6: There have been many who have made the claim that Jesus never claimed to be God, or even the Messiah. This is, of course, a great error. This verse is one of the most obvious cases of Jesus’ assertion of his identity not only as Messiah, but as Almighty God incarnate. He purposely forgave the man’s sins before them all in order to remind them that he was no ordinary miracle worker. His miracles were real, and his power was Divine.
Daily Bible Reading: Matthew 12:1-13:58
Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 1:2 “(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
Daily Tidbit: Many have commented on the horrible sin of slavery that caused so much heartache and bloodshed in this country. However, precious few are ever heard to comment upon the chief cause of slavery. The slave trade in America at first met with opposition when it threatened to grow. Indeed, it never did take hold strongly in the North as we know. But, in the end, it grew quite prevalent due to an age old problem. That problem is greed. Greed was the primary reason that slavery grew to the extent that it did. Though our nation has, by paying a great price, rid itself of the slave trade, has it ever been rid of the problem that caused the great growth of that trade? May we each day rid our hearts, by the power of Christ, of the horrendous sin that brought about the possession of other human beings in slavery.
Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your precious Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You for Communion, the Lord’s Supper, which we enjoy so much. You know just what we need. You ask us to celebrate the things that will bring us closer to You. You are so wise! It is great to be able to draw upon Your infinite knowledge. Drinking deeply at the fountain of Your Truth is like sipping from the purest spring we could ever taste. You are so worth living for! Thank You for Your great love for us! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.
Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for missionaries in Africa. Pray for a man with shingles. Pray for a man who has only two weeks to live.
Personal Journal Entry #12277