Category: Devotions

Confident of better things
Hebrews 6
I am writing this having been to a service at one of the churches of Elim Honduras.
They have gone through some difficulty recently.
There has been some falling away.
However, I am confident of better things, v9.
Why?
Elim Honduras are passionately serving God, they are caught up with the cause.
Elim Honduras are loving and helping people and this reveals the love they have for God, v10.
Work and love breeds for confidence of better things.
Let’s embrace the two today.

He does not let you down
Hebrews 5
All the way through this book and here in this chapter we have Jesus being referred as our High Priest.
There are many who know the experience of being let down by their heroes, their spiritual mentors and leaders who just couldn’t manage to run the race till the end without becoming a casualty.
We all need a leader. One who made it.
His name is Jesus. This is our Pastor, our Spiritual leader/mentor, our hero, our High Priest.

The High Priest of old would sin, bringing sin upon the community and he would need to make atonement through the sacrifice of a bull.
BUT Jesus is perfect, blameless and pure (7:26-28)
Jesus doesn’t bring guilt, He only removes guilt (10:22)
Blood was still needed, but not of a substitute, but His own, Jesus our substitute (9:13-14)

In some sense I like my High Priest, my hero to know the battles of life, the same struggles, trials and temptations. I like my High Priest to be human, to appreciate what it means to be this species. I want Him to know me.
I don’t want my hero to be so full of himself that He is hero-status driven, (5:5).
I want Him to be earthy, to be one who prays because he needs to and to know the times when prayer is painful. I don’t want someone who has never cried. I do want Him to show me the way, to lead me into my own submitted life (5:7-10).

Be thankful for Jesus today. He will not let you down.

Rest
Hebrews 4

It still remains.
He set it up at creation, after He said He had finished the work.
The Joshua generation failed to experience it.
They battled, struggled and worked for it but never knew it.
He revealed it again at the cross, after He said He had finished the work.
His rest.
A Sabbath-rest.
Not a day off.
But a life of His presence, where all our battles, struggles and tiredness of life’s work are laid on Him.
It still remains.
Enter in today.

TODAY
Hebrews 3
Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do TODAY.

TODAY … Say Yes to the Spirit speaking to you, v7
We are often advised to say NO, but we must never say NO to God.

TODAY … Encourage someone to stay strong in God, v13
If we all do it then we all receive it for we all need it.

TODAY … Repeat what needs to be repeated, v15
Hearing it once, that’s one thing, but hearing till it happens is another!

Can I have an upgrade please?
Hebrews 2
It is the first thing on my mind when I approach the check-in. I try and reveal what I want in my smile and in my banter. I wish I could say my charm works. It doesn’t. I am still waiting for someone out there who knows the keys to the Kingdom of upgrades to give me the ABC to a better seat.

But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while… v9.
If only for a short time, a moment, if only people for a little while could willingly make themselves lower. Everyone wants an upgrade, where are the people downgrading?
Someone recently said to me that there ‘used-to-be friend’ would stand on their head to get to where they want to be. How sad. But it’s true. Many in wanting to get to glory aim high, network for high, flex muscle for high. And like a drug their high doesn’t last long.

But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone, v9

Glory is in the downgrade. It is in the suffering. It is in the serving. The giving of yourself so that others may live. It is in the grace. It is taking the hits for others. The high comes through the low.
Upgrades are for those who willingly downgrade.

I am not sure what the downgrade for economy is?!
I shall ask when I check-in next week.

Who is Jesus?
Hebrews 1
Here are 10 things regarding who Jesus is. Meditate on one of these today …
God, v3,8
Purifier, v3
Relational, v5
Worshipped, v6
Eternal, v8,11
Joyful, v9
Creator, v10
Unchanging, v12
Rest, v13
Victorious, v13

Growing old for good
Philemon

So this incredible moving letter from Paul to Philemon calling for him to receive Onesimus not as a slave (he had left Philemon as such) but as a Christian brother also contains an interesting admission.
“I’m an old man” v9
Of course we all grow old. But we should do all we can to grow old for good.
Paul could say I’m old but:
I am someone who prays for others, v4
I have a positive outlook on life, v7
I am careful not to offend, v8
I approach in love, v9
I know hardship, v9
I am a father to the younger generation, v10
I believe in turning things round for the better, v11
I try and see the bigger picture, v15
I am willing to pay whatever it costs for the good, v18
I believe in grace, v25

Ten things that every old person could do well pursuing. Ten things that I will pursue whilst I wait to be old!

Do you know what time it is?
Titus 3
As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there, v12.

There is a time to change personnel.
Paul was sending 2 workers to take over from Titus. There are times for a fresh pair of legs, different perspectives. There are times when we need to make a substitute and get people off the field before they get burnt out or injured. Maybe it is time for you to change?

There is a time for extra effort.
Paul was asking Titus to do all he could to come to him at Nicopolis. That means don’t give up at the first obstacle. It won’t be a smooth path perhaps but adjust, tighten your belt, work smarter, dig in deep and just finish what needs finishing. Get where you should be. Maybe it is time for you to give it one big final effort?

There is a time for quietness.
Paul says he is wintering there in Nicopolis. It is a time to come aside, to dig deep, to ascertain the journey. Paul was not at that place yet. He had decided to winter there. Where will you winter? Do you have such a place to go to? Have you scheduled into your seasons of life a time when there is no loud activity, nothing much to report on, it is winter? Maybe it is time for you to plan for winter?

How much does doctrine direct your life?
Titus 2
Have you ever thought of that question?
Here’s another:
Is doctrine just about what you believe or about what you become?
Titus teach doctrine:
The Word of God, v5
God being Saviour, v10
The grace of God, v11
The return of Jesus Christ, v13
Redemption, v14
And why teach these doctrines?
So that whether you are an older man or woman, a younger woman or man or a worker you become nicer people.
Doctrine should direct you to being a better person.

No one can do everything
Titus 1
The Apostle Paul held his dear friend, Titus, with high regard. Titus had been his missionary partner and they had both run successful evangelism campaigns in Crete together.
Look at verse 5

1. Paul admits to leaving things unfinished, half-done.
Not even if you are a super-apostle can you do everything. You cannot spin all the plates successfully. The work will always outweigh your availability. So give yourself freedom. Don’t set yourself up to fail simply because your expectations are way too high for yourself.

2. Paul knows what is left to do and knows he is not the person to do it.
There had to be elders appointed to the churches in every town where the campaign had been. Paul had advice and guidance. Just because you know how doesn’t mean you should be the one.

3. Paul appoints the right person and commissions Titus for the task.
If you are a one-man band then you will achieve very little. Take someone with you in life, always. Share the load. Delegate. It is called team.