Walk With Me - Devotionals

Blind Man's Buff

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 8th September 2022

Passage: Psalm 36:2

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Blind man's buff is a game that I'm sure we have all enjoyed playing when we were younger. It seems it's been popular almost all over the world. It's just a game of course, but many people seem to live that way — as if they were blind-folded and didn't know where they were going.

David, who wrote Psalm 36, tells us about the wicked men of his day. They had no respect for God and because they were almost 'blindfolded' they thought God didn't see what they were doing or how they were living. They just didn't care about God.

But life is not a game, and David tells us that the wicked person (the unbelieving person) has ceased to act wisely. He is foolish to think God doesn't see how we live nor care how we live. God sees, God knows, and God judges!

The sad thing is that the person who does not believe in God or follow in his ways is really missing the main point of life, which is to trust God and walk with him. Just as a blind-folded person can be easily led so that he doesn't know where he is, so Satan can tempt us away from God almost without our knowing what he is doing. And he will make us think our iniquity will not be found out. That is a lie and we must not be deceived.

I pray, Lord, that you will lead me in your ways and help me to stand against the attempts of Satan to take me away from you. Amen.

Works Of Darkness

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 7th September 2022

Passage: Ephesians 5:11

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It turned out that there were two of them. Thieves had broken into our big garden shed — my study! It was very late and very dark but we saw flashing lights in the shed. The first thing we did was to put on the bright light that lights up the garden and when the thieves became aware of the light they knew they were discovered. Out of the shed they bolted and leapt over the garden fence and ran away as quickly as they could. They only tried to steal one thing and even that they dropped in their hurry to get away. So for them it really was the "unfruitful works of darkness" on that particular night. The light exposed their evil deeds.

"Works of darkness" are sinful things which a Christian should have nothing to do with — we have not only to avoid them but to show how shameful some of these 'works' are. We have to shine the light of the Gospel on them both to make sure our own hearts and lives are pure, and also to show to others how wrong such sinful practices and thoughts really are. "It is shameful even to speak of the things that (are done) in secret" (Verse 12).

If we belong to Jesus we have a great responsibility to have lives that are true examples of Christlikeness because so many people do not know the Bible and do not know the moral values that make life worth living and are pleasing to God.

Dear Lord, help me to look carefully at how I walk both before you and those around me. Amen.

Something Beautiful

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 6th September 2022

Passage: Ecclesiastes 3:11

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Suppose as an artist you have spent a long time painting one of your very favourite scenes and at last it is finished and looks good. Then disaster strikes — you spill paint all over it and it is ruined. It was beautiful. You can only grieve.

Don't you think God must feel the same sadness when he looks at us? He created people to live in a perfect world, a world of beauty, peace, and contentment. But the picture was ruined by our sin, pride, and rebellion against the very God who so wanted the very best for us. What had started so beautiful became in many ways so ugly. But do you know what? God can take that ruined picture (you!) and change it into something beautiful — something restored!

William T. Gaither, the author of many Gospel songs has written these words:

'The hope for life's best were the hopes that I harboured deep down in my heart; But my dreams turned to ashes, my castles all crumbled, my future turned to loss, so I wrapped it all up in the rags of my life and laid it at the cross. Something beautiful, something good; all my confusion He understood; All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife. But He made something beautiful of my life.'

Christ is the great restorer of ruined sinners.

Dear Lord Jesus, please make my life into something beautiful for you. Amen.

Pressing On

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 5th September 2022

Passage: Hosea 6:3

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I have just been reading the story of a young soldier who lost both his legs and two fingers in a horrific bomb blast in Afghanistan. Since then he has endured lots of operations; the last one was to amputate his legs above his knees to help his mobility. After it all he says "I have so much drive and ambition". He spends his time telling his story 'to inspire young people to be more resilient.' Wow! That takes courage! He is out and about and he is pressing on.

Paul the apostle had a similar spirit. He says "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed." )2 Corinthians 4:6). Twice Paul wrote that he was 'pressing on' (Philippians 3:12 14) and 'straining' to know the fullness of God's blessing and the power of the resurrected Lord Jesus.

Hosea the prophet also wanted his people to press on to know the Lord. This is the spirit that we too should have. Every day we should be pressing on to know Jesus more fully to serve Jesus more faithfully and to enjoy being a Christian more joyfully.

The young soldier I was reading about said "If I can inspire just one kid it will be so fulfilling." I am sure he certainly will. Will we point others to Jesus as we press on in the Christian life ?

Dear Lord Jesus, I ask that you will help me to be an inspiration to others 'to press on to know the Lord' Amen.

The Day Of The Lord

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 4th September 2022

Passage: Joel 2:31

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Robert Browning wrote in one of his poems: "God's in his heaven — all's right with the world."

It is true that God is in his heaven but it is sadly true that all is not right with the world. But one of the great themes of the Bible is that things are not going to remain that way for ever. God has a special day coming when all that is wrong in the world will be put right.

The Old Testament prophets called that special day 'The Day of the Lord'. Sometimes they emphasised that the Day would be a Day of fearful judgement. Sometimes the emphasis was on the happy salvation of God's people (Malachi 4:2-3).

In the New Testament we read about that Day as the Day God has set "when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the Judge..." (Acts 17:31, The Message). The judge will be the Lord Jesus our risen Saviour.

It's very easy to live as if that Day will never come — we think it's something we don't need to worry about or bother with. But that is very foolish. Jesus himself said "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour (Matthew 25:13). Jesus is coming again on the great and awesome Day. To be ready for that special Day we should live in a God-honouring way, so that when he comes we will not be ashamed.

Dear Lord, help me to live in such a way that I will rejoice to meet you at your coming. Amen

Quarrelling Among The Christians

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 3rd September 2022

Passage: 1 Corinthians 1:11

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Just imagine a football match where all of a sudden one of the teams started arguing and fighting among themselves. The other team would be looking on wondering what on earth was going on. If the fighting continued the game would have to be abandoned and the points would go to the other team. So because of their arguing that team would be defeated.

The apostle Paul heard there was quarrelling among the church members in Corinth. There were serious divisions and Paul was so disappointed: "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united..." (Verse 10)

Church congregations can easily be destroyed when the people in them start arguing and fighting over things that should never be allowed to cause divisions. Our Lord Jesus wants us to be people of peace and of love. Just imagine how non-Christian people must think when Christians are busy fighting with each other. What should you do if conflict arises in your church? Let Paul give us the answer: "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love" (1 Corinthians 16:13 - 14). Bitter quarrelling and division has no rightful place among Christian people.

Dear Lord Jesus, help me to be a person of peace and a peace-maker in your name. Amen.

For Such A Time As This

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 2nd September 2022

Passage: Esther 4:14

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Do you like a good story? Yes? Well the book of Esther has all the ingredients of a good story — a beautiful and brave heroine, a romance, an evil villain who gets his just desserts, an obscure good man who gets a great honour... all played out in an exotic Persian palace and its surroundings.

Strangely enough for a Bible book there is no mention of God! Yet the Providence of God is everywhere in the story. By Providence we mean God's gracious working out of his purposes so that all events that happen are made to bring about what gives glory to God and ultimate good for people, especially all who have their trust in him. That is the great lesson the book of Esther teaches.

Yet God uses people to fulfil his purposes not as robots but as free agents who know and are responsible for what they are doing. This was why Esther's cousin (or uncle?) Mordecai challenged Esther to be brave and plead with the Persian king to save the Jewish people when they were in danger of being completely destroyed.

Esther, a Jew, was the queen of the Persian king at that time and she was in danger of being killed along with all the other Jews. But Esther used her position to get the king's help to save the Jews — she had come to the kingdom for just such a time and she did not fail.

Dear Lord as I salute Esther's bravery I also ask for your help to make me brave when challenged about my faith in Christ, Amen.

Does God Care When I Am In Trouble?

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 1st September 2022

Passage: Psalm 35:17

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Does God care when I am in trouble? Of course he does! Very often Christian people find themselves in deep trouble an for different reasons. Maybe we are bullied because we are Christians: people often despise Christians when they stand up for issues that go against what the Bible says: e.g. practices like abortion, same-sex marriage, and euthanasia. Sometimes too Christians become overwhelmed with a sense of guilt and shame if they deliberately did a wrong thing and God convicts them of their sin.

David who wrote Psalm 35 was in deep trouble because of the many people who seemed to be 'having it in for him' at that time. But his main problem was just the same as our problem is: "Does God care for me when I am in such trouble? "How long, O Lord, will you look on?" Certainly help may seem to be a long time in coming when our hearts and consciences are hurting and God seems far away from us.

But as Christians we must always remember that God loves us with an everlasting love — a love that does not change. We may feel God is far from us but that may be because we feel ashamed in his presence if we have done something wrong or if we are being victimised for standing up for the truth.

But we can safely leave God to deal with our foes and we can confess our sin and be washed clean again. Always remember God loves and cares for you his child.

Serving The Lord

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 31st August 2022

Passage: Matthew 9:38

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Have you ever considered serving the Lord in some form of Christian work? It is something that we really should take seriously. Look at the passage in the Gospel from which the above text is found.

Crowds of people were gathering to hear Jesus' teaching. As Jesus looked on them, he had compassion on them because they were 'harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd' (verse 36). Why were they in such a state? The main reason was I think because the religious leaders at that time were not really teaching the people the whole truth about God. The people needed to hear the gospel of the kingdom — God's way of salvation.

Jesus said to his disciples that they should pray that God would send out people to take the message of salvation to the people. It was as if a harvest was ready to be reaped but there were no harvesters to do the work. But then look what happened. As Jesus urged his followers to pray for harvesters, he appointed these very people to go and be the harvesters — to preach his gospel and to go with his authority (Matthew 10:1).

So could God be challenging you to consider going out to serve him — not necessarily far away, but where he wants you to be and whatever he wants you to do?

Dear Lord, "Take my life, and let it be all you purpose, Lord, for me" Amen. (F. R. Havergal)

A Tale Of Two Cities Called Antioch

Reader: Jon Watson

Date: 30th August 2022

Passage: Acts 13:13-14

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There were 16 cities called Antioch in the Western area of the Mediterranean Sea. Paul and Barnabas had had a great send-off from Antioch in Syria as they set out on their first missionary journey together.

Eventually they reached another Antioch, this time in a region called Pisidia (in modern Turkey). It was an important city a Roman colony and a place with a large Jewish population. Paul and Barnabas went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day and as was the custom the visitors were invited to 'bring a word of encouragement to the people' (verse 15).

So Paul got up and preached what would have been quite a long sermon. And that sermon was interesting — Paul began by tracing some of the history of the Jewish people and their special relationship with God. Then he showed the people how Jesus Christ fits into that relationship.

This shows how Jesus Christ was indeed a historical figure a real man as well as being God's Saviour, even though the Jewish leaders wanted him dead. Several people in the synagogue were impressed with Paul's message and wanted him to come and preach again but others said no and even had Paul and his friends driven out of the city. How different this reception was from the send-off they got from the other Antioch (in Syria). However, even in this new Antioch there were those who became devout followers of Jesus. God was there helping Paul.

Dear Lord, give us courage to proclaim the Gospel in the cities in our country. Amen.