Tag Archives: love

Don’t let the cross be in vain (Matthew 25:32-56), May 10, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Matthew 27:32-56
Set – 2 Samuel 18; Matthew 27
Go! – 2 Samuel 18; Psalms 56; Matthew 27

Matthew 27:32-56
32 As they were walking, they found a man called Simon of Cyrene and forced him to carry the cross. 33 Eventually they came to a place called Golgotha, which means “Place of the Skull.” 34 There they gave Him a drink—wine mixed with bitter herbs. He tasted it but refused to drink it.

35 And so they had Him crucified. They divided the clothes off His back by drawing lots, 36 and they sat on the ground and watched Him hang. 37 They placed a sign over His head: “This is Jesus, King of the Jews.” 38 And then they crucified two thieves next to Him, one at His right hand and one at His left hand.

39 Passersby shouted curses and blasphemies at Jesus. They wagged their heads at Him and hissed.

Passersby: 40 You’re going to destroy the temple and then rebuild it in three days? Why don’t You start with saving Yourself? Come down from the cross if You can, if You’re God’s Son.

Chief Priests, Scribes, and Elders (mocking Him): 41-42 He saved others, but He can’t save Himself. If He’s really the King of Israel, then let Him climb down from the cross—then we’ll believe Him. 43 He claimed communion with God—well, let God save Him, if He’s God’s beloved Son.

44 Even the thieves hanging to His right and left poured insults upon Him. 45 And then, starting at noon, the entire land became dark. It was dark for three hours. 46 In the middle of the dark afternoon, Jesus cried out in a loud voice.

Jesus: Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani—My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?

Bystanders: 47 He’s calling on Elijah.

48 One bystander grabbed a sponge, steeped it in vinegar, stuck it on a reed, and gave Jesus the vinegar to drink.

Others: 49 We’ll see—we’ll see if Elijah is going to come and rescue Him.

50 And then Jesus cried out once more, loudly, and then He breathed His last breath. 51 At that instant, the temple curtain was torn in half, from top to bottom. The earth shook; rocks split in two; 52 tombs burst open, and bodies of many sleeping holy women and men were raised up. 53 After Jesus’ resurrection, they came out of their tombs, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and showed themselves to people.

54 When the Centurion and soldiers who had been charged with guarding Jesus felt the earthquake and saw the rocks splitting and the tombs opening, they were, of course, terrified.

Soldiers: He really was God’s Son.

55 A number of women, who had been devoted to Jesus and followed Him from Galilee, were present, too, watching from a distance. 56 Mary Magdalene was there, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

“Good Friday.” Good for all humankind. But what a horrible day for Me. I gave up all the glory of heaven and walked with you for 33 years. I tried to teach you My ways. I tried to show you My love and guide you to a life based on a right relationship with Me. But I was misunderstood by so many, even those who were suppose to teach you about My love.

All around Me rules and regulations became substitutes for love. You had to follow this law or that rule. You couldn’t do this activity on the Sabbath or perform that act for your fellowman because he was from another country. My love for all of humankind got lost somewhere and when I tried to show you what it was like, I was rejected by those who should know best.

After thirty years in the flesh, when My formal teaching ministry began, I knew what the end result would be. I knew the only way to bring salvation to humankind was to become the sacrifice for you. I understood My mission, but I didn’t want to go through it. The human part of Me didn’t want the suffering. Not so much the pain of the cross, though, that was torturous. That pain lasted only a short time.

The most dreadful suffering came from knowing I would bear the sins of the world on My shoulders. Knowing I must become the sacrifice to atone for all the evil ever committed by all humankind throughout history, past and future. I knew the load. I saw the evil. I felt the crush of the burden. I understood the isolation from the Father, separating Myself from Myself.

You cannot understand the agony of God sacrificing God for humankind. Touching evil with an absolutely holy and pure being. You cannot understand it because all of you are born with the sinful nature passed through the seed of Adam. I did not inherit his seed. I was born pure and righteous, born of God. I am God from the beginning of time. And to touch the evil of men and women on the cross was pure agony.

I could not allow My Father to rescue Me, though. I had to remain. I had to die. I had to become the perfect, unblemished sacrifice so you could be justified. It was the only way. It fulfilled the plan put in place so many centuries before. I wanted you to learn love, but you could only learn it through My demonstrated love despite your hate. I paid your price. I was your sacrifice. All you need to do is believe. Accept My gift to you. Follow Me. Don’t let My sacrifice be in vain. 

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 and how do you love? (Matthew 15:21-39), Apr 28, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 15:21-39
Set – 1 Chronicles 12; Matthew 15
Go! – 2 Samuel 3; 1 Chronicles 12; Matthew 15

Matthew 15:21-39
21 Jesus left that place and withdrew to Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman—a non-Jew—came to Him.

Canaanite Woman (wailing): Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is possessed by a demon. Have mercy, Lord!

23 Jesus said nothing. And the woman continued to wail. His disciples came to Him.

Disciples: Do something—she keeps crying after us!

Jesus: 24 I was sent here only to gather up the lost sheep of Israel.

25 The woman came up to Jesus and knelt before Him.

Canaanite Woman: Lord, help me!

Jesus: 26 It is not right to waste the children’s bread by feeding dogs.

Canaanite Woman: 27 But, Lord, even dogs eat the crumbs that fall by the table as their master is eating.

28 Jesus—whose ancestors included Ruth and Rahab—spoke with kindness and insight.

Jesus: Woman, you have great faith. And your request is done.

And her daughter was healed, right then and from then on.

29 Jesus left and went to the Sea of Galilee. He went up on a mountaintop and sat down. 30 Crowds thronged to Him there, bringing the lame, the maimed, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many other sick and broken people. They laid them at His feet, and He healed them. 31 The people saw the mute speaking, the lame walking, the maimed made whole, the crippled dancing, and the blind seeing; and the people were amazed, and they praised the God of Israel.

Jesus (to His disciples): 32 We must take pity on these people for they have touched My heart; they have been with Me for three days, and they don’t have any food. I don’t want to send them home this hungry—they might collapse on the way!

Disciples: 33 We’ll never find enough food for all these people, out here in the middle of nowhere!

Jesus: 34 How much bread do you have?

Disciples: Seven rounds of flatbread and a few small fish.

35 He told the crowd to sit down. 36 He took the bread and the fish, He gave thanks, and then He broke the bread and divided the fish. He gave the bread and fish to the disciples, the disciples distributed them to the people, 37 and everyone ate and was satisfied. When everyone had eaten, the disciples picked up seven baskets of crusts and broken pieces and crumbs.

38 There were 4,000 men there, not to mention all the women and children. 39 Then Jesus sent the crowd away. He got into the boat and went to Magadan.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Some thought Me cruel and lacking compassion when I didn’t answer the Canaanite woman’s plea to free her daughter from the demon that possessed her. Others thought I was doing the right thing since I was a Jew and showed proper priority of the nations refusing to acknowledge anyone but Jews. Of course, they forgot I had healed Samaritans, and Roman servants, and countless others from the surrounding countries, all considered enemies of God’s “chosen people”.

But like the man born blind from birth, I wanted to use the woman’s nationality and her pleas as a teaching point to those around Me and to My future disciples. The Jews forgot their place in the world. That’s why I came in the flesh in the first place. I told Abraham he would become the father of a great nation so that all nations would be blessed through him.

That doesn’t mean Israel would be the greatest nation or the most important nation among all others. It doesn’t mean I love them more or less than any other. It means I have a special mission for them. I chose them to carry the message of salvation to the rest of the world. I chose Israel to teach the rest of the world about Me. Unfortunately, they let themselves be carried away by the rituals and practices of the nations they were supposed to teach instead of remaining holy.

I used the coming of the Canaanite woman to show the Israelites just how callous they had become. Everyone around Me recognized the faith the woman exercised. She knew I could heal her daughter’s pitiful condition. They saw Me drive out demons with just a single word. It would take Me almost no effort to grant this mother’s desperate request.

My actions that day showed the Israelites how they had failed to reach out to the foreigners among them. My first refusals demonstrated the Jews actions in shutting out their neighbors and failing to embrace them in their faith and teaching them about Me. Their mission from the beginning was to teach others about Me. Instead, they shunned anyone not of their race.

I’m afraid many who call themselves by My name today do the same thing. If others don’t look like them, dress like them, worship like them, speak the same language, travel in the same neighborhoods, they just don’t belong. Nothing could be further from the truth. I created all people. All races. All nations. They exist only because I allow it. Everything belongs to Me. Evil scarred My perfect world, but those who really know Me have an opportunity to introduce others to Me and bring hope to the hopeless. Peace into the middle of turmoil. Calm from chaos.

The world can still be blessed by those who are of My kingdom. The new covenant gives those who follow Me the opportunity to bless each individual in the world in the same way Abraham had opportunity to bless the nations of the world. And like with Abraham and the Israelites, I do not expect you to think yourself better or superior to others, but like when I walked with you, be a servant to others. Show them My love. Love God and love others with all your whole being.

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 a choice, not an emotion (1 Corinthians 13), Mar 28, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Corinthians 13
Set – Psalms 39, 41; 1 Corinthians 13
Go! – Judges 4-5; Psalms 39, 41; 1 Corinthians 13

1 Corinthians 13
1 What if I speak in the most elegant languages of people or in the exotic languages of the heavenly messengers, but I live without love? Well then, anything I say is like the clanging of brass or a crashing cymbal. 2 What if I have the gift of prophecy, am blessed with knowledge and insight to all the mysteries, or what if my faith is strong enough to scoop a mountain from its bedrock, yet I live without love? If so, I am nothing. 3 I could give all that I have to feed the poor, I could surrender my body to be burned as a martyr, but if I do not live in love, I gain nothing by my selfless acts.

4 Love is patient; love is kind. Love isn’t envious, doesn’t boast, brag, or strut about. There’s no arrogance in love; 5 it’s never rude, crude, or indecent—it’s not self-absorbed. Love isn’t easily upset. Love doesn’t tally wrongs 6 or celebrate injustice; but truth—yes, truth—is love’s delight! 7 Love puts up with anything and everything that comes along; it trusts, hopes, and endures no matter what. 8 Love will never become obsolete. Now as for the prophetic gifts, they will not last; unknown languages will become silent, and the gift of knowledge will no longer be needed. 9 Gifts of knowledge and prophecy are partial at best, at least for now, 10 but when the perfection and fullness of God’s kingdom arrive, all the parts will end. 11 When I was a child, I spoke, thought, and reasoned in childlike ways as we all do. But when I became a man, I left my childish ways behind. 12 For now, we can only see a dim and blurry picture of things, as when we stare into polished metal. I realize that everything I know is only part of the big picture. But one day, when Jesus arrives, we will see clearly, face-to-face. In that day, I will fully know just as I have been wholly known by God. 13 But now faith, hope, and love remain; these three virtues must characterize our lives. The greatest of these is love.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Listen carefully. This is what it’s all about. I created humankind to have loving relationships with Me and with each other. The church is all about love. My coming in human flesh and dying on the cross is all about My love for you. The entirety of the Bible echoes My love for My highest creation and My plan to redeem fallen humankind.

Today’s problem is that love has been hijacked by the entertainment world and made it something I never meant it to become. The cheap lust that the world substitutes for real love continues to pull people, young and old, into its clutches. But My intentions for men and women were much higher than the temporary pleasures Satan uses to tempt lost souls.

Read Paul’s description of real love in several different translations and let its meaning soak into your heart. Understand what I want from you as you relate to one another. I want you to love Me and love one another with the conscious, deliberate love Paul describes. It’s not an emotion, it’s an action. It’s a decision you make when you love one another. Here’s that description again to show you it’s not an emotion.

“Love is patient; love is kind. Love isn’t envious, doesn’t boast, brag, or strut about. There’s no arrogance in love; it’s never rude, crude, or indecent—it’s not self-absorbed. Love isn’t easily upset. Love doesn’t tally wrongs or celebrate injustice; but truth—yes, truth—is love’s delight! Love puts up with anything and everything that comes along; it trusts, hopes, and endures no matter what. Love will never become obsolete.”

I gave Paul these words because love is an action, a practice, a purpose, a choice you make every day with those around you. You can love your spouse, children, and family. You can love your brothers and sisters in Christ. You can also love your enemies. How? Because love is a choice, an action, a purpose, a practice you exercise each day. With My help, there is no one you cannot love. And remember what I told you in My word. If you cannot love your brother whom you can see, you cannot love Me whom you cannot see.

It might not be a bad idea to put this part of Paul’s letter in a place you can read it every day for a week to remind yourself what I want from you in your relationship with Me and each other. Give it try and see where you might be falling short. 

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.

Arguing in the church? Surely not! (Galatians 5:1-15), Mar 14, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Galatians 5:1-15
Set – Deuteronomy 27; Galatians 5
Go! – Deuteronomy 25-27; Galatians 5

Galatians 5:1-15
1So stand strong for our freedom! The Anointed One freed us so we wouldn’t spend one more day under the yoke of slavery, trapped under the law.

2 Listen because I, Paul, am going to make this message very clear so it cannot be misunderstood: if you undergo the rite of circumcision, then all that the Anointed accomplished will be lost on you. 3 And understand this: if you choose to be circumcised, then you will oblige yourself to do every single rule of the law for the rest of your life. 4 You, and anyone else who seeks to be on the right side of God through the law, have effectively been cut off from the Anointed, circumcised from grace, and cast off from the favor of God. 5 We, on the other hand, continue to live through the Spirit’s power and wait confidently in the hope that things will be put right through faith. 6 Here’s the thing: in Jesus the Anointed whether you are circumcised or not makes no difference. What makes a difference is faith energized by love.

7 Who has impeded your progress and kept you from obeying the truth? You were off to such a good start. 8 I know for certain the pressure isn’t coming from God. He keeps calling you to the truth. 9 You know what they say, “Just a little yeast causes all the dough to rise,” so even the slightest detour from the truth will take you to a destination you do not desire. 10 Despite this, I’m confident because the Lord reassures me that you will truly hear and take my message to heart. Besides, I also know that these troublemakers, whoever they are, will answer to God and be judged accordingly. 11 As for me, brothers and sisters, if I continue to preach circumcision—as these agitators claim—then why do I still face persecution? If I were to preach a compromised version of the good news, then the scandal of the cross would come to an end. 12 I really wish that these people who weigh you down with corrupt counsel would mutilate themselves!

13 Brothers and sisters, God has called you to freedom! Hear the call, and do not spoil this gift by using your liberty to engage in what your flesh desires; instead, use it to serve each other as Jesus taught through love. 14 For the whole law comes down to this one instruction: “Love your neighbor as yourself,” so 15 why all this vicious gnawing on each other? If you are not careful, you will find you’ve eaten each other alive!

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

This last paragraph you heard today from Paul’s letter written 2,000 years ago to a church in Galatia could just as easily be addressed to many churches around the world today. How did so many of you get so far away from the truth of My word? I called you to the freedom as I taught you with My example as I walked among you. I still lived within not just the letter, but the spirit of the law given on Mount Sinai to Moses. But I refused to bow to the ridiculous traditions that pulled people away from My command to love each other.

I purpose when I first created man entailed the populating of the earth and giving stewardship of all My creation to you. To do so effectively, I wanted you to love each other. To care for each other and build relationships that allowed for opportunities to serve each other using the talents and skills I gave each of you. None of you can make it through life alone. All of you need each other for survival and the abundant life I want you to experience.

I want you to share in families and friendships and business relationships. I want you to act like I did when I walked the streets of Jerusalem and understand that freedom means service. Freedom means exercising the talents I gave you for the betterment of others. But here you are, squabbling over petty issues. Getting hurt over what you thought you heard, usually second- or third-hand, when that’s not what was said at all. Fighting and bickering over nothing. And all of this within the framework of the church. But not My church. I won’t visit when that stuff is going on. I’ll give it over to you, then. That’s what you want anyway in those situations.

Can’t you get rid of the selfish interests and look for the good of others? Can’t you understand the sacrifice I made for you to abolish the very behavior you exercise in your petty arguments? Does the tempo really matter if I am being praised? Do you think I care about colors of walls if you are lifting My name in prayer and thanksgiving? I want you to love others, especially those within the body of Christ. My command to you is to love Me first then love others as you love yourself. The gnawing at each other that seems to happen in My churches just doesn’t fit that pattern. So the question you must ask yourself, before I ask you in front of My throne, “Is my heart right with God?” Remember, if you hate your brother, you can’t love 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.

Live, Love, Labor – for the Lord (Deuteronomy 10/12-22), Mar 9, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Deuteronomy 10:12-22
Set – Deuteronomy 10; Mark 16
Go! – Deuteronomy 10-12; Mark 16

Deuteronomy 10:12-22
12 And now, Israel, what is the Eternal your God asking of you? Only that you fear Him, live as He wants you to, and love Him; serve Him with every part of you, heart and soul; 13 and obey His commands and rules, which I’m giving you today for your good.

14 Think of it—everything already belongs to the Eternal your God: the sky and His own dwelling place beyond the sky, the earth and everything on it. 15 Nevertheless He devotedly loved your ancestors; and out of all the peoples He chose you, their descendants, to be His own, as you still are today. 16 Cut away that hard covering around your heart, and do not harden your neck against me, 17 because the Eternal your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great and mighty and amazing God! He doesn’t favor the powerful, and He can’t be bribed.

18 He enforces His justice for the powerless, such as orphans and widows, and He loves foreigners, making sure they have food and clothing. 19 You must love those foreigners living with you in the same way. Remember how you were foreigners in the land of Egypt! 20 So fear the Eternal your God; serve Him, and be devoted to Him. Show your loyalty by swearing oaths only in His name. 21 He’s the One you must praise—He’s your God who has done such great and amazing things for you, as you’ve seen with your own eyes. 22 When your ancestors went into Egypt, there were only 70 people in their whole clan. But He kept increasing your numbers, and now there are as many of you as there are stars in the sky!

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Moses summarized My requirements for you pretty well. What do I want from you? Fear Me; live as I want you to; love Me; serve Me with every part of you, heart and soul; and obey My commands and rules. It might sound like a lot, but it really isn’t. It really boils down to thinking about who I am and then loving Me because of it.

I own everything. Look around you. It’s Mine – lock, stock, and barrel – everything. It belongs to Me. I created what you see or the materials from which it was made along with the creative genius to make it. Everything is Mine. So the food you eat – Mine. The house you live in – Mine. The clothes you wear – Mine. The car you drive – Mine again. Everything is Mine.

I let you borrow My stuff for a while and that opportunity for stewardship tells you I love you. More important than what I let you borrow for a while, though, is the sacrifice I made for you so you can live the way I want you to. Jesus’ death on the cross, My Son, Me in the flesh, provided the penalty for your sins so you can live in freedom. Freedom from the guilt of sin. All you have to do is accept Me as your Lord. Live like I want you to live. Believe I am who I say I am. Do what I ask. I’ll never give you more than you can handle.

So with all I do for you, can you not love Me with all your heart and soul? Can you trust Me to guide your way through life? Can you let Me design the pattern of your life in a way that makes the most sense for the long term? If I can create the universe and all that is in it, surely I can lay out the right path for you. You can trust Me with your possessions, they’re Mine anyway. You can trust Me with your time, that’s Mine, too. You can trust Me with your health, I give it to you. You can trust Me with your life, I created it.

Simple rules to live by. Just love me with your whole self, body, mind, and spirit. Say yes to what I ask. Obey My rules and commands. That’s it. Not a lot to remember. I don’t want to make this so complex and difficult that you have a hard time doing it. I want you to succeed. I want you to join Me in everlasting life one day. And I want you to begin that journey now. 

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 do you decorate? (Deuteronomy 6), Mar 7, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Deuteronomy 6
Set – Deuteronomy 6; Mark 14
Go! – Deuteronomy 5-6; Psalms 43; Mark 14

Deuteronomy 6
Moses: 1The Eternal your God commanded me to teach you these rules and judgments so that you would obey them in the land that is yours when you cross the Jordan. 2 You are to fear Him and obey His rules and commands, just as I’m teaching them to you now. Do this your whole lives—you, your children and your grandchildren—and you’ll live in the land a long time. 3 Yes, Israel, if you pay careful attention and obey, everything will go well for you in that land flowing with milk and honey; and you’ll have many, many descendants just as the Eternal, the God of your ancestors, promised you.

Moses: 4 Listen, Israel! The Eternal is our True God—He alone. 5 You should love Him, your True God, with all your heart and soul, with every ounce of your strength. 6 Make the things I’m commanding you today part of who you are. 7 Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you’re sitting together in your home and when you’re walking together down the road. Make them the last thing you talk about before you go to bed and the first thing you talk about the next morning. 8 Do whatever it takes to remember them: tie a reminder on your hand and bind a reminder on your forehead where you’ll see it all the time, 9 such as on the doorpost where you cross the threshold or on the city gate.

10 The Eternal your God promised your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that He would give you this land. When He brings you into it, you’ll live in beautiful and spacious cities you didn’t build. 11 You’ll have houses filled with good things waiting for you—cisterns to hold water already dug out of the rock for you, and vineyards and olive orchards that you didn’t plant. You’ll have all you want to eat and more. 12 When this happens, be very, very careful! Don’t forget it was the Eternal who brought you out of Egypt, where you were slaves. 13 Worship Him, your True God, and serve Him and swear oaths only in His name. 14 Don’t become devoted to any of the gods the people around you worship. 15 The Eternal your God is living right among you, and He’s a jealous God. He would become furious if you were unfaithful to Him—He’d wipe you off the face of the earth!

16 Don’t put the Eternal, your True God, to the test the way you did back at Massah.

Moses: 17 Carefully obey the commands, rules, and precedents the Eternal, your True God, has given you. 18 Do the things He considers right and good. Then everything will go well for you, and you’ll go and live in the good land He promised to your ancestors. 19 The Eternal will drive out all of your enemies, just as He said He would.

20 You’ll have conversations about this with your children in the future, and this is how they should go:

Child: What are these precedents and rules and judgments the Eternal our God commanded you to obey?

Parents (to your child): 21 We used to be slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, but then the Eternal delivered us with overwhelming power. 22 He sent amazing and awful signs and omens to torment the Egyptians, Pharaoh, and his royal court—right before our eyes! 23 He brought us out of there so He could bring us here and give us the land He promised to our ancestors. 24 He commanded us to remember all these rules to show that we fear Him, our God, so that things will always go well for us and so that we can keep living here as we are now. 25 If we carefully obey everything the Eternal our God has commanded us, then we’ll be living as we should, in righteousness and in right relationship with Him.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

What are the visible signs in your house that remind you of Me? What do you carry with you every day that helps you remember the My faithfulness to you? What do you do to recall My intervention in your life?

If you have a hard time answering those questions, maybe it’s time to think about how you decorate. I told Moses and the Israelites to keep visible reminders around them of My faithfulness to them. I wanted them to keep things around them to remember the milestones in their life that showed how I cared for them in the good and bad times of their journey through life. I wanted them to have things in their home that caused their children to ask questions about their significance that prompted stories about Me and My deliverance from Pharaoh and their freedom from their bonds to slavery.

I want the same for you. What do you see as you walk out the door each day to remind you that I will be with you all day long? How do your children know you serve Me and expect them to serve Me, too? Maybe a simple plaque that recalls Joshua’s declaration to the Israelites near the back door would remind them and you. “…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Then talk about the plaque and what it means to you often.

Maybe pictures or painting or drawings of people in postures of prayer around the house will remind you and your children of the importance of prayer and communicating with Me often. Instead of hiding your Bible on a bookshelf, perhaps an open Bible visible on the kitchen counter will remind you to read it every day. What if you stuck a card with a Bible verse on your bathroom mirror every morning. Would it help you to remember to hide My word in your heart?

Look around the rooms in your house. What do you have that reminds you to talk to Me? What causes you or your children or your guests to ask questions about Me? How can you improve the decor of your home, your office, your car, anywhere you spend time so that you are reminded to carry out My commands, tell others of Me, talk to Me, witness for Me?

Everyday the media bombards you with it’s messages to lure you away from Me. Isn’t it about time you do something to remind yourself to remember Me? Look around. Make it happen. It’s not hard.

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

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

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.

Love like hate (Luke 14:25-35), Jan 14, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Devotional

Today’s background scripture comes from Luke 14.
Many think there is no cost to following Me. It isn’t true. I don’t need your money. I don’t need your house. I don’t need any material possession you own. I need you. And I need you to understand I already own everything you have whether you think I do or not. At best, you are only a steward of the things on earth. Life is short whether you live a few days or a hundred years. When compared to eternity, your lifetime on earth is nothing.

So why spend that time chasing after things that don’t matter? My words sound harsh, you can’t be My disciple without hating your own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and even your own life. And I will tell you, if you follow Me, you won’t hate them. But in comparison, your love for Me must be on such a higher plain than your love for them it will look like hatred to those that don’t understand. You will make choices for Me and act for Me and the world won’t get it. They will look at you the way they looked at Me.

I could have spared My earthly mother so much pain and suffering. But My love for the Father outdistanced My love for Mary so much I had to act on His behalf so I could act on her behalf. That’s the misunderstanding the world doesn’t get. Doing My will and My work means you will do good for them even when it doesn’t feel good for either of you. The world will say you lost your mind. The world will disown you. It may institutionalize you, incarcerate you, persecute you, even execute you. But following Me will be worth it all.

This life is so confused, so messed up by the sins around you, so given over to evil influences, so short. I have so much more in store for you. Open you hands. Turn your palms down. Now hang on to what you can hold in your hands. That’s what you should love of this world. Grab what lasts. Weigh the cost of serving Me. Understand what I gave to make your eternal life with Me possible. I gave everything for you. What I want in return is…you! Just you!

Today’s Scripture

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Luke 14:25-35
Set – Genesis 35; Luke 14
Go! – Genesis 34-36; Luke 14

Luke 14:25-35

Great crowds joined Him [Jesus] on His journey, and He turned to them.

Jesus: 26 If any of you come to Me without hating your own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and yes, even your own life, you can’t be My disciple. 27 If you don’t carry your own cross as if to your own execution as you follow Me, you can’t be part of My movement. 28 Just imagine that you want to build a tower. Wouldn’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to be sure you have enough to finish what you start? 29 If you lay the foundation but then can’t afford to finish the tower, everyone will mock you: 30 “Look at that guy who started something that he couldn’t finish!”

31 Or imagine a king gearing up to go to war. Wouldn’t he begin by sitting down with his advisors to determine whether his 10,000 troops could defeat the opponent’s 20,000 troops? 32 If not, he’ll send a peace delegation quickly and negotiate a peace treaty. 33 In the same way, if you want to be My disciple, it will cost you everything. Don’t underestimate that cost!

34 Don’t be like salt that has lost its taste. How can its saltiness be restored? Flavorless salt is absolutely worthless. 35 You can’t even use it as fertilizer, so it’s worth less than manure! Don’t just listen to My words here. Get the deeper meaning.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Music by the Booth Brothers from Room for More, “Faithful One” ©2008.
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.

All you need is love (Luke 10:1-29), Jan 10, 2015

Leave a reply

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Today’s background scripture comes from Luke 10:1-29


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download
You who are My adopted children have a mission to perform. Like the 70 I sent out to all the villages to announce the arrival of God’s kingdom, I’m sending you. It’s a simple message with a simple command. Love one another.

I’m not sure the Beatles’ interpretation was right, but their words were right when they made their hit song “All You Need Is Love.” Unfortunately, the world misuses the word today. They misunderstand love and think of it only as an emotion to fill their own base desires. But love is so much more. Love is why I wrapped Myself in flesh and gave Myself as a sacrifice for you. Love is why I endured the cross for You. Love is why a mother or father will give all, including life itself for their children.

Love is all you need, but it is My love you need. And it is your love others need and I want. Not the emotional drivel that poses as love in the world, but action that demonstrates real care and concern for humankind. Love that shows your compassion for others. Love that lets them know you tending the sick, feeding the hungry, visiting those imprisoned by life’s circumstances constitute your parts of your schedule, not just your language.

As you go out into the world with My message, you’ll find some people are not easy to love, but that is My command. Love them anyway. I died for them. And in the church, love each other. Get rid of your petty arguments and love. Do you have to agree with each other all the time? No, but you must love each other. Don’t let disagreements turn to gossip or dissension or anger. Love with My love. Encourage each other. Carry each others’ burdens. Help each other grow in faith and grace and love. Teach others what it means to become Christlike, not by your words, but by your actions.

Love Me with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor like you love yourself.

Ready – Luke 10:1-29
Set – Genesis 25; Luke 10
Go! – Genesis 25-26; Psalms 6; Luke 10

Luke 10:1-29)
The Lord then recruited and deployed 70 more disciples. He sent them ahead, in teams of two, to visit all the towns and settlements between them and Jerusalem. 2 This is what He ordered.

Jesus: There’s a great harvest waiting in the fields, but there aren’t many good workers to harvest it. Pray that the Harvest Master will send out good workers to the fields.

3 It’s time for you 70 to go. I’m sending you out armed with vulnerability, like lambs walking into a pack of wolves. 4 Don’t bring a wallet. Don’t carry a backpack. I don’t even want you to wear sandals. Walk along barefoot, quietly, without stopping for small talk. 5 When you enter a house seeking lodging, say, “Peace on this house!” 6 If a child of peace—one who welcomes God’s message of peace—is there, your peace will rest on him. If not, don’t worry; nothing is wasted. 7 Stay where you’re welcomed. Become part of the family, eating and drinking whatever they give you. You’re My workers, and you deserve to be cared for. Again, don’t go from house to house, 8 but settle down in a town and eat whatever they serve you. 9 Heal the sick and say to the townspeople, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.”

10 Of course, not every town will welcome you. If you’re rejected, walk through the streets and say, 11 “We’re leaving this town. We’ll wipe off the dust that clings to our feet in protest against you. But even so, know this: the kingdom of God has come near.” 12 I tell you the truth, on judgment day, Sodom will have an easier time of it than the town that rejects My messengers.

13 It’s going to be bad for you, Chorazin! It’s going to be bad for you, Bethsaida! If the mighty works done in your streets had been done in the cities of Tyre and Sidon, they would have been moved to turn to God and cry out in sackcloth and ashes. 14 On judgment day, Tyre and Sidon will have an easier time of it than you. 15 It’s going to be bad for you, too, Capernaum! Will you be celebrated to heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead.

16 Listen, disciples: if people give you a hearing, they’re giving Me a hearing. If they reject you, they’re rejecting Me. And if they reject Me, they’re rejecting the One who sent Me. So—go now!

17 When the 70 completed their mission and returned to report on their experiences, they were elated.

Seventy: It’s amazing, Lord! When we use Your name, the demons do what we say!

Jesus: 18 I know. I saw Satan falling from above like a lightning bolt. 19 I’ve given you true authority. You can smash vipers and scorpions under your feet. You can walk all over the power of the enemy. You can’t be harmed. 20 But listen—that’s not the point. Don’t be elated that evil spirits leave when you say to leave. Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

21 Then Jesus Himself became elated. The Holy Spirit was on Him, and He began to pray with joy.

Jesus: Thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. Thank You for hiding Your mysteries from the wise and intellectual, instead revealing them to little children. Your ways are truly gracious. 22 My Father has given Me everything. No one knows the full identity of the Son except the Father, and nobody knows the full identity of the Father except the Son, and the Son fully reveals the Father to whomever He wishes. 23 (then almost in a whisper to the disciples) How blessed are your eyes to see what you see! 24 Many prophets and kings dreamed of seeing what you see, but they never got a glimpse. They dreamed of hearing what you hear, but they never heard it.

25 Just then a scholar of the Hebrew Scriptures tried to trap Jesus.

Scholar: Teacher, what must I do to experience the eternal life?

Jesus (answering with a question): 26 What is written in the Hebrew Scriptures? How do you interpret their answer to your question?

Scholar: 27 You shall love—“love the Eternal One your God with everything you have: all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind”—and “love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus: 28 Perfect. Your answer is correct. Follow these commands and you will live.

29 The scholar was frustrated by this response because he was hoping to make himself appear smarter than Jesus.

Scholar: Ah, but who is my neighbor?

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.