Monthly Archives: October 2023

Random Devotional Thoughts

God’s Mercy and Peace.

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Galatians  1: 3-5                                

    Paul  is still in his introduction to the Galatian Christians here.  He was in a position to pass on a blessing from God to others…. The challenge to us is, do we know God well enough to do this as well?

Paul knew God’s grace and peace and he knew where it came from.… it was the work of our Lord Jesus Christ.     Note that he uses Christ’s full title here…. none of this plain “Jesus” as we hear so much in Christian circles today. The world uses the name “Jesus Christ” in blasphemy and expletives, but only a genuine believer uses His full title. Let us see that we make full use of it!

     We sometimes wonder if non-Christian people we associate with, notice that we don’t talk as they do….I remember once when I was having my weekly game of golf (and I played golf very badly!) and had made a particularly bad shot. One of the ladies I was playing with, said, “I don’t know how you can have a shot like that, and not be swearing!” So people DO notice how we act and talk! Let us not let the Lord Jesus Christ down in our speech and actions!

     In the next verse, Paul says why He is our Lord Jesus Christ….. it is because He gave Himself for our sins and delivered us from this present evil world. This is God’s will for each human being. Let us see that we live in the enjoyment of this blessing and not go back into the scum of what this world has to offer!      Paul finishes off his introduction by acknowledging God’s glory which is everlasting….. this is the eternal praise of heaven (Revelation 5:12-14). If we don’t want to do this on earth now, we certainly won’t want to do it for eternity!

The blessings of God are mercy and peace, We can thank Him now that they’ll never cease; Through the work that was done,   By His well loved Son, ‘Twill last well beyond our decease.

Devotional Poems

Our Wonderful God!

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This poem says it all….what a wonderful God we have!!!

O Lord, You’ve searched and known me, From in the past eternity; You’ve known me from the  outside in, You know my ways and all my sin; There’s not a word You do not hear, You know my every secret fear; You are behind, before me too, You know the things I see and do. I cannot know such knowledge great, Until I get to heaven’s gate.

No matter where I go down here, You are always very near; From heaven’s clouds to earth below, You’ll find me still where’er I go, E’en in the utmost sea so wide, There is no place where I can hide! I cannot hide in darkest night, For Your eyes see as though ‘twas light; You’ve known me from my mother’s womb, You’ll see me till I reach the tomb;

You have made me marvellously, Every bit of me You see!  You wrote of me before I came, And in Your book I see my name, How precious are Your thoughts to me! You’re now  with me continually. Help me to always feel the pain, When others take Your Name in vain, I know You’ll deal with them one day, So keep me from all evil ways.

Search me O Lord, and know my heart, Try my thoughts, keep me apart, From wicked ways and thoughts in me, And lead  in ways that uplift Thee!

Morning Musings

Older Age

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        I’ve just been reading Psalm 92 where it says, “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing,”  (verses 12-14)

     Those of us who like gardening, love to watch what they plant, grow from small seedlings to full sized plants and eventually to flower and fruit. It is the same for the Lord, Who has given each of us life….He loves to see His people grow from their first awakening to their need of Him, to maturity in Himself. In this passage here, it says that we are still able to bear fruit in our old age.

      There is no need for us to feel that we have been  put on the shelf as it were,  or that we are past it and now just useless. There is still so much that we can do in spite of our aching bones and  useless muscles. The first thing we can all do, is to thank the Lord for what we DO have, that we can still think and pray. So many of our friends and relations have lost this ability,  and it is so sad to see them just sitting there, a shadow of what they used to be and not even recognising their loved ones. 

     Then we can write letters,  not only to our old friends, but also to our families, especially to the ones who are living in other countries. For those who can use a computer, it is so easy to write a regular family newsletter, and send it to those on your  mailing list. There are so many things to write about, not only what you have been doing or thinking about, but also about  how life used to be when you were growing up. Life is so different in this digital age, and it is hard for the modern young ones to imagine life without all the latest gadgets that are available today.

     So for all us older ones, let’s think positively about what we CAN do and not about what we can’t.  Make sure we flourish in the things of the Lord and pass on what we can while we can. We must remember that …..if we don’t use it, we lose it!!  

Daily Devotionals

Repentance and Forgiveness

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   Psalm 51, verse 17 says…             The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God,  You will not despise.                                                          

     This psalm tells us how to come to know the God of Heaven. In fact it gives the same message that we find in the New Testament….confession,  with forgiveness and cleansing following  (1 John 1:9). Sin comes between man and God, but when we openly confess what we have done,  God will freely forgive and give us a fresh new start. We need not feel embarrassed at our weakness (that is pride)….God already knows it, but we have to admit it and  follow Him once more.  

David was a king in Bible times who loved God very much. But even he wandered away from God’s ways, and committed the despicable murder  of an innocent man. He tried to cover one sin with another sin, but it didn’t work. So often we do a similar thing, only to find that our  fellowship with God is broken. We can either admit our sin quickly and openly to God, or remain in bitterness and misery , trying to tell ourselves that it didn’t really matter, and it was really the other person’s fault!             

      Do what David did, and then you will be able to say the following…. Have mercy on me O God my King, As to you now, my sin I bring; Wash me thoroughly, make me clean, Against You alone, my sin has been!