Tag Archives: faith

What’s your answer? (Matthew 9:28-29) February 20, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Matthew 20-22

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

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 9:28-29
Jesus: Do you believe that I am able to do this?
Blind Men: Yes, Lord.
Jesus (touching their eyes): According to your faith, it will be done to you.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Matthew records for us another story of healing. Two blind men follow Jesus and beg Him for mercy. Once again, an interesting thing happens that we should note at the very first of the story. Here it is: Jesus goes to the men’s house. I think we sometimes get the impression that Jesus was a wandering homeless nomad with nothing on His calendar and just flitted from place to place. We get the idea that He had no place to be or nothing to do. No agenda to keep. No schedule to meet. We get the idea He could do whatever He pleased and had all the time in the world to stop and do all these things at a whim.

I think that’s the wrong impression. If we could go back in time. I think we would find that Jesus was a very busy man. I think we would find His calendar was very full. I expect His agenda would match that of most successful executives. Jesus knew what His Father sent Him to do and even at an early age, He told His parents He had to get at it, remember. I don’t think getting to His Father’s business meant lazily roaming around the countryside.

I expect Jesus always had a schedule to keep and places to go. I expect He always headed to meet someone in particular or set off to particular places for specific tasks to perform at the direction of His father. I imagine His disciples had to set a pretty good pace to keep up with Him when He set out on those Judean hillsides because He was in a hurry to get to the next meeting place or the next appointment on His agenda.

But the thing that was very different about Jesus as a man was that He understood people were more important than agendas. Relationships were more important than calendars. Meeding human needs was more important than success. So He let people interrupt His schedule as He did the woman with the bleeding disease. As He did with the official whose daughter died. As He did with these two blind men. So Jesus does with us, when we call His name.

So Jesus stopped His journey. He went to their house. He saw where they lived. They invited Him inside. An important point. Remember Revelation 3:20? “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door…” These guys let Him in and He did a marvelous thing for them. Oh wait, He just sat down and made Himself at home. He didn’t do anything.

These two blind men wanted a miracle and all He did was go home with them and eat their food as He sat on the couch and ate. I sometimes wonder what the rest of the conversation was like with the two men. Surely, on the journey to their house and as they invited Him in to sit and with the nature of Jewish hospitality there was much more said than recorded in Matthew. I’m sure it was more than pleasantries about the weather or the latest sports team scores. Jesus probably talked about more than gossip in the Roman entertainment industry or the latest fashion hitting the streets of Jerusalem.

I expect as Jesus entered the blind men’s house, He asked lots of questions that caused them to think. And I expect they had few satisfactory answers. I expect He also pointed those questions at the crowds that followed and those questions caused some of the pious in the crowd to shrink into their pious shrouds in shame as He saw through their sham of self-righteousness.

As the two men finally sat across from Jesus in their home, though, Jesus got to the critical question Matthew records for us. “Do you believe I am able do this? Do you believe I can bring back your sight? Do you believe I can make new eyes for you?” The two men answered in the affirmative.

Then Jesus touched their eyes and like the woman in the crowd who touched His garment, Jesus said to these men, “According to your faith, it will be done to you.” No faith, no healing. No faith, no sight. No faith, no miracle. But with faith, all things are possible.

We go back to our discussion of a couple of days ago, what has changed since the days Jesus walked with us on the earth? What has changed since the days of the early church? He hasn’t. The Father hasn’t. His holy Spirit hasn’t. His love and desire to meet our needs hasn’t changed. What has changed in our world that we don’t see these miracles today? We must answer the question Jesus posed to these two blind men. Do you believe I am able to do this? What’s your answer?

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.

Where is our faith? (Matthew 9:22) February 18, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Job 13-14

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

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 9:22
Jesus: Take heart, daughter. Your faith has healed you.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

In the 1970’s and 1980’s, a not so quiet revolt across our college campuses began to tell us God is dead. Or there is no God. Atheism had a heyday with suits about pray in schools, separation of church and state. The theory of evolution was no longer taught as theory, but fact and anyone who believed in creation must be crazy. Such was the change that swept through ‘higher education’ and told us what we should think if we were truly enlightened.

An interesting thing happened among the researchers in the last few years, though. People of faith heal faster and have a more complete recovery than those that do not profess any faith in God. Go figure! Hundreds of thousands of dollars went into the study and other researchers tried their best to debunk the study. The results stood the test. Faith wins. Faith helps in the healing process.

So let’s go back to Jesus’ words and put them into context. An official whose daughter just died came to Jesus for help. Jesus and His disciples get up and head to the official’s home. Curious to see what will happen, a crowd follows the disciples until they are pressed from every side and must push their way through. But a woman makes her way through the crowd and touches Jesus’ cloak. She suffered from a bleeding disorder for 12 years. She tried every remedy all her friends and all the physicians she could afford told her to try to no avail.

Mark relates that Jesus asked, “Who touched Me?” But Matthew says Jesus turned and saw the woman. Some will say, “Aha! Proof that the Bible is just stories, look at the discrepancy in the accounts!” But the discrepancy really adds to the proof of the reality of the event. Two witnesses give testimony to the healing of the woman with a disease she had for 12 years. Did He ask the question or did He just turn and see her? Does it matter?

If you were sitting on a jury and every witness to a car accident said exactly the same thing about the accident, every detail related in the same order, with the same emphasis, content, and descriptions,what would you think? I’d think one of the lawyers did a pretty poor job of rehearsing the witnesses. No one sees an accident exactly the same way. Try it with your spouse, a friend, or a stranger. Spend two or three minutes looking at the same scene, room, or even a painting. Then each of you write a description of that picture separately and compare your descriptions. You’ll be surprised at how different they are.

Now remember that the gospels were written some thirty years after the events! Pretty remarkable recollection, don’t you think? So, back to the story. Whether Jesus asked or turned and saw the woman, He found her out and she came forward and told Him what she had done. She thought if she could just touch His clothing she could be healed if this disease that plagued her for so long. She knew that’s all it would take, just a touch of His cloak and the work would be done. She just had to try. So she pushed forward through the crowd and touched Him. Luke says she just touched the tassels on His cloak.

Jesus surprised everyone with His words. “Take heart, daughter. Your faith has healed you.”

Did you get that? Your faith has healed you! Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell the story and all of them tell us she found healing immediately! She didn’t have to find another doctor. She didn’t have to go to the drug store and get different herbs or home remedies. She didn’t need some incantation. She didn’t even need Jesus to lay His hands on her. She exercised enough faith to believe all she needed to do was touch the tassles on His cloak and she would find what she was looking for.

Do you have that kind of faith? I’m afraid we let our doubts get in the way far too often today. Do we really believe God can do the kinds of things He did through His children in the early church? I’ve said it before, “God hasn’t changed. His Son hasn’t changed. His Spirit hasn’t changed.” So what has changed? I’m afraid it’s our faith. I’m afraid we no longer believe God can do what He says He can do. Jesus said nothing is impossible for God. Do we really believe that is true?

Do we limit God’s work in our lives today because we put Him in a box and just fail to exercise faith in Him? Do we confine His activity in our prayers because we just really don’t think He can do what we ask Him to do? When will we learn that God is God and we are not? When will we learn that our limitations have nothing to do with what God can or can not do? When will we finally discover that, like the woman in our scripture today, God wants to do so much more for us than we can even imagine. All we need to do is have faith in Him. Not just say we do, but have real faith in Him.

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

Where are the miracles? (Matthew 9:2-6) February 14, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Romans 13-14

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

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 9:2-6
Jesus: Rest assured, My son; your sins are forgiven.
Now some scribes and teachers of the law had been watching this whole scene.
Scribes and Teachers (to themselves): This man is blaspheming!
Though they had only spoken in low whispers among themselves, Jesus knew their thoughts.
Jesus: Why do you hold such hardness and wickedness in your hearts? Look, is it easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or “Get up and walk”? To make clear that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins (turning to the paralytic man on the mat), Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Jesus returns home and some men there had enough faith in Him to bring their paralytic friend to Him for healing. They believed Jesus could help their friend walk again. Comparing their faith to much of the faith I see today, that’s pretty astonishing. We don’t see that kind of faith much today. We don’t see the kind of healing evident in the New Testament church. Why is that? God hasn’t changed. His Spirit hasn’t changed. The maladies and malignancies of life haven’t changed. So what’s different?

I think we find it in the attitude of the scribes Jesus addresses that day. Note that Jesus’ first response wasn’t to heal the paralytic, but to take care of more important business. “Rest assured, My son; you sins are forgiven.” Jesus addressed the man’s sins and cleansed his heart. Forget the secondary physical frame the man dealt with every day, the important thing on Jesus’ mind was to remake his heart. To bring him into God’s kingdom. To adopt him into the Family. To give the paralytic the thing he needed most, forgiveness.

But the scribes and teachers of the law took offense at Jesus’ words. They didn’t believe He could forgive sins. They didn’t believe the testimony of others who felt the cleansing power of His touch and His words of forgiveness. They didn’t believe He was truly the Son of God. Neither did they believe Jesus could make the paralytic walk. They came for the show, they came to trap Him in His words, the came to find out what all the fuss was about. But they didn’t believe in this Jesus who people were saying was the Messiah.

Is that what’s wrong with us today? Is that why we’re not seeing miracles today? Do we really believe He is who He says He is? I wonder. If we as Christians really believe Jesus is God incarnate, the Son of God. If we truly believe the only way to heaven is through forgiveness of our sins and obeying His commands, then why don’t we obey Him? Why don’t we do what He asks? Why do we hold back? Why do we fail to love each other? Why do we fail to believe? Why do we fail to worship Him and honor Him? Why do we fail to visit Him each day and learn more about Him through the study of His word?

Do we really believe in Jesus, the Son of God? Maybe we don’t see the New Testament church miracles because we don’t want to see them. Maybe we really don’t want to let God come upon us the way He did then. There’s some danger involved in letting loose and letting God have full control of your church, you know. Remember Ananias and Sophira? They lied about their giving and God struck them dead! Remember Silas, the sorcerer? God blinded him for his attempts at playing Christian. Certainly the early church saw miracles happen in their midsts, but God executed His wrath on the unfaithful in powerful ways as well. Maybe we’re afraid to let God do His mighty works in us because we’re afraid to let Him in the door.

Maybe we’re afraid of what God will see in us if we let Him look inside. We shouldn’t be afraid of what He sees, though. He already knows. Maybe we’re really afraid of what we’ll see. We might find just how broken and desperate and needy and sinful we really are. Maybe we’ll find how far we are from Him and find we must fall on our face before Him in true repentance before He can do any work in us or through us.

Maybe our faith is too much like the scribes and the teachers of the law and not enough like the four men who struggles through those hillsides with their paralytic friend to find their way to Jesus. Maybe we need to find a quiet place to let God turn His searchlight on our hearts and let us see ourselves as He sees us.

Can miracles happen today the way they did when Jesus walk alongside us? He told His disciples they would do greater things than He did. And they did with the power of His Spirit resident in them. God hasn’t changed, Jesus hasn’t changed, His Spirit hasn’t changed. What’s changed? Maybe it’s our willingness to just let Him have His way in our life. Complete and total control. That’s what He wants. And when He has it, we’ll see miracles happen again. 

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.

Get your ticket (Matthew 8:10-13) February 9, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Judges 1-6

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

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 8:10-13
Jesus was stunned by the depth of the officer’s faith.
Jesus (to His followers): This is the plain truth: I have not met a single person in Israel with as much faith as this officer. It will not be just the children of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob who celebrate at their heavenly banquet at the end of time. No, people will come from the East and the West—and those who recognize Me, regardless of their lineage, will sit with Me at that feast. But those who have feigned their faith will be cast out into outer darkness where people weep and grind their teeth.
Then Jesus turned to the Centurion.
Jesus: You may go home. For it is as you say it is; it is as you believe.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Jesus’ words today give us a powerful promise. God came to Abraham and told him he would be the father of many nations. The Old Testament follows his patriarchal lines through Isaac, and Jacob on through the centuries to describe the history of the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people. But chosen for what? That’s what they forgot through those centuries. They were not chosen to become arrogant and self-serving. They were chosen to bless the other nations of the world.

How were they to bless the other nations of the world? They were the people God gave His message of salvation. God gave them the mission of spreading that message, but instead they kept it to themselves and built walls between them and everyone else. The racial, political, social, and religious divides they built were extreme and they would not allow any cracks in their walls.

So the story of the Centurion, the Roman military officer coming to Jesus for help, bruised the sensitivities of the devout Jews. How could He talk to a Gentile if He was really the Son of God? Would God talk to an outsider? Would God waste His time with someone who wasn’t part of His chosen nation? Of course, we know the answer. God created all people everywhere. Israel just forgot the task God gave them. They forgot who they were. They forgot that God was God and they were not.

Jesus reminded all who gathered around Him that He came for everyone. Salvation is universal for all who believe in Him. His words must have shocked the Israelites around Him. How dare He talk about Gentiles sharing in the resurrection feast with God? But that’s the promise He makes as this “heathen” demonstrates more faith than any of the religious leaders Jesus has seen in His journeys through the country.

His words remind me, though, that we can be just as guilty as those pious, hypocrites Jesus addressed that day. If you’re a Protestant, do you bash the Catholics? Did you forget that your tenets of faith originated within their church? If you’re Catholic, do you think all Protestants are heretics? If you’re Baptist, do you think every other denomination has it wrong? What if you’re Nazarene, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist? Do you look down on other denominations and wonder about their salvation?

If you want to know the truth, Jesus would probably tell us there are some Christians in each of those faiths, and a lot of people who call themselves Christians in each of those faiths. As He told those around Him that day, it isn’t your pedigree that gets you into heaven. Jesus doesn’t care what you call yourself. You could call yourself a “Gollywopper” and be a Christian if you’ve asked for His forgiveness and follow His commands. But if you don’t come to Him repentantly and follow Him, it just doesn’t matter what you call yourself. You won’t be at the feast.

However, the promise is for all who believe. That’s it. Believe enough to know He died for your sins and mine. Believe enough to follow His direction for your life. Believe enough to act as a witness to His grace each day when opportunities arise. Believe enough to let Him change you into His likeness, His image in your thoughts and actions toward others. Believe in Him enough to let Him teach you to love like He loves, even your enemies.

That’s all it takes. Faith. The Centurion exercised his faith in Jesus and his request came to fruition. Jesus sent the Centurion home with the assurance his servant returned to health. And he did. So don’t think your title will do anything for you. It won’t. Don’t think your heritage will help you. It won’t. The only thing that will get you a ticket to the feast is your faith in Christ. And He sais all you need is as much as a grain of mustard seed and you can move mountains. Exercise a little and get your ticket to the banquet with Him.

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

I will come to you (Matthew 8:7) February 8, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Genesis 20-23

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

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 8:7
Jesus: I will come to your house, and I will heal him.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Another familiar story prompted by a military officer coming to Jesus and asking for help. His servant lay ill in his home in Capernaum. The officer makes a simple request. “Please heal my servant.” First, we need to think about the compassion of the military officer. We don’t consider Roman soldiers to have much compassion on anyone. And officers in the Roman army had less. They got their positions one of two ways. They either bought their position, so they cared little about the people that served them. To them their servants were just another piece of furniture, instruments to use as you would use a hammer or a plow.

The second way to become an officer in the Roman army was promotion through the ranks. That meant being a fierce warrior. Being more brutal than any of the men who served under you. Death, torture, brutality, were all part of their psyche. They were not known for their compassion. But this officer heard about Jesus and had pity on his servant. He went to the master and asked for his help. His compassion was remarkable for a man in his position.

Second, Romans didn’t ask favors of Jews. Occasionally they would demand Jews perform tasks for them, but they never asked for help. The Romans occupied Judea. They were the conquerors. They didn’t ask for anything. They took what they wanted and there were no questions asked. And this was an officer. He could have any demand he requested fulfilled by anyone he wanted within his area of military jurisdiction. That obviously included the ground where Jesus stood. But the officer humbled himself in the presence of Jesus and asked for help.

I love Jesus’ reply. Simple and to the point. “I will come to your house. And I will heal him.” That’s all he had to say. But listen again to those first words. I will come to your house. Imagine that! Jesus, a Jew, an itinerate, self-appointed rabbi for those who would listen to His words. He knew all the laws and traditions and He was talking to this Roman officer. One of those occupying His country. Not only that, He enthusiastically told him He would come to his house. Something a real, orthodox, died-in-the-wool, Jew would never think about doing.

But then look what He does for us. When we were still sinners, dirty, and filthy in our sins, rolling around in the mud and the filth of this world, He came to us. We didn’t deserve His love. We didn’t deserve His visit. We didn’t deserve His attention. We didn’t deserve His words of kindness. We didn’t deserve anything from Him except the outpouring of His wrath. But like the Roman officer, Jesus says enthusiastically, “I will come to you.” Invite Me and I’ll be there. I want to come. I want to show up and attend your party. I want to help you. I want to do more for you than you can ever imagine. Please invite Me. I’ll come.

The Roman was flabbergasted. He couldn’t believe it. He knew Jesus could heal and we’ll talk more about that tomorrow, but the Roman never thought Jesus would come to his house. Jews wouldn’t do that. After all, he wasn’t just a Gentile, he wasn’t even just a Roman soldier, he was an officer directing those soldiers to carry out all the atrocities against the Jews all across the city and countryside. Jesus said He would ome to his house and heal his servant.

The second part of Jesus’ answer is important to us, too. He will come to me and you, but He will also heal. What is your injury? Is it your finances? Listen to Him, give your finances to Him and let Him decide how to spend your money and He will fix them. Is it your relationships? Give them to Him. He might tell you to leave some of those “so called friends” that are pulling you into temptations, and He’ll help you make others and heal many as you do the things He tells you to do for others. Is it your health? Give it to Him. He made you and knows what you need to do to live the best life physically that you can. He can heal physically now, and will provide ultimate healing when He gives you a new body. He knows what you need and He can provide it.

The same words Jesus spoke to the Roman military officer that day, He shares with us. “I will come to your house, and I will heal him.” What a powerful message for him and for us. Think about His words and let them warm your heart 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.

Of course, He wants to! (Matthew 8:3) February 6, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Matthew 14-16

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

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 8:3
Jesus (stretching out His hand): Of course I wish to. Be clean.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

You probably remember the setting from which these words were spoken. Jesus comes down from the mountainside where He had been teaching and as He walked along, a leper knelt in front of Him and asked to be healed of this dreadful disease. Leprosy couldn’t be cured in Jesus’ day. It meant isolation from the community, from family, from everyone except others plagued by the same disease. Life was miserable for them. They were completely without hope for any future. Unless some miracle took place, their life ended in the caves around the city as they scrounged food from the dumps to stay alive for what little hope they had in those miracles.

But this leper heard about this man called Jesus, Joshua, Savior. He heard stories that He healed by His touch and sometimes by just His spoken word. Only God could speak creative acts such as these, but this man… The stories were everywhere. The buzz about Jesus around every well and watering place overtook every other conversation. Who was this man that came on the scene out of that little hole in the wall, Nazareth, and made fools of the Pharisees when they tried to trap Him in their questions.

So this leper came in desparation. He broke all the rules. He was unclean. His sores ran and his skin bled. His fingers and toes no longer felt the pain we feel when we injure ourselves. His case could be called extreme. But this leper wanted something more than the sentence of prolonged agony ending in sure death. He broke through the crowded lane and fell at Jesus’ feet.

When people saw the leper, they probably ran out of his way. No one wanted to be close to this diseased individual. No one wanted to catch what he had. No one wanted to face the prospect of living out the rest of their days in agony and alone. The leper doesn’t impose on the Lord. “Lord, if you wish to, please heal me and make me clean.” I like that. How often to we come to the Lord in prayer demanding our way. God, you just have to do this for me. Lord you just have to do that for me. But the leper understood exactly who He addressed that day. Lord, if you wish. If it pleases you. If it fits into your plans. It my small request doesn’t take you away from your greater work. Would you mind taking just a little time away from your journey and heal me?

Is that how you approach God with your requests? I’ll admit, most of the time I don’t. He invites us to come boldly and most of the time I do. I think we’re probably all guilty of too often coming too boldly with our requests and forgetting the humility this leper demonstrates as he comes to Jesus with his personal need. Lord, if you will, please heal me and make clean.

And I love Jesus’ answer. “Of course I wish to. Be clean.” God never meant for death to enter the world. That was our doing. God never wanted disease to come to us. That was a consequence of our failure. God didn’t want us to find ourselves cast out and alone. That came about as a result of our disobedience. We let sin in and corrupted His creation. Does God want to fix it. Yes. But God is still holy and just. Sin cannot reside around Him. There must be a redeemer to buy us out from the slavery of sin and into His family.

The good news is He paid that price. He redeemed us with His shed blood. But we must accept that redemption. He doesn’t put shackles on our feet and drag us into His kingdom. He paid the price, but asks us to voluntarily follow Him. He lets us choose the path we take. Will He cleanse us and make us free from the dirt and filth of sin? Absolutely! But we must come to Him the way the leper came to Him. The leper knew his condition. He didn’t care what others thought about him coming forward to Jesus. He knew they would talk about his breaking the rules. He assumed some what talk about how terrible he was to expose others to his disease by coming along the road with people who didn’t have his disease. The leper knew he was an outcast and could not help himself. He knew his only hope was in the healing and cleansing Jesus could bring. He knew Jesus could make the difference in his life no one else could make and had confidence in Jesus’ ability to do so. He put all his faith in Jesus.

What do you need Jesus to do for you? How do you come to Him with your request? He tells us to come to Him boldly? But do we remember that He is Lord of creation? Do we understand just Who we address when we fall on our knees in front of Him? The leper understood. He came in humble adoration and made his plea. Jesus’ response – Of course, I wish to do it! He doesn’t withhold His good gifts from us. Just remember Who you’re asking in the process. He is God, you know.

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.

By faith (Hebrews 11:1-31) December 13, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Hebrews 11:1-31

Set – Hebrews 10-11

Go! – Hebrews 9-11

Hebrews 11:1-31
1 Faith is the assurance of things you have hoped for, the absolute conviction that there are realities you’ve never seen. 2 It was by faith that our forebears were approved. 3 Through faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God; everything we now see was fashioned from that which is invisible.
4 By faith Abel presented to God a sacrifice more acceptable than his brother Cain’s. By faith Abel learned he was righteous, as God Himself testified by approving his offering. And by faith he still speaks, although his voice was silenced by death.
5 By faith Enoch was carried up into heaven so that he did not see death; no one could find him because God had taken him. Before he was taken up, it was said of him that he had pleased God. 6 Without faith no one can please God because the one coming to God must believe He exists, and He rewards those who come seeking.
7 By faith Noah respected God’s warning regarding the flood—the likes of which no one had ever seen—and built an ark that saved his family. In this he condemned the world and inherited the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith Abraham heard God’s call to travel to a place he would one day receive as an inheritance; and he obeyed, not knowing where God’s call would take him. 9 By faith he journeyed to the land of the promise as a foreigner; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, his fellow heirs to the promise 10 because Abraham looked ahead to a city with foundations, a city laid out and built by God.
11 By faith Abraham’s wife Sarah became fertile long after menopause because she believed God would be faithful to His promise. 12 So from this man, who was almost at death’s door, God brought forth descendants, as many as the stars in the sky and as impossible to count as the sands of the shore.
13 All these I have mentioned died in faith without receiving the full promises, although they saw the fulfillment as though from a distance. These people accepted and confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on this earth 14 because people who speak like this make it plain that they are still seeking a homeland. 15 If this was only a bit of nostalgia for a time and place they left behind, then certainly they might have turned around and returned. 16 But such saints as these look forward to a far better place, a heavenly country. So God is not ashamed to be called their God because He has prepared a heavenly city for them.
17 By faith Abraham, when he endured God’s testing, offered his beloved son Isaac as a sacrifice. The one who had received God’s promise was willing to offer his only son; 18 God had told him, “It is through Isaac that your descendants will bear your name,” 19 and he concluded that God was capable of raising him from the dead, which, figuratively, is indeed what happened.
20 By faith Isaac spoke blessings upon his sons, Jacob and Esau, concerning things yet to come.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed the sons of his son Joseph, bowing in worship as he leaned upon his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, at his life’s end, predicted that the children of Israel would make an exodus from Egypt; and he gave instructions that his bones be buried in the land they would someday reach.
23 By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born because they saw that he was handsome; and they did not fear Pharaoh’s directive that all male Hebrew children were to be slain.
24 By faith Moses, when he was grown, refused to be identified solely as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter 25 and chose instead to share the sufferings of the people of God, not just living in sin and ease for a time. 26 He considered the abuse that he and the people of God had suffered in anticipation of the Anointed One more valuable than all the riches of Egypt because he looked ahead to the coming reward.
27 By faith Moses left Egypt, unafraid of Pharaoh’s wrath and moving forward as though he could see the invisible God. 28 Through faith, he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of blood on the doorposts among the Hebrews so that the destroyer of the firstborn would pass over their homes without harming them. 29 By faith the people crossed through the Red Sea as if they were walking on dry land, although the pursuing Egyptian soldiers were drowned when they tried to follow.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho toppled after the people had circled them for seven days. 31 By faith the prostitute Rahab welcomed the Hebrew spies into her home so that she did not perish with the unbelievers.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

You think faith doesn’t work? Just rewind and listen again to the list of ancient heroes whose success came because of a little faith. They were ordinary people who just chose to believe what I said. Their faith took them to the promises I made to them. I’ll do the same for 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.

You can believe, too (2 Timothy 1/3-18) December 10, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 2 Timothy 1:3-18

Set – 2 Timothy 1-2

Go! – 2 Timothy 1-4

2 Timothy 1:3-18
3-4 Timothy, you are constantly in my prayers. Day and night I remember you before God and give thanks to Him whom I serve with a clean conscience, as did my ancestors. I really want to see you, especially when I remember how you cried the last time we were together. Yes, I know it would make me joyful to see you again. 5 What strikes me most is how natural and sincere your faith is. I am convinced that the same faith that dwelt in your grandmother, Lois, and your mother, Eunice, abides in you as well. 6 This is why I write to remind you to stir up the gift of God that was conveyed to you when I laid my hands upon you. 7 You see, God did not give us a cowardly spirit but a powerful, loving, and disciplined spirit.
8 So don’t be embarrassed to testify about our Lord or for me, His prisoner. Join us in suffering for the good news by the strength and power of God. 9 God has already saved us and called us to this holy calling—not because of any good works we may have done, but because of His own intention and because eons and eons ago (before time itself existed), He gave us this grace in Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King. 10 And now, the time has come! That grace was revealed when our Savior, Jesus the Anointed, appeared; and through His resurrection He has wiped out death and brought to light life and immortality by way of this good news. 11 I was appointed a preacher, emissary, and teacher of this message. 12 This is exactly why I am suffering. But I am not ashamed because I know Him and I have put my trust in Him. And I am fully certain that He has the ability to protect what I have placed in His care until that day.
13 Remember the words that you heard from me. Retain them as the model for healthy and sound teaching in the faith and love that are available in Jesus the Anointed. 14 As for the precious thing entrusted to you, protect it with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.
15 You may know by now that all those in Asia have turned their backs on me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16-17 But Onesiphorus was not ashamed of my chains. So when he arrived in Rome, he searched for me and found me. May the Lord show mercy to his house because he has often stopped by to refresh my weary soul. 18 And may the Lord shower him with divine mercy on the last day. You are well aware of all he did to serve me in Ephesus.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Today I want to call your attention to the mission I gave Paul and one that I think speaks to everyone in many ways. “I was appointed a preacher, emissary, and teacher of this message. This is exactly why I am suffering. But I am not ashamed because I know Him and I have put my trust in Him. And I am fully certain that He has the ability to protect what I have placed in His care until that day.”

In the first couple of sentences that Paul shares here, he clearly understood his mission and that the very mission I gave him caused the suffering he endured. But I want you to pay attention to his next words. Paul wasn’t ashamed of his imprisonment as were most of his prison mates. They found themselves incarcerated for wrong doing. Paul found himself in chains for doing good. Paul was not ashamed of the gospel and whatever suffering or pain came with it, he was willing to endure.

Why wasn’t Paul ashamed? Because he knew Me. He not only saw Me on the road to Damascus that one extraordinary day, but he talked with Me and listened to My words as he prayed and read the scriptures. He died to self and let My Spirit guide his life. Paul gave his all to Me. He knew Me and had faith that I would see him through whatever circumstance he found himself or would usher him into My presence in paradise. Either option fit him just fine.

Paul knew I could protect him from whatever he faced. He didn’t hold any doubt in his mind. Paul knew with certainty I could do what I said I would. I never fail. When I make a promise, I keep it. Paul knew that about Me. His confidence in Me was sure. So he could face the trials that came his way. But Paul was just a man. There was nothing special or unusual about him. I didn’t give him some special DNA that enhanced his faith. He just exercised the faith he had. That’s it. That’s why people remember him. That’s why Paul was such an exceptional disciple. He just believed, always.

You can, too. 

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.

Please God and work for Him (Philippians 2:5-18) December 6, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Philippians 2:5-18

Set – Philippians 2-3

Go! – Philippians 1-4

Philippians 2:5-18
5 In other words, adopt the mind-set of Jesus the Anointed. Live with His attitude in your hearts. Remember:
6 Though He was in the form of God,
He chose not to cling to equality with God;
7 But He poured Himself out to fill a vessel brand new;
a servant in form
and a man indeed.
The very likeness of humanity,
8 He humbled Himself,
obedient to death—
a merciless death on the cross!
9 So God raised Him up to the highest place
and gave Him the name above all.
10 So when His name is called,
every knee will bow,
in heaven, on earth, and below.
11 And every tongue will confess
“Jesus, the Anointed One, is Lord,”
to the glory of God our Father!
12 So now, my beloved, obey as you have always done, not only when I am with you, but even more so when I can’t be. Continue to work out your salvation, with great fear and trembling, 13 because God is energizing you so that you will desire and do what always pleases Him.
14 Do all things without complaining or bickering with each other, 15 so you will be found innocent and blameless; you are God’s children called to live without a single stain on your reputations among this perverted and crooked generation. Shine like stars across the land. 16 Cling to the word of life so that on the day of judgment when the Anointed One returns I may have reason to rejoice, because it will be plain that I didn’t turn from His mission nor did I work in vain. 17 Even if my lifeblood is to be poured out like wine as a sacrifice of your faith, I have great reason to celebrate with all of you. 18 And for the same reason, you can be glad and celebrate with me.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Paul inserted the words of a hymn the early Christians sang as they gathered together for worship. They wanted to remember who I am and why I came to live alongside you. It’s a good hymn. It tells the story of My departure from heaven to be with you. It tells of My death and resurrection and intercession for you at the right hand of the Father. But Paul doesn’t stop with the short hymn. He lets the Philippians and you know your responsibility because of the truth of they hymn those early Christians passed on to you.

Paul says, “Continue to work out your salvation, with great fear and trembling, because God is energizing you so that you will desire and do what always pleases Him.”

That doesn’t mean good works will get you to heaven, but James also reminds you that faith without a demonstration of your faith by good works is dead. Paul tells you often it is by faith you are saved so that none may boast. I told you that all who believe in Me will not perish but will have eternal life. So it’s faith that gets you to heaven, but your good works demonstrate the faith you have in Me. The demonstration comes not because of duty, but because of love. Love for Me and love for your brothers and sisters in My kingdom.

That’s also why in the next breath Paul says do everything for Me without complaining. If you do good works for Me out of duty, you’ll begin to complain. You can’t keep it up without grumbling. Just look at the history of the Israelites. They couldn’t help but grumble when they followed Me out of duty. It takes love to continuously do good works without grumbling. And until My love lives in you, you can’t please Me. You can’t live the life I want you to live. You can’t do the good works I have for you.

So work out your salvation. It requires faith first, but I created you to work. I didn’t create you to just sit around. I intend for you to do good works so that all may understand that I am a God of love and grace and mercy. You are the instrument of those attributes when you give yourself fully to Me. Never forget everything starts with faith. Without it you can’t begin to please Me, but then do what I ask of you, and I will ask you to good works for Me, because it pleases Me. 

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.

Believe in God (Romans 3:21-31) November 30, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Romans 3:21-31

Set – Romans 3-4

Go! – Romans 1-4

Romans 3:21-31
21 But now for the good news: God’s restorative justice has entered the world, independent of the law. Both the law and the prophets told us this day would come. 22 This redeeming justice comes through the faithfulness of Jesus, the Anointed One, the Liberating King, who makes salvation a reality for all who believe—without the slightest partiality. 23 You see, all have sinned, and all their futile attempts to reach God in His glory fail. 24 Yet they are now saved and set right by His free gift of grace through the redemption available only in Jesus the Anointed. 25 When God set Him up to be the sacrifice—the seat of mercy where sins are atoned through faith—His blood became the demonstration of God’s own restorative justice. All of this confirms His faithfulness to the promise, for over the course of human history God patiently held back as He dealt with the sins being committed. 26 This expression of God’s restorative justice displays in the present that He is just and righteous and that He makes right those who trust and commit themselves to Jesus.
27 So is there any place left for boasting? No. It’s been shut out completely. And how? By what sort of law? The law of works perhaps? No! By the law of faith. 28 We hold that people are justified, that is, made right with God through faith, which has nothing to do with the deeds the law prescribes.
29 Is God the God of the Jews only? If He created all things, then doesn’t that make Him the God of all people? Jews and non-Jews, insiders and outsiders alike? Yes, He is also the God of all the outsiders. 30 So since God is one, there is one way for Jews and outsiders, circumcised and uncircumcised, to be right with Him. That is the way of faith. 31 So are we trying to use faith to abolish the law? Absolutely not! In fact, we now are free to uphold the law as God intended.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

No one is exempt from the fall. Everyone fails to reach Me in their attempts at righteousness. Since Adam and Eve, all have been born with the propensity toward wanting your own way. But I came into the world to pay the penalty for your sinful ways. I came as the perfect sacrifice for your sins. All you need to do is believe in Me for your salvation. The law points out your sin, I redeem you from it. I give you real freedom from the law.

Many think I abolished the law, but that really isn’t true. What I really do for you is make it possible for you to live as the law intended. The law gave you guidelines and pointed out your wickedness, but couldn’t do anything to redeem you because you couldn’t keep the law. But with Me in you, covering your sin by the sacrifice I made for you, you can keep the law the way I intend you to keep it.

I gave My life so you may live in freedom. Not freedom to do anything you want as many sometimes think, but freedom from the guilt and penalty of sin. Freedom from the prison chains that hold you fast because of the selfish ways you live because of the heritage that comes by way of Adam’s sin. Freedom to live the life I intend for humankind.

The simplicity of becoming one of My children rests in believing. It’s that simple. It’s not always easy to live for Me, but it is simple. Coming to Me is so simple a child can do it. Just believe that I am who I say. Just believe I came to save you from your sins. Just believe I died for you and I rose from the grave because death cannot hold Me. Just believe that I can redeem you from the evil one that tries to hold you to this wicked world. Believe that I can free you from his death grip. Believe I have a better way for you.

It’s not hard to believe. Just look around. Look at the universe I created for you. Examine the order of all I made. How can you not believe in Me? How can you not believe in the Creator of all things when you see the perfect design of the universe and all within it. How can you not believe in Me when you see the majesty of the mountains and the seas, the stars and the galaxies above you.

So just believe in Me and you will be saved. It is faith and nothing else that saves you. But when you are saved you will do good things for those around you because of your love for Me. Your good actions will demonstrate the faith you have in Me. So just believe in Me and get ready for a great ride for the rest of your eternal life. 

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.