By SAMANTHA LOCKWOOD
Tuesday 06 April 2021
Thursday 6pm Group Devotional.
This week we looked again at Jesus' temptation; specifically how the devil uses it when we are at our weakest. The devil even promised in Luke 4 v13 to return at an opportune time. That promise is still in effect -the devil will return. We must trust wholly in God. We must never test God's promises, we must store them all in our heart ready to be used as a weapon against evil. If, like so many, reading doesn't work as a way to remember, learn your hymns :there are thousands of promises from God.
We then looked at Philippians, this was a hard passage to read emotionally speaking and brought up more questions than answers. How often do we truly think about what Jesus suffered? How would we bear up under the same torture? Are we willing to suffer and die as Jesus did? Do we truly want to feel the resurrection? Only you can answer these and obviously no one knows for sure how they will react when the time comes -and the time will come for all of us. Our suffering may not be as extreme, but it will come to us all at some point in our walk with Christ.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu2uA6U4Fxg
After this we move on to look at living life to the full. There was some concern over this. What does it mean to live life to the full? Is it about doing? Trusting? Loving? Learning? Can you have a full life while paralyzed or house bound? YES YOU CAN! One of our group shared something I believe we can all take comfort in: while they were younger, they knew a man who was paralyzed and never went out, but he still had his full life in God. People from his church family came to see him for his wisdom and he was a blessing for many. He truly lived a full life for God.
We then looked into our own personal relationship with God. How does it make you feel to call Him father? Have you met with Jesus? For me I fully understood God's love and care while reading 'the shack'. I have the book and film and can lend it anyone who wants it. It opened my eyes to how God is with us and how we can meet with Him in our life. God is our Father and he wants us to know him as such. He has adopted us.
We then looked into God's lullaby, Zephaniah 3 v17 GOD LOVES ME! He rejoices over me with singing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esapsbVXXsc
the Fathers song
We leave you with John, 'For God so loved the world he gave his one and only son' also known as the church verse. Jesus was held up to heal us all. He uses the word WHOEVER in this passage to show it's all embracing there is no barriers anymore there is no condemnation we are all loved equally.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR8rlTIU8_Y