Well, for starters, she’s 97 years old. What made it all the more extraordinary was the fact that she is still serving and ministering faithfully and humbling in the service of God. 97 years old! Heck, most people would be retired three times over (if that were possible)!! This lady has been in the ministry for over 70 years! Alongside her husband, they were some of the most influential people in PNG over almost 3 generations of people. To hear her share about her most recent trip and her heart’s desire to continue to strengthen, encourage, challenge, and minister to people is absolutely awesome. This is one person to look up to.

After that amazing morning, headed off to the library to get some work done. Getting close to dinner time, I didn’t want to head home (still haven’t at the time of writing this) because I won’t get any work done, and decided to head down to the shops next door to get some food for my growling stomach. Just as I walked out of the library I hear this loud *smash* but couldn’t see anything in view. So, kept walking to my chosen destination. Just as I come around the corner to the shop, I see a mangle of two cars in the middle of the intersection outside the shopping centre.

My eye quickly picked up that one of the cars also had a red ‘P’ plate (for internationals, the red ‘P’ plate indicates new drivers in their first year of driving). As I continued walking, I noticed a young girl sitting on the grass almost in a fetal position. Poor girl! Now, I’m not saying it’s her fault, I didn’t see the accident; but that sucks in anyone’s books. I really feel for the girl, it’s going to be hard getting back on the road anytime soon.

So, my exams are finished, but I still have one more essay to finish. It’s great but disadvantageous at the same time, because that essay belongs to my mission subject of which the lecturer belongs to my mission agency. I was hoping that he wasn’t going to be in the office this morning but…he was. His wife even scolded me (well, kind of). It was funny because he didn’t know I was there and I was talking to someone else when he called me. Anyway, he was pleasantly surprised when I told him to turn around.

To cut a not-so-long-story short, he graciously gave me some gentle words of “hurry up and get it done soon” (though that’s more my interpretation than anything else). Well, that explains why I’m at the library procrastinating writing on my blog. Anyway, I’ve got a Bible study and a sermon to prepare this week. Fun times!

Great reading with insights on evangelism and mission.

Setting the scene…

The issues that had arisen to the writing of this epistle were, firstly, a false gospel taught (which we explored in the previous study), and secondly, that Paul was not a true apostle of the gospel. After his introduction that dealt with this false gospel, Paul continued to affirm that he was a true apostle, commissioned and sent by the Lord Jesus Christ. It is important for us to understand, from the perspective of the early church, that an apostle was not just a disciple of Jesus Christ but someone who had also witnessed the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ.

After the suicide of Judas Iscariot, there was a need to find another disciple to take his place to fulfilling the Hebrew Scriptures; thus, we find Peter saying:

Therefore, it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection. (Acts 1:21-22, NIV)

Paul, to our knowledge, did not fit these criteria (although, while he might not have been a disciple initially, he might have witnessed the ministry of Jesus) he did have an authentic claim to his apostleship. In Paul’s words, “I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ” (1:12). However, Paul did not testify on his own accord but, if you remember the conversion of Paul (see Acts 9:1-19), Ananias was able to testify of Paul’s conversion and apostleship as God had told him, “This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel” (Acts 9:15).

To add to the argument, Paul, also, had a reputation—a reputation that the Christian world knew well—he persecuted them. Before Paul’s conversion, he was a passionate persecutor of the Christian faith because he, truly, believed that they were a cult. All over the Christian world, they knew Saul of Tarsus (Paul), they knew who Paul was. However, Paul pointed to the work of grace in his life that enabled him to become an apostle to the Gentiles, reminding them that it was by the grace of God and not the command of men (1:16b-17).

Accept one another…

Paul’s relationship with the Twelve did not begin until approximately 17 years after his ministry began; by this time, Paul had a fairly established reputation throughout the Gentile Christian world. It is interesting to note how Paul told the story of meeting the Twelve; look at what he says: “Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek” (2:3). Why would Paul say something like this when he is telling the story about how he met the Twelve? If we remember Paul’s introduction to the epistle, the false gospel that Paul had dealt with involved issues like circumcision; so, as Paul wrote, he still sought to remind the Galatians that the gospel and teachings of Jesus Christ were not on restrictions of the Law but “the freedom we have in Christ Jesus” (2:4b)—this Paul says is “the truth of the gospel” (2:5). What looked like a story about meeting the Twelve quickly became another argument against the false gospel!

Paul reminded the Galatians that “God does not judge by external appearance” (2:6). Paul reminds us that we should not seek men’s approval as we serve God, but it is God’s judgment and opinion that counts in life, and also that when we are faithful in serving God others will see the fruit of our work and recognise the task (2:8-9), just as they saw that Paul “had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews” (2:7). As we are faithful in the tasks that God has given us, whatever they might be, people have nothing that they can criticise. Abraham Lincoln once said:

“If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how—the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what’s said against me won’t amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference.”

Likewise, when we recognise that others are doing what God has made them to do, we should encourage them in their tasks and offer them “the right hand of fellowship” when we “recognise the grace given” to them by God (2:9). The purpose of the Church—the body of Christ—is to build up and not tear down, so let us “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24).

Opposing one another…

While there is a need to build one another up, there is, also, a need to, not tear one another down, but rebuke our brothers and sisters when they are wrong. Such, is the case with Paul and Peter: Paul rebukes Peter for his actions in Antioch, contrary to the gospel and the practice of Peter (see 2:12 and Acts 10-11). How do we explain Peter’s actions? Paul tells us that when Judaizers (see previous study) arrived in Antioch, Peter’s actions changed—most likely, out of fear and a desire to avoid conflict with the Judaizers. However, Peter’s actions had severe consequences as other Jewish Christians and one of Paul’s companions, Barnabas, was led astray (2:13).

Paul’s confrontation with Peter is public! “In front of them all” Paul confronts Peter that “they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel” (2:14). Paul uses this opportunity, not only to rebuke Peter but, to teach all the hearers that our salvation is based on “faith in Christ and not by observing the law” (2:16). Paul reminds them all that “if I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker” (2:18), what Paul means is that, in Christ, you and I are free from the Law; however, if we seek to live by the Law then we live contrary to the freedom of the gospel and prove that we are lawbreakers. Paul’s famous words, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (2:20), firmly remind us of the freedom given through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, “for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing” (2:21).

Yet, if “Christ lives in me” then why do we still sin? I think Paul illustrates this best when he says, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Romans 7:15). Is that to say that we don’t strive for sinlessness and perfection? Of course not! It is because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that we are motivated to live godly lives. What Paul is pointing to is the fact that we are still human beings with sin living within us and Jesus also said, “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Matthew 26:41). The reality is that we are still physical, human beings and until our bodies are completely made new, sin is a reality we must deal with each and every day. Yet, let us takes Paul’s words as an encouragement, “Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:24-25).

Setting the scene…

The opening of Galatians pointed to Paul, the Apostle, as its author; also, it was addressed to “the churches in Galatia.” There is some debate about which churches in Galatia received the letter and when the letter was written, but these issues do not take away from the message or purpose for which Paul wrote.

Paul had a very specific purpose in mind when he wrote to the churches in Galatia. It was more than another letter of encouragement or teaching, this letter to the Galatians was written to a specific situation. We need to remember that, at this point, the Church, as a whole, was still quite young, roughly 30-years old. As such, the Church was still developing its understanding of their faith and practice as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Side note: Christianity, in the early church, was still connected with Judaism. It was seen as another group of believers who believed that Jesus Christ was the Messiah and allowed Gentiles to join them. This connection didn’t last long and the persecution of Christians began and Paul (previously Saul) went around persecuting Christians as seen in the early chapters of Acts.

During the early stages of the Church, there was a group called the Judaizers. They were Jewish Christians who believed that some Jewish customs were still required as a sign of faith and salvation. An example of this was that believers still needed to be circumcised. They argued that, firstly, Paul was not a real apostle and, secondly, the gospel that Paul preached had been changed to make it more appealing to Gentiles. For those reasons, Paul wrote to the Galatians.

One Gospel…

The opening verses of Paul (1:1-5) do not waste any time in addressing the issues and problems that were happening in Galatia. The very first words, “Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead,” highlighted that Paul was a genuine apostle. This issue will be further expanded in the next article exploring the apostleship of Paul (1:11-24).

The greeting that follows his introduction was unusual, normally Paul writes, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (such as those found in Eph. 1:2; Phil. 1:2; Col. 1:2), but, here, Paul wrote an extended greeting (1:3-5). Paul reminded his readers, the Galatians, of the saving work of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are some key points that should be highlighted about this salvation work: (1) Jesus Christ gave Himself willingly, (2) He gave Himself for our sins, (3) salvation is a present reality as Paul says, “to rescue us from the present evil age,” (4) it was according to the will of the Father God, and finally, (5) it was for the glory of the Father.

Paul got straight down to business (1:6), “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you…turning to a different gospel.” This different gospel, as mentioned earlier, was a serious issue in the early church. There was a group of Jews who still believed that the Mosaic Law was applicable and ritual practices, such as circumcision, still needed to be carried out by believers—Jew or Gentile. These Jews confused young Gentile believers about what it meant to be a Christian.

Side note: There are two incidents involving Paul that take this matter further. Paul had allowed for Timothy to be circumcised, however, Paul had denied Titus to be circumcised. Without going into detail, we should understand that Timothy was a Jew by birth (Jews defined heritage through the mother, so even though Timothy had a Gentile father he was still considered a Jew.) Titus, on the other hand, was a Gentile by birth and Paul explains his reasoning for this later in his letter (2:1-10) and we will leave it for further discussion.

Likewise, in our day and age, there are all sorts of ideas that seek to confuse Christians and what they believe. In the last decade, we have seen works such as “The Da Vinci code” by Dan Brown, “God is not great” by Christopher Hitchens, “The God delusion” by Richard Dawkins, challenge people about their faith and the truth of the gospel. It isn’t religious rituals, but it is the challenge of a false gospel—the gospel of evolutionary science, the gospel of post-modernism, etc.

As believers of Jesus Christ, we are called to stand for our faith and the gospel; furthermore, we are called to be messengers of the gospel. With all these false gospels, continually, coming out and getting people’s attention we must be all the more urgent in sharing about “Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age.” Most of us are not called or gifted to stand on street corners evangelising to all the people, but we can, at least, live each day expressing our faith through what we do and what we say around others. Let us pray that God will give us opportunities in our daily lives to share the truth and the light of the gospel to our family, our friends, our classmates, our workmates, even, the people we walk past in the streets.

These words of Paul, “If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned,” should make us realise how critical and how important the truth of the gospel is. In these verses (1:8-9), Paul makes the point that there is only one, true gospel and it is critical enough that he includes, not only people, but the angels also. The truth and integrity of the gospel never changes that any messenger, human or angelic, should be condemned for preaching a different gospel.

There are a number of different sects/cults associated with Christianity, the Mormons, the Jehovah’s witnesses and various others. It raises the question of how they got so far off track from the truth. What is our response to these false gospels? What about when we share the gospel with others, should we be concerned about the truth of what we share? This concern is a valid concern, but let us be encouraged that we have the Holy Spirit and Jesus said (Jn. 16:13), “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

As believers of Jesus Christ, let these words be an encouragement to us. If we, who have the Holy Spirit of God within us, truly desire to be faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ then, in faith, believe that we are guided by the Holy Spirit. It is when we seek to promote our own beliefs, our own desires, and our own ideas out of pride then we are looking for trouble—let us then “be eternally condemned.”

What about our response to false gospels? This issue, no doubt, is a difficult area and believers should stand firm. Indeed, we would all desire to stand up for our faith and proclaim we are hearing a false gospel; however, it is, also, a dangerous and risky step to take. It is not to say that we sit there and let the false teaching continue, however, we must remember that we are dealing with more than just people; behind a false gospel is, also, a false god. Satan will use whatever tools and methods that he can in an attempt to draw people away from the truth. To fight a spiritual battle with physical words will not do any good, for Paul reminds us (Eph. 6:12) that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” This truth should cause us to fall onto our knees in prayer to our God, a God that is over earthly realm and the “heavenly realm.” More practically, we should seek those of spiritual maturity, such as pastors and elders, and ask them for their advice and aid.

In the end of this section (1:10), Paul asks a question that each one of us, who call themselves Christians, need to ask ourselves, “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?” Who do we live for? Really, who? Personally, there are times, when we come to a place of comfort and complacency where we forget who we live for. We are so used to living a particular way, doing certain things and having particular roles that we forget whom we truly live for. Paul’s words are challenging, “If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” We should be constantly re-evaluating and seeking to have our focus in the right place, that is, on the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is hard. It is hard to live for Christ. Our human nature demands attention and, so often, we seek the attention of the people around us. Without much thought, we can find ourselves doing and living for the people around us rather than for the God who has given us life and saved us from this “present evil age.” Let this be your challenge, that each morning when you wake up, to give God recognition that He alone is your only audience and the One whom you seek to please.

Boy, God you’ve been teaching me a lot haven’t you? And it all goes back to my primary school days with the good ol’ school motto: “My utmost for His glory.” Now that I think about it, the ol’ high school motto kind of applies as well, “Honour the work.” Funny that.

First week back at uni and Jake taught me something that would start this chapter in life, “Give glory to God in everything that you do.” A new chapter where I would begin to seek to do my utmost for His glory and that would also honour His work.

About six weeks ago, you started moving in my life, you started to visibly mould me; it wasn’t circumstantial preparation, this was the real deal, the hard-core stuff.

You took me back to the days of my youth, when I committed an act that I thought you could never forgive, now it was my turn to forgive myself. You spoke through Joey and Jeremy that week, opening my eyes to the truth, then you capped it off with a message at a church I visited.

Then, the following week you started teaching me to trust you. Especially, in relation to my heart. I’m still learning to trust you with that, I really would like to know what is going on. Again, in my times with you, you are calling for me to trust you.

Moreover, you’ve been teaching me to be open and honest with people. Along with trusting You and continuing to peel away the lies that have built up over the years. It’ll take time but it’s something that needs to happen.

Finally, you’ve been teaching me to patient. You’ve taught me to be patient with people, now it’s time to learn to be patient with you. Lord, you’ve everything on the line with me, you’ve entrusted me with a kingdom that is far beyond me; and if I fail, Lord, what will You do? You’ve given me dreams and visions that are beyond imagination; I pray that I can live up to Your calling.

Thank you Father, for your grace and salvation.

I still think that the school mottos are really funny and how they apply to my life. The bottom line of my life is about giving my best for the glory to my God, part of doing that is to honour the work that has been entrusted to me. I don’t journal much but when I do, I’m surprised at what I write when I look back.

A lot of the things that are written here still apply to me a great deal. I still struggle with the consequences of my past actions and am still struggling to overcome such ordeals. Yet, for all the excuses I make, my God is faithful to forgive me and wipe my record clean each and every day.

At the moment, really struggling with some life situations and the lesson on trust is an adequate one for this time. Certainly, there is an element where I simply need to put aside my doubts and inadequacies, trust that God will bring me through in one piece.

I think with the particularities of my life struggles, I don’t lie to people, but I’m certainly not up-front and open with them. Most people would see that as a legitimate reason, however, I find there are very few people who I can actually trust and open myself up to. (Sad, I know.)

Patience…well, I would like to think that I’ve learnt that lesson but am often reminded that it’s still yet to be perfected. I think one thing that has changed, I recognise that I can’t fail at the task God has given me. He has given Jesus Christ to bring me to the place I’m at and I have humbly sacrificed all that I have (I say humbly because it’s taken many years of struggle and continue to struggle) for the sake of the kingdom of God. Indeed, my prayer is that I will live up to the purpose and calling that God has given to me.

Again and forevermore, thank you God my Father, for the grace and salvation that you have given not only to me but all people.

You see, my working week (in that I include studies) is from Friday to Tuesday. Before you all jump in and ask if I’m available next Wednesday for coffee…I’m not, let me explain.

There is more to my “weekend” than just simply having a day-off. I rest. To most people, this is pretty normal and you don’t think too much about it, right? Probably not.

Most people have their weekends just filled with more stuff that they don’t really get a break. They work 5 days a week and then they do something else for their weekends and end up just as tired when Monday comes around again. Sound familiar?

After learning the hard way and having a couple of crisis situations in the past, I have a day-off or as Jews/Christians may otherwise know it, a Sabbath rest. To the person of Judeo-Christian background would understand, it is a day that is not simply to slack off but remember what life is really about and it’s not you and me. It’d God.

I don’t do it because I have to. I don’t do it because it makes me any more religious or wins me any brownie points. I do it because there is a point in it. That is that our bodies, our minds and our spirits can rest. Some of you might be asking me, isn’t that what church is for? Well, yes. Except, in my case, church is “work” for me. It’s what I do as a livelihood, so it’s not exactly a time where I can rest.

All religious/Jewish/Christian stuff aside…let’s get back to the point of rest. People just don’t do it enough any more. Very few people get the sleep they need and even if they do, it’s probably still not enough. Why? The body, mind and spirit needs more than just some shut-eye to recover. It needs to be detached from the things that drain the energy each and every day.

In my case, I don’t do any study. I don’t do any work. I don’t catch up with people (which is one of my greatest temptations). I don’t do anything that I would normally do on any other day. It’s a day where I am number 1. Not in the sense that I spoil myself stupid, but I make sure that I get some real quality rest so that I can continue to do what I need to do during the remainder of the week.

Thursday, the other day of my weekend, is my catch-up day. I meet with people, I cram my assignments, all that jazz…but Wednesday, with some very, very small exceptions is a day where I make sure I’m recharged for the days ahead. If you know what my schedule is like, you know it’s not easy for me to sacrifice any time, let alone an entire day. Yet, here I am, I testify that a day of rest will do wonders for the body, mind and spirit of a person.

Maybe it’s something you need to do. Just a small challenge, it’ll be hard, but take a real day-off and just rest.

(Click here for the full comic)

Whether Chris Harding (writer) has a Christian background or not, I can’t say but he really nails a deep truth about human nature here. (Chris will tell you that his comic is about robots, not people, so I should really say, “robot nature”) Either way, it illustrates the point I want to make.

In this strip, Mikey (left) prays to God about a situation that he’s dealing with at school. As he prays, he winds up in a dramatic dialogue (on the basis that prayer is a two-way communication, not a one-way monologue). Mikey finally ends up with this great revelation (as displayed), “How come every natural impulse I have just gets me deeper in the hole with you?”

Mikey’s great revelation is nothing new. The Bible is a testament that life without God, without Jesus simply ends up, as Mikey says, getting up deeper in the hole with God. For all the good people seek to do, it just doesn’t match up to God’s standards. As the story goes, Adam and Eve desired to have wisdom and ate from the forbidden fruit, and disobeying God in the process. God’s standards in humankind was corrupted and ever since, history is a witness, that humankind is just completely messed up.

As harsh as it may sound, humankind is incapable of good, that is, good that meets God’s standards. So, what now? Do we just give up? Fortunately, no. Fortunately, ever since Adam and Eve messed everything up for their descendents, there has been a plan to fix it all up. However, to many people’s disappointment it isn’t one that happens in an instance.

It’s not to say we don’t try. Paul writing to the church in Rome makes this statement (Romans 7:15),

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”

He goes on to explain that this goes back to our corrupt nature, our sinful nature. Further he says (verses 18b-20),

“For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who does it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”

It’s true, ain’t it? We do what we don’t want to do, but fail to do what we do want to do. “How come every natural impulse I have just gets me deeper in the hole with you, God?” I said earlier, this all because we live life without God. Life with God in the picture is different. Life with Jesus in the picture is different. Through the work of the Spirit of God, what we want to do can be done, what we do not want to do we do not do.

However, life is always in conflict with God. Our human tendency is to want to have our own solution and you will constantly find life, even life with Jesus, a struggle to do what is good and right. But hey, no one said life is easy.

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” The famous line from Snow White fairy tale. What exactly do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you see the fairest of them all? On any typical day, I would. I would see the fairest of them all. The one who has life all together, not a worry in the world. I would see hands that have been kept clean. A life that I deserve to be living. Well, that’s all on the surface, naturally.

Yet, the reality of the truth prompts the queen’s shock when she discovers that Snow White is the fairest of them all. As a Christian, I believe in the redemption of all that I have messed up; that, as it were, I have a clear record. However, the stark reality hit me this morning, while there is indeed a God who clears our record, it doesn’t make us perfect, does it? We’re just as messed up as the next person if not more.

I looked in the mirror and I saw a proud, self-righteous, angry little prick. I had washed my hands and I felt as they were even more dirty than before I had washed them, covered with the dirty deeds they’d committed. I looked at my life and saw how disgustingly undeserving I am of the life I enjoy each day. I have no rights to the way of life I have, what makes me any better than the next person…nothing!

Before you start on the forgiveness-and-restoration-speech, I know it all. I dare say, I know it better than most. Doesn’t mean I like it and I want to accept it. I’m proud after all. I know how much I suck and just because God, through the death of Jesus, is able to forgive me and restore me it doesn’t make it any better. In fact, it makes me sick and all the more worse. To know that I’ve failed again! So many times! Yet, I will come to the point where I will bend my knee. When I will accept and recognise the forgiveness-and-restoration-speech…when I will look in the mirror and see Jesus Christ.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Question: Why do devotions?
The need for daily devotions is a necessarily practice for the Christian life as it can be paralleled with the need for a person to eat each day. The image parallels further when a person doesn’t eat, they lack the strength to accomplish what they need to do on a day-to-day basis; likewise, for a Christian to neglect their spiritual food, most easily found through devotions, is to deprive their spiritual essence from the sustenance to live the Christian life day-to-day. In the act of devotion (quiet times, meditation or any other similar practice), a Christian receives their daily sustenance to carry out the day-to-day needs of the Christian life.

Question: What is devotions?
Devotion need not be focused or centred on one thing, the only common aspect of devotions is to be drawing strength and sustenance from the throne of God Himself. Only through the in-filling of His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, and continual renewal of our souls are able to live the most-difficult Christian life. Devotions (aka daily Bible reading, prayer, quiet times and any other similar act), then, may involve one or more of the following: reading the Word of God (The Bible), prayer or meditation. Each of these have one purpose: to focus our thoughts and lives on that of the Living God and to nourish us spiritually from the Spirit of God Himself. In doing so, by focusing on the Living God and having been nourished, we are able to live our day-to-day Christian lives going from strength to strength.

Many other questions can be asked and there are books that are devoted to this topic. Normally, this is where people would suggest books to read, however, I only suggest one thing. Do it! Devotions is a personal practice and is not crafted by others experiences while they may help. Each person has a unique , special relationship with God and your devotions should be a reflection of that. In your reading of the Word of God, in your conversation with God in prayer, with your meditation on the faithfulness and goodness of the things of God…between you and God, your devotion will be as unique as the cooking styles from person to person.