Are You a True Friend?
Devotion: Term 2, Week 8
Two men were travelling down the road together when a bear appeared out of nowhere. Before the bear could spot them, one guy ran for a tree at the side of the road, climbed into its branches, and hid. The other man, who wasn’t as nimble as his tree-climbing companion, threw himself on the ground and pretended to be dead. The bear came up, sniffed all around him, and appeared to whisper something in his ear. The man had always heard that bears won’t touch a dead body, so he lay perfectly still and held his breath. Sure enough, the bear took him for a corpse and left. When the coast was clear, the man in the tree came down. Curious, he asked his companion what the bear had whispered when it put its mouth directly to his ear. His friend replied, ‘He told me never to travel with a friend who deserts you at the first sign of danger!’
It’s easy to be friends with someone who is successful, has it all together, and is riding the crest of the wave. But what about when that person falls, or fails, or loses their connection to Christ, or deliberately disconnects and causes all kinds of ugly consequences? The Bible says, ‘A friend loves at all times.’ (Proverbs 17:17 NKJV) When you’re ‘up’, they’re not envious, and when you’re ‘down’, they’re not condescending. They’re compassionate and considerate whether or not you are. American writer Elbert Hubbard said, ‘Your friend is the man [or woman] who knows all about you and still loves you.’ If you have a friend like that, treasure them and tell them often how much you appreciate them.
SoulFood: Judg 16:1 – 19:15 Mark 11:12-26 Ps 47 Pro 13:11-12
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright 2024
Other Devotions

10Oct
Principal’s Message
Devotion – Are You a True Friend?
Two men were travelling down the road together when a bear appeared out of nowhere. Before the bear could spot them, one guy ran for a tree at the side of the road, climbed into its branches, and hid. The other man, who wasn’t as nimble as his tree-climbing companion, threw himself on the ground and pretended to be dead. The bear came up, sniffed all around him, and appeared to whisper something in his ear. The man had always heard that bears won’t touch a dead body, so he lay perfectly still and held his breath. Sure enough, the bear took him for a corpse and left. When the coast was clear, the man in the tree came down. Curious, he asked….
Learn more

10Oct
Principal’s Message | Term 4
Devotion – You Can Change
Self-help books sometimes claim you can change your life in five or ten simple steps. It takes a lot more than that to make substantial and lasting changes in your life. First, change comes by drawing on a power greater than your own—God’s power. Paul writes: ‘I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ (Philippians 4:12-13 NKJV). Second, change comes from steady and determined hard work and effort. ‘And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart’ (Galatians 6:9 NKJV).
Learn more

03Oct
Principal’s Message | Term 4
Devotion – Keep Praying About It
Many of our failures result from our failure to pray. As we examine our mistakes, we discover a forsaken prayer altar and an unopened Bible. James bottom-lines it: ‘… You do not have because you do not ask God’ (James 4:2 NIV).
