Read: Deuteronomy 16:1-17-20; Luke 9:7-27; Psalm 72:1-20; Proverbs 12:8-9
The feasts are mentioned in Exodus 23, Leviticus 23 and now again because they are God’s calendar of events that he chose to do wonderful miracles in the past and he was going to do wonderful miracles in the future on those days. Three times a year all the male were to come to Jerusalem and bring an offering - at Unleavened Bread, Pentecost and Tabernacles. They were times of harvest of barley, wheat and fruit. They were a time when God’s people would be gathered together as one to worship God.
Every city that had gates was to appoint judges to judge the people by God’s Word. This is the picture of the father in a family or the local church. These judges were not to take bribes, distort judgement or show favoritism but were to judge righteously. If the matter was too big for them, they were to take their matter to Jerusalem and present it before the priests. This is a picture of the courtroom in heaven that we go to in prayer when we are being oppressed by our adversary, the devil. Jesus is the just judge who listens to our cries for help and judges righteously in our behalf. Our defense is the blood of Jesus.
If a person is found guilty of serving other gods, they were to be brought to the city gates and stoned to death. There must be two or three witnesses before this can be carried out. God was clear about removing sin from among them.
In Luke, Herod was afraid that John the Baptist, the one he had beheaded had come back to life in the person of Jesus. Then Jesus took 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and fed 5,000 men. What Herod thought had happened to Jesus was about to happen to thousands. Jesus was going to die and resurrect in his people and they were going to go out in his name and in his power and change the world.
Lord, you have put your blood and Holy Spirit in us and we are your representation on earth. Help us to walk in your steps and your power and do the things you want accomplished on the earth.
Sunday, March 31, 2019
Saturday, March 30, 2019
Sat.’s Devo - A Sure Foundation
Read: Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23; Luke 8:40-9:6; Psalm 71:1-24; Proverbs 12:5-7
God uses false prophets to try our hearts to see if we will believe their lies. The proof is not in their story or their miracle but in if it lines up with God’s Word. God told them to put that man to death. If that person is someone who is related to us by blood, then we are the first to put our hands on him and then the congregation would join us in putting him to death by stoning him.
Since we don’t live in the dispensation of the law but of grace, putting someone to death by stoning would mean that we bring him to the Word - the stone, and we show him the error of his teaching. If he repents then we have put him to death to his old belief. If he refuses to repent, then we put him out of the church and warn others of his false religion.
If a town is infected by a false religion, it is to bring all the vessels used in that religion to the center of the town and burn them. The whole town is to be burnt. So if a whole church has been built around a false religion, it is to be completely burned to the ground because its foundation was built on something other than Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection.
When it tells what you can eat, it explains what is false and what is true doctrine. What we believe is what we consume so our food is our doctrine. They could eat any animal that had a split hoof divided in two and that chews the cud. We are to eat the Word of God that is rightly divided and its foundation is even, not lob-sided in one teaching. Chewing the cud means that the Word of God is meditated on and comes up when needed. If we put the Word of God in our hearts it will guide us when we need it. That would be chewing the cud.
They could eat fish that had fins and scales. Fins allow the fish to swim upright and steady and stay in the right direction. Scales cover their hidden flesh. We are to walk upright and circumspectly, directed by the wisdom of the Word and the Holy Spirit. The blood of Jesus and our faith is our scales that shield us from sin and protect us from the firey darts of the enemy.
The first born of their animals and the first tenth of their fields was to be set aside to the Lord. God was to get our first and best because he gave us his first born and his best. Every three years the tithes were to go to pay the Levites for their service of teaching and all their service to the Lord on behalf of the nation.
At the end of every seven years, the slaves get to go free and all debts were cancelled. At the end of our lives we will no longer be a slave to sin or this world. All our debts in this life will be over. This happens spiritually when we become a Christian.
In Luke, Jesus made a point to recognize the woman who had been healed of her hemorrhaging. He was healing more than her body; he was healing her soul. She had been an outcast for twelve years and not able to enter the synagogue or walk down the street without yelling that she was “unclean”. She had come incognito to see Jesus and Jesus wanted to announce publicly that she was clean. Jesus wanted to take her shame away.
Lord, thank you that you not only save us but you take the shame of our past away. You pronounce us “Clean!”
God uses false prophets to try our hearts to see if we will believe their lies. The proof is not in their story or their miracle but in if it lines up with God’s Word. God told them to put that man to death. If that person is someone who is related to us by blood, then we are the first to put our hands on him and then the congregation would join us in putting him to death by stoning him.
Since we don’t live in the dispensation of the law but of grace, putting someone to death by stoning would mean that we bring him to the Word - the stone, and we show him the error of his teaching. If he repents then we have put him to death to his old belief. If he refuses to repent, then we put him out of the church and warn others of his false religion.
If a town is infected by a false religion, it is to bring all the vessels used in that religion to the center of the town and burn them. The whole town is to be burnt. So if a whole church has been built around a false religion, it is to be completely burned to the ground because its foundation was built on something other than Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection.
When it tells what you can eat, it explains what is false and what is true doctrine. What we believe is what we consume so our food is our doctrine. They could eat any animal that had a split hoof divided in two and that chews the cud. We are to eat the Word of God that is rightly divided and its foundation is even, not lob-sided in one teaching. Chewing the cud means that the Word of God is meditated on and comes up when needed. If we put the Word of God in our hearts it will guide us when we need it. That would be chewing the cud.
They could eat fish that had fins and scales. Fins allow the fish to swim upright and steady and stay in the right direction. Scales cover their hidden flesh. We are to walk upright and circumspectly, directed by the wisdom of the Word and the Holy Spirit. The blood of Jesus and our faith is our scales that shield us from sin and protect us from the firey darts of the enemy.
The first born of their animals and the first tenth of their fields was to be set aside to the Lord. God was to get our first and best because he gave us his first born and his best. Every three years the tithes were to go to pay the Levites for their service of teaching and all their service to the Lord on behalf of the nation.
At the end of every seven years, the slaves get to go free and all debts were cancelled. At the end of our lives we will no longer be a slave to sin or this world. All our debts in this life will be over. This happens spiritually when we become a Christian.
In Luke, Jesus made a point to recognize the woman who had been healed of her hemorrhaging. He was healing more than her body; he was healing her soul. She had been an outcast for twelve years and not able to enter the synagogue or walk down the street without yelling that she was “unclean”. She had come incognito to see Jesus and Jesus wanted to announce publicly that she was clean. Jesus wanted to take her shame away.
Lord, thank you that you not only save us but you take the shame of our past away. You pronounce us “Clean!”
Friday, March 29, 2019
Fri.’s Devo - The Blessings
Read: Deuteronomy 11:1-12:32; Luke 8:22-39; Psalm 70:1-5; Proverbs 12:4
When God condemned the children of Israel to 40 years of wandering while they died out, he didn’t condemn their children who were under the age of 20. They were the ones who had grown up and were now the leaders. Moses addresses them because they had seen with their own eyes the parting of the Red Sea and the judgements on the disobedient. They would be held to a higher accountability because of what they had seen. God was giving them a land that he took care of himself, that wouldn’t have to be irrigated for water or worked. It was cultivated and fruitful, not like Egypt.
If they promised to obey his commands, God would expel the nations ahead of them and give them the land they walked on. No one would be able to withstand them. God gave them the choice of living in a curse or living in his blessing. If they believed and obeyed his commandments, then they would be nothing but blessed. If they disobeyed, they would bring upon themselves curses. The decision was up to them.
God would set up the place of worship and they were only suppose to bring their sacrifices there. They were to bring him a tenth of their grain, new wine or olive oil, the firstborn of their cattle or sheep and any offering they had vowed or wanted to bring to that place and eat them before the Lord. The Levites were to be their guests and they were to always provide for them.
Interestingly, once they were in the land, no food was considered unclean (vs. 20). The only restriction they had was blood. They could not eat something that was still alive; they had to kill it first. He wanted them to learn mercy. He warned them again not to get caught up in worshiping the idols of the land.
Lord, your laws are not grievous but for our good and they bring joy to all who walk in them. Thank you for your Word.
When God condemned the children of Israel to 40 years of wandering while they died out, he didn’t condemn their children who were under the age of 20. They were the ones who had grown up and were now the leaders. Moses addresses them because they had seen with their own eyes the parting of the Red Sea and the judgements on the disobedient. They would be held to a higher accountability because of what they had seen. God was giving them a land that he took care of himself, that wouldn’t have to be irrigated for water or worked. It was cultivated and fruitful, not like Egypt.
If they promised to obey his commands, God would expel the nations ahead of them and give them the land they walked on. No one would be able to withstand them. God gave them the choice of living in a curse or living in his blessing. If they believed and obeyed his commandments, then they would be nothing but blessed. If they disobeyed, they would bring upon themselves curses. The decision was up to them.
God would set up the place of worship and they were only suppose to bring their sacrifices there. They were to bring him a tenth of their grain, new wine or olive oil, the firstborn of their cattle or sheep and any offering they had vowed or wanted to bring to that place and eat them before the Lord. The Levites were to be their guests and they were to always provide for them.
Interestingly, once they were in the land, no food was considered unclean (vs. 20). The only restriction they had was blood. They could not eat something that was still alive; they had to kill it first. He wanted them to learn mercy. He warned them again not to get caught up in worshiping the idols of the land.
Lord, your laws are not grievous but for our good and they bring joy to all who walk in them. Thank you for your Word.
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Thurs.’s Devo - Parables
Read: Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22; Luke 8:4-21; Psalm 69:19-36; Proverbs 12:2-3
God went to great lengths to let the children of Israel know that they were not getting the land because they were so righteous, but because the people who lived in the land at the time were so wicked. Moses reminded the people how many times they had rebelled against the Lord in the wilderness and how he had spent 40 days and nights repenting for them.
Moses had to get the law twice because they had broken them before Moses could deliver them to the people. Moses threw the first tablets down and broke them out of anger. If you have children, you can relate with Moses’ frustration. But, after all their rebellion, it was still the Lord’s will to lead them into the land.
Moses gave them God’s will in a nutshell: fear him, walk in his ways, love him, and serve him with all their heart and soul. He reminded them that the laws God had given them were for their good. Then he told them to love the alien. These two commandments were the ones that Jesus gave the Pharisee who asked him what the two most important commandments were in Mark 12:29-31.
In Luke, Jesus gave the parable that all the parables hinge on. It is the parable about the seed and the sower. It tells of four different soils that the seed fell on: the path, the rock, the midst of thorns, and the rich soil. The only soil that the seed prospered and survived in was the rich soil. He explained to the disciples that the seed was the Word of God and the soil was the heart of man. Whether the seed prospered depended upon the condition and receptiveness of the heart. Those who had rich soil in their hearts would receive the word and act on it. If they didn’t understand this parable, none of the others would make any sense either.
Lord, help us to open our spiritual eyes and hearts to understand your mysteries and parables in our own lives.
God went to great lengths to let the children of Israel know that they were not getting the land because they were so righteous, but because the people who lived in the land at the time were so wicked. Moses reminded the people how many times they had rebelled against the Lord in the wilderness and how he had spent 40 days and nights repenting for them.
Moses had to get the law twice because they had broken them before Moses could deliver them to the people. Moses threw the first tablets down and broke them out of anger. If you have children, you can relate with Moses’ frustration. But, after all their rebellion, it was still the Lord’s will to lead them into the land.
Moses gave them God’s will in a nutshell: fear him, walk in his ways, love him, and serve him with all their heart and soul. He reminded them that the laws God had given them were for their good. Then he told them to love the alien. These two commandments were the ones that Jesus gave the Pharisee who asked him what the two most important commandments were in Mark 12:29-31.
In Luke, Jesus gave the parable that all the parables hinge on. It is the parable about the seed and the sower. It tells of four different soils that the seed fell on: the path, the rock, the midst of thorns, and the rich soil. The only soil that the seed prospered and survived in was the rich soil. He explained to the disciples that the seed was the Word of God and the soil was the heart of man. Whether the seed prospered depended upon the condition and receptiveness of the heart. Those who had rich soil in their hearts would receive the word and act on it. If they didn’t understand this parable, none of the others would make any sense either.
Lord, help us to open our spiritual eyes and hearts to understand your mysteries and parables in our own lives.
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Wed.’s Devo - Giants in the Land
Read: Dueteronomy 7:2-8:20; Luke 7:36-8:3; Psalm 69:1-18; Proverbs 12:1
Everything in the Old Testament is foundation that we should walk on in the new covenant. It was pictures and types and shadows of how we should live. In Canaan, they fought real people who carried real spirits and sins that God did not want his people to inherit. We don’t fight real people but principalities and powers of the unseen world. Every one of the seven nations that were in the promised land were spirits and giants in our land also.
Here is a list of the nations and what they mean to us:
Hittites - terror and fear. These lead to confusion, anxiety, bondage, worry and faithlessness. They give us an unhealthy fear of death and love of life.
Gergashites - fornication, slumber. These cause us to walk in guilt, gluttony, whoredoms and the evil imaginations of the heart. They cause us to have a low self image and the desire to conquer.
Amorites - sorcery and witchcraft which leads to rebellion, control, anger infirmity manipulation. These cause us to have an unhealthy drive to be independent and to love to dominate.
Canaanites - idolatry and error. These lead to rejection, heaviness, anti-christ spirit, and the desire to reason. These will cause us to have an unhealthy love for money and wisdom.
Perizzites - poverty spirit, envy. These will lead to hatred, jealousy, unforgiveness, bitterness and the desire for revenge. It can eventually lead to murder and slander.
Hivites- liars. Lying leads to deception, exhibitionism, divination and craftiness. It will lead to the love of self-image and self-deception.
Jebusites - despising, haughty. These will lead to strife, a critical spirit, spiritual blindness, and the desire to accuse others. It will eventually cause self-justification and the love of self-esteem.
These are also the giants in our land that we have to get rid of. God promised to drive these enemies out little by little and that is how he does it with us. We can read this list and get discouraged as we see ourselves in it or we can get encouraged as we remember that it is the Holy Spirit who is working in us to perfect us to the image of Christ. Sanctification is a work that takes a life-time. Our job is to cooperate with the spirit of God and not rebel against it.
In Luke, we see a woman who had many of these spirits and in one encounter with Jesus, had her sins forgiven. We hold on to our sins like we have to pay pentance when all we have to do is ask forgiveness and receive it by faith. The devil wants us to wallow in our mistakes and sins; Jesus wants us to rise up and walk in newness of life.
Lord, help us to walk in the overcoming power of the cross and the power of the Holy Spirit who helps us be victorious.
Everything in the Old Testament is foundation that we should walk on in the new covenant. It was pictures and types and shadows of how we should live. In Canaan, they fought real people who carried real spirits and sins that God did not want his people to inherit. We don’t fight real people but principalities and powers of the unseen world. Every one of the seven nations that were in the promised land were spirits and giants in our land also.
Here is a list of the nations and what they mean to us:
Hittites - terror and fear. These lead to confusion, anxiety, bondage, worry and faithlessness. They give us an unhealthy fear of death and love of life.
Gergashites - fornication, slumber. These cause us to walk in guilt, gluttony, whoredoms and the evil imaginations of the heart. They cause us to have a low self image and the desire to conquer.
Amorites - sorcery and witchcraft which leads to rebellion, control, anger infirmity manipulation. These cause us to have an unhealthy drive to be independent and to love to dominate.
Canaanites - idolatry and error. These lead to rejection, heaviness, anti-christ spirit, and the desire to reason. These will cause us to have an unhealthy love for money and wisdom.
Perizzites - poverty spirit, envy. These will lead to hatred, jealousy, unforgiveness, bitterness and the desire for revenge. It can eventually lead to murder and slander.
Hivites- liars. Lying leads to deception, exhibitionism, divination and craftiness. It will lead to the love of self-image and self-deception.
Jebusites - despising, haughty. These will lead to strife, a critical spirit, spiritual blindness, and the desire to accuse others. It will eventually cause self-justification and the love of self-esteem.
These are also the giants in our land that we have to get rid of. God promised to drive these enemies out little by little and that is how he does it with us. We can read this list and get discouraged as we see ourselves in it or we can get encouraged as we remember that it is the Holy Spirit who is working in us to perfect us to the image of Christ. Sanctification is a work that takes a life-time. Our job is to cooperate with the spirit of God and not rebel against it.
In Luke, we see a woman who had many of these spirits and in one encounter with Jesus, had her sins forgiven. We hold on to our sins like we have to pay pentance when all we have to do is ask forgiveness and receive it by faith. The devil wants us to wallow in our mistakes and sins; Jesus wants us to rise up and walk in newness of life.
Lord, help us to walk in the overcoming power of the cross and the power of the Holy Spirit who helps us be victorious.
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
Tues.’s Devo - The Ten Commandments
Read: Deuteronomy 5:1-6:25; Luke 7:11-35; Psalm 68:19-35; Proverbs 11:29-31
Moses reminded the people that God had made a covenant with them at Mt. Horeb. That was when Moses had fled Egypt and was alone on the mountain. God spoke from the bush and told Moses that He was ready to deliver his people out of Egypt and take them to a land flowing with mild and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and the Jebusites (Exodus 3).
God was speaking again with fire to the people on Mt. Sinai and he told them that it was not to their fathers but to them he was giving his laws.
He told them that he was the Lord, their God and it was him who brought them out of Egypt. They were to not have any other god but him. They were not to make any idols or images of created things and worship him. One day he would send his image down to earth in the form of Jesus Christ. They were not to misuse his name. They were always to honor the Sabbath and set it apart as a holy day. It would one day represent their millennial rest. They were to remember that they were once a slave but God delivered them out of Egypt with his powerful hand. They were to always honor their natural and spiritual forefathers who went before them. They were not to murder, commit adultery, steal, or give false evidence against each other, They were not to covet what their brothers had.
When the people heard the voice of God they were afraid and asked Moses to tell God to speak to him because it scared them too much. God was actually pleased that they had a fear of him because he knew that if they feared him, they would obey his commandments. He also knew that they wouldn’t always fear him or keep his commandments. God sent the people back to their tents and gave Moses the rest of the commandments. He warned Moses to tell them not to forget His commandments when they entered into their promised land but to diligently teach their children and to recount the story of the exodus from Egypt and the mighty miracles the Lord did for them.
In Luke, it is important that we remember what Jesus said in Luke 4:18-19 to understand John’s question. God had revealed to John that Jesus was the Messiah when he baptized him and he saw the Holy Spirit descend on him like a dove. But, John was in prison and Jesus had said that one of his reasons for coming was to proclaim freedom to the imprisoned. Isaiah said that this would be the sign of the Messiah. John, who was Jesus’ “Isaiah” was in prison and Jesus had not delivered him from prison. He sent the question of whether he was the one they were looking for because he didn’t understand why Jesus had not come to help him.
Jesus’ response to John’s question was to look at the things he had done: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers and cleansed and the deaf hear. He added, and blessed is anyone who is not offended in me. He knew that John was offended and he wanted him to concentrate on what he WAS doing and not in what he was NOT doing. What a lesson to us! We might not understand what why what we are going through is lasting so long or why God hasn’t chosen to deliver us when we know he can, but God has a bigger plan and it is his best. John had fulfilled his plan to usher in the Messiah and his reward in heaven was going to be great. His promotion would come earlier than most but it would be worth it.
Lord, help us to remember that your ways are always best and your plan is perfect!
Moses reminded the people that God had made a covenant with them at Mt. Horeb. That was when Moses had fled Egypt and was alone on the mountain. God spoke from the bush and told Moses that He was ready to deliver his people out of Egypt and take them to a land flowing with mild and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and the Jebusites (Exodus 3).
God was speaking again with fire to the people on Mt. Sinai and he told them that it was not to their fathers but to them he was giving his laws.
He told them that he was the Lord, their God and it was him who brought them out of Egypt. They were to not have any other god but him. They were not to make any idols or images of created things and worship him. One day he would send his image down to earth in the form of Jesus Christ. They were not to misuse his name. They were always to honor the Sabbath and set it apart as a holy day. It would one day represent their millennial rest. They were to remember that they were once a slave but God delivered them out of Egypt with his powerful hand. They were to always honor their natural and spiritual forefathers who went before them. They were not to murder, commit adultery, steal, or give false evidence against each other, They were not to covet what their brothers had.
When the people heard the voice of God they were afraid and asked Moses to tell God to speak to him because it scared them too much. God was actually pleased that they had a fear of him because he knew that if they feared him, they would obey his commandments. He also knew that they wouldn’t always fear him or keep his commandments. God sent the people back to their tents and gave Moses the rest of the commandments. He warned Moses to tell them not to forget His commandments when they entered into their promised land but to diligently teach their children and to recount the story of the exodus from Egypt and the mighty miracles the Lord did for them.
In Luke, it is important that we remember what Jesus said in Luke 4:18-19 to understand John’s question. God had revealed to John that Jesus was the Messiah when he baptized him and he saw the Holy Spirit descend on him like a dove. But, John was in prison and Jesus had said that one of his reasons for coming was to proclaim freedom to the imprisoned. Isaiah said that this would be the sign of the Messiah. John, who was Jesus’ “Isaiah” was in prison and Jesus had not delivered him from prison. He sent the question of whether he was the one they were looking for because he didn’t understand why Jesus had not come to help him.
Jesus’ response to John’s question was to look at the things he had done: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers and cleansed and the deaf hear. He added, and blessed is anyone who is not offended in me. He knew that John was offended and he wanted him to concentrate on what he WAS doing and not in what he was NOT doing. What a lesson to us! We might not understand what why what we are going through is lasting so long or why God hasn’t chosen to deliver us when we know he can, but God has a bigger plan and it is his best. John had fulfilled his plan to usher in the Messiah and his reward in heaven was going to be great. His promotion would come earlier than most but it would be worth it.
Lord, help us to remember that your ways are always best and your plan is perfect!
Monday, March 25, 2019
Mon.’s Devo - The Greatness of Our God
Read: Deuteronomy 4:1-49; Luke 6:39-7:10; Psalm 68:1-18; Proverbs 11:28
This is Moses’ last speech to the children of Israel before he was going to die and they were going to cross over with Joshua. He reminded them to not add to or take away from God’s laws. God’s laws were the most righteous laws of any nation on the earth and they were good. God warned them that if they or their children after them choose to follow the gods of other nations or worship the things God created instead of him, then God will destroy them. He reminded them that God was a jealous god, a consuming fire but he was also a god of mercy and will never fail them or forget his covenant with them. He would prove this as he went before them into the land and helped them drive out nations much greater and stronger than them.
Moses set aside three cities of refuge on the east of the Jordan : Bezer for Reuben, Ramoth for Gad, and Golan in Bashan for Manasseh. This cities would be where the Levites would live and be the cities of refuge for innocent people who accidentally killed someone.
In Luke, Jesus gave a parable directed straight to the religious leaders. They were the blind teachers leading their blind disciples into a pit they were themselves falling into. Instead of telling everyone else their sins, they needed to get the sin out of their own lives first.
Then he spoke to the crowd and told them that it did them no good to call him “Lord” and listen to his messages and then not act on them. The next story was an example of a man who not only knew who Jesus was but acted on his authority. This was the centurion who had a much loved servant who was dying. He sent a message to Jesus to come and heal him. This man was a Jew who had built a synagogue with the money he made. When Jesus was almost to his house, the Roman officer sent word that Jesus didn’t need to come to his house because he was unworthy of his visit. But he knew that Jesus needed only to speak the word and his servant would be healed. Jesus was amazed at the understanding and faith of this officer. He healed the servant.
Lord, You asked the children of Israel, “what other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way you are near us when we pray?” Thank you that you hear us when we pray and our prayer transcends time and space and distance. Remind us to pray without ceasing today and to expect results.
This is Moses’ last speech to the children of Israel before he was going to die and they were going to cross over with Joshua. He reminded them to not add to or take away from God’s laws. God’s laws were the most righteous laws of any nation on the earth and they were good. God warned them that if they or their children after them choose to follow the gods of other nations or worship the things God created instead of him, then God will destroy them. He reminded them that God was a jealous god, a consuming fire but he was also a god of mercy and will never fail them or forget his covenant with them. He would prove this as he went before them into the land and helped them drive out nations much greater and stronger than them.
Moses set aside three cities of refuge on the east of the Jordan : Bezer for Reuben, Ramoth for Gad, and Golan in Bashan for Manasseh. This cities would be where the Levites would live and be the cities of refuge for innocent people who accidentally killed someone.
In Luke, Jesus gave a parable directed straight to the religious leaders. They were the blind teachers leading their blind disciples into a pit they were themselves falling into. Instead of telling everyone else their sins, they needed to get the sin out of their own lives first.
Then he spoke to the crowd and told them that it did them no good to call him “Lord” and listen to his messages and then not act on them. The next story was an example of a man who not only knew who Jesus was but acted on his authority. This was the centurion who had a much loved servant who was dying. He sent a message to Jesus to come and heal him. This man was a Jew who had built a synagogue with the money he made. When Jesus was almost to his house, the Roman officer sent word that Jesus didn’t need to come to his house because he was unworthy of his visit. But he knew that Jesus needed only to speak the word and his servant would be healed. Jesus was amazed at the understanding and faith of this officer. He healed the servant.
Lord, You asked the children of Israel, “what other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way you are near us when we pray?” Thank you that you hear us when we pray and our prayer transcends time and space and distance. Remind us to pray without ceasing today and to expect results.
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