Tuesday Reading: Matthew 26 6-13
 
Key Verse: Matthew 26 13
13  Verily I say unto you, Wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman has done, be told for a memorial of her.
 
Devotion:
Did you know that your friends and neighbours are going to talk about you? No matter where we are in life, no matter how high or low we are in the social standing in our society, people are always going to talk about us. What they have to say about us is going to be in some way based on the way that we act and the things that we do and say!

The more that we act up, the more people will be able to talk about us... Sometimes we are thrust into the public face through no fault of our own and from then on we have to be extra vigilant to make sure that we keep squeaky clean! If we go up before the public to take on some public or official office, then we have to be able to show that we are worthy of that office. If we want to get anywhere, we have to be sure to do that that is right – or at least that is what we all think about.

We all have the compulsion that we have to do the right thing before we can get anywhere. We all assume that we have to be able to live a good life so that we can reap the rewards therein. We try to work hard so that we can have a comfortable retirement. Whilst there is nothing wrong in any of these things, we miss the real reason behind our lives and the real goal in our lives.

We are the ones that have been created by our truly awesome God. We are the ones given the chance to make a decisions about what our lives are for. We are given the choice as to whether we want to follow the world or follow Christ. We are given every opportunity to make our choice with the truth being part of our everyday life – yet we still choose things based on what people are going to say or think about us rather than the truth. Make a difference and stand up for Jesus!

Points to Ponder:
What do you think people think about you?
 
What do you know that God thinks about you?

Monday Reading: Proverbs 25 17
 
Key Verse: Proverbs 25 17
17  Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.
 
Devotion:
I bet each one of us can think of a time when we have either been made to feel unwelcome because we stayed a bit long, or someone else has overstayed their welcome in our house. If we want to continue to be on good terms with others, then we should really aim to make sure that we do not overstay our welcome – which can be a hard thing to spot when our hosts are trying their hardest to make us feel welcome!

This does not mean that we should stay away from our neighbours! Where would we be without friendship? Being able to talk to people, being able to be with people or just being able to know that someone is close by is a great comfort to us. Whilst we know that God is there with us, always, we still do crave for human companionship, especially with those that are close to us.

But, as always, neighbours are open to abuse by those that have little or no respect for others. If we wish to make the most of our friendships, we need to adhere to certain civilities: not to be troublesome, not to visit too often, not to stay too long, nor to make it so that you turn up at meal times just in case you can gain some food! Whilst each of these can be mistaken, taking your friendships for granted can only lead to breaking them...

Being open and honest with your neighbours will help to cultivate a trust and companionship that will allow for flexible visits. Being able to know how welcome you are allows you to know your bounds. Being open enough to tell others how welcome they are will allow them to know their limits.

Points to Ponder:
Do you have neighbours that stick around too much?
 
Aren't you glad Christ has said He wants us to call on Him always?

Sunday Reading: Genesis 19 1-3
 
Key Verse: Genesis 19 3
3  And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
 
Devotion:
Have you every been to a strange place and wondered what you were going to do or where you where going to go or stay? Going to a foreign country is always difficult, not least because we probably do not speak the same language, but also because of the differences in our surroundings. People from other countries are quite different in the things they do, expect and want. When we go there for the first time, we do not know the customs, how people will react or much else other than what we have heard from others; being there is quite different.

Imagine what it is going to be like for people from other places when they come to visit your end of the world. Imagine how out of place they will feel and how they will have to worry about what they should be doing or where they should be going. Imagine how much you would enjoy someone coming up to you and asking if they could help you if you were in their place. Being as though we now have a global neighbourhood (one where others are only a flight away), being a good neighbour is no longer just seeing how people are next door, but how they are when they are in your country.

We are all able to help people out, not just when we see them in great need, but when we see them in circumstances when we think we would need help if we were in their shoes. Being able to step forward and offer a hand may well be all that is needed for them to enjoy their holiday or to feel welcome. Imagine how welcome people would feel in your church if they were greeted in a friendly way and made to feel at home. Imagine how much you would be doing to encourage them back into God's house and be closer to Him. We can reach people wherever we are and in every circumstance we can encourage them to see how we want to be more like Christ and show everyone true brotherly love.

Points to Ponder:
Do you discourage some people from being your friends?
 
When was the last time you insisted on inviting someone to church?

Saturday Reading: Psalm 18:1-3
 
Key Verse: Psalms 18 1
1  To the chief Musician, A Psalms of David, the servant of the LORD, who spoke unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said, I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
 
Devotion:
These first words that David spoke in this Psalms really show the content of the rest of it: “I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.” What better way to greet someone that looks after you than to say that you love them and that you depend on them. How often do you say that to the people that you depend on? How often do you remind yourself just how much you rely on God and how many of those times do you personally thank Him?

God is our Rock. He is unchangeable, solid, dependable, firm. God is our fortress. In Him we can hide, gain protection, feel safe, be safe, sleep soundly. God is our deliverer. No matter how tight a place we work ourselves into, He is the one that is able to dig us out! What else can we hope for other than a God who is everything and more? What else can we do other than to depend on Him totally!

We can thank God that He is a wonderful, powerful God that lives today. A God that continues to make sure that we do have every opportunity to live for Him, in Him and with Him. He continues to watch over us, defend us, build us up and support us. He watches over us as a loving shepherd, caring for everything we do, even when we go against His wishes. He calls out to us to bring us back in line. He comes after us when we refuse to listen. Yet He loves us so much that He continues to allow to our own choices.

I can just imagine singing out the words of this Psalms in a joyful song – indeed many of the words in this Psalms are used in choruses – and praising God for all that He does in our lives. Why not sing out and praise Him today! Thank Him for everything that He means to you. Thank Him for being your fortress and foundation! He is worthy to be praised! Praise Him!

Points to Ponder:
How often do you listen to music?
 
How much of your music praises God in a way He would like?