Matthew 14:9
   Breaking an oath was not necessarily impossible. However, it would have been very embarrassing. Herod Antipas was not sorry for John’s sake, but because of his own unfortunate predicament. He knew that many of the Jews would hate him for killing John. But, the breaking of this oath would, in his mind, cause him even more grief. So, he makes the dread command.
   Men who have a price can be influenced much more easily. They can be tricked into things and can be used as puppets by those who are willing to deal dishonestly. Blackmail, bribery, and other dark deeds have been perpetrated by those seeking to force evil men in positions of authority to do unjust things. This is why the Bible repeatedly warns that those in authority, especially in the highest offices, must be righteous and just in all that they do.

Bible Reading: 2 Kings 15:1-17:41

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:12 “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for today, and the many blessings that You have given us in this life. Though we know heaven will be far better, we enjoy Your gifts to us while we are here. You are so gracious and good to us. You could make things much harder on us, but You don’t. Thank You for loving us and helping us during our lives. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for the schoolchildren as they start next week.

Journal Entry #13220

Matthew 14:8
   Likely, this whole thing was planned by Herodias. Her daughter would likely not have danced for Herod had her mother not been involved. Knowing Antipas’ nature, by virtue of their relationship, Herodias knew that he might offer some kind of gift to the girl.
   Jewish law would have required a trial. However, by virtue of the authority Rome had given Antipas, he was able to execute John at will. This Herodias knew and counted on.

Bible Reading: 

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:12 “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for this wonderful day. It is so nice to have Christian friends to talk to and spend time with. You bless our lives so much through them. Thank You for always knowing the blessings that we need in our lives. You are so wise and good. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man having an operation on a tumor in his head tomorrow. Pray for a man who has had a nervous breakdown.

Journal Entry #13219

Matthew 14:7
   This promise on the part of Herod was quite foolish. He did not actually have the authority to carry it out depending upon what the girl asked for. As a vassal of Rome, he had lots of limitations, and was more of a puppet than a king. Thus, he was likely quite drunk at the time, and was just trying to impress his guests.

Bible Reading: 2 Kings 9:1-11:21

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:11 “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.“

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for another day to serve You. You know how to give us verses from Your Word that help us get through the day. You are a blessing to our lives. Thank You for Your tender care for us. It is amazing to think that You even care about us that much. 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 man who just had a stroke.

Journal Entry #13218

Matthew 14:6
   Herod’s new wife had already had a daughter, presumably by Philip, who came now before Herod and his dinner guests. This was Herod’s birthday, which he was apparently enjoying. It is likely that Herodias’ daughter danced only for the men at this party.

Bible Reading: 2 Kings 6:1-8:29

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:11 “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. We can learn so much from it. Thank You for revealing the Truth to us, telling us that our sins are forgiven through Christ. You are so merciful to us! Thank you for Jesus! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a young woman who is trying to improve her grades at school.

Journal Entry #13217

Matthew 14:5
   Evil men live by fear. It is the strongest motive out there. It can trump just about any other reason for human action. And, for those who do not live by faith, it is a powerful and persuasive force. It will lead people to do the exact opposite of what they would otherwise do.

Bible Reading: 2 Kings 3:1-5:27

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:11 “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for those times when You choose to bless us so much that we are amazed. Sometimes Your blessings are just overwhelming to us. You are very gracious. How can we thank You enough? Father, You are the most important One in our lives! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man having problems with his shoulder. Pray for a man who’s kidneys are failing.

Journal Entry #13216

Matthew 14:4
   Many have speculated that John could have lived longer had he kept his mouth shut. However, this was the ministry we was called to. He was suppose to call attention to sin so that people would get their hearts right with God before the coming of Messiah. In Antipas’ case, their was much to point out and little hope of repentance.

Bible Reading: 1 Kings 22:1-2 Kings 2:25

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:10 “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.“

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for this day to worship You. Sunday is always a blessing to us. You are wonderful and it is a delight to sing your praises. May we always enjoy meditating on Your Word, and living in Your will. You always take such good care of us. Thank You for Your love! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man who is going to have a quintuple bypass performed. Pray for a woman going tomorrow for testing for cancer.

Journal Entry #13216

Matthew 14:3
   Herod Antipas divorced his wife, Phasaelis, and married Herodias. This Herodias divorced his half-brother Philip in order to make the union possible. To understand this fully, one must realize how these persons were related. Antipas was Herod’s son by one woman. Philip was Herod’s son by another woman. And, Herodias, well she was Herod’s granddaughter by yet another woman. Evidently, Antipas learned what he knew about women from his father. So, Anitpas divorced his wife (who was the princess of Nabatea), in order to marry his half-niece, who had been the wife of his half-brother.
   Besides being incredibly sinful, he seems to have been quite foolish as well. The Nabatean princess wasn’t amused by his decision, and he ended up having trouble with the Nabatean king before the whole thing was over.

Bible Reading: 1 Kings 20:1-21:29

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:10 “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing us to enjoy Your creation. Though I know it is not what it could be because of sin, it is still quite amazing. You are so powerful to be able to make all the things You do. Your wisdom exceeds anything I can hope to understand. However, it is the highest use of my faculties to seek to understand You as much as I possibly can. You are worth the study. You are worth knowing. Thank You for all that You mean to me. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a young man who needs to make some changes in his life. Pray for two young people to make the right decisions.

Journal Entry #13215

Matthew 14:2
   Evil men are strange characters indeed! Herod Antipas was the very man who had John killed, and yet he thinks that Jesus is John come back from the dead to work miracles. Never underestimate the influence of superstition in the ‘religion’ of unrighteous ‘religious’ persons. Though Antipas had married his brother’s wife, he thought John a great prophet. What a paradox! People of questionable morals may also be practitioners of a religiosity that leads not to the reformation of their habits, but to the sensationalism of their imaginations. Many throughout history have been much like this Herod, readily willing to believe in ghost stories, but failing to submit to the righteous standards of Almighty God. This is sad thing, and hell will be full of it.

Bible Reading: 1 Kings 18:1-19:21

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:10 “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the clarity of Your Word. You tell us the Truth in a form that we can understand and accept with reasoned assurance. You don’t scare us into Your kingdom, but give us logical reasons to accept Your Truth. Thank You for Your love for us. Knowing that You are a person, and that You love us on a personal level, is so comforting. We can never truly grasp just how great and good You are this side of heaven, but we are looking forward to that day when we shall see You in all Your glory. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man having trouble with his nerves. Pray for a man with bad kidney trouble.

Journal Entry #13214

Matthew 14:1
   This Herod must not be confused with his father, Herod the Great. This was Herod Antipas, one of three (or more) who took over sections of Herod the Great’s former dominion. Here he is referred to as the ‘tetrarch,’ a term that means Antipas was ruler of a fraction of what his father ruled.
   This ruler heard about Christ. This shows how news traveled concerning Christ. He gained attention in the area of Galilee, which was part of Antipas’ dominion.

Bible Reading: 1 Kings 15:1-17:24

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:10 “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. It is a source of constant comfort and strength. You know how much it means to us to have Your words in our hands. We can read of Your intentions and desires for us. Thank You for showing us how You think towards us and telling us of Your love. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman who needs a job. Pray for a family that is travelling. Pray for a man who has blood clots.

Journal Entry #13213

Matthew 13:58
   This is one of many verses that has been commonly misunderstood. Many have, looking at this verse, come to the conclusion that Jesus’ ability to perform miracles rested solely upon the faith of the people he ministered to. These persons have the notion that we somehow cause Almighty God to act by the force of our faith. They think God unable to move without the impetus of our voluntary, trusting, wills. This is simply not the case at all.
   Jesus’ ability to perform miracles was in no way dependent upon the faith of humans. The ability of Almighty God to cause the sun to shine, and the rain to fall, and the earth to endure, is not based on our belief in him. Unlike Santa Clause or the Tooth Fairy, God’s existence is not perpetuated by our belief. He exists and acts, and is able to act, without our help. We could cease to exist tomorrow and Almighty God would not change in the least bit. He is totally self-sufficient.
   However, and that is a big however, Jesus’ desire to perform miracles was, and is, very much based upon the faith of humanity. Almighty God does not cast his pearls before swine. Though he may choose to give many great things to unbelieving people, and does so every day, he is not at all required to. Just the same, Jesus, the Father, and the Spirit, the Triune God, does choose to limit what will be done for those who fail to believe. God will not perform his greatest works for those who do not accept his person. He is a jealous God. They who ascribe more glory to man and animals, and even rocks and trees, more that to him, will lack in the miracle department.
   The people of Nazareth did not receive many miracles because Jesus would not reward unbelief. He was interested in those who accepted him for Who he is, not simply those looking for miracle handouts. They did not trust him. They did not accept his honesty. They would not follow his lead. They could not receive his blessings with the right heart.

Bible Reading: 1 Kings 12:1-14:31

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:9 “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for not discriminating on the basis of outward things. You always consider our hearts, and You know them intimately. Great Searcher of Hearts, search us and see that we love You, and that we want the blessings of Your hands. You are so gracious and loving to us. We will continue to ask for Your provisions. This is not because we think that it all You are good for, but that You are the only One who is good enough for it. You can be asked because You have the capacity to give what is needed. You always have the answer to the most vital need. You are the One who sees what the real needs are. You know what we truly need, not just what we think we need. Thank You for Your power and love, and how You bless our lives by just being a part of them. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a family that just lost a love one. Pray for a man on blood thinner. Pray for a woman going for cancer tests.

Journal Entry #13212