Matthew 13:5
   In the area where Jesus was teaching, farmers would have been aware of these types of stony places. In these spots, though there appeared on the surface to be good soil, the rocks were not far below. Thus, having little soil to take root in, the seed had little chance of growing.
   Those who spring forth of this kind of soil are those who accept the Truth only for personal advantage, rather than a true commitment to the Truth. They believe simply because they think it is best for them, not because they love the Lord.

Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 1:1-2:37

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:27 “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to live lives that will be a testimony to others. You are worthy not only of our praise, but of our lives. Thank You for always valuing our lives. You enrich us and give us abundant life. It is so good to know Someone who has our best interests at heart. Thank You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for Vacation Bible School coming up in July.

Journal Entry #13162

Matthew 13:4
   The wayside is the path near the field. As a well-trodden path, it would naturally not be a good place for seed to grow. It was packed down and hard. This represents those who hear the gospel, but do not understand it. Before they have time to figure out what they have heard, the evil one has taken the Truth from their attention. They become interested in some other thing, and forget that which they never understood properly to begin with.

Bible Reading: Numbers 34:1-36:13

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:27 “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for family and friends. Your blessings on us are too many to count. It is so good to know that You are always aware of where we all are, what we are doing, and if we need help. You immediately know if we are in trouble, or if we are crying out to You. It is so good to have an ear to talk to that can actually do something about the situation. I am glad that You take an interest in our lives. Thank You for Your blessed intervention and Providential care. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man with cancer in the nursing home.

Journal Entry #13161

Matthew 13:3
   Parables were often used for teaching in that time and place. The Jews were used to the Rabbis employing this method. However, Jesus used it to greater effect, and had greater truths in mind. Telling a parable about farming was an easy way to get the attention of the multitude. They would readily understand the setting and specifics of the farmer’s situation.

Bible Reading: Numbers 32:1-33:56

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:27 “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for another day to serve You. It is always nice to go to church and worship You with Your people. We really love coming together to make much of You. You are worthy of all our praises and thanksgiving. We are so blessed to be a part of Your plan. Thank You for using us in Your service in spite of our limitations. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man recovering from a knee operation. Pray for a man needing a shoulder operation. Pray for a man preparing to make a change at work.

Journal Entry #13160

Matthew 13:2
   In our day, it is the audience that is made comfortable while the speaker stands. Jesus was doing the work of sharing the Truth. His hearers did not mind if he sat while they stood. Imagine what would happen today if people were asked to listen to a man sitting down speak while they stood. Also, remember, he had no public address system. There was no amplification for his voice. His words had to be listened to closely. Would people today even try to hear a speaker like that?

Bible Reading: Numbers 30:1-31:54

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:27 “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are so powerful! You made the fish in the sea and the stars in the sky. And yet, You have time to consider even the smallest sparrow. You are so amazing! If I could spend my whole life just exploring Your creation, I would still find myself unable to describe the fullness of Your majesty as it is reflected in Your works. You are worthy of all praise! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman who is not getting around well.

Journal Entry #13159

Matthew 13:1
   This is one of those little verses that we forget about. Jesus just goes out and sits down by the sea. He already knows the people are coming. He already knows what he will teach them. He simply picks a good place for the day’s activities and sets to work on them. Jesus made the Truth available to the common man.

Bible Reading: Numbers 27:1-29:40

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:27 “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for all that You do in our lives. Your grace is amazing and Your love is boundless. Your mercy is limitless, and Your kindness is wonderful. Your holiness is inspiring. Your goodness is comforting. How could we ever praise You enough? You are worthy of all our praise and adoration. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man making some choices about work right now.

Journal Entry #13158

Matthew 12:50
   True Christianity is about being part of a family. When you are part of a family, there are certain things that you share that will never change. You can be separated from your family by many miles, but you still have a connection to them that cannot be altered. You belong together, you came from the same group of folks.
   The same is true for the family of God. Almighty God has made it possible for us, humble humanity, to become part of his family. This is an amazing thing, but it is exactly what Jesus has in mind in this verse. Those who do the will of God, who follow his plan for their lives, are a part of his family.

Bible Reading: Numbers 25:1-26:65

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:26 “These things have I written you concerning them that seduce you.“

Prayer: Heavenly Father, it is so good to know You are always there. Even when we know that we are not pleasing to You, You are there loving us and being interested in our lives. You know everything about us not just because You know everything naturally, but also because You want to know. You make us holy by the Your salvation through Jesus Christ Your Son. You call us for Your purposes. Father, thank You for taking an interest in our lives. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for pastors all over America.

Journal Entry #13157

Matthew 12:49
   Jesus was not, by this illustration, saying that his disciples were a better family to him than his own. His family was still his family. But, the disciples were closer still to him than his family because they believed in him and followed him. And, among them there was at least one who was not genuine. Thus, we must be careful not to misunderstand this illustration. Jesus is trying to explain to his hearers how the family of God works.

Bible Reading: Numbers 22:1-24:25

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:26 “These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the things about You that we often forget. We get so busy in our lives with our own lives that we forget about You and all that You do in our lives. You care for us so much. You love us more than anybody else, and yet You are often the last person we think to talk to. Thank You for being so faithful to us, and patient with us. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for an older lady who is not able to get around very well.

Journal Entry #13156

Matthew 12:48
   Jesus intention here was not to deny the identity of his family. What he was doing was making a powerful statement about the kingdom. The family ties that the Jews held so dearly were not as strong as the ties between those who practice the will of God. Christians are to have a bond with each other stronger than the cultural mores in regards to family ties.

Bible Reading: Numbers 19:1-21:35

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:25 “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.“

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for sometimes allowing us to serve You allongside family members. It is a great blessing to work with any of Your servants. However, it is an extra comfort to have our family close by. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman who just recovered from cancer.

Journal Entry #13155

Matthew 12:47
   Jesus did not lose contact with his family during his ministry. He did not shun them or act as if they were unworthy of him. He did not publicly attack them for their disbelief. He was quite busy, so he probably did not have a lot of contact with them. But, he did not neglect them. This is a lesson for all of us. We may be very busy in ministry and have a lot on our plate. but, we should make an effort to stay in touch with others, especially our family.

Bible Reading: Numbers 16:1-18:32

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:25 “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for all of the blessings that our families bring to our lives. We sometimes take for granted all of the people that You put into our lives to be a blessing to us. We expect You to use things in our lives rather than people. But, using people is a good idea, of course. You always know the best way to go about things. Thank You for being so wise and so considerate. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man having an MRI on his shoulder tomorrow. Pray for a young man going on a missions trip.

Journal Entry #13154

Matthew 12:46
   We are here reminded on the humanity of Christ. He was, and is, completely human, though completely Divine.

Bible Reading: Numbers 14:1-15:41

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:25 “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love for us. You are incredible! We can never truly understand just how much You love us. Thank You for Your faithfulness and grace. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for churches all over America today.

Journal Entry #13153