Matthew 18:13
   If it was not for the rescuing of the lost sheep, there would be nothing left to wait for in this present evil world. Almighty God is at work, bringing people to himself. This is the great task of the world. This is the purpose for being. He that who wins souls is wise.

Bible Reading: Jonah 1:1-Micah 3:12

Scripture Memory: 1 John 5:1 “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love for me. You have reached to the bottom and lifted me up by the power of Your Son. I am so thankful for the Lord Jesus. Without him, my life would be so miserable. Thank You for Your Truth in Your Word! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for several people who are sick. Pray for several people who are travelling. Pray for a man looking for a job.

Journal Entry #14002

Matthew 18:12
   The care of Christ for his own is seen here. Though we know that the Father loves us, we also know that the Son loves us. Jesus is not just the messenger, the errand boy, or the servant, he is the One who saves us just as much as the Father. He loves every single one of us.

Bible Reading: Amos 1:1-Obadiah 21

Scripture Memory: 1 John 4:21 “And this is the commandment that we have from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for this new year to serve You. You are so wonderful to us. Your love is amazing. We could count our blessings for a lifetime and not be finished. You never fail. Thank You for Your faithfulness! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man who has kidney failure. Pray for a man in the hospital. Pray for a man with cancer.

Journal Entry #14001

Psalm 90:12 “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

Matthew 18:11
   This is his program. This is his work. This is his mission. Conquering the world militarily is no problem for him. Persuading the most intellectual minds is no challenge. Reforming the entire world is not a goal big enough. The tasks that others might undertake would be simple for Christ. No, his task, his goal, is to win the hearts of men. This is the genius of Christ. He can have the whole world anytime he wants it. His power is limitless. His character could inspire anyone, anywhere, anytime. He could mold us to do his every whim. But, he seeks our hearts. He wins us by our own free will. He captivates us in freedom, rather than chains. He binds our hearts to his own, and that without one thread of rope. Closeness to him is the most lifting experience mankind can hope for.

Bible Reading: Joel 1:1-3:21

Scripture Memory: 1 John 4:21 “And this is the commandment that we have from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for this wonderful day. Though we may stand by as many friends and loved ones pass from here to glory, we know that You love not them less, nor us more. You care for every one of Yours. You know us by name. And You call all humanity to Yourself. You seek every heart. You love all of us. You have us all in Your plan. You know our ways and You know our frame. Oh Lord, thank You! Thank You for seeking me! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman who is sick. Pray for a woman with a brain tumor. Pray for a young man who is sick.

Journal Entry #13362

Matthew 18:10
   Often we get really excited about angels. The fact is that the angels of Almighty God are involved in our daily lives. However, as many have noted, the Bible tells us little about them. I have always felt that their are good reasons for this. I think the Lord wants us to remember that the angels are ministers. Just as good human ministers, they do not want to draw attention to themselves, but to Christ.
   Thus, Jesus’ teaching here should not surprise us. Each child of God has his or her own ‘guardian angel’ involved in ministering for God. They cannot be seen, prayed to, worshipped, or anything of the kind. They are invisible reminders of the gracious love of our Lord.
Bible Reading: Hosea 8:1-14:9
Scripture Memory: 1 John 4:21 “And this is the commandment that we have from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the manifold riches of Your grace. Your faithfulness energizes our service, Your love blesses our heart, and Your wisdom guides our steps. The beauty of Your plan becomes more and more apparent as the glorious future draws closer. The future is a wonderful place, and it makes the present a hope-filled place. Oh Father, that blessed, and sure hope is the delight of my being. To know that You give us salvation freely by Your Son is the blessing I will enjoy for all of eternity. You are truly beyond words. Your grace and mercy bring us to a wonderful place of enablement. You give us the ability by Your Son to live holy and just in this present evil world. Thank You, Abba Father, thank You for loving me! In the name of Your precious Son, the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.
Prayer Requests: Pray for a young boy who may have had a seizure. Pray for a man who had surgery today. Pray for an older man who is falling a lot.
Journal Entry #13361

Matthew 18:9
   This is serious business. One of the nicest things about Christ is his love for the lost. He loves every one of us. He gives us all the warnings we need. Nobody can say they are not warned. He doesn’t fail to tell people the truth about hell. He doesn’t stop short of the full picture. He doesn’t sell the truth short or try to fancy it up to make it sound better. He tells it just like it is. He is blatantly honest. He doesn’t play with people’s souls. He warns them. He loves us too much not to tell us the truth.

Bible Reading: Hosea 2:1-7:16

Scripture Memory: 1 John 4:20 “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hash not seen.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for You love. You tell us the Truth. You love sinners. Wow! You sent Your Son to die for us. You are so gracious, holy, just, and faithful. Thank You for Your strength in the hard times of life. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman’s unspoken request. Pray for a man having surgery soon. Pray for a woman who just had an operation for a brain tumor.

Journal Entry #13360

Matthew 18:8
   The real key here is to keep the context in mind. He is talking about those who might cause offence and keep others from eternal life. The illustration is a strong one because he is telling us that this is dangerous. Cutting off one’s hand or foot will not really help anything, This Jesus knows. But, when one has to disassociate with supposed friends because of offence, it feels like amputation. He knows it is hard to avoid those who may cause offence, because we are living in this world. But, Christians must not embrace the world. We have to be separated. We are different.

Bible Reading: Daniel 10:1-Hosea 1:11

Scripture Memory: 1 John 4:20 “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hash not seen.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love. Though many do not understand, You love every one of us. Thank You for sending Your Son to die for us. You are so amazing! I love You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man in the hospital. Pray for a man coming off of a medication. Pray for a young family to continue to grow in their faith.

Journal Entry #13359

Matthew 18:7
   This is where we now see the reasoning behind Jesus’s words. Offences, meaning persecutions, temptations, trials, and such like, will be the lot of the believer. It is unavoidable. But, this does not excuse those who perpetrate these crimes. It also shows that Christians are not called to eradicate evil. This is God’s business, not ours. Evil will be with us. We are not to seek to destroy the perpetrators of evil. But, we are to be aware that evil will be judged.

Bible Reading: Daniel 7:1-9:27

Scripture Memory: 1 John 4:20 “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hash not seen.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your wisdom in these matters. You will punish evil, not us. It is not our job to rid the word of evil. It is our job to inform the world of the Truth. If people choose not to believe, that is their choice. But, we will be persecuted just for trying to share that Truth. Lord, may we always depend upon You for strength. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a family that needs a new vehicle. Pray for many travelling for funerals. Pray for a man with kidney failure.

Journal Entry #13358

Matthew 18:6
   Many point to this verse and teach that we should severely punish anyone who would hurt a child. Though those who hurt children most certainly are in the wrong, this is not what Jesus is teaching here. Children are an example of the believer. As little children, those who belong to the Lord rely upon him completely. So, Jesus is here speaking against those who would mislead, harm, malign, or otherwise hurt the children of God.
   Another thing to be sure not to miss here is that Jesus is not suggesting a course of action. He is not telling his disciples to take by force the enemies of Christianity and drown them in the nearest body of water. He is saying that the impending judgment, which he himself will preside over, will not be easy for those who harm his disciples.

Bible Reading: Daniel 4:1-6:28

Scripture Memory: 1 John 4:20 “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hash not seen.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your patience and strength. You always know what we need next. We say take life a day at a time. But, You know, minute by minute, what Your plans for us are. Thank You for caring that much! You are truly awesome! You never stop caring. You are always the same holy, loving, just, pure, gracious person that You are. Thank You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for two families that just lost a loved ones. Pray for several people who are travelling.

Journal Entry #13357

Merry Christmas!