Author: Bill Hall

Matthew 12:23
   There were those among the Pharisees who practiced exorcism. Thus, they were being upstaged by Christ because of his authority over the demonic forces. They would have been unable to cast out this demon, and they may have been the ones that brought the man to Christ. Their hope was likely that Jesus would be also unable to help. In this case, they moved to ‘plan b,’ as we see in the next verse.
   The people were understandably amazed by this miracle. One who could not see or speak, though he could hear, would be seen as quite strange. His condition would solicit fear in people’s hearts. But, Jesus was able to help. The people here rightly identify Jesus as the son of David. This identification came as a result of his miracles it seems, rather than because of a realization of his lineage. Even in his day, apparently, few understood that Jesus was indeed a descendant of David.

Bible Reading: Exodus 27:1-28:43

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:19 “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us not to miss Your great glory! You are so wonderful and Your plan is so beautiful. You have thought out each of our lives. You have planned it all for Your glory. May we forever see the glory of Your works and the kindness of Your Words. How could we ever stop praising You? You are altogether worthy and You are perfectly holy. Thank You for the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, Your chosen servant. Thank You for Jesus, Your Son. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man having problems with his kidneys. Pray for a woman who is in bad condition.

Journal Entry #13130

Matthew 12:22
   What a picture of salvation! Without Christ we are blind to the Truth, and we do not and cannot hear God’s voice in his Word. After he changes us, we can see, and we can hear, for the very first time.

Bible Reading: Exodus 24:1-26:37

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:19 “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for all that You have done though salvation! By Your Son You have changed our lives completely, and for all eternity. Thank You for Your mercy and grace. We so easily forget that, without Your love, none of us would be here. It is only by Your great grace that this world goes on from day to day. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man recovering from a coma.

Journal Entry #13129

Matthew 12:21
   One of the most amazing signs that Jesus was truly the Messiah was his ministry to the Gentiles. Though this was the last thing that the Jews were likely to recognize, it should have been quite apparent to them. In several cases Jesus is seen ministering to Gentile people as part of his ministry.
   The word ‘trust’ in this verse is translated from the Greek verb ‘ἐλπίζω,’ which means ‘to hope.’ Without Jesus Christ, the Gentiles could have no hope. Even though the Jews would pin their hopes upon the law, without Christ, this to is ultimately hopeless. He is the great hope of this world. He is the Savior.

Bible Reading: Exodus 21:1-23:33

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:19 “They went out from us, but they were not all of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the Lord Jesus Christ, our great hope! Hope is such a comfort to our souls in an uncertain world. Without it, life makes little sense. Without it, good seems to be only an illusion, and truth, an impossibility. Jesus brings to us a hope that makes life worth living. It rescues us from a cycle of death, and gives us an eternal perspective from which to live our daily lives. It is so good to know Him, and the power of His resurrection. 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 pastor and church in Ohio.

Journal Entry #13128

Matthew 12:20
   This last weekend I heard an excellent explanation of this verse by a good pastor friend of mine, Matt Hinkle. The bruised reed, he says, is like those who have been hurt by a sudden blow. Their lives have been damaged by some surprise calamity that has left them scarred and wounded. Jesus will not then come upon such persons and consider them useless simply because their lives have been damaged.
   The smoking flax represents those who, though they have no great calamity to point out, have been worn down by the cares of this life and its trials and troubles. Many of us can identify with this. We may not have had some sudden catastrophe in our life, but the daily grind of human experience has almost put out our light completely. We are barely there, weak, and almost to break altogether. Jesus uses messes like us. He can make us strong once again, rather than putting out our light entirely.
   Pastor Matt Hinkle also has a daily devotion at matthewhinkle.webs.com, check it out sometime!

Bible Reading: Exodus 17:1-20:26

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:19 “They went out from us, but they were not all of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Your wisdom is so valuable! Help me to know the importance of Your wisdom in my life. I must depend upon You. I need You so much. You have put within me the talents that I need to serve You, and yet I do not use them as I should. Help us, Lord, to see and understand Your role in our lives. Help us to reach out and grasp the great work that You are doing each and every day all over this world. May we never lose sight of Your great glory! You are so powerful and holy! You make life exciting in that each day teaches us more about Your huge store of characteristics. Each time we face a trail we understand Your personality just a bit better. You are so amazing! Thank You for Jesus, Father! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a young girl having her heart checked this week. Pray for a baby girl with health issues.

Journal Entry #13127

Matthew 12:19
   This verse can easily be misunderstood. Jesus did indeed speak in the streets. He did indeed cry out to be heard in the places where he chose to speak of the gospel concerning himself. So, if this be the case, why is it said here that he did not do these things?
   The verse is getting across the manner of Christ. Just as they way we are to share the gospel today, Jesus spoke to persuade men of the Truth, but not to force them to it. He did not strive, meaning that he did not engage in forced debate. He answered the questions of the Jewish leaders, and asked questions of his own. But, he did not attack them directly. He did not make allegations in the courts. He proclaimed the fact of their sin, but not so as to impeach them from their positions. He never cried out for a riot or incited violence. He did not advocate the forceful removal of the Romans, or the renovation of the religious system by forceful means. Though he cleaned out the temple, he did not occupy it and seek to reform it to his will. He did not create a following of persons that would throw off all connection with the Jewish authorities, and free themselves from the cruel hand of the Romans.
   Though these militant means may be well and good for the formation of political and societal necessities such as those that helped form this great nation of the US, they are not the means to be used for the spread of the gospel. This is why true Christians are not terrorists for their religious cause. Faithful Muslims, and many other religious groups of the world, will see these tactics as part and parcel of their religious life and practice. But, they have no place in the gospel. The gospel is to be preached peacefully, just as Jesus himself preached it. This does not limit our zealousness or boldness for the Truth, but it is the attitude with which we are to proceed. We do not have to fight a war for this world, for the war is already won. We are, instead, strangers and pilgrims with our citizenship in heaven seeking to gently persuade men of the Truth about eternity.

Bible Reading: Exodus 14:1-16:36

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:19 “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, may we always find our mouths filled with Your praises. There is a God, Great and Good that inhabits eternity. You are the only true and living God, the Almighty. It is a wonderful fulfillment of our personality to be able to contemplate the Divine One. You are so Wonderful! Your Truth is a great mercy to our hearts. Knowing You is so nice. We can think of Your grace, mercy, and love. We can take comfort in Your justice. We can rest safely in Your peace. We can live confidently in the knowledge of Your infinitude. Thank You for You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man with back pain. Pray for a man who may have cancer. Pray for a woman’s unspoken request.

Journal Entry #13126

Matthew 12:18
   Please keep on thing in mind here. Jesus, God’s Son, is not God’s Son because he is the chosen one. He is the chosen one because he is God’s Son. In this case, the ‘chosen’ idea does not mean that there were many possibilities, and that Jesus was simply the one who was selected. Instead, Jesus is chosen because he is the only choice. Though Jesus is so special, the Father must still be the one to chose, for he is Sovereign over all.

Bible Reading: Exodus 11:1-13:22

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:18 “Little children, it is the last time: and ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.“

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for making Your chosen one, the Precious Son, known to us. He is a great comfort to our hearts. We can never know this side of heaven just how much You do for us. But, we know that You always do what is best. Your blessings on the church and Your people are so nice. You make our lives delightful in spite of this wicked world. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for those who hunger to know God better, that they will have the determination to stick with it.

Journal Entry #13125

Matthew 12:17
   One of the greatest validations of the New Testament is its use of the Old Testament. No document in the history of the world goes together more perfectly than God’s Word. It works together seamlessly. The human authors of the New Testament would never have dreamed of leaving out any possible reference to the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit guided this organic connection. The whole book is woven throughout with itself. It is complete and perfected. The actions of Christ in the gospels are also inexorably liked to the whole. His very life here on earth was born in the pages of Scripture. He is the subject of the book, it is his story.

Bible Reading: Exodus 8:1-10:29

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:18 “Little children, it is the last time: and ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. Without it, this world would be a very dark place. It is so important to our daily lives. We can never underestimate the role of Your very Words in our hearts. You tell us of salvation, and of Christ, in those blessed pages. Oh Father, my we always trust in Your Word to guide our lives! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for young pastors as they learn how to do their job better.

Journal Entry #13124

Matthew 12:16
   Though we will see in the coming verses the biblical reason for Jesus’ not wanting people to make him known, think of the practical implications. How often is he proclaimed by those who know little of him? Many times we find that people will claim Christ, and yet have much less of an idea of his true nature than we would think. Before speaking about him, we must be sure we know him ourselves.

Bible Reading: Exodus 5:1-7:25

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:18 “Little children, it is the last time: and ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your blessings. You always know when we need a break. You give us what we need right on time, even though we try to rush things a bit. We get so impatient, and yet we have to have much less patience than You do. May we understand Your patience better. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a retired local pastor putting together a pastor’s fellowship.

Journal Entry #13123

Matthew 12:15
   A couple of things stand out to us in this verse. First, Jesus knew his time. He knew exactly what the Father had planned. He moved just when and where he needed to. Secondly, in the Old Testament we do not see this vast number of people being healed. The miracles then were more specifically done, and on a much narrower basis. Jesus brought with him a real outpouring of miracles not ever seen before.

Bible Reading: Exodus 2:1-4:31

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:18 “Little children, it is the last time: and ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for this wonderful day to serve You! You have given us so much to be thankful for! Your Truth inspires us to keep drawing closer to You. We can never praise You enough, for You are worthy of it all. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a small church making several decisions right now.

Journal Entry #13122

Matthew 12:14
   The Pharisees and other Jewish leaders had a hard time trying to do what they wanted under Roman rule. Thus, they often conspired against Christ without much success. This helps us understand two things. First, most of what went on the night before Jesus crucifixion was illegal. Second, it is obvious that the Father timed every event of the ministry of the Son, including his arrest and trial.

Bible Reading: Genesis 49:1-Exodus 1:22

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:18 “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. It is a great source of comfort, strength, and encouragement. The revelation of Your Son and Your plan of salvation is so great!. It overwhelms me! I am so glad to have a part in proclaiming Your Word to the world. Though my own actions have brought me shame, Your gospel never does. It is glorious and wonderful. Thank You for the Truth! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman’s silent request. Pray for a woman with a fever.

Journal Entry #13121