- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3697
Romans 11:36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.
When we think of a statement like “all things” we think of all physical and natural things but when we read this about God it is so much more than that!
God not only keeps the world turning, spinning on its axis around a star that does not just blow up, through innumerable obstacles in the middle of nowhere… but He keeps our hearts and our souls longing for more and loving so much.
Anyone could actually make a robot if they tried hard enough, but it is God that puts your soul into action and sustains it even when we try to go off by ourselves. That is our God who deserves the praise and honour!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3663
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
It is often said that when you get married you become a new person, and rightly so. When you do choose to get married you change because you want to be able to please your partner and to live a life with them. With any luck you will leave your selfish ways and become one with your new partner.
When we become Christians we should be looking at things in a similar way because Christ wants to change us for the better. He frees us from our sinful lives and allows us to grow into something new with Him.
But that does mean that we have to make an active choice to follow Christ…
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3670
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
We cannot look at ourselves just as naturally occurring animals as scientists would say because we are designed and created by our God. I know we may act like animals at times but God created as in His image.
Jesus showed us in no uncertain terms that we should be doing good works and upholding His Law.
When we ask Christ to be our Saviour He wants us to take up our new place as a Christian upholding His law and His name above all else – that is how He created us. He designed us that way and has given us everything to make sure we can live that way… but He wants us to make that choice for ourselves.
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3578
Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
When Christ spoke these words it was not just to tell the disciples that they had to behave themselves as Christians should do because He knew inside their hearts already. None of us are perfect!
He chose “light” because light makes the biggest difference in a dark place. When we get up on a dark morning we switch the light on so that we can see what is going on; without that light we are pretty much lost.
God wants us to be like lights going out into the dark community bringing hope, peace and direction to all around us. Without that light our communities would be very dark places.
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3753
Luke 11:2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
When Jesus was asked by the disciples how they should pray, the result was what we know as The Lord’s Prayer. This is just the beginning…
When we wish to lift up our prayers to God we do need to remember that He is our God, He is all powerful, He is in heaven and He deserves all of our praise!
Then we can set our own hearts in order by saying that we do wish that things should be done here on earth as they will be in heaven rather than by letting go and running with worldly ways. God’s ways are perfect – follow them!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3474
Romans 8:15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba,Father.’
Some people may look at a religion as being a cult that traps them into something which they cannot get out of. This is not what our God is like at all. Our God is here to set us free and not to trap us into anything we don’t want.
When we realise just how much God wants to be able to do for us and how much he cares for us, we will most likely respect Him and treat Him like our own father.
Yes we are under bondage in that we have a new responsibility to act in a decent manner after getting to know what God wants from us, but because of His great love for us, He wants to treat us like sons and not like slaves.
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3762
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
What we may think of as heaven and earth will change; maybe not the physical substance but certainly the quality of them. All the bad qualities of earth will be taken away with the sin and evil that man has continued to inject into this planet.
On the other hand, God has made sure that His Words have been written down and they will never change. Yes man will try to change things but God has continued to make sure that the scriptures have remained intact throughout history and He will continue to do so.
God’s promises remain. God’s Words remain. God is, has always been and always will be unchangeable and our Rock.
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3499
1 John 2:17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives for ever.
Generation after generation of people come and go and the desires and lusts of their hearts, minds and bodies come and go with them. There is nothing of this earth that can be relied upon that will span more than one generation because nobody lives more than that.
But God says that we should be listening to Him because he does want to give us everlasting life – life that goes beyond our mortal generation.
When our bodies die, as they will, we continue on in our souls. Whether we live with God forever or face eternal death alone is our choice because God has given us that choice.
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3677
Ephesians 6:6 Obey them not only to win their favour when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.
There are times in our lives when we go out and do things just because someone else is watching us or just because we want to be seen to do something. We go out and we try and please others by getting them to see us doing something.
That is hardly coming from the heart… more like trying to make someone desire something or to be jealous!
God does not want us to trick others, entice others or persuade others through what they see us doing. God wants us to do things for others because we want to do it from our hearts. The same focus we should have in doing things for God.
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3572
Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters
When you want to make a good impression it is best to make sure that you do so with all your heart rather than trying half-heartedly. Others will see through your actions very quickly if your heart is not in your work.
When we see others say that they believe in Christ and then run off into the world and follow worldly ways we begin to ask whether they are sincere in what they say.
Others will look at us twice if we do not follow our own hearts because they will know that we are doing something just because it has to be done and not because we want it so.
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3656
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
If you saw a preacher breaking the law you would probably think twice about whether that preacher was living up to the truth that he preaches. It would not matter whether the law being broken was one of the land or one of God’s own laws – we would still see them breaking a law.
When we want to walk as Christians it should be a full time walk with God and not just one we practise once a week on Sundays or whenever. God wants us to be constant in our walk with Him to show others we believe the truth and want to live that same truth!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3505
Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
When we are children, we should obey our parents. When we grow up and get a job, we should obey our employers. When we think we know it all, we still need to obey God!
If we are employed by someone we should offer our best abilities to fulfil the job we are hired to do; doing anything less is cheating them out of work. Just because others cheat us does not mean we should cheat them or God.
Work with passion. Work with pride. Work with the right attitude. Show people you do it for God’s glory and not theirs.
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3455
1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Have you ever asked yourself why you do certain things in your life? Maybe you are in the habit of doing something every Friday after school or work, or some other day; whatever it is, can you think why?
Our purpose in life should be to bring glory to our God, the God who has made everything and by whom everything exists. If we get up to things which do not bring glory to God then we should be asking why.
Does that mean everything? Yes. God has given us amazing abilities and choices in our lives. Doing stuff right brings glory to God if you acknowledge Him in everything first of all.
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3666
Ecclesiastes 3:13 and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labour—it is the gift of God.
This is not an encouragement for everyone to go out and have a rave! This is a confirmation that when we are able to work and earn our wages we should be able to use what we have earned to live a decent life.
God is not going to take that away from us but rather is going to continue to support us in our work so that this may come to pass.
We can enjoy our work knowing that we work for good because from our work we will be able to enjoy ourselves and even help others. We will be able to give back to God for what He has allowed into our lives. It is ours to enjoy because God has given it to us!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3640
1 Timothy 1:13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.
Do you find it difficult to forgive someone when they continue to do things wrong against you? How about the first time that they do something?
Even though we continue to do things wrong against God He is faithful and just to forgive us of those things because He knows we do not understand that it is wrong at first.
But once we get to know that it is wrong then God will expect us to change our ways. When we know we are doing things wrong and continue we are being disobedient… no excuses!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3381
Romans 6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
It is so easy for someone to tell you that you don’t have to sin, but another thing entirely to stay clear of that sin in our lives. We are born into sin and we often seem like sin magnets because it just keeps coming back!
It is the lust and desire that in part of sin that tempts us and draws us back into the pit. It is not the power it has over us but the perception of power that we may gain if we take on that sin.
That is the trap of sin; it has such a shiny and inviting picture that draws us in but a very dark and ugly result that we certainly do not need!
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3570
1 John 2:3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.
How would you answer someone who asks you “How do you know that you believe?” We could be dogmatic and say we “just know” but that is not going to encourage anyone into believing our statement!
One way of answering is highlighted in this verse: if we believe in our Saviour Jesus Christ then we will want to obey His commandments not to justify our belief but because it becomes our way of thinking.
When we believe in our hearts that Jesus Christ died for our sins then others will be able to see that we are serious about our relationship with God because we are living a life for Him instead of against Him like we used to.
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3777
Romans 5:15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
It may seem very unfair that we are blamed for other people’s mistakes or transgressions but when we have been fully exposed to those troubles we often give in and join in, becoming guilty as well.
It is because of those sins that we are facing God’s wrath and judgement. But it is also because of those sins that Jesus Christ gave His life on the cross.
He did that so that we could be forgiven for those sins when we place our faith and trust in Him, asking Him to forgive us.
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3677
Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
God does not just dish out peace to everyone who asks for it because many people who ask things from God don’t actually believe anything will be done! God requires us to believe with our hearts that He is God.
Believing is not just something we say in our heads or say out loud; after all anyone can say that they believe in God without actually meaning it.
But for those who do believe in their hearts that God is alive and listening to their prayers, they will get to know that peace that only God can give because they will get to know God personally.
- Details
- Written by: DJ Dave
- Category: Devotionals
- Hits: 3614
Psalm 3:5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
Many times when we get overwhelmed by things we feel like we want to sleep and try to somehow sleep away the trouble. Many people take times like this to turn to worldly fixes such as drink or drugs to try and make the problems go away as well.
King David was being hounded by Absalom’s army and I’m sure he would have felt like sleeping his problem away. But his example to us should inspire us because David turned to God and trusted in Him.
When we place our faith and trust in God, no matter how big the problem, we will find that He is able to sustain us too just as He did King David in his time of trouble.