Matthew 13:33
   Some have pointed out that Jesus generally uses leaven, or yeast, to represent something evil. This has brought about some variations in how this parable is understood. However, just because the Lord uses something to illustrate evil, does not mean he can’t use it to illustrate good. It’s an illustration, that is the very nature of it.
   What we do have to keep in mind here is what this parable does not mean. It does not mean that the church will ultimately fill the whole world, and that everyone will be saved. The leaven changes the nature of the dough, but it is still dough. The church of Christ changes this world, permeating our culture and society. But it does not make this world perfect.
   What this parable does mean, then, is that the church is hidden in the world. In other words, to many, it is just another institution of man. It has no special significance, it seems. But yet, the church is different from every other thing in this world. And, it has a profound impact upon the whole. This is what Jesus is communicating. The church may seem to vanish when you look at the whole world, but ultimately, you realize that the church has changed everything in this world. The world is a different place because of the followers of Jesus Christ.

Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 5:1-8:22

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:4 “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing us to be a part of Your plan. Thank You for making us part of Your church. You have called us to a task that brings our every talent to its highest uses. We cannot complain that we have not a challenge before us. You have given us a work to do that is both difficult and pleasurable at the same time. The joy we may share as we do Your will is so wonderful to us. Thank You for knowing what we need, for regarding us. You do not treat one of us better than another, but You give all of us so much, if we will but take it. May we always bring our problems to Your throne and shout out our needs to You. You can hear, and You can answer, and You can help us to understand. Oh Father, thank You for caring enough to value us, and listen to us, and forgive us. Your love is our hope! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man who is going to the doctor tomorrow. Pray for a man having surgery tomorrow. Pray for a woman recovering from broken ribs.

Journal Entry #13190

Matthew 13:32
   Many have pointed out that there are seeds smaller than the mustard seed. However, the words of Christ must be taken in context. He was speaking of seeds that would be planted in the earth by people for the purpose of bearing fruit. He mentions that it grows to become the greatest of herbs. He had, then, a specific group of things in mind. He is comparing it to all the other things in this group, not to all growing things everywhere.
   So, Jesus was saying that the church would grow from very small beginnings, to the point that it would be very large. This growth, just as in the case of the mustard seed, would be surprisingly fast. Ultimately, the whole world would see and know about the growth of it.

Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 2:1-4:22

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:3 “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.“

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are so much greater than we can imagine! You have established Your church in this world, and made it what it is today. You are so powerful and wise! You know just exactly what will happen and how it will happen. You have given us Your Truth. You have given us Your love. What more could we ask for? You are the Holy One, You are the Just One, You are the Pure One. Thank You for telling us about Your love for us in sending Your Son 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 woman who is learning more about the gospel. Pray for an elderly woman who is recovering from a bad fall.

Journal Entry #13189

Matthew 13:31
   Have you ever planted just one seed? Usually, we will plant much more. We know that, chances are, many seeds will fail, and a crop will be far less than expected. Here, however, though the kingdom starts small, nothing would keep it from growing. The one who planted it knew this.
   Jesus had only a handful of followers in the beginning, but this changed. The church quickly grew to thousands. Not long after, it grew to hundreds of thousands. Today it is hundreds of millions strong. Jesus knew this when he planted the seed.

Bible Reading: Ruth 2:1-1 Samuel 1:28

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:3 “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the hope we have in Christ. Thank You for leading us in the right way by making us to know Your Word. Thank You for the miracle of the gospel. It is so wonderful to know that millions of people all over this world know You and love You. It is nice to be a part of something like that. Knowing You is such a joy and privilege. Your grace is truly sufficient for all of us. No matter what happens, You know about each of us, and You care for us individually. Thank You! 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 preparing for an operation on his back.

Journal Entry #13188

Matthew 13:30
   Notice that the tares are removed first. You would think it is the other way around. It is not. When the Lord comes to harvest his church out of this world, there will be a great apostasy first. The tares will come out, and the true church shall remain.

Bible Reading: Judges 20:1-Ruth 1:22

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:3 “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your mercy, grace, and love. You have allowed us to know Your Truth and live with the hope of Christ. Thank You for salvation! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man with a complicated work situation. Pray for a woman with several unspoken requests.

Journal Entry #13187

Matthew 13:29
   It is very important for us to remember in ministry that it is our job to plant, not to pull weeds. Many have supposed it their calling to root out the trouble makers, and thus to help the crop. On the contrary, we are called to plant and water, while God himself cares for the increase. Though we should stand firm in the faith, we are not to target those that we feel we have identified as tares. Almighty God may, as he did with the Apostle Paul, yet use them for a great work.

Bible Reading: Judges 17:1-19:30

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when ha shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.“

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for showing us the Truth even when we don’t understand it right away. You graciously guide our lives even though we often do not follow as well as we should. Thank You for patiently leading our lives in the right path. You are so kind and loving! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for an older woman with health problems. Pray for a man having trouble with his shoulder. Pray for a woman in the nursing home. Pray for a middle-aged man who has a difficult work schedule.

Journal Entry #13186

Matthew 13:28
   Many times I have wondered at the Lord’s wisdom in allowing his people to remain in this world. It has so many good results. For one, it makes those who are his very apparent and a great testimony to the rest of the world. Also, it tests the saints as they remain in an imperfect environment. And finally, it bring great glory to the Lord in that his people survive the trial by his amazing grace.

Bible Reading: Judges 13:1-16:31

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for this nation, the USA. It has been a great blessing to Your people to have a place where we can be free to worship You. You are so wise and You know all things. You know what the future holds for our country. Whatever that future is like, we will praise You for Your great blessings upon us. Every chance we have to glorify You is a wonderful blessing. Even if we have to glorify You through persecution, it is worth doing. We love You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for an older man having a hernia operation done. Pray for a woman with several broken ribs.

Journal Entry #13185

Mathew 13:27
   There have been many who question the motives and methods of Almighty God. We will wonder why he allows evil as well as good. We know he does not want people to die and go to hell, but he will allow it to happen. He allows his people to yet live in an imperfect world in imperfect bodies. What is his thought process in all of this? Why does he do what he does the way he does it? Ultimately, his ways are too remarkable for us to completely understand. He is so far above us that it is difficult even for us to know his thought processes. We do know that he works it all out for our good and his glory.

Bible Reading: 

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. Even though we do not understand everything about You, You tell us about Yourself anyway. That is a great blessing. Many times we will not introduce ourselves if we think we will be misunderstood or poorly received. You, other other hand, know that we will not completely get it and see all that there is to know about You, but You reveal Yourself anyway. That is so nice! It is a blessing to be given the chance to try and understand You. Knowing the Eternal God is a great mercy for anyone. We must not take it for granted. Thank You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman having physical problems. Pray for a man with bad back pain. Pray for two elderly men recovering from physical difficulties.

Journal Entry #13184

Matthew 13:26
   Many may be confused by the phrase ‘the blade was sprung up’ in this verse. The blade refers to the wheat, which had grown to the point that it was ready to mature and have ‘fruit’, or corns of wheat. Thus, the enemy’s tares became evident only after the wheat started to produce. This is true all the time. When Almighty God is working among his people, the enemy’s pre-planted troublemakers will get all stirred up. Trouble always comes knocking when God’s Word is being heard and accepted by many.

Bible Reading: Judges 8:1-9:57

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your strength. We know that You are stronger than we are. We must depend upon You to help us with even the most simple of tasks. We must never forget that we depend upon Your strength for our continued existence. Thank You for giving us extra ability when we need it most. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for an elderly woman who is recovering from a serious fall. Pray for a young woman seeking the Lord’s direction in her life.

Journal Entry #13183

Matthew 13:25
   While the ministers of good are lax, the enemy will find every opportunity to subvert the Truth. In this case, he implants counterfeits among the harvest. The ‘tares’ to which Jesus here refers were actually a type of weed that looked just like wheat. Until the ears began to appear, they were indistinguishable from the wheat. Indeed, many a false Christian will only be identified by the lack of true fruit. When souls are being won to Christ, the tares will either fake conversions, or fail to produce. True fruit will reveal true Christians.

Bible Reading: Judges 5:1-7:25

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for being patient with our selfishness. You have done so much for us. We do not deserve all of Your blessings! We could never catch up with all Your kindnesses if we began listing them now. To catalog Your blessings upon our lives would surely fill our lives. We must humbly serve the One who will never forget our most basic needs. You have our best in Your eye. You will never do anything that is not good for us. Thank You for Your amazing grace and love! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a young family travelling on vacation this week.

Journal Entry #13182

Matthew  13:24
   Unlike the previous parable, this one shows us the nature of the saved world. God intends to raise up a large group of saved persons, but they will live in this world. Thus, the lost and the saved will live together. Rather than rooting up the lost, the Lord chooses to allow his children to grow among them. This is the nature of our present world.

Bible Reading: Judges 2:1-4:24

Scripture Memory: 1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for giving Your wisdom freely to us. You re so kind and good to give perfect gifts to undeserving man. You are so loving to Your creations. Nobody could accuse You of not taking care of what You have made. You are truly amazing and unique in all of this universe. Great is thy faithfulness! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman in an abusive relationship.

Journal Entry #13181