16: The preponderance of demonic possession in Christ’s day is not to be a surprise. Many were given to the practice of magical arts, such was common in a culture so mixed up. The religious leaders seemed unable to offer anything authentic, and the influx of pagan idolatry was strong in areas controlled by Rome. Jesus delivered these possessed ones by a means different from all others. Indeed, his authority prompted the Jewish leaders to feel that he must be a servant of the devil. On the contrary, the demonic hoards were the more subject to his will and word than they could ever be to the devil. Verses like this one serve to highlight the extent of Jesus’ ministry. There was no sickness, no torment, no problem, that could not be easily handled by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Daily Bible Reading: Ezekiel 44:1-46:24
Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:21 “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
Daily Tidbit: Much ado has been made about nothing it seems in the case of the Mayan calendar. Scientists and thinkers have, though pointing it out, shown the December 21 date to be just what it was, another day. Religionists and spiritualists did what they do best and celebrated it, and the money they made off of it. The rest of us just went on with our lives. So is there any significance to this Mayan doomsday? Well, yes and no. As it has been pointed out, the day is just the end of an epoch of time for the Mayans, and the beginning of another. However, the true significance of the day is that it ends a certain period of time. This period was roughly five thousand years long. Thus the ancient Mayans believed that time began about five thousand years ago. Not surprisingly, the Hebrew calendar starts not but a few hundred years before that. Indeed, many calendars of ancient cultures put the date of creation somewhere in recent history. If we stop thinking that we know everything long enough to accept the wisdom of the ancients, we must come to the conclusion that God’s Word is not off in its report of the time of creation.
Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. Though mankind hesitates to accept Truth not reported by our own senses, we could not have come this far without the influence of Your Words upon our society. May we have a renewed sense of Your awesome power and great glory this Christmas season. Father, You are able to make our lives whatever You want them to be. May we yield to Your plans this coming year, rather than chasing our own. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.
Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a man with terminal cancer.
Personal Journal Entry #12255