Scripture to read today:
Matthew 8; Matthew 9; Matthew 10
Scripture that spoke to me:
Matthew 9:28-29
When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
“Yes, Lord,” they replied.
Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you”;
Observation:
Belief is the key to all the gifts of God. Just like these blind men believed and were granted their sight, we have to believe that God is who He says He is (I AM) and He will do what He promises to do.
Application:
This is one of my biggest challenges. I do believe in God- I do believe He can do anything. But sometimes I don’t believe He will. I tend to ask for things, pray for situations, where I ask God to do something if He wants to. I think I’m leaving a way for my spirit to not be disappointed if it doesn’t happen. And I know you can pray for healing and not get it. I know you can pray and have Him answer “no.” But I need to learn to approach prayer not timidly but boldly. Just ask and believe that He will come through. No, not for a million dollars or for unnecessary things, but for love, goodness, forgiveness, and peace.
Prayer:
Lord, grant me love, peace, goodness, and forgiveness. I know You offer these freely to those who believe- and I do believe. Help me not to carry a troubled and weary heart, but a heart that is so full of Your goodness that it spills out onto others and gives them love and peace as well. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Psalm 121; Mark 9; Mark 10
Scripture that spoke to me:
Mark 9:23-24
“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”
The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”
Observation:
This father has watched his son suffer his entire life. Now he turns to Jesus, who he knows can heal his son, for help. Jesus says that of course he can heal the boy- anything is possible if you believe.
Application:
I believe with my heart but my head says something else. I know that all things are possible with God. I get it. He can do whatever He wants. I also know we don’t always get everything we ask for. So where is the line in there- between believing that God can do anything and knowing that sometimes our prayers are answered with a “no” or a “wait awhile?” I feel a lot like this father- who believes that Jesus can heal his son, but isn’t sure that He will.
Prayer:
Lord, I do believe that all things are possible with You. Help me to have faith. Help my unbelief. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Zechariah 7; Zechariah 8; Zechariah 9; Luke 13
Scripture that spoke to me:
Zechariah 8:6
“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Observation:
God can do anything! He created it all, so He has control over all of it! He can do anything that seems impossible.
Application:
My problem is, I know God can do anything He wishes- I just am not sure that He wants to do some of the things that I want Him to! Jesus says that if we just had faith the size of a mustard seed, we could command a mountain to move! But really? Wouldn’t that hurt a lot of people if we were to move a mountain? I know nothing is impossible with God, but I wonder sometimes if God will allow things to be possible.
Prayer:
Lord, I know Your ways are not my ways. Help me to have that mustard seed faith, where anything is possible. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Daniel 7; Daniel 8; Psalm 137; Luke 4
Scripture that spoke to me:
Luke 4:41
Many were possessed by demons; and the demons came out at his command, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But because they knew he was the Messiah, he rebuked them and refused to let them speak.
Observation:
Earlier in this chapter, Satan is tempting Jesus by using scripture. Here, the demons are shouting “You are the Son of God!” Even the evil spirits know that Jesus is the Messiah. They obey his command.
Application:
If the devil and the demons know who Jesus is, why do so many on earth not know Him? And for those of us that do, what makes us better than the demons? To know Him isn’t enough- to be able to quote scripture isn’t enough- we have to invite him into our hearts, to be with us every day.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Make me ever mindful that You are with me in everything. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Ezekiel 45; Ezekiel 46; Luke 1
Scripture that spoke to me:
Luke 1:18, 34, 37
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”
34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
37 For nothing is impossible with God.”
Observation:
I’ve always thought it was bad that Zechariah was punished for asking “how” but Mary wasn’t. It is true that both were visited by the angel Gabriel and told and extraordinary thing- one that just didn’t happen in the circumstances they were in. But Gabriel reminds them both that God can do anything!
Application:
I forget that. I don’t know why- maybe I know it and don’t believe it somehow? God can do anything! Even go against the forces of nature. I find myself looking at something seemingly impossible and think “I can’t” – but I forget that God can! Actually, most of the time I know God can, it is more that I think He won’t. I need more confidence, more assurance, more faith. I know He can. I don’t need to know how, but I do need to know that He will.
Prayer:
Lord, help my unbelief. Let me know that as I run into a task that is seemingly impossible, if You are there, nothing is impossible. Let me have enough faith to see it through and learn to more fully rely on You. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Ezekiel 17; Ezekiel 18; Ezekiel 19; Revelation 7
Scripture that spoke to me:
Ezekiel 18:23
“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.
Observation:
The Lord wants all of His children to come home. He doesn’t want to lose one to death. That is why He offers eternal life to all who believe in Him.
Application:
Have you ever noticed that the people who are your best friends have a lot in common with you? Tend to be from the same economic level, with the same ideals and interests? So if your friends succeed, you’re likely to also. If your friends walk with God, you may as well. So you can either surround yourself with people who are the way you would like to be, or you can help the people around you become Christians and follow God. Either way, you are really helping yourself to be the best you can be.
Prayer:
Lord, let the people who I come in contact with know You through me. Let my life be a good example, not a detriment. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
2 Kings 24; Jeremiah 22; Psalm 112; John 18
Scripture that spoke to me:
John 18:37-38a
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
“What is truth?” Pilate asked.
Observation:
What is truth? Dictionary.com has these definitions:
1. the true or actual state of a matter: .
| 2. |
conformity with fact or reality; verity: the truth of a statement. |
| 3. |
a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle
|
So Jesus says “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He means He is the indisputable fact. He is the Son of God. Truth is filled with goodness- there can be nothing false in it. Just like there is nothing false in Jesus.
Application:
Remember true/false tests in school? Where you put a T with a small little line in the middle and tried to fool the teacher? We bend the truth so much that anymore, it is hard to tell the difference between true and false. “Little white lies” are ok. Answers that contain the truth but may not be the whole truth must be fine because they’re not lies, right? No wonder we don’t recognize the truth when we see it. We’re so used to believing lies.
Prayer:
Lord, let me learn to love the truth again, not believe lies. Let me learn to follow the Truth. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Jeremiah 5; Jeremiah 6; John 12
Scripture that spoke to me:
John 12:42-43
Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.
Observation:
Jesus is nearing the end of his ministry, and danger to him and those around him is increasingly great. Men who might openly believe are intimidated into silence by the Pharisees. These are people who care what others think- care about their standing in the community and in the church.
Application:
Have you ever kept quiet about something because you think your view isn’t the popular one? (And I’m not necessarily talking about religion, although that and politics can set people against each other fairly quickly.) I was blog surfing this morning and came across one where people wanted to point out “errors” in the Bible. I do realize that there are inconsistencies in the Bible. This book was written over 4000 years, so I’d imagine some things changed during that time! But these people wanted to leave out a fact here and point out a fact there. I have to wonder, from most of the comments, if anyone was thinking for themselves or just taking what was written as fact. I wavered a minute, but then decided to point out the 2 biggest left-out facts. I wonder if that will make a difference, but I didn’t want to be like the people who kept quiet in this verse above.
Prayer:
Lord, let me be more concerned about You than about others. Help me know what to say, and when to say it, so that others may see Your goodness and greatness. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Isaiah 25; Isaiah 26; Isaiah 27; Isaiah 28; Hebrews 13
Scripture that spoke to me:
Isaiah 25:9
In that day the people will proclaim,
“This is our God!
We trusted in him, and he saved us!
This is the Lord, in whom we trusted.
Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!”
Observation:
Put your trust and hope in God. He is the one who offers salvation to all who come to him with an open heart. He is the Savior, and He will save.
Application:
I was reading Susan’s blog this morning and she asked the question ” Doesn’t ANYONE realize that the government DOES NOT help you?” So many people are looking toward our government for answers- for relief- for health care- and money- and support. This verse stuck out at me today because they’re looking in the wrong place! You can’t place your hope in men (good or bad), your hope belongs with the Lord! He is the only one who can make things better!
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for being a refuge, a rock, and my Savior. Thank you for always being there as a hope in times of trouble, as a Redeemer, and as all we need. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Isaiah 11; Isaiah 12; Isaiah 13; Isaiah 14; Hebrews 9
Scripture that spoke to me:
Isaiah 11:6-9
The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling [a] together;
and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,
and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.
Observation:
This is as peaceful a scene as is found in the Scriptures. The lion and the lamb lying together. The snake not biting a child. Jesus came to show us how to live in peace- to tell us to love one another instead of fighting- and this is the example given to Isaiah.
Application:
Wouldn’t it be nice to live in a peaceful place? To just love one another? Jesus said something else, though- he said that he didn’t come to bring peace, but a sword- meaning that he would bring division between people who believe in him and people who do not.. (“Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 10:34-39 NASB)
Prayer:
Lord, help me create peace in my own life- to bring others closer to You and closer to love. Amen.
