Tag Archives: Matthew

Watch truth unfold (Matthew 13:1-23), November 22, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast

Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 13:1-23

Set – Matthew 12-13

Go! – Matthew 11-13

Matthew 13:1-23
1 That same day, Jesus left the house and went to sit by the sea. 2 Large crowds gathered around Him, and He got into a boat on the sea and sat there. The crowd stood on the shore waiting for His teaching.
3 And so Jesus began to teach. On this day, He spoke in parables. Here is His first parable:
Jesus: Once there was a sower who scattered seeds. 4 One day he walked in a field scattering seeds as he went. Some seeds fell beside a road, and a flock of birds came and ate all those seeds. 5 So the sower scattered seeds in a field, one with shallow soil and strewn with rocks. But the seeds grew quickly amid all the rocks, 6 without rooting themselves in the shallow soil. Their roots got tangled up in all the stones. The sun scorched these seeds, and they died. 7 And so the sower scattered seeds near a path, this one covered with thorny vines. The seeds fared no better there—the thorns choked them, and they died. 8 And so finally the sower scattered his seeds in a patch of good earth. At home in the good earth, the seeds grew and grew. Eventually the seeds bore fruit, and the fruit grew ripe and was harvested. The harvest was immense—30, 60, 100 times what was sown.
9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Disciples: 10 Why do You speak to the people in parables?
Jesus: 11 The knowledge of the secrets of heaven has been given to you, but it has not been given to them. 12 Those who have something will be given more—and they will have abundance. Those who have nothing will lose what they have—they will be destitute. 13 I teach in parables so the people may look but not see, listen but not hear or understand. 14 They are fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy:
You will listen, but you will not understand;
you will look, but you will not see.
15 The people’s hearts have turned to flab;
their ears are clogged;
their eyes are shut.
They will try to see, but they will not see;
they will try to hear, but they will not hear;
they will try to understand, but they will not comprehend.
If they, with their blindness and deafness, so choose, then I will heal them.
16-17 Many holy prophets and righteous men and women and people of prayer and doers of good have wanted to see but did not see, and have wanted to hear but did not hear. Your eyes and ears are blessed.
18 This is what the parable of the sower means. 19 It is about the kingdom of heaven. When someone hears the story of the Kingdom and cannot understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away whatever goodness and holiness had been sown in the heart. This is like the seeds sown beside the road. 20-21 You know people who hear the word of God and receive it joyfully—but then, somehow, the word fails to take root in their hearts. It is temporary. As soon as there is trouble for those people, they trip: those people are the seeds strewn on the rocky soil. 22 And you know people who hear the word, but it is choked inside them because they constantly worry and prefer the wealth and pleasures of the world: they prefer drunken dinner parties to prayer, power to piety, and riches to righteousness. Those people are like the seeds sown among thorns. 23 The people who hear the word and receive it and grow in it—those are like the seeds sown on good soil. They produce a bumper crop, 30 or 60 or 100 times what was sown.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Do I hide knowledge from you? Why would I tell My disciples about Isaiah’s prophecy that “though seeing, they will not see; though hearing, they will hear; though understanding, they will not comprehend”? Do you think I hide knowledge from you?

No. But Satan often pulls a veil over your eyes so that the truth seems camoflagued. The lies you’ve heard for so long cause you not to see the truth right in front of you. It’s like looking for the hidden face in a picture. It’s not really hidden at all and once you see it, you can’t help be see it every time you look at the picture. In fact, it’s the first thing you see when you look at the picture.

When you to come to Me in faith, I can open your eyes to the truth. Sometimes your prejudices, your past, your own experiences get in the way of the truth. As Isaiah says, you can see the truth right in front of you, but not see it, like camoflague. But once you let My Spirit in you open your eyes, you can see it clearly. I give you new eyes. I transform your mind. I let you see the way I see. Truth opens up to you and you begin to understand as never before.

Exercise your faith in Me and see if truth doesn’t unfold in front of 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.

Faith and righteousness (Matthew 8:1-13), November 21, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast

Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 8:1-13

Set – Matthew 8-9

Go! – Matthew 8-10

Matthew 8:1-13
1 Large crowds followed Jesus when He came down from the mountain. 2 And as Jesus was going along, a leper approached Him and knelt down before Him.
Leper: Lord, if You wish to, please heal me and make me clean!
Jesus (stretching out His hand): 3 Of course I wish to. Be clean.
Immediately the man was healed.
Jesus: 4 Don’t tell anyone what just happened. Rather, go to the priest, show yourself to him, and give a wave offering as Moses commanded. Your actions will tell the story of what happened here today.
5 Eventually Jesus came to the little town of Capernaum. In Capernaum a military officer came to Him and asked Him for help.
Officer: 6 Lord, I have a servant who is lying at home in agony, paralyzed.
Jesus: 7 I will come to your house, and I will heal him.
Officer: 8 Lord, I don’t deserve to have You in my house. And, in truth, I know You don’t need to be with my servant to heal him. Just say the word, and he will be healed. 9 That, after all, is how authority works. My troops obey me whether I am next to them or not—similarly, this sickness will obey You.
10 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. 11 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. 12 But those who have feigned their faith will be cast out into outer darkness where people weep and grind their teeth.
13 Then Jesus turned to the Centurion.
Jesus: You may go home. For it is as you say it is; it is as you believe.
And the officer’s servant was healed, right then.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Matthew comes back to a story of faith. He tells a lot of stories of faith because that is a center piece of righteousness. Many think righteousness has to do with how you behave, the rules you keep, the church you attend. It doesn’t. None of those things make you a righteous person. Go back and read about Abraham and what made him righteous. He didn’t have any rules. Remember? He came before the Law. Moses didn’t come around for another 400 years!

And how about Job. It wasn’t his behavior that made him righteous before Me. After he lost everything he had, he couldn’t do much more than grovel in the ashes. He couldn’t do any of the things he did with the wealth he had before Satan attacked him, but I still said he was righteous before Me. So it’s not about behavior.

It certainly isn’t about your church. Did you know there are probably child molestors and adulterers and murderers in your denomination and maybe in your congregation. They’re pretty invisible to most people. So it isn’t about the church you attend. That doesn’t matter much to Me. They all have their faults because they all have people in them. They all have hypocrits in them.

Righteousness is all about faith and who you put your faith in. The Centurion got it right. He put his faith in Me. I had not seen faith like his until that point in My earthly ministry. He understood. I didn’t have to go to his house. All I needed to do was say the words and his servant would be healed. He understood authority and had faith that I held authority over the disease that touched his servant. That’s faith. It’s not hard. It’s just believing that I can do what I say I can.

That’s what righteousness is all about. Believing in Me. Believing I am who I say. Believing I can make you into the person I created you to be. Believing I died to pay the penalty you owe for your sins. Believing because of My death on the cross, I have the power and authority to forgive you. And when you exercise that little bit of faith, I can transform your life. I can take away the guilt and the stain of sin in your life and show you a better way to live. I can teach you real love. I can help you to love God and love others in ways you cannot understand until your sins have been washed away by My blood.

Believe in Me. Exercise your faith in Me. Abraham learned I counted him as righteous because of that faith. I will do the same for you and everyone who will do the same. Righteousness is something I give you. Just believe.

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.

Just do your best (Matthew 1:18-25), November 19, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast

Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 1:18-25

Set – Matthew 1, 4

Go! – Matthew 1-4

Matthew 1:18-25
18 So here, finally, is the story of the birth of Jesus the Anointed (it is quite a remarkable story):
Mary was engaged to marry Joseph, son of David. They hadn’t married. And yet, some time well before their wedding date, Mary learned that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, because he was kind and upstanding and honorable, wanted to spare Mary shame. He did not wish to cause her more embarrassment than necessary.
20 Now when Joseph had decided to act on his instincts, a messenger of the Lord came to him in a dream.
Messenger of the Lord: Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to wed Mary and bring her into your home and family as your wife. She did not sneak off and sleep with someone else—rather, she conceived the baby she now carries through the miraculous wonderworking of the Holy Spirit. 21 She will have a son, and you will name Him Jesus, which means “the Lord saves,” because this Jesus is the person who will save all of His people from sin.
24 Joseph woke up from his dream and did exactly what the messenger had told him to do: he married Mary and brought her into his home as his wife 25 (though he did not consummate their marriage until after her son was born). And when the baby was born, Joseph named Him Jesus, Savior.
22 Years and years ago, Isaiah, a prophet of Israel, foretold the story of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus:
23 A virgin will conceive and bear a Son,
and His name will be Immanuel
(which is a Hebrew name that means “God with us”).

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Did you ever think what it would be like to be in Joseph’s shoes? Your parents arrange a marriage with one of the local girls in Nazareth. She’s young, not too bad looking. You’ve known Mary most of your life. She won’t be too bad a catch, but her parents are rich or anything. They are the appropriate exchanges of gifts and doweries to solidify deal and now you wait for the years to pass by so Mary can become your wife.

Then just a few months before the magic day arrives you find out she’s pregnant and you know this baby isn’t yours. You haven’t had a chance to talk with her because the culture doesn’t let you talk privately. So what are you supposed to think. How could she shame you and your family this way. But then you know Mary. You know her character and that of her family. You know she would not go out and do this willingly.

So you believe someone in the little village must have taken advantage of her when she was away from her parents. You’re not sure how it could happen, but that must be the explanation and you want to keep her from any further embarrassment and try to figure out how to move the wedding up to save her any further shame.

Do you understand how Joseph might have felt? He must have really loved Mary, though, because she would deliver before the expected time and the two of them would be labeled as having sex before marriage. Strictly taboo in their culture. Joseph could tell people the child was his and he could save Mary from stoning, but he couldn’t keep her from the snide remarks, the suggestive looks and comments, the isolation at the public well, all the things that went with the shunning that was sure to happen to both of them because of the supposed indiscretion between them.

Joseph would feel the pressure as much as Mary once Jesus was born. Yet until the angel came and explained her situation, he still supported her and wanted to avoid any shame and embarrassment she might endure. And then the angel came.

How could Joseph handle raising My Son? How could he support His education and mentoring as an earthly father? How could Joseph treat Jesus the same as his other children knowing who Jesus was and who his real father was? Did you ever think about how inadequate Joseph felt for the task ahead of him? But Joseph did what I ask any of you to do, your best. That’s all. No more, and no less. Just that and I’m satisfied.

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

Don’t 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.

He’s coming back (Matthew 24:1-22), May 7, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 24:1-22
Set – 2 Samuel 14; Matthew 24
Go! – 2 Samuel 13-14; Matthew 24

Matthew 24:1-22
1 Jesus left the temple. As He was walking away, His disciples came up to Him and asked what He thought about the temple buildings.

Jesus: 2 Look around you. All of it will become rubble. I tell you this: not one stone will be left standing.

3 Later, as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately.

Disciples: We don’t understand Your predictions. Tell us, when will these things happen: When will the temple be destroyed? What will be the sign that You are returning? How will we know that the end of the age is upon us?

Jesus: 4 Take care that you are not deceived. 5 For many will come in My name claiming they are the Anointed One, and many poor souls will be taken in. 6 You will hear of wars, and you will hear rumors of wars, but you should not panic. It is inevitable, this violent breaking apart of the sinful world, but remember, the wars are not the end. The end is still unfolding. 7 Nations will do battle with nations, and kingdoms will fight neighboring kingdoms, and there will be famines and earthquakes. 8 But these are not the end. These are the birth pangs, the beginning. The end is still unfolding.

9 They will hand you over to your enemies, who will torture you and then kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. 10 And many who have followed Me and claimed to love Me and sought God’s kingdom will turn away—they will abandon the faith and betray and hate one another. 11-12 The love that they had for one another will grow cold because few will obey the law. False prophets will appear, many will be taken in by them, and the only thing that will grow is wickedness. There will be no end to the increase of wickedness. 13 But those who do not waver from our path and do not follow those false prophets—those among you will be saved. 14 And this good news of God’s kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, a testimony to all people and all nations. Then, beloved, the end, the consummation of all things, will come.

15 You will remember that the prophet Daniel predicted this—predicted the abomination that causes desolation—when you see the prophesied desolation of the holy place. (Reader, take notice; it is important that you understand this.) 16 When you see this, let those in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 If you are relaxing on your rooftop one evening and the signs of the temple’s destructions come, don’t return to your house to rescue a book or a pet or a scrap of clothing. 18 If you are in the field when the great destruction begins, don’t return home for a cloak. 19 Pregnant women and nursing mothers will have the worst of it. 20 And as for you, pray that your flight to the hills will not come on the Sabbath or in the cold of winter. 21 For the tribulation will be unparalleled—hardships of a magnitude that has not been seen since creation and that will not be seen again. 22 Indeed the Lord God your merciful judge will cut this time of trial short, and this will be done for the benefit of the elect that some might indeed be saved—for no one could survive the depravity for very long.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Well, I told you a long time ago that I would begin to show you when the end would begin to unfold. When I walked with you in the flesh, My disciples asked Me when the Temple would be destroyed. I used their question to give a broader answer to the end of time using all the scriptures and My knowledge to give them a peek into the future. What you are experiencing are the birth pangs.

I told you about wars and rumors of wars. Look around you at the nations of the world. There is little doubt of the hatred against My chosen people. If you think that has been true throughout history, you’re right. But never has the hatred escalated to the point it has today. Now nuclear weapons point to the cities of My people. But do you think I will let My chosen people be destroyed? Better think about who is on their side and remember what I’ve said in My word. “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

To the other nations of the world, I’d say, “Don’t try it.” But there will be wars and My people will suffer in them as will other nations.

Look at the famines, the droughts, the wild weather patterns that defy explanation, earthquakes. Many will say, “It’s just nature doing its thing. There are explanations if we just look hard enough.” I say, “Listen to what I told you 2,000 years ago.” You are in the birth pangs that show the beginning of the end. I’m coming back and it won’t be much longer. Look at the signs and know that I can return in the blink of an eye.

As I told My disciples 2,000 years ago, I tell you now. Be ready. You never know when I’ll be back.

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.

Wisdom doesn’t come from books (Matthew 22:34-46), May 5, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 22:34-46
Set – 2 Samuel 10; Matthew 22
Go! – 2 Samuel 10; 1 Chronicles 19-20; Psalms 20; Matthew 22

Matthew 22:34-46
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, a group of Pharisees met to consider new questions that might trip up Jesus. 35 A legal expert thought of one that would certainly stump Him.

Pharisees: 36 Teacher, of all the laws, which commandment is the greatest?

Jesus (quoting Scripture): 37 “Love the Eternal One your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind.” 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is nearly as important, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 40 The rest of the law, and all the teachings of the prophets, are but variations on these themes.

41 Since the Pharisees were gathered together there, Jesus took the opportunity to pose a question of His own.

Jesus: 42 What do you think about the Anointed One? Whose Son is He?

Pharisees: But, of course, He is the Son of David.

Jesus: 43 Then how is it that David—whose words were surely shaped by the Spirit—calls Him “Lord”? For in his psalms David writes,

44 The Master said to my master
“Sit here at My right hand,
in the place of honor and power,
And I will gather Your enemies together,
lead them in on hands and knees,
and You will rest Your feet on their backs.”
45 How can David call his own Son “Lord”?

46 No one had an answer to Jesus’ question. And from that day forward, no one asked Him anything.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Why do people always want to question Me? Why can’t they just believe I am who I say I am? There are some in every crowd who think they are smart enough to outsmart me. It doesn’t work. How can mere humans outsmart God? I created you. Why do you feel the need to question Me instead of just exercising a little faith and letting Me work in your life.

The Pharisees and Sadducees kept themselves in trouble with Me and with the common people of Israel because they continued to question Me. I answered all of their questions, but they could never answer Mine. They tried to trip Me up with their intellect, not realizing how foolish they were. That’s the way with those who think they are wise.

Wisdom doesn’t come from books. You can’t get wisdom from memorizing facts and figures. No one can discern the makings of the universe. I created it; it’s beyond human understanding. I know you have scientists that put formulas together to try to explain it. All of them lead back to faith in some unknown, though. You always have to start with something that has no explanation. But I can explain it because I made it.

I know how to make everything from nothing. I know how to create breathe life into lifeless dust. I know how to form the stars and the planets. Your scientists have some ideas, but I know; I did it. Who designed the process to make sure every creature on the planet has the right kind of food to eat? I did.

In fact, if the world were not marred by selfishness and sin, there is more than enough food to feed everyone today. Tons of food goes uneaten every day. Tons of produce and meat spoil in ports around the world because of the corruption, selfishness, and greed of those who would keep it from those who need it most.

Who has wisdom? Not those who think they do and try to flout their intellect as a badge trying to prove I don’t exist. Their circular arguments will always get them in trouble. Oh, they might match wits with other people and cloud their minds with their fancy words and high sounding education, but they will never have real wisdom until they learn to fear Me. Remember, real wisdom begins with the fear of Me. I have the answers you need, not some college professor or some self-proclaimed wiseman.

Be careful who you put your trust in. Too many during the time I walked with you in the flesh put their faith in the intellect of the Sadducees and Pharisees. At each encounter, though, I showed them how foolish they really were. They thought themselves wiser than the God of the universe. But they could not answer the simplest questions about life, love, and faith. Trust Me and you’ll be on the right track. 

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.

Faith – just do it! (Matthew 14:22-36), Apr 27, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 14:22-36
Set – 2 Samuel 2; Matthew 14
Go! – 2 Samuel 2; 1 Chronicles 11; Psalms 142; Matthew 14

Matthew 14:22-36
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on to the other side of the sea while He dismissed the crowd. 23 Then, after the crowd had gone, Jesus went up to a mountaintop alone (as He had intended from the start). As evening descended, He stood alone on the mountain, praying.

24 The boat was in the water, some distance from land, buffeted and pushed around by waves and wind. 25 Deep in the night, when He had concluded His prayers, Jesus walked out on the water to His disciples in their boat. 26 The disciples saw a figure moving toward them and were terrified.

Disciple: It’s a ghost!

Another Disciple: A ghost? What will we do?

Jesus: 27 Be still. It is I. You have nothing to fear.

Peter: 28 Lord, if it is really You, then command me to meet You on the water.

Jesus: 29 Indeed, come.

Peter stepped out of the boat onto the water and began walking toward Jesus. 30 But when he remembered how strong the wind was, his courage caught in his throat and he began to sink.

Peter: Master, save me!

31 Immediately Jesus reached for Peter and caught him.

Jesus: O you of little faith. Why did you doubt and dance back and forth between following Me and heeding fear?

32 Then Jesus and Peter climbed in the boat together, and the wind became still. 33 And the disciples worshiped Him.

Disciples: Truly You are the Son of God.

34 All together, Jesus and the disciples crossed to the other side of the sea. They landed at Gennesaret, an area famous for its princely gardens. 35 The people of Gennesaret recognized Jesus, and they spread word of His arrival all over the countryside. People brought the sick and wounded to Him 36 and begged Him for permission to touch the fringes of His robe. Everyone who touched Him was healed.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Peter started what Nike made famous. I want you to pay attention to these two stories and see the similarities in what faith does. Faith just steps out and does things. For Peter he was just as afraid as the other disciples in the boat, but when he thought he recognized Me, he made one simple request. “If it’s really You, ask me to come to You.” I did and Peter stepped out of the boat. That’s what faith does.

The same was true of those in Gennesaret. They knew if they could just touch even the fringe on My robe, they could find healing from their infirmities. So many of them stretched out their arms to touch My robe and found healing. Their faith launched them into action. James talks about faith in his short letter to the early churches. Faith requires action. Without action, faith is dead. Without action, faith is only words. There is nothing to it. It’s lifeless and meaningless until you put feet to your faith.

Peter and the people of Gennesaret understood faith. They understood it takes putting yourself in motion and doing something before real faith is exercised. Do you have faith in Me? Show it with your actions. Just do something for Me. Stop talking and do something. That’s what Peter did. That’s what the people of Gennesaret did. That’s what you’ll need to do to demonstrate your faith to those around 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.

What kind of seed are you? (Matthew 13:1-23), Apr 26, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 13:1-23
Set – 2 Samuel 1; Matthew 13
Go! – 2 Samuel 1; Psalms 140; Matthew 13

Matthew 13:1-23
1 That same day, Jesus left the house and went to sit by the sea. 2 Large crowds gathered around Him, and He got into a boat on the sea and sat there. The crowd stood on the shore waiting for His teaching.

3 And so Jesus began to teach. On this day, He spoke in parables. Here is His first parable:

Jesus: Once there was a sower who scattered seeds. 4 One day he walked in a field scattering seeds as he went. Some seeds fell beside a road, and a flock of birds came and ate all those seeds. 5 So the sower scattered seeds in a field, one with shallow soil and strewn with rocks. But the seeds grew quickly amid all the rocks, 6 without rooting themselves in the shallow soil. Their roots got tangled up in all the stones. The sun scorched these seeds, and they died. 7 And so the sower scattered seeds near a path, this one covered with thorny vines. The seeds fared no better there—the thorns choked them, and they died. 8 And so finally the sower scattered his seeds in a patch of good earth. At home in the good earth, the seeds grew and grew. Eventually the seeds bore fruit, and the fruit grew ripe and was harvested. The harvest was immense—30, 60, 100 times what was sown.

9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Disciples: 10 Why do You speak to the people in parables?

Jesus: 11 The knowledge of the secrets of heaven has been given to you, but it has not been given to them. 12 Those who have something will be given more—and they will have abundance. Those who have nothing will lose what they have—they will be destitute. 13 I teach in parables so the people may look but not see, listen but not hear or understand. 14 They are fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy:

You will listen, but you will not understand;
you will look, but you will not see.
15 The people’s hearts have turned to flab;
their ears are clogged;
their eyes are shut.
They will try to see, but they will not see;
they will try to hear, but they will not hear;
they will try to understand, but they will not comprehend.
If they, with their blindness and deafness, so choose, then I will heal them.
16-17 Many holy prophets and righteous men and women and people of prayer and doers of good have wanted to see but did not see, and have wanted to hear but did not hear. Your eyes and ears are blessed.

18 This is what the parable of the sower means. 19 It is about the kingdom of heaven. When someone hears the story of the Kingdom and cannot understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away whatever goodness and holiness had been sown in the heart. This is like the seeds sown beside the road. 20-21 You know people who hear the word of God and receive it joyfully—but then, somehow, the word fails to take root in their hearts. It is temporary. As soon as there is trouble for those people, they trip: those people are the seeds strewn on the rocky soil. 22 And you know people who hear the word, but it is choked inside them because they constantly worry and prefer the wealth and pleasures of the world: they prefer drunken dinner parties to prayer, power to piety, and riches to righteousness. Those people are like the seeds sown among thorns. 23 The people who hear the word and receive it and grow in it—those are like the seeds sown on good soil. They produce a bumper crop, 30 or 60 or 100 times what was sown.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I’m sure you’ve met each of the types of people described in the parable. The question is which one are you? And the deeper question is can you change if you don’t like the answer to the first question. If you’re one of those who let the evil one snatch away any goodness that has been sown in your heart, there is still hope for you. I can change you if you let Me.

If you are one of those up and down Christians that fail to let My word take root in your heart and you trip and fall as soon as trouble comes, I can help you. If you take pleasure in the world’s riches instead of the riches I can give you through prayer, piety, and righteousness, I can help you. I won’t do all the work, but I can help you.

I want your commitment to follow Me. I want you to love Me more than you love the world. I want you to trust Me with yourself. I want you to follow the path that I lay out in front of you. I promise I will go with you on that journey and I promise you will not be disappointed. The harvest you reap will astound you.

How do you start on that journey? Recognize that you need My help. Ask Me to forgive your past and live in you. Then listen to My voice and do what I ask of you. Don’t worry about tomorrow, just obey My commands for the next few minutes. You can do that. Then when you’ve done that, pledge to commit the next few minutes. Then the next and the next. Live one moment at a time and you’ll make it through the journey with Me. I will never leave you or forsake you. Just follow Me and see what happens.

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.

People are fickle (Matthew 11:1-19), Apr 24, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 11:1-19
Set – Psalms 109; Matthew 11
Go! – 1 Samuel 28-29; Psalms 109; Matthew 11

Matthew 11:1-19
1 With that, Jesus finished instructing His disciples, and He went on to preach and teach in the towns of Galilee. 2 John, meanwhile, was still in prison. But stories about the Anointed One’s teachings and healing reached him.

So John sent his followers 3 to question Jesus.

John’s Followers: Are You the One we have been expecting as Savior for so long? Are You the One Scripture promised would come? Or should we expect someone else?

Jesus: 4 Go back and tell John the things you have heard and the things you have seen. 5 Tell him you have seen the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers cured, the deaf hear, the dead raised, and the good news preached to the poor. 6 Blessed are those who understand what is afoot and stay on My narrow path.

7 John’s disciples left, and Jesus began to speak to a crowd about John.

Jesus: What did you go into the desert to see? Did you expect to see a reed blowing around in the wind? 8 No? Were you expecting to see a man dressed in the finest silks? No, of course not—you find silk in the sitting rooms of palaces and mansions, not in the middle of the wilderness. 9 So what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes. Yes, a prophet and more than a prophet. 10 When you saw John, you saw the one whom the prophet Malachi envisioned when he said,

I will send My messenger ahead of You,
and he will prepare the way for You.
11 This is the truth: no one who has ever been born to a woman is greater than John the Baptist. And yet the most insignificant person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12-13 All of the prophets of old, all of the law—that was all prophecy leading up to the coming of John. Now, that sort of prepares us for this very point, right here and now. When John the Baptist came, the kingdom of heaven began to break in upon us, and those in power are trying to clamp down on it—why do you think John is in jail? 14 If only you could see it—John is the Elijah, the prophet we were promised would come and prepare the way. 15 He who has ears for the truth, let him hear.

16 What is this generation like? You are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out, 17 “When we played the flute, you did not dance; and when we sang a dirge, you did not mourn.” 18 What I mean is this: When John came, he dressed in the clothes of a prophet, and he did not eat and drink like others but lived on honey and wild locusts. And people wondered if he was crazy, if he had been possessed by a demon. 19 Then the Son of Man appeared—He didn’t fast, as John had, but ate with sinners and drank wine. And the people said, “This man is a glutton! He’s a drunk! And He hangs around with tax collectors and sinners, to boot.” Well, Wisdom will be vindicated by her actions—not by your opinions.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I took the opportunity of John’s doubts and sending his disciples to question Me to point out how fickle people can be. I had no doubt John would understand the message I sent him and he would know I was the Messiah as he expected. Although he hoped I would rescue the Israelites from the political bondage of Rome and create a new independent nation again, that was not My mission. He wanted a military leader, as did most of the country. He wanted a new order of righteousness, as did most of the country. I didn’t come to do those things.

I came to establish My kingdom, but it would reside in the hearts of men and women who followed Me. Those who dared die to self and let Me reign in their lives regardless of the politics or religions around them. I wanted them to commit themselves to Me and nothing else. That was the price of entrance into My kingdom and that price hasn’t changed.

John shared the message. I shared the message. My disciples shared the message. Prophets in the past and even today share the message. But those then and today do the same thing the crowd around Me when John’s disciples asked about Me do. They show the fickle nature of people everywhere.

John was a prophet and wore clothes made of rough camel hair and ate honey and locust. He had just enough to survive and lived as all those in the wilderness. He looked the part of a desert nomad, rough, wild, able to live under the most rugged circumstances and enjoy it. The people who came to him complained his message was too strong. No one could live like him. He demanded too much.

I came and lived among the people in the cities. I spoke with prostitutes, tax collectors, the business people of the towns, even the Roman soldiers. The same people said I was a glutton and partied with the wrong people. They called Me a sinner because of the people I hung around with even though I kept all the law I gave to Moses on Mount Sinai hundreds of years earlier.

Why do people look for ways to find fault with the messenger? Because the truth of the message forces them to look inside themselves and they don’t like what they see. Truth will set them free from the bondage they feel, but they must first face that truth and it is often very ugly. It’s not easy to face the truth, but until you do, you can not find real repentance and so real forgiveness.

Do you find yourself falling into the trap of those in the crowd I spoke to that day John’s disciples questioned Me? It’s time to face the truth and find forgiveness. The message won’t change because I don’t change. My forgiveness doesn’t change either. Just come to Me in repentance and I will forgive. You’ll be glad you did. But it all starts with facing the real you, facing the truth.

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.