Monthly Archives: May 2016

So what’s with the coins? (Matthew 22:18-21) May 21, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Luke 5-6

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 22:18-21
Jesus: You hypocrites! Why do you show up here with such a transparent trick? Bring Me a coin you would use to pay tax.
Someone handed Him a denarius. Jesus fingered the coin.
Jesus: Of whom is this a portrait, and who owns this inscription?
Students: Caesar.
Jesus: Well then, render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

The students meant to trick Jesus with what they thought was a difficult question, but Jesus caught them in their own sad violation of their petty traditions. You see, you have to look a little deeper into the story to understand just how foolish the student was to ask this question at this time and in this place. Jesus was in the temple the scriptures tell us when these scholars tried to trap Him.

The devout had some interesting rules about the temple. No coinage could be used in the temple except the shekel. In fact, the very devout would not allow Roman coins brought into the temple because they bore the image of Caesar. To many of the Jews. Just bearing the likeness of Caesar made the coin itself an idol and many refused to handle the coins and chose to barter for goods use raw precious metals rather than use stamped coins as a means of transacting business.

So when Jesus asked for a coin with which they paid their tax, it shouldn’t have appeared in the temple. That would have been an act of sacrilege for the coin to be there. How would they find it so soon and why would they even think to do what He said and bring it into the temple courts? So there is strike one.

Strike two, God tells us He is the one who puts people in places of authority. David and the psalmists continually talk about the power of God to cause kings to rise and fall. He alone allows kingdoms to stand. Sometimes He even allows corrupt governments to act on His behalf as He did with the Assyrians and Babylonians as punishment against His chosen people because of their failure to follow His commands.

So if God allows these kings and emperors and governments to hold power of His people, He expects His people to be good citizens. Paul tells us that, too. It’s better to be punished unjustly for doing good than to be punished justly for wrongdoing. What does it say about our godly character if we deserve the suffering we get because of wrongs we commit against others? But if we suffer for doing what is right and good, then we cast ourselves in company with Christ, our Savior. Is there any better company we could keep?

Strike three, Jesus’ answer takes the question with which they knew they could trap Him and turns it upside down as He usually did with those who opposed Him. Jesus never said much to denounce Rome or its government if you’ll read through His words. He really didn’t seem to care if the government we live under is a dictatorship, a democracy, a republic, a theocracy, or someone drawing straws to see what should be done next. He doesn’t seem to care about types of government on this world because He lives and operates in a different plane.

I think God really doesn’t care much for politics. He doesn’t care about Democrats, Republicans, or Independents. What God cares about are those who choose to live in His kingdom. We can begin to live in His kingdom in this world. When we do, the type of government doesn’t matter. The church flourishes under dictators. It grows in communist countries. God can’t be held down when kings sit on thrones. In fact, the slowest growth in Christendom seems to be in democratic states. Kind of interesting, isn’t it? When we live in a place where we can choose our own leaders, we can have our own way, we are more like to not choose God’s way. It is a fascinating corollary.

So what do we learn from these students’ encounter with Jesus? First, don’t ever think you are smarter than God. You’re not. You never will be. Don’t even try. Just give it up. Second, don’t worry about who is sitting in the seats of power. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be good citizens. We need to vote for the person God lays on our heart. We need to pray for our leaders. We need to understand the incredible stress our leaders are under to try to make sense out of governing the 7 billion people that occupy this globe. It isn’t an easy job. They need our prayer and support. God let them sit in those seats whether you like them or not. God is still in control of this place, so remember that if you bad-mouth them, you are bad-mouthing the person God allowed to sit in that seat!

Finally, keep God first. It was a little thing to have Caesar’s coins in their pockets in the temple. But for these young men, it was like cheating at solitaire. It spoke of their character. They knew they weren’t suppose to have the coins or they wouldn’t have thought to bring up the subject in the first place. Jesus trapped them in their petty rules because they lived by rules instead of relationship. Make your relationship with God and others more important than a list of rules you need to keep. You’ll find that you still keep the rules, you’ll just have a lot more joy and peace while you do it and you won’t even think about keeping them. It will just happen because you love them, like you love yourself.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

The wedding feast (Matthew 22:2-14) May 20, 2016

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Jeremiah 42-46

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 22:2-14
Jesus: The kingdom of heaven is like a king whose son was getting married. The king organized a great feast, a huge wedding banquet. He invited everyone he knew. The day of the wedding arrived, and the king sent his servants into town to track down his guests—but when the servants approached them with the king’s message, they refused to come. So the king sent out another batch of servants.
King: Tell those people I’ve invited to come to the wedding banquet! Tell them I have prepared a great feast! Everything is ready! The oxen and fattened cattle have all been butchered, the wine is decanted, and the table is laid out just so.
And off the servants went, and they carried the king’s message to the errant guests—who still paid not a whit of attention. One guest headed into his field to work; another sat at his desk to attend to his accounts. The rest of the guests actually turned on the servants, brutalizing them and killing them. When he learned of this, the king was furious. He sent his army to kill the murderers and burn their towns. But there was, of course, still a wedding to celebrate.
King (to his remaining servants): The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited didn’t rise to the occasion. So go into the streets and invite anyone you see; invite everyone you meet.
And the servants did just that—they went into the streets and invited everyone they met, rich and poor, good and bad, high and low, sick and well. Everyone who was invited came, and the wedding hall practically burst with guests.
The king looked around the wedding party with glee, but he spotted one man who was not dressed appropriately. In fact, he was dressed rather plainly, in clothes not at all fitting for a fine nuptial feast.
King: Kind sir, how did you get in here without a proper suit of wedding clothes?
The man was speechless. He had been invited in off the street, after all! Getting no response, the king told his servants,
King: Tie him up, and throw him out into the outer darkness, where there is weeping and grinding of teeth.
For many are invited, but few are chosen.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

What a story! A wedding hosted by the king. Invitees acting like it isn’t important. In fact, invitations being completely ignored and then beating and killing the servants who sent them. Destroying the homes and towns of those who killed his servants. The banquet hall being filled with anyone and everyone the servants could find to invite off the streets. A man not dressed in wedding clothes thrown into the streets.

What can we learn from all of this today?

I think there’s a lot we can learn. God gave us everything we need to find Him. In fact, He invites us to join Him in a great celebration at the wedding feast of His Son with His bride the church. But what do we do with the invitation? Do we treat it like it has no value? Do we, like the first people pointed out in the story ignore the invitation and lose the opportunity to enjoy the benefits the King of kings wants for us?

Or worse, do we murder the reputation of those sent to bring people into His kingdom? Do we fail to give honor and respect to God’s people, those who share His message? I’m not just talking about the Israelites, His chosen people, and I’m not just referring to the pastors that share God’s message from pulpits every week. I’m also talking about those prophets that come into our lives and remind us of some of the behaviors we engage in that are contrary to God’s word.

Do we drive them away and treat them the way these characters treated the King’s servants? Perhaps not. Perhaps we listen the prophets and preachers and teachers God sends our way and find our way into the company of His saints. We travel along with them through the doors of the church and sing the songs they sing. We read the scriptures they read. We even hold some of the religious offices they hold. We give of our time and treasure and there we are ready to participate in the wedding. The servants the King sent out shared the messages and we followed along and it looked like we did all the right things as we followed along with that new group of people those servants went into the streets to invite.

But then the King comes and asks an important question. Where’s your wedding clothes? How’s your heart? You heard the invitation, you knew it was a wedding, why didn’t you dress in the appropriate attire. What is the appropriate attire for the King’s banquet? We must be drenched in the redemptive blood of His Son, Jesus. If we haven’t asked for His forgiveness and received Him into our lives as Lord, we’re wearing the wrong clothes.

It might look to everyone else that we’re doing everything we’re supposed to. We might fool everyone else along the way. But God and I know my heart. He knows your heart, too. I know if I’m wearing the wedding garments, ready to enter His banquet hall. He doesn’t keep my position with Him a secret. I know if I’m right with Him. There’s an old hymn about that, my wife’s favorite. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine. Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. This is my story. This is my song. Praising my Savior all the day long.

We can have that blessed assurance that we will be part of the great wedding feast with God. All it takes is faith and walking in the path He tells us to follow. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

The weight of the stone (Matthew 21:42-44) May 19, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Job 39-40

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 21:42-44
Jesus: I wonder if any of you has ever opened your own psalter:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the very stone that holds together the entire foundation.
This is the work of the Eternal One,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
Therefore, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to people who will tend its sweet fruit and who will give the Creator His due. He who falls on the stone will be broken to pieces, and he on whom the stone falls will be crushed.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

If there was ever any question in the chief priests and elders’ minds about who Jesus was talking to when He talked about the landowner of the vineyards and the tenant workers who killed the landowner’s son, this statement cleared it up for them. Jesus took a passage out of the Psalms and aimed it square in their faces. He announced they would lose the kingdom of God and it would be given to people who would tend to it the way God intended.

You think that might have smarted a little when Jesus told them those words? You think they might have been a little embarrassed to get chastised by this man in front of the very crowds who followed Him. These were the same people they had taken offerings from for years. They had told these people how to live their lives, how to obey the laws God handed to Moses on the tablets of stone, how to practice the rituals set up through the centuries. These same people now heard this uneducated preacher from Nazareth dare to tell them they would lose the kingdom of God and it would be handed over to others who would care for it better than they could. How dare He make such statements, and especially in public places.

Jesus kind of stepped on their toes, well, he kind of stomped all over them. He let them know God’s kingdom is more than rules and regulations and rituals. God’s kingdom is about relationship with the Father and relationships with each other. It’s about grace and mercy and love. But that message went to the heart of the chief priests and elders in Jesus’ day, right?

Well, maybe. Do we act any different? Do we get so caught up in our programs and schedules and rituals and church rules that we forget what we’re really doing and why we do them? Do we put our processes above the reason for doing them in the first place? Do we get so set in the routine of our services and our ministries that we leave God out altogether?

Sometimes I wonder if God would be pleased with the focus we have in our churches and our ministries. Oh, we do some good things. But do we do them in the name of Jesus or to get our brand elevated in the eyes of the market? Do we feed the homeless making sure nothing has our church name on it or do we put a banner up and advertise who is helping? There’s a good question for you.

Why do we do the things we do in ministry? Is it really to serve others or to serve ourselves? Do we want to do good and help others or are we trying to buy that ticket into heaven? James tells us faith without works is dead and I agree with Him. And quite frankly, no one looking in from the outside can tell the difference between someone doing good works because of their faith or someone who is doing good works to try to attain favor. The outcome for the person receiving the help is the same. It looks alike to the person being fed or clothed or taught or housed. It’s just good works to them.

But God sees our heart. He knows what’s on the inside. He knows why we do what we do. Do we act out of love or duty? Do we feel the necessity to help others because God prompts us or because we have this inner ego that wants others to see how good we are to others? Only we and God know the answer to that question. We can fool everyone else for a long time, but there will be a day of reckoning and Jesus words will still be true.

If we don’t give the Creator His due, Jesus warning will happen to us just as it did to those religious leaders who worked so hard to push Him out of the way 2,000 years ago. “The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to people who will tend its sweet fruit and who will give the Creator His due. He who falls on the stone will be broken to pieces, and he on whom the stone falls will be crushed.”

You don’t want to find yourself under the weight of that stone. It’s much more than you can bear.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Tenants of the vineyard (Matthew 21:33-40) May 18, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Psalms 57-59

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 21:33-40
Jesus: Here is another story: A landowner planted a vineyard, put a wall around it, fitted it with a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard and left town. When harvesttime came, the landowner sent his servants to collect rent—in the form of grapes—from his tenants. The tenants attacked these rent-collecting servants. They killed one, stoned another, and beat a third. The dismayed landowner sent another band of servants to try to collect his due, a larger group of servants this time, but the tenants did the same thing—capturing, beating, killing. Finally the landowner sent his son to the tenants, thinking, “They will at least respect my son.” But the tenants knew the son was the best way to get to the landowner, so when they saw the son approaching they said,
Tenants: This is the landowner’s heir apparent! Let’s kill him and take his inheritance.
And so they did; they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
What do you think the landowner will do when he comes and sees those tenants?

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

It almost seems like Jesus is taunting the chief priests and scribes and elders in the temple and around Jerusalem, doesn’t it? Here he is again with another story that points directly at them. Using our 20/20 hindsight, clearly, the story is an allegory for God’s kingdom and the judgment against the religious leaders in Israel. The landowner is the Father, the vineyard is the work done here on earth to gather people into His kingdom. The workers are those who should be spreading the word of His love and grace and mercy, those whose mission is growing the kingdom. The son of the landowner is Jesus.

What should be done to the tenants of the vineyard who kill the landowner’s son? It’s an easy question for those religious bigots to answer. Tear them to pieces. Kill them all. Throw them out. Find others who will be honest and work diligently for the landowner. But these self-righteous religious leaders didn’t see themselves as the workers in the vineyard. They saw the injustice in the story, but didn’t see their own failures in doing exactly the same thing with God’s work.

The outsiders, the Gentiles came to Jerusalem and the religious leaders to find God’s grace and they were driven away by the self-righteous leaders who held the law in their hands. Even their fellow Jews came to find grace and instead were burdened by the impossible traditions levied on them by these men who made sure everyone who came to the temple felt the guilt of their sin rather than the grace of God’s love.

Soon, they would even take action against the Father’s Son by hanging Him on a tree. Thinking Him cursed and unfit for their imagined kingdom of God, they would have Him crucified, murdered by the conspsiracy of their doing. What would happen to them? The church would grow exponentially. They couldn’t stop it. As hard as they tried, the church would grow.

So what does the story of these leaders of the past have to do with us? Do we fit into the allegory anywhere? Maybe. Take a look at what you do in your ministries. Do you drive away those who would seek the fruits of your labor. Do you try to hoard what God has done for you and try to keep it for yourself? Do you think God has blessed you in whatever way He has so that you can enjoy those benefits alone?

If so, look at the plight of those workers in the vineyard. The landowner expected a return on His investment in those tenants. He expected the laborers to give back to Him something of what they were allowed to enjoy. The landowner didn’t take it all. He just wanted a return on His investment. He could take it all, after all, the land was His. The vines were His. Everything there belonged to Him. The workers were fortunate to have an opportunity to work and probably given food to eat and a place to live as long as they worked in the vineyard. But the profit belonged to the landowner. Everyone knew it. Even those tenants.

So what about the work that you do? Do you realize that it all belongs to God? Do you give it to Him to let Him use it in whatever way He desires? Do you begrudge Him your time, offerings, energy, job, family, whatever tasks you might do in His name? If you do, remember Paul’s words. “Whatever you do, do it as if for the Lord.” Everything belongs to Him anyway. We are only tenants in this little dot of space. He owns it all and allows us to enjoy a bit of it for our pleasure for a little while. But never forget that during those few years we are here, we are just tenants. We just pass through. Remember the story. Don’t be caught like the tenants Jesus describes. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Will you do what the Father says? (Matthew 21:27-32) May 17, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – 2 Samuel 15-19

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 21:27-32
Jesus: Then neither will I tell you about the authority under which I am working. But I will tell you a story, and you can tell Me what you make of it: There was a man who had two sons. He said to his first son,
Father: Go and work in the vineyard today.
First Son: No, I will not.
But later the first son changed his mind and went. Then the father went to his second son.
Father: Go and work in the vineyard today.
Second Son: Of course, Father.
But then he did not go. So which of the sons did what the father wanted?
Chief Priests and Elders (answering at once): The first.
Jesus: I tell you this: the tax collectors and prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God ahead of you. John came to show you the straight path, the path to righteousness. You did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. Even as you saw the prostitutes and the tax collectors forgiven and washed clean, finding their footing on the straight path to righteousness, still you did not change your ways and believe.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

The chief priests and elders got pretty frosted at Jesus’ story, because they knew He meant for the second son to represent them. They knew what they were supposed to do, but failed to do it. They carried on the rituals, but didn’t extend God’s love. They knew the Talmud and the Law, but didn’t live what they preached to the crowd that assembled to learn from them. The elders and chief priests understood the standards, but didn’t live up to them.

But the tax collectors, the prostitutes, the down and out that Jesus ministered to on the hillsides, those people came back to the synagogues filled with joy. They came giving their tithes and offerings joyfully. They came praising God for the transformation in their lives because of the forgiveness they experienced when they came with a truly contrite, repentant heart.

Okay, so Jesus got the attention of the chief priests and elders. That was then. It’s 2,000 years later. What does that have to do with us? He was talking about those leaders that were about to crucify Him, right? He doesn’t mean us, does He? Well, perhaps it’s time to take inventory.

Do we really worship Him when we go into our churches or do we just go through a routine every week and say we do? Do we let anything take the place of our worship of God or take the place of our service to Him? Do we sully His name by calling ourselves Christians and then acting like everyone else instead of acting like Jesus? Do we take time to talk with God on a regular basis without asking Him for something, but just talking to Him as you would your father or a friend?

How about honoring our parents? Do we give them the respect they deserve? Do we slander others and so destroy their reputation without real cause? Do our eyes wander lustfully to someone other than our spouses? Do we take home pens and paper from work or use the office resources for our personal projects? Do we cheat at solitaire? Do we try to keep up with the neighbor when then get a new car, new shutters on the house, new plants in the yard, or anything that looks interesting that we want?

Those are just the common ten commandments God tells all of us to keep, you know. He gives each of us personal commands and convictions to keep us protected from the temptations Satan throws in our path. But do we listen to Him? Do we do what He tells us to do or do we take matters into our own hands and think we know whats best and make our own decisions without consulting Him.

See, Jesus looked into our future and the story He told the chief priests and elders that day hits all of us between the eyes if we’re not careful. What God wants from us is our obedience. When we love Him we will do just that, obey. When we don’t trust Him and love Him, we hold on to parts of ourself and think we can live our lives better without Him. We try to hide parts of our lives from Him. (An impossible thing to do, by the way.) We try to maintain lordship over every aspect of our lives.

But really we can control very little of what happens to us day to day. So little of life is under our direct control. We think we have power over things, but we really don’t. How much do you really control your health, for instance? You can eat right, sleep right, exercise, do everything the medical world tells you to do. Then you step into the street and get hit by a bus. You just can’t control everything.

What we can do, though, is decide to obey God. We can do what the Father asks us to do. He will give us the ability to do it. All we need to do is make up our mind to live for Him, ask for His empowerment, and do what He says. He will help us. He promises. He always makes a way of escape from the temptations of life. Our problem is we usually don’t look for the exit signs He has glaring in front of us. We just stick around for the show instead of running away as fast as we can.

So will you be like the first son or the second son in the story? Will you do what the Father says or not? 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Under whose authority? (Matthew 21:24-25) May 16, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Exodus 25-28

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 21:24-25
Jesus: I will answer your question if first you answer one of Mine: You saw John ritually cleansing people through baptism for the redemption of their sins. Did John’s cleansing come from heaven, or was he simply washing people of his own whim?

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

The chief priests and elders came to Jesus questioning His authority. Here He was doing miraculous things in the courts of the temple and they couldn’t believe He was doing them by the power of God. Jesus taught those who would listen the meaning of God’s word and showed them the fulfillment of prophecy through His actions and the chief priests and elders thought He must be working with Satan instead of the Almighty. The crowds were flocking to Jesus, so the chief priests and elders knew Jesus must be doing something wrong to attract so many people. They couldn’t get people to come to the temple in such droves, so Jesus must be in league with the devil to gathering such a throng around Him.

We would never do that, would we? We would never look at someone drawing such crowds in the name of God and say they were doing so by the power of Satan, would we? We would never accuse the miracle workers of slight of hand, trickery, and deceit to draw the crowds they do, would we? Hmmm!

When the disciples came to Jesus and wanted Him to stop those performing miracles in His name, He said to leave them alone. If they were doing so under false pretenses, at least His name was being lifted up. They would be judged by their actions, but His name would still be glorified by their actions if His name was used for the healing ministry they were doing. Hmmm! Do we condemn those who perform miracles in Jesus’ name, calling them charlatans, doing it only for the money?

I wonder what Jesus would say about our conversations today if He dropped into our churches and social groups and homes as we talked about our brothers and sisters. When we begin to belittle our fellow denominations or we start talking about the televangelists or we demean all faith healers when one or two are found to plant fake victims of disease or illness in the audience, are we doing what these chief priest and elders did?

I think we might be. I think Jesus might just ask us to answer a few questions that would cause us to stop us in our tracks, back away slowly with an embarrassed look on our face, and run back into our holes. You see, if people are doing good in Jesus’ name, it’s not our place to figure out their internal motive. If they are doing so for their personal gain, that’s for God to sort out. If they accept funds and use that money to satisfy their own greed and avarice, they will answer for it before God. We don’t need to worry about it.

But they might also be using all that money for the good of others. They might be pouring that money into other ministries and we really don’t know unless we are able to see the books and few of us have that access, do we. What we do know is that Jesus’ name is being lifted up and He is given credit for the healing, the ministry, the miracles that are taking place. And that’s what He wants. Those that are instruments of those actions will answer to God for the motive of their actions.

The same is true when we talk about each others denominations. Are the baptists right? Are the Methodists on the wrong track? Will the Presbyterians be at the head of the line in heaven? Will the Catholics be at the back of the line or the front? Are the Lutherans leading people the wrong direction? We talk about each other a lot. The truth is there is something right in all our doctrines and methods of governance. And the truth is there is something wrong in all our doctrines and methods of governance.

The right is that we all worship God and put our faith, trust, and hope in Jesus, His Son, who gave His life for our redemption. The wrong is we are all sinners and flawed because of it. Every one of our denominations grew out of discord with a parent denomination. God never intended denominations to happen within His church, but we began to have discord from the very beginnings of the church with the arguments about whether Gentiles should undergo the rite of circumcision when they became members of Christ’s body, the church.

Since that time, groups split from one denomination after another. The Catholic, universal church began, but the Orthodox church split from the universal church, then the Greek Orthodox saw they had it right so they split again. Luther came along to address the problem of indulgences levied by corrupt, greedy priests more interested in property than piety and the Protestant religion was born with the Lutheran church, then it split because of governance. Then it split because of doctrine questions, then it split over the treatment of segments of the population, then it split over the question of missions, then it split over… Now churches split over the color of carpet or where the keyboard sits on the platform.

Are we any different than those chief priests and elders asking about the authority of the other ministers around us? Think about it the next time you decide to have one of those ministers of denominations for lunch!

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Do you believe Him? (Matthew 21:19-22) May 15, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – 2 Corinthians 9-10

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 21:19-22
Jesus: May you never bear fruit again!
Immediately the tree shriveled up. The disciples were amazed.
Disciples: How did that fig tree wither so quickly?
Jesus: I tell you this: if you have faith and do not doubt, then you will be able to wither a fig tree with one glance. You will be able to tell mountains to throw themselves into the ocean, and they will obey. If you believe, whatever you ask for in prayer will be granted.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

We hear the story of Jesus’ power over the fig tree and we stand in awe of Him. We hear the story of His power of the storms at sea and wonder at what He can do. The power He demonstrates, the command He has over nature, disease, demons, when we hear those stories, if we believe they are true there can be no doubt about His divinity. No one can have that kind of authority over creation except God.

But then the disciples ask Jesus a question that we sometimes forget when we recall this story of the withered fig tree. “How did that fig tree wither so quickly?” And Jesus answer, we totally ignore when we tell the story to our children. “If you have faith and do not doubt, then you will be able to wither a fig tree with one glance. You will be able to tell mountains to throw themselves into the ocean, and they will obey.”

Do you have that kind of faith?

I am pretty good at making plants wither. But I’ll have to admit, I’ve never looked at plant and have it wither at a glance. It takes me a little longer than that. I’m just terrible at keeping plants alive. When I plant things they die. But to wither a thriving tree in a single glance? I haven’t done that. Or even a bush or a blade of grass. Do I have enough faith?

But then again…maybe I do. What does it mean to have the kind of faith Jesus talks about. Could I do something or let God teach me something that could wither a fig tree? Over the years I’ve learned about different chemical, poisons, mechanical reactions, that God allowed me to learn over the course of my education and career that in a pretty short time could wither a fig tree. Does that count? Well, God put me through the right training and experiences to enable me to do it.

And how about moving mountains? Can I tell a mountain to throw itself into the sea and it happen? We certainly have the equipment, explosives, moving capability to do that today. Does that count? Some would say you can’t move a mountain. I know you can because of what I’ve seen happen in large construction projects. It might take some time, but I know we can move a mountain from where it sits today and put it into the ocean. Is that faith? It is. Is it faith in God’s ability? Yes.

God doesn’t tell us how He will get a task done when it’s in His plan. Sometimes He does things in God-like ways. Sometimes He will cause something to happen that makes that mountain move almost instantaneously. He could send one of those car-sized meteors to hit a mountain and blow it away letting the debris fall into the oceans around the world. He could split the crust under one of those mountains and let the molten core melt the rock until it flows out into the sea and cools there forming a new land mass. God could just pick it up and put it in a new location if He wanted to. He’s God.

He could also tell us to get our hands dirty and do the work to move it one shovel at a time. We can’t presume to tell God how to accomplish His plan, but we can have faith that God works His miracles. He answers our prayers. Sometimes instantaneously, sometimes through the knowledge, skill, and effort of His children. But God does answer our prayers.

The faith we exercise in our belief in God and His will for us is not different than the faith we exercise in our belief that our car will start when we turn the key. Faith is faith, the question is what and who do we put our faith in? Do we believe God will do what He says He will or help us get done the tasks He gives us to do? Sometimes He works His plans instantly. In my experience, more often He works His plans through the people who have given their lives to Him. He uses us to help those around us. He builds relationships between us to enhance our relationship with Him. He wants us to show His love by doing God-like things for others through the resurrection power available to us through His holy Spirit in us.

Jesus said, “If you have faith and do not doubt, then you will be able to wither a fig tree with one glance. You will be able to tell mountains to throw themselves into the ocean, and they will obey.” Do you believe Him? 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

The children know the truth (Matthew 21:16) May 14, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Luke 3-4

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 21:16
Jesus: Yes. Haven’t you read your own psalter? “From the mouths and souls of infants and toddlers, the most innocent, You have decreed praises for Yourself.”

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

After Jesus overturned the tables in the temple, He did what He came to do. He worshiped. But while He was there, the same thing happened to Him that happened everywhere He went the Bible tells us. The blind and lame and sick surrounded Him and He healed them. The children circled Him and they began singing and calling Him the Son of David.

I expect this was a little unusual for the leaders of the temple. They were getting ready for their usual Passover crowd, kind of like our pastors get ready for their Easter and Christmas crowd. You know, those folks that pacify themselves by coming to church once or twice a year and think everything’s okay with them. Well, it was a little different with the Jews because their law told them to come to the temple at Passover to remember their deliverance from Egypt. So those that could make the journey, did.

These leaders expected a crowd, but they expected the crowd to participate in the activities they had planned, not flock around this itinerate, uneducated preacher. They didn’t expect children to sing about this carpenter from Nazareth, calling Him the Son of David, the title reserved for their King, their coming Messiah. They didn’t expect someone to disrupt their schedule by drawing hundreds away from their orderly affairs and disrupt their programs.

So the leaders came to Jesus, shocked, indignant, angry, “Do you hear what these children are saying? Aren’t you going to stop them? Don’t you realize they are confused? Shouldn’t you correct their ignorance? Shouldn’t you stop taking the limelight and let us get on with our program?”

Jesus didn’t stop them. Jesus didn’t stop healing the sick. Jesus didn’t stop talking about the love of His Father. Jesus didn’t stop doing the same things He had done throughout His ministry. He showed God’s love and grace and mercy. He demonstrated who God was and how He wanted us to live in community and in peace with our fellow man. He just kept on being Himself. The leaders of the temple just couldn’t stand it.

So we learn from the priests and the scribes who approached Jesus, don’t get in God’s way. Don’t worry about who is in the limelight when God is doing good things. It doesn’t matter if the miracles are happening on the platform or in the back of the crowd. When God is on the scene, stand back and watch Him work. Don’t get in His way. Just get on board.

The second thing we learn from Jesus’ words is that children can be pretty smart. They don’t hold back what they think most of the time. Some time that embarrasses us when they tell the person in front of us in the grocery line that they are fat or they stink, but children usually are pretty preceptive and at a young age, haven’t yet learned to hold their tongue. So they just say what they think.

When the children circled Jesus in the temple courtyard and sang songs of the Son of David, they just expressed what they thought. Unfiltered joy and their belief in who Jesus was. Did they understand the impact of what they said? Probably not. Did they understand the uproar in the city their songs would create? Probably not. Did the children understand the full political and theological depth of their words as they sang? No. We still don’t understand the full depth of their meaning today with our finite minds. But they sang what they believed.

I enjoy listening to children and some of the things they say about people, about nature, about God, about politics, about life in general. It’s interesting to hear their perspective of things. They don’t pull any punches. I have to answer honestly when my granddaughter asks, “Papaw, how come you have a big belly?” The answer, cause I eat more than I should and don’t exercise as much as I should.“ Her response. ”Then come play with me."

Smart kid. I can’t keep up with her, but if I tried, I’m sure I’d lose weight. She has a lot more energy than I do. One of my grandson mentions death and says, “It’s not so bad, you get to be with God all the time then, don’t you?” Another carries on pretty deep conversations about Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, His resurrection, and power to forgive sins.

Children can tell you some wonderful things if you will listen to them. They know some pretty incredible things. They know the truth of God’s word. I think sometimes angels whisper in their ear and tell them heavenly things that as adults we have a tendency to ignore. But kids listen intently with their innate curiosity and if we will listen closely to them, we will hear the voice of God reminding us that Jesus is the Son of David, the long awaited Messiah, the Son of God, the One who can rescue us from a life of sin and death.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

The house of prayer (Matthew 21:13) May 13, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Jeremiah 37-41

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 21:13
Jesus: It is written, “My house will be a house of prayer for all people,” but you have turned this house of prayer into a den of robbers.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

I wonder what Jesus would say if He went into my church or your church today. Herod’s Temple was certainly an impressive place. It didn’t have the gold in it that Solomon’s Temple had. It didn’t have the Arc of the Covenant that housed the tablets on which God wrote the Ten Commandments or Aaron’s staff that bloomed with fig leaves and figs when the other tribal leaders laid their staffs beside his signifying that Aaron was God’s chosen priest.

But Herod’s Temple was certainly massive and awe inspiring. It towered over the city and visitors came from all over the world just to see it. The Jews came to worship and the massive size and splendor of the temple helped them realize the enormity of their God. Then they came to the outer courts. Vendors made sacrifices easier for them by selling animals at the gates so you didn’t have to bring your own. Of course, the vendors made a good profit on the best of the lambs and bulls and pigeons and doves. After all, God wanted unblemished sacrifices.

And since only the temple coinage could be used inside the temple, someone had to exchange whatever currency the pilgrims brought with them so they could give their offerings to God. And God wouldn’t mind if those moneychangers made a little profit for their trouble, would He? Then there were those who sold food and drinks because after a long journey in the hot sun, people were hungry and thirsty. And the prayer shawls were a big hit. They came from Jerusalem, the city of God, so they would be good souvenirs of the pilgrimage, right?

No wonder Jesus was furious at what He saw. But then let’s move forward a couple thousand years. Some of our churches and cathedrals are pretty impressive. Maybe not on the scale of Herod’s Temple, but then, we didn’t have a king trying to impress a whole nation when those churches and cathedrals were built. Do we make it too easy for people to provide their reasonable sacrifice for God? Do we let people come in and assume that a few dollars in the offering plate is all that is needed to take care of their obligations to God?

And do we then take that money as a church and act as money changers turning it into a profit to add to the magnificence of the edifice instead of reaching out to help others? Do we get more concerned about the place than we do the people around us? I’m not saying it’s not important to take care of the place we worship. God deserves our best. But I think He is more pleased with what we do for others than He is in gaudy palaces built in His name.

God told us He was not as interested in sacrifice as in a contrite heart our willingness to obey Him. So what does that mean as we consider the actions Jesus took at the temple with what we do in our churches. Would He be pleased with what we do there? He called the temple a house of prayer. Do we make sure our churches are houses of prayer? Places where we commune with the Almighty?

What differences would you make in your church if your focus was making your church a house of prayer. The other programs and processes and services you provide are not necessarily unimportant, but what if you made your focus for everything center on your church being a house of prayer. How would that change things around your facilities?

Does your church, like most churches, let itself get caught up in the activities you plan and the programs you put on your calendars until you forget the most important thing about what you are really about? The church, the temple, the synagogue was always the place where Jesus went each week to worship in community with others to renew His strength in worship with others. This was a place of prayer and worship. It was the place where He joined His voice with those with like faith and prayed for the deliverance of Israel from their bondage from evil, not from Rome, but from evil. For Jesus it was a house of prayer.

I’m afraid, too many of us have made the church a place where we meet the friends we haven’t seen for the last week or too often the last month or two. It’s the place we go to play games with Christian friends or sing songs that we like or maybe even have a Bible study or two. It’s the place we go to talk about how we will work to win the lost or start a revival in the community. It’s the place where we make great plans. But is it a house of prayer? Is our focus in our churches the place where we lift our voices together in community to touch the heart of God? Do we come to this place with the purpose of having a conversation with the Creator of the universe?

Jesus called the temple His Father’s home and a house of prayer and the people there turned it into a den of thieves. How would He describe your church? If you choose, you can make it your house of prayer by your individual action as you step in the door by not letting all the other things distract you, but focusing on making it your house of prayer. Try it this week.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Rodeo time (Matthew 21:2-3) May 12, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Job 37-38

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 21:2-3
Jesus: Go to the village over there. There you’ll find a donkey tied to a post and a foal beside it. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone tries to stop you, then tell him, “The Master needs these,” and he will send the donkey and foal immediately.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

I remember the first time I heard this story, I thought Jesus just told the disciple to go steal a donkey. That’s not a nice thing to do! Why would Jesus steal a donkey? It’s still easy to think that if you don’t stop to remember that the Bible isn’t a detailed history book. The writers tell us what they remember and what God puts in their hearts to relate to us for our understanding of His plan of salvation for all humankind.

We assume there were twelve disciples because we have the names of twelve. But there were undoubtedly a lot more than twelve. At Jesus’ ascension, some 500 gathered to see Him rise in the clouds with the promise He would return the same way one day. Many of those 500 were His disciples, not just the twelve, but followers, those who wanted to be like Him. That’s the definition of a disciple, a person who desires to study a learn and be like his teacher.

That’s why we have the distinction between the title Apostle and disciple. There are twelve apostles and there will never be more than that. Those are the twelve chosen by Jesus to draw very close to Him, learn from Him throughout His three year preaching ministry, and then carry on the work of building His church after His resurrection and ascension. But His disciples are too numerous to count and the number is growing every day and men and women find Him through faith and give themselves to Him as living sacrifices.

So what’s the answer to this great mystery? How did Jesus know about the donkey and the foal?

No doubt one of His disciples lived or had relatives or friends in the village Jesus speaks about in His command to the disciples He addresses in this command that Matthew records. It’s not hard to assume this disciple has gone there to take care of his household affairs, plant a crop, check on lambs that are just being born in the spring, feed cattle or whatever might be happening in the little village. Jesus might have seen the disciple ride in or ride out on a donkey. And the donkey, late in pregnancy might have been ready to deliver.

The miracle part of the story, of course, would be to know the donkey and foal would be tied together. Unless the disciple in the village already had his instructions from Jesus. Is it too far fetched to think those things were planned? No. Would it be a miracle for Jesus to have the knowledge that all those things were in place without anyone telling Him. Yes. Could it have happened that way? Yes

Would it have been a miracle for Jesus to have planned for the donkey and foal to be standing ready for Him in the village and send other disciples to fetch the animals as they drew closer to the village on their way to Jerusalem? Yes it would. Think about the timing of the event. A foal is not very old. To have a donkey and its foal tied together in the village just at the right time as Jesus and the rest of His entourage were passing through would not be an easy feat for even an extraordinary man. But Jesus knew it would happen.

Why was Jesus so sure the donkey and colt would be available? Because He knew He was the long awaited Messiah. He also knew His mission would take Him to Jerusalem and He would be heralded as the King of the Jews riding in to the city in the manner described 500 years earlier by the prophet Zechariah on the backs of humble beasts of burden, not on the back of a stallion as most conquerors would.

So He came into the city, riding on the backs of a donkey and an untamed foal. Now that is a miracle. I don’t know if you’ve ever ridden a donkey with an untamed animal tied to it. I haven’t, but I’ve seen others who have tried to ride those untamed animals. It’s usually not a pretty picture for the rider. But Jesus rode into the city, through a crowd of people with His disciples leading the parade. No one was trampled. The donkey and foal apparently behaved themselves. That’s a miracle!

The people waved palm branches, threw their cloaks onto the dusty road, shouted praises, heralded Jesus as King. The din must have been tremendous as the guards came out to settle what they thought was a riot. Still the animals remained quiet and controlled. Now that’s a miracle!

The planning to have a donkey available as Jesus passed by? I’ve learned as I’ve grown a little more mature that’s not so hard to do. And Jesus wouldn’t ask His disciples to heist a donkey. I think the donkey was planned. Riding that donkey and a new foal through that crowd, now that’s something only God could do.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.