Walk With Me - Devotionals: Kathryn Martin

Hold Your Tongue

Kathryn Martin — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Hold Your Tongue

Reader: Kathryn Martin

Date: 23rd June 2022

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"Hold your tongue!" Sometimes that was said as a rebuke by a parent to a cheeky child but it is also a good piece of advice for all of us. James, who wrote the letter from which the verse above is taken, has some really sound advice about what we speak. He knows very well how our words can hurt people or can tell things that should be kept private. As Christians we have to be especially careful about the words we speak. One reason for this is that our words show the kind of people we are. The Apostle Paul said, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23) Do our words always show that kind of character? It makes you think, doesn't it?

James, in his letter, shows us very clearly just what a real mess can be caused by a 'loose' tongue; words that don't reflect the fruit of the Spirit. These words can be boastful, they can spread like a fire and cause much hurt and damage.

The book of Proverbs is full of advice for us to listen and hear what wise people are saying to us — listen before we speak! James says, "Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger..." (James 1:19) So, let us hold our tongue until we are sure that what we are saying is true.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to watch my tongue so that what I speak will be truly like Jesus. Amen.

The Cult Of Personality

Kathryn Martin — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0100

The Cult Of Personality

Reader: Kathryn Martin

Date: 14th June 2022

Passage: 1 Corinthians 1:12

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Every day we are used to hearing about 'celebrities' - people who make the headlines for one reason or another. People idolise pop stars or sports stars or film stars. People in the days of the New Testament were no different. In the Roman Empire they even had their star gladiators.

This 'cult of personalities' even crept into the Church. In Corinth the congregation was divided. Some members thought Paul was great, others favoured Apollos and some, Peter. Some, probably feeling rather superior, said they followed Christ!

You find this kind of thing in today's churches as well. There are popular preachers — the 'stars' of the Christian scene. Paul says this kind of thing ought not to be in the church. The emphasis must always be on the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course God uses different servants in different circumstances and some preachers are better communicators than others. Some are effective evangelists, some good teachers, but there should not be any jealousy among them and there should not be any favouritism among the congregations. God's servants are there to proclaim the Gospel of Christ and we need to pray for them and encourage them all.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help us to focus on the Gospel, so that there may be no division among us. Amen.

You Can Trust What You Read In The Bible

Kathryn Martin — Sat, 11 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0100

You Can Trust What You Read In The Bible

Reader: Kathryn Martin

Date: 11th June 2022

Passage: Luke 1:1-4

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Perhaps you have sometimes wondered if what you read in the Bible is all true? Over the years many people have taunted Christians by casting doubt on the Bible, especially when it claims to be the very word of God (see 2 Timothy 3:16). Luke, who wrote the Gospel, is acknowledged to be a very careful writer, an educated man and a doctor, who accompanied Paul on many of his travels. Luke dedicated his Gospel to a nobleman called Theophilus, and he explains three very good reasons why he wrote the Gospel. These three reasons can apply to all that we read in the Bible.

Reason 1: Luke tells us that he received his information from eyewitnesses.

Reason 2: He said he had written an orderly account of the doings and sayings of Jesus. This means that Luke is writing a proper and trustworthy record of what the eyewitnesses told him of the life of the Lord Jesus.

Reason 3: Paul tells us he wrote so that Theophilus, and indeed all of us, can now have certainty about the teaching of Jesus. Just as Theophilus could be certain that what Luke wrote to him was true so we may also trust not just what Luke wrote but the whole of the Bible. The Bible is a unity and one part helps to interpret another. It is all written under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is God's word.

Prayer

Lord, I thank you for the Bible. Help me as I study it. Amen.

But Why Me?

Kathryn Martin — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0100

But Why Me?

Reader: Kathryn Martin

Date: 2nd June 2022

Passage: Exodus 3:11

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If we had a Hall of Fame for the most influential people who have ever lived then Moses would be right in there in the top ten! The life story of Moses is well known, from his birth and rescue from drowning in the river Nile to his death in an unknown place in the land of Moab.

But what I want us to think of just now is the question Moses asked God after God had said to Moses, "I am going to send you to Egypt to bring my people out of there." And Moses replied, "But why me?" We may think that it is a bit rude to say that to God! But isn't it just the sort of response we make when we are asked to do something — something God wants us to do for him? For example, when we have a friend whom we know needs to be challenged about his/her lifestyle and we know we should tell them about Jesus and his power to change and help us. But we may think someone else would be better to do that than me! That's what Moses thought — but God didn't. God knew Moses was the right man he wanted for the job, and you may very well be the person God wants for whatever he brings to your attention to do. We can make loads of excuses, but if we do we will miss loads of God's blessings through our disobedience.

But Moses did take on the job and though it gave him a hard time, God went with him every step of the way. You will find that too if you do God's will.

Lord, Teach Me

Kathryn Martin — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Lord, Teach Me

Reader: Kathryn Martin

Date: 15th April 2022

Passage: Psalm 25:4-5

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The Book of Psalms is full of requests to God for him to teach his ways to the writers of the Psalms. David, who wrote Psalm 25, often asked God to teach him, and that is certainly something that we can do as well.

Psalm 25 is an acrostic psalm; that means each verse begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet (going, as it were, from A to Z). It is full of requests for God to teach David the way that he should live in order to be the kind of person who walks in covenant friendship with God. Much later Jesus said to his followers, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Here in this psalm David is saying how he does love the Lord and he wants him to show him how to keep God's commandments.

God really loves to hear prayers such as David prayed, and later in Psalm 32 God said to the psalm-writer, "I will instruct and teach you in the way you should go." The whole Bible has been given to us to teach us the way God wants us to go. That is why it is so important to read and to memorise as much of the Bible as we can so we will walk in God's ways — following in the footsteps of Jesus.

Prayer

Dear Lord, lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation. Amen

The Death Of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Kathryn Martin — Sun, 03 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0100

The Death Of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Reader: Kathryn Martin

Date: 3rd April 2022

Passage: John 19:18

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All the Gospels tell us about the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Each Gospel mentions different details about the crucifixion but all of them want us to know very definitely that Jesus was put to death — the terrible, agonising death of crucifixion which followed a fearsome beating before he even got to the place of execution.

Why were the Gospel writers so determined that we should know that Jesus Christ was crucified and died? The real death of Jesus was necessary if there was to be a real resurrection of Jesus. The death of Jesus was the final act of his great work as the Saviour of sinful people. "God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Mocked by insults harsh and crude, <br/> In my place condemned he stood; <br /> Sealed my pardon with his blood; <br /> Hallelujah! What a Saviour!

And when the Lord Jesus was lifted up on the cross his final words were "It is finished" — the great work of salvation which he had come to do was complete as Jesus died.

But that was not the end of the story. Three days later Jesus rose from the grave, and so it is that now we worship and adore a living Saviour. What joy this gives us!