aftershock.org.uk
devotional mp3 podcasts for young people

There’s an old saying that says when you point your finger at someone else then there are three pointing back you. Seems to me God’s pretty fair with his Judgement. We can’t say I’m Ok because I am a better person than that guy at school who bullies everyone. We can’t say I’m Ok compared to that girl at college who gossips about everyone. It’s not about what we do compared to what others do, it’s about what we do compared to what we are able to do. Another thing that crosses my mind as I think about this passage, is it’s not even about how good a Christian we are compared to how we used to be. When we were a kids, we understood what God wanted us to do in a simple way; and Gods pleasure in us was watching us achieve what he wanted in a simple way. Now we are older we understand our relationship in a different way with God. Now God has different expectations of us. I am just grateful that God reveals what he expects of us a little at a time. The good news is, that we do these things because of what Jesus did for us, and it’s actually what Jesus did, not we do thata earn’t us eternal life with God. Phew, thank you God.

Author - Max Cross, Romans | No Comments »

Me, me, me, it’s all about what I want. I want to be fed, I want to be entertained. Actually I don’t want to have it all, I deserve to have it all, and if that affects you well frankly I don’t care. Do you know guys at school, or college who seem to act that way? People that don’t care if throwing rubbish on the floor means someone else has to pick it up. The next guy up the block takes it one step further and doesn’t care if dumping his rubbish from his house in the road hurts anyone. But not to be outdone the guy with the chemical factory up the road starts dumping his waste into the river. OK it’s a bit extreme, but it’s an example of the mess we can get ourselves into if we only care about what feels good for us, and ignore everyone else. And that’s what happens when we humans are left to look after ourselves. But thankfully we were not left to look after ourselves. Thankfully God sent his Son to die for us. Thankfully God left his Bible so we have a guide on how to live. If we look at eh Bible and try to do what Jesus teaches we see that it’s not all about me, me ,me. Actually it’s all about others, others, others.

Author - Max Cross, Romans | No Comments »

Ever had that question thrown at you by your mates. “Ok if people need to ask Jesus to be their mate to go to Heaven, what about those who have never heard of Jesus?” Your mates at college might make it sound a very sensible question, but is it? Paul is talking straight in this passage, he says “But the basic reality of God is plain enough”. What he is saying is you have to be pretty short sighted to miss the fact that God exists if you live in this world. How can you look at a baby and not at least wonder if God exists? How can you look at the colours in the plant life on this world and not know that something created them? How can you look at the complexities of science and not understand that something caused them to happen? To be honest, and let’s face it Paul is being pretty honest in this passage, you are basically ignoring God if you see all these things and don’t go looking for him. So it’s true one way or the other you have to make a decision about where you stand on God. If you have made a decision I thank God you have made a decision. If you haven’t made a decision best get on with it, hey!

Author - Max Cross, Romans | No Comments »

There is a great song by a band called Delrious? Where the chorus goes “I’m not ashamed of the gospel
I’m not ashamed of the one I love”. It’s a great pumping call to action for those of us who want to be warriors for Jesus. I have been in halls with crowds of young people where we are jumping up and down and shouting to our God these words. Paul’s telling us not only should we not be ashamed of what Jesus has done but we should be proud. Right now lets just stop for a moment. Imagine if last weekend you were walking the street, when a little kid run out in front of a truck. You don’t think twice but you leap out into the road grab the kid and save his life seconds before the truck is about to crush him. As it happens a TV crew were doing an interview and they catch it all on film. They think you are fantastic and tell you that you will be on the news Monday night. What’s the first thing you do when you go to school or college Monday morning? Yep you tell all your mates because you are proud. You can’t wait to tell them to watch the TV that night. Yes I know you can see where I’m going with this. If we are proud of what Jesus has done, then there is only one thing we can do, we have to tell everyone we meet, because they need him to. How do we do that? Well there are a million and one ways, but lets start by not being ashamed to raise the name of Jesus in conversation. If your mates ask you what you were up to at the weekend, tell them straight, I was have a wicked time with my mates at Church.

Author - Max Cross, Romans | No Comments »

A slave to Jesus and an apostle authorised to proclaim Gods word. Can we rightly say these same words as Paul? Can we say I Julie am a devoted slave to Jesus, I Dave am a devoted slave to Jesus. Can you put your name in that place and say; I … am a devoted slave to Jesus? What does it take to be a devoted slave to Jesus? Does it take an hour a week at the school Christian union? Does it take a morning at church once a week on a Sunday? Or is there more to being a devoted slave to Jesus? Paul explains how pleased he is with the people he is writing to, and he tells everyone he meets about their lives of faith. Wouldn’t it be incredible to have Paul the apostle write to you? Would he say, I can’t stop telling people about your faith filled life that you lead at school? Would Paul say I tell all my friends about how you to spread the fantastic news of Jesus at college? To be a slave to Jesus, to live a life that has Jesus at the centre means looking at how Jesus effects our every day actions. If aftershock is about anything, it is about learning how we become a slave to Jesus. Are you up for the journey?

Author - Max Cross, Romans | No Comments »