you might seem from him today, you can call on him with confidence. God can always be found by those who seek him wholeheartedly. Nothing can break your communion with God. God wants to be close to you, whatever your circumstances, and he promises that whenever we get serious about seeking him, we will never be disappointed. May you find God in your day today!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oWhat things are getting you down and stressing you out and keeping you from being close to God? What could you do to let go of those today?
Read Jeremiah 29:1-23. In times of trouble, you may feel that God has forgotten you. But nothing is further from the truth.
God’s people were in trouble. They had been taken from the city of Jerusalem, that now lay in ruins, and enslaved in the enemy city of Babylon. They had no idea what to do. To make it worse, God’s prophet, Jeremiah, writes to them to let them know God’s plan is that it’s going to be like this for a generation. They weren’t going home any time soon. In fact, most of them would not be going home at all.
It’s not a surprise that in those circumstances, they felt forgotten by God. But Jeremiah reminded them this was not the case. God promised that one day he would give them a new purpose and turn them into a new people. One day, God’s people would go home.
You may feel in exile now. You may feel as if you’d rather be anywhere else than where you are right now. And that can be down to difficult circumstances as much as geographical location. But God is still working in your life. He has not forgotten you. Maybe right now, as you look for a way to escape, God is preparing you for a new beginning, with him right at the heart.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oWhat can you do to embrace the life and place where God has placed you right now?
Read Jeremiah 29:1-23. Do you have a plan for your life? Or are you just drifting along, wandering around aimlessly and wondering what to do next?
God’s people had been exiled into slavery in Babylon. Their plan was to sit it out until their fortunes changed. But God had others plans! He stirred them to move ahead. He gave them a purpose whilst they were in Babylon. And he promised to be with them all the way.
God has a plan for you too. It is a plan for good. It is a plan for the future and full of boundless hope. If you allow him to direct your agenda, he will go with you as you seek to fulfil his purpose for your life.
That doesn’t mean everything will be bells and roses and that we will always be spared pain, suffering and hardship. But it does mean God will see our lives through to a glorious conclusion. All praise to him!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oIn what ways does God reveal his purpose for your life?
Read Jeremiah 29:1-23. What do you think about your national government? What about your local civic leaders?
If you’re in the United Kingdom, or your country is anything like mine, then around half of you will love or at least tolerate your government and the other half will really dislike them!
Jeremiah wrote to God’s people who were captive in Babylon. He passed on God’s command to move ahead with their lives and pray for the pagan nation that had enslaved them. Imagine having to pray for a government you hated!
Maybe that’s where you are today. Maybe you think your government is evil and that their policies are all wrong. When we feel that way, we find it difficult to pray for those in authority. But that’s what God asks us to do. And it’s when it’s most needed. We are called to pray for all those in authority so that we live peaceful and quiet lives that are marked by godliness and dignity (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oWhat can you do to pray diligently for those in authority in your country and community?
This week we focus on bringing happiness to our communities. How can Christians spread hope to those who live nearby?
Read Jeremiah 29:1-23. What do you think about where you live? Do you love it? Or maybe you wish you were somewhere else?
For those of us who live in a town or city, it is often not easy to live, work or worship in it. Some have abandoned buildings, graffiti and an underbelly of problems we’d rather not think about.
God’s people were in a city that seemed like hell to them. In 597 B.C. the brightest and best of them had been carried out of their beloved city, Jerusalem and exiled to Babylon. The Babylonians had treated the Israelites abysmally. They had destroyed Jerusalem, ransacked the temple, ruined the economy, removed their leaders and enslaved the people.
What a shock it must have been to hear Jeremiah declare that God commanded them to work for the peace and prosperity of that hated city! And this wasn’t just the absence of conflict, but shalom – wellbeing, contentment, wholeness, health, safety and rest!
Likewise, we are commanded to further the public good, whatever we feel about the place where we live. This means praying for our community and being a good neighbour. It means social action. It means volunteering in the community. It means smiling at people! It means driving carefully and safely. And most of all, it means doing all we can to ensure the community in which we live knows Jesus Christ.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oWhat are you doing to bring shalom to your community?
Read Acts 2:42-47. Have you ever met a miserable Christian? Don’t look at them if you’re sharing space with them at the moment!
The idea of a miserable Christian should be a contradiction in terms! And if you ever find yourself in a miserable church, turn on your heels and run out of the door! If you want misery, turn on the television news! The church has Good News to share, and it should make us jump for joy, even if only metaphorically! God’s church should be full of joy! We were wired to enjoy God, so connecting with him in worship should bring a smile to our faces! I’ve faced congregations who have managed to sing songs such as “God’s love to me is wonderful” looking as miserable as sin! (To be fair, most of them have cracked a smile when I’ve pointed it out to them!).
The early church found that joy. Luke said they did everything whilst praising God and enjoying the goodwill of the people around them. Joyous people attract others!
God is with us. He is for us. He blesses and strengthens us. That’s the basis for our joy. God wants us to live and worship together in love, joyfulness and hope.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oHow can you leave the people around you feeling loved and important and full of joy when they’ve been with you?
Read Acts 2:42-47. What do you do with the blessings God gives you? The example of the early church is to share them.
The blessings God gives you are not just for your own enjoyment. The Bible tells us we are stewards of all God gives us. That means we manage his blessings in order to impact and extend his Kingdom. He wants us to use them to make a positive difference in the world around us.
The early church was nothing short of radically generous. Luke tells us they shared everything they had and sold their property and possessions to distribute money to those in need. That is radical! Is that what we should be doing today?
It is clear from the rest of Acts and Paul’s letters that the idea of “sharing everything they had” did not necessarily remain as a model. But giving generously did remain an important priority, and does so today.
And it remains a challenge to us today, especially in the western world. Our culture will tell us to acquire wealth for our own benefit. But God can do amazing things through Christians and churches who are radically generous. How could you use God’s blessings to extend his Kingdom today?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oWho do you know who needs your help today? What could you do to bring them blessing?
Read Acts 2:42-47. What does a baby need to grow? Food? Water? Perhaps what the baby needs most is a family.
When we’re babies, we learn so much of what we need to do in life from those around us. A family’s loving attention is what helps us to feel secure and confident, to be able to make sense of the new ideas and information coming at us at lightning speed and even to grow physically. A baby learns to use their emerging social skills by watching how their family interacts with them and with each other. And babies are natural mimics. They use that innate talent to copy those around them. That’s how they learn facial expressions and how to walk and so on.
Just like babies need a family to help them grow, Christians need a church family to help them grow too. The word we use for this is discipleship. Discipleship describes the journey we take from a new-born Christian to a fully mature one. We grow as a disciple by choosing a church family and devoting ourselves to them. Just like the early church we need to meet together to participate in worship. We need a smaller group to enjoy friendship and fellowship. We learn from the teachers in the church. And we learn from each other.
I see my main priority as a Salvation Army officer as helping the people in my Salvation Army corps (church) grow. My preaching, my leading worship, Bible Study, prayer and these Battle Drill daily devotionals, to name a few, are all geared towards helping you grow as a disciple of Jesus. But it needs your commitment too. Will you commit or recommit to your church family and to growing as disciples of Jesus together?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oHow could you engage with your church family today?
Read Acts 2:42-47. What do you think attracts people to church? Good music? Great preaching? Superb coffee?
The early church didn’t have any of those things! Music isn’t mentioned. The preaching was Spirit-filled (read Peter’s sermon in Acts 2:14-41 as an example) but was given by lowly and uneducated fishermen and others. Coffee was severely lacking in first century Jerusalem! And yet, the Lord added people to the church every day. So what attracted people to the church? It was their love for each other and for others. They quickly realised they belonged to one family – God’s family – and that each believer was a brother or sister in Christ. And so they showed love to each other by meeting together daily and sharing everything they had. They found every way possible to help each other.
That’s what attracted people to the church. Even the Roman rulers recognised the love Christians had for each other and for those in need. They wanted to destroy the church but found the love in it utterly captivating.
Radical love between believers in a church attracts people to that church. It draws people to Jesus. If you want your church to grow, then learn to love like the early church loved. Being committed to our fellow Christians as much as we are to God – being with them and sharing life with them – is the best way to make your church grow.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oHow could you show love to a fellow believer today?
This week we focus on the life of the early church. They lived differently to those around them. What does that have to say to the church and to Christians today?
Read Acts 2:42-47. If you knew the cure for cancer, what would you do? You’d tell people! We have the cure for humanity’s broken relationship with God that means people don’t have to spend eternity separated from him. Whilst there is one person we know who doesn’t know and follow Christ, we need to keep reaching out.
Our church needs to keep trying to grow. As long as there are people in our community who need to know Jesus, we have to keep trying to grow. That’s not just my responsibility as a Salvation Army officer and church leader, it’s the responsibility of every local leader, every member and every Christian.
The early church, because it lived differently to those around them, because it was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, grew and grew and grew. Luke tells us in Acts 2:47 that the Lord added to their fellowship each day. That must have been uncomfortable! Adding more people to your church means mess. It means chaos. It means change! Some churches stop trying to grow because of this. They stop inviting those they know to church, and slowly the church dies. Don’t let your church be one of them. Help your friends find Jesus. Tell them the Good News today!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oWhat are you doing to attract people to Jesus? How could your church be more inviting? What could you do about it?
Today's #BattleDrill: Read Philippians 4:2-20. One of things that can make us most unhappy is thinking we don’t have what we want. I need a new car. The neighbours have just come back from a holiday I could never afford. I want the latest gadget, and I want it now. If only I could afford my dream home. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
We can’t always get what we think we want. But God does promise to meet all our needs. He’s talking about what we actually need rather than what we think we need, of course. God loves you and he doesn’t want you to lack anything you really need.
God is your provider, and he is the one who will supply all that you need. If you choose to trust him then you lose the stress of not having all you want. In other words, you find happiness!
Trusting in God lowers your stress and helps you see the many ways he is blessing you. That is a recipe for happiness, isn’t it!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•In what practical ways can you manage your possessions to reflect your trust in God to supply all you need?
Today's #BattleDrill: Read Philippians 4:2-20. Sometimes, difficult circumstances can make us unhappy. Maybe we’ve fallen out with someone. Perhaps we’re finding our schoolwork difficult. Some of us are grieving the loss of a loved one. Maybe you’ve lost your job and you’re finding it difficult to obtain another one. Perhaps you’re lonely. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
You may even feel there’s nothing you can do about it. You worry that you’ll never be happy again. If that’s how you feel, then tell Jesus. The great thing is, he already knows, and he stands ready to help you. Christ is powerful and he is willing to provide you with the strength you need. When we rely on him, Christ gives us his strength. We don’t have to do it in our own strength.
Relying on Christ’s strength rather than our own failing resources is the key to happiness in difficult circumstances. Tell him you can’t do it. He is ready and waiting to respond.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What happens when you try to deal with your problems in your own strength? Does it make you happy?
Today's #BattleDrill: Read Philippians 4:2-20. Are you contented? Some people seem to think that being contented means they’ve given up striving to make life better. They’ve simply settled for their lot in life. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
But that’s not what it means to be contented. Real contentment has nothing to do with your circumstances. Contentment is about remembering our place in God’s creation. We don’t own anything. It’s on loan to us whilst we’re here on earth. Most of us know, deep down, that we can’t take it with us!
We are stewards of God’s blessings to us. When we understand that we can hold our possessions with open hands and be grateful to God for gifting them to us. Learning to be content with all God has given us is a sure way to happiness.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•What does it really mean to hold the possessions God has blessed you with, with an open hand?
Today's #BattleDrill: Read Philippians 4:2-20. What’s on your mind today? Is it good or bad? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Many of us are prone to focus on the negative. We may have had a lovely day with family or friends, but it’s the one moment that someone snapped at us that plays on our mind. Perhaps we’ve had a good day at work, but our boss criticised (constructively, we might admit) a piece of work, and that’s all we can think about. We drove safely to the supermarket earlier today, partly due to the consideration of other drivers, but all we can think about is the “idiot” who “cut us up” on the roundabout.
Paul certainly had a lot of negatives to focus on when he wrote the Philippians. He was in prison in Rome and left with nothing, forced to rely on the churches to help him with money and supplies.
But instead, Paul urges his readers to focus on the good things in life. We can choose to be happy about what we have by fixing our minds on all the things around us that are true, honourable, right, pure, lovely and admirable. We just need to find things that are excellent and which we can praise God for.
Choose to remember the best things in your life and forget the rest. It will certainly increase your happiness!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Are you a glass half full person or a glass half empty one? How do you think it affects your happiness?
Today's #BattleDrill: The search for happiness is a universal human longing. Where can we find it? This week, we focus on Paul’s words as we consider the source of our happiness. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read Philippians 4:2-20. Are you a worrier? Does it make you happy? I suspect even those of us who worry for a living don’t do it because it makes us joyful!
So how can we stop worrying? Paul says that instead of worrying about anything, we should pray about everything instead. Anytime you start to worry, check yourself, and turn to prayer instead.
Paul is specific about the type of prayer to pray too. He encourages us to ask for what we need, and crucially, to thank God for all he’s done. Why is that crucial? Because being grateful to God for all we’ve received from him brings peace. That’s where we find happiness.
Take some time today to tell God what you’re thankful for. Be specific. Then tell him what you need and stop worrying about it. I guarantee you’ll feel happier when you do!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Why do you think gratitude is so important to our happiness?
Today's #BattleDrill: Read Revelation 21:1-27. The redemption story we have been following this week is not yet over. We are living in it – stretched between the tension of a Kingdom that is both “already here” and “not yet.”
One day, God’s Kingdom will be fully here. Creation and humanity will be redeemed. John’s vision confirms that one day there will be a new heaven and a new earth. One day, sin, evil, decay and death and their consequences will pass away. One day, God will make everything new!
Whilst this is some time in the future, it is being built in the present and we are called to be Kingdom builders. We are blessed with the glory of God’s presence in our lives and that should be reflected in the way we live and in the way we treat creation and our environment. We can bring about God’s gift of a new heaven and a new earth through our words and actions today. What can you do today to continue God’s redemption story and help bring about its ultimate fulfilment?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: •How much do you think non-Christians in your circles see climate change as something the Church cares about? How might this limit their understanding of God and the gospel?
Today's #BattleDrill: Read Romans 8:18-30. Many of us know the story from Genesis of the fall of humanity. Adam and Eve were tempted into thinking they could be like God, and as a result they disobeyed God. Ever since, humanity has been plagued by sin and wrong, suffering their dire consequences. But we often overlook that creation itself was destined to suffer the same fate. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
In Genesis 3:17, God points out to Adam and Eve that the ground is cursed to suffer the consequences of sin and wrong too. Since then, the world has suffered decay and pollution, largely because – in our sin – human beings have forgotten or ignored the responsibilities God has given us to steward the earth. Climate change and its consequences are a direct result of this.
Because of this, Paul tells us that creation itself is groaning, longing to be set free from the tyranny of change and decay. Can you hear it? When you read or see reports of continuing climate change or of the effects it is having on our environment, can you detect creation groaning for rescue?
Paul’s words are not without hope. He anticipates that creation’s frustration will end one day and it will be free from sin, evil, decay and death, just as we will be. In the meantime, we can choose to do all we can in the light of that hope to clean up and care for the environment. But we must realise that creation requires the same kind of transformation as we do in order to be set right again. Thank God that he has a recycling plan in mind!
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•How could you as a Christian or your church take care of creation more seriously as part of your missional activities?
Today's #BattleDrill: Read John 3:1-21. John 3:16 is the most famous verse in the Bible. You often see it displayed on banners at sporting fixtures or at other large gatherings of people. But we often miss that it’s not just about human beings. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Jesus tells us that God loves the world. God’s love is not inward-looking, it is outward-reaching, and it reaches out to all of creation. When you love someone or something you are ready and willing to make sacrifices for them. You seek ways to meet their needs. God’s love for the world expresses itself in infinitely practical ways. He sets out to rescue not only human beings but creation itself. And God paid dearly to do this. He gave his one and only Son, Jesus. That’s the highest price he could pay. God made his sacrifice on the cross and set about reconciling all things to himself through Christ.
We spend much time at present wondering how we can “save the world.” Certainly, there are things we can and must do to slow down climate change and its effect on creation and human life. But ultimately, only God can save the earth. We must put our trust and confidence in him and ensure we live in a way that fulfils his purposes for us. If we are guilty of overexploiting creation, then he alone has the power to change our attitudes and behaviour. Will you accept salvation for both yourself and for the world?
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•To what extent does the care of creation fit into your understanding of mission? Has this always been the case? If not, what changed?
Today's #BattleDrill: Read Leviticus 25:1-7. What do you think of when you hear the word, Sabbath? For many of us, it means our Sunday, the chief day of worship in our society. For others, it means a special day of rest for us as an individual. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
In Leviticus 25, God radically extends this principle of Sabbath rest and relief to creation – to the land and the environment, to the economy and to society in general. God had already given an inkling of this approach in his commands found in Exodus 23, telling his people that allowing the land to lie fallow so as to not overwork it would also benefit the poor, wild animals, the animals made to work the land, and marginalised persons such as slaves and foreigners.
God’s commands remind us that creation is not ours. We do not own it to do with as we please. It belongs to God. He generously shares it with us. It is given to us to use, but not to abuse. Despite these commands, it is clear we have overworked the land. Our lifestyles demand more and more from creation. We are so reliant on so much land that we have to admit that trying to implement a Sabbath for the land every seven years would be challenging.
But we must each pray that God would give us wisdom to ensure we are not contributing to over-exploitation of creation. Self-denial and Sabbath each have a part to play in the way the Christian interacts with creation.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•The Salvation Army has always striven to put people to work and take care of them. It is the foundation of the Cabhorse Charter and our approach to tackling poverty around the world. How could we apply this same ethos to our care for creation? What part might Sabbath play in that?
Today's #BattleDrill: This week we explore the redemption of creation. Our climate is in “code red” crisis. Can it be saved? And as God’s people, what can we do to help? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read Genesis 1:1-2:3. Genesis tells us that God made human beings in his image. We reflect his nature. We are not little gods, but God has endowed us spiritually with the things we need to fulfil his purposes for us on earth – intellect, free will, self-awareness, consciousness of the existence of others, moral conscience, responsibility and self-control. They were given, not just for our benefit, but for the whole of creation. God decided that human beings would “reign” over creation.
But as we look at the world today, as we see and hear news reports on climate change and the effects it is already having on the earth, we have to admit there are times when humanity has gone beyond “reigning” over creation and turned to “abusing” it instead. We are called to rule, not to destroy.
As God’s people we are challenged to ensure we are taking responsibility for God’s creation, as he envisaged, and that we are following our duty to make God’s purposes prevail. Let’s each pray for guidance on how we can best serve and preserve creation.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
•Why do you think tackling climate change is important for a Christian? How does it fit with our values and beliefs?
Today's #BattleDrill: Read Matthew 5:1-12. This world is full of conflict. Turn on the news, open your newspaper and discord spews out at you. Log in to social media and everyone seems to be falling out with each other. No one listens. They just shout at each other! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Conflict does not make us happy. When God makes us happy, we are peacemakers not firestarters. Happy people actively seek to “make peace.” They are willing to reconcile with others. They do what they can to bring an end to bitterness and strife.
This is not appeasement. It is not about giving in or doing anything for a quiet life. Peacemaking is hard work and hard won. It is dealing with and solving problems in order to maintain peace. It takes commitment to each other and it must be centred on Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
Peacemakers are happy because God calls them his children. They reflect their Father’s character and share the glories of his Kingdom. May we work for peace in our relationships and model peace and happiness for the world.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oHow do people respond differently when you speak peace rather than conflict to them? Does it make you feel happy?
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Today's #BattleDrill: Read Matthew 5:1-12. What is the gap between what people see of you in public and what happens behind closed doors? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
When the gap is small, we call that integrity. It doesn’t mean that you never do wrong or that you’re perfect. But it does mean you are “pure in heart,” because your heart is wholly committed to God and living life the way he calls us to do.
We will never be perfect in this life. That comes as a shock to those of us who are perfectionists! We will never have it all together. But with the Holy Spirit’s help, we can sin less. And as we sin less, we are made happier. Wearing a mask of acceptability in public and trying to hide a life of wrong in private leads to stress and worry.
Committing to integrity – to shrinking the gap between our public face and the life we live in private – and maintaining a heart that is pure and surrendered to God is the way to a happy life.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oIf someone were to look in your heart, how close would what they would find there be to the face you show in public?
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Today's #BattleDrill: Read Matthew 5:1-12. How do you respond to someone who hurts you? Are you angry? Resentful? Bitter? Do you cut them off and never speak to them again? Or are you compassionate and forgiving? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Someone is going to need you to show mercy to them at some point – because we all treat people wrongly on occasions, and we are all wronged too. How you respond to them is an indication of how much you have grown like Christ, and it affects your happiness.
Angry, resentful and bitter people are not happy! But those who choose to show compassion, forgiveness and mercy receive the compassion and forgiveness and mercy of God and they are made happy.
No matter how people treat you, as God’s family member, he will show you mercy, both in this life and when he returns.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWhat keeps you from forgiving someone who has hurt you? Does holding on to that hurt make you happy?
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Today's #BattleDrill: Read Matthew 5:1-12. What do you think of when you read or hear the word, “meek”? You might be tempted to think of the archetypal 97-pound weakling who usually appears in contrast to a muscly hero. Think Charles Atlas or Captain America. We often mistake meekness for weakness. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
But meekness did not equal weakness in the biblical world. The Greek word for “meekness” actually means “strength under control.” It would be used to describe a wild stallion brought under control.
Happiness does not come from being weak. But someone who is meek can be made happy by God, because they put their trust in him rather than in their own strength. Relying on our own skills and abilities to navigate life simply leads to stress.
Happy people let go and let God. They agree to letting God fulfil his purpose for their lives. As we practice meekness it relieves stress and worry. That sounds like a recipe for happiness to me!
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWhat aspect of your life do you need to surrender to God? Can you see how that might make you happier?
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Today's #BattleDrill: This week we explore what it means to be truly happy. Often, the so-called Beatitudes at the beginning of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount are seen as the demands of the Kingdom. In other words, be poor in spirit, be mournful, be humble, and so on, and God will be pleased with you and allow you to enter his Kingdom. But the Beatitudes are more like words of grace. The word often translated as “Blessed” in this passage can be better translated as, “Oh, how happy.” Jesus is saying those who are made happy by God realise their need for him, are comforted by him and will inherit the earth, and so on. So this week we focus on what it looks like to be made happy by God. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read Matthew 5:1-12. Many of us have to deal with tragedy at some point in our lives, whether it’s the loss of a job or career, possessions (such as in a house fire) or the loss of loved ones. There are times at the moment when we feel surrounded by tragedy.
When we do, we can feel very many strong emotions. Grief, anger, loss of purpose or motivation, fear, depression, anxiety and sometimes even guilt. If we don’t deal with powerful emotions like this, then they can take a very long time to recover from. I’ve known people who have never truly dealt with their emotional response to a tragedy in their life and are still suffering the effects over 20 years later.
Being happy doesn’t mean walking around with a smile plastered on your face. That would be weird if you’d just suffered a tragedy! It’s OK to grieve, even as a Christian. Jesus tells us that God can make people who are mourning happy because he will comfort them. When we are mourning we can cry out to him – we can shout at him if needs be – and he will listen. As he listens, we begin to release our grief and other strong emotions, and our healing begins.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oHave you struggled with grief or other strong emotions? How do you think that has affected you?
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Today's #BattleDrill: Christianity began with a group. Jesus called together a small group of his closest disciples. They formed a community and lived and worked together for three years. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
The picture Jesus paints of us being in an eternal home with him in the future, reflects what life is like now: we were meant to be in community with each other.
Trying to live life alone is stressful. For example, some of us are perfectionists, and we fall into the trap of thinking, “if you want something doing well, do it yourself!” Have you ever heard anyone say that? Have you said it yourself? But doing everything yourself is stressful!
When we live and share with a small group of Christian friends, we can share the stress between us. Sometimes, we can give each other advice. Sometimes, we can share words of comfort. But often, it’s just enough to be present. To be together. To be in a community.
Jesus had a small group. Maybe you should too.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWhich relationships in your life have been most helpful in dealing with stress?
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Today's #BattleDrill: Our world is so noisy! At home, the television or radio is always on. Some of us are surrounded by noisy family or pets. When we’re out and about many of us have headphones on. Some of us work in noisy offices, factories, even classrooms. All that noise leads to low-grade stress. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
That’s why it’s important to carve out some time to be quiet and listen to God.
Jesus understood this. Throughout his ministry, he would slip away from noise and people and spend time alone with God. He would take time to recharge his batteries. He would retreat and spend time reflecting. And he would listen to God. After all, how could he speak God’s words if he didn’t hear them?
I often find my day starts better when instead of switching on the radio and hearing the news or opening up social media to see what’s going on, I start with a quiet time with God, listening for his voice and reflecting on what’s been going on. Maybe it works for you too?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oDoes a regular quiet time have a positive effect on your stress levels?
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Today's #BattleDrill: Our culture favours multitasking. Those that do it are praised for their productivity and effectiveness. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
But it’s a lie. Multitasking doesn’t work. Multitasking leaves you stressed and distracted because we are unable to fully focus on more than one thing at a time.
And it’s a real danger for those who follow Jesus. As Pastor Rick Warren often says, “If Satan can’t get you to be bad, he’ll get you to be busy.”
Jesus was a master of focus. He focused on one thing, and one thing only: doing what his Father wanted him to do.
If you want to make a difference in the world, then focus only on doing that God wants you to do. That’s the only thing that matters. You are free to do anything you want but choosing to do what God wants you to do will make the most difference. If you don’t focus, you’ll be distracted by things that matter the least.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWhat things that don’t really matter manage to get your attention?
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Today's #BattleDrill: Have you ever noticed you can’t please everyone all the time? You can’t always make everyone happy. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
If you find yourself living for other people’s approval, then being unable to please everyone all the time leads to stress.
Jesus knew this. He didn’t live for other people’s approval. The only approval he sought was his Father’s. Doing what God wanted was what motivated Jesus in both his life and ministry.
Some people approved of what Jesus was doing, but many rejected him. He didn’t allow this to blow him off course. He simply did what his Father want him to do.
We cannot live for people’s approval and God’s approval at the same time. So, whose approval are you living for?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oHow has seeking someone’s approval led to stress in your life?
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Today's #BattleDrill: This week we focus on how to deal with stress through the eyes of Jesus Christ. Stress is a major problem in our society. Globalisation, the 24/7 nature of information and communication technology, the speed of change, a greater sense of competition all compound feelings of stress. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Jesus was fully divine. But he was also fully human, and so faced periods of stress in his own life. How did he deal with it, and how might that help us today?
Read John 14:1-14. The world will try to tell you the kind of person to be. Subtle messages tell us what we should look like, what we should eat, how we should dress, the kind of attitudes we should display. Even well-meaning people like our parents, our spouse, our friends and our co-workers have pretty firm ideas about who we should be.
The problem is that allowing other people to shape us into the person they think we should be often leads to stress. Different people have different ideas of our identity. And those ideas might be different from the world’s “ideal” too.
Jesus dealt with this stress by being firm on who he was. A number of times throughout his ministry, Jesus taught his disciples by declaring, “I am …”. Jesus knew exactly who he was. Why? Because he was sure of the identity that God had given him.
In the same way, we can reduce stress by taking the identity God gave us and doing our best to be who God created us to be, not what other people think we should be. We don’t need to find our identity in anyone else.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oIn what ways do people try to force you to be the person they think you should be?
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Today's #BattleDrill: Today’s devotional may seem very difficult. When we’re in a crisis, the last thing we feel like doing is thanking God! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
But this is not about thanking God for the crisis. This is about thanking God for who he is in our crisis. We thank him for his love. We thank him for his promises. We thank him for bringing us through difficult circumstances before.
Why is this important? Because thanking and praising God changes our perspective. When we remember that he loves us, when we recall that he is for us, not against us, when we think about the many promises he has made, and when we consider just how many crises, he has brought us through before, then suddenly our crisis begins to look a little smaller. Or, at the very least, we remember that our God is much bigger than any crisis we face.
Our God is a faithful God. He will continue to love, lead and guide us through whatever crisis we face. He won’t abandon us. We simply have to trust him. When we pray to him, thanking and praising him for who he is, shows God we trust him. How could you show God you trust him today?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oHow hard is it to thank and praise God in the middle of a crisis? What are some of the things you can be thankful for in the midst of difficult circumstances?
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Today's #BattleDrill: Daniel wanted to show God he was taking his prayers seriously in bringing his crisis to him. So, he did three things: he fasted, he wore rough clothes and he sprinkled himself with ashes. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
These days, we’re unlikely to sprinkle ourselves with ashes when we find ourselves in a crisis. We’re not likely to put rough clothes on either, although those of us climbing into Salvation Army uniform after eighteen months away from it might beg to differ! But many Christians today do fast when they are praying seriously about something.
Fasting from food is an important spiritual discipline when it comes to prayer. Jesus once said that certain crises can only be overcome by fasting and prayer (Mark 9:29 TPT). Fasting tells God how serious we are about praying for help and guidance in our crisis.
Have you ever fasted whilst you prayed to God about something?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oFasting doesn’t just have to be out food. Other things can distract us from serious prayer (for example, social media). What other things might you need to fast from in order to seriously focus on prayer?
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Today's #BattleDrill: A crisis in our lives often causes strong emotional responses in us. But then we speak to God about it, we think our prayers have to be dry and boring! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
If a crisis produces strong emotions, then it’s okay to pour out those emotions to God! Daniel “pleaded” with God about his crisis – he prayed with emotion. He was repentant, angry that he and his people had sinned against God. He was ashamed of their conduct. He was hurting from the situation he and his people found themselves in. And he let God know about it!
But that’s a prayer God will answer. He made us in his image, with emotions, and he wants to share those emotions with us.
Perhaps you have a crisis you need to pray passionately about. Maybe it’s a family crisis. Maybe it’s a health crisis. Maybe it’s a relational crisis. Maybe it’s a financial crisis. You’re angry, your sad or frustrated.
Pour your heart out to God about it. He’s a passionate God who longs to answer our passionate prayers.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oHow could you be more passionate when you pray?
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Today's #BattleDrill: When you’re in a crisis, it often feels as if that’s all the matters. You can’t focus on anything else other than the difficult circumstances you find yourself in. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
But in turning to God for help in his crisis, Daniel chooses to focus on something, or should I say, someone else. He focuses on God, the only one who can rescue him from his crisis. He turned to God and pleaded with him.
Turning to someone shows them you’re giving them your full attention. Have you ever had a conversation with someone who has turned to you and fixed their eyes on you, even though chaos may be going on all around you? It’s a special feeling!
Turning to God and moving your eyes from the circumstances around you is a good way to truly focus on him and seek his help and guidance, particularly in a crisis. Sometimes, we might even discover we are in a crisis precisely because we’ve turned away from God.
To get out of a crisis, we often have to change direction. Turning towards God and focusing on him is always the right direction to take. How can you turn towards God today?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oHow focused on God are you when you pray? If your circumstances crowd in on you, what might you do to help you focus better?
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Today's #BattleDrill: Daniel was captured by Nebuchadnezzar when he became king of Babylon and made Judah a vassal state. He is in crisis, having discovered that Jeremiah had prophesied that Jerusalem must lie in ruins for seventy years. This week, we discover that what Daniel does in that crisis is a blueprint for us when we face our own difficult circumstances. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read Daniel 9:1-19. We all face crises in our lives. It might be the death of a loved one. It could be the loss of a career or job. It might be ill health. It might be a difficult or broken relationship.
Daniel’s response to his crisis is one we should emulate: he prayed. Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9:4-19 suggests five ways we might pray when in crisis and the ways in which God might answer.
Today, we note that before Daniel started speaking to God in prayer, he listened and let God have the first word. How did he do that? He read God’s word. He studied the Scriptures and he listened for God’s voice through them. It was through the Bible that Daniel learned what was going to happen to his city.
The more we read the Bible, the more we listen for God’s voice, the more effective our prayers will be. Scripture often tells us what to pray for and helps us discern when God answers. How could you let God have the first word in your prayers today?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWhat makes it difficult to hear God’s voice when you study his Word? What could you do to help that?
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Today's #BattleDrill: Read 1 John 2:15-17. Entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn once famously stated, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
One of the ways Satan most uses to try and get you to adopt worldly values rather than God’s values is by peer pressure. Sometimes we are guilty of thinking this only applies to children and teenagers, but it continues into adulthood too. Anyone ever been caught “keeping up with the Joneses?” That’s peer pressure!
If you want to choose God’s values and make wise decisions, then choose your friends carefully. If you really do become like the people you spend time with, if you really are the average of the five people you spend most time with, then make a careful choice of a small group of Christian friends to hang out with.
When you all get together in Jesus’ presence to enjoy friendship, to talk through life, to study God’s word and to pray together, then the really good news is you will all become more like Jesus, and you’ll adhere to Kingdom values. Do you and your friends reflect Jesus Christ?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: Which of your friends has the most influence on you? How can you all better reflect Jesus?
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Today's #BattleDrill: Read 1 John 2:15-17. How do you know the difference between God’s values and the world’s values? You open and read God’s word. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
God’s will is revealed to us through his word. If you want to know what God wants you to do, the choices he wants you to make, the Bible will tell you. It teaches you God’s principles and gives you his guidance. You can test your choices against it. You can challenge your conscience with it. You can check your circumstances against it. The Bible will confirm God’s values and warn you against worldly ones.
Your small group of Christian friends can help you open and study your Bible. You can meditate on it together. Take a small piece of text – like this week’s passage – and each read it slowly, perhaps from different translations, to allow you all to focus on it deeply and to think about what it is saying to you. Some of you might want to respond to what you’ve read or discuss a word or phrase that leapt from the page to you.
If you want God’s word to transform the choices you make, you need to spend time reading and studying it. How will you discern God’s will for you today?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWhat is the purpose of meditating on God’s word with a group of Christian friends? Why not just read it on your own?
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Today's #BattleDrill: Read 1 John 2:15-17. Do you ever allow your circumstances to dictate your choices to you? I know I have on occasion. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
You may have a packet of chocolate digestives in the cupboard. That doesn’t necessarily mean the right choice is to eat them all – in one sitting! You may have a credit card with free credit on it sitting in your purse or wallet. It’s not always the right choice to choose to spend on it. You may have had a promotion in your work or even silver braid on your Salvation Army epaulettes but that doesn’t give you permission to throw your weight around.
Circumstances can sometimes look good but then turn disastrous. We can’t trust them. Why? Because one day they will pass away. Only God’s promises stand firm. Jesus’ life, death and resurrection guarantee us eternal life with God. John says anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
Your small group of Christian friends can help you see when you get off track. They can help you discern the choices that will please God and help you avoid putting your trust in things that will pass away. What can you do to please God today?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWhy is it sometimes easier to trust what our circumstances tell us is the right thing to do rather than God’s word? How can our small group of Christian friends help us in these situations?
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Today's #BattleDrill: Read 1 John 2:15-17. Has anyone ever suggested you should simply use your conscience to guide you to make the right choices in life? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
That’s bad advice! Our consciences often misguide us. Why? Well, first of all, we are in a war zone. Every moment there is a battle going on between the spiritual forces of God and the forces of Satan. Satan hates Christians and he will do all he can to make life as difficult for us as possible. He can trick you into giving in to the wrong cravings. A craving to gratify your physical desires. A craving to bow to the god of materialism and accumulate more and more things. A craving to find your identity in your achievements and possessions.
And the problem that all of these things often feel so good that our consciences lie to us – “if it feels this good, then it can’t be bad, can it?”
How can you avoid being misled this way? Your small group of Christian friends can help you see where your conscience may be misguiding you. As you study God’s word together, you all begin to see that God’s word will never let you down. It is always true, and it always leads you on the right path. Will you let it guide you today in the choices you must make?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oHas your conscience ever led you astray? How can you keep it in check?
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Today's #BattleDrill: This week we are challenged to choose God’s values over the world’s values. How can your Christian friends help you to tread this path? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read 1 John 2:15-17. Christians are sometimes guilty of thinking the choice between God’s values and the world’s values depends on our external behaviour.
So, if we don’t drink, don’t smoke and don’t take drugs, we must be on the right path. But that’s not the heart of it. Choosing worldly values begins in the heart. It’s our attitude to the world that matters the most.
John says it’s when we crave physical pleasure, when we crave for everything we see and when we are obsessed with our achievements and possessions that worldly values start to take over our hearts. They begin to affect our souls and we grow apart from God.
To avoid this temptation, we must exercise self-control. There may be people we should not associate with – friends who lead us astray. There may be places we should avoid – where the temptation is too great. There may be activities we should stop doing. All so we can exercise control over the choices we make. We should choose to practice generosity, holding the possessions we accumulate lightly, and using them for others’ enjoyment as much as our own. We can serve others humbly, focusing on their needs rather than what we get from serving.
Our small group of close Christian friends can encourage us and keep us accountable as we make these choices each day. Let’s all choose God’s values today, spending time in the world and loving those around us, but choosing to adhere not to worldly values, but to God’s values.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oDo your actions reflect the world’s values or God’s values?
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Today's #BattleDrill devotional: God has a purpose for your life. He has a contribution he wants you to make. You were not put on earth simply to breathe and use up resources. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
You have talents and abilities that can benefit other people. My attempts at DIY are a family joke. So I’m very grateful to those who can turn their hands to jobs around the house. I also have a hard time knowing one end of a car engine from another. So I am thankful for those with mechanical and engineering skills who can look at it for me. Everyone has different talents and abilities.
When I use my gifts and abilities, they can benefit others. If we don’t use the gifts God has given us, then we all miss out. I can bless you with mine and you can bless me with yours. Peter encourages us to use our gifts, talents and abilities well to serve each other. When we do, we bring glory to God.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oHow are you using your gifts to serve others? What are some of the ways God might want you to use them to be a blessing to those around you?
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Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Do you remember the Disney film, Beauty and the Beast? A French prince is cursed and turned into a hideous beast by an enchantress who warned him not to judge by appearances and he sits in his dark, foreboding castle for over 10 years, wondering if the curse will ever be broken. A beautiful young peasant woman, Belle ends up at the castle one day, waking up the beast’s enchanted household items, who are excited at being able to serve someone again after so many years, and so they sing the catchy song, Be our Guest! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Peter encourages us to cheerfully say to our fellow believers, Be our Guest! Christian hospitality differs from “entertaining.” When we’re entertaining, the focus is on us. We want to be the host or hostess with the most. Our home has to be clean and spotless. The food must be perfect. We must appear to be relaxed and good-humoured, whatever’s happening in the kitchen! But when it comes to showing hospitality to our fellow Christians, like the enchanted household items, we must focus on the guests, not on ourselves. We must focus on their needs – whether they need time, comfort, a listening ear, nourishing food, or just acceptance. And all those things can happen whether our home is tidy or a mess, whether our food is homemade or out of a tin, and whether we are too tired or too busy or with plenty of time on our hands.
When you cheerfully open your home to fellow believers, it draws you closer to them. Where do you see a need to practice hospitality today?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWho could you open your home to today? What do you think they need from you?
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Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Have you ever had a meltdown? When you’ve felt so angry or frustrated or upset and you’ve just blown up or broken down in tears? I know I have. But Peter says that Christ’s followers should get their emotions – their “desires” or how they feel – under God’s control by living lives that are controlled by what God wants, rather than what we feel. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
How can we do that? The best way is to ask God to help us take a breath and step back to reflect on why we feel the way we do. What’s the real reason why we feel angry, frustrated or upset? Often, it’s not the thing right in front of us, the straw that broke the camel’s back, if you like. It might be something that happened in the past that our current situation has triggered. It might be deep-seated fear about something, or worry, perhaps that we’re not up to scratch or that people will think badly of us.
We can think through whether the way we feel is true or not. Sometimes, we can feel as if everyone or everything is against us or that things will never get better. But on reflection, this is never true. Is the way we feel helpful or hurtful? Often, our anger, frustration and upset hurts us as much or sometimes more than it does others. Taking a deep breath and allowing the moment to pass is better for us in the long run.
When we pause and examine with God why we feel the way we do, we better manage our own emotions and find ourselves in the will of God.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oThink of a recent situation where you were angry or frustrated with someone or a situation. How might pausing and reflecting on those feelings have helped?
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Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Some of us have been watching the 2020 Olympics from Tokyo over the past few weeks. Great Britain obtained its first female medallist in weightlifting when Emily Campbell gained a silver medal when she lifted 161 kilogrammes. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
It takes a lot of strength training to lift almost twice your bodyweight! Your faith also needs a workout to continue to grow. What can you do to strengthen your faith? You need to practice what we call “means of grace” – workout programmes for your faith.
These include studying the Bible. You can do that by following these daily devotionals, paying close attention to the Bible Message each week and discussing the Bible with friends in a small group.
You can read Christian books and articles. Many wise and experienced Christians have committed their words to paper and we can benefit from learning from them.
We can also think about our testimony. Salvationists should always be ready to testify about what God is doing in their lives. But not of all of us can stand up on a moment’s notice and speak out our testimony. So we need to be ready. Someone might ask you about your faith today. What would you say to them? Think about writing something out. It’s amazing how often God gives us an opportunity to share when we’ve prepared ourselves to do so.
Be faithful to your church family. Meet with them on a Sunday. Join in worship with them. And support and encourage a small group of people.
Practice these habits and you will be a spiritual weightlifter!
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWhat Christian books could you recommend to a Christian friend or your small group?
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Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Have you ever been hurt or in pain, and thought to yourself (or even said), “I want my mummy!” When we are suffering all we really want to do is to be comforted by someone. To be held and to feel loved. It’s natural to think that way. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
But Peter says that as Christians, following Jesus’ example, when we are hurt or in pain, we should try to see other people’s pain and reach out to help them, to comfort and hold them. Many of us have had the opportunity to do that in these past few months as we have all suffered the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic together. Whilst we have all experienced it differently, we have collectively suffered together.
We can’t do this in our own strength, of course. We need God’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome our own needs and to look out for the needs of others. When we do, we move away from sin and become more like Jesus.
God can give a purpose to your pain. He can help you to help others who are feeling hurt too. Who do you know who is struggling and what could you do to reach out to them today?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWhat pain and hurt have you experienced that God might use to help you bring comfort to others who are suffering in the same way?
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Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Have you ever watched a professional sprinter run the 100m race? Their eyes are transfixed on the finish line in front of them. Paul encourages us to fix our eyes on our ultimate goal. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read 2 Corinthians 4:1-18. Have you ever watched a professional sprinter run the 100m race? Their eyes are transfixed on the finish line in front of them. Paul encourages us to fix our eyes on our ultimate goal.
Paul had faced many bad things in his ministry. He suffered for his faith and service. He had gone through many trials. His circumstances often distressed him. But he knew that one day, all this would be over, and he would obtain God’s rests and rewards.
So, he kept going.
As we face troubles in our own lives, it’s easy to lose hard and quit. Our earthly journey isn’t a 100m race where we can see the finish line in front of us at all times. It’s a marathon. And for most of our lives we have to keep the finish line in our imagination. Sometimes, we want to down tools and quit.
But Paul concentrated on experiencing the inner strength that only the Holy Spirit can bring. Through his power, he would not let fatigue, pain or criticism force him off track.
God’s Holy Spirit power is available to us too. At the end of this week, as we face an uncertain future, as we focus on the finish line, let’s renew our commitment to Christ. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to deal with today’s temporary pain and focus on our eternal reward. Let’s look to the glory to come!
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oHow do you look at the ageing process? Is it something to look forward to, or would you rather not think about it?
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Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Do you feel at the end of your rope as you read or listen to this? We may be suffering or feeling disappointed, but we are not at the end of our hope! God still reigns. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read 2 Corinthians 4:1-18.
Lockdown has driven many people to their end of their rope. Many people have died, and we are beset by grief and mourning. This time around, perhaps more than last, more of us know people who have died or been very ill from COVID-19. Families are juggling work, rest, play and home-schooling. Some are worried about their finances and job security. Many continue to live in fear of this virus as it mutates and spreads.
This world may seem fragile and teetering on the edge. Our own bodies are subject to sin and suffering. But God never abandons us. We need never lose hope. Christ has won the victory over death and we can have eternal life. In his power, we can overcome anything!
Paul faced opposition, slander and disappointment in his ministry. By human standards, he wasn’t very successful in his lifetime. But he refused to let his suffering stop him from doing what God had called him to do. He didn’t understand it all, but he didn’t give in to despair.
Because he relied on God’s strength and refused to lose hope, God worked through him in a mighty way and used him to impact countless lives for Christ. We’re still reading and learning from his words today!
Whatever threatens to rob you of victory today, remember no one can destroy what God has accomplished, and continues to accomplish through you. Be encouraged!
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oAre you more concerned about your physical wellbeing or your spiritual wellbeing?
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Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Do you still have "best china" at home? We may not measure up to the best bowls and plates you can buy, but God has entrusted his good news to us. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read 2 Corinthians 4:1-18.
Gail and I have a “best” china set we were given by various friends and family members at our wedding. We still use it every Sunday and on special occasions. Do you have plates and bowls that only come out on special occasions? It’s usually because it’s better quality or better looking than our “normal” crockery.
Paul emphasises that God has not given the task of spreading his message of salvation to “the best china.” Perhaps those who are intellectually superior, or eloquent speakers, or people in positions of high authority. No, he has placed this “great treasure” in fragile, cheap, ordinary, everyday clay jars.
In Paul’s day, clay pots had many uses. They could be made cheaply, and so they would be bought and used to hold everything from food to fuel. They could be seen anywhere – at home, in window openings, near cooking fires and in the marketplaces of the world. They were so cheap that if they broke (which, as fragile vessels, could be quite open) the people wouldn’t bother to mend them, they would discard them and get another one.
Often, we can be discouraged because we are not perfect. We make mistakes. We sin. We feel inadequate. We wonder if we’re in any way effective as Jesus followers. But our imperfect humanity is no hindrance to God’s plan. In fact, he seems to revel in taking his imperfect, cheap, fragile clay jar humans and making them his best china.
Thank God today that imperfect people are often attracted to the gospel and drawn to Christ by his imperfect people. We relate more easily to someone whose fragility and imperfections aren’t hidden away.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oIn what areas of your life do you feel inadequate? Can you thank God for the way he has made you?
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Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Some celebrities have a reputation for being "divas." Life and everything and everyone else revolves around them and their needs. That's not how it is for followers of Jesus. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read 2 Corinthians 4:1-18.
Paul’s focus was on Christ, not on himself. Wherever and whenever he preached, he pointed to Jesus. He didn’t try to be over intellectual. He didn’t search for the most eloquent phrase he could think of. He preached Jesus Christ, his life, his death and his resurrection.
Paul’s whole emphasis was on the essential truths of the gospel: Jesus Christ’s death on the cross provides salvation to all who believe.
Paul could have leaned on his authority as an apostle. He could have persuaded the Corinthians to accept what he was saying because he was their God-appointed leader and teacher. But he didn’t. He came to them as their servant.
He is a great example for us. Being Christ’s followers means being a servant of others. It requires a sacrifice of time and our own personal preferences. There is no room for Christian divas! Rather than promote our own importance, let’s instead serve others and help them grow in the faith. Let’s take the time to discover their needs and concerns.
Let’s treat others interests as more important than our own.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oHow do you feel about serving people who don’t live up to your expectations?
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Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Have you failed to recognise someone in the past few months because they were wearing a mask? I've certainly double-taken a few times and almost missed someone I know.
This week we are focusing on 2 Corinthians 4:1-18. Here, Paul explores the nature of Christian ministry and service.
Read 2 Corinthians 4:1-18.
We all wear masks at certain times. We want to look our best. We want to win people’s approval. We feel as if who we really are doesn’t measure up to expectations. And so, we put on a mask. We put on a façade and pretend we’re someone else.
Paul rejects this way of living. In his tricky relationship with the Corinthian church, he refuses to use trickery to win them over or to add to or dilute the Word of God. He makes no attempt to motivate or please his audience, or to take Scripture out of context to appeal to their own views.
He simply tells the truth. He pledges to tell the truth before God and to be honest at all times. If you read the rest of his two letters to the Corinthian church, you’ll know that leaves him in vulnerable position.
But Paul would rather be who God made him to be, than to win people’s approval. It’s a great example for each of us. God didn’t create you to be somebody else. He wants you to be you. When you wear a mask and put up a façade you end up stressed and concerned about being shown up for who you really are.
So, let’s pledge to be who God made us to be. Not perfect, but authentic. That’s the path to real blessing.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWhat are you most worried about people finding out about you? How could you be more open and honest about it?
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Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Little did Jesus’ apostles know when he called and appointed them, but they were about to embark on a lifetime journey of adventure when they said “yes” to him. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read Mark 3:13-19.
And that’s what happens when you accept that Jesus has chosen and called you too. It’s an adventure. It’s exciting. It is something to be enjoyed! When you are using your God-given talents, abilities and skills for him, you know you are in the right place doing the right thing. When you follow the passion of your heart that he has given you, you have a sense of fulfilment that nothing else can bring. When you are using the spiritual gifts God has given you, then you know you are fulfilling your life purpose.
We don’t serve God out of a sense of duty. We don’t work for God because he forces us to. We don’t answer his call because we feel guilty. We do it all because we know he loves us, and we want to learn to love him back. When we do what God has called us to do, it brings glory to him!
What has God called you to do? Whatever it is, say yes and do it! And find the greatest joy available on earth. It’s the only way to truly live!
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWhat steps can you take today to accept that Jesus has chosen you and to answer his call to work towards your purpose in life?
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Are you ever tempted to reject Jesus’ calling? Do you ever think Jesus can’t have chosen me? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read Mark 3:13-19.
Most of us have things we don’t like about ourselves. They might be to do with the way we look physically. Or perhaps it’s about the abilities and gifts we have – perhaps we’re tempted sometimes to compare ourselves to others. Or it might be a character flaw or a habit we just don’t seem to be able to get rid of.
But Jesus chose you and called you with your strengths and your weaknesses. Look at the twelve men he chose and called to be his apostles! He called Simon the Rock, but he was anything but! What do you imagine was behind the nickname “Sons of Thunder?” Matthew was a hated tax collector. Thomas doubted he even believed in Jesus. Simon was a political troublemaker. And Judas? Well, Judas betrayed him.
The reason many Christians fail to answer Jesus’ call is that they just don’t trust him. They just don’t trust that he loves them, that he has chosen and called them. They don’t believe he has a purpose for their lives. All this can prevent them from being the person God has made them to be.
But Jesus does love you. He has chosen you and he is calling you. Will you believe that today? Will you trust him to help you fulfil your life purpose?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWhat have you always wanted to change about yourself? How do you think Jesus might use that to help fulfil his calling on your life?
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: As a Christian, the Holy Spirit has given you at least one special ability to help fulfil God’s calling on your life. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read Mark 3:13-19.
The moment you accepted that Jesus had chosen you, the moment you answered his call, and came to him, he saved you. He forgave you for all the wrong things you have done in your life. He gave you eternal life. He gave you the gift of his Holy Spirit to help you become more like him and as a witness to your salvation. And he gave you at least one special ability with which to serve him and other people.
We call these special abilities “spiritual gifts.” There are several of them, dotted throughout the New Testament, but they are all given to help you do what Jesus has chosen you for and called you to do.
Sadly, most Christians don’t know what their spiritual gifts are, and as a Christian leader I must take my share of the responsibility for that. But you have at least one, and if you don’t know what it is, then I urge you to discover what it is. There are small group courses like Network you can take, and assessments or questionnaires you can complete. Ask your spiritual leader for some help.
Once you know what your spiritual gifts are, God doesn’t expect you to keep them to yourself. They should be used to benefit other people! I can be blessed by your spiritual gifts (which may be different to mine), and you can be blessed by mine.
Perhaps the biggest blessing in your life is when you are using your spiritual gifts to bless others and fulfilling Jesus’ calling on your life. Why not take a step towards that today?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oHow are you using your spiritual gifts today to bless others?
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Jesus has chosen and called you for a life purpose. But he doesn’t wait until you say “yes” before he equips you for it. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read Mark 3:13-19.
God did not create you without a purpose. He knew what he was choosing for you and calling you to do before he created you. God’s calling on your life is to fulfil that life purpose. We were not meant to be spectators. We’re not here just to breathe in the air and use up resources!
Jesus has chosen and called you to work, just as he did his first disciples. As you look at the abilities, talents and skills God has given you, as you sense the passion he has laid on your heart, as you discover the spiritual gifts he has given you, you can begin to discover what your life purpose is.
It might be a job. It might be a career. It might be to serve your family. It might be to help your community. But whatever your abilities, talents, skills, passions and spiritual gifts are pointing to, that’s God’s purpose for your life.
And the best thing you can do is to fulfil it! Life is too short to do anything else! If you have not yet answered Jesus’ call, if you are not doing what you have been chosen for, then ask God to open doors to allow you to do it. Don’t waste another minute doing something Jesus has not chosen or called you for.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWhat do you think God has chosen you for? Do you need to make changes to do it more effectively?
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Jesus has chosen and called you for a purpose. Do you know what it is? If you haven’t discovered it yet, how do you find out? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
This week we focus on Jesus’ calling. How we discover it and how Jesus wants us to use our talents, skills, abilities, passions and gifts to serve him and connect with others. You can watch or listen to yesterday’s sermon from our series, Connected, called How Jesus Connected at https://basingstokesalvationarmy.sermon.net/main.
Read Mark 3:13-19.
God designed you with talents, abilities and skills. He has put a particular passion in your heart and as a Christian, he has given you at least one spiritual gift so you can serve others. Jesus doesn’t expect you to follow someone else’s calling. He doesn’t choose you to fulfil someone else’s purpose.
God made you to be you and no-one else. Jesus has chosen you for a specific calling, a divine purpose. A calling is not just for Salvation Army officers! Everyone has been called by Jesus. Your God-given abilities, talents and skills, the passion he has placed on your heart and the spiritual gifts he has given you are all a clue to your life’s calling, your purpose, your mission in life.
Once you’ve spotted the clues, are you ready to accept your calling?
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWhat do you think Jesus wants you to do with your life? Are you doing it?
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: How does your neighbour know you are a Christian? Paul suggests one of the best ways people can tell we're followers of Jesus is in how we give. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210730/
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: It's not a great time to be a saver, is it? Interest rates have been historically low for a long time. Your money isn't earning you much. God's interest rates are always high! When we invest, he multiplies beyond measure. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read 2 Corinthians 9:1-15. It’s not a great time to be a saver, is it? Interest rates have been historically low for a long time. Your money isn’t earning you much. God’s interest rates are always high! When we invest, he multiplies beyond measure.
God gives us so much, doesn’t he? And yet, it’s not just for our benefit. He gives us those resources to use and invest for him. Paul uses the metaphor of the seed from Psalm 112 to explain that God does not give us resources to hide them away for ourselves, or to foolishly and selfishly devour them, or to throw them away as worthless to us. Instead, he encourages us to plant them, cultivate them, care for them so that they produce more crops.
And that’s the miracle of God’s economy. When we decide to invest our resources in him – whether it’s money, talents, time, our very hearts – his interest rates always ensure a high rate of return! When we invest what God has given us in his work, he promises to provide us with even more to give in his service.
Now that’s an investment opportunity not to be missed!
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWhat are some of the results you have seen when you have been generous in your giving?
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: When it comes to giving, the amount we give isn't as important as the attitude we have when we're giving. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read 2 Corinthians 9:1-15. “It’s not what you said, it’s the way that you said it!” Have you ever said that to someone, or had it said to you? When someone says this, it means that the words used don’t matter as much as the attitude that was behind them.
The same is true for God when it comes to giving. The amount we give isn’t as important as the attitude we have when we’re giving. After all, Jesus didn’t commend the rich who were putting large amounts of money into the temple coffers. Instead, he highlighted the poor widow who gave only two small coins. He wasn’t interested in the amount of money, but the attitude in which it was given; he could see into the hearts of the givers.
The rich were giving a tiny proportion from their surplus. It would make no difference to them and their hearts were cold. The widow gave all she had, and she revealed a warm, kind and generous heart as those two small coins dropped into the treasury chest.
God is a cheerful giver. Think about all the things in our lives that he gives because he loves us and wants the best for us. And he is pleased when we give generously and joyfully, because we are created in his image, and the best thing we can do with our lives is to learn to be more like him.
So, let’s be thoughtful in our giving. Let’s examine our giving in our hearts, before God, and then choose to be decisive and cheerful in whatever we choose to give. When we stop to appreciate God’s grace to us, then we will be ready to respond and to give our all, generously and cheerfully.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWhy do you give? What do you think are valid motives for giving?
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Money worries can have a huge effect on our ability to give generously. We worry if we will have enough money to meet our own needs if we generously give it away to others. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read 2 Corinthians 9:1-15. Money can often be a huge source of worry for us. How will I pay my bills this month? What if the current economic crisis means I lose my job? What will I live on when I retire? What happens if my money ever runs out?
These worries can have a huge effect on our ability to give generously. We worry if we will have enough money to meet our own needs if we generously give it away to others. Paul offers assurance. God is able to meet our needs. He is the Almighty. He owns the universe. And he promises to bless those who give back to him.
People who give back to God will lack nothing they really need. In the Old Testament, God promised his people:
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Malachi 3:10 (NLT)
God promises to bless the generous giver with enough for their needs and to multiply their resources to continue sharing with others. Don’t let worry rob you of his blessing! Instead, ask him to meet your needs today.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oWhat have been some of the results of your generous giving?
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Sometimes, we need a prod to rediscover our enthusiasm for doing the right thing. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
This week we are focusing on what happens when we are generous. You can catch yesterday's sermon at https://basingstokesalvationarmy.sermon.net.
Read 2 Corinthians 9:1-15. Many of us sharing this devotional are “middle milers,” in the middle of the Christian race. It’s a place often less thrilling than the start of the race or reaching the end. It requires stubborn determination to keep going. We need motivation to persevere. And sometimes, we need a prod to rediscover our enthusiasm for doing the right thing.
The Corinthian Christians were initially enthusiastic about contributing to the collection for their brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. In fact, their willingness to do so had encouraged the Macedonian church to do the same. But now Paul is worried. The Corinthian collection has not yet been sent. Has their enthusiasm for it waned? In these two verses, Paul gives them a little prod to rekindle it.
Perhaps there are times we need to be reminded of God’s ways. We know – indeed we are eager – to be generous as our Heavenly Father is generous. But as middle milers, sometimes we can forget this principle for living. May Paul’s encouragement be encouragement for us all!
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: oHow do you decide what to give, and to whom?
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: As a human being designed to connect with others, you reflect the image of the God who desires to connect. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read Genesis 1:1-2:3. As a human being designed to connect with others, you reflect the image of the God who desires to connect. You are not exactly like God. But you do reflect both his glory and his character. And a major part of his character is the desire to connect with others. He has planted that same desire in each one of us. We have an innate need to connect with God and with other human beings.
As we do what we are designed to do and develop deep and lasting relationships with each other, we reflect his love in the love we have for each other. As we are patient with those who sometimes irritate us, we reflect God’s infinite patience with us. As we forgive others when they hurt us and cause us pain, so we reflect God’s willingness to forgive every wrong thing we have done in our lives. As we show kindness to each other, we reflect God’s kindness and care for us. And as we are faithful to each other, we reflect God’s faithfulness through all time. When we see and connect with another being, we should remember that person is also made in God’s image. No one is made more in the image of God than another. We should not define others’ identity by culture, experience or environment. Each person has innate worth because they are God’s image bearers too. May our connections – our relationships – bear that out, today and every day.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: How can you let someone know today that they are valuable to God and to you?
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: God made you in his image and designed you to connect. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
Read Genesis 1:1-2:3. God made you in his image and designed you to connect. Have you ever noticed how God uses the plural when he says, “Let us make human beings in our image”? What does this mean? Some have argued it is regal language – the “royal we,” like Queen Victoria stating, “We are not amused.” Some suggest that God was consulting with the angels of heaven, but this is not borne out elsewhere in the Bible.
Whilst the original writer of Genesis nor the original hearers of the creation account would not have understood it this way, as God continued to reveal himself to human beings through the rest of the Scriptures, Christians can now see the Trinity – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit – all of whom are God discussing the creation of humanity together. Genesis 1 clearly mentions God the Father and God the Spirit in the creation account, and at the beginning of his gospel, John echoes “In the beginning God …” by declaring that “In the beginning was the Word” – Jesus.
In the beauty and mystery of the Trinity, God continually reveals himself in the plural, and we discover that God himself is relational. Our God is a connecting and connected God. And designed in his image, we are designed to connect too – with God and with each other. You were not designed to walk alone!
The best way to fulfil your destiny to connect with others is in a local church family. Your church family can protect and support and help you become the person God designed you to be. Life is about deep and lasting relationships. God is love and he created you in his image to learn to love him and to love others with his love.
THINK IT OVER Think about the following: Who are the people in your life who walk with you and support you? How could you connect with them today?
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: The Bible has many pictures of the ways God cares for and protects you. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210721/
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: God chose to create you. You are loved by and valuable to God. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210720/
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Have you ever stopped to think how incredible it is that everything in our universe fits and works together? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210719/
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: When you look around you, what do you see? A rampant virus? Failing health? A difficult economic outlook? A shrinking job market? A generation falling behind in education? Jesus says, look at me instead. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210715/
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Have you ever been water skiing? Or surfing? Or ice skating? It takes courage to step on the water, or to catch a wave and let it take you, or to step onto the ice rink. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210714/
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Have you ever thought you'd seen a ghost? I'm not sure I have, although I do remember when we were teenagers at Norwich Citadel Salvation Army frightening ourselves silly with stories of the "ghosts" that wandered around that old building! Only peer pressure kept us standing firm and not running out of the door! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210713/
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Some of us have been blown off course by the Coronavirus storm of 2020-2021. We feel out of control. Our health, our finances, our jobs, even our spiritual lives are nowhere near where we intended. We just want to feel safe again! That's why so many of us are keen for things to "go back to normal." Where is Jesus in all of this? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210712/
Today's #BattleDrill: What's your purpose in life? Jesus says it is to love God and love others. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210709/
Today's #BattleDrill: When I was a child, I used to love to swim in the sea. But I remember one occasion when a large wave pulled me under and I really thought I was going to drown! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210708/
Today's #BattleDrill: Have you ever felt lonely? I can remember times in my life when I've sat in a room - in a bedroom, even in an office - and felt all alone. I can even recall times I've felt lonely even in a crowd. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210707/
Today's #BattleDrill: I was seven years old when I fell in love with my first girlfriend. We used to share a chaste kiss in the cloakroom before going home from school each day. I thought it would last forever. It didn't! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210706/
Today's #BattleDrill: Do you have an object that makes you feel good about yourself? It might be an item of clothing, or a status symbol like a fast car. Those who experience the width of God's love find their worth in him. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210705/
Today's #BattleDrill: Every Christian has a mission from Jesus. It is to produce fruit. Not apples or pears but people. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210702/
Today's #BattleDrill: Why should I obey God? Many people (including some Christians!) think it is a duty - a sense of obligation. But Jesus says it's because of love. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210701/
Today's #BattleDrill: Would you like to make God smile? Then be fruitful by using the gifts he has given you! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210630/
Today's #BattleDrill: Can you remember your telephone number? Where you left the TV remote last night? What your favourite meal is? We remember what's important to us. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210629/
Today's #BattleDrill: Do you want your church to grow? Do you want to see it continuing to bear fruit? Then each member must remain connected to Jesus. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210628/
Today's #BattleDrill: No one I know has ever seen the heavenly Father Jesus encourages us to speak to. So how can we know him and speak to him, if we've never seen him? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210625/
Today's #BattleDrill: Your Heavenly Father loves you. Why is this important? We're looking at five different reasons - we discovered three yesterday, and we're looking at the final two today. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210624/
Today's #BattleDrill: Your Heavenly Father loves you. Why is this important? We're going to look at five different reasons - three today, and two tomorrow. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210623/
Today's #BattleDrill: Our world says, "Love is God." Put whatever you love in life - whatever makes you feel good - first, even if that means trampling over other people to do so. Our heavenly Father says differently. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210622/
Today's #BattleDrill: This week, following Fathers' Day, we focus on Our Father in heaven, who encourages us, through the words of his Son, Jesus Christ, to speak with him in familiar and familial ways. Today we consider that everyone agrees that love is important. We talk about it. We sing about it. We show it. Sometimes, our society seems obsessed by it. But where does love come from? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210621/
Today's #BattleDrill: The global COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is going to impact our future in similar ways to world wars and other global crises. We have a duty to tell our children about God's work amongst in these days. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210618/
Today's #BattleDrill: When God rescues us from a traumatic situation it deserves a public testimony. Others need to know! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210617/
Today's #BattleDrill: Who do you look to for rescue when you find yourself in a traumatic situation? Family? Friends? Neighbours? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210616/
Today's #BattleDrill: Sometimes, when we find ourselves in a traumatic situation, we can feel that everyone has abandoned us. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210615/
Today's #BattleDrill: What do you do when God seems a million miles away? What do you say to God when you are struggling through a major trauma in your life? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210614/
Today's #BattleDrill: Do you ever find yourself in a hopeless situation and wondering if praying about it will actually work? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210611/
Today's #BattleDrill: Do you have a prayer that God has not yet answered? Then keep persisting. God knows the best time to act. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210610/
Today's #BattleDrill: When you feel hopeless and you talk to God, he can help you make specific prayers to him. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210609/
Today's #BattleDrill: How do you speak to God when you pray? Do you speak formally to him? Do you tell him what you think he wants to hear? Or are you honest with him? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210608/
Today's #BattleDrill: What do you do when you feel hopeless? Surrounded by worry or conflict, or perhaps plagued by depression and guilt? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210607/
Today's #BattleDrill: Have you ever met a miserable Christian? Don't look at them if you're sharing space with them at the moment! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210604
Today's #BattleDrill: What do you do with the blessings God gives you? The example of the early church is to share them. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210603
Today's #BattleDrill: What does a baby need to grow? Food? Water? Perhaps what the baby needs most is a family. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210602
Today's #BattleDrill: What do you think attracts people to church? Good music? Great preaching? Superb coffee? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210601
Today's #BattleDrill: If you knew the cure for cancer, what would you do? You'd tell people! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210531
Today's #BattleDrill: What happens after you read God's Word or listen to a sermon? Are you moved to do something or does life carry on as normal? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210528
Today's #BattleDrill: How do you feel about Christ's resurrection? In the 1980's it became fashionable for Christians to deny that such supernatural events had truly taken place. But a Christian faith without an empty tomb is an empty faith! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210527
Today's #BattleDrill: Have you ever looked at someone so filled with the Holy Spirit and wished it was you? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210526
Today's #BattleDrill: Is that so-and-so? But he was such a terrible drunk! What's happened to him? And she was a terrible mother! What's turned her life around? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210525
Today's #BattleDrill: How can you handle pain so well? How do you manage to stay calm when someone is so irritating? Why do you find it so easy to forgive someone? How come I've never seen you hold a grudge? Has anyone ever asked you a question like that? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210524
Today's #BattleDrill: You need to be careful when you pray to God about his calling on your life, because pray works! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210521/
Today's #BattleDrill: What do you say to God when you suffer a setback in your calling? Nothing? Thank you for the blessing? Or are you honest about how you feel? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210520/
Today's #BattleDrill: Where do you go when you pray? What's your posture? These things can help us pray as we seek God's calling on our lives. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210519/
Today's #BattleDrill: What do you do when you are tempted to resist or give up on God's call on your life? Rely on your willpower? Run away? Jesus encourages us to pray. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210518/
Today's #BattleDrill: Do you have a particular place you go to pray? A special spot where you often feel the presence of God? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://www.equippinghispeople.com/battle-drill-210517/
Today's #BattleDrill: Are you jealous of Jesus' disciples? Do you wish you could have been at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://buff.ly/3nglyIP
Today's #BattleDrill: Waiting is hard, perhaps even more so in these days. What do we do when we're waiting for God to fulfil a promise? We pray. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://buff.ly/3tNYofl
Today's #BattleDrill: Have you ever been caught staring into space? Maybe at your desk? Or when you were listening to Sunday's sermon? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://buff.ly/3aB715p
Today's #BattleDrill: Have you ever switched on an electrical appliance and left it, only to return a few minutes later to discover nothing's happened, because it wasn't plugged in? Annoying! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://buff.ly/32JqqNs
Today's #BattleDrill: Most of us our slowly coming out of lockdown following the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic. We want to know what's next. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://buff.ly/3sKpFOF
Today's #BattleDrill: When you decide to make a change and stop some of your bad habits, how long do you give yourself to change? Most of us wish it could be done instantly! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://buff.ly/3gtWPzI
Today's #BattleDrill: How do we stick at the changes we make in our lives? One important way God helps us is by giving us a Christian family that can keep us accountable. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://buff.ly/3tG5CC3
Today's #BattleDrill: If you want to change a bad habit, what do you do? It's not enough to want to change it. It requires us to make a choice, and to make a choice to act differently. Choosing to act differently starts with changing the way you think. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://buff.ly/2PeWbuE
Today's #BattleDrill: It is not enough to want to change. I can want to be more kind. I can want to be thinner. If change is going to happen, I have to make the choice to change. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://buff.ly/3dDD9Y1
Today's #BattleDrill: Do you know how to filter out Fake News? How do we know what's true anymore? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://buff.ly/3syHIr3
Today's #BattleDrill: Do you have a favourite chair? Chairs are not always comfortable for everyone, so when we find one we like, we make it ours. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://buff.ly/3egqzwW
Today's #BattleDrill: When someone is dying or leaving us, his or her last words are very important. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://buff.ly/2QdqOkv
Today's #BattleDrill: Have you ever discovered a talent someone had and wondered why they'd kept it hidden? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://buff.ly/3uS80pI
Today's #BattleDrill: If you were to choose an object that best described the impact your life has had on those around you, I wonder what you'd choose? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://buff.ly/3dv9KPC
Today's #BattleDrill: From a beautiful flower, to a baby taking his or her first steps, or maybe even the latest funny cat video on YouTube, many of us will have excitedly told someone, "Come and see." #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://buff.ly/2Q4IaAb
Today's #BattleDrill: Do you ever wonder if God has a split personality? He seems to speak fiercely and judgmentally one minute and then whispers incredible mercy and sacrificial love the next. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3g2sjww
Today's #BattleDrill: Why are famous people famous? Often it's because they wield power or influence over people, or because they have great wealth. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3uFZIRF
Today's #BattleDrill: God's love is a covenantal relationship rather than a contract. Because of that he's happy to use "everyday shopping bags" to spread his good news. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3mGD354
Today's #BattleDrill: Have you ever heard someone describe a person has very intelligent but with little common sense? The cross makes little sense to anyone. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/322LQo7
Today's #BattleDrill: Everyone agrees that love is important. We talk about it. We sing about it. We show it. Sometimes, our society seems obsessed by it. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3saeU7K
Today's #BattleDrill: At first glance, Jesus seems to include a very 21st century concept in his command to love God and love others: love others as you love yourself. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/2R5ULDf
Today's #BattleDrill: I am showing my age this week! This time an 80s cultural reference! But today, we seem to have strayed so far from what love really is, we don't really know what it is. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3sOYCCt
Today's #BattleDrill: You may be showing your age if you get the cultural reference in today's title! But have you ever been head over heels in love? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3urWWQ1
Today's #BattleDrill: What matters most to you in life? Answering that question goes a long way to revealing what it is you worship. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3uzcvp9
Today's #BattleDrill: Have you ever been asked a difficult question? Maybe, "How do you grow seedless grapes?" Or a two-year old child's umpteenth, "Why?" #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3mmojrU
Today's #BattleDrill: What's one of the first things you want to do when you receive good news? Tell other people! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3djPfo6
Today's #BattleDrill: Have you seen those battery adverts where dead electronic items are brought back to life? The message is: all you need is the power from our batteries and life will be good again. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/2O6FJMs
Today's #BattleDrill: Do you sometimes wish you had a crystal ball? I wonder what your response would have been if just over a year ago your crystal ball had told you what we faced in 2020 and beyond? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3u7GdRT
Today's #BattleDrill: One of the hot topics at the moment is scamming and those who fall victim to it. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3d8sFP2
Today's #BattleDrill: Do you trust every promise that has ever been made to you? How about the preacher who says, "And finally ...". Maybe not! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3w59SNa
Today's #BattleDrill: Many Salvation Army halls, including Basingstoke's, have an altar table at the front of the hall. It has a long history as Abraham and Isaac's story reminds us. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3vJIww6
Today's #BattleDrill: Like many of us, for much of my work and personal life, I rely on a computer. Some of us will have experienced the trauma of an unresponsive PC or "blue screen of death." #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3lvrf4K
Today's #BattleDrill: I remember the first time the optician told me I need varifocal lenses in my glasses. I asked her if I should be worried. She replied it was just my age! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3r1Ab32
Today's #BattleDrill: What's the most underused piece of equipment you have at home at the moment? For many of us it might be our baggage! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3vFPm5r
Today's #BattleDrill: Have you ever locked yourself out of the house? I know I have. That's when you really start to focus on your front door! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/310L8Yd
Today's #BattleDrill: I used to love bonfire night as a child. A huge fire in the garden and a metal biscuit tin full of fireworks. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3bYHByF
Today's #BattleDrill: What have you got to be thankful for today? We may be unsure about the future, but our gratitude stems from knowing it rests on a solid foundation that cannot be destroyed. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/38bfLOt
Today's #BattleDrill: Do you ever wonder if God has a split personality? Speaking fiercely and judgmentally one minute and whispering incredible mercy and sacrificial love the next? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/309Gerv
Today's #BattleDrill: Have you ever grabbed hold of something you wanted right now, only to discover it wasn't all it was cracked up to be? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3v2xMZp
Today's #BattleDrill: Do you have a shower before you attend worship? Perhaps it has become less necessary during lockdown! But God does expect us to be holy or clean before him. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3qfI58J
Today's #BattleDrill: When I was a child, I used to love to swim in the sea. But I remember one occasion when a large wave pulled me under and I really thought I was going to drown! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/2P6UVcm
Today's #BattleDrill: Have you ever felt lonely? I can remember times in my life when I've sat in a room - in a bedroom, even in an office - and felt all alone. I can even recall times I've felt lonely even in a crowd. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3bJY1uI
Today's #BattleDrill: I was seven years old when I fell in love with my first girlfriend. We used to share a chaste kiss in the cloakroom before going home from school each day. I thought it would last forever. It didn't! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3aXG6S7
Today's #BattleDrill: Do you have an object that makes you feel good about yourself? It might be an item of clothing, or a status symbol like a fast car. Those who experience the width of God's love find their worth in him. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3uDdjtV
Today's #BattleDrill: What hopes and dreams did your Mum have for you? I know my Mum longed for me to be a Salvation Army officer, and I am glad she was alive to see me commissioned. God has hopes and dreams for us too. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3uDUWVM
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: I was often reluctant to tell my Mum when I was hurt. Why? Because I could tell she carried that hurt in her own heart. How much more then does Jesus carry our pain and sorrow and the world's hurts and weaknesses on the cross! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3dQdhJa
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: "It hurts, Mum! Ouch!" Can you remember running to your mother for comfort and sympathy when you fell over and scraped your knee? Mum was the one who would provide the plaster and kiss away the tears. Likewise, Jesus wants to soothe our wounds. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3aTAzfb
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: Mothers are generally loving, caring and feeling people. They want to look after every aspect of their children's lives. Likewise, Jesus provides a picnic "he had compassion on" the crowd. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3snOct4
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: As we head towards Mothers' Day (in the UK) this week, we consider the ways in which God is like a mother to us. Do you remember running into your Mum's arms when something had scared you? Can you recall the comfort and security you felt when you reached her and she flung her arms around you to protect you? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3pYK01k
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: If you want to know who you're becoming, then take a look at your friends. We most resemble those we spend the most time with. #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/37sV5Bg
Today's #BattleDrill devotional: A few years ago now, a retired senior leader of The Salvation Army came to stay with us. At the end of the weekend, I worried I had been like the Spanish Inquisition having asked him so many questions! #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional
https://bit.ly/3s7edga