Author: Bill Hall

12: To salute a household meant that Jesus did not simply want the disciples to go and take, he wanted them to go and give. Their salutation to that house would carry with it his peace. Those in the area would see and understand that the willingness and giving nature of the master of the household was rewarded by all that the disciples had to offer in the way of a salutation. How special, how much of a blessing, is it to have servants of God in Your home? It is a grand thing. It shows others the importance of serving God, and the blessing of his message of the gospel that his servants preach.

Daily Bible Reading: John 12:1-13:38

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 2:1 “My little children, these things write I unto you that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

Daily Tidbit: Jesus Christ is the Righteous One. He is the standard. All righteousness must be measured by him. So many assume to understand, or have, righteousness without him. It is not possible. This is why God has made it clear in his Word that Jesus is the One we are to look to for righteousness.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for all that You have done in our lives. you give us all that we need every day. You are concerned about what happens in our lives. That is amazing considering Who You are and all that You have done. You are truly wonderful! Can we ever praise You enough? I think not! You are worthy of all of our praise! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a local church that is going through a hard time right now.

Personal Journal Entry #13049

11: We might think it strange that Jesus would tell his disciples to ask about ‘worthy’ people. This would seem to imply that some people are more worthy than others to have the disciples under their roof. This was not the case at all. The Jews were very impressed by those who gave alms. These men were extremely byeneficent, eleemosynary gentlemen. They would think less of themselves if they did not give for the needs of others. The Jews though such men to be very ‘worthy,’ meaning that they were highly respected, and well-known. Thus, Jesus was simply telling his disciples to stay with those who had the means and will to take them in and care for them. An example of such a man from the Old Testament would be Boaz. The worthiness of these men would not be assumed by the disciples, but proved by the willingness with which they were taken in, and kept well for many days.

Daily Bible Reading: John 11:1-57

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 2:1 “My little children, these things write I unto you that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

Daily Tidbit: The word ‘eleemosynary’ is an adjective used to describe one who is characterized by being charitable.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for today, and for Your provision for us. Your beneficence is a great example to us. You are always good to us. You give us what we could never deserve on our own. You have made a way for us to be saved, and to be Your servants. What a blessing! How could we ever thank You enough. Its like working for the best boss in town, only better! Thank You for Who You are and how You deal with us. You are so gracious to us as undeserving as we are. Thank You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a pastor who has only a short time to live.

Personal Journal Entry #13048

9: The disciples were told not to take money with them. Jesus expected the Jews to recognize the Truth and supply the needs of those who told it.
10: The word scrip does not, as some suppose, also refer to a wallet of some kind. Instead, it is more of a backpack. This is a large leather bag that could be slung over the shoulder. It was used to carry food and other provisions for a journey. The coat mentioned would be the outermost cloak worn by persons in that day. Those going on a long journey might take two, one for travel, and another to change into while they were in town. The reference to shoes must also be explained. Likely as not, the disciples had sandals, which they were allowed to take. The journey would be quite difficult without them. However, shoes here likely refers to a softer, nicer looking piece of footwear used in the house or around town. This would be like the difference between hiking boots and dress shoes. Though Jesus allowed one walking stick, he told them not to take extra instruments, whether for protection or provision in case the present one broke or was lost.
   All of this then leads to the last few words of the verse. The meaning hear is that those who work deserve to be payed. Jesus expected food, shelter, and clothing to be given to these men. This was built into the law of the Jews. If a stranger visited from elsewhere, they were supposed to take them in. If the Jews did not like the stranger for some reason, they would not keep this commandment. So, this was a test of the reception of the Truth.

Daily Bible Reading: John 9:1-10:42

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 2:1 “My little children, these thing write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have and advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;”

Daily Tidbit: In the early days of Baptist influence in this nation, many became Baptist by being immersed. Believer’s baptism is a fundamental tenet of the faith as far as Baptists are concerned. And yet, there are those today sitting in Baptist churches every Sunday who have never yet been baptized. They claim to be saved, but seem to lack the desire to obey the Lord in this matter. This is strange indeed for those who call themselves Baptist!

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for today! It is so great to know that we can depend upon Your strength. We need You at every turn. Your power is truly infinite. But, for us, it is enough to say that it is more than we could ever need. Your provision for us is amazing, and a wonderful blessing to our hearts. We can never thank You enough for Your constant care and concern for us. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a man having tests done this week. Pray for a woman having tests done on her liver.

Personal Journal Entry #13047

8: Jesus’ words at the end of this verse are quite important for the ministry. Miracles, preaching, and other works of the ministry, are not to be done for profit. No miracle may be bought. Free and free only is the cost. Preaching may not be bought. It is not to be influenced by money. No doctrine should be emphasized for the sake of remuneration.
   Now, some may say that this means the ministers of the gospel should not be paid. But, Jesus words in verse ten show that this is not his intention. Ministers are to be taken care of financially. However, they are paid for, not their ministry. Caring financially for a minister of the gospel is giving to the work of the Lord. It is not to be for the purpose of influencing the message. A minister who changes his message for money is a servant of the devil. Ministers should be made comfortable financially. But the ministry is not intended to enrich anyone, but only to care for the minister.

Daily Bible Reading: John 7:1-8:59

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 2:1 “My little children , these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;”

Daily Tidbit: In 1 John 2:1, John writes that he wants to, by his letter, help his readers to not sin. Sometimes Christians need to be reminded about this subject. We tend to think that, since sinless perfection this side of glory is seemingly not attainable, we can forget about shooting that high. We act as if our goal is just to be a lot better than most people, and nothing more. Obviously, John didn’t get the memo. He seems to think that Jesus’ followers should strive to be sin-free. Maybe we need to think a bit more like the Apostles, and a bit less like modern-day cool Christianity.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Truth. After all these years, Your Word is still here, and it is still changing lives. Thank you for the blessing that it is to our hearts and lives. You know what is best for us, and the Bible is full of that best. Father, we will live our lives by its statutes, trying to be doers, and not just hearers. Thank You for the words of Christ in the Scriptures, showing us how to live before You. It is so good to have a guide for living. Sometimes we get so confused about things, so it is good to be able to look to Your Word for guidance. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a local pastor who is close to death. Pray for a family that just lost a loved one this week. Pray for a man with cancer.

Personal Journal Entry #13046

7: The twelve were sent to preach the kingdom of heaven. It is correct to say that the Jews were, as prophesied, offered the Truth of the coming of the kingdom first. However, we must not get in our minds that their rejection somehow prevented God Almighty from doing what was best,, only to settle for second best. Jesus already knew what the response of the Jews would be. He already his Father’s overarching plan, and that the best would still take place. The gospel of Christ would not fail to be the greatest glory to God this world has ever known.

Daily Bible Reading: John 6:1-7:71

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 2:1 “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;”

Daily Tidbit: 1 John 4:7-8 “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me so much! Help me to love others like You love me. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a local pastor that is close to death. Pray for Christians to be the best examples of love for each other on the planet!

Personal Journal Entry #13045

5: Obviously, Jesus was not at all against sharing the gospel with the gentiles, or the Samaritans. He ministered to both groups on occasion. This particular sending of his disciples was a way to fulfill Scripture. It was a Messianic act. It was to be a tip-off to the Jewish community that he was indeed the Messiah. And, some of the Jews did respond positively, though most did not.
6: Jesus was speaking figuratively here. The ‘lost sheep’ of Israel statement was not meant to refer to any particular group, but to the Jewish people in general. Matthew alone records this section about going only to the Jews. Being the most Jewish-minded of the gospel writers, Matthew was trying to show that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah. He wanted his Jewish readers to understand that Jesus did bring the new covenant to the Jew first. However, the Jews, as a nation, rejected it.

Daily Bible Reading: John 3:1-4:54

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 1:10 “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.“

Daily Tidbit: This idea of the Word of God Almighty being ‘in’ us that we find at the end of 1 John 1:10 is quite interesting. If we deny our tendency to sin we are not consistent with the message of Scripture. Beyond this, however, we see by the statement that we are intended to have the Word inside of us. What exactly does this mean? Without Christ in us, it is impossible to understand. But, considering his presence in our lives, we can understand that this is speaking of the internalization of the Word. This includes bible reading and verse memorization, but is not at all limited to them. It also speaks of being ‘doers’ of the Word. It speaks of our attitude towards the Word, and our beliefs concerning its inerrancy and its appropriateness for all of life. As the author, the Holy Spirit must not only reside in us, but he must be in control of our faculties. We must yield to his thoughts and will. Now we naturally have an aversion to allowing another to control us. However, the control of the Spirit actually enables us to control ourselves better than we could ever hope to do without his influence.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for this glorious day! Thank You for that verse that You gave me earlier, 2 Corinthians 12:10. It has been a while since I had something so clearly from You, thank You so much! Our weaknesses are truly nothing in the face of Your strength. We will live in awe of how You enable us to live full and peaceful lives through Your Truth. You are so good for us. You’re just like a good night’s rest. You feel so right in our souls. When we live according to Your plan, life is pleasure rather than a pain. Things that would otherwise make little sense to us are easily understandable. You are so worthy of all the glory! Thank You, Father, for Your Son, Jesus. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for our military personnel. Pray for our police force.

Personal Journal Entry #13044

3: There are several lists of the twelve disciples. The others are found in Mark 3:16-19, Luke 6:14-16, and Acts 1:13, 26. Though there is some variation in these lists, a couple of things are very consistent. For one thing, there are always three groups of four. These three groups always have three men at the beginning of the group. Peter is the first of these, Philip is the second, and James (the son of Alphaeus) is the third. Also, though Peter is, understandably, listed with his brother Andrew a couple of times, he is also listed with James and John a couple of times. This points out the ‘inner circle’ as we call it of James, John, and Peter.
4: The last two in the list bring us quite a study in people. First, we have Simon the Zealot. As a member (former) of the Zealots, Simon would have hated tax collectors with a passion. Yet, here we find him working alongside Matthew. He obviously found in Christ a cause far superior to opposition to the Romans.
   Judas also gives us an interesting study. He was, apparently, the only one of the twelve that was not from Galilee. His name ‘Iscariot’ is likely a reference to a town in Judea. And yet, though he was distinguished in this way, he was the one who betrayed Christ. As we see from the reaction of the other disciples at the last supper, Judas was the last one they expected to be a traitor.

Daily Bible Reading: John 1:1-2:25

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 1:10 “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

Daily Tidbit: At the end of the second chapter of John’s gospel we read some important words. Jesus did not need anyone to tell him about mankind because he “knew what was in man.” Though we may forget it, Jesus knows more about us than we know about ourselves. He knows how we are. He knows our needs, he knows our wants, he knows our weaknesses. He did not commit himself to man in that he did not associate with any particular group. Instead, he formed a group of those who were truly committed to him. He knows how we are, and how often we fail. And he knows how to help.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, I am so glad that You never get tired of us. When we ask for Your help over and over and over, You keep listening. You have patience that never runs short. Oh Father, I need strength! I am so weak! Thank You for Christ, and the encouragement and comfort that we have in him. Help us to rely on the power of Your Spirit. Help us to lean on Jesus, who is always faithful. You are so good. You have given us just what we need for our lives. You are the endless supply for us. You never grow old, tired, worn-out, low, or rotten. Unlike us, You are always fresh and new. You always have the best before You. You are always strong. Lord, we need You so much! Thank You for being there all the time for us! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for missionaries all over the world. Pray for our country’s leaders at the local, state, and federal levels.

Personal Journal Entry #13043

2: These twelve men were the ‘apostles’ that Jesus sent out. There was another time in which he sent out seventy at once. But, here it was only the twelve. These sent ones were likely sent out just as they are listed here, two by two. In this verse we see Peter and Andrew, James and John, in that order. Peter and Andrew were, of course, brothers, as were James and John. These were the four fishermen, and were the first that Christ called to follow him.
   These men are here referred to as apostles. A little must be said to clear up some confusion about apostleship. The twelve were disciples of Jesus Christ. Christians today are disciples of Jesus Christ. However, we are not one of the ‘twelve,’ just as there were other disciples of Jesus in that time that were not one of the twelve. This was a special group, selected by Christ himself. Thus, there is a difference between being a disciple, and being one of the twelve disciples. There are many disciples alive today. But, the twelve (actually eleven, leaving out Judas Iscariot) are all in heaven now. There will not be any more of them.
   This then carries over to the ‘apostle’ idea. The word apostle, in its literal sense, simply means ‘sent one,’ and nothing more. Every Christian is a sent one because we are sent to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world. So, like disciples, there are many apostles, even today. However, like the twelve disciples, there were a group of men known as ‘the apostles of the Lord.’ In this group was included eleven of the original twelve, Matthias, who was added later, and the apostle Paul. Others also were likely included in this group, such as Jesus’ brothers James and Jude. Though all of the Christians alive in that time were apostles in the sense that they were sent ones, they were not all members of this group. So, just like that special group of twelve disciples, there will not be any more ‘apostles of the Lord.’
   Now, in our day, it is wise not to use the term ‘apostle’ because it easily causes confusion. This is due to the fact that some have, in the history of the church, mistakenly identified themselves as ‘apostles’ with the intention of making themselves one of that original group. This simply cannot be, because that original group is all in heaven. There will not be any more of those apostles. So, as a result of a misunderstanding of the truth, we do not identify ourselves as ‘apostles’ even though we are ‘sent ones’ just as much as we are disciples.

Daily Bible Reading: Luke 23:1-24:53

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 1:10 “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

Daily Tidbit: 1 John 1:10 reminds us of a very important concept that is often missed. Since the death of Christ, the focus of God’s wrath against sin has been made more apparent. Almighty God knows that we are sinners. If he was going to judge us simply on the basis of that alone, it would all be over (hence, the flood). However, he is interested in a bit more than just our actions. He is also interested in our attitude. Jesus said it well when he was talking to the Jewish leaders about sinning against the Holy Spirit. What is in view here is our attitude towards what God has to say about us. I am convinced that nobody goes to hell only because they are sinners. No, the key is whether we make God a liar. That is what God judges. To be a sinner is our fault, yes. But, we were born that way. Physical death, which we will all face, is the punishment for that. Denial of the Word of God, calling God a liar,  failing to accept the free grace that he offers; these things will bring eternal damnation.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love for us! I have been reminded of it so much this week. You are so kind to us! Thank You for using our lives for Your glory. Thank You for allowing us to help in the mission of the gospel. Thank You for making us disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You for making it possible to spend eternity in heaven with You. We will proclaim for all eternity Your love for Your world. You are such a great Creator! I love You and praise You for all that You have done in my life. Only in eternity will we see the true extent of all that You do. Your purpose in every comfort, in every trail, in every thing, will come to light. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for two families that just lost loved ones. Pray for a woman recovering from a kidney infection. Pray for a man with terminal cancer.

Personal Journal Entry #13042

1: We should take note of a couple things here. First, we must not presume to do anything without Christ. He must supply the power and authority to do his work. We must remember that we are but helpers in the work, and not lords over it. Secondly, Jesus will always give us the power to do what he wills. If we have not the power to do something that we would, we must ask ourselves if it is in the will of the Lord.

Daily Bible Reading: Luke 22:1-71

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.“

Daily Tidbit: In Luke 22:45 we are told that the disciples were sleeping ‘for sorrow’ when they fell asleep in the garden. This means that they were depressed by what Jesus had been saying about his death, and going away from them. Indeed, his whole demeanor had been less than encouraging in their estimation. Thus, they fell asleep partly because they had warn themselves out worrying about the matter, and partly because they were afraid of what it all might mean. Sleep is often a way that we try to run from our worries and fears. It is at these times that we must not sleep. It is then that, as our Master, we must watch and pray.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for this wonderful day to serve You. We can never praise You enough for all that You do in our lives. Thank You for giving us the power to do Your will. It is great to know that You are the force behind our lives. We should not be worried or afraid because we can trust in You. Your care for us is complete. We praise You for sending Christ to us. Jesus’ love for us is a blessing to us. May we love him always! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for Christians everywhere to be reminded this week to love one another.

Personal Journal Entry #13041

37: Jesus here expresses the need for more workers to match the great harvest of souls which lay before them. The need is always great. Never will a minister of Christ find no needs. Unless we fail to look, there will always be a great need for the gospel. If we think there is no need in our present location, we need not go far to find masses of people lost and dying without Christ.
   Why, indeed, are the laborers so few? Where are all those who would go to their fellow man and tell them of heaven? Is God weak? Is he unable to call more laborers? In his infinite wisdom, Almighty God knows who will answer his call upon their lives. We need not think that he is unable to bring laborers to the work. However, God has chosen to use humanity to reach humanity. He expects us to see our need and respond in faith. He has endowed us with the resources to understand the Truth when we hear it. We are responsible for it. We are expected to hear and believe.
38: And, as such, we are to cry out to the Almighty to send forth laborers into the harvest. Humanity must cry for humanity. Like Christ, it is compassion for the multitudes that will bring the gospel to the world, not a herald angel in the sky.
   Christian people, knowing that terrible plight destined for those who do not recognize the Truth, are to be burdened for their brothers and sisters according to the flesh. We must have compassion on this great, large world of ours. We need not love the world (in its evil), nor the things in it. But, to be a lover of human kind, that is at the bedrock of what it means to be a child of God.

Daily Bible Reading: Luke 20:1-21:38

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Daily Tidbit: In 1 John 1:9, the word confess is quite interesting. In the Greek, it is ὁμολογέω, which literally means to ‘say the same.’ So, to confess is more than just telling someone what we did wrong. It is more than just saying we are sorry. It is admitting that the accusation against us is correct in every respect. It is to say that Almighty God is completely accurate in his appraisal of our sins. It is to freely and unequivocally plead guilty to every charge without argument. Now, I have met many people who will say they are sorry, or admit that they are not perfect, or that they are only human. But, to find the kind of admission that is in view here; well, that takes a heart that is willing to lean totally upon Christ for forgiveness. Without total reliance upon him, we will always try to ‘doctor it up’ ourselves a little before confessing everything.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, Your goodness to us is just so nice. How can we ever deserve You? Your grace makes our unworthiness apparent, but keeps it from tripping us up. How wonderful that is! We will spend our lives saying Your Word to ourselves and others. It transforms us from the inside out. As we look at ourselves, we realize that we are not our own. You have made us, and bought us. We are glorious creations of Your hands. And, as such, our lives will fill to the brim only as our understanding of You grows. You make us so much more than we could ever be on our own. With You in our lives we stand as ambassadors of the Living God. We are representatives of the Most High. Could we find a better position? I think not! you have given us all things, and made us to sit higher than we could have ever dreamed, or deserved. We will humble ourselves before Your mighty greatness. You are worthy of our very lives. Thank You so much for Your astounding love! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a lady and her son who both have cancer.

Personal Journal Entry #13040