Matthew 17:27
   It seems that, based on verse 25, Peter had planned to pay the tribute for himself, and to ask Christ about paying for himself. Jesus prevents him from this and gives him the money from the fish’s mouth instead. Indeed, it is likely that Jesus had little or no money in his possession at the time.
   No end of conjecture has been put forth with regards to the source of the money in the fish’s mouth. Some think that a fish had found a stater (the piece of money referred to here), and Jesus then knew about it. Others say the fish was directed to the money. Yet another group will say that the coin was created out of thin air and placed in the fish’s mouth. Any one of these could be true. None of them is any less remarkable than the other. Indeed, the power of Christ is quite clear, no matter how one thinks this miracle was exactly performed. No one but God could do such a thing.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 24:1-27:36

Scripture Memory: 1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your provision for us. You give us all that we need. May we constantly praise You. Your glory is perfect and You deserve it all. You are the most wonderful person in the universe. You are the greatest One for us to think about. Knowing You is the apex of existence, the very joy of being. You are a delight to the senses, and a balm to the soul. Oh Father, thank You for Your Son, by Whom we may know You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a lady recovering from surgery. Pray for a young woman with spiritual needs. Pray for the family of an older man who was just saved to accept Christ as well.

Journal Entry #13350

Matthew 17:26
   Peter, of course, is able to easily supply the expected answer. Jesus words in this verse help us to understand that, in principle, children of God are free from such things. In other words, as citizens of heaven we are free from earthly tributes. However, because we are children of God, and because we are inhabitants of this world at this time, we pay. It is a matter of testimony. We pay, not because we have to, but because we can. Do I owe, as his child, allegiance to any other? No. But I must pledge my allegiance to all that he will bid me to. As Christ paid the temple tax, and the tax of Rome, I also must pay to all their due.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 22:1-23:49

Scripture Memory: 1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your work in our lives. Often, we do not understand Your actions. But, we know that You always do what is best. Thank You for Your watch-care over us. You are so gracious to us. You care for our every need. May we render to You all You are due. I praise You, Father! 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 two families that just lost loved ones. Pray for a woman having surgery this week.

Journal Entry #13349

Matthew 17:25
   The quick and plain answer of Peter has been assumed by some to be yet another of his thoughtless words. They say that he did not really know himself that Jesus would pay, and should not have answered for him. I think this reads too much into the text. His simple answer tells me that he did not have to think much about it. Jesus had paid the tax in the past, otherwise he surely would have said no.
   This, now, helps us to understand what Christ is saying, and what he is not saying. His little question to Peter here is designed to get the man to think about the situation, and to teach him, and us, a helpful lesson. It is not intended to cause Peter, or anyone else, from paying the tribute. What he is teaching is, first of all, that he, as the Son of God and the Great High Priest himself, was completely exempted from such a tribute. Secondly, he is teaching that those who are the children of God, as we are in Christ, are also exempted from any tax that might be levied under his government. There won’t be a taxation system in heaven, for example.
   But, as we see from the following verses, none of this precludes us from paying taxes now. Though, as children of Almighty God, we may rightfully feel exempted from such details, we should pay just like everyone else.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 20:1-21:32

Scripture Memory: 1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word, It is so nice to have a book from You that contains such minute details. You really leave no stone unturned. We cannot say it is incomplete. Thank You for this Foundation for life and living. Faith and practice may be fully stocked with wisdom from this Divine Resource. Thank You for Your wisdom and Your love for us! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for wisdom for a woman who is considering signing a book deal. Pray for our upcoming Christmas play at church. Pray for our missionaries to have a good Christmas.

Journal Entry #13348

Matthew 17:24
   Many have seen here a test on the part of the ones collecting the tax. It is presumed that they asked because they were trying to catch him in an error of some kind. However, though this is possible, it does not seem probable. Instead, there are several reasons that they may have asked this. For one, this was the Jewish temple tax, not any Roman tax. The notable occasion of Jesus being asked about paying taxes is in connection with the Roman tax. As such, they may have wondered if Jesus would have refused to pay on the basis of his known disagreement with how the temple was being run at the time. Another possibility is that, since Jesus moved around a lot, they may have thought he paid it in another location. Furthermore, they may have wondered simply because Jesus was not popularly seen as being ‘in agreement’ with the Jewish system at the time.
   Some might wonder why they asked Peter, but not Christ himself. This is easily explained. For  one thing, they may have been scared to address Jesus directly. For another, Peter was the owner of the home. Jesus was staying there with Peter. So, it would only make sense for them to ask Peter.
   Finally, this event is not recorded in the other gospels. It seems odd that it would be left out of the others if there was a conflict here. It seems to me that it was only included because, of all the gospels, Matthew’s is the most Jewish. As a result, he would include it as a matter of great interest to the Jews, and a as testimony to them.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 17:1-19:14

Scripture Memory: 1 John 4:17 “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we so often err on the side of selfishness. But Jesus is never selfish. Lord You show us the right way to live, and You enable us to live that way. We cannot be good without Christ in our lives. He makes us what we ought to be. Thank You for Your work in us, making us better, more like Christ. We praise You for Your watch care over us, protecting us, and leading our paths. You are wonderful! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man who needs a job. Pray for a woman who has cancer and is in very poor condition. Pray for a family’s silent request.

Journal Entry #13347

Matthew 17:23
   The disciples were very sorry about his betrayal and death. But, it seems evident from subsequent passages that they failed to understand the part about rising again. There have been many who miss this part. They believe many things about Jesus, but not the resurrection. If you remove it from the life of Christ, your alter the message of Christ, and that is exactly why people like to get rid of it.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 14:1-16:63

Scripture Memory: 1 John 4:17 “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your mercy, grace and love. You have chosen to use us in this world to get out the message of Christ. What a joy that is! It is a great pleasure to be involved in the gospel of his resurrection. Evangelizing the world is a wonderful way to prepare for the life to come. Father, thank You for your Son! Jesus is all the world to me. He is the greatest blessing we could ever have, and the truest friend there shall ever be. Thanks! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man who is sick. Pray for a woman who needs a church home. Pray for several people with cancer.

Journal Entry #13346

Matthew 17:22
    Jesus wanted his followers to understand what was about to happen. And yet, he already knew what their responses to his betrayal would be. He already knew which of them would betray him, though Judas was not yet sure himself. Some might say that Jesus pushed Judas into this action. However, God’s foreknowledge of our sin doesn’t make him the sinner. Judas chose his actions, and so did the rest of Jesus’ followers.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 11:1-13:23

Scripture Memory: 1 John 4:17 “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for this blessed day. You are so generous to us, and we do not deserve it! You love us unconditionally. You give us mercy through Christ for a debt we could never pay. You pile upon us grace without limit. Your blessed Son is preparing for us a home in heaven. Wow! We should give You all the praise. You deserve the glory. You are the glorious One. Thank You for Jesus! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a family in need of a church home. Pray for a young man who needs direction in his life. Pray for a young family facing financial difficulty.

Journal Entry #13345

Matthew 17:21
   Most people just tiptoe around this verse, and avoid dealing with it. However, we have the same kind of statement from Christ over in Mark 9 regarding the same thing. So, it must be explained, not skipped. Though we could try a lot of gymnastics to avoid what is being said here, we have to take the text literally.
   Jesus is referring directly to the situation which this son of this particular man was in. Notice, if you will in Mark 9:21 that this demon had taken the boy while he was quite young. Notice, also, in both Matthew and Luke, the doubts flying about. The father was doubtful, the disciples were doubtful, the scribes were doubt personified. This young person’s condition was not the result of a home filled with faith, or a community that trusted and worshipped God. Instead, he was the product of a home full of fear, doubt, and, likely, superstition. The community he was raised in treated him as a freak show. He was the ‘lunatic’ boy.
   Notice also the description of this malady. It was, as we see, caused by a demon. And yet, it seems that the demon is just that, the cause. The actual condition may have been over and above the possession. Either way, we also see that the demon is said to be ‘dumb’ in Mark 9:17. So, between these things we have a fairly unique case. This does not make me think that this was, then, some sort of super-demon. It was not that more faith was required to cast out this evil being than others. No, the key seems to be in the nature of the case.
   Jesus told the disciples this kind would only ‘go out’ by prayer and fasting. It seems that Jesus was helping his disciples understand how to deal with such things in the future. They were to live lives of payer and fasting. They were to have that kind of life. They were to be people of faith in their lifestyles. It was to be what they were all the time, not just when they needed help. But, Jesus was also speaking here of the boy’s father. His faith was stifled by his unbelief. He finally realized this, and then Jesus helps his boy. In other words, the problem with the child was not his problem only, but the problem of his family, and his whole society. They worked off of an ‘if God can’ mindset. Doubt and fear ruled the day. If it were not so, a young child would not have come to be possessed by a demon.
   Both prayer and fasting are signs of our dependence upon God. And, when faced by what we see as an ‘odd case’ that is difficult to understand and deal with, we must realize our total dependence upon him. This is what Jesus is teaching here.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 7:1-10:22

Scripture Memory: 1 John 4:17 “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for Your wisdom. You always know what to do no matter what the situation is. You are able to heal. You are able to deliver. You are able help us, no matter what. We can depend upon You. You are always faithful. You never fail us. Thank You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man facing persecution at his job. Pray for a woman who was in a car accident. Pray for a woman with leukemia.

Journal Entry #13344

Matthew 17:20
   These men had healed others on other occasions. Why could they not now? What caused their failure? Jesus says it is unbelief. But, did they not adequately believe before? Were they not able to heal, and cast out demons, on other occasions? Many will point, at this juncture to the amount of faith they had. They will say that the disciples had enough faith for some things, but not for others. Instead, I will say to you, it has to do with the amount of their doubt, rather than the amount of their faith. Jesus said it was due to their unbelief. When we say weak faith, we are not saying no faith. Unbelief means no faith. It is the opposite of faith, the enemy of it.
   He gives them the illustration concerning the mustard seed, not to say that their faith is less than a mustard seed. He is saying that faith may start small, but can make a big difference. Doubt, on the other hand, stifles faith. And, this is what Jesus is warning them about. Unbelief is doubt, sown by the enemy. The disciples had not any less faith that day than they had many times before as they healed others. But, doubt crept in. Doubt is an affront to God. It calls him into question. Jesus expects our faith to be small at first. But, he warns us against doubt.
   Some may say I am splitting hairs. However, Jesus himself says that some have great faith, and some have little faith. It is accurate to say that those with great faith have little trouble with doubt. But, it is doubt, not the relative strength of our faith, that poses an obstacle to the working of God. This is true with other things. Those with great humility have little trouble with pride. But, those with little humility will not find their lack a problem God cannot solve. Instead, it is the root of pride that is their undoing.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 3:1-6:14

Scripture Memory: 1 John 4:16 “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for helping us to be able by Your power to overcome the wicked one. It is great to know that we can be victorious in this life. Without that, it is all so frustrating. Oh Father, thank You for strength in You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a family that is under the weather. Pray for a man in the hospital. Pray for a little girl in the hospital.

Journal Entry #13343

I am too sick to post, I will have to take a couple of days off. God bless!

Matthew 17:19
   Though we may spend much time deriding the disciples for a lack of faith on so many occasions, let us not miss a crucial point. They learned. They went to Christ later in private. They knew what to ask, when to ask, and they were ready and willing to listen. That, my friends is more than half the battle. So many fail to do for the Lord all that they can simply because they allowed failure, and pride, to overcome them. Never miss out on the great instruction of the Lord because you are too busy feeling sorry for yourself.

Bible Reading: Jeremiah 51:1-52:34

Scripture Memory: 1 John 4:16 “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for teaching us. The teaching that You provide requires great compassion and patience on Your part. We should be eternally thankful for it. Thank You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man who will be having surgery to remove a cancer tumor. Pray for a woman who just had a stroke. Pray for a man who has a cold.

Journal Entry #13340