Monday Reading: Hebrews 4 12-13
 
Key Verse: Hebrews 4 12
12  For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing apart of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
 
Devotion:
Have you ever been stumped as to what to say next? I have met some people who I would find it hard to believe that they would ever run out of words to say and yet others who cannot think of things to say. I fall into the latter category most of the time, yet when I read God’s Word and want to explain what I read and understand to others I have no problems with saying what Christ would have me to say. It is not my schooling that I have got that from because I have consistently got very low marks and failed in English especially grammar and literature! What else can give me such an open heart than the Word of God!

If you want someone to be undone you can try to trap them into being caught out by various means such as we see on television and hear through the media but most people can squirm their way out of such events. If you really want them to know that they are undone then you must give them an insight into the bible. Nothing we can say will be able to convince others of their problems or their mistakes, primarily because we are guilty of many of those same problems and mistakes too – so why should others see their faults when they can look upon ours instead. None of us like to be exposed – especially when we can expose someone else instead!

God’s word is described as being able to strip marrow from the bone, something a skilled butcher will tell you is almost impossible without breaking the bones apart. Just like that we find it difficult to find out what is in another person’s heart and yet God is able to not only identify what is in each of our hearts but is able to change those hearts as well! Nobody will ever be able to cover themselves up neither in front of God nor against His Word. No matter how hard we try we will always be turned over and exposed when we are confronted by the very truth. We need to read it and accept it and stop trying to fight against it!

Points to Ponder:
Do you think you can cover the truth?

Do you know that God knows you?

Sunday Reading: Romans 10 12-17
 
Key Verse: Romans 10 13
13  For everyone, "whoever shall call on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Devotion:
Before I got to know God, I was in awe at the people around me that seemed to be at one with God. I was amazed that they should be able to know Him in such a way whilst I was in such darkness... But a few good people that were around me persuaded me to go to the right places where I would hear the Word of God taught like Jesus would have it spoken. From those places I began to gain an insight into what the Christ was and what He had done for others; at that time I had not made the link to me. When I went to an open-air crusade I finally heard the words that would prick my heart and make me realise that He wants me to call on His name.

We are all just human beings. We are all God’s creation, born of other people who in turn were born of others. If we could remember all of the lineage of our families we would all be able to trace ourselves back to God’s created ones. Therein lies a problem in that the more we try to find out such things the more we seek to find whether we are of royal heritage so that we can boast to others. It is little wonder then that we do not have a complete family tree written in our bibles; the one important ones being those of the family from which Jesus was born. So it’s not all about where we were born, who we were born to or about how our families have grown...

So what should we be seeking? The very same thing that I finally found; a good person who was willing to share the gospel with me so that I found the truth. We don’t need to worry about who or what we are because we can all come to Christ and call on His name. It does not matter from what background we come; what matters is to what destination we go. The only safe destination is through Jesus Christ and the only way to get there is by finding out more from His word or more from people who are willing to teach you. When you figure out the truth, you too will be able to call on the name of Jesus Christ and be saved for eternity too. You do not have to be special or from a special background because Christ wants everyone to come to know Him.

Points to Ponder:
Who teaches you about God?

Have you called on the name of Jesus to save you?

Saturday Reading: Psalms 119 125-128
 
Key Verse: Psalms 119 127
127  Therefore I love Your Commandments above gold; yea, even fine gold.

Devotion:
When we turn towards God and look on the things that He shows us we very quickly find that there are so many things that surround us that are certainly not of God. Before we take guidance from God we look at the worldly things and we make our minds up about which things we will allow into our lives; but that very quickly breaks down and we allow more and more garbage into our lives as we live. That is just the ways of the world and if we live by those ways then we continue in those ways. If we want to seriously separate ourselves from that way of life then we have to look to God.

The more we are able to look to God and the more that we are able to seek out and follow His Word, the more that we will be able to discern that which is for God and that which is against Him. It is little wonder then that as we follow His Word we get to look at the things of the world in a new light. All the trinkets and the splendour seem to lose their glitter and attraction. All those around us start to wonder how we could ever turn our backs on those things because they think of them as being so good – yet we have found a surer and brighter way than they have found in their worldly pursuits.

When the Psalmist writes that he loves God’s Commandments more than gold it is saying that God’s Commandments and His ways have become more attractive and more pleasing than worldly treasures could ever be. Yes money can buy all sorts of things but it certainly cannot buy God, His ways or a way for you to get to heaven; no matter how much of your money you give back to those who need it! If you are seeking something special in your life then you need to stop looking in this world and start looking towards heaven where Christ is. When you grow weary of all the world can offer there is nothing more that it can offer. With God there is no end.

Points to Ponder:
What do you hold most precious?
 
How do you hold God’s Commandments?

Friday Reading: 1 Peter 5 5-7

Key Verse: 1 Peter 5 6
6  Therefore be humbled under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time,

Devotion:
How many times have you parents told you that you should listen to them because they know more than you? Well, these words were written not for children to understand that they need to obey their parents but rather that we, all members of the church, need to be subject to our leaders in the church. The head of our church is Christ and He has appointed people to stand over us, lead us and teach us; as long as that is what they are doing and they do it in God’s name and with His blessing then we should be following them. Standing up and making sure that you have a position in church just because you want to be heard is not the way that God teaches us to live.

We may have learned that we need to come humbly before God and we may well give Him the honour and glory that we can, but are we treating His people that way that we should? There are various ways in which we can aim to please God and one of those ways is through treating others with respect. God does not want each of us to try to build an empire but rather that we should all live together serving Him in unison. He gives us church leaders so that we can be guided by them. Our church leaders seek to be servants and not to reign over us so we should seek to be servants and not to reign over other people.

As church members we should not hold ourselves above those who are not. Just because they do not yet know Christ does not mean that they should not know Him. We need to reach out to them as humble servants and show them that Christ was willing to do this for them and we intend to do this as well. We will get our reward from God when it counts and when it is due; we should not be seeking every opportunity to receive recognition and reward whilst we are still here on earth – our more sure reward awaits us in heaven.

Points to Ponder:
How do you think others look at you?

Are you serving Christ’s people?