Tag Archives: prayer

A simple pattern of prayer (Luke 11:2-4) October 31, 2016

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Deuteronomy 7-9

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

Today’s Devotional

Luke 11:2-4
Jesus: Here’s how to pray:
Father in heaven, may Your name be revered.
May Your kingdom come.
May Your will be accomplished on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us the food we need for tomorrow,
And forgive us for our wrongs,
for we forgive those who wrong us.
And lead us away from temptation.
And save us from the evil one.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

How many times have you recited the Lord’s Prayer without really thinking about what you’re saying? If you’re honest, you’ll admit you’ve done it a lot if you’ve been to very many religious events. Somewhere along the way we decided to pray that prayer and let it become our prayer. But too often we just recite the words without thinking. We don’t let it be the pattern of our prayer, but instead just let it become the words we say without thinking about them.

If you’ll go back and examine the scriptures again, the disciples never asked Jesus to teach them what to pray, but how to pray. They never asked what words to say, but how to reach the Father and get the results Jesus seemed to get when He reached out to His Father. That’s what the disciples were searching for, a pattern for prayer that kept them close to the One who could make a difference in their lives.

So let’s look at the pattern and see what we can find. First, Jesus acknowledged who God is and His sovereignty as the One worthy to be revered. Then He shows His desire for servant-hood to the Creator relishing His will above our own. His plans and His direction. So the second thing Jesus says we should do is seek His direction for our life and ask for God’s help in using us to accomplish His purpose and plans through us.

Next, God knows we have needs and Jesus says to ask God to meet those needs. But He also shows us that abundance is not what we should seek, but enough for tomorrow. That’s all. We should do that for two reasons. Having enough for tomorrow means tomorrow we need to come back to God to ask again for provisions for the next day. We must depend on Him consistently for our needs. Second, have just enough but not too much keeps us from falling into the trap of the wealthy thinking we don’t need God because we have everything we need.

Fourth, we should ask God to search our hearts and see if there is anything that stands between us and our brothers so that we can forgive them, then search our hearts and see if there is anything between us and God. You might think I reversed those, but I really didn’t. God expects us to forgive those who wronged us first. Remember, He forgives us in the same way, in the same measure, to the same extent, we forgive others He says. So search your heart to find anyone you need to forgive then ask for God’s forgiveness. You’ll be surprised at how well that works.

Finally, ask God for His protection as you journey the path He lays out for you. Satan does not want us to follow God and will put every temptation in our path he can to keep us from following Him. But God can help us through those times of tempting if we let Him. He can give us the strength to withstand the things Satan puts in our path or better yet, give us an exit from the situation so we don’t even have to face the temptation in the first place. That’s the real secret to success, find the exit sign and leave!

So there we have it. A simple pattern to follow in prayer. Acknowledge who God is. Ask what He wants done. Ask for help with your concerns and needs. Ask for His forgiveness for any wrongs. Ask for protection. How much time do you spend in each of those five sections Jesus introduced? It’s up to you. Jesus gave His disciples a very short example and sometimes you may have only a few minutes to share with your Father in heaven. Sometimes you might have a lot to talk about in one or more sections. Sometimes you might even spend hours discussing with God who He is to you and why He matters so much in your life. Maybe He overwhelms you in that very first section of your prayer and you just spend your whole devotion time stuck there sometimes.

Maybe you find some problems overwhelming your life some days and those “give us what we need for tomorrow” words remind you God will help you through those troubles, but you need to spend some time there for His assurance and to help settle your mind in the middle of the crisis you’re facing.

Maybe you’re facing some terrible temptations that are bringing you to the verge of falling and you need His strength to help you find a way out. You need God to give you a flashing exit sign. You just can’t seem to see the doors quick enough and need something to help you find your way out. You need His protection and seek it with all your heart.

A simple but powerful pattern Jesus gave us. Now go out and use it to touch the throne room of heaven as you pray today.

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

The best source of strength (Mark 15:34) September 16, 2016

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Amos 5-9

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

Today’s Devotional

Mark 15:34
Jesus: Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

“My God, My God, why have you turned your back on Me?” Jesus’ question to His father from the cross. We often read the words of Jesus from the cross and forget that many of them are prayers recited from the Psalms. This one comes from Psalms 22. It’s interesting to go back to those hymns that Jesus used as His prayers on the cross recorded for us by the gospel writers and put them back into their context. I often wonder if Jesus prayed the whole Psalm while on the cross, or just the verses recorded for us.

If you go back to Psalm 22, you’ll find the words Jesus spoke in the first verse. “My God, My God, why have you turned your back on me? Your ears are deaf to my groans. O my God, I cry all day and you are silent; my tears in the night bring no relief.”

Most of the rest of that psalm describe exactly what Jesus was experiencing.

I’m surrounded by many tormentors; like strong bulls of Bashan, they circle around me with their taunts. They open their mouths wide at me like ravenous, roaring lions. My life is poured out like water, and all my bones have slipped out of joint. My heart melts like wax inside me. My strength is gone, dried up like shards of pottery; my dry tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; You lay me in the dust of death. A throng of evil ones has surrounded me like a pack of wild dogs; They pierced my hands and ripped a hole in my feet. I count all my bones; people gawk and stare at me. They make a game out of dividing my clothes among themselves; they cast lots for the clothes on my back.

Perhaps we sometimes draw the wrong conclusion about this particular phrase. I usually think about God turning His back on Jesus because He carries the sins of the world on His shoulders and the Father cannot stand the sight of sin. He abhors sin and so Jesus carries the weight of all humanity’s sins alone.

But what if, instead, Jesus draws strength from reciting this psalm from the cross. The hymn begins these stark words from the depth of David’s misery. It describes the suffering Jesus will endure. But there are some other words in that same song from which He can draw great comfort.

Still, You are holy; You make Your home on the praises of Israel. Our mothers and fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You rescued them. They cried out to You for help and were spared; they trusted in You and were vindicated.

and

But You, O Eternal, stay close; O You, my help, hurry to my side. Save my life from violence, my sweet life from the teeth of the wild dog. Rescue me from the mouth of the lion. From the horns of the wild oxen, You responded to my plea. I will speak Your Name to my brothers and sisters when I praise You in the midst of the community. You who revere the Eternal, praise Him— descendants of Jacob, worship Him; be struck with wonder before Him, all you children of Israel. He’s not put off by the suffering of the suffering one; He doesn’t pretend He hasn’t seen him; when he pleaded for help, He listened. You stir my praise in the great assembly; I will fulfill my vows before those who humble their hearts before Him. Those who are suffering will eat and be nourished; those who seek Him will praise the Eternal. May your hearts beat strong forever! Those from the farthest reaches of the earth will remember and turn back to look for the Eternal; All the families of the nations will worship You. The Eternal owns the world; He exercises His gentle rule over all the nations. All the wealthy of the world will eat and worship; all those who fall in the dust will bow before Him, even the life that is headed to the grave. Our children will serve Him; future generations will hear the story of how the Lord rescued us. They will tell the generations to come of the righteousness of the Lord, of what He has done.

Could Jesus’ words on the cross be a reminder to us of the importance of scripture and prayer in the face of life’s greatest challenges? Certainly, these few hours were Jesus’ most the stressful and challenging of His short life. And throughout those hours, the majority of His words can be traced back to the scriptures He knew so well. Is this, too, the beginning of a song, only the beginning of which was recorded by the gospel writers, but within Jesus’ heart and soul, soared to His father as a song of praise and worship even in those dark hours? Could it be that He was teaching us even in these last hours of His life that God’s word remains our best source of strength in times of trouble? Jesus used it; shouldn’t we? 

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.

Stay awake and pray (Mark 14:37-38) September 13, 2016

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – 1 Chronicles 25-29

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

Today’s Devotional

Mark 14:37-38
Jesus (waking Peter): Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you wait with Me for just an hour? Stay awake, and pray that you aren’t led into a trial of your own. It’s true—even when the spirit is willing, the body can betray it.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

There’s that combination of how to remain true to Christ again. The way to keep out of trouble in a wicked, sin-filled world. What is the secret? Stay awake and alert to the wiles of the enemy, number one. And number two, pray. Those two things, more than any other will keep you from falling into the traps Satan has set for you. Why is that so? Why would that be true and why would Jesus give that admonition to Peter and to us?

A couple of days ago, we talked about the importance of staying awake on guard duty in the military. Falling asleep while on guard during a time of war, carries a maximum penalty of death in the United States Armed Services. If convicted, a court-martial can sentence you to the death penalty for falling asleep! The same is true in our spiritual lives. If we fall asleep on the job, we can face eternal death. If we fail to keep watch and stay alert to the schemes of Satan we can fall prey to that “roaring lion” that roams the earth seeking whom he might devour.

How can we avoid the temptations, the wickedness, the schemes, the traps, the plans Satan has for us if we don’t stay alert and awake? How can we stay out of his clutches if we relax our guard and just follow the whims of the world or even our own desires and emotions? The answer is we can’t. We must be aware that we are foreigners in this place. As such, the language is different than ours. The customs are different than ours. The habits and rituals are different than our.

You might think you understand the ways of the world, and as long as you remain loyal to it, you might understand them better than a Christian. But if you are following Christ, the ways of the world should become more and more foreign to you because you do not belong here. You are part of a different kingdom. Your citizenship isn’t the one on your birth certificate or your driver’s license or identification card. Your citizenship is the kingdom of God. He does not adhere to the ways of the world. So stay awake. Be aware of the differences. Be aware that Satan is hunting you and will do anything he can to cause you to run into one of his snares.

Then there is prayer. I’ve mentioned before that the founders of most of the prominent denominations that exist today spent hours on their knees every day. They understood the importance of prayer in their lives. John Wesley, for instance, remarked that he started the day with two hours of prayer and if he had a particularly busy day ahead, he would begin with four hours of prayer. Otherwise, he could never get through his agenda. That meant rising early, very early, to meet with God and start the day.

Still John Wesley was a prolific writer, a teacher, a preacher, founder of the Methodist Church, mentor to dozens, maybe hundreds of young preachers across the country, a missionary to young America. How was he able to accomplish so much in an age without electricity, running water, and all the modern conveniences we enjoy today? He prayed. He reached out to heaven…a lot.

John Calvin in his Institutes gives prayer a prominent place in Christian practice and gives these instructions: We are to pray “continuously.” We should lift our hearts to God at all times and pray without ceasing. Yet, it is necessary, because of our weakness, for us to set certain hours for prayer. “These are: when we arise in the morning, before we begin daily work, when we sit down to a meal, when by God’s blessing we have eaten, when we are getting ready to retire.” (Institutes III, XX, 50) By spending the time at “certain hours” as Calvin recommends we come into a closer relationship with God. The result is an awareness of God in every moment.

And when Calvin talked about certain hours, he meant not just the time of day, but also the length of prayer. Time spent with God. Time communing with Him. Sharing to Him our innermost thoughts and listening to His voice in conversation with the Creator of the universe. Prayer is critical to our relationship and our survival as a follower of Jesus. We must spend time in prayer.

Jesus spent hours in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane after He shared the Seder meal with His disciples. He came back to find Peter, James, and John asleep. He warns them and us of the danger involved if we’re not careful. Listen to His words once again. “Couldn’t you wait with Me for just an hour? Stay awake, and pray that you aren’t led into a trial of your own. It’s true—even when the spirit is willing, the body can betray it.”

Stay awake and pray. It might mean your life.

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

Why doesn’t He do the impossible? (Mark 14:36) September 12,2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Numbers 17-20

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

Today’s Devotional

Mark 14:36
Jesus: Abba, Father, I know that anything is possible for You. Please take this cup away so I don’t have to drink from it. But whatever happens, let Your will be done—not Mine.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Jesus, the man, acknowledges that God, His Father can do anything. Nothing is impossible for Him. He also know that He, as God, the Son, must die on the cross to fulfill the prophecies and become the sacrifice for all humanity. His purpose, His duty, His life is dedicated to that single goal. He will die for us. But Jesus, the man, wants no part of it. He wants relief from the agony He is about to endure.

So here’s the question that comes from Jesus’ words today. If anything is possible for God, why doesn’t He intervene for us in those darkest times of life? Why does He let these terrible things happen to His children? Why do His believers get sick and die? Why do loved ones we pray for pass away earlier than we expect? Why are children taken away from us before their time? Why do we suffer so much, if anything is possible for God? Why didn’t He answer Jesus’ prayer and relieve Him of the suffering He was about to endure?

All good questions. Some would be bold enough to tell you it’s because of sin in our lives. I will tell you that is not so. Remember the blind man Jesus healed? The people who sinned to cause the malady, the blind man or his parents? Jesus answered, neither. He was blind to show God’s power and glory. As odd as it seems at the time, sometimes, the suffering we endure demonstrate God’s power and grace and glory in our lives. It might not make sense to you as you go through the pain of the circumstances you face, but often those who watch you struggle through those rough times see you lean on and trust in God to comfort you and find His grace through your strength in Him. I don’t think God causes the suffering, but He will certainly use the suffering for His glory when we let Him.

I think He also lets us suffer through difficult times to help us depend on Him. There are times in our life when we just need to draw closer to Him. Again, God doesn’t cause the evil circumstances in our lives. Those things are a result of the sin-scarred world we live in. Those are the consequences of being a part of Adam’s race. But God, in those times of suffering, asks us to draw close to Him so we can feel His mighty arms around us. He comforts us as a loving parent comforts their children in times of fear or sorrow or illness or any other heartache we endure. He wants us close and so He allows suffering to happen to let us draw closer to Him.

I think sometimes He lets us suffer because He knows what’s next. We live in an evil world. It is marred with the consequences of generations of sinful people’s actions. As long as we breathe, we cannot get away from those consequences as a part of humanity. But as we face some of those difficulties, we can build up our resilience in the same way we build callouses on our hands as we use tools. The first time you rake leaves, you can get some pretty good blisters on your hands, right? But by the end of the fall season, callouses have developed that let you rake the leaves without injury. Sometimes I think God lets us experience those sufferings to help us build up the ability to face the next ones without injury, just like we toughen our hands when raking leaves.

Sometimes I think He lets us suffer because He knows we will meet someone in the future who faces the same issues or problems we are facing. If we have gone through it with God’s help, we can be a voice of comfort, a mentor, a friend to walk along side that person to help them know there is hope and a brighter day on the other side of the issue they face. The suffering won’t last forever and one day the sun will shine for them again. We can be a witness for them because we have gone through the same suffering they face.

And quite frankly, I think sometimes God lets us go through some of the suffering the world dishes out because He doesn’t want us to get comfortable here. If this place gets too comfortable, why would we want to go to heaven? But instead, His children long for the day when we can escape the pain and suffering of this world and move on to be with Him forever. We look forward to the new heaven and new earth, the New Jerusalem that has been prepared for His followers. I think God wants to make sure we remember there is a better place awaiting us. A place so much better than the one that holds the pain and suffering we endure here.

Why doesn’t God do everything for us? I really don’t know the answer to the question. It’s something we can ask when we get to heaven. But then again, once we’re there, will we really care? He’s God and He knows what He’s doing. We can trust Him.

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

What’s happened to prayer? (Mark 11:17) August 29, 2016

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Numbers 9-12

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

Today’s Devotional

Mark 11:17
Jesus (to those who were listening): Didn’t the prophets write, “My house will be called a house of prayer, for all the people”? But you have made it into a “haven for thieves.”

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

We talked some about this when we talked about Matthew 21:13, but I think these words are worth mentioning again. It seems in many instances the institutions we attend every Sunday have become much more social club than places of worship. Because of my military travels, I’ve been to a lot of churches around the world. More than I can count. Big ones and little ones. Churches with some pretty elaborate facilities and spectacular features and some one room structures that were about to collapse. I’ve been to home churches and outdoor arbors. I’ve meet in tents and under the stars. I’ve been in just about any and every kind of structure you can think of over the last 60 years attending all kinds of church meetings.

Unfortunately, most denominations are suffering the same fate. And most churches within those denominations are suffering the same fate. Churches are becoming places where people gather to talk about what happened to them last week instead of worshiping God. We catch up on the latest politics and school news and work gossip instead of lifting our eyes toward heaven or praying for the lost souls around us.

I’m afraid Jesus could walk into almost any of our churches today and make the same pronouncement He made in the temple court that day and be just as accurate. Our churches are not places or prayers, but we are making them into dens of thieves.

So let’s concentrate on that last part first. Why would I think we are turning our churches into dens of thieves? Most churches don’t have money changers in them. We don’t sell goats and sheep at exorbitant prices for the morning sacrifice. So why would I think we turn our churches into dens of thieves?

I don’t think we do it purposefully any more than those in the court thought they were doing anything wrong purposefully. They were doing business in the courtyard. It had been going on for centuries. The merchants in the court were doing the pilgrims a favor by enabling them to travel without dragging their sacrifice along with them. Probably most of those merchants were honest people. They didn’t think of themselves as thieves. They wanted to make a small profit and this was their livelihood. There was nothing wrong with making a living, right?

So what’s the equivalent in our churches? We don’t have money changers or sheep sellers. But what do we do with all that money that comes into the offering plates? Don’t get me wrong, we should pay our pastors and staff. Paul talks about that in his letters to the various churches, and growing up as a preacher’s kid and serving as a minister, I know the work they do. They earn their salaries. Follow a few good pastors around and you’ll figure that out pretty quickly.

But usually the salaries of the staff are only a small part of the income of the average church. What happens to the rest? Does it stay in the church or does it help others? Do we use it to help ourselves or do we give it to the cause of God? Do we continue to build structures and make things look pretty or do we feed the hungry, visit the prisoners, help the sick and orphaned and widows? What do we do with the income of the church? Does your church tithe? Now that’s an interesting question, isn’t it? Does it give at least 10% of its income back to God by spending its money on others that have no connection to your church?

Are we creating dens of thieves without even thinking about it?

Let’s go back to that first part. How about that house of prayer business? How much time does your church spend in prayer? Most churches I’ve attended lately have a thirty to maybe sixty second opening prayer and a pastoral prayer that lasts about two or three minutes and a closing prayer that will last another thirty seconds to a minute. If the leaders are long winded, you might hear a whole five minutes of prayer in a two hour service. Wow! So much for being a house of prayer.

We live in a pretty sad world. So most of our churches stay locked most of the time because of the fear of burglary. My denomination used to have a Prayer and Fasting meeting every Wednesday night for missions. That prayer and fasting changed to a bible study many years ago because people just couldn’t pray that long and now not very many churches meet at all on Wednesday night. Schedules are just too busy with work, the kids sports practices, homework, pick any distraction you want, it doesn’t matter. Any distraction that keeps you from praying will work. Just don’t pray. That’s the important thing for Satan.

If you go back and look at the habits of the founding fathers of most of the fundamental denominations in existence today, you’ll find they spent several hours a day in prayer. Not bedtime or dinner time prayers, but hours before the day began. Hours during the day. Hours before they went to sleep. They spent a large percentage of their day in prayer. Yet they still found the time to preach, write books, visit their congregation, travel around the world in ships and on horseback. They labored every day in an environment that required hard labor to survive. And still they prayed.

So what’s our excuse? Too busy? With what? What’s more important than talking with the creator of the universe? 

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 from Me? (Mark 10:51-52) August 26, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Hosea 8-14

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

Today’s Devotional

Mark 10:51-52
Jesus: What do you want from Me?
Bartimaeus: Teacher, I want to see.
Jesus: Your faith has made you whole. Go in peace.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Bartimaeus couldn’t see. He wanted more than anything to have his sight so he could see the beauty of the world around him. He wanted to enjoy sight, the sense we so often take for granted but those without it crave so much. Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus as He came through the streets of Jericho, Bartimaeus made a spectacle of himself, embarrassing the townspeople by his cries to the Master. They wanted to shut him up, but he cried out all the louder seeking for help from Jesus.

When everyone else tried to push Bartimaeus into the background, Jesus asked an important question. “What do you want from Me?” Have you ever thought about that question when you talk to Jesus? We don’t spend enough time thinking about His question to Bartimaeus and to us. We too often pray and just say words out of habit without thinking about what we are saying or what we want from Jesus.

It’s easy to just say a few words without thinking and go on about our daily business. We learn it as a kid saying grace at the dinner table or as a bedtime ritual. Unfortunately, many of us never grow out of that habit of rote prayer without thinking about what we say or mean when we speak to God. We just recite a few words and think everything is great. That’s a problem. It’s not that those prayers aren’t good. They are great examples of how to address God in praise and thanksgiving. They are marvelous examples of how to bring your thanks to Him and express your appreciation to Him for all He has done. But without stopping to let the words sink in, they are just words without meaning.

The same is true with every prayer. Even the prayer the Lord taught the disciples to prayer. But that model can be used as the basis for us to reach God and express our needs and desires to Him. It can be used to help us understand who He is and what He does for us each day. Jesus’ model prayer is a wonderful prayer, but how often do we stop and really let it sink into our heart before we express the words to God as a true heartfelt expression of our love for Him and a conversation with our creator and God.

So let’s go back to the question Jesus raised with Bartimaeus. “What do you want from Me?”

Bartimaeus gave Jesus what seems like a simple straight forward answer, “I want to see.” But is it so simple? Yes, Bartimaeus wanted his eyes to work and the light to pass through the lens to the retina and rods and cones on the back of his eye. He wanted his optic nerves to pass information to his brain and transform that information to an image he understood as a vision of the same world those with sight understood. He wanted physical sight. But I think Bartimaeus and Jesus understood his simple request as one with a deeper meaning than just seeing the physical world around them.

Bartimaeus earned his living as beggar. He barely squeaked by surviving on the pittance passersby put into his hands as they gave pity on this blind beggar. I think Bartimaeus wanted to see beyond the paltry existence of surviving day by day. Bartimaeus wanted to give up his life of relying on others and become a useful member of society. He wanted to see beyond what he had been and on to what he could become.

Bartimaeus lived on the streets of Jericho, knowing what was within arms length. He lived within his reach and knew nothing else. He could only imagine what lay beyond his limited reach. He heard stories of the great expanse beyond the small area he explored as he felt his way along from one place to another, but his world was limited to the length of his arms and measure of his stride. Bartimaeus wanted to see the possibilities beyond his limited world. He wanted to see the scope of God’s universe. He wanted to know the limitless expanse God created that extended well beyond the limits placed upon him by the absence of his sight.

Finally, I think more than anything else, Bartimaeus wanted to see Jesus Himself. Here stood the Son of the living God. Here was the one who could do what no other person could do. Here was One who some said could make new eyes out of dirt, make the lame walk, raise the dead to life, make the deaf hear and mute talk. Here was God incarnate. Bartimaeus wanted to see God.

So what about you? What do you want when you come to Jesus in prayer? Have you thought about it? Do you really know what you want when He asks, “What do you want of Me?” Has it occurred to you that He wants to grant your request? It is worth some time thinking about that question. What do you really want from God? When we ask in Jesus name, in alignment with His will, He says He will give it to us. But first we have to ask ourselves the question and then answer it, “What do you want from Me?”

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

Get up, the betrayer is coming (Matthew 26:45-46) June 26, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Philippians 1-2

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

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 26:45-46
Jesus: Well, you are still sleeping; are you getting a good long rest? Now the time has come; the Son of Man is just about to be given over to the betrayers and the sinners. Get up; we have to be going. Look, here comes the one who’s going to betray Me.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

I look around at all the rhetoric from every circle about what’s happening in our society today and wonder if Jesus would say the same to us if He were to come to our time. The news is filled with violence and acts of terrorism. Every group cries out for its rights. Whether it’s people in the country without legal status, those demanding acceptance of gender rights, those whose skin pigments differ, those with varied religious beliefs, those screaming their political affiliation and defaming opposing views.

We have come to the point in our country where disagreement means hatred in too many circles. If I don’t agree with your position, I must hate you and therefore I should be marked as an instigator of hate and hate crimes. How did we get to the point in our society that only complete agreement with idiology meant love? I think the answer comes from the last fifty years in which we slipped from relishing the title “Christian Nation” and living those principles, to somehow feeling we were ostracizing some and so we allowed ourselves as Christians to be pushed into the background not just voluntarily, but sometimes eagerly so we would not have to share the message God gave us and hear the abuse of the world.

So now here we are. We live the promise Jesus made, “The world will hate you because of Me.” Yet within the church, those who should be following and looking for His coming, we seem to be asleep. At least in this country we are. You might disagree with me and that’s your privilege, but let me ask a few questions to make my point.

When is the last time you share the gospel with anyone outside the walls of your church? When is the last time you prayed with someone as they gave their life to God? When is the last time you confronted one of your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ with wrongdoing to help them stay on the narrow path and keep the church the spotless bride Christ wants her to be at His coming? When is the last time you spent more than an hour in earnest prayer for something that didn’t involve you or your family? In fact, when is the last time you spent an hour in earnest prayer for anything?

I’m convinced the time is getting short for us to fulfill the mission He gave His disciples that is passed to each of us who call ourselves His followers. He told us to go and make disciples. We cannot do that by sitting within the four walls of our churches. We must share the good news of His sacrificial death for our sins and His resurrection power that demonstrates the truth of His ability to forgive us. We must bring others to Him so they might find forgiveness and enjoy the peace only Jesus can give in these days of evil and violence and terror.

Expect when we share and stand on the truth contained in God’s word that others will hate us. When you tell someone their lifestyle doesn’t stand up to the test of God’s sovereign command, they will hate you. When you share with the world that their end is eternal punishment unless they repent and turn from their evil ways, they will hate you.

And yet there is another problem the early church encountered and we will encounter as the end of time draws near. Did you hear it in Jesus’ words to His sleeping disciples? “…here comes the one who’s going to betray me.” I’m pretty convinced that as the end draws near, many who call themselves Christian will be happy to betray those who are Christian to save their skin. They will be happy to shed the label and reveal who they really belong to so they can live another day. Brother will turn against brother and fathers against sons. Jesus predicts it because we live in an evil world and labels really don’t mean anything. It’s what’s inside that counts.

So as the special interest groups continue to make their case that they are an exception to God’s call to holy living, expect to be hated. As wickedness grows more common and more accepted in society, expect to be hated. As you stand for right and justice according to God’s word, not man’s, expect to be hated.

Jesus told His disciples that night the words we can expect fulfilled now as well. “Now the time has come; the Son of Man (and His followers) are just about to be given over to the betrayers and the sinners.” It’s about time we wake up and get to work. The betrayers are at the door and we still have a lot of work to do before Jesus returns. 

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.

The body is weak! (Matthew 26:40-41) June 24, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Ezekiel 13-18

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

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 26:40-41
When He came back to the disciples, He saw that they were asleep. Peter awoke a little less confident and slightly chagrined.
Jesus (to Peter): So you couldn’t keep watch with Me for just one short hour? Now maybe you’re learning: the spirit is willing, but the body is weak. Watch and pray and take care that you are not pulled down during a time of testing.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Caught with his hand in the cookie jar! Jesus asked his closest friends to help Him pray during this darkest hour of His life. One of His own was about to betray Him. Jesus knew the guards were on their way to arrest Him. The cross loomed in the distance. His death was imminent.

“Please, watch and pray with me for the next hour to help Me through this awful time in my life.”

Sounds like a simple request, doesn’t it? But Peter, James and John didn’t fulfill their mission. They let the food in their stomachs and the late hour of the evening get to them and they slept while their Master prayed. He comes back and the sound of His sandals on the gravel path arouses Peter. Oops! I was supposed to be praying, not sleeping. Caught!

We’re all guilty. We all get caught. No matter how stealthy you think you might be in covering your actions or hiding your schemes, you can’t. Everything eventually comes out in the open. Just take a look at what happens in the media today with our political candidates. If you think you can hide your past, just look at what comes out from the past on these men and women that want to lead our country. The opposing party is pulling out dirt from every aspect of each others lives. From the time they were young adults to yesterday’s twitter post, the latest misstatement, misaligned thought, maligned look, point of arrogance, or down right bad action for which each never takes ownership pops up in the news.

Nothing is ever really hidden. And so Peter, James, and John get caught. But that’s okay. Jesus understands. I think He’s a little disappointed that these three closest friends didn’t have the stamina to pray with Him for even an hour, but even at this late hour of His life, Jesus uses the incident as a teaching point for them. “Now maybe you’re learning: the spirit is willing, but the body is weak. Watch and pray and take care that you are not pulled down during a time of testing.”

So what is the Master telling these three? I’m sure they were thoroughly embarrassed by their inability to stay awake with Jesus. I’m sure they fell over themselves with apologies and truly were sorry for not praying with Him during this hour. I’m sure they promised never to do it again and asked for another chance to redeem themselves even as the night grew longer and darker.

But Jesus understood their position before the coming of the Holy Spirit to live in them and not just with them. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. There are times that we just can’t go on any more. His words remind me of the day I came back from Iraq into our rear headquarters in Dharhan in Saudi Arabia after coalition forces were ordered back in Operation Desert Storm. I told my boss I needed a short nap before I would be much good to him for the next planning phase. I went into the hut several of the medical operations team shared and fell fully clothed into the cot I hadn’t seen in several months to take that short nap. In what a thought was a few minutes, I woke up and discover to my dismay the clock was two hours later than when I laid down. What I didn’t know was a full day had also passed. What I thought was a long two hour nap, was a twenty-six hour exhausted sleep. The spirit was willing, but the body was weak.

I learned that some of the team who held down the rear headquarters while the tactical operations center moved forward checked on me every few hours to make sure I was still breathing, but assumed I needed the sleep and didn’t wake me. I wanted to work as soon as I returned because there was a lot of work to do. But my body said shut down and repair itself after months of twenty-hour days. It just said no more and quit.

God understands our physical limitations. But He also helps us even with those physical limitations. I’m convinced it was His hand on me physically that let me work the grueling schedule I worked in Desert Storm without collapsing until after our return from the front. His sustaining power gave me the strength to endure all those months until my planning skills were no longer immediate concerns for medical support on the battlefield.

We will all face times of testing as the disciples did in the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus and as I did with the constant pressures of planning in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. But prayer was high on my list and I felt the prayers of those who were home lifting me to God both for my safety and my ability to perform my tasks well not even knowing what my tasks might be. I knew friends and family were on their knees with my name on their lips.

Now twenty-five years after that conflict, I lift those planners and service members in my prayers daily. Some of them I know by name. Most are nameless to me, but not to God. Are there times my body fails me? Yes. Just passing my sixty-second anniversary of my birth, my body fails more often than I’d like, but I’ve learned to lean more on God so He can empower my spirit to keep at the fight. How about 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.

Does God answer prayer? (Matthew 26:39) June 23, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Proverbs 5-6

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

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 26:39
He walked a little farther and finally fell prostrate and prayed.
Jesus: Father, this is the last thing I want. If there is any way, please take this bitter cup from Me. Not My will, but Yours be done.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Have you ever had God not answer your prayers the way you wanted Him to answer them? If you haven’t, then you probably haven’t prayed…ever! I’m pretty positive that everyone who ever prayed more than once has asked God for something He didn’t grant. You see, God isn’t in the business of being a cosmic Santa as too many want to believe. Instead, we need to recognize God as our heavenly Father. Jesus talked about the fact that a father gives good gifts to his children, so if a son asks for a fish, he wouldn’t give him a snake, right?

But we never stop to think that the reverse is also true. When my kids were little, if they asked for a race car, I would probably give them a toy race car. But if they wanted a real one, there is no way, that as a good father I would give them real race car. That would have been foolish. Granting them that request would mean injury or death. They certainly didn’t need a race car and to give it to them would have been a cruel gift to them as their father.

The same is true with many of the things we ask from God. He knows what is best for us. We do not. Sometimes we think we are smarter than God and know all the answers, but we don’t God answers our prayers in a way that is best for us and brings glory to Him. He knows the right answers in every circumstance. He knows how to make every bad situation turn for our best. It may not seem like it at the time, but as a good Father, He gives good things to His children. Always.

When I don’t get what I ask, I often come to this passage and remember that even Jesus, the very Son of God, asked something of His Father and did not receive what He asked. If anyone deserved to get what He asked it would be Jesus. He was God incarnate. The heavenly Father’s Son. He was sinless. He did everything the Father asked of Him. Yet, when it came to asking for relief from the agony of the cross, the Father said, “No. I won’t let you off the hook. You must die for the sins of the world. I know what you have done so far. I know what you ask. I know you don’t deserve this. But the answer is still no.”

So should I feel bad when God turns down my request? I admit sometimes I do, but I try to remember God knows me best and He is my Father. As when my kids were growing up, I don’t always know what is best when I ask for something. God does. I need to stop and remember that when I ask for a fish, He will never give me a snake. Likewise, if I ask for a snake not understanding the danger it holds, He will give me a fish instead because He is a wise and good Father.

The other pattern we see in Jesus’ prayer we here often in Christian circles. Non-believers see it as our excuse for God not doing what we ask of Him, but Jesus’ pattern is clear. “Not My will, but Your will be done.” It’s not the first time Jesus prayed that prayer. He taught His disciples to ask for God’s will to be done when shared a model prayer. He wanted us to realize God’s plan, His will, His desires take precedence over ours. He is God. We are not.

When we figure out that God is God and a perfect Father for His children we can accept, as Jesus did, whatever response we get from our requests to Him. We know He will give us what we need to grow closer to Him. We know He will help us grow and mature in our spiritual life. We know He will prepare us to perform the tasks He has in store for us. We know as a loving, wise Father, He will give us His best since He has already given us His best by giving us His Son for our deliverance.

So does God answer prayer? You bet! Does He always give us what we want? I hope not. Does He give us what’s best for us? Every time. He has our best in mind. If we will remember that one simple fact, like Jesus, we can accept His answers, not matter what they might be. 

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.

Prayer partners, good and bad (Matthew 26:36-38) June 22, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Psalms 72-74

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

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 26:36-38
Jesus: I am going over there to pray. You sit here while I’m at prayer.
Then He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him, and He grew sorrowful and deeply distressed.
Jesus: My soul is overwhelmed with grief, to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Prayer was such an important part of Jesus’ life. We see Him getting away from the crowd and even from His disciples whenever He had important decisions to make. We find Him alone on hillsides, in the mountains, in gardens, slipping away in the night, rising early in the morning. Jesus got away to pray by Himself. He wanted time alone with His Father to discern the best course to take at critical junctures in His life.

In this scene just before Judas comes with a squad of soldiers to place the kiss of betrayal on the Master, Jesus once again slips away to pray alone. But in this instance, as He did when Peter, James, and John witnessed His transfiguration, He asks these three to watch with Him and pray. They cannot understand the incredible strain Jesus is enduring at the moment, but they can still join with Him in prayer…if they will.

They just finished a meal. They consumed some wine. It’s getting late. They’re not sure what they’re praying about. We know what’s about to happen. Have you ever had that problem? Jesus asks them to watch and wait, but their eyes get heavy and they don’t watch very well. But there are a couple of things I think we can learn from the small exchange we see in the first part of this garden scene with Jesus and His closest friends.

First, with Jesus as our pattern, we should go to the Father with every major decision and many if not most of the minor ones we face every day. God is interested in our lives. He wants to help us through the mundane as well as the spectacular. He wants to talk with us and give us the guidance we need to make the best choices in life, not just the good choices. We can’t do that unless we talk with Him regularly about our lives.

Second, when you face difficult times, whether it’s tough decisions, distress, or sorrow as Jesus faced that night, it’s good to have partners in prayer. Jesus took His three closest friends with Him to the deepest part of the garden to pray with Him about this monumental moment that soon would forever change not just history, but the very heart of men and women throughout the rest of time. Jesus wanted His closest friends, those He thought He could count on to help Him pray to help shoulder the spiritual burden He carried that night, to lift their hearts and prayers to His Father along with His own to help Him in this great time of need.

The third thing I learn from these few verses is that Jesus didn’t take all His disciples into this deeper part of the garden. He took only three of His disciples. Did that mean He didn’t have confidence in the others? Not necessarily. But just like each of us have some friends that are closer than others, so did Jesus. Just like we have some friends we can pour our heart out to and know we will not be judged for our thoughts, Jesus probably felt the same way about Peter, James and John. These three were His inner circle. They were His confidants. We need some of those in our lives.

You probably have a lot of associates around you. People who will do things for you and with you. You know their names and a little about them and they know you in the same way. You see them around at church or work or in the neighborhood, but you probably would not list them among your list of friends if you had to start making a list of friends. You probably do have a list of friends. People you invite over to your house often. You know all about them. You might even go on vacations with them. You know you could pick up the phone and ask them for help and they would be there for you. But you don’t tell them your deep dark secrets, because they are not that close. You trust them, but not with your inner secrets. But hopefully, you have two or three people on your list that are like that. You can confide in them. You can pour your heart out to them without judgment. You know they will listen and still be there at the end of the crisis. These confidants are rare in the journey of life and I think Jesus held Peter, James, and John in this last category. We all need just a few of those kinds of folks also.

Finally, even though those close friends, those confidants, those intimate prayer partners may let you down, it’s still good to ask them to help you pray. I think Peter, James, and John probably tried to prayer for a while when Jesus first asked and if they had known the gravity of the situation would have stayed awake longer and prayed better. But even so, it set their mind on the issues that Jesus would soon face. And God probably used this time to make them great prayer warriors later as He reminded them of their failure in the garden. So don’t be afraid to ask partners to pray with you, even if they forget, fail to follow up, fall asleep, or don’t respond in the way you might like. It could be a growing period for all 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.