Thursday Reading: Matthew 22 16-21
 
Key Verse: Matthew 22 21
21  They said to Him, Caesar's. Then He said to them, Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's.

Devotion:
How many times have people tempted you into doing earthly things or even confronted you with earthly things and asked whether you would do them or not because of your beliefs. It is strange how the world will look at things of God and see something totally different to the truth; it is almost like they are looking at the things of God through glasses that are coloured to hide many things. God’s truth can be found through His Word and through His Word alone. As it says “there is none righteous, no not one”; so how can people think that they have more authority than God’s Word?

The things of this world belong to the people of the world and there they should stay. We, as God’s children need to make sure that we do not get tangled up into trying to keep the things of this world instead of keeping God’s Word. Far too often we are faced with decisions where we cannot seem to find a pathway forward that is going to please anyone – those are the times that we are not seeking God’s guidance through His Word. Many may say that the bible cannot have all the answers; they see it that way because they do not have the patience to wait on God for an answer. We live in a world where we want things and we want them now! God’s ways are ways of patience and humbleness and unless we are willing to follow those ways we will get caught up in the world’s ways instead!

The world’s ways do not belong with God because they are the ways that man has created to suit his own needs and desires. God’s ways have stood from the beginning of time and will continue to stand far beyond our short life spans. His ways are perfect even if we cannot see that. His ways are the ways that we should seek out so that we can leave the earthly ways behind us for those that refuse to take up His ways. Never leave a person wondering whether you follow God or man; always uphold God’s Word.

Points to Ponder:
What is your guide through life?

Do you really rely on God’s Word?

Wednesday Reading: Matthew 21 33-40
 
Key Verse: Matthew 21 38
38  But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and get hold of his inheritance.

Devotion:
The parables that Jesus told us have so much meaning, even more so now that we know what happened to Christ over the Easter period so many years ago; and yet Christ willingly came forward knowing exactly what lay ahead of Him. The Lord has given us a world in which to live and has made sure that we have every opportunity to recognise Him as our Lord and Saviour and yet so many people choose to ignore those simple facts and pretend that they are the ones in charge of this world! Yes we are currently in charge of this planet and we should be looking after it in the right manner but let us never forget that it does and always will belong to God.

The Lord continues to send men and women forward in His name so that we will take notice of the truth and give back to God what is due to Him. He continues to send people forward and yet we continue to choose to ignore those people and even to persecute them too. We do this because we think we are in control and ignore the fact that God is in control. We do not know when He is going to return to take what belongs to Him back so we have to be prepared for His return at any time. The only way to be prepared is to listen to those that He sends in His name to begin with!

We have shown already that we do have a lack of respect for His Son. We have shown already that we do not have respect for His servants. Sometime soon He will be the one coming forward because that will be the only way that we do listen. Woe betides those who do not yet know Him as Lord and Master! Christ wants each one of us to know the truth so that we can know Him as Lord and Saviour. He continues to be oh so patient with us even though we turn our backs on Him at every opportunity. Now is the time to recognise the truth before it is too late.

Points to Ponder:
Are you treating God’s world with respect?
 
Would you be ready if He returned right now?

Tuesday Reading: Matthew 21 17-22
 
Key Verse: Matthew 21 19
19  And seeing a fig tree in the way, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only. And He said to it, let no fruit grow on you forever. And immediately the fig tree withered away.

Devotion:
This is one of the stories in our bibles that may raise questions rather than answering them to people who are not willing to look into the bible. Christ’s ways are beyond our understanding but the more that we do read His Word the more that we will be able to understand some of His ways. On the face of it this may seem a bit harsh for the fig tree; just because it had no fruit Christ made it wither away. But when we take what happened and apply it into our lives then we see a whole new light on the subject!

Christ was comparing this fig tree to us and our lives. If a fig tree produces fruit then it is useful and is good to be kept and nurtured. But if the fig tree does not produce any fruit, then what use is it? We need to be fruitful in our work for Christ because unless we are willing to take His name forward then we are as useless as the barren fig tree. It does not matter how small a contribution we do make, so long as we do make a contribution! Like many fruit, figs are not found all year round but rather in season. If we read this same story in the gospel of Mark he states that the fig was out of season – and yet Christ still made it wither. If we are only going to produce fruit for Christ when we think it is good, then we are not fulfilling out true potential.

Christ would have us to take His name forward all year round, every day and hopefully all the time. If we walk with Christ constantly then we are taking His name with us always. God is the one who has created all life and He certainly can stop it all too. Christ made sure that the disciples realised that faith is something that has to be constantly nurtured and then it will always be fruitful. If we let out faith slide all year round until it comes back to Easter or to Christmas then we are not doing our best for Christ! He is faithful to answer our prayers, we need to be faithful and to ask – that way we are constantly taking His name forward with us.

Points to Ponder:
Would you like to have fruit all year round?

Are you taking Christ with you always?

Monday Reading: Matthew 21 12-13
 
Key Verse: Matthew 21 13
13  And He said to them, It is written, "My house shall be called the house of prayer"; but you have made it a den of thieves.
 
Devotion:
No matter how you look at it or how you try to explain things away, when we leave God out of our lives we cannot expect anything other than sin to enter into them! The people of Jerusalem had continue to allow people and their own ways to replace God and His ways to such an extent that Christ came in to make an example of what they had done. I am sure that when He spoke these words it was not just the physical temple that He was talking about but also looking forward to the time when our bodies become living temples for the Holy Spirit. Christ came in and caused a scene – how else would people take notice?

The more that we allow into our lives, the less we make room for Christ in our lives. We are just like that physical temple back then, we only have a certain amount of room within us and if we have filled up our lives with nothing more than worldly things then how are we expected to take time to worship our King? Those people in that temple were thinking of nothing else than themselves and their money making even though they were in a place that was supposed to be dedicated to God. When we are saved and invite Christ back into our lives He does not want us to then fill our lives with everything else so that we no longer have room for Him anymore!

The world is a very special place and one that has been created especially for us by our loving and gracious God. He has provided everything we need in exactly the right amounts so that we can survive in a universe that is otherwise extremely hostile to our bodies. This little corner of the universe has been created for us because of His love towards us. He has done so much so that we can live and be temples for the Holy Spirit. If we are going to squander all that He has given to us then we do not deserve to have Him indwell us! But still His love shines through and wants to shower us with forgiveness and His blessings...

Points to Ponder:
What is your life full of?

Has God still got a special place within your life?