Davy's Devotions

  Acts 9:1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest   2  and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.     I have been reading a book on how to think like a psychologist. There is mention that one of our human reactions is to wrap our self up in our ego and hold firmly to that in order to find an identity we can be happy with. I recognised myself when reading this, whether it was associating with my favourite football team, or  identifying with my favourite type of music or bands or trying to act like how I felt I should as a Father. For most of us we go through periods like this and they may only last a short time or vary in how much we wish to identify. In the last few months I have noticed something really troubling. Donald Trump...

2 Pet 2:1 But there were also false prophets  among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.  They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord  who bought them —bringing swift destruction on themselves. I used to read a lot about other religions and the cults who claim to be Christian but do not recognise neither the Trinity, the deity of Christ or the atonement. I figured if I studied other teachings I would be better placed to see the genuine. This may have some merit, however pre-occupation with different doctrines may also eat away at the time you could be using to study the genuine, to get to know the character of God and understanding of his ways. I was told by a Christian friend who was also a banker that on his first day of work at the bank, he was given several bank notes. They were all legal tender. He was taught to get to know the feel of the notes, the weight, the colours, the watermark, the printing and gra...

   Gen 37:23   So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing— 24   and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.  Pride takes many forms. However much we think we can avoid it, there is always something we feel pride in, whether it is an achievement of ours, or our children or a sports team, or music group we follow. I have seen "pride comes before a fall" quoted often. This saying is based on Proverbs 16:18, and like so may other quotations, slightly misquoted. The actual wording in the NIV is  " Pride   goes before destruction,    a haughty spirit before a fall" Yet can we truly live without some sense of pride? Even a monk in a monastry might have some pride at the work they complete, or their dedication to ritual. I would imagine Jesus as a young carpenter felt at least some pride in his workmanship. The real issue to me...

 Luke 15:21   “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.   I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22   “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  23   Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.  24   For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. How do we know God forgives us. Can we be sure we do not have to perform a myriad of deeds to win God's favour? The parable of the prodigal son teaches us the answer to these questions. The son having taken his inheritence goes off to foreign lands and squanders the wealth on woman and material pleasures. Having ran out of money and close to starvation he makes a decision to go back to his Father and plead for forgiveness, offering to work the Father's land.   I wo...

 2 Cor 1:3   Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4   who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5   For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ Years ago a deacon I respected, whilst a hymn was being played, turned to me and said "I never sing along to this part as it is simply not true for me." The words were "and now I am happy all the day". I have to say, though surprised I had to agree with him. I certainly wasn't happy all the day, not then and not always now. There are speakers who talk of a joy, or inner peace, and I accept that this is something we can attain as a Christian, but perpetual happiness? Perhaps you have been scared to admit as a Christian you do not feel happy or even full of joy all day, because it might somehow m...

 John 9:25   He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”  I have heard Christians say they really cannot understand why people choose not to believe the Gospel, or that they are simply in denial. That would not be my experience. I get the fact people find the Gospel message something difficult to comprehend. I also understand why the stories in the old testament in particular seem very wild and also often genocidal.   I have heard many testimonies, most of people who did very bad things and then were saved. Others who were in the pit of despair through drugs or alcohol and survived after an encounter with the truth. Again I have heard the arguments on how life could not have just appeared by itself, true that I get that as well, but that does not prove the Christian message is valid. In fact I have known people to get clean of drugs and alcohol with no religious conviction. I have seen people involve...

   Nehemiah 3:14   The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Rekab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem.  He rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. Rebuilding a city is no mean task. There must have been so many important tasks and sought after professions in the re--building. No doubt there would be many important people and some beautiful buildings. This verse tells us not of an important building but a gate. A dung gate at that! It would not have been the most pleasant of locations in the city and it was not a place you would want to dwell for long. However it was an important task. The gate needed to be strong as it was also part of a fortified garrison. Enemies could find a way in the weakest part of any city, and this gate was just as important to the defences as the main gates.  Some of us in our lives have what we think of as unimportant or menial jobs. Monotonous days doing the same thing over and over again. Yet no hone...