Matthew 12:2
   The Pharisees had added to or taken from many laws through their oral traditions. Even today, in an effort to understand and apply all of the laws, the rabbis are allowed to interpret almost as they see fit. Thus, as Jesus said on another occasion, their traditions had nullified the law. This act of the disciples was far from being a clearly unlawful act. It is not as if they were harvesting the whole crop. They were simply having a snack along the way because they were very hungry.

Bible Reading: Genesis 20:1-22:24

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, it is good to be able to meet with You each day. We take this for granted  though we shouldn’t. It is wonderful to have the time and ability to spend time alone with You. It is a preparation for the rest of our life that is so worth doing. To let a day go by without it is to miss the most important part of that day. Oh Father, the bliss of meditating upon You and Your Word is such a blessing to us! May we serve You well, for You deserve our best. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man with a broken arm. Pray for law enforcement in Boston.

Journal Entry #13109

Matthew 12:1
   One will notice that the King James Version says the disciples were picking corn on this occasion. However, many modern translations say it was grain. The fact is that the Greek word here could apply to either corn or wheat. Indeed, you may think of Jesus words in John 12:24, where he refers to a ‘corn of wheat.’ Added to this is the fact that Luke mentions the disciples rubbing it in their hands, which would not be necessary with corn. Thus, these modern translations are simply seeking to be more accurate concerning the type of food that it was. Either way, whether we take it to be corn or wheat, the passage reads the same, and the words of the Jewish leaders and Christ apply in the same way.

Bible Reading: Genesis 17:1-19:38

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of Father is not in him.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for today! Your Truth gives us great insight into ourselves. It helps us understand who we really are. It is so good to know that You know more about us that we know about ourselves. You can teach us so much! You are worthy of all the praise in our lives. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman with health issues. Pray for a man recovering from surgery.

Journal Entry #13108

Matthew 11:30
   Keep in mind here that there is still a yoke and burden. Sometimes we act as if following Christ means nothing at all. We think that he will demand nothing of us. Such is most definitely not the case. However, the expectations of Jesus upon our lives are perfectly matched by his enabling. He makes the load easy because he gives us the ability with which to bear it.

Bible Reading: Genesis 13:1-16:16

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the strength that You give to us. Without the Holy Spirit enabling us to live our lives for You, following Christ would be so much more difficult. You always know exactly what we need and are ready to lead us to the best paths for our lives. Father, living in line with Your will is always the best way for us to go. Thank You for Your plan of salvation! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a missionary in Africa.

Journal Entry #13107

Matthew 11:29
   Jesus is here alluding to Jeremiah 6:16, which talks about rest for the souls of the people as well. Jesus is literally saying that his genuineness as opposed to the hypocrisy of the current religious establishment would bring rest and peace to people. God’s Truth must be obeyed, hence the yoke, but it is to be a delightful labor, not a drudgery.

Bible Reading: Genesis 10:1-12:20

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:14 “I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You give us so much. Thank You for Your many blessings. You are worthy of all our praise. You deserve our lives. You cherish us and treat us like persons. You value us. That is so nice! To think that the God of All loves us is a great blessing. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a a man in a coma. Pray for a man having a biopsy done today. Pray for a man who is close to death.

Journal Entry #13106

Matthew 11:28
   Not only is this offer quite comforting, it is also very revealing. Jesus was offering to solve problems that nobody else can solve. He was literally offering to take the burden of day to day living off of people. He was offering to help with their deepest most heart-felt needs. He was not simply claiming to be a good teacher, a great philosopher, or a brilliant psychologist. He was telling people that he is The Answer to all of the needs of our lives. He is the One who can take the burdensome toil of human life and make it into something glorious and eternally meaningful. He is offering peace, real true and abiding peace.

Bible Reading: Genesis 7:1-9:29

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:14 “I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have over come the wicked one.”

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 have victory in this life. Without that, life would be very frustrating. Oh Father, thank You for Your strength! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man having biopsy done on his kidneys tomorrow morning.

Journal Entry #13105

Matthew 11:27
   This verse says a whole lot about the nature of Almighty God. In order to see this, several things need to be kept in mind. First, the word ‘man’ as it appears in this verse can lead to confusion if we are not careful. Though gender-inclusive language is not always helpful or correct in many passages, the use of the word man is not terribly helpful here. The Greek here literally says: “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knows the Son except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son will reveal him.” Careful Greek students will point out the use of the masculine in the last phrase, but will see that it can be applied generally to all persons, male or female. This is important because, without this explanation, one might argue from this verse that God the Father and God the Son are men. Though the Son is a man, he is also %100 God in the flesh.
   Secondly, it reveals something of the relationship of the Trinity. The Father knows the Son, and the Son knows the Father. Neither may be revealed without the other’s involvement. In other words, these two persons are connected in a way that no two human persons would be connected. The word for know here literally means to ‘recognize.’ Jesus is literally saying, ‘If i do not reveal the Father to you, you may never know him.’ Without the work of Christ, we human beings cannot even recognize the Almighty God of the Universe.
   Third, and finally, though it seems to confuse many in this day of modern Christianity, Jesus reveals the Father to us, not the other way around. What I means is that some Christians seem to think that the Father is in Christ to the point that they can forget about the Father altogether. They make much of Jesus, yes, but only Jesus. This is dangerous simply because it is not what Jesus himself would have us to do. Pray to the Father, through Christ, in the Spirit. You can talk to Christ in prayer. I have several times. But, Jesus makes it clear that our main focus in prayer is the Father. We are to have a relationship with the Father through our relationship with Christ. The Heavenly Father is to be our primary goal. Knowing him, asking him, understanding him, that is what Jesus is all about. Jesus and the Father cannot be separated. You cannot have the one without the other. Period.

Bible Reading: Genesis 4:1-6:22

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:14 “I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, it is so wonderful to know that we may have fellowship with You and Your Son, Jesus Christ. Knowing You, recognizing You, is a beautiful and bountiful blessing. To think that we would go through life missing the very One who made us! Oh what a thought! But, in Jesus Christ we know You, the very Fountain of all things. You alone are the GOD OF ALL. You rule and reign for all time. You have no beginning, no ending, and are outside of and inside of time. You make all of our most brilliant thoughts look like a joke. You understand all of the mysteries because the mysteries are all about You. You are the GREAT GOD, the ONLY TRUE GOD, and we worship You as such. Never has there been another, and never shall there be. In Your perfect Trinity You reveal to us Your completeness. You are the GREAT I AM. None else may stand all alone such as You. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a church as it make some choices about future growth. Pray for a missionary in Africa.

Journal Entry #13104

Matthew 11:26
   What Almighty God sees to be good is good. If he likes it, it is the best thing. If it is his way, by his design, then it is all that may be called good. We must remember that this world, no matter how good we think it is, is out of sorts with Almighty God. Many things happen every day that are most definitely not good. It is a great mercy that God is at work in our world. He knows how to make things good.

Bible Reading: Genesis 1:1-3:24

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:14 “I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your great mercy, grace, and love. You have made this wonderful day for us in which to serve You and love You. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus. He is a constant comfort to our hearts. Thank You for giving us spiritual armor to face the challenges that lie before us. You always give us what we need, if we will but take Your gifts. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for pastors as they oversee the people of God.

Journal Entry #13103

Matthew 11:25
   Jesus, of course, recognized the plan of the Father in all of this. This is one of those passages where we are tempted to think that God makes us do what he wants to the point that we have no choice of our own. However, taken in context, we know that these local towns chose their response to Christ. Thus, God is just. He allows people to make their own decisions. But, in his infinite wisdom, he knows who will respond. Therefore, he orchestrates the whole thing as he sees fit. The wise and prudent in their own conceits would claim too much glory for themselves.

Bible Reading: Revelation 19:1-22:21

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:14 “I have written to you, fathers, because ye have known him that is form the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to find the time to do what we would have the time to do if we were doing what we should do. We need You every day in our lives. You are so important to us! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man going through difficult cancer treatments.

Journal Entry #13102

Matthew 11:24
   This verse just serves to strengthen a truth of Scripture that we often forget. God is mainly looking at our response to Truth, not our particular brand of rebellion. Although the Sodomites were guilty of the gross sin of homosexuality, and or bisexuality, the inhabitants of these local Jewish towns were even less sensitive to the Truth. Sins such as this are a judgement for turning from the Truth. A straight liar is not somehow better than an honest transvestite. A sodomite who is otherwise very moral is not less of a sinner than a heterosexual drug abuser. Sin is sin. What we do about our sin is the key.

Bible Reading: Revelation 15:1-18:24

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:14 “I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for all of Your mercy. Thank You for not singling out anybody, but for judging sin by the same standard all across the board. Your fairness has always been a blessing to me. Thank You for Jesus Christ, and the forgiveness and change of life that we have through him. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a young man who needs salvation. Pray for a Jewish lady who needs salvation. Pray for a lost man who is currently attending church.

Journal Entry #13101

Matthew 11:23
   Capernaum was, first of all, high. It was physically built upon a high elevation. Thus, by way of illustration, it might be said to be elevated to heaven. Secondly, this town was blessed above all others in that Jesus chose to dwell there. He did many miracles there. This place, and its people, were afforded great advantages.
   However, those who had lived long before in Sodom would have responded better to the Truth of the Messiah than the people of Capernaum. This is not to say that Sodom got a raw deal. The Sodomites cannot say that they had no chance for repentance. However, those of Capernaum were afforded extra revelation, and yet many of them turned it down.

Bible Reading: Revelation 10:1-14:20

Scripture Memory: 1 John 2:14 “I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your leading and blessings. Truly, where You guide You provide. Thank You for helping us to see Your hand at work in the situations around us. Than You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a church considering growth options.

Journal Entry #13100