Author: Bill Hall

Matthew 21:24
   This was a completely legitimate offer. He was fully ready to tell them their answer. But, he knew already what would be the outcome of this interchange. He did, by his words here, let them know that he had the authority to do these things, and that there was indeed a good answer to their questions.

Bible Reading: Genesis 36:1-37:36

Scripture Memory: James 1:12 “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, just knowing You is a comfort. Knowing that Christ has died, and lives, for us is so wonderful! The strength and hope and joy that we may find in him is so encouraging. May we never cease to find blessings in Christ. You are full, Father, and we are so empty sometimes. You always have the answers to every problem. Father, may we give to You all glory in all things at all times! You are worthy of all praise and honor. You alone are God, the Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman with lupus. Pray for a woman’s special unspoken request. Pray for a missionary family leaving the states soon.

Journal Entry #14110

Matthew 21:23
   Oddly enough, this was probably the best question that the Jewish leaders ever came up with. That is not to say that it was too tricky or hard for Christ. That’s not the case at all. It’s just that it was a much more honest question than they were usually wont to ask. It wasn’t directly based on some sort of trick to catch him. It wasn’t based on faulty logic, or a theological fallacy. It wasn’t a request for a sign. It was based on their recognition that he exercised authority. For, indeed, he did exercise his authority as he cleansed the temple of those who bought and sold, and undermined the profit of the priests and scribes.
   So, why did Jesus avoid answering directly if it was a pretty good question? There were two reasons for this, I think. First, no matter how good of a question these men came up with, Jesus knew that their goal was not to determine the truth, but to destroy him any way they could. There were, however, those among them who did honestly wonder about Christ. Like his talk with Nicodemus in John 3, he answered good questions with teaching. And that leads me to the second point. Jesus responded with a question rather than an answer so as to teach those who might want the truth, and confound those who didn’t. The question he asked about John had an obvious answer, but so did their question about him. That John’s ministry was ‘of heaven’ was just as simple to grasp as the answer that Jesus’ authority was from heaven. Thus, Jesus was following his own advice of not casting pearls before swine. There was no reason to give an answer to a question that was so easily answered, especially when the answer would never be accepted by those who asked.

Bible Reading: Genesis 33:1-35:29

Scripture Memory: James 1:12 “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”

Prayer: Gracious Heavenly Father, thank You for Your leading. We do not know what will happen from one day to the next. But, we do know that we can trust You. We do know that You are on the throne, that You hold it all in Your hand. Truly, what may a day bring forth? We must be ready, but that is only possible through daily reliance upon You, dear Father. When we rely upon You, all impossibilities disappear. Without You everything is impossible anyway. You are the Holy and True God. None may stand before You. You have all power in heaven and in earth. May all glory and honor and riches and blessing be to You Father! May Christ be praised forever! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman who is close to death, and for her family. Pray for a woman having some tests done. Pray for a man recovering from extensive surgery. Pray for a family making a big decision.

Journal Entry #14109

Matthew 21:22
   The promise of prayer, which we find in this verse, has seemed to many an empty promise. They fail to obtain it because they fail to believe. Just as so many other things, belief has been counterfeited by the enemy. People will say they believe in this or that. Faith is not just believing that something or someone exists. Faith is trusting that One with all that we are, and all that we hope to be. Faith is making God your God. He is to be Your focus, the central Reason that transcends all others. True faith is like the man on the high wire or the pilot of an airplane, who trusts their very lives to one thing. That is faith in God, that is believing, to trust our very lives to Him. To believe him above all else, above our own senses. It is then that we shall receive in prayer exactly what we want because we shall then know what we truly need.

Bible Reading: Genesis 31:1-32:32

Scripture Memory: James 1:11 “For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your steadfast love. We know that we can trust You with everything because You are worthy of our very lives. We may spend ourselves upon You knowing that we are not fools. You alone are God. All the things that people trust are but dust and ashes. You alone are faithful. You alone are all-knowing. You alone have the power to handle everything we will ever face. Only You are worthy of complete faith. You are the Fountainhead of Grace, the Source of Life, the Power of Eternity. We can look to You and see Your great and awesome glory. You are most glorious! You are above all things! You have the wisdom of the ages, the love that can melt the heart of stone, and the holiness of holiness! Oh God, You overwhelm me! You are so great, and I am so small! Thank You for all that You are, and all that You have done. Thank You for Christ, and all that He is. I know I shall be with Him in His coming again to this earth. His kingdom shall be everlasting. His servants shall be happy. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman who just had a bad fall. Pray for a woman awaiting the results of several tests for her heart. Pray for a man to have opportunities to witness on the job.

Journal Entry #14108

Matthew 21:21
   Jesus here reveals to them once again the power of prayer. The keys to this verse are the words ‘faith’ and ‘doubt’. Faith, or complete trust, in the Lord God Almighty is required. Bold confidence, with no doubt admitted, is required. How may one have this certainty? It is better to ask, how may one have this dependence? Complete faith for prayer has nothing to do with being confident in ones’ self, but in being certain of the abilities of Almighty God. Those who have this faith are not impressed with their own talent, but are keenly aware that all they have comes from above. Living in communion with God every moment is what is in view here. We very often do not feel our dependence upon God, because we do not perceive it. When you are looking to him to provide even the smallest things, trusting him for the biggest is nothing extraordinary.
   This is the heartbeat of the effective Christian life. Did the early Apostles have the power and boldness they had simply because they had learned some stubborn confidence that other men had not? They were not just more strong and willful than others. On the contrary, Peter had been that way, and his way had to be changed for him to serve the Lord Christ. So, this confidence was from a dependence upon the God Who made the mountains. If he wants them moved, it is no big thing for one who is totally reliant upon him to believe that he may do so. It is really perfectly natural for such a one to believe. It is then, no stretch, to say that Almighty God is able to give to us who rely upon him all that we ever should want, and all that we ever could need.

Bible Reading: Genesis 29:1-30:43

Scripture Memory: James 1:11 “For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithfulness. Our lives seem so haphazard sometimes. Your faithfulness ties us down to reality. We can dream. You let us have plans for the future. You don’t stifle our imagination. But, You do keep us from flying away with ourselves. You knit us to the fabric of real life. You give us a connection to eternity. You make our lives something grand and glorious. You stretch us beyond this time and place. You make us citizens of Your heavenly kingdom. You give us places in Your great economy. You make us servants of Yourself, the Almighty Creator. To be Your servant is to have a job working for the greatest person in the universe. To have a place before Your face is to have a position as a caretaker of the cosmos. Indeed, to be in your service is to be happy and content in the knowledge that we are the task force of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You are our amazing Almighty Master, Savior, and God. You alone are worthy of our praise! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for two pregnant women having difficult pregnancies. Pray for a missionary family preparing to leave for the field.

Journal Entry #14107

Matthew 21:20
   It is so easy for us to see things from a different perspective when we are looking at people’s lives hundreds and hundreds of years later. The disciples had not seen Jesus do anything quite like this before. In their way of thinking it was something different from his other miracles. So, they responded with great surprise. Looking back at it now we don’t see what the big deal was. Of course Jesus can do whatever he wants. That seems only natural. But, for the disciples, it was quite an experience.

Bible Reading: Genesis 27:1-28:22

Scripture Memory: James 1:11 “For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your amazing love for us. You do so much in our lives that we don’t even realize. We receive mercies that we don’t even think about thanking You for. You don’t stop caring, even when we do. Father, You are good, and holy, and just. Thank You for all that You are! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman with heart trouble. Pray for a man with high blood pressure. Pray for a man with a stiff neck.

Journal Entry #14106

Matthew 21:19
   This tree was one that could have been expected to have fruit on it. In other words, this is a case of Jesus applying his ‘take from him even what he has’ principle. Though healthy leaves, a promise of fruit, were present, nothing was there. The tree had failed to bear for one reason or another. Thus, Jesus causes it to wither away and never bear fruit. This is consistent with his theology. He comes looking for fruit, and when he finds none, even what is there is taken away.

Bible Reading: Genesis 25:1-26:35

Scripture Memory: James 1:10 “But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for helping us to bear fruit. You could just allow us to sit around and look healthy, but You challenge us and enable us to do more. We must live to serve You! That is the great purpose of our lives. We live for Christ, Who died for us! Thank You Father, for Your great wisdom, mercy, grace, and love. You are worthy of our service. You are worthy of our time and treasure, for You are the One Who gives it to us. Without You, we are nothing, and we have nothing. Praise be to Almighty God! You are Holy! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a family that just lost a loved one. Pray for a man undergoing treatment for a rare disease. Pray for a woman with cancer.

Journal Entry #14105

Matthew 21:18
   Rather then trying to unravel the mystery of the fig tree, let us observe what is easily to be understood from this event. Here in this verse we can learn something of Jesus’ practices. And they reveal that he indeed practiced what he preached. Rather than being concerned first with his hunger, he had arisen, made his prayers presumably, and departed for his day’s destination. All of this came before breakfast, which he had no intention of skipping. Thus, he looked for the food that his Father might provide along the way. Just as he had told others, he was not anxious about his daily needs, but trusted the Father to meet them like he does the needs of the sparrows or the flowers of the field.

Bible Reading: Genesis 23:1-24:67

Scripture Memory: James 1:10 “But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the resurrection! Without that one single miracle, all would be useless! Without a living Christ, it would all be worthless! Without salvation through a living Lord, I could not have hope! Oh Father, You have captivated me with Christ! I cannot escape Him. I cannot go around Him. I must not live my own way. I have to consider him in all that I do because He demands my attention. If He is false, all is false. If he is true, all is true. I cannot find for myself any basis for good outside of Him. I cannot hope to be a nice person without the living Lord! I need him like I need nothing else! By Him I am alive. By Him I may live for evermore! By Him all is changed, all is new, all is good. By Him I have the hope of righteousness. By Him I may one day be a servant of my God in His temple. By Him I may be robed in white. By Him I may know what it is to truly live and love. By Him alone may I be saved! Thank You for Christ Father! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a missionary family preparing to leave for the field soon. Pray for a family that just lost a young child. Pray for a woman with ALS.

Journal Entry #14104

Matthew 21:17
   The wisdom of Christ is always amazing to me. Bethany was his refuge. It was his place of rest. It was a temporary headquarters while away from Galilee. He is the Sovereign Lord of all, who has every place at his disposal, and yet he knows the need for a place of refuge. He understands that we need a place to call home. It is not wrong for us, in similar fashion, to have such places in our lives, as long as we may give them up if God calls upon us to do so.

Bible Reading: Genesis 20:1-22:24

Scripture Memory: James 1:10 “But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gentleness. You know how to help us even in the most difficult times of life. You can encourage the downtrodden and lift up the weak. You are so good to us. You are holy and just. You are righteous and pure. You alone are God! Thank You for Your love! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for several families that lost loved ones recently. Pray for several who are sick. Pray for the lost.

Journal Entry #14103

Matthew 21:16
   As in many cases in the New Testament, if you look up the verse that Jesus refers to here, Psalm 8:2, in the Old Testament it will not say exactly the same thing. This kind of thing could be the source of confusion, and offense, to those who are weak in their faith. However, this need not be. The New Testament writers, including Matthew, almost exclusively used the Septuagint translation of the Bible. This is a Greek translation of the Hebrew text. It was more known and readily understood by the common man in the time of the Apostles. Thus, they used a translation of the Hebrew so as to facilitate understanding among their readers. Besides this, they would have themselves been quite familiar with the text of the Septuagint.
   So, in the King James Version, and many other translations of today, you will find that this verse in Psalms says that God has ‘ordained strength’ (or something of that nature) by the words of the children, not that he has ‘perfected praise’ in this manner. The fact is that the same thought is being put across by both phrases. The Greek word for ‘praise’ refers to an ascription of glory. It is a discourse on the greatness of God. It is a person ascribing strength to Almighty God. The word ‘ordain’ in the Hebrew is easily understood to refer to establishing something in one’s mind. In other words, whether we say that the kid’s words ordained strength, or that they perfected praise, we are getting at the same thing.
   There are those who would take issue with all of this on the basis of the verbal, plenary, inerrancy and inspiration of the Scriptures. This simply says that every word of God’s Word is specifically chosen by him, and may not be changed. How then can we reconcile this with the difference between the Greek and the Hebrew? Quite easily. The Septuagint is a translation. Translations, although they may be very good, are not inspired. In this case, because the New Testament writers were themselves inspired, we can be sure of the words that they quote from the Septuagint. So, the Septuagint is not to be held above the original Hebrew. However, please keep in mind that old translation such as the Septuagint may help us understand the originals. Indeed, we must always remember that the ‘originals’ we have are copies, and are not the actual pages upon which the writers of Scripture actually wrote.
   Therefore, we must be careful of two things. On the one hand, we should seek to remain faithful to the original as much as possible. Flagrant changes that are touted as ‘just as good’ as the original are corruptions. On the other hand, we must not discourage the use of good, responsible, translations of God’s Word. They are not themselves inspired, but if they are directly based on the inspired originals, like the Septuagint, they carry the weight of the authority of the inspired originals.

Bible Reading: Genesis 17:1-19:38

Scripture Memory: James 1:9 “Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word! As Peter said so long ago, we are glad to have the sure Word. To know that we have from You the words You want us to have is so important to our souls. We can hear what You would have us to hear. We can learn as if receiving it straight from Your mouth. We can sit at the feet of Christ and drink it all in! We can be confident in our testimony and witness knowing that You have given us what we are to say and do. It is enough for our faith and our life. We cannot say that the Word leaves too much out. We cannot accuse You of missing what we need. Those today who feel Your Word does not address the issues that they face have missed the point. Your book gives us the answers from the inside out. It is the Spirit through Your Word by Your Son that changes us and makes us able to handle the issues of life. Thank You Father for this Good Friday! We are glad to remember that Jesus bore our sins. Though we are sorry he had to suffer for us, we would never change it! We are unable to save ourselves. We must have that sacrifice. Thank You Father! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman who has days of little energy and who loses her voice often. Pray for a family that just lost a five month old baby. Pray for many cases of mental and emotional distress in our country.

Journal Entry #14102

Matthew 21:15
   These wonderful things he did were the healing of the lame and blind and the cleansing of the temple by driving away those who bought and sold. The children were repeating what they had heard outside, but the adults did not dare to say it for fear of the chief priests and scribes. The leaders of the Jews, rather than recognizing their Lord and Savior, were jealous of him.

Bible Reading: Genesis 13:1-16:16

Scripture Memory: James 1:9 “Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are the great pursuit of life. You are the One who is worth knowing. The very aspects of Your person are subjects for endless discussion and meditation. May we never cease to learn of You! Your Word is full of truth about You. May we gaze into its revelation all our lives. Your grace amazes us. Your love comforts us. You faithfulness reassures us. Your truth challenges us. Your holiness exhorts us. Your kindness encourages us. You alone are good. If anything else is good, it is only because You made it good. Thank You for You! Thank You for Christ! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman who is being checked for heart problems. Pray for a man who is undergoing long-term treatment for a rare condition. Pray for a man who has been in the hospital for several months.

Journal Entry #14101