aftershock.org.uk
devotional mp3 podcasts for young people

Big deal some centuries years old tribes of people get given some scraps of land half way across the world. How can that relate to us today in the twenty first century? How can what God did to these people centuries ago possibly relate to us at college. What difference does it make to you at school tomorrow? Isn’t this just why people say that the Bible isn’t relevant to today’s society? Well they would be right if it wasn’t for one small thing. The God that promised to look after those people centuries ago and then delivered on his promise. The God that did just as he told them, is the same God that we worship today. The God we worship today in our schools, in our colleges and in our home is the very same God. Not only that, but we are also told and we know that he is the same yesterday as he is today as he will be tomorrow. So now that we can know that he will delivery on his promises to us to. He will do, just as he tells us in the same way he did for those tribes all those years ago. And boy does he promise some good stuff for us and our future. As we continue to hear Gods promised together in future devs, let us remember that they are not hot air, and we can know that we know that we can trust our God.

Author - Max Cross, Joshua | No Comments »

So as we return to the book of Joshua, we find an old Man, who probably thinks that his work is done. But what is God’s word to Joshua? “You’ve had a good, long life, but there is a lot of land still to be taken.” Yep Joshua you have been busy for me in your life, but there is more to be done. It seems that we will never be too old to do Gods work. Fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety, one hundred, God seems to have no limits for those who are doing his work. There is no excuse for you either because God also used young people to do his work. God used a boy to save an army from the giant Goliath, and he wants to use you to. Thirty, twenty, eighteen, sixteen, fifteen, thirteen, ten, you are never too young for Gods work. So if we are not too old and not too young for Gods work, hadn’t we better get a move on with it?

Author - Max Cross, Joshua | No Comments »

So why would Jesus ask Peter if he loved him three times? Imaging the scene, Jesus says “Peter do you love me”. So peter says “Yes I love you.” Jesus says “Peter do you love me”. So Peter getting a little frustrated says “Yes I do love you.” Jesus says once more “Peter do you love me”. So Peter shouts “Yes, yes, yes , yes I do love you.” But then we must remember this is the same Peter that denied he knew Jesus three times at the Crucifixion. Do you think just maybe Jesus is showing Peter forgiveness three times? What do we take away from this? Have you been hurt by someone and found it hard to forgive them. Maybe a mate has said some horrible things about you and you have found it hard to forgive them. It’s interesting that Peter is the one in need of forgiveness here, because earlier in his life he asked Jesus questions about forgiveness. Mathew 18:21-22 says Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Seventy seven times doesn’t mean that you give up on seventy eight, it means that you may have to forgive someone many times. It doesn’t mean that you leave yourself in a situation where someone keeps hurting you either, Jesus wouldn’t want you to do that. But remember when you think about if you want to forgive someone, just like Peter you may be the one needing forgiveness next time.

Author - Max Cross, John | No Comments »

These guys were fisherman they knew how to fish, and they knew where to fish. Yet some complete stranger walks up to them and says, throw your net over the other side. If I was them I would have told him to mind his own business. I know how to surf and, I know where to surf. If some bloke paddled out to me and said you won’t catch any waves here try that break over there, I might get a bit fed up. I may even tell him to give his advice to someone else. I’m that way with Jesus to. Sometimes I am plodding along in my own life when I feel God the Holy Spirit, prompt me to do something. I might feel him say go and talk to that guy over there. I want to say, “look I know people, and I know the type of people I get on with, why would I speak to him?” Or I might feel God the Holy Spirit say to me ring up that woman at Church and tell her what a great job she is doing. I may want to shout, “look I know that area of church, and actually I don’t think she is doing a good job.” The problem is that it the stranger with the disciples wasn’t any stranger it was Jesus. And the promptings I get from God the Holy Spirit are not any thoughts they are God given thoughts. We can ignore them because we know best, but when it comes down to it do we really know better than the God who created the universe?

Author - Max Cross, John | No Comments »

So the plan is unfolding and the disciples are begging to believe. All this time the disciples have walked around with Jesus they have seen the miracles he has performed, they have listened to him teach and finally they are beginning to believe. Remember Jesus told them that he would rise again, but they still seem in complete shock when the find that his body is missing. Isn’t that just like us? Often we are told by our parents or youth leaders about the stuff Jesus did. We are told that he was born, did all this amazing stuff, died and rose again, and is able to do amazing stuff. We are told that Jesus heals; we are told that Jesus can guide us; we are told that he will make a difference in our lives. But then we walk about college or school and somehow that just seems miles away and doubt creeps in. What we know in our head, what we know is written in the Bible, doesn’t seem to make a difference in our lives. We want to rush into the tomb and see the proof of an empty grave. We want to see the healings we hear about; but sometimes that is not God plan for our lives. If you have seen miracles, if you have physically seen God do stuff, then fantastic, thank him for that. But I know that often the way God shows me that he exists is through the little every day things that people miss. The change in a friend’s life when they begin to believe.

Author - Max Cross, John | No Comments »