3: This question, though satisfactorily answered by Christ, is the question that many Jews are still asking today. When will he that shall come indeed come? They do not believe Christ is the Messiah. They refuse to consider the evidence. But, thankfully, all Jews are not that way.

Daily Bible Reading: Philippians 1:1-3:21

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 2:10 “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.”

Daily Tidbit: The proper interpretation of the Scriptures is very important. Many have come up with some very strange interpretations over the years. I must say that I think the best rule of thumb in biblical interpretation is honesty. Not trying to make the text say what you want it to say is very important. It is dishonest to give in to the temptation to use a questionable interpretation.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for all that You have done for us. You have given us Your Word, the Bible. You have given us Your Son, Jesus. You have provided eternal salvation for us. How can we ever thank You enough. Oh Father, every thought of You fill my soul with joy. May we meditate upon the Truth of Your greatness at all times. I love You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a lady having problems with her stomach.

Personal Journal Entry #13082

2: I have never stumbled upon a real good explanation of this verse. Every suggested answer to John’s purpose here seems to be lacking in my mind. So, allow me to add my feeble suggestion. First of all, John heard about what Jesus was doing. Yet, in Jesus’ answer to him he mentions his works. This would seem rather odd would it not? To answer a question occasioned by Jesus works Jesus points to his works? What does this mean? Well, secondly, we must consider that John also knew the Scriptures. Like the other believing Jews, including the disciples, he was expecting the Messiah to set up an earthly kingdom at that time. He knew that one of the elements of the Messiah’s work would be releasing prisoners, which is referred to in the same passages that Jesus alludes to in his answer (Isaiah 42:7, 61:1). John was in prison at the time. So, John, like many, was confused. Jesus did not deride John for this. Indeed, he simply reminded John that he needed to just trust in him.
   It is important to realize that the people of God at Jesus first coming understood the program of the Messiah, but forgot the person of the Messiah. They were so busy looking for fulfilled prophecy that they often overlooked the forest for the trees. In our day, we seem to have a danger of doing the opposite. We take great comfort in the person of Christ, but forget that he has a very specific program planned out. John the Baptizer was the best of men, so we are in good company. We must simply learn, as he did, to trust and obey.

Daily Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:1-6:24

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 2:10 “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.”

Daily Tidbit: Only when we come to our wit’s end to we finally realize just how much we depend upon Almighty God.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us the strength to go on when it seems like everything is happening at once. You are so merciful and gracious. Thank You for Jesus! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a missionary on the field in Africa.

Personal Journal Entry #13081

1: Sometimes there are verses, such as this one, that have a few possible meanings. The verse means one of three things. In any case, Jesus finished teaching his disciples, and went elsewhere to preach. Exactly where he went is the part that can be debated. He possibly went to the towns from which the disciples themselves came. Or, he went to some Jewish towns. Or, he went to the towns where his disciples were preaching at the time. The fact is that all three would cover more or less the same area. So, it doesn’t make a lot of difference which way you go on this. However, it would seem likely that he preached in the towns that the disciples went to in order to follow up on their initial contacts.

Daily Bible Reading: Galatians 6:1-Ephesians 3:21

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 2:10 “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.”

Daily Tidbit: In our lives we often try to set red-letter dates. We make New Year’s resolutions. We try to start something new around our birthday. We come up with a good day to begin a different activity or plan. And, then, sometimes we just start something unexpectedly and don’t think about when we started. That’s how it has been for me this last year. I started this daily blog back on March 22 of last year. So, tomorrow, I will begin the second year of it. I never expected, when I started, for that day to be an important day in my life. But, as it turns out, it has become one of the most important days of my life. I have never, in my entire life, had a consistent daily Bible study and devotional life like I have had in this last year. It is sad that it has taken me this long to get that regular with it. But, rather than crying over the past, I must press on towards the future.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for those unexpected days in our lives. Some of them are not so pleasant. Others we will never forget because of how good they were. Every day we know is a blessing from You. If we look back on our lives we can see a string of jewels that You have given us though we could never deserve them. Oh Father, that is just how You are! You are so good and kind to us. Your greatness inspires us with awe and wonder. How can we ever truly know You? Through Christ we know You, and we are so glad to have him. Having Someone between us and You is exactly what we need. Thank You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for two men with cancer. Pray for a man having health issues.

Personal Journal Entry #13080

42: Jesus here is offering an illustration of how God the Father rewards us. The Father sees all that we do. A cup of could water would have been thought of in that day as one of the smallest, or least valuable, gifts that could be offered to another. Also, seeing that Christ is greater than his disciples, using a disciple’s name would also lessen the reward. However, in spite of the smallness of the offering, the Father will take notice and reward it because of the connection with his Son.

Daily Bible Reading: Galatians 3:1-5:26

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 2:9 “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.”

Daily Tidbit: If there is ever a one-world language again, it will most likely be English. Is it any wonder then, that Almighty God has made available in English more copies of and resources for the Word of God than in any other language in history.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for this beautiful day! The beauty of Your creation is all around us. As we look at it, we cannot help but think of the beauty of Your face. Your kindness towards us is the greatest comfort there is. How can we ever stop thinking about Your greatness? Thank You for Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ! May we always honor Him! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for Bible-preaching churches across America to grow numerically.

Personal Journal Entry #13079

41: This is a principle that the Jews were already quite familiar with. When Moses and Aaron were the objects of the Israelite’s complaints in the wilderness, it was made clear that they were complaining against Almighty God. Also, when Israel wanted a king, Samuel felt slighted, but God reminded him that the people were against God, not Samuel. So, in this way, the prophet represents God Almighty.
   When Elijah stayed withe the widow at Zarephath, she was blessed because of his presence and her reception of him. Elisha, in the same way, brought blessings to the Shunemite woman, who was very kind to him.

Daily Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:1-Galatians 2:21

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 2:9 “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.”

Daily Tidbit: Though the statement was very much popularized by Abraham Lincoln, it was John Wycliffe, the morning star of the reformation, who originally wrote about a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. In the general prologue of his English translation of the Bible, Wycliffe wrote “This Bible is for the Government of the People, by the People, and for the People.”

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for another day to serve You. You have given us all that we need for life. We can be truly content no matter what may happen in this sinful world. Your strength keeps us going on even when we think that we can’t go on. You give us songs in the night seasons. You tender care for us is so nice. Jesus is the constant comfort of our hearts. We can rest in the assurance that, as we work for You, the world may react, but You know the cause of it. You know who is innocent. You know who belongs to You. You love Your own. Father, thank You for the mercy that You have extended to us. Every person that knows You must readily admit that You have orchestrated it all. We have chosen to come to You, but You drew us to Yourself, and we are chosen by You. Oh Father, thank You for encouragement in Christ! We need it so much sometimes! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a woman with an unspoken prayer request. Pray for a man who is facing a difficult surgery.

Personal Journal Entry #13078

40: Though it has been very much forgotten, Jesus pays a lot of attention to how his ministers are treated. We often forget this because we see salvation as more of a duty of God than a mercy. We feel that if we respond to the gospel well enough, salvation is guaranteed. Some have been found to think themselves saved in spite of a horrid attitude towards ministers of the gospel. Though only Christ knows for sure who is saved and who is not, he is giving us a good rule of thumb to go by in this verse.
   In other words, Jesus’ commission of his disciples to go to all the world and make disciples of everyone is not simply an attendant circumstance to salvation. It is a crucial part of the process. Jesus alone does indeed know for certain who is truly saved. And, many who claim to be may be false professors simply because of their attitude towards the ministers of the gospel. This is not to say that anyone who mistrusts a preacher is lost and on their way to hell. What is being said is that those who are generally suspicious of all, or most, ministers of the gospel have no good evidence for their own salvation.
   Jesus here is saying that accepting the messenger is just as important as accepting the message. To accept the message Jesus brought to this world from the Father, people have to accept Jesus himself. Accepting him is the same as accepting the Father. The same is true for us. To accept the message of the gospel of Christ, we must also accept his ministers. Accepting his ministers is the same as accepting him. One who claims to accept the gospel, yet denies that Jesus has called us to be witnesses for him, has a faith which is highly suspect.

Daily Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:1-11:33

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 2:9 “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.”

Daily Tidbit: The King Salmon, or Chinook Salmon, is a great example of God’s amazing creation. These fish will return to the location where they were originally born. To accomplish this, they swim against the current and jump up waterfalls. It is quite extraordinary.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, It is good to know that You know everything. In spite of all the confusions we may face, You have all the answers. It is amazing that You allow us to be a part of salvation. You have given us the task of proclaiming Your Truth to the world. What an honor to be involved in that! You know what we need in our lives. You know how important it is for us to have purpose and meaning in our life. It is so comforting to know that You understand us so well and love us so much. Father, thank You for sending Jesus to save us! We could never make it without him. Life would be hopeless without him. Thank You for loving us that much! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a man with cancer. Pray for a missionary on the field in Africa.

Personal Journal Entry #13077

39: The key of this verse is found in the words ‘for my sake.’ If we are charged with any thing for the cause of identification with Christ, then we are not chargeable, he is. To sentence us is to sentence him. If, however, we are held liable for that which we did not do for his sake, we are guilty. Work for the cause of Christ with your last breath, but never be found to work for something less in that way. The cause of Christ is always to be held high. It is the cause ‘worth dying for.’  This is not a death to be died in a pitched battle, but a death died by a life given for others. We must give our lives to make the gospel available to all. Those who would save their neck, but forsake their God, are on shaky ground.

Daily Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:1-7:16

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 2:8 “Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.”

Daily Tidbit: Throughout history, the canon of Scripture has been been questioned on occasion. The Old Testament canon was, as it stands, recognized by Christ. The New Testament canon has hundred of years of history to back it up. However, the best argument for the present canon is the doctrine of preservation. Preservation simply means that Almighty God has the power to preserve his Word. in other words, God will not allow us to get too far off track where his Word is concerned. Our interpretations of it may be, if not guided by the Spirit, quite off-base. But, the body of Truth itself will not fade. In other words, though we should do everything in our power to defend it, God’s Word will stand forever. It is like salvation. It is your choice to be saved, but God already knows what choice you will make. It is our job to stand up for God’s Word, but God’s Word will not fade. Therefore, we can dogmatically state that there are not books missing from our Bible. God will get his Word to us, and he has. In spite of misinterpretation, misreading, miss-translation, or miss-understanding, no one can say that God’s Word was not available. No one can say that the Truth has been lost forever in the graves of the past. It is here, and it is alive.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word! It is so great to have Your love letter to us in our hands. You give us priceless treasure out of it each day. Thank You for Christ. It is so worth it to live for him and in him. Giving our lives for the cause of Christ is not a burden, but a joy! It is a blessing that will not be fully known this side of glory. Father, You are worthy of all our praise and adoration. Jesus means so much to us. Having Someone eternal to depend upon is a great comfort for our lives. You give us a reason to sing, and a cause to live, and die, for. May we never be found guilty of living for a lesser cause. We will live for Christ in love and wisdom. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a man having trouble with his heart. Pray for a woman having trouble with her stomach.

Personal Journal Entry #13076

38: Jesus is showing here the level of willingness to serve him that his followers must have. Any who will fail to gladly suffer for the cause of Christ is not fit for the cause. This is made quite apparent by Jesus language here. The ‘cross’ seems much more friendly to us than it was or really is. The cross is an instrument of torture and death. It is a sign of condemnation by the world. It is a mark of shame. It is the object of derision. It will be mocked, jeered at, and serve as the butt of every joke. Many have said that to take up one’s cross is the same as taking up one’s electric chair. It is not glamorous, fun, nice, cool, neat, acceptable, or even bearable. Yet, we are asked to take it up and follow him with it.
   Why does Jesus use this kind of language? Why is this so important? The answer lies with the life of Christ himself. He came to die. he came to offer himself for others. He came to love as none other had loved before, or ever shall. In Adam the model was to have dominion, in Christ it is to be a servant. Identification with Christ is what its all about. This cannot be manufactured. Making your own cross, getting yourself martyred on purpose, is not in view here. We are to be just like Christ. He avoided death more than once. But, he submitted himself to the Father’s plan. If death was the only way, he was ready. And, if death is the only way, we should always be ready. Otherwise, we are to live a committed life each day. We are to follow him with the fullest measure of devotion we may muster. We are to bear the burdens with joy as we follow our Master. If he does not excite within us that level of commitment  we are not worthy of him.

Daily Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 Corinthians 3:18

Daily Memory Verse: 1 john 2:8 “Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.”

Daily Tidbit: It seems that, almost every day, I find someone trying to solve a problem without the transforming power of God’s Word. Politicians, social workers, teachers, lawyers, law enforcement, churches, schools, etc., the list could go on and on, mostly seem to be trying to change the world for the better, without the power of Almighty God. This is a grave mistake, and an error that must be corrected. Though I know that we already know the end of the story, and that most people will not be saved, that must not keep us from offering the right answers. We can have many good programs, institutions, personalities, legislation, etc., but we cannot solve the world’s problems without the transforming power of God’s Word in an individual’s life. Change must come on an individual level. We seem to have given that up. We talk of fixing our government, or our schools, or our churches, or our communities. What about fixing ourselves? Can we assume that we are already working right? I think not. If individuals are doing right, then the larger things they are a part of will fix themselves.
   The Word of God transforming individual lives one by one, day by day, is still God’s plan for fixing this world. Who are we to argue with him? What I am saying is simply this: A nation, community, church, whatever, full of nice-acting, well-intentioned, good-loving, hard-working people will ultimately produce the mess we see all around us. That does not mean it is bad to be nice, good, wonderful-acting people, far from it! But, it requires GODLY people to produce something more. Why? Because, without Almighty God, we are still flawed and imperfect.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, You are so good to us. You have been merciful to us in spite of our sin. You lift us up and set us upon higher ground. You make our lives far more than they would otherwise be. You help us understand this world around us. You help us to see the answers in Your Word. You give us infinite worth! Oh Father, to have this sure hope of eternal life with You is the best reason for living! To spend all of eternity knowing You, and discovering the vast possibilities of Your power and glory is overwhelming! I often think of all that man’s imagination has envisioned, and I often wonder what Your imagination must contain. You are limitless, and it is the best task for my mind to think about a limitless person. To consider anything less would be a waste of the faculties that You have given us. You have made us able to think of You, to know You, and that is enough for us. Anything less, however, is beneath us. And that is because You made us that way! How glorious are You and Your great creation is Your great glory! You are far above all that we could ever imagine! I love You! Thank You for Jesus! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a boy who has been sick. Pray for a woman recovering from cataract surgery. Pray for a woman with lost family members. Pray for a man with a difficult job schedule.

Personal Journal Entry #13075

37: This saying of Christ is not meant in any way to diminish the importance of love for our family members. However, it does point out once again a theme in Christ’s teachings that is often missed by those who would rather not see it. Jesus is God. As God, he deserves our absolute devotion. If our family comes between us and Almighty God, that is not a good thing. Indeed, he is the only one who is more important. In fact, he does not simply take first place in our lives, he wants our whole lives. This is what Jesus is getting at here. Our love for our parents and children is exceptionally strong. But, our love for him should be even stronger. He is to be the central focus of our lives.

Daily Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:1-15:58

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 2:8 “Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.”

Daily Tidbit: One of the most hotly debated ideas in connection with God’s Word is its inerrant nature. To argue against inerrancy is to undermine the Bible’s authority. To argue for it requires that one accept no errors in the Bible at all. This is, and will continue to be, the cause of much consternation. However, the best thing to keep in mind is that any places in Scripture where errors may seemingly be legitimately claimed there is no overall loss of meaning. In other words, if one were to allow errors to be admitted in passages where sound scholarship has sometimes pointed to errors, the overall message of Scripture, including all of the major doctrines, would remain unchanged. This is not to say that errors in the Bible should be admitted or argued for. It is to say that those who see any errors as a problem for the message of Scripture are they who tend to find more errors than most. In other words, those who would deny the authority of the Scriptures on the basis of supposed errors must still find themselves expected to believe the message of Scripture. Many error-hunters, however, have no intention of accepting the message of God’s Word without making some significant modifications for their own benefit. Finding an unbiased means by which to measure supposed errors has proved impossible. Thus, we find ourselves unable, as imperfect persons, to evaluate a perfect book. When one accepts the message of the Word, any supposed errors seem to vanish.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for all of Your love for us. You have given us a book that shows us how to live. You have delivered to us a message of hope and grace that is so amazing. You have gifted us with Your own Son. Thank You for Jesus! Jesus Christ is the message of Scripture, and he makes all of the difference in life. You are worthy of all praise! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a man who is recovering from a blood clot. Pray for a woman being tested for cancer. Pray for a woman having trouble with her back.

Personal Journal Entry #13074

36: This verse, as well as the previous one, comes from Micah 7:6. This statement was true of Christ, and not just his disciples. His own brothers did not, at that time, accept his position as the Messiah. His close friend, Judas, would betray him. His disciples would run off and leave him. Also we see this in the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 41:9 and 55:12-14. Because this was true of Christ himself, his ministers could expect no better treatment.
   This sentiment was very disturbing, to be sure. Families were very close in that day, as they should be now. So, to the disciples, the idea of family members being their enemies was not a fun prospect. Indeed, when avoidable, it should be avoided. Only for the cause of Christ is such division justified. Sadly, many families have divided over much less.

Daily Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:1-12:31

Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 2:8 “Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.”

Daily Tidbit: The authority of God’s Word is very important. Those who reject the absolute authority of the Word of God will have a hard time proving any legitimacy of it. They will say that it is only an advisory guide. And yet, that leaves too much up to us. When God’s Word is no longer seen as authoritative, it is ultimately piled onto the scraps of history and forgotten. Now, to be sure, the Bible will never be completely forgotten, God protects his Word. However, for many, this has, in a sense, already happened. Rejecting the position of Scripture as an authoritative instruction manual for life is like trying to do brain surgery with a third grade education. It is a dangerous way of doing things. We are not capable of handling life without an authoritative guidebook. We need something sure to stand as a foundation for our logic. When need a starting point.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for all that You mean to me. Every good thing in my life has come from You. I can never thank You enough. It is so good to be able to trust in You for everything. You take such good care of us all! Your mercy, grace, and love are overwhelming! Your justice is a comfort! Your power is so enabling. It helps me get through the day. I don’t ever have to worry, because You are on the throne! It is amazing how wonderful You are! As You care for us each day, we are awed over and over by Your wisdom and tender compassion. Thank You for salvation and all that it brings to our lives. It is a blessing that I will be enjoying forever. Can I ever know all that is mine through Christ? Will I not spend all of eternity discovering more? I think it will take a long time to fully appreciate all that You have done. You are so wonderful! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and Praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a man having a difficult battle with cancer. Pray for a woman with cancer. Pray for a woman having trouble with her eyes.

Personal Journal Entry #13073