modern devotionals

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How Far Is The East To The West?

1st May

“For His unfailing love towards those who fear Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”

Psalm 103:11-12

How far is the east from the west? How high are the heavens above the earth?

Have you ever heard the expression “I love you to heaven and back?”, or seen when a child opens the span of his arms and says “I love you this much!!”?? Although these distances are largely allegorical, there is an underlying truth behind them. The extent of their love is in-measurable. So it is the same here in today’s verses. David also tells us that God’s love for us, irrespective of our circumstances, sinful attitudes and selfish ambitions, still loves us with a love that cannot be measured.

In fact there probably was not any real comprehension of how far these measurements were! Even in todays age, east to west is not a number that can truly be measured because the earth is round so you will always be going east if you travel east and west if you travel west. The point David is trying to make here, is that wherever we travel, up or down, east to west, we cannot escape the unfailing love of God or even try to comprehend how wide and high it is.

However, we too need to do our part, not as a legalistic rule but as act of obedience. We need to fear God and repent of our wrong doings. We need to have a reverence for and of Him. How do we do that? By listening, obeying and remembering His commands. When we sin, ask for His forgiveness. And in doing so we will reap the harvest of a fruitful, forgiven and obedient life and be showered with the blessings of His unfailing love.

Be encouraged today that you are loved with a love that is too great to measure, too wide to fathom and too high comprehend and your sins have been completely swept clean. Why? Because God is love.

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Slow To Anger, Rich In Love

30th April

“The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; He does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.”

Psalm 103:8-10

So often in my own life, I have fallen into sin and felt like I was in a whole of condemnation that I couldn’t get of. The sin was not only influencing my intimacy with Jesus, but also acted as a chain bound around my hands and feet stopping me from being who I was created to be and making me feel like a worthless spec in the eyes of God. Maybe you can relate to this when you have sinned or in habitual sin. It is like an overwhelming sense of un-worthiness. However this is complete lies! According to David’s words in these verses, God’s attitude and actions towards us are completely the opposite to what we deserve.

God’s character is full of love. He is compassionate and merciful. He knows we will make mistakes yet He still loves us. He is slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love (commitment love) towards us. When we slip up or make mistakes, He doesn’t come with a pointed finger condemning us of our sins and making us feel worthless. He doesn’t stay angry with us even though we might keep falling down. He even doesn’t deal with us as we deserve to be dealt with. He is love. He won’t stop loving us because of our behaviour. He loves us all the time irrespective of our behaviour.

However, when the Holy Spirit does convict us, (a Godly prompt that what we are doing or how we are living isn’t God’s best for us or in accordance with His ways), our role is to accept His prompting, ask forgiveness and get back up. God doesn’t want us to accept the lies that we are doomed to eternal damnation if we fall down. He doesn’t want us to stay down but get back up. He wants us to live in the truth that after you have asked for forgiveness He has forgotten about your sin and wants to shower you with more of His love. Reject the lies and accept the truth.

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God Loves Justice

29th April

“The Lord gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly.”

Psalm 103:6

Throughout the world we see so much injustice that it must anger God so much. The very people He created are fighting, persecuting and even killing each other. Yet God fights for justice and righteousness. Jesus Himself said that He did not come for the well but for the sick, the outcasts and the marginalised in society.

So what is our role in bringing justice to the oppressed and hope to those treated unfairly? We must stand up and fight for those people, standing with them to oppose what is wrong and do what we can to bring God’s justice and righteousness in their situations. We must intercede for them in prayer and supplication, for the power of prayer is our greatest weapon. The great news is that God is actively answering those prayers because His desire is to see the prisoners and captives set free, the naked clothed and the hungry fed. His desire as David writes is to see “righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly”.

In Matthew 25:35-45, Jesus strongly presents a case for helping and serving those in need as if they are actually serving God Himself through their actions. Jesus’ tone in these verses has such a strong conviction as if He is trying to emphasize His point to His audience, “I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me!” (verse 45).

God desires perfect harmony, peace and justice throughout humanity. His heart is to see His righteousness restored in mankind. As His children and His hands and feet on this earth, we have a great responsibility to participate with God in making that happen. We are not saved to become great disciples locked in our rooms but to make disciples out of the nations, showing Jesus’ love to all in the world, bringing His righteousness and glory to a dark and needy land. Will you accept the challenge?

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Love Is The Root… Obedience Is The Fruit*

28th April

“He forgives all my sins and heal all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.”

Psalm 103:3-4

What is our response to a God that does so many good things for us?

David continues this wonderful psalm and tell his readers of the attributes of a good God. He forgives our sins. He heals ALL our diseases. He redeems us from a life condemned to death and instead gives us life in fullness, crowning us with His own love and tender mercies. These words written here are not just empty words but eternal promises. They are truth when we are told lies. They build our faith when we are empty. They bring us back to the throne of the Father when we feel condemned by our sinful actions. They build us up when we feel alone and unloved. They bring life to our sickness and hopeless situation.

Our response to these wonderful statements of God’s goodness, is to accept and believe that God is for us and not against us. We cant just hear or even read these words and not put them into practice. We have to believe with our whole hearts that God is who He says He is and that His promises are as true when David wrote them as they are today in our very present situations. If we are to truly accept God’s promises over our lives then we have to obey His words as well by implementing them in our daily lives, situations and circumstances.

Being loved by a good God is such a radical way has to be the root of all we do and are. Obeying Him is the fruit of a life that accepts and put into practice His love, His truth and His promises. Speak His truth over your life and see the goodness of God in action.

* Matthew Henry, David Jeremiah: Daily Devotions

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Let All That I Am Praise The Lord

27th April

“Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart I will praise His Holy Name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things things He does for me.”

Psalm 103:1-2

So often we get caught up in our own lives, forgetting about anyone else but ourselves. Today’s verse is a strong reminder to us to remember us first love, to praise Him with everything and to remember all that God has done for us.

Have you ever had those moments, when you meet a friend you haven’t met for a long time and you start to reminisce about the ‘good old days’, thinking about the good times you had together, the memories you created and the trials and tribulations you faced together. It is such a great feeling. It is in moments like that, that you remember how much you liked this ‘friend’ and how much you enjoyed their company. Although it is not entirely the same, it still, in principle has a likeness to and with our relationship with God.

Remembering the good times and good things God has done for us, helps us in our attitude to worshiping Him with our whole heart. When we come before God with thanksgiving for all that He has done, our attitude towards God becomes much less about US and so much more about Him. God desires that we worship Him with our whole heart. Not just part of it and not just when we remember He is there like that distant old friend. He wants to be part of our every moment, creating new memories and giving us more things to be thankful for on a daily basis.

Don’t forget God’s goodness today. Instead remember all that He has already done and give thanks for all that He will continue to do. Praise Him from the depths of your soul.

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The Generational Faithfulness Of God

25th – 26th April

Weekend Edition

“For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and His faithfulness continues to each generation.”

Psalm 100:5

Throughout the Bible, there are so many verses about God’s faithfulness and goodness. Why is it that so? Is it because we need reminding on a regular basis of the goodness and faithfulness of our Lord? Or is it because God doesn’t want us to forget that His faithfulness ‘continues to each generation’? Or is it simply because the authors that wrote about God’s faithfulness experienced it on a regular basis and wanted to share their experience with us, the readers?

Well you could answer yes to all the above questions. The underlying truth is, that God is faithful and His love continues forever! This verse is almost like a summary of the whole Bible. It is not about our doings or works, it is about who God is. A life spent getting to know God’s character and learning more about the attributes of God, as stated in this verse, is a life well spent. The simple truth of God’s goodness, faithfulness and love, is a wonderful message for us today, but also for the generations to come.

Let us join the writer of this wonderful psalm and pass on the news to our children, friends and foes. God is faithful. God is love. God is good. His character does not change when ours does. His mood does not change when ours does. His love for us is not dependent on our love for Him. He is faithful even when we are not.

Surely that is reason enough to enter His courts with joy and thanksgiving!! Shake off your worries and woes and rejoice in the goodness of God!