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devotional mp3 podcasts for young people

Did you know that the Bible teaches us to kill people? Yep it says we should kill in 2 Chronicles 15:13, where it says “All who would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.” Or how about keeping slaves, yep the Bible teaches that we should have slaves in Leviticus 25:44. It says “Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves.” Finally it even says that our parents should beat us. In Proverbs 19:18 it says “Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death,” OK before you switch off because you think that we at Aftershock have finally lost the plot, this is the type of teaching that Paul is warning against. Paul says “Keep a sharp eye out for those who take bits and pieces of the teaching that you learn and then use them to make trouble.” This piece of advice is as true today as it was two thousand years ago, if not more true. The Bible is the best instruction book you could have for living on this earth because it was inspired by the God who created this Earth. But people will take passages and quote them to you out of context. They will take passages and assign to them a meaning that is simply incorrect. They will even make up their own Bible sounding passages and tell you that they are in the Bible. How about “God helps those who help themselves” or “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”? Nope neither of these are in the Bible. When you hear someone say something is from God, it is down to you to check it out and learn to understand it. They may sound like they know what they are saying, but is it really Gods word and is it Gods word for you? That’s between you and God. Don’t take my word for it. Check it out yourselves

Author - Max Cross, Romans | No Comments »

Are you the quiet type who likes being on their own. Maybe you’re the independent type who relies on no one other than themselves. That was me, I was a lone ranger. I needed and trusted no one. If it needed doing then I was quite capable of doing it thank you very much. It all began at school for me. School was rubbish, always trying to fit in, but never really making it and worse still, being bullied instead. So that’s when I started to trust no one and rely only on myself. Soon enough college came and I wasn’t going to let a repeat of school happen. So once again, I depended only on me. And if you didn’t like that then that’s was tough. So eventually Jesus got through my thick skull and I realised I was loved by him and gave my life to Jesus. That was just the start. Suddenly I realised just like Paul in this passage, there were loads of people who wanted to help me. There were loads of new friends who just wanted me to open up to them and trust them to help me. It took me a long time to let the walls I had built up be broken down, but once I did what a relief and what a blessing all my mates are to me. Now I have many mates who I can trust and who trust me. I have friends galore who help me, and who are happy to call me for help when they need it. I often wish that I had let these people into my life sooner. Oh well, at least you aren’t that thick headed. Are you?

Author - Max Cross, Romans | No Comments »

So you’re meeting in group and the leaders says “does anyone have anything they would like prayer for?” What’s your response? “Not me.” You’re in Church and the pastor says “OK if you need prayer please come up the front.” What’s your response? “Not me, that’s for the adults.” What are you, some sought of Superman. Do you think you are Wonder Woman? Here is Paul, the chap who wrote half the New Testament, asking for prayer and yet you won’t ask your leader to pray for you. Jesus prayed to his Father God, that God would ease the burden on him and yet you won’t go forward when the pastor offers prayer. OK, so I am making a massive assumption, that you don’t ask for prayer, but all too often isn’t that what we are like? We think, I’m OK, or my problems don’t matter compared to other peoples problems. But the truth is God is interested in all our problems small and big. If you think you can do it without God and you don’t need prayer then you are missing the point. Next time the opportunity for prayer comes up, is the next time you should ask God for help.

Author - Max Cross, Romans | No Comments »

“All they ever do is nag me. Nag nag nag.” The number of times I said that about my parents when I was growing up is unbelievable. It seemed to me that my parents just kept pointing out the things that were wrong. I left my clothes on the floor, I didn’t wash my plate up. They seemed to completely miss that I had spent the entire day at school and then come home and spent two hours doing homework. That’s how we are sometimes with people, particularly with people we love. And actually, I guess, I could only see the things I believed my parents were doing wrong. I too missed the fact that they had been out at work all day long, and then come home and washed and cooked for me. When it comes down to it both my parents and I were pretty rubbish at encouraging each other. Paul has spent most of this letter telling the guys in Rome what to change and finally, he is getting towards the end and he says “oh by the way, actually you are doing pretty good.” A friend of mine gave me a better way of delivering criticism. When you look at someone, think of them with one of those life bars above their head. You know the type of thing you see in a computer game. You have to make sure that their life bar is full before you give them constructive criticism. You have to give them ten energy packs of encouragement so their life bar is full. Then and only then can you give them one bomb of constructive criticism. Only when you encourage them ten times beforehand, will the bomb not destroy them. So remember ten to one and they will live.

Author - Max Cross, Romans | No Comments »

Ever watch a game of football where it was obvious the team were not united? A guy puts the ball up the field, but there is no one there to receive it, because the team just haven’t practised enough, they are not united. The same happens when a band are singing together for the first time. It all seems a bit stilted and some of the singers keep missing their notes, it’s just a mess. On the other hand have you ever watched a doubles tennis game, where the two people playing know each other really well. They anticipate each others moves, where one person steps back the other steps forward and takes the shot. They can do this because they have spent hours encouraging each other, learning each others good and bad points and learning where to step in to help and where to accept help. That’s exactly what God wants from his team. He doesn’t want us to have a go at another Christian friend; he wants us to encourage other Christians. Where they stuff up, he wants us to step in to help them. When we stuff up he wants us to seek and accept help from other Christians. Christian life is not a solo life, it is a team game.

Author - Max Cross, Romans | No Comments »