Monthly Archives: September 2016

We are all betrayers (Mark 14:13-21) September 10, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – John 16-18

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

Today’s Devotional

Mark 14:18-21
Jesus: I tell you in absolute sincerity, one of you eating with Me tonight is going to betray Me.
The twelve were upset. They looked around at each other.
Disciples (one by one): Lord, it’s not I, is it?
Jesus: It is one of you, the twelve—one of you who is dipping your bread in the same dish that I am.
The Son of Man goes to His fate. That has already been predicted in the Scriptures. But still, it will be terrible for the one who betrays Him. It would have been better for him if he had never been born.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

How would you like to be sitting at the table when Jesus said those words? “One of you will betray Me.” Wow! Here they were just finishing the Seder and Jesus makes this announcement. He knew it a long time before this, but kept it to Himself. Of course, if the disciples understood scripture the way He did, they would know He would be betrayed, but they didn’t. No one put it together until after the fact. But here was the bombshell.

These guys had traveled with Him for over three years. They heard every message. They sat with Him for every lesson. They ate with Him. Slept where He slept. Went where He went. They were His constant companions throughout His ministry. How could one of them possibly fall away and betray Him after sitting under His teaching for three years?

But listen to the question from each of the disciples. Every one of them asked Him, “Is it me? Am I the one who will betray you? I’m not the one, am I?” Did you get that? Every one of the disciples had enough doubt in their mind about their individual loyalty that they asked Jesus if they were the one that would turn Him in to the authorities. Each of them had these hidden thoughts and secret spots in their heart they thought were deep enough that no one could see. But when Jesus made His announcement about His betrayal, every one of them felt those dark spots rise to the surface and questioned their own loyalty to Christ.

Of course, Judas already knew he was the one and asked the question in a way only the guilty can, but every single disciple felt in his heart that he might have the capacity to turn against his master. That’s an important point for all of us to see in the events that unfolded around the table that night. It’s an important point for all of us to realize as we listen to the words Jesus spoke and we should take them to heart.

Every one of us have the capacity to betray Him. No matter how solid we think we are in our faith, we have the capacity to turn against Him and betray Him. No matter how good we think we are or how long we have been following Him, we have the ability to go to His enemies and plot against Him for a few pieces of silver.

You might think you’d never do that to Jesus. He’s done so much for you. He may have healed you in the past. He might have healed your children or saved you lost loved ones. He might have salvaged your marriage or rescued you from financial ruin. Jesus may have intervened in broken relationships with family or friends. He may have worked incredible miracles on your behalf and you think you could never betray Him. But listen again to the question from the lips of every one of His closest disciples, even John, His most beloved. “Lord, is it me? Am I the one who will betray you?”

All of them, without exception, after walking with Jesus for three years and listening to His voice, knew that deep within every person, we have the capacity to choose to betray Him. Adam and Eve were sinless when they chose to turn against God, remember? But we are born with the seed of sin embedded in us. God’s word says it is passed down to us through Adam’s race. We cannot escape it. We have all sinned. And so we all carry within us the capacity to betray Him.

Judas is the one who sold the plan to identify Jesus to the guards in the garden. Peter took one swipe and a guard and then fled. The rest of the disciples just fled in terror. No one stood by His side when those horrible events of that night began to unfold. All of His disciples had the capacity to betray Him and they did. They left Him to endure His fate alone. We think of Judas as the betrayer, the one who sold Jesus to His enemies, but didn’t they all betray His friendship that night? Didn’t they all desert Him and leave Him to face His pain alone in the garden? Didn’t every one of them forget their promise to stand by Him to the end?

The difference between the rest of the disciples and Judas? Eleven repented. Judas hung himself. When you think about it, we have each betrayed Jesus, too? Which path will you take? I hope it’s the path to repentance.

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.

What do you do to remember your past? (Mark 14:14-15) September 9, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Amos 1-4

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

Today’s Devotional

Mark 14:14-15
Jesus: Follow that man; and wherever he goes in, say to the owner of the house, “The Teacher asks, ‘Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with My disciples?’” He will take you upstairs and show you a large room furnished and ready. Make our preparations there.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

We don’t think too much about what that meal Jesus ate with the disciples that night before His crucifixion. We think about the end of it. The words He said and the new covenant He established with them. We remember the prediction of His betrayal and the passing of the cup and the bread which He said word forever represent His blood and broken body. We remember these things because we celebrate that remembrance in communion or the Lord’s Supper of whatever name your denomination gives the ritual we use to commemorate that sacred covenant.

But did you ever think about the meal the disciples shared that night? I’ll admit, the thing that got me thinking about it today was the comment Jesus made, “Make our preparations there.” That little phrase. I’ve passed over it a lot, because I always focused on other parts of the story and never on that little phrase. But I want to share a couple of thoughts with you about those four words.

First, I want to point out that Jesus sent only two of His disciples ahead to make the preparations. They found the room set up and ready, but there was a lot more to do as I’ll explain in a minute. But only two disciples were about to do a lot of work to prepare the Seder, the Passover meal, for Jesus and the rest of His disciples.

Jesus and His disciples observed the law. They carried out the rituals Moses told them to carry out. We know they did a couple of things the Pharisees and Sadducees were upset about, like grabbing a handful of grain as they walked through a wheat field on the Sabbath or Jesus telling a man with a crippled arm to straighten it out on the Sabbath. But they observed the law as Jesus understood the law. And since He was there to give it to Moses, I expect He understood it pretty well.

The Mosaic law says to eat a whole lamb and leave nothing behind. Share it with as many families as are necessary, but leave nothing behind. Any of the lamb that is not eaten must be burned in the fire. The roasted lamb is to be eaten with bitter herbs and eaten while wearing traveling clothes. All in remembrance of the death angel passing over the homes of the Israelites who put the blood of the lamb on the door posts of their houses.

So if the disciples had to kill and butcher the lamb themselves, the process would take about an hour to kill, dress, and prepare the animal for the fire, assuming these two disciples were pretty skilled at the job. It’s probably a good assumption given the times they lived in and the necessity of often killing and butchering their own meat. Then roasting the lamb took another four to five hours depending on the size of the lamb.

The two could probably do some other task while the lamb was roasting, like prepare the bread, or buy it from the market along with the bitter herbs, the wine, and other foods for the meal. The tables were already up and maybe even set for the affair, so the food was probably the biggest preparation, but think about the work that went into preparing the Seder for 13 or more people without electricity and only brick ovens and open fires. These two guys did some work.

And this was a special meal. This was the Passover. The day that marked the beginning of the nation of Israel. The day that celebrated the breaking of the bonds of their slavery from Egypt. This day of celebration began by remembering the sorrow of the Egyptians and the mighty hand of God that protected them in the midst of His awesome avenging power meted out all around them. They heard the wailing through the night and were forced out of the country before daybreak. This was the event they remembered with this meal. The story was told year after year so the children would never forget and so the adults would never forget either.

What stories do we tell our children so they never forget the hand of God in our lives? What celebrations do we perform to commemorate God’s faithfulness to us? What special events do we remember so we never forget to thank God for His protection and watch care over us in both the good and bad times of life? It’s an important question, because if we don’t tell our children how God has helped us through the tough times of life, how will they know He’s the one who does? How will they ever learn to lean on Him? Two disciples worked all day to make preparations so the disciples could remember their past. What do you to remember yours? 

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.

No sleeping on guard duty (Mark 13:23-37) September 8, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Proverbs 22

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

Today’s Devotional

Mark 13:28-37
Jesus: Learn this lesson from the fig tree: When its branch is new and tender and begins to put forth leaves, you know that summer must be near. In the same way, when you see and hear the things I’ve described to you taking place, you’ll know the time is drawing near. It’s true—this generation will not pass away before all these things have happened. Heaven and earth may pass away, but these words of Mine will never pass away.
Take heed: no one knows the day or hour when the end is coming. The messengers in heaven don’t know, nor does the Son. Only the Father knows.
So be alert. Watch for it and pray, for you never know when that time might approach.
This situation is like a man who went on a journey; when he departed, he left his servants in charge of the house. Each of them had his own job to do; and the man left the porter to stand at the door, watching. So stay awake, because no one knows when the master of the house is coming back. It could be in the evening or at midnight or when the rooster crows or in the morning. Stay awake; be alert so that when he suddenly returns, the master won’t find you sleeping.
The teaching I am giving the four of you now is for everyone who will follow Me: stay awake, and keep your eyes open.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

The Uniform Code of Military Justice is a special part of United States public law that applies to military members. Because of the unique duties of soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen, special laws apply when they serve the nation. When you show up late for work in a civilian job, your boss can’t throw you in jail, for instance. In the military, they can. If you yell at your boss, you probably can’t be fined by a court. You probably will be fined and maybe even demoted in the military. It’s because of the unique structure, the things they must do, the immediate obedience required to keep people alive on the battlefield, and a host of other legitimate reasons that a separate set of laws are necessary for military members.

One of those special laws can be found in 10 U.S. Code Chapter 47 Sub-chapter 10 Paragraph 913. Article 113. It is titled Misbehavior of a sentinel or lookout and reads as follows: Any sentinel or look-out who is found drunk or sleeping upon his post, or leaves it before he is regularly relieved, shall be punished, if the offense is committed in time of war, by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct, if the offense is committed at any other time, by such punishment other than death as court-martial may direct.

You heard that right. Sleeping on guard during time of war may be punishable by death if a court-martial so decides. It is an extremely serious offense. In time of war, the only thing between a service member’s much needed rest and the enemy is the vigilance of the guards on the perimeter. If they fail to keep watch, the enemy can sneak in and kill everyone in the camp before they have time to react. Guard duty is extremely important. It’s why shifts are usually not more than two hours long. Those in charge want to make sure the guards can stay awake during their shift. Longer than two hours in the middle of the night can get pretty boring when there is nothing to see but darkness and the temptation to sleep after a long day’s work is great.

Whenever I read these words of Jesus, I’m glad I spent time in the Army. It reminds me just how important His words really are. Just as for the guard on the perimeter in a time of war, these words mean life or death for us. Jesus tells us to stay away and keep our eyes open. Be alert for the signs He has given His disciples heralding His coming. Know that He will return to end all our struggles one day and He has given us clues as to when that will happen. We don’t know exactly when, but it will happen and we must be ready.

My good friend Gery discovered time ended sooner than he wanted just a few weeks ago. A routine medical procedure turned into a nightmare for his family as he fell into the 1% that had adverse outcomes from the procedure. He died that evening after the medical team worked feverishly all day trying everything they knew to do to save him. He didn’t expect to see Jesus that day. He expected to retire soon and spend a lot more years with his wife of 44 years, his children, and his grandchildren. But Gery had also been alert and watching for Jesus’ coming. He was ready and although alert as his passing drew near, he was at peace knowing he would soon be in the hands of his Lord.

See, we never know when the end will come. Jesus may call an end to time for all of us today or He might call one of us home individually. The rest of us will grieve for a time, but we will all be together again if we stay awake and stay alert for His coming. His command is a matter of life and death. Stay awake. No sleeping on guard duty.

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.

Be alert and remember (Mark 13:14-27) Septeber 7, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Psalms 105-107

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

Today’s Devotional

Mark 13:14-27
Jesus: On the day you see it, whoever is in Judea should flee for the mountains. The person on the rooftop shouldn’t reenter the house to get anything, and the person working in the field shouldn’t turn back to grab his coat. It will be horrible for women who are pregnant or who are nursing their children when those days come. And pray that you don’t have to run for your lives in the winter. When those days come, there will be suffering like nobody has seen from the beginning of the world that God created until now, and it never will be like this again. And if the Lord didn’t shorten those days for the sake of the ones He has chosen, then nobody would survive them.
If anyone tells you in those days, “Look, there is the Anointed One!” or “Hey, that must be Him!” don’t believe them. False liberators and prophets will pop up like weeds, and they will work signs and perform miracles that would entice even God’s chosen people, if that were possible. So be alert, and remember how I have warned you.
As Isaiah said in the days after that great suffering,
The sun will refuse to shine,
and the moon will hold back its light.
The stars in heaven will fall,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Then you will see (as Daniel predicted) “the Son of Man coming in the clouds,” clothed in power and majesty. And He will send out His heavenly messengers and gather together to Himself those He has chosen from the four corners of the world, from every direction and every land.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Having seen combat and the results of combat, the things men can do to other men, these words of Jesus terrify me. I know too many people who have not come to know Jesus as their personal Savior yet and I believe the days are getting short heralding His return. The signs He gave us in the verses we considered yesterday happen with increasing rapidity every day. Those birth pangs the earth experiences show His coming is close at hand.

Yet so many today discount those prophecies. They say it’s just a lot of stories. Marx said religions is just something to calm the emotions of the masses. I wonder what He would say about the alignment of the things we are witnessing today with the signs Jesus gave His disciples in Matthew 25 and Mark 13. More earthquakes this week in Oklahoma that could be felt from Nebraska to Texas. We can blame it on fracking and the oil industry, but I just don’t think the earth is so fragile that we could do that kind of damage to it. The nuclear blasts in the 1930’s and 1940’s didn’t create earthquakes that large, so why would we think fracking could do so much damage? It doesn’t make much sense to me.

We don’t have the power to destroy the earth the way the climatologist and the ecologists think we do. Yes, we pollute it. Yes, we cause damage to it. Yes, we are not very good stewards of God’s creation. But it seems every time we think we have done some horrific thing to the planet, the planet heals itself as if God is showing us that we just can’t break it ourselves. But He can. It’s His to do with as He wills, and the signs are growing stronger.

Many refuse to believe it, though. So what will happen? Things will get noticeably worse. Jesus said it would. Christians will be hated more than they are now. We will be blamed for the failing economy. We will be blamed for the increasing violence. We will even be blamed for the climate changes our failure to stop the capitalist movements to make more money. Somehow, it will all be the Christians’ fault. And we will feel the brunt of the world’s wrath because of it. We will suffer because of the world’s false accusations.

But Jesus is returning. He’s coming back and when He does, something dreadful will happen to those who have pointed the finger at the wrong people. Those non-believers will feel the wrath of God. Jesus says there will be suffering like no one has seen since the beginning of the world. When He begins to defend His children.

Think about that for just a minute. No suffering like that since the beginning of the world. Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Not as bad as this. The Nazi annihilation of the Jews. Not as bad as this. The hurricanes like Andrew, Katrina, and Ike. Don’t hold a candle to the suffering God will pour out. Sodom and Gomorrah. Nope, not like the suffering that’s coming. Even the flood in Noah’s day will pale in comparison to the suffering the world will endure at the end of time.

Jesus gives us warning. We’ve read the words many times. They are available for anyone to read and hear in almost every language now. No one has an excuse. The time is ripe for His coming. All the signs are playing out before our eyes. I don’t want anyone to miss their opportunity for salvation, but many are asleep and just pretend it isn’t going to happen.

But Jesus said, “Be alert and remember how I have warned you.”

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.

Don’t worry, just be ready (Mark 13:5-14) September 6, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – 1 Chronicles 20-24

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

Today’s Devotional

Mark 13:5-14
Jesus: Take care that no one deceives you. Many will come claiming to be Mine, saying, “I am the One,” and they will fool lots of people. You will hear of wars, or that war is coming, but don’t lose heart. These things will have to happen, although it won’t mean the end yet. Tribe will rise up against tribe, nation against nation, and there will be earthquakes in place after place and famines. These are a prelude to “labor pains” that precede the temple’s fall.
Be careful, because you will be delivered to trial and beaten in the places of worship. Kings and governors will stand in judgment over you as you speak in My name. The good news of the coming kingdom of God must be delivered first in every land and every language. When people bring you up on charges and it is your time to defend yourself, don’t worry about what message you’ll deliver. Whatever comes to your mind, speak it, because the Holy Spirit will inspire it.
But it will get worse. Brothers will betray each other to death, and fathers will betray their children. Children will turn against their parents and cause them to be executed. Everyone will hate you because of your allegiance to Me. But if you’re faithful until the end, you will be rescued.
You will see that which desecrates our most holy place described by Daniel the prophet out of place.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Lots of books tell us about the end times. Lots of authors write thousands of pages telling us what it will be like and when it will come. What we should expect, what to look for, who the anti-Christ is, what the political climate will be, how we can recognize just when all these things will happen. I don’t know how many times “the day” has been predicted during my 62 years of life. But I don’t think He has come yet. There’s still a lot of His saints still here and it’s been a lot longer than the seven years of tribulation that would have happened if He had already come. If those predictions were true, we’d be in the 1,000 years of peace. I don’t see any peace around the world, so I guess all those prophets must have missed it.

Should we ignore the prophecies? Nope. John wrote in Revelation that those who read and listen to the things Jesus said there would be blessed. That’s a good reason to read it. Will we understand it all if we read it? Not until it is all history and everything has come to pass. Then we can look with 20/20 hindsight and see just what all those crazy sounding things are that John tries to describe with his limited vocabulary and experience.

Should we spend enormous energy and worry about the end times? Nope. If you’re ready for Jesus to return, there is nothing to worry about. He’ll come and we’ll go with Him. We may suffer some before we go, but so did He. He promised the world would hate us because of Him, so we should probably expect some suffering. Is it worth worrying over? I don’t think so. If we suffer, He will be with us through it. If we don’t, we can praise Him for His protecting hand.

Should we be aware of the signs of the end times? Yep. Jesus tells us to watch for them so we won’t be deceived by those who would claim to be Him. He’s coming back and He wants us to know the signs that will herald His return. So we need to keep track of the signs and look for them. We don’t need to put our head in the sand and pretend those birth pangs He talks about aren’t getting closer together and more intense with each passing year. They are. We need to watch and let others know about those signs. We need to let others know what He said about His return. He is coming and it’s closer than it’s ever been. Just look around at the things that He said would happen that are taking place right now with ever increasing frequency. Wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes and famines. Look at the news and they are there. Faster and fiercer than ever.

Should we worry about His coming? Not if we ready. A lot of bad things will happen during the end times. There will be intense persecution. Many believers will be beaten, tortured, and killed. Many believers will lose their jobs, their families, every means of survival. But Jesus warns us about those things in advance. He says to expect them, but it’s okay. He and all the prophets suffered those things from the world, too. It’s because the world hates believers and Satan will make a final desperate effort to defeat God. He doesn’t realize he’s already lost.

So we don’t need to worry about any of those things. We just need to be ready. Jesus is coming again. He tells us all the things that will happen so we know the time is getting close. It gives us hope. It helps us realize it won’t be much longer. The birth pangs show that the labor is almost over. A new heaven and earth are about to come into existence. We don’t need to worry, just be ready. 

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.

What should awe us? (Mark 13:2) September 5, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Numbers 13-16

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

Today’s Devotional

Mark 13:2
Jesus: Look closely at these magnificent buildings. Someday there won’t be one of these great stones left on another. Everything will be thrown down.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

The disciples, like us, grew up in the world. They couldn’t get away from its influences. Just like us. They heard all the talk about the importance of money and material things. They heard it from the businessmen in the marketplace they visited for all the goods they required to survive. They heard it from the boat builders and net makers who vied for better equipment so they could improve their catch. They heard it from the construction workers who offered to build better homes for their families.

The disciples heard about the importance of grandeur and how it showed status in this world. Money and material worlds must be important. Everyone said so. They even heard it from the priests who talked about the money they needed for funding various projects to restore utensils or to gild altars or add extra rooms onto the temple or build a new synagogue somewhere. Everyone talked about money.

It’s no wonder they looked at the massive walls of the temple that towered over the city and marveled at its beauty. This was a masterpiece from the artisans’ hearts who put their souls into its construction. This was the house of God in Jerusalem. They were notably impressed. They gawked at the structure. They’d seen it before, but every time the temple came into site, the gleaming white limestone with its gold ornamentation caught the shine of the sun and created a new stunning view for the pilgrims who journeyed to it.

But we do the same, don’t we? Have you been to New York City lately and just stood in the middle of the business district in Manhattan and looked up at all those sky-rises? Granted, they don’t gleam like the temple did, but they are pretty impressive. When most of the buildings in the world are limited in height to the number of stories its inhabitants are willing to walk up, those hundred story structures take your breath away.

And in all the store windows, the merchants taunt with advertisements that tell you that life will be so much better if you have whatever it is they sell. You just must have the latest which-a-ma-jig. Everyone is getting them and you’ll just not survive without one. In fact, even if you have one, you better get another one because there are sure to be updates to the one they sell and you don’t want to get behind.

The world is very good and trying to teach us the wrong things. It works hard at convincing us that what we see and what we can put our hands on is what’s important in life. The world works really hard at making us think material things are the answer to all of life’s problems. But the world lies. Satan operates here and he is a liar and the father of lies. Just check on the lives of the wealthiest people in the world and see how satisfied they are with their wealth. All of them, almost without exception will tell you it’s not enough. They need more. They need more security, they’re afraid something will happen and they’ll lose what they have. They worry about what will happen to all their assets when they die. What will happen to all those companies and holdings and houses and coffers that store their treasures?

Jesus knows the difficulty all of us have because of the influence we grow up with. He grew up in the middle of it, too. He heard those same stories from the businessmen and merchants and builders. He heard the same stories from the priests and neighbors and all those people who took stock in material things instead of heavenly things. He knows how easy it is to get our eyes off of the heavenly and get awed by the size and splendor of the things men build. But they are just things. They have no permanence. Just think about the seven wonders of the world. Only one of the seven remains, the pyramids in Egypt. But even those have been looted and are crumbling into the sands of the desert. All the others are gone.

The same will happen to all the material things we think we last forever. They won’t. Nothing will last except our eternal soul and the things we store up for ourselves in heaven. And what are those things? The good things we do for other people and the praise we give to God. That’s it. No more. Everything else will be gone. Jesus reminded His disciples and us of the transitory nature of all the marvels the world throws at us to tempt us. As beautiful and magnificent as even the temple, the house of God, it would soon come crashing down. Be awed by the right things. That’s nothing the world has to offer. 

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.

Don’t sound a trumpet (Mark 12:43-44) September 4, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – 2 Timothy 3-4

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

Today’s Devotional

Mark 12:43-44
Jesus (calling His disciples together): Truly this widow has given a greater gift than any other contribution. All the others gave a little out of their great abundance, but this poor woman has given God everything she has.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

I haven’t seen one in a long time, but I remember you could find them at least while my kids were little. Okay, stop the suspense. What I’m I talking about. I’m talking about those big yellow or red plastic or metal barrels with a funnel shaped top that you put a coin at the top and it spins around and around until it falls into the hole in the funnel and disappears into the big barrel. It’s fun to see how many times you can make the coins spin around the outside of the conical shaped top before it finally disappears into the cavern below.

We tried to limit the size of the contribution to those things to pennies at those amusement centers whenever we found them, because of course you’d never see the coins again and the only excitement was watching the coin spin around and disappear. But on the metal ones, nickles sounded so much better than pennies, and when dimes and quarters were real silver, the difference in sound was really incredible. The coins seemed to sing as they spun around that metal cone before the barrel gobbled them up.

So what does that have to do with Jesus’ words. Well, at the entrance to the temple, there were these contraptions similar to the devices I just described from my childhood that you’ve probably seen as well. But these were made of brass. They were designed so that when coins were dropped into them, the coins would fall into the container at the bottom, but no one could put their hand into the opening at the top and steal any. But this conical shape at the top made it easy to just toss money in without much fear of missing the opening. Surprisingly, the word used to describe these vessels in Hebrew, was the word trumpet.

So get this picture. When Jesus talks about not sounding your trumpets before men, picture these scribes and Pharisees and Sadducees dressed in their fine linens and purple robes. Picture them in all their tapestry and finery walking into the temple gates and brushing aside all those layers of robes to unveil their money purse. They watch in your mind as they loosen the ties and reach into that purse to find the right silver coin. He holds it up to the light and checks to see if it well rounded with no rough edges.

Then with years of practice, he puts a special spin on that coin and it twirls around and around that brass trumpet singing to the crowd as gravity finally pulls it into the hole and into the treasure chest. Finally, the clink of the coin echoes in the chamber and he looks around to make sure everyone heard that familiar sound. He has paid well. His trumpet has sounded before men!

Contrast that to the widow Jesus describes. She comes to the temple in her rags. She barely has enough to eat. Remember, women have no place in society. Without a husband, she is left to beg and hope that some family member will have mercy on her and give her some means of sustenance. But she still comes to the temple and as she approaches that same trumpet, she has already been holding tight to the only two coins in her purse. It’s only two pennies, but it’s all she has. It’s not much, but it’s everything.

She’s almost embarrassed to walk among these great men of prominence who have made their money sing in the trumpets, but she is determined to give what she has and so she reaches far over into the middle of the device and slips the coins into the hole, careful that they don’t touch the sides. She would place them on the pile of coins at the bottom so they would make no noise at all if she could. She wants no attraction. She just wants to give her offering and get to the court of women to pray.

Jesus admires the woman and her gift. Not so much those who want the fanfare for their “generosity”. He says they have already had their reward, the praise of men. But what is that worth? I’d much rather have the favor of God. When we do things to please men, we lose because we can never please everyone. And the next time, they will expect more anyway. But when we do things to please God, He knows our heart. He knows the motive behind the action. He doesn’t care about the size of the act, but about the heart behind the act. But remember He does know the heart behind the act.

God will be thrilled when He gets “C+” work from His “C” student. But don’t expect Him to get very excited when He gets that same “C+” work from His “B” student. He expects us to give Him our all, to work hard for Him, to commit everything to Him. After all, He is God and He deserves it. Don’t sound your trumpet, just do it.

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.

Who should we follow? (Mark 12:38-40) September 3, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – John 13-15

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

Today’s Devotional

Mark 12:38-40
Jesus: Watch out for the scribes who act so religious—who like to be seen in pious clothes and to be spoken to respectfully in the marketplace, who take the best seats in the synagogues and the place of honor at every dinner, who spend widows’ inheritances and pray long prayers to impress others. These are the kind of people who will be condemned above all others.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

They look righteous, but they’re not. They look like they are in touch with God, but they’re far from it. They have all the right trappings, but clothes don’t matter. They can pray up a storm. Well, maybe not, but they now how to put a lot of good sounding words together that sounds like they reach to heaven. But they don’t. People see them coming and bow their heads. They like it a little too much. They always sit at the head table and frown if they’re not at the head table. Not such a great attribute on God’s character scale. They know how to raise money. Well, they know how to spend other people’s money, anyway. Temple projects and needs draw from the poorest of the nation because everyone wants to contribute as their rhetoric builds enthusiasm for their pet plans. Only they don’t give so much, except their name to the project.

Sound familiar? Know anyone like that? I’m afraid there are too many of them around in today’s world. Those who want to call themselves religious leaders, but for all their pomp and ceremony, they really don’t have the goods. They look nice on the posters. Their flashy smiles and quick wit draws huge crowds. But their message is really pretty empty.

“Just be good and everything will be okay.” Only that’s not what Jesus said. He said we must come to Him in repentance if we want to see heaven.

“Don’t worry about being too religious. As long as you’re better than most of the people around you, God will look out for you.” Only that’s not what Jesus said. He said none of us meet the standard. It’s only because of His shed blood we have any hope at all.

“Don’t worry about all that sin talk from the fundamentalists. God loves everyone. He won’t send anyone to hell.” Only that’s not what Jesus said. He said those who do not repent will find themselves in an eternal hell where the fire is never quenched and the worm never dies.

So who do we look to for guidance then? Who do we follow to make sure we’re on the right path? Who do we emulate to ensure we make it through the pearly gates and don’t get the same pronouncement Jesus gave the scribes who act so righteous?

It’s really an easy answer. Follow Jesus. If you get your eyes on anyone else, they are closer to God that you are. They are between you and God. Interesting thought, isn’t it? And God doesn’t want His relationship with you to go over, around, or through anyone else. He wants it with you. So just watch Jesus.

You say, but He’s been gone 2,000 years. He ascended into heaven and I can’t put my eyes on Him like His disciples did. How am I supposed to watch Jesus and be like Him?

It’s really an easy answer again. He left His word with us. His spirit inspired men to pen His instructions and those letters, those scriptures, have passed down through the generations. There are more and older copies of the Old and New Testaments than any other ancient book. And remarkably, well, not so remarkable, God did it, the oldest manuscripts all the way to the most modern all say the same thing. The scribes who copied and preserved God’s word were so meticulous in their work that manuscripts from 500 years apart in production are identical in content.

So just read His word. See what He has to say. Read the stories of His life as recorded in the gospels. Observe how He treated people, how He taught and shared the message of God’s love and hope for all who would listen. Watch how He dealt with sin as He forgave those who came to Him. He never condoned their behavior, but He forgave them and built relationships with them.

Then read the letters from His Apostles and disciples to the earliest churches. Read the instructions Paul gave his proteges. Listen to the words again and again until they become part of you. Follow Jesus’ example in thought, word, and deed. That’s how you emulate Him. Just read what He has to say and then do it.

Then carry on a conversation with Him every day, several times a day. Get in the habit of asking Him the direction He wants you to take. If you truly want to follow Him, He will guide you. God has a funny way of getting involved in our lives when we ask. He’s a good Father. He’ll give you advice. Just ask.

So who do we follow, Jesus and that’s good enough for anyone. In fact He’s the only one 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.

Closer than you think (Mark 12:29-34) September 2, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Joel

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

Today’s Devotional

Mark 12:29-34
Jesus: The most important commandment is this: “Hear, O Israel, the Eternal One is our God, and the Eternal One is the only God. You should love the Eternal, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second great commandment is this: “Love others in the same way you love yourself.” There are no commandments more important than these.
Scribe: Teacher, You have spoken the truth. For there is one God and only one God, and to love God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves are more important than any burnt offering or sacrifice we could ever give.
Jesus heard that the man had spoken with wisdom.
Jesus: Well said; if you understand that, then the kingdom of God is closer than you think.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

The scribe came to Jesus on the heels of the Sadducees trying to trap Jesus with their questions about the resurrection and the Pharisees questioning His authority. The Pharisees thought they asked a tough question, “Where do you get your authority to teach like you do and to perform the acts you do.” But then the tables were turned on them and they slithered away. The Sadducees posed the question about the Mosaic law and the requirement to marry a brother’s wife to carry on the family name and asked, “Whose wife is she in heaven.” But they were also trapped in their failure to carefully read and understand scripture.

Now the scribe comes and asks what seems to be another question, but this one appears to be a genuine question for his personal enlightenment, not necessarily as a trap. “What is the greatest commandment?” Of course, he could also have been baiting Jesus to see which one He would pull out of the law so the other scribes, the teachers and those charged with interpreting the Torah for the masses, could pounce on Jesus’ answer and find another more important commandment.

Again, Jesus turns the table with a very direct answer that could find no argument from those in attendance that day. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And love your neighbor as you love yourself.” He then justified His answer by explaining that all the other laws and prophets are built on these two commands. The scribe agreed. Jesus, this unlearned carpenter from Nazareth, showed He knew scripture far better than the most learned rabbis around. Not shocking to us, but think of the surprise on the part of those scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees.

Then Jesus says something else that I’ve thought about for a few days before I put together this devotional. After the scribe asserts he agrees with Jesus’ declaration of the most important commandments, Jesus says, “Well said; if you understand that, then the kingdom of God is closer than you think.”

So Jesus has said we are to love God with everything we are and we are to love others with that same unconditional love, what else is there to do? Why didn’t Jesus just tell the scribe he was there. He got it right. Just put that into practice and you’re done. I think Jesus didn’t say those things for a couple of reasons. First, He could see into the scribe’s heart. He knew if the scribe really did love God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength. He knew if the scribe really did love others as much as he loved himself. Maybe the scribe wasn’t quite there yet.

But I have a feeling there was another reason, Jesus didn’t declare the scribe okay with God, but instead said, the kingdom is closer than you think. You see, Jesus had been preaching around the countryside and His message was that the kingdom of God is at hand. He also said He was the light of the world. He also said no one comes to the Father in heaven except by way of Him. Jesus had gone about the countryside preaching, teaching, healing, and most important, forgiving people of their sins when they asked Him. The scribe, it seems, has not asked for forgiveness.

Real love asks forgiveness from those we hurt, whether intentionally or unintentionally. When we love, we don’t want to wrong others. That doesn’t mean we don’t discipline, that would be cruel and negligent, but we don’t harm. And everyone hurts God. We all sin. We all cause Him pain. We all fail to live up to the standard He sets. We all need to ask forgiveness for our sins of commission and ommission. The kingdom of heaven was close, but one thing was still needed. A repentant heart seeking forgiveness from the God of the universe.

So where do you stand relative to this question? Do you love God and your neighbor? Do you really love them with God’s unconditional love? If so, the kingdom of God is close. Have you asked Jesus to forgive you? He died on the cross for my sins and yours. But our sins are not forgiven until we come to Him in repentance and ask. The kingdom of God is closer than you think.

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.

No spouse in heaven? (Mark 12:24-27) September 1, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Proverbs 20-21

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

Today’s Devotional

Mark 12:24-27
Jesus: You can’t see the truth because you don’t know the Scriptures well and because you don’t really believe that God is powerful. The answer is this: when the dead rise, they won’t be married or given in marriage. They’ll be like the messengers in heaven, who are not united with one another in marriage. But how can you fail to see the truth of resurrection? Don’t you remember in the Book of Moses how God talked to Moses out of a burning bush and what God said to him then? “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” “I am,” God said. Not “I was.” So God is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are sadly mistaken.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

No marriage in heaven? This year my wife and I will celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. That’s a pretty big deal in today’s society. In a current culture where 50% of church goers divorce, sadly, sticking around with the same marriage partner for 40 years is becoming a rarity. I can’t imagine doing anything else. I’ve kind of gotten use to having her around. I’m not sure I could get use to not having her around. She’s pretty special to me. So when I get to statements like this from Jesus, my eyebrows turn up a little.

Does that mean Carole and I will be separated in heaven? Does that mean we won’t know each other or spend eternity together? Does that mean our marriage will be null and void when we both walk through the pearly gates? No. No. And sort of.

We won’t be husband and wife in heaven. Marital relationships will not mean anything after the resurrection. Why? There is really a simple reason. We, the church, believers, followers of Christ, are referred to as the bride of Christ. We will be collectively and individually in an intimate relationship with Christ. Notice I didn’t say sexual relationship. I said an intimate relationship. John says when we see Him we will know Him and be like Him and see Him like He really is.

I think there will be an intimacy in the relationships we all share in heaven that does not compare with our relationships here on earth. The closest approximation is that of a marriage between a husband and wife as the two become one through years of love and toil and struggle and joy and sorrow and happiness. Those years of getting to know each other better than we know ourselves sometimes. I think that’s the closest we can get with the limitations we have in our current physical frames. But when we get to heaven, when we lose the constraints of these bodies of clay and are resurrected into our new bodies, I think we will enjoy new sight, new thought, new communication skills, new realms of intimacy with God and with each other that we cannot begin to imagine here.

We will know each other. Not just our current spouses, but we will have that intimacy with every one of God’s redeemed. We will have that intimacy with Jesus. We will have that intimacy with God, the Father and God, the Spirit. We will know each other the same way He knows us now we when shed these temporal vessels that house our immortal spirit.

I’ll recognize Carole, not as my wife, but as a fellow saint as we worship together at the feet of Jesus. And I recognize Gery and Ruth and August and Charlene and Nick and… just begin to make your list. I’ll recognize all of those who have gone before and will come after me in the same way I recognize Carole. We will all rejoice at worship at the feet of Jesus. The Bride of Christ. His church. There won’t be any jealousy if I talk to someone else or if she talks to someone else. We have eternity to learn about everyone there. We can hear first hand the stories of Peter and Paul and Silas and Barnabas and Phoebe. We will know each other and relish the time we can spend with each other, but mostly the time we can spend in the presence of God.

Satan jumps on my back every once in a while when I read verses like these. He says, “What kind of place is heaven, if your wife won’t be your wife anymore.” But Satan is the father of lies. You see, relationships in heaven will be perfect. No missed cues between anyone. No misspoken words or misinterpreted phrases. No actions that hurt someone or whose actions hurt me. No failures in understanding non-verbal cues or missing the meaning of an important communique. My relationships with everyone will be perfect in heaven.

And best of all, we will see Jesus! He will be the center of attention for all who go there. The rooms are finished. The furniture is in place, curtains are hung, and pictures are on the walls. He’s just waiting for the Father to say, “Son, go get your bride, your church.” Whichever one of us departs this life first, the other will be sad for a while, lonely for the comfort and companionship and love we enjoy right now. But not long after that, we will be reunited with everyone else who sings the song of the redeemed to be forever together with our Lord. 

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.