Category Archives: Christian

Confession is good for the soul (Deuteronomy 1:26-46), Mar 5, 2015

Today’s Podcast

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Deuteronomy 1: 26-46
Set – Deuteronomy 1; Mark 12
Go! – Deuteronomy 1-2; Mark 12

Deuteronomy 1: 26-46
²⁶ But even after all this encouragement, you still weren’t willing to go up and fight. You rebelled against what the Eternal your God told you to do. ²⁷ In your homes, you complained to each other, “The Eternal hates us! That’s why He brought us out of the land of Egypt—so He could hand us over to the Amorites. They’re going to destroy us! ²⁸ He tells us, ‘Go up,’ but go up where? The report of the rest of those we sent out was terrifying: ‘The people there are bigger and taller than we are. Their cities are huge, with walls as high as the sky! We even saw giants there—descendants of the Anakim.’”

²⁹ So I told you, “Don’t be scared! Don’t be afraid of them! ³⁰ You won’t have to fight this battle yourselves; the Eternal your God, who always goes ahead of you, will fight for you just as He did in Egypt—you saw Him do it! ³¹ And here in this wilderness, all along the route you’ve traveled until you reached this place, haven’t you seen the Eternal, your True God, carrying you the way a parent carries a child? ³² But you still don’t trust the Eternal your God, ³³ even though He always goes ahead of you as you travel and finds places for you to camp. In a pillar of fire by night and in a cloud by day, He always shows you the right way to go.”

³⁴ When the Eternal heard your untrusting words, He angrily swore an oath: ³⁵ “Not a single person in this wicked generation will see the good land I swore to give to your ancestors! ³⁶ There’ll be only one exception: Caleb (Jephunneh’s son). He will see it. I’ll give the very land he walked through when he spied it out to him and his descendants because he remained completely loyal to the Eternal.” ³⁷ And He was angry with me, too, because of the way you acted. He told me, “Not even you will go into the land! ³⁸ It will be Joshua (Nun’s son), a man you’ve already entrusted with important responsibilities, who will enter it instead. Encourage him, because he will lead the people into the land and give it to Israel as their possession. ³⁹ You said that if you fought, all your soldiers would be killed and your little ones would become plunder for your enemies. But it will be those children under age 20, who don’t know right from wrong yet, who will enter the land. I’ll give it to them, and it will belong to them. ⁴⁰ But as for you, head back into the wilderness, toward the Red Sea.”

⁴¹ After God’s judgment you responded, “We’ve sinned against the Eternal! We’ll go up and fight now, just as the Eternal, our True God, commanded us.” So each of you strapped on your weapons and prepared to fight. You thought it would be easy to get up into the highlands. ⁴² The Eternal tried to warn you that it was too late by telling me, “Tell them not to go up and not to fight! I am not with them. They’ll be crushed by their enemies.” ⁴³ I told you everything, but you wouldn’t listen. You rebelled against the Eternal’s command, and you went up arrogantly into the highlands. ⁴⁴ The Amorites who lived there came out and attacked you, and you ran away from them as if they were a swarm of bees! They crushed more and more of your soldiers all the way from Seir to Hormah, until they gave up the chase. ⁴⁵ You came back and wept before the Eternal. But He wouldn’t listen to a word you said. ⁴⁶ So you just stayed in Kadesh and didn’t leave for a long time.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Moses gives a pretty good summary of the Israelites’ history at the edge of the promised land with one exception. He says I didn’t let him go into the promised land because of My anger with the Israelites. Do you notice the problem? Moses never wanted to own up to his own error. Moses was a great leader for Me, but I wasn’t angry with him over the rest of the nation’s reluctance to believe in Me. I was angry at them, not him. Moses tried to convince them I would win their battles for them. He tried to convince them to go on into the promised land. In fact, Moses didn’t want them to send spies into the land because he knew it might weaken their faith.

I didn’t keep Moses out of the promised land because of the Israelites’ failures. I kept him out of the promised land for two reasons. First, he disobeyed Me. He struck the rock to get water at Meribah when I told him to speak to the rock. It might seem a little thing to you, but Moses was with Me constantly. He knew I demanded obedience. He knew the consequences of disobedience. I gave him My commandments on the mountain and he understood My power more than any other person in the nation.

But there was a second reason Moses didn’t go into the promised land. Did you notice his blame game? He blamed the rest of the nation for Me blocking his entrance to the new land. He would do it again later in his discourse. He couldn’t take the blame for his disobedience. Like so many, he tried to point the finger somewhere else. He wanted to share his guilt. Like Adam in the garden when he blamed Eve for his failure to keep My command. Like Eve who then blamed the serpent for giving her the fruit from the tree. Like Cain who tried to shun the blame for his brother’s murder. Like so many, Moses tried to shed the blame for his disobedience.

Like all who have gone before him and all who have come after him, Moses could not shift the blame. As Paul wrote, “All have sinned and come short of My glory.” No one but Jesus ever walked the earth in a sinless state. So no matter how hard Moses might try to deflect the guilt, he couldn’t. No matter how many times he tried to tell the story and lay the blame elsewhere. He and I knew his failure to enter the promised land came as a result of his own failure.

Never forget what John says in his first letter to the churches of his day. “If you confess your sins, I am faithful and just and will forgive your sins and purify you from all unrighteousness.” Don’t hold back. Give Me a try.

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.

Women have a special place (Numbers 36), Mar 4, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Numbers 36
Set – Numbers 36; Mark 11
Go! – Numbers 34-36; Mark 11

Numbers 36
¹The heads of the extended families traced back to Joseph through Gilead (son of Machir, son of Manasseh) approached Moses, the community’s leaders, and the heads of Israel’s extended families to share their concerns.

Zelophehad’s Family: ² We appreciate and accept that the Eternal One told Moses, my lord, that among the land given by lot to the Israelites, whatever would have gone to Zelophehad (our kinsman) as an inheritance should be passed down to his daughters. ³ The trouble is, if they marry outside of our tribe into another Israelite tribe, their land will go with them. That will reduce the territory designated to our family and increase the other tribe’s inheritance. ⁴ And in the great 50th year, the Sabbath of Sabbath years called the Jubilee of the Israelites, whatever land used to be ours through their connection to our family will certainly revert to whichever tribe they married into. In other words, their inheritance will be forever taken away from the territory that belongs to our extended family.

Moses (to all the Israelites): ⁵ The Eternal has said that these descendants of Joseph are right. ^6-9 In light of it, He has determined that Zelophehad’s daughters should marry whomever they think is best, but they should do so within the clan of their extended family so that their land stays in the family. The same goes for any future Israelite daughters in a similar situation. Let them marry whomever they will, but only within the clan of their father’s extended family. There shouldn’t be any permanent transfer of land from one tribe to another because the territories should be fixed as each tribe’s inheritance for all time.

^10-11 The daughters of Zelophehad didn’t argue or dissent. They obeyed the command of the Eternal One as articulated by Moses. Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah each married one of their cousins ¹² from a clan of Manesseh (Joseph’s son). Thus, they and their land stayed within the Manasseh clan.

¹³ These are the directions and instructions the Eternal One gave through Moses to the Israelites before they entered Canaan, as they stood on the Moabite flatlands next to the Jordan River, east of Jericho.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

The possession of land within the territory I promised Abraham was an important part of the covenant with him. Abraham’s descendants didn’t forget this aspect of the covenant. Nor did they forget the levitical rules about the transfer of property I gave them. Many in the ancient societies downplayed the role of women, but I made them equal to men. This story is a reminder of the importance I place on women in society.

Read about it in Genesis. I made woman, not from the same dust I made My other creations, but from the flesh and bone of man. I took a rib from Adam, not a foot or a jawbone, a rib. I meant for the two of them to remain side by side throughout their lives. Yes, I made woman submissive to man’s final decision in matters of leadership, but not without the careful consideration of the wife’s input. A husband and wife, man and woman, are a team…always. Both are equally important to the success of a healthy home.

Any who feel women hold an inferior place in society need only look at the reaction of Jesus or Peter or Paul toward them. Women were part of their entourage. Women held prominent positions in the early church. Women carried the message of Jesus’ resurrection. Women did things and are remembered for things that others would think belong only in the realm of the male population in those days. But not Jesus. Not Paul. Not the leaders of the new faith in Christ who understood the real position of women in My Kingdom.

The daughters of Zelophehad reminded Moses and Moses reminded the rest of the Israelites what I told him about the important place of women held in the Israelite society. Through the centuries since, men have tried to demote women’s place too often. But this story and others within My word serve as a constant remembrances that I hold a special place in My heart for women as well as men. I made them both.

The next time you think one gender or the other holds a higher place, remember the story of Zelophehad’s daughters. I made special provisions for them because of the role I hold for women in My world. Every person had a mother. Every person owes a woman his or her life. They do indeed hold a special place in the world. Never think of them as lesser or inferior. Nor are they greater than men. I intended them to hold an equal place. Man and woman coming together as one flesh to create a family to share My values, My plans, My purpose for them individually and collectively.

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.

Watch the children (Mark 10:13-31), Mar 3, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Mark 10:13-31
Set – Exodus 32; Mark 10
Go! – Numbers 32-33; Mark 10

Mark 10:13-31
¹³ When the crowd gathered again, the people brought their children to see Jesus, hoping that He might grant them His blessing through His touch.

His disciples turned them all away; ¹⁴ but when Jesus saw this, He was incensed.

Jesus (to the disciples): Let the children come to Me, and don’t ever stand in their way, for this is what the kingdom of God is all about. ¹⁵ Truly anyone who doesn’t accept the kingdom of God as a little child does can never enter it.

¹⁶ Jesus gathered the children in His arms, and He laid His hands on them to bless them.

¹⁷ When He had traveled on, a young man came and knelt in the dust of the road in front of Jesus.

Young Man: Good Teacher! What must I do to gain life in the world to come?

Jesus: ¹⁸ You are calling Me good? Don’t you know that God and God alone is good? ¹⁹ Anyway, why ask Me that question? You know the Commandments of Moses: “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not slander, do not defraud, and honor your father and mother.”[a]

Young Man: ²⁰ Yes, Teacher, I have done all these since I was a child.

²¹ Then Jesus, looking at the young man, saw that he was sincere and responded out of His love for him.

Jesus: Son, there is still one thing you have not done. Go now. Sell everything you have and give the proceeds to the poor so that you will have treasure in heaven. After that, come, follow Me.

²² The young man went away sick at heart at these words because he was very wealthy, ²³ and Jesus looked around to see if His disciples were understanding His teaching.

Jesus (to His disciples): Oh, it is hard for people with wealth to find their way into God’s kingdom!

Disciples (amazed): ²⁴ What?

Jesus: You heard Me. How hard it is to enter the kingdom of God [for those who trust in their wealth]![b] ²⁵ I think you’ll see camels squeezing through the eye of a needle before you’ll see the rich celebrating and dancing as they enter into the joy of God’s kingdom!

²⁶ The disciples looked around at each other, whispering.

Disciples (aloud to Jesus): Then who can be liberated?

Jesus (smiling and shaking His head): ²⁷ For human beings it is impossible, but not for God: God makes everything possible.

Peter: ²⁸ Master, we have left behind everything we had to follow You.

Jesus: ²⁹ That is true. And those who have left their houses, their lands, their parents, or their families for My sake, and for the sake of this good news ³⁰ will receive all of this 100 times greater than they have in this time—houses and farms and brothers, sisters, mothers, and children, along with persecutions—and in the world to come, they will receive eternal life. ³¹ But many of those who are first in this world shall be last in the world to come, and the last, first.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

What a difference between the children who came to Jesus and the wealthy young man who came to Him. The children were dependent on others for food, clothing, shelter, knowledge, wisdom, health, everything. They needed others to meet their daily needs. The young man was wealthy and thought he needed nothing but his wealth to supply his needs. He thought he could buy his way through life. He could go to the market and buy the best food. He could buy the best clothes. He could buy the best housing. He could pay for the best doctors. He thought all he needed was his money.

When he saw Jesus, the young man discovered his money wasn’t enough. There was something missing. A hole existed in his life that money couldn’t fill. He tried various pleasures to fill the void, but nothing worked. When he asked Jesus how to gain the eternal life He spoke of, perhaps he thought he could purchase that, too. But eternity doesn’t work that way. Jesus hit home with the one demand the young man couldn’t fulfill. “Sell all you have and give it to the poor.”

Jesus knew the young man treasured his material goods more than he treasured God. He needed to abandon his false love for things and replace it with love for what was true, the Only True God. He needed to discover for himself that he must learn to trust in Me for what he needed, not on the fickle state of any given economy. Children don’t worry about such things. They just trust their parents to feed and clothe them and live from day to day without a care. That’s the kind of trust I want you to have in Me.

When you think you can depend on yourself, like the wealthy young man, you will find it very difficult to believe in Me. When you know you need Me for your next breath and learn to trust Me for the needs of each new day, you will begin to understand the trust I require from you. It isn’t hard. Just watch the children around you. Learn to think like them when it comes to trust, think the best in others, and believe in the impossible. You can learn a lot from watching children and their faith.

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 is prayer and fasting, really? (Mark 9:14-29), Mar 2, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Mark 9:14-29
Set – Numbers 30; Mark 9
Go! – Numbers 30-31; Mark 9

Mark 9:14-29
¹⁴ When they reached the rest of the disciples, Jesus saw that a large crowd had gathered and that among them the scribes were asking questions. ¹⁵ Right when the crowd saw Jesus, they were overcome with awe and surged forward immediately, nearly running over the disciples.

Jesus (to the scribes): ¹⁶ What are you debating with My disciples? What would you like to know?

Father (in the crowd): ¹⁷ Teacher, I have brought my son to You. He is filled with an unclean spirit. He cannot speak, ¹⁸ and when the spirit takes control of him, he is thrown to the ground to wail and moan, to foam at the mouth, to grind his teeth, and to stiffen up. I brought him to Your followers, but they could do nothing with him. Can You help us?

Jesus: ¹⁹ O faithless generation, how long must I be among you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.

²⁰ They brought the boy toward Jesus; but as soon as He drew near, the spirit took control of the boy and threw him on the ground, where he rolled, foaming at the mouth.

Jesus (to the father): ²¹ How long has he been like this?

Father: Since he was a baby. ²² This spirit has thrown him often into the fire and sometimes into the water, trying to destroy him. I have run out of options; I have tried everything. But if there’s anything You can do, please, have pity on us and help us.

Jesus: ²³ What do you mean, “If there’s anything?” All things are possible, if you only believe.

Father (crying in desperation): ²⁴ I believe, Lord. Help me to believe!

²⁵ Jesus noticed that a crowd had gathered around them now. He issued a command to the unclean spirit.

Jesus: Listen up, you no-talking, no-hearing demon. I Myself am ordering you to come out of him now. Come out, and don’t ever come back!

²⁶ The spirit shrieked and caused the boy to thrash about; then it came out of the boy and left him lying as still as death. Many of those in the crowd whispered that he was dead. ²⁷ But Jesus took the boy by the hand and lifted him to his feet.

²⁸ Later He and His disciples gathered privately in a house.

Disciples (to Jesus): Why couldn’t we cast out that unclean spirit?

Jesus: ²⁹ That sort of powerful spirit can only be conquered with much prayer [and fasting].

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Jesus spent time on the mountain with Peter, James and John where they witnessed His transfiguration. They saw His glory. They saw Him talking with Elijah and Moses in the brilliance of His heavenly appearance. They knew without a doubt at that point He was truly God incarnate. Now as He returned, He encounters the evil of the world again. His other disciples tried to exorcise a demon from a child possessed since birth without success.

Jesus speaks only a few words and the spirit obeys without hesitation. It leaves the boy and never returns. The crowd is in awe of the power of this man, Jesus, who has power over the evil spirits that no one else can control. They obey His every word. No one can control the behavior of the child, controlled by this demon, until Jesus steps on the scene. Then the demon bows to the power of the King of kings. When asked why they could not exorcise the demon, Jesus gives a simple but profound answer.

“That sort of powerful spirit can only be conquered with much prayer and fasting.” What does He mean, though? What kind of prayer and fasting is necessary to do this kind of work?

Jesus demonstrated His prayer life to the disciples every day. Paul talked about being in a constant state of prayer. Does He mean to stay on our knees constantly? Does He intend for us to remain at the church altar and pour out our voice to God in a continual stream of words? The answer is a resounding no. Remember Jesus said I am not interested in long prayers with flowing words. He gave His disciples a very simple formula for prayer.

But Jesus was in a constant state of prayer. He remained in tune with Me. He had His ear always focused to hear the slightest whisper from Me so He could respond to My commands. He read and learned the scriptures so He knew My heart. He knew from His head and His heart what I expected from those who follow Me. Jesus shared His heart, but He also listened and learned. Prayer is a two-way conversation. It involves sharing both directions. Sharing with Me your inmost feeling, hurts and joys, and listening to Me as I share My wisdom with you.

On the other hand, fasting involves giving up something to remind you to spend time with Me. So the time you would spend doing whatever you give up, spend with Me in focused prayer. Sometimes the fasting I see from you is laughable. Giving up an item and telling everyone about it, but then going about your life as if it is a great burden to give up that one thing. That’s not what fasting is about. It’s about finding time for Me. It’s about giving up something for Me.

The fasts in the Bible meant meals didn’t have to be prepared and eaten. That meant hours were freed to focus on Me in prayer, that two-way conversation with Me. I’m not sure the 1-minute microwave meal is quite the same today. Where can you find real time to spend with Me? What can you give up to find solid space in your day to focus on your relationship with the One who matters most to you? It’s about finding Me and letting Me teach you how to live more abundantly.

What will you give up for Me in the days ahead?

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.

Talk about your faith (Mark 8:27-38), Mar 1, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Mark 8:27-38
Set – Numbers 28; Mark 8
Go! – Numbers 28-29; Mark 8

Mark 8:27-38
²⁷ As He traveled with His disciples into the villages of Caesarea Philippi, He posed an important question to them.

Jesus: Who do the people say that I am?

²⁸ They told Him about the great speculation concerning His identity.

Disciples: Some of them say You are John the Baptist,[a] others say Elijah, while others say one of the prophets of old.

Jesus (pressing the question): ²⁹ And who do you say that I am?

Peter: You are God’s Anointed, the Liberating King.

Jesus: ³⁰ Don’t tell anyone. It is not yet time.

³¹ And He went on to teach them many things about Himself: how the Son of Man would suffer; how He would be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes; how He would be killed; and how, after three days, God would raise Him from the dead.

³² He said all these things in front of them all, but Peter took Jesus aside to rebuke Him.

Jesus (seeing His disciples surrounding them): ³³ Get behind Me, you tempter! You’re thinking only of human things, not of the things God has planned.

³⁴ He gathered the crowd and His disciples alike.

Jesus: If any one of you wants to follow Me, you will have to give yourself up to God’s plan, take up your cross, and do as I do. 35 For any one of you who wants to be rescued will lose your life, but any one of you who loses your life for My sake and for the sake of this good news will be liberated. ³⁶ Really, what profit is there for you to gain the whole world and lose yourself in the process? ³⁷ What can you give in exchange for your life? ³⁸ If you are ashamed of Me and of what I came to teach to this adulterous and sinful generation, then the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when He comes in the glory of His Father along with the holy messengers at the final judgment.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

There are no closet Christians. Jesus put it in the right words. If you are ashamed of carrying the message He came to share to a lost and dying world, He will be ashamed of you when He comes to take His bride away at the final judgment. You do not want to find yourself in that predicament at the judgment. You want to know you are the right side of the dividing line when you stand before Him.

It’s interesting to see how few of those who call themselves Christian today fail to talk about Me to their friends or family. My name comes up and they get embarrassed to speak My name. They talk about everything under the sun…except Me. People will talk about sports or cars, fashion or flings, but when something about church or the Bible comes up, Christians mouths suddenly close and nothing comes out. Not a word is uttered about Me to those who need Me most.

Some talk about Me within the confines of their small group at church, but most are hesitant to share what I’m doing in their life even then. What is it about telling others the hope that you have because of Me that causes such angst? Why can you talk about other aspects of your life but you can’t talk about the most important part? After all, it’s your spiritual life that determines your eternity. If you’re ready to face eternity because you’ve accepted the gift of forgiveness through faith in Jesus; if you’ve followed His teaching and not been ashamed of Him; if you love Me with your whole self and love others like you love yourself; then, why wouldn’t you tell someone and bring them along with you?

Read the stories of the New Testament. No one kept their new found faith secret. Why do “Christians” today seem to do so? Maybe the answer is they wear the name but don’t have the experience. Maybe they haven’t really come to the place of real repentance. Maybe it’s just a moniker for them and they haven’t counted the cost of taking up the cross and really living for Christ. Maybe their silence means they really aren’t My children after all. I know the difference between those wearing a name and those adopted into My family. Don’t think I’m fooled.

Can you keep quiet about your faith? Maybe it’s time to take a good look at who you believe. If you believe in Me, you can’t keep quiet. I forgive. I give hope. I give peace. I provide. I sustain. I comfort. I AM. When you put your faith in Me, you have to tell others. You have to share what I do for you. I provide a joy that can’t be contained. It spills out to those around you and others know you are different by the love you share. That’s what it means to wear the name Christian.

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.

Love is the answer (Mark 7:1-23), Feb 28, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Mark 7:1-23
Set – Numbers 27; Mark 7
Go! – Numbers 24-27; Mark 7

Mark 7:1-23
¹Then the Pharisees returned to talk with Jesus, and with them came some of the scribes and scholars from Jerusalem.

Scribes and Scholars (seeing the disciples eating): ² Your disciples are eating bread with defiled, unwashed hands.

³ Now you need to know that the Pharisees, and all Jews for that matter, held the tradition of their ancestors that hands must be washed before eating to avoid being ritually unclean. ⁴ Likewise, they washed when they returned from the market and followed similar purity teachings as well, from the washing of their food to the washing of their bowls, cups, and kettles.

Scribes and Pharisees: ⁵ Why don’t Your disciples follow the traditions passed down to us? Why do they eat their bread with defiled hands?

Jesus: ⁶ Isaiah prophesied wisely about your religious pretensions when he wrote,

These people honor Me with words off their lips;
meanwhile their hearts are far from Me.
⁷ Their worship is empty, void of true devotion.
They teach a human commandment, memorized and practiced by rote.[a]
⁸ When you cling blindly to your own traditions [such as washing utensils and cups],[b] you completely miss God’s command. ⁹ Then, indeed, you have perfected setting aside God’s commands for the sake of your tradition. ¹⁰ Moses gave you God’s commandment: “Honor your father and your mother.”[c] And also, “If you curse your father or your mother, you will be put to death.”[d] ¹¹ But you say to your aged parents, “I’ve decided that the support you were expecting from me will now be the holy offering set aside for God.” ¹² After that he is not allowed to do anything for his parents. ¹³ Do you think God wants you to honor your traditions that you have passed down? This is only one of many places where you are blind. ¹⁴ (to the crowd that had gathered) Listen, all of you, to this teaching. I want you to understand. ¹⁵ There is nothing outside someone that can corrupt him. Only the things that come out of a person can corrupt him. [¹⁶ All who have ears to hear, let them listen.][e]

¹⁷ When they had come in from the road, His disciples asked Him what He meant by this teaching.

Jesus: ¹⁸ Do you mean you don’t understand this one either? Whatever goes into people from outside can’t defile them ¹⁹ because it doesn’t go into their hearts. Outside things go through their guts and back out, thus making all foods pure.[f] ²⁰ No, it’s what comes from within that corrupts. ^21-22 It’s what grows out of the hearts of people that leads to corruption: evil thoughts, immoral sex, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wicked acts, treachery, sensuality, jealousy, slander, pride, and foolishness. ²³ All of these come from within, and these are the sins that truly corrupt a person.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

My instructions can get so twisted around sometimes that they are hardly recognizable. I’m amazed at times at how perverted the traditions and rituals of men can get. How painful you can make life for yourselves and others with the twist of words and the upholding of misinterpreted sanctions that fail to meet the test of what I really want from you. It’s a simple test through which you can filter all your traditions and rituals to see if they stand up to my commands. Remember what Jesus told those scribes who tried to trick Him? Remember His answer to their request?

They asked, “Teacher, what is the greatest commandment?

Jesus answered, “The greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And the second is like it, love your neighbor as you love yourself. Everything else hangs on these two commands.”

All you need to do is check your tradition against that marker. Does it fulfill that first and second commandment? Does it express love to God and love to your neighbor? That’s the metric. The examples Jesus pulled out of the traditions didn’t measure up. Giving their parents support to Me doesn’t honor Me, I don’t need your support. You need to give Me your support. There is a difference. Your parents don’t need your honor, but you need to honor them. There is a difference.

When you put your petty traditions or rituals above loving Me or caring for My children, you’ve gone too far in your religiosity. You’ve starting playing church instead of getting at the root of who I want you to become. I want you to be rooted in love for Me and for each other. I want love and compassion for the crowning glory of My creation to be the default button for all your actions. It’s only through loving your fellow man that you can express what I want from you. I am love. If you’re going to be like Me, you too must love.

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 is Jesus to you? (Mark 6:30-56), Feb 27, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Mark 6:30-56
Set – Numbers 23; Mark 6
Go! – Numbers 21-23; Mark 6

Mark 6:30-56
³⁰ Now the twelve returned from their travels and told Him what they had done, whom they had seen, and how they had spread the news of God’s kingdom.

Jesus (to the disciples): ³¹ Let us go out into the wilderness for a while and rest ourselves.

The crowds gathered as always, and Jesus and the twelve couldn’t eat because so many people came and went. ³² They could get no peace until they boarded a boat and sailed toward a deserted place.

³³ But the people would not be put off so easily. Those along the shore who recognized Jesus followed along the coast. People pushed out of all the cities and gathered ahead of Him ³⁴ so that when Jesus came ashore and saw this crowd of people waiting for Him in a place that should have been relatively deserted, He was moved with compassion. They were like sheep without a shepherd.

He began to teach them many things ³⁵ as the day passed; at last the disciples came to Jesus.

Disciples: It is getting late, and there is nothing around for miles. ³⁶ Send these people to the surrounding villages so they can buy something to eat.

Jesus: ³⁷ Why don’t you give them something to eat?

Disciples (looking at Him): What? It would cost a fortune[a] to buy bread for these people!

Jesus: ³⁸ Does anyone have any bread? Go and see.

Disciples (returning from the crowd): There are five pieces of flatbread and two fish, if that makes any difference.

Jesus: ^39-40 Listen, tell them to gather in smaller groups and sit on that green patch of grass.

And so the disciples gathered the people in groups of 100 or of 50, and they sat down.

⁴¹ Jesus took the five pieces of flatbread and the two fish, looked up to heaven, thanked God for the food, and broke it. He gave the pieces to the disciples to distribute, ⁴² and all of the people ate until no one was hungry. ⁴³ Then they gathered twelve baskets full of leftovers.

⁴⁴ That day, 5,000 men ate their fill of the bread when Jesus fed the hungry crowd.

⁴⁵ Not long after, He sent His disciples out onto their boat to sail to Bethsaida on the other shore, and He sent the crowd away. ⁴⁶ After everyone had gone, He slipped away to pray on a mountain overlooking the sea.

⁴⁷ When evening came, the boat was out on the sea and He was alone on the land. ⁴⁸ He saw that the disciples were making little progress because they were rowing against a stiff wind. Before daylight He came near them, walking on the water, and would have passed by them. ⁴⁹ Some of them saw Him walking on the surface of the water, thought He was a ghost, and cried out. ⁵⁰ When they all saw Him, they were terrified.

Jesus (immediately calling out): Don’t be frightened. Do you see? It is I.

⁵¹ He walked across the water to the boat; and as soon as He stepped aboard, the contrary wind ceased its blowing. They were greatly astonished; ⁵² although they had just witnessed the miracle of Jesus feeding 5,000 with bread and fish, and other signs besides, they didn’t understand what it all meant and their hearts remained hard.

⁵³ When they finished their journey, they landed the boat in Gennesaret.⁵⁴ People at once recognized Jesus as the Healer. ⁵⁵ Immediately they hurried to collect the sick and infirm—bringing them to Him in beds if they had to— ⁵⁶ laying them out in the markets of any village, city, or field where He might pass.

Gennesarites: Just let us touch the fringe of Your robe.

Even the people who touched only it were made whole again.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

It was so hard for people to recognize Jesus for who He was, God incarnate. The disciples watched Him heal the sick with just the touch of His hand or the words He spoke. They watched Him feed crowds with just a handful of food. They watched Him share the scriptures with wisdom and authority that confounded the Pharisees and scribes, those who should have profound knowledge of the verse He made clear with His parables and simple language. The disciples should have easily understood who Jesus was if anyone did. They spent the most time with Him. But as Mark relates in his description of Jesus walking on the water to them. Their hearts were still hard. They didn’t understand Him or His power as God.

They saw a man. One who did incredible things. One who healed when no one else could. One who seemed to perform magic if not miracles, but God? They just had a hard time wrapping their minds around it. Their scriptures said He would come. But for the Messiah to come from Nazareth? How could that happen? For the Messiah to have such lowly beginnings instead of having a high position in the temple? Who could believe such a thing? To believe Jesus was God incarnate stretched their knowledge, their understanding, all the priests and leaders told them. It stretched their faith significantly.

What about today? Is it any easier to believe Jesus is the Son of God? That He lived as both man and God and performed the miracles recorded in scripture? Is it easy for you to believe He willingly gave Himself as a sacrifice for your sins? Who would do such a thing? Would you die so that others could find forgiveness? Do you know any other person who would willingly face the cruel torture Jesus suffered as punishment for someone else?

So today, we seem to set aside the man part of Jesus and focus on the God part. We forget He walked among us and suffered the same aches and pains we do. We forget He experienced the same emotions we experience. We set Him above man and forget He felt every hurt and temptation we feel. What was different about Him is He didn’t bow to the temptations. He remained sinless through the temptations. He instead went to the Father for strength to overcome.

During Lent, set aside time to meditate on who Jesus is to you. Is He just a man? Is He just God? He is both. He is God incarnate. God made flesh to live among men. God wrapped in human flesh to show you how to live each day. God come to live with you for a time to share life and experience everything you experience so He can act as the perfect sacrifice, as the perfect mediator for you. He is God, there from the beginning of creation. He is also man, born of a virgin, who walked with you and showed you how to live. He is who He said He is. You can trust Him. Put your faith in Him today.

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.

How is your faith? (Mark 5:21-43), Feb 26, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Mark 5:21-43
Set – Psalms 28; Mark 5
Go! – Numbers 19-20; Psalms 28; Mark 5

Mark 5:21-43
²¹ After Jesus returned across the sea, a large crowd quickly found Him, so He stayed by the sea. ²² One of the leaders of the synagogue—a man named Jairus—came and fell at Jesus’ feet, ²³ begging Him to heal his daughter.

Jairus: My daughter is dying, and she’s only 12 years old. Please come to my house. Just place Your hands on her. I know that if You do, she will live.

²⁴ Jesus began traveling with Jairus toward his home.

In the crowd pressing around Jesus, ²⁵ there was a woman who had suffered continuous bleeding for 12 years, bleeding that made her ritually unclean and an outcast according to the purity laws. ²⁶ She had suffered greatly; and although she spent all her money on her medical care, she had only gotten worse. ²⁷ She had heard of this Miracle-Man, Jesus, so she snuck up behind Him in the crowd and reached out her hand to touch His cloak.

Woman (to herself): ²⁸ Even if all I touch are His clothes, I know I will be healed.

²⁹ As soon as her fingers brushed His cloak, the bleeding stopped. She could feel that she was whole again.

³⁰ Lots of people were pressed against Jesus at that moment, but He immediately felt her touch; He felt healing power flow out of Him.

He stopped. Everyone stopped. He looked around.

Jesus: Who just touched My robe?

³¹ His disciples broke the uneasy silence.

Disciples: Jesus, the crowd is so thick that everyone is touching You. Why do You ask, “Who touched Me?”

³² But Jesus waited. His gaze swept across the crowd to see who had done it. ³³ At last, the woman—knowing He was talking about her—pushed forward and dropped to her knees. She was shaking with fear and amazement.

Woman: I touched You.

Then she told Him the reason why. ³⁴ Jesus listened to her story.

Jesus: Daughter, you are well because you dared to believe. Go in peace, and stay well.

³⁵ While He was speaking, some members of Jairus’s household pushed through the crowd.

Jairus’s Servants (to Jairus): Your daughter is dead. There’s no need to drag the Teacher any farther.

³⁶ Jesus overheard their words. Then He turned to look at Jairus.

Jesus: It’s all right. Don’t be afraid; just believe.

^37-38 Jesus asked everyone but Peter, James, and John (James’s brother) to remain outside when they reached Jairus’s home. Inside the synagogue leader’s house, the mourning had already begun; the weeping and wailing carried out into the street.

³⁹ Jesus and His three disciples went inside.

Jesus: Why are you making all this sorrowful noise? The child isn’t dead. She’s just sleeping.

⁴⁰ The mourners laughed a horrible, bitter laugh and went back to their wailing. Jesus cleared the house so that only His three disciples, Jairus, and Jairus’s wife were left inside with Him. They all went to where the child lay. ⁴¹ Then He took the child’s hand.

Jesus: Little girl, it’s time to wake up.

⁴² Immediately the 12-year-old girl opened her eyes, arose, and began to walk. Her parents could not believe their eyes.

Jesus (to the parents): ⁴³ Don’t tell anybody what you’ve just seen. Why don’t you give her something to eat? I know she is hungry.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

In the events Mark relates in these verses, he tells of two individuals of great faith. You probably understand the great faith of the woman who touch Jesus’ robe. There were hundreds, perhaps thousands who touched Him that day, but only one had the faith to believe that if she could only touch His clothing she would find healing from her ailment. Everyone else wanted Jesus to lay His hands on them, say some pray for them, or do some other kind of physical action so they could see that something was happening from His perspective.

But this woman whose name only I know, had the faith to understand the real healing power that My Son carried within Him. It wasn’t His touch that made the difference. It wasn’t some ritual or some magical potion that provided the healing. It was faith to believe He was God incarnate. Faith in Him produced healing both physically and spiritually. It’s the same today. I still heal body and spirit. Sometimes it’s through the hands of the physicians I give intimate knowledge through. Sometimes it’s through a miraculous cure. Sometimes it’s through suffering until that day when ultimate healing takes place and you find yourself with a new body with Me in eternity. But she understood the healing power of faith.

We don’t think as much about the faith that Jarius possessed. But Jarius held the position of a leader in the synagogue. To go to Jesus for healing for his daughter meant he disobeyed the edicts of the temple leadership. The high priest and the leaders of the Jewish faith said Jesus was a heretic and must be denounced as such. No leader should put their faith in this itinerate preacher.

That meant Jarius likely lost his position in the synagogue by going to Jesus for help. His faith probably cost him his livelihood. His faith no doubt made him an enemy of the temple leadership. His faith made him a later target of the Roman rulers. His faith would cause him to have difficulty buying and selling in the market as he would find himself shunned by the rules of the society at the time.

But Jarius faith won his daughter back. Darius faith gained him a place in the Kingdom of God. His faith demonstrated his confidence in the life-giver and he found his prayers answered as a result. His faith led him to life…more abundant. His faith allowed him to testify to all around him that Jesus is God incarnate, the author of life. He would suffer for his faith, but ask Jarius if it was worth the suffering. You would find no hesitation in his answer. Of course the small amount of suffering we endure here is worth the prize awaiting us.

The unnamed woman and Jarius, two great examples of faith Mark shares with us. How do you rate on the faith scale?

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.

God is in charge (Numbers 17), Feb 25, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Numbers 17
Set – Numbers 17; Mark 4
Go! – Numbers 17-18; Psalms 29; Mark 4

Numbers 17
¹The Eternal One continued.

Eternal One (to Moses): ^2-3 Tell the Israelites that you’ll need twelve staffs—one for each of the extended families. Engrave on each one the respective leader’s name. (Aaron’s name should be on the Levi family’s staff.) ⁴ Bring the staff of each of them into the congregation tent and lay them in front of My tablets of witness with you in the place where I meet you. ⁵ I will indicate the person whom I choose by making his particular staff grow shoots and leaves. This will end once and for all any complaints about your leadership.

^6-7 Moses passed these instructions on to the Israelites, and they all agreed to do it. They each gave their staffs as leaders representing their extended families with Aaron’s staff among them. Then Moses placed them before the Eternal One in the tent of the congregation and before the covenant. ⁸ The next day, when Moses went into the tent where the covenant was kept, it was obvious that Aaron of the Levite family was God’s choice. Aaron’s staff had grown not only little buds, but it had actually flowered and developed fully-ripened almonds. ⁹ Moses carried the staffs out of the Eternal’s presence, showed them to the congregation, and redistributed them to the twelve leaders.

Eternal One (to Moses): ¹⁰ Return Aaron’s staff to the tent and place it in front of the covenant, to serve as a reminder of whom I’ve chosen to lead this people. Let it be a warning to any who would question or undermine your leadership. I have made My choice clear and will kill anyone who persists in challenging it.

¹¹ So Moses returned Aaron’s staff to the tent just as the Eternal told him to do.

Israelites (to Moses): ¹² We’re going to die! We will be destroyed! ¹³ If anyone comes close to the tent where the Eternal One is supposed to meet with us, then he’ll die. Will we all die, then?

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Why would anyone be foolish enough to question My authority? All you need to do is look up at the sky and that should end all questions about who’s in charge. If it’s daytime, ask yourself who can create a sun and keep it in place? Only Me. Who can form the mountains in the distance or keep the oceans within their boundaries? Only Me. Who grow an oak tree from an acorn or a beautiful flower from a tiny seed? Me again. Who makes the rain to water the earth and replenish the streams, rivers, and lakes to nourish the land? That’s Me.

No one can do the things I do, and I do them without even thinking about them. You don’t even think about them because they just happen. I set them in place and they go one day after day and year after year. Like gravity, weather, the seasons, you don’t think about them, they just happen. But how do you think they happen? I put them in place before the world began.

Let there be no question in your mind, I am in control of this world. I hold the ultimate authority over all that happens. Do I let bad things happen? Yes, as a result of the flawed state of humankind. The consequences of sin have changed My creation significantly and everyone alive shares responsibility for the marred state of the world. However, it is still Mine and I will return physically to reclaim it.

The other eleven tribes questioned My decision to put the Levites in charge of leading this new theocracy I formed through My servant, Moses. They should have known I would do something to show My pick. The consequences for those against Me probably seem harsh to you. But in the early days of this fledgling nation, I needed them to understand Moses was the man I put in charge. So I did the spectacular to prove a point. I took a plain staff and let it grow at high speed until it blossomed and bore fruit – overnight. Easy for Me. A first class miracle for all who observed it.

The story is recorded to let you know I chose Moses and Aaron to lead My new nation to the land I promised to give them. It’s also recorded to let you know I’m still in charge. My position hasn’t changed. Take My word for 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.

Welcome to the family (Mark 3:13-35), Feb 24, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Mark 3:13-35
Set – Numbers 16; Mark 3
Go! – Numbers 14-16; Mark 3

Mark 3:13-35
¹³ Jesus called together a select group of His followers and led them up onto a mountain. ¹⁴ There He commissioned them the twelve. [Later He calls them His emissaries.][a] He wanted them to be with Him. He sent them out to spread the good news ¹⁵ and to cast out evil spirits [and heal diseases].[b] ¹⁶ Here are the names of the original twelve: Simon (whom Jesus called Peter, meaning “the rock”), ¹⁷ James and John (the sons of Zebedee, whom Jesus called “the Sons of Thunder”), ¹⁸ Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew (the tax collector, also called Levi), Thomas, James (the son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon of Canaan (who was also called “the Zealot”), ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot (who one day would betray Jesus to the authorities in Jerusalem so God’s purpose could be fulfilled).

²⁰ Jesus and His disciples went into a house to eat, but so many people pressed in to see Jesus that they could not be served. ²¹ When Jesus’ family heard about this craziness, they went to drag Him out of that place.

Jesus’ Family (to one another): Jesus has lost His mind.

²² The scribes, for their part, came down from Jerusalem and spread the slander that Jesus was in league with the devil.

Scribes: That’s how He casts out demons. He’s casting them out by the power of Beelzebul—the ancient Philistine god—the prince of demons.

²³ When Jesus heard this, He tried to reason with them using parables.

Jesus: Listen. How can Satan drive out Satan? ²⁴ A kingdom that makes war against itself will collapse. ²⁵ A household divided against itself cannot stand. ²⁶ If Satan opposes himself, he cannot stand and is finished.

²⁷ If you want to break into the house of a strong man and plunder it, you have to bind him first. Then you can do whatever you want with his possessions. ²⁸ Listen, the truth is that people can be forgiven of almost anything. God has been known to forgive many things, even blasphemy. ²⁹ But speaking evil of the Spirit of God is an unforgivable sin that will follow you into eternity.

³⁰ He said this because the scribes were telling people that Jesus got His power from dark forces instead of from God.

³¹ When Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived, they couldn’t break through the crowd, so they sent word in to Jesus that He should come out to them. ³² The crowd was pressed in tight around Him when He received the message, “Your mother and brothers [and sisters][c] are waiting outside for You.”

³³ Jesus looked around.

Jesus (answering them): Who are My mother and brothers?

He called into the silence. No one spoke.

³⁴ At last His gaze swept across those gathered close, and Jesus smiled.

Jesus: You, here, are My mother and My brothers! ³⁵ Whoever does the will of God is My true family.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Until you are born of both water and the Spirit, you really can’t understand Jesus’ comment about those around Him being His mother and His brothers. Once adopted into the true family of God, things change for you. Sometimes, your earthly family embraces you because they too are part of My family. Sometimes, though, you will find yourself ostracized by your earthly family when you let Me decide the direction for your life. You will no longer be welcome in the circle you once inhabited, even among your family.

I see it happen over and over again as men and women harden their hearts, sometimes to their own children. You would think that a mother’s love would overcome such bitterness and evil in the heart of humankind, but it doesn’t. They think personal momentary pleasure outweighs the eternal gain of following Me because of the darkness in which the world walks. Of course, it never works. The consequences of fallowing your own way, your own wisdom always ends in disaster. Many who have gone before you can tell you the pain and misery they endured because of the consequences of their actions.

So My children get misunderstood, get pushed aside, get persecuted, suffer, even die because of the message of peace and hope they share with their lost and dying friends and family. The barbs of truth cut deeply into the hearts of men and women and the pain causes an immediate reaction. One of either hatred and a desire to quiet the voice of My messenger or one of repentance and weeping at My altar seeking the hope I can give them through the forgiveness of their sins.

Some people try to ride the fence and take neither side, but it doesn’t work. You see, men’s minds are bent toward evil because of the carnal nature that comes as a result of Adam’s sin. So the fence walkers tilt toward evil and always fall off the fence. They can’t stay there. They can’t walk that think rail. They will always fall to the side of evil unless they come to a place of repentance and complete reliance on Me.

Those that come to Me, though, I forgive. I give hope. I adopt into My family. They always have a host of brothers and sisters ready to support them, love them, care for them, treat them like the brothers and sisters they are. When adopted into My family, you are never alone.

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.