37: This saying of Christ is not meant in any way to diminish the importance of love for our family members. However, it does point out once again a theme in Christ’s teachings that is often missed by those who would rather not see it. Jesus is God. As God, he deserves our absolute devotion. If our family comes between us and Almighty God, that is not a good thing. Indeed, he is the only one who is more important. In fact, he does not simply take first place in our lives, he wants our whole lives. This is what Jesus is getting at here. Our love for our parents and children is exceptionally strong. But, our love for him should be even stronger. He is to be the central focus of our lives.
Daily Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:1-15:58
Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 2:8 “Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.”
Daily Tidbit: One of the most hotly debated ideas in connection with God’s Word is its inerrant nature. To argue against inerrancy is to undermine the Bible’s authority. To argue for it requires that one accept no errors in the Bible at all. This is, and will continue to be, the cause of much consternation. However, the best thing to keep in mind is that any places in Scripture where errors may seemingly be legitimately claimed there is no overall loss of meaning. In other words, if one were to allow errors to be admitted in passages where sound scholarship has sometimes pointed to errors, the overall message of Scripture, including all of the major doctrines, would remain unchanged. This is not to say that errors in the Bible should be admitted or argued for. It is to say that those who see any errors as a problem for the message of Scripture are they who tend to find more errors than most. In other words, those who would deny the authority of the Scriptures on the basis of supposed errors must still find themselves expected to believe the message of Scripture. Many error-hunters, however, have no intention of accepting the message of God’s Word without making some significant modifications for their own benefit. Finding an unbiased means by which to measure supposed errors has proved impossible. Thus, we find ourselves unable, as imperfect persons, to evaluate a perfect book. When one accepts the message of the Word, any supposed errors seem to vanish.
Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for all of Your love for us. You have given us a book that shows us how to live. You have delivered to us a message of hope and grace that is so amazing. You have gifted us with Your own Son. Thank You for Jesus! Jesus Christ is the message of Scripture, and he makes all of the difference in life. You are worthy of all praise! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.
Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a man who is recovering from a blood clot. Pray for a woman being tested for cancer. Pray for a woman having trouble with her back.
Personal Journal Entry #13074