Tag Archives: miracle

Come to me (Mark 3:3) July 14, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Proverbs 10

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

Today’s Devotional

Mark 3:3
Jesus: Come to Me.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

As usual with eye witnesses, Mark gives us a slightly different account of the encounter in the temple with the man with the withered hand. The Pharisees want to see what He will do since it’s the Sabbath. He’s already scorched them with His answer about His disciples eating a handful of grain as they walked through the field on their way to the temple. But now here is this man with what is described as a withered hand. We don’t know what kind of disease, illness, deformity, or accident caused his hand to be withered, but we know he had little use of it and wanted relief from his malady.

We also know crowds already knew Jesus could heal sicknesses, injuries, deformities, and maladies no one else could heal. Jesus was a miracle worker and this man needed a miracle if his hand were to return to normal. But healing on the Sabbath. Talk about taboo. That would break all the rules. Doctors didn’t practice on the Sabbath. They just didn’t. So what would Jesus do? The stage was set. The Pharisees gaped from one side of the courtyard. The man with the withered hand looked pleadingly from the other side of the courtyard. Jesus stood between them. The crowd line both sides watching the standoff.

Jesus knows what the Pharisees are thinking. “Will He dare to break the law again and heal this man on the Sabbath? Let’s see if His compassion overtakes His sense of their Sabbath Law in the temple.”

Jesus says, “Come to me.”

I can see the man staring across the courtyard seeing the eyes of those Pharisees burning into him with raw hatred. He wouldn’t be taking more steps than allowed on this holy day. He was careful to measure his steps so he would have plenty left to cross the courtyard and even go to the pool of Siloam if Jesus asked him to. He planned this day well because he heard Jesus might be here today. His friends had seen Him coming to Jerusalem and so this man hoped beyond hope he would find Jesus here today.

He looked at the Pharisees again. Then he looked at Jesus and into His warm, compassionate eyes. He saw the love He had for all humankind in those eyes. He saw something in His countenance He just couldn’t resist. The Pharisees might ban him from the temple the rest of his days, but he would listen to this gentle man with the power of God resting on Him.

He heard the Jesus’ command ringing in his ears. Looked one more time at that band of Pharisees and compared their religion and lack of joy with the faith of this man who spoke like no other and the joy that radiate from Him. He stepped forward and followed Jesus’ command to come. He saw no other way to find the healing He knew this man could provide. The Pharisees wanted revenge. This man wanted healing and peace.

I expect half the crowd sided with the Pharisees that day. They needed their rules. They needed the regimentation the law gave them. They needed someone to intervene for them because they could not or did not want to live up to the law. So they needed the priests. But Jesus wanted them to have a personal relationship with God. He wanted them to talk to God as if He were their father. That’s what He did and He wanted them to do that too.

Jesus wanted them to look beyond the routine and see the possibilities when you let God take charge and do things out of the ordinary and do God-like things instead of just the things man can do. So part of the crowd stood on the side with the man wanting healing. They needed freedom. They needed healing. They needed peace. They needed real relationship with God instead of just their religion.

So what does that tell us today?

I think it says there will always be those, even within our organized religions that want to keep us trapped in rules and regulations. Even if there are good things that should be done that disrupt the ordinary, those will cry out against those good things because of the rules they live by. And they will consequently lose great blessings and the joy of following Jesus.

I think it says we will occasionally have opportunities to hear Jesus tell us to come to Him, but we will have to overcome the glare and ridicule of some tough opposition. The opposition might be fierce and even do everything in its power to destroy us, but if we will stand faithful and follow Jesus’ command, the reward will be well worth it in the end.

I think it says we have two choices, we can cower to the influence of those who want to rule our lives with the way things have always been whether right or wrong and find their favor, or we can follow God and find His favor. There are but two choices. Like the man with the withered hand, make the right one. 

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.

Is it blasphemy? (Mark 2:5-11) July 9, 2016

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Luke 19-20

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

Today’s Devotional

Mark 2:5-11
5Jesus recognized the faith of these men.
Jesus (to the paralyzed man): Son, your sins are forgiven.
Some scribes were sitting in the crowd, and they didn’t like what they were hearing.
Scribes (reasoning to themselves): What does this Jesus think He is doing? This kind of talk is blasphemy, an offense against the Most High! Only God can forgive sins.
At once Jesus realized what they were thinking. He turned to them.
Jesus: Why do My words trouble you so? Think about this: is it easier to tell this paralyzed man, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to tell him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk”? Still, I want to show you that the Son of Man has been given the authority on earth to forgive sins. (to the paralytic) Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

The scribes were the authorities on scripture. They not only preserved them by coping them from one scroll to another, but they also spent years learning them. They learned what their forefathers thought about their interpretation and carried those interpretations from generation to generation. The scribes did the research on topics when the priests wanted to know something. They could find whatever subjects someone was looking for, which was a minor miracle in Jesus day. Remember, chapters and verses didn’t appear in scriptures until the Geneva Bible translation in 1599. So these guys were the PhDs of biblical knowledge.

Then Jesus comes on the scene. He’s pulling out information that confounds the scribes. They have to search deeper and find passages He quotes that they haven’t used because they’re not very familiar to them. His teaching doesn’t fit the normal pattern and they have to brush off their books and find what He’s talking about. But it’s there. He’s using scripture, but He’s using it in ways they’ve never heard before.

Now He’s talking to this paralytic who wants help with His disease and instead of healing him, this Man says his sins are forgiven. “Who do you think you are? What do you think you’re doing? No one can forgive sins but God and there’s a ritual you have to go through before that can happen. He has to make an offering in the temple. Payment must be made to the priest so a sacrifice can be made. It’s God’s way to ensure the priests make a living, after all. Why would He think He can side-step the temple and take away the priests’ livelihood? This is blasphemy!”

Now, maybe there’s the rest of the story. But maybe not. These scribes couldn’t see how God could come to earth in the likeness of sinful man. They couldn’t believe that God would wrap Himself in human flesh and live among us. So Jesus could not be the Son of God and so couldn’t forgive sins.

But the words are easy to say. Jesus knew that. The scribes knew that. Everyone in the room knew that. Even the paralytic knew that even though he immediately felt the guilt from his past lift from his heart as the words left Jesus’ lips. But to show Jesus had power over the hearts of men, He show those present He also had power over the physical bodies of men. He told the paralytic to get up, roll up the mat he was lying on and walk out the door. Then Jesus reached out His hand and help the man stand to his feet. I expect Jesus only watched as the man rolled up his mat and danced around the room on his way to the door, shouting praise and thanksgiving to the Lord of lords.

What do we need to learn from this scene?

Some have a hard time believing Jesus can forgive. They recognize Jesus as a good man, even a prophet connected to God and able to use that connection to do good things, even miraculous things for people. But God? Some have a hard time with that and so go through life like the scribes questioning His ability to rid them of the guilt that weighs them down. Some just can’t see past their own intellectual understanding of the universe, as finite as it is, to see that there are so many things that can only be explained by putting faith in God, the creator of all things. Some just can’t believe the Bible is not just a collection of stories, but the record of God’s love for humankind and His plan for our redemption.

Is the Bible accurate? Yes. Every time someone tries to prove something doesn’t fit historic facts, archeologists seem to uncover evidence that the Bible, not the historic facts are true. Is it scientific? No. It’s not meant to be. It’s the story of what God does for us and why, not how. Our finite minds can never wrap around the infinite wisdom of God. Just one simple thought to consider to boggle our finite mind: Scientists tell us everything is made of atoms. And atoms are mostly empty space. So much so that scientist tell us that if all the empty space in the universe could be removed and the solid mass of the universe condensed into a single object, some say it would take up the space of a house and some say as small as a basketball. So why can’t we just walk through walls? I know the quantum physics answer, but it does make you wonder about God’s design in it all, doesn’t it? After all, where did those, electrons and protons come from to repel each other in the first place to form those atoms we’re talking about?

So when the Bible tells us proves to be true, then when it says Jesus is God in the flesh, that must be true, too. And we exercise just a little faith in that truth, scripture opens up to us in incredible ways. Just try it. You’ll find He really can forgive sins. He forgave mine and He can forgive yours, too. 

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

Rodeo time (Matthew 21:2-3) May 12, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Job 37-38

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

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 21:2-3
Jesus: Go to the village over there. There you’ll find a donkey tied to a post and a foal beside it. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone tries to stop you, then tell him, “The Master needs these,” and he will send the donkey and foal immediately.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

I remember the first time I heard this story, I thought Jesus just told the disciple to go steal a donkey. That’s not a nice thing to do! Why would Jesus steal a donkey? It’s still easy to think that if you don’t stop to remember that the Bible isn’t a detailed history book. The writers tell us what they remember and what God puts in their hearts to relate to us for our understanding of His plan of salvation for all humankind.

We assume there were twelve disciples because we have the names of twelve. But there were undoubtedly a lot more than twelve. At Jesus’ ascension, some 500 gathered to see Him rise in the clouds with the promise He would return the same way one day. Many of those 500 were His disciples, not just the twelve, but followers, those who wanted to be like Him. That’s the definition of a disciple, a person who desires to study a learn and be like his teacher.

That’s why we have the distinction between the title Apostle and disciple. There are twelve apostles and there will never be more than that. Those are the twelve chosen by Jesus to draw very close to Him, learn from Him throughout His three year preaching ministry, and then carry on the work of building His church after His resurrection and ascension. But His disciples are too numerous to count and the number is growing every day and men and women find Him through faith and give themselves to Him as living sacrifices.

So what’s the answer to this great mystery? How did Jesus know about the donkey and the foal?

No doubt one of His disciples lived or had relatives or friends in the village Jesus speaks about in His command to the disciples He addresses in this command that Matthew records. It’s not hard to assume this disciple has gone there to take care of his household affairs, plant a crop, check on lambs that are just being born in the spring, feed cattle or whatever might be happening in the little village. Jesus might have seen the disciple ride in or ride out on a donkey. And the donkey, late in pregnancy might have been ready to deliver.

The miracle part of the story, of course, would be to know the donkey and foal would be tied together. Unless the disciple in the village already had his instructions from Jesus. Is it too far fetched to think those things were planned? No. Would it be a miracle for Jesus to have the knowledge that all those things were in place without anyone telling Him. Yes. Could it have happened that way? Yes

Would it have been a miracle for Jesus to have planned for the donkey and foal to be standing ready for Him in the village and send other disciples to fetch the animals as they drew closer to the village on their way to Jerusalem? Yes it would. Think about the timing of the event. A foal is not very old. To have a donkey and its foal tied together in the village just at the right time as Jesus and the rest of His entourage were passing through would not be an easy feat for even an extraordinary man. But Jesus knew it would happen.

Why was Jesus so sure the donkey and colt would be available? Because He knew He was the long awaited Messiah. He also knew His mission would take Him to Jerusalem and He would be heralded as the King of the Jews riding in to the city in the manner described 500 years earlier by the prophet Zechariah on the backs of humble beasts of burden, not on the back of a stallion as most conquerors would.

So He came into the city, riding on the backs of a donkey and an untamed foal. Now that is a miracle. I don’t know if you’ve ever ridden a donkey with an untamed animal tied to it. I haven’t, but I’ve seen others who have tried to ride those untamed animals. It’s usually not a pretty picture for the rider. But Jesus rode into the city, through a crowd of people with His disciples leading the parade. No one was trampled. The donkey and foal apparently behaved themselves. That’s a miracle!

The people waved palm branches, threw their cloaks onto the dusty road, shouted praises, heralded Jesus as King. The din must have been tremendous as the guards came out to settle what they thought was a riot. Still the animals remained quiet and controlled. Now that’s a miracle!

The planning to have a donkey available as Jesus passed by? I’ve learned as I’ve grown a little more mature that’s not so hard to do. And Jesus wouldn’t ask His disciples to heist a donkey. I think the donkey was planned. Riding that donkey and a new foal through that crowd, now that’s something only God could do.

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

What do you want? (Matthew 20:32) May 11, 2016

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – 2 Samuel 10-14

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

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 20:32
Jesus (taking the two blind men aside): What is it that you want, brothers?

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

In the Christian world, in fact in every religion, we talk a lot about the power of prayer. We hear lots of sermons on how important it is to commune with God. Jesus gave us an example prayer when His disciples asked Him to teach them to pray. They recognized prayer was an important element of strength, even for the Son of God. He spent long hours with His Father making sure He stayed on the right path, renewing His strength, gaining wisdom, protecting Himself from His enemies.

Prayer is vital for the Christian. It’s an important discipline we must learn if we expect to remain a Christian. I don’t think we can maintain our relationship with God if we don’t talk to Him regularly. And that means a lot more than just at mealtime and at church on Sunday mornings. We need to really get in touch with God often.

But Jesus words today sparked in me an important lesson about prayer that we must learn early and remind ourselves often in our Christian walk. It’s easy for us start getting ritualistic in our prayer. We hear ministers or priests pray from the pulpit with community prayers that aim to touch an entire congregation and we think we should mimic those because, after all, they are our spiritual leaders, right?

So we go into our prayer time and ask God to bless our home or bless Aunt Suzie or bless Uncle Harry or bless our kids. Well what do we mean by that? We heard the pastor ask for God’s blessing and certainly it’s a good thing to ask for, but what is it and how do you know God has done something when we ask for Him to bless us? I think we’ve gotten into that habit because we’re afraid God won’t answer our prayers so we just ask something so general we can’t see an answer if it doesn’t go our way and then we won’t be disappointed. Maybe that’s why we started using such general rubbish in our prayers.

What do you think Jesus would have done if these two blind men had said, “Lord, we want your to bless us,” when Jesus asked this question? Do you think they would have received their sight? Maybe, but they might have gone away with a pat on the back and a word of encouragement. Blessed by Jesus. They might have found a better spot to beg after Jesus passed by and gained more income from their begging as people took pity on them. Blessed by Jesus.

I have to admit, I’m often guilty of just asking for blessings, not thinking about what it is I really want God to do for me or the person I’m praying for. I just ask God to bless. But when I do that, how do I know God has answered my prayer? Would the blind beggars know if Jesus gave them the increased income if they found a more generous crowd at a better spot? Would they know it was God who touched them if they just felt a little freer and happier after Jesus passed by?

God is so much bigger than that. He wants us to know that He is God. He wants us to realize that He is in the prayer answering business. He doesn’t always give us what we want, but He always answers our prayers. Sometimes with yes, sometimes with no, and sometimes with wait, not yet. But He always listen to our prayers and does something about them. But how does even He know what to do when we are so wishy-washy in our petitions? How can we give Him the credit when our requests are so nebulous that we don’t even know what we have asked?

I still like the old hymn, “Make Me a Blessing”, but what does it really mean? You have to get into the words. Do you remember them? The writer gets into the mission God gives of spreading the word and winning men to the kingdom, helping those in need. It’s all about working at the tasks God gives, helping others, and in so doing, being a blessing.

So what is it God wants us to do and what do we learn from Jesus’ words today?

I think He’s telling us to stop being wishy-washy about our conversations with Him. Think about what you need from God. Dig deep and stop playing around with the surface conversations and the generalized petitions that don’t mean anything to you or to God. Do you have a loved one that is lost? Do you pray specifically about that person by name every day? Do you ask God to put the right person in his path with the right message to introduce him to Jesus? Do you ask God to make her world fall apart until she is so broken by the realization of her sinful condition before a holy God that He is her only hope?

How do you pray? Do you get specific with God so you know He is the One who answered when you called on Him? Or do you just go around asking for blessings and grace and hope and let the world go on spinning around you? God wants to get involved in your life. And He wants you to know about it. Jesus asked, “So brothers, what is it you want?”

Do you have an answer for Him? Think about it. He wants to give it to 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.

It’s tax time! (Matthew 17:25-27) April 22, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Jeremiah 22-26

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

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 17:25-27
Jesus: Simon, what do you think? When kings collect taxes and duties and tolls, from whom do they collect? Do they levy taxes on their own people or on strangers and foreigners?
Peter: The foreigners, my Lord.
Jesus: Well, then, we children of the King should be exempt from this two-drachma tax. But all in all, it’s better not to make any waves; we’d better go on and pay the tax. So do this: go out to the lake and throw out your line. And when you catch a fish, open its jaws and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take this to the tax collectors, and pay your taxes and Mine.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

While I was serving in the military, we often joked about our paychecks. And we had a lot to laugh about. Those of you who are old enough, might remember those payday lines when the pay officer dealt out cash on the Friday closest to the end of the month. I was one of those pay officers every once in a while as a new lieutenant. I was very happy when the Army said everyone had to receive their pay by check and then by direct deposit. Cash paydays were awful for the pay officer for a lot of reasons.

Counting out thousands of dollars in the right denominations of bills so everyone could get the right amount of cash was the first obstacle. An armed guard stood on each side of me to make sure no one got the bright idea to stage a robbery. Of course, these were soldiers from the same unit as the guys getting paid, so if one of them decided to pull a heist, I’m not sure how quick any of us would be to shoot each other.

But then the paying process! A soldier came into the room and the first sergeant looks him up and down to make sure his uniform is in shape. (No offense to the women in uniform today, but back then I was in an Infantry Battalion and there were no women there, so all the pronouns are masculine.) We already had our inspection for the day, but the first sergeant just wanted to make sure one more time. If there were no ‘gigs’ in his uniform, he reported to me to receive his pay. I checked his LES (leave and earnings statement), counted out the amount he should receive, counted it again on the table in front of him, then had him count it back to me on the table in front of him. Then he picked it up and asked to be dismissed.

But depending on what time of year it was, someone in the chain of command (of course I couldn’t because I was the pay officer that day) would ask if he wanted to join the NCO club if he wasn’t a member, or AUSA, or give to the Army Emergency Relief Fund or some other organization that happened to have its campaign going on that particular month. And it seemed some campaign happened almost every month. Right after the pitch for the campaign stood the clerk with the duty rosters with the first sergeant standing by his side. The same door you came in and the door you hoped to leave by. You looked at the first sergeant, you looked at the duty roster, and understood giving to the campaign of the month meant less duty. So you contributed.

Amazing how almost every unit had 100% contribution to those campaigns back in those days. Those were interesting times. But one of the other things we joked about were the taxes, Social Security, and Medicare fees that came out of our paycheck every month. Didn’t that mean we were paying ourselves? Sounds a little ludicrous, doesn’t it?

Here’s another one of those lessons Jesus gives Peter that helps us understand who He is and what He does for us in this upside down world.

Peter has been confronted by the keepers of the temple safes. Those guys that tried to trap Him in a hundred different ways to finally find some fault they could use to discredit Him in front of the people who thronged to Him. They go to Peter. “Hey, Peter. Doesn’t Jesus pay attention to the requirement to pay the temple tax? Every real male member of the Jewish community pays 2 drachma to the temple each year to support the temple for the administration of the worship of God. Doesn’t He pay attention to the rules? It’s tax day and He hasn’t paid His fair share yet. What’s wrong with Him? Is He rebelling against God and the temple?”

Sounds like a bunch of temple politicians, doesn’t it?

Peter doesn’t know what to say. It slipped his mind, too. So he goes to Jesus. “Pssst. We goofed. The priests say we haven’t paid our temple tax yet. I know I forgot to pay mine. We’ve been so busy. You didn’t by chance pay the 2 drachma tax for any of us did you?”

Jesus makes His point pretty quickly. Peter already declared Him as the Son of the living God, then Satan used Peter as a scapegoat to try to tempt Jesus to take a shortcut to accomplish His mission. Peter learned His lesson about jumping too quickly with his pronouncements, sort of. Except he just told the temple tax collector that Jesus certainly knew the rules and would certainly be paying His tax. And here he stood. So Jesus lets Peter begin to hear more of the truth of this separate kingdom to which they both belonged.

The children of the king didn’t pay taxes. Caesar’s kids didn’t pay taxes. Herod’s kids didn’t pay taxes. So what about the Father’s Son? Should the Son of the living God pay a tax to people who were charged with maintaining His house? That’s kind of what Jesus was asking Peter. But like all those soldiers that pay part of their own wages by paying taxes, Jesus tells Peter to go fishing, watch a miracle happen, then pay both their taxes. He didn’t have to, but He did.

Why? Because He wanted to show us that we are still in this world. He was in this world, but not of it. He didn’t have to pay the tax, nor did Peter. They and we are children of the King. The King’s children don’t pay taxes, but to show the world His support to the King’s house, that He follows the rules laid out by the King for those subject to the laws of this realm, He too followed them. Just like soldiers pay their salary, Jesus and Peter paid for the support of their house, the temple. How do you support your house, the church? 

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.

Step out of the boat (Matthew 14:29, 31)April 6, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Psalms 39-41

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

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 14:29, 31
Jesus: Indeed, come.
Peter stepped out of the boat onto the water and began walking toward Jesus. But when he remembered how strong the wind was, his courage caught in his throat and he began to sink.
Peter: Master, save me!
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?

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

This is the rest of one of my favorite stories in the New Testament. Jesus walking on the water. The disciples think He is a ghost or some apparition, then Peter calls out to Him, and the Master confirms it is really Him in the flesh. But then Peter does something few of us would have the courage to do. He’s still not quite sure, so He makes a request of this dim figure in the mist. “If it’s really you, tell me to join you out there.”

There’s something most of us don’t understand about the culture of that day that makes those words really important. And Jesus next words equally important. You see, these men in the boat were becoming disciples. In Jesus day, that carried certain characteristics. Everyone understood wht it meant to be a disciple. Jesus wasn’t the only person with disciples, every rabbi with any smarts had disciples.

A disciple gave up what he had to follow his rabbi. He lived with him, and watched him carefully. He ate what he ate, drank what he drank, slept where he slept, wore what he wore. He studied what the rabbi studies. He became like his rabbi in every way possible. The mark of a good rabbi was the mimicry of his disciples. How much like the rabbi were his disciples?

We sometimes decry Peter for his lack of faith and taking his eyes off Jesus. We preach sermons about his looking at the storm around him and failing to keep his eyes on the prize. We talk bad about Peter’s faith sometimes. But if you really stop and think about it, there were at least twelve disciples in the boat. All of them saw Jesus out there. All of them heard the conversation. The boat wasn’t that big that they could avoid what was going on. All of them heard Peter’s request and Jesus’ reply.

All twelve of the disciples had an opportunity to step out of the boat that night and do something no one else had done. All of them had an invitation to come out and see what it was like to walk on the surface of the sea. But only one really acted like a disciple that night. Only Peter decided he would be like his Master and stepped out of the boat. He longed to be like Jesus so much he dared to put his foot over the side and onto the stormy sea.

Peter was rewarded for his action. He began to walk to Jesus…on the water. The Bible doesn’t tell us how far he walked. We don’t know if it was two feet, ten feet, or a hundred feet, but we know it was far enough that everyone in that boat knew Peter walked on top of the Sea of Galilee. They also watched him long enough to see him take his eyes off of Jesus and look at the storm around him. When he did, he began to sink.

Two things happened then, Peter cried out, “Master, save me.” And immediately Jesus reached out His hand and rescued him. Peter knew who could help him and cried out to Him. He knew he was in over his head and needed help fast. There was only One who could rescue him and Peter sought that One, Jesus. And Jesus did.

We can learn a lot from this story. Jesus talks to them when He gets into the boat about their faith, and so we must exercise our faith in Him. But we do that by remembering this story. If we are to be a true disciple of Jesus, we must do what He did. We need to be willing to step out of our comfort zone into the unknown inexplicable areas of life sometimes when He tells us to come. Recognize that when we do, if we keep our eyes on Him we do not need to sink under the waves. We can do miraculous things through His power in us. We just need to remember Who to focus on, not the circumstances around us.

We don’t need to worry about the storms around us. Jesus is here. If we belong to Him, we have nothing to fear. He tells us that over and over, but we just don’t seem to get it sometimes. We fret over unimportant things and wonder why our faith falters. He says lift up your eyes and look at Him. It will be okay. He will rescue you from the storm.

When the storms do seem to swallow you up, remember you have One who can rescue you from what seems like an ocean of problems, distress, frustration, or fear. When we call on Him, He is ready to reach out His hand and pull us free from the things that keep us from our peace. His legacy is peace. He may not take us out of the storm, but He gives us the assurance of His presence and His peace.

I pray that I will be like Peter and step out of the boat when Jesus calls. 

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

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Matthew 20-22

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

Today’s Devotional

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

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jesus knows how to party! (John 2:1-12), July 31, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – John 2:1-12

Set – Psalms 107; John 2

Go! – Isaiah 63-64; Psalms 107; John 2

John 2:1-12

1 Three days later, they all went to celebrate a wedding feast in Cana of Galilee. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was invited 2 together with Him and His disciples. 3 While they were celebrating, the wine ran out; and Jesus’ mother hurried over to her son.
Mary: The host stands on the brink of embarrassment; there are many guests, and there is no more wine.
Jesus: 4 Dear woman, is it our problem they miscalculated when buying wine and inviting guests? My time has not arrived.
5 But she turned to the servants.
Mary: Do whatever my son tells you.
6 In that area were six massive stone water pots that could each hold 20 to 30 gallons. They were typically used for Jewish purification rites. 7 Jesus’ instructions were clear:
Jesus: Fill each water pot with water until it’s ready to spill over the top; 8 then fill a cup, and deliver it to the headwaiter.
They did exactly as they were instructed. 9 After tasting the water that had become wine, the headwaiter couldn’t figure out where such wine came from (even though the servants knew), and he called over the bridegroom in amazement.
Headwaiter: 10 This wine is delectable. Why would you save the most exquisite fruit of the vine? A host would generally serve the good wine first and, when his inebriated guests don’t notice or care, he would serve the inferior wine. You have held back the best for last.
11 Jesus performed this miracle, the first of His signs, in Cana of Galilee. They did not know how this happened; but when the disciples and the servants witnessed this miracle, their faith blossomed.
12 Jesus then gathered His clan—His family members and disciples—for a journey to Capernaum where they lingered several days.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

So many people think Christians have sour dispositions and must keep this down-in-the-mouth look about them all the time. Nothing could be further from the truth. My followers should know real joy. I did. I knew what life was all about. In fact, my first public miracle happened at a party! If you’ve never been to a Jewish wedding feast, I can tell you, they know how to throw a party! Food, music, dancing, laughter. Everyone has a great time celebrating the beginning of new family with the bride and groom.

Naturally, when My mother saw the host ran out of wine, she didn’t want him embarrassed in front of his family and friends and came to Me to do something about it. She knew I was the Creator. If anyone could help him out, I could. She wasn’t sure how, but knew I could do something.

Of course no one would expect Me to use the water used to wash the guests feet as they came in from the street to fix the situation, but I’m known for doing the unexpected. The servants were certainly surprised I asked them to fill those pitchers full of water instead of the wine casks, but they did it. I’m sure they didn’t tell the host where they got the wine until after the party, though.

If the host and his guests knew they were drinking from the jars reserved for footwashing they wouldn’t understand. But My act of service for My mother is tied to My last act of service for My disciples. I took water from jars similar to those at that wedding in Cana to wash My disciples feet. You see, it’s not about how good the wine tasted or how clean the water might or might not be, it’s about living a life of servanthood for those around you.

Look for ways you can serve in little ways. You’ll find dozens of things you can do for others if you just open your eyes with My eyes. Instead of jars of dirty water, you’ll see the best wine. Instead of a muddy street, you’ll see the material to make new eyes. Instead of a leper shunned from society, you’ll see a friend who needs a hug. You’ll see opportunities all around you to do the unexpected.

I came and turned organized religion upside down. I changed the somber, sour, burdensome rules to a life of joy and contentment and peace. One that attracted children wherever I went. And you know that children will not follow a sour-puss. Even My disciples scoffed at the fun I had with the children around Me until I rebuked them for trying to push them away. They they joined in on the games and the fun. I enjoy life! That’s why I grant you life in the first place. That’s why I want you to accept eternal life with Me so the joy never has to end.

I’m ready to party with you in just a little while. I’ve been getting the banquet hall ready. We will have a grand time of it. Get ready. I’m coming soon.

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.

It’s more than feeding 5,000 (Luke 9:1-20), Jan 9, 2015

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The background for today’s devotion comes from Luke 9:1-20.

I sent My disciples across the countryside to teach and preach with three simple rules:

  • Travel light
  • Stay in the same house until you leave that city
  • If a town rejects you, shake the dust from your feet as you leave as a witness against them

They traveled in My name and were amazed at the results that came from their work. Using My name, they healed the sick, drove demons from those possessed, and worked miracles among those with whom they ministered. The seventy-two that went out rejoiced at the work they did. They praised My name and gave glory to Me for the work they did.

Shortly after, I gave them an object lesson that let them know I am the Bread of Life. Luke’s description of the day begins to tell the story pretty well. When I saw all the people hungry for what I could do for them that the temple’s rituals had not done, I had compassion on them. I wanted to show them the power of God to meet their needs. Not just their physical needs, but their sin problem as well. But people won’t listen to a sermon when they’re hungry, so I fed them.

As the disciples arranged them in groups of 50 across the mountainside, the different colors of coats and cloaks looked like a flower garden stretched out on the hillside. Each with a particular need for special nourishment. As I blessed the fish and loaves provided by a little boy, who trusted in Me to use what he had, I thought of each person there and the particular need each represented. The food provided was really just the beginning. As I spoke through their meal, each person, man, woman, boy and girl was touched by the particular message I gave that day.

Many came away amazed at the twelve baskets of bread and fish left over after feeding the crowd, but the real miracle happened in the hearts of those whose lives I changed that day. Those who believed I was the son of God and put their trust in Me found an incredible inner peace and freedom from the guilt of sin in their lives. They found hope they never knew could exist. They understood I cared about them individually and collectively.

The miracle of feeding the crowd with the loaves and fish wasn’t so much about feeding a lot of hungry people with a small amount of food. It was about My compassion, My love, My understanding their needs from the smallest to the largest. I knew them and I know you. And if I can feed that crowd with just two fish and five pieces of bread, I can meet your needs, too. Trust in Me!

Ready – Luke 9:1-20
Set – Genesis 24; Luke 9
Go! – Genesis 23-24; Luke 9

Luke9:1-20
Jesus convened a gathering of the twelve. He gave them power and authority to free people from all demonic spirits and to heal them of diseases. 2 He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3-5 These were His instructions:

Travel light on your journey: don’t take a staff, backpack, bread, money, or even an extra change of clothes.
When you enter a house, stay there until you leave that city.
If a town rejects you, shake the dust from your feet as you leave as a witness against them.
6 The disciples left on their journeys from village to village. They preached the good news, and they healed the sick everywhere they went.

7-8 Their mission didn’t go unnoticed. The local official installed by Rome, Herod, was especially anxious about the news because rumors were flying. Some people said that Elijah or one of the other ancient prophets had been resurrected, while others said that John, famous for his ritual cleansing, was alive and preaching again.

Herod: 9 I am the one who beheaded John. So who is this man who is causing such a stir?

Herod was curious about Jesus and wanted to see Him.

10 The emissaries whom Jesus had sent out returned, and Jesus took them away from the crowds for a time of retreat in a city called Bethsaida. They gave Jesus a full report of their accomplishments and experiences. 11 But soon the crowds discovered where they were and pursued Him. Jesus didn’t turn them away; He welcomed them, spoke of the kingdom of God to them, and brought health to those who needed healing.

12 Picture what happened while in Bethsaida, where Jesus and His disciples were spending time with the crowds:

The sun is low in the sky, and soon it will be dusk. The twelve come to Jesus with advice.

Disciples: Send the crowd away so they can find lodging and food in the nearby villages and countryside. We’re out here in the middle of nowhere.

Jesus: 13-14 No. You give them something to eat.

Disciples: Are You kidding? There are at least 5,000 men here, not to mention women and children. All we have are five loaves and two fish. The only way we could provide for them would be to go to a nearby city and buy cartloads of food. That would cost a small fortune.

Jesus: Just do this: organize them in little communities of about 50 people each and have them sit down.

15 They do what Jesus says, and soon groups of 50 are scattered across the landscape.

16 Then Jesus takes the five loaves and two fish, and He looks up to heaven. He praises God for the food, takes each item, and breaks it into fragments. Then He gives fragments to the twelve disciples and tells them to distribute the food to the crowd.

17 Everyone eats. Everyone is satisfied. Nobody goes away hungry. In fact, when the disciples recover the leftovers, they have 12 baskets full of broken pieces.

18 Once Jesus was praying in solitude. The disciples were nearby, and He came to them with a question.

Jesus: What are the people saying about Me?

Disciples: 19 Some people think You’re John the Baptist. Others say You’re the prophet Elijah, or else one of the other ancient prophets who has come back from the dead.

Jesus: 20 Ah, but what about you? Who do you say that I am?

Peter: God’s Anointed, the Liberating King.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Unmatched Faith (Luke 7:1-10), Jan 7, 2015

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Today’s background scripture comes from Luke 7:1-10

I hoped My chosen people would accept Me as the Messiah when I came to them. I found few who believed in Me. Many followed Me to see what miracle I might perform next. They wanted to see water turned to wine or the blind see or the lame walk. Many in those crowds thought the same thoughts I hear from crowds around some of the faith healers today.

“It’s just a show.”
“He had that man planted in the crowd.”
“I think I saw that same woman in the crowd at the last meeting.”
“If He really is the Messiah, why do the Pharisees want to do away with Him? He must be a fraud.”

I know frauds exist today to make money in My name. They will pay for their sins. But I still work miracles just as I did 2,000 years ago. I still look for those who believe in Me, not for the next trick they hope to see, but because they know “I Am.” Reading My word and seeing My work on earth should convince you I am who I say. If that is not enough, the stories tell of the miracles I performed. If that is not enough, My Spirit more than makes up for any story, vision, miracle, or anything else anyone could do to convince you. My Spirit in you provides the assurance I am the Messiah, God incarnate.

The centurion whose servant fell ill believed in Me. He weighed the evidence from the reports he received as his soldiers policed the villages and towns around Capernaum. He knew the scriptures My people should have known. He studied them to better understand the people he must help control in occupied Israel. And when the Jewish leaders asked Me to heal his servant, the centurion sent a messenger to Me understanding My power and authority over disease as the Messiah. He believed in Me and knew distance, like time, meant nothing to God.

Believe! That’s My desire for you in this new year. Just believe. Stretch your faith and understand that I am able. Period. You might not always like the answer I give you, but I will always answer in a way that brings Me glory and is best for you. You will sometimes not understand now, but one day you will. Trust Me! Believe in Me!

Ready – Luke 7:1-17; Psalms 3
Set – Genesis 18; Psalms 3; Luke 7
Go! – Genesis 18-19; Psalms 3; Luke 7

Luke 7:1-17; Psalms 3
Luke 7:1-17
Jesus shared all these sayings with the crowd that day on the plain. When He was finished, He went into the town of Capernaum. 2 There, a Centurion had a slave he loved dearly. The slave was sick—about to die— 3 so when the Centurion heard about Jesus, he contacted some Jewish elders. He sent them to ask Jesus to come and heal his dear slave. 4 With great emotion and respect, the elders presented their request to Jesus.

Jewish Elders: This man is worthy of Your help. It’s true that he’s a Centurion, 5 but he loves our nation. In fact, he paid for our synagogue to be built.

6 So Jesus accompanied them. When they approached the Centurion’s home, the Centurion sent out some friends to bring a message to Jesus.

Message of the Centurion: Lord, don’t go to the trouble of coming inside. I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. 7 That’s why I sent others with my request. Just say the word, and that will be enough to heal my servant. 8 I understand how authority works, being under authority myself and having soldiers under my authority. I command to one, “Go,” and he goes. I say to another, “Come,” and he comes. I say to my slave, “Do this,” and he obeys me.

9 Jesus was deeply impressed when He heard this. He turned to the crowd that followed Him.

Jesus: Listen, everyone. This outsider, this Roman, has more faith than I have found even among our own Jewish people.

10 The friends of the Centurion returned home, and they found the slave was completely healed.

11 It wasn’t long after this when Jesus entered a city called Nain. Again all of His disciples accompanied Him, along with a huge crowd. 12 He was coming near the gate of the city as a corpse was being carried out. This man was the only child and support of his widowed mother, and she was accompanied by a large funeral crowd.

13 As soon as the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her.

Jesus: Don’t weep.

14 Then He came to the stretcher, and those carrying it stood still.

Jesus: Young man, listen! Get up!

15 The dead man immediately sat up and began talking. Jesus presented him to his mother, 16 and everyone was both shocked and jubilant. They praised God.

Funeral Crowd: A tremendous prophet has arisen in our midst! God has visited His people!

17 News of Jesus spread across the whole province of Judea and beyond to the surrounding regions.

Psalm 3
1 Eternal One, my adversaries are many, too many to count.
Now they have taken a stand against me!
2 Right to my face they say,
“God will not save you!”

3 But You, Eternal One, wrap around me like an impenetrable shield.
You give me glory and lift my eyes up to the heavens.
4 I lift my voice to You, Eternal One,
and You answer me from Your sacred heights.

5 I lie down at night and fall asleep.
I awake in the morning—healthy, strong, vibrant—because the Eternal supports me.
6 No longer will I fear my tens of thousands of enemies
who have surrounded me!
7 Rise up, O Eternal One!
Rescue me, O God!
For You have dealt my enemies a strong blow to the jaw!
You have shattered their teeth! Do so again.
8 Liberation truly comes from the Eternal.
Let Your blessings shower down upon Your people.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.