Today's Bible reading is the 2nd chapter of the Book of Mark. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+2&version=NASB
Such words were not supposed to come from a man's mouth. The scribes attributed the words to an act of blasphemy. I consider them to be some of the most treasured words ever spoken on earth. In this 2nd chapter of Mark's Gospel we read the words spoken by Jesus to the paralytic man who had been lowered down through a hole in the roof of the house where Jesus was. "Son, your sins are forgiven" were the few but powerful words spoken to the man. The scribes rightly reasoned in their hearts that God alone could forgive sins. What they didn't know was that they were in His presence and He was forgiving sin. In time Jesus would bear the sins of the world. The One who knew no sin would become sin for us. Yes, praise the Lord that He has authority to forgive sin. He has forgiven mine.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Monday, February 10, 2014
Today's Bible reading is the 1st chapter of the Book of Mark. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%201&version=NASB
Mark begins his Gospel by making reference to the ministry of John the Baptist and quoting Isaiah he wrote, "BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY; THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.'" He goes on to describe John as a man who was clothed with camel's hair and that he wore a leather belt around his waist. We are told that his diet consisted of locusts and wild honey as he ministered in the wilderness, baptizing those who came to him in the spirit of repentance. Matthew and Luke both record Jesus as saying that "among those born of women" that no one was greater than John. John graciously and joyously proclaimed that Jesus was mightier than he. John could only baptize with water but Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit.
In the latter verses of this first chapter we read of a series of events that occurred at the house of Simon (Peter) and Andrew. Much would happen at this house in less than 24 hours. Simon's mother in-law had been lying sick with a fever and Jesus healed her. Evening came, the sun set and "all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed" were being brought to Jesus for healing. Mark writes that "the whole city had gathered at the door". What a blessing it had been for Jesus to come to this house. I have not had the experience that Simon and Andrew had at their house that day. But in a sense I have something in common with them and with so many others. Jesus has blessed my house! He has done so since that first day He came into my life. I'm so thankful that He came into "my house".
Friday, February 7, 2014
Today's Bible reading is the 28th chapter of the Book of Matthew. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28&version=NASB
In this 28th and final chapter of the Book of Matthew we read Matthew's account of our Lord's resurrection. The words spoken by the angel to "Mary Magdalene and the other Mary", when they had come to look at the grave where Jesus had been laid, has been the hope of all believers through the centuries. "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said." Yes, His prophetic words regarding His death, burial and resurrection had come to pass. The Apostle Paul is inspired to call these three truths the matters of "first importance". The angel directed the women to report Jesus' resurrection to His disciples and went on to promise them that they would see Him in Galilee. What wonderful news to their ears and hearts. They would see Him again. In the final verses of the passage we read that the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee where the promise was fulfilled. We read that when they saw Him, they worshiped Him. We know Him and we are privileged to "see Him" each day as He works in our lives and in the world in which we live. As a result of our seeing Him, may we also worship Him throughout our days until that day when we see Him, face to face.
In this 28th and final chapter of the Book of Matthew we read Matthew's account of our Lord's resurrection. The words spoken by the angel to "Mary Magdalene and the other Mary", when they had come to look at the grave where Jesus had been laid, has been the hope of all believers through the centuries. "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said." Yes, His prophetic words regarding His death, burial and resurrection had come to pass. The Apostle Paul is inspired to call these three truths the matters of "first importance". The angel directed the women to report Jesus' resurrection to His disciples and went on to promise them that they would see Him in Galilee. What wonderful news to their ears and hearts. They would see Him again. In the final verses of the passage we read that the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee where the promise was fulfilled. We read that when they saw Him, they worshiped Him. We know Him and we are privileged to "see Him" each day as He works in our lives and in the world in which we live. As a result of our seeing Him, may we also worship Him throughout our days until that day when we see Him, face to face.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Today's Bible reading is the 27th chapter of the Book of Matthew. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+27&version=NASB
The 27th chapter of Matthew is 66 verses long and includes the crucifixion of our Lord. This makes it very difficult for me to write a quick or short thought from the reading. Unwilling to make the decision on his own, I've often been intrigued at Pilate's attempt to have Jesus released prior to His crucifixion. Believing that the people had only sought Jesus' arrest because of envy, he felt that if he offered them a choice to release either Jesus or a notorious criminal, they would surely ask for Jesus' release. He knew neither the depth of their hatred for Him nor again that Calvary was the will of God. When his idea did not work as he had thought, he released Barabbas and handed Jesus over to be crucified.
We often make note that the moment that Jesus bore the sins of the world was the most egregious point of suffering He experienced that day. But one can hardly read the account of Jesus being humiliated and beaten without cringing at the picture in your mind. He suffered greatly while bearing our stripes. And of course, then there was the cry. "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" The One who knew no sin becoming sin for us. Following His death, Jesus would ultimately be laid in the tomb and the same people who thought they had overcome Him would now have the tomb guarded, "otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first." The first was no deception and there would be no second. They could prevent His disciples from stealing His body but they could not prevent His Father from raising Him from the dead. To God be the glory.
The 27th chapter of Matthew is 66 verses long and includes the crucifixion of our Lord. This makes it very difficult for me to write a quick or short thought from the reading. Unwilling to make the decision on his own, I've often been intrigued at Pilate's attempt to have Jesus released prior to His crucifixion. Believing that the people had only sought Jesus' arrest because of envy, he felt that if he offered them a choice to release either Jesus or a notorious criminal, they would surely ask for Jesus' release. He knew neither the depth of their hatred for Him nor again that Calvary was the will of God. When his idea did not work as he had thought, he released Barabbas and handed Jesus over to be crucified.
We often make note that the moment that Jesus bore the sins of the world was the most egregious point of suffering He experienced that day. But one can hardly read the account of Jesus being humiliated and beaten without cringing at the picture in your mind. He suffered greatly while bearing our stripes. And of course, then there was the cry. "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" The One who knew no sin becoming sin for us. Following His death, Jesus would ultimately be laid in the tomb and the same people who thought they had overcome Him would now have the tomb guarded, "otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first." The first was no deception and there would be no second. They could prevent His disciples from stealing His body but they could not prevent His Father from raising Him from the dead. To God be the glory.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Today's Bible reading is the 26 chapter of the Book of Matthew. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26&version=NASB
Today's scripture passage includes the account of the woman who came to Jesus with an alabaster vial of costly perfume and poured it on His head as He reclined at a table in the home of Simon the leper. When His disciple indignantly expressed their feelings that such an act was seen by them as a "waste", Jesus responded by saying that "she has done a good deed to Me." It must have been difficult for them to understand His meaning when He went on to say that "she did it to prepare Me for burial". He was very much alive at the time. It had been some time since He had first told His disciples that the Son of man would be delivered into the hands of men. That time was now at hand.
Early on in the chapter we read that the chief priests and elders had gathered together to plot how they might "seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him." The "stealth" of men would have nothing to do with what was about to happen. The swords and clubs that were in the hands of those who had come to arrest Jesus in Gethsemane would have no bearing on the events that would soon follow. This had been the purpose for His coming. It would be the perfect will of God that would take Jesus to Calvary's cross. Praise God!
Greg
Today's scripture passage includes the account of the woman who came to Jesus with an alabaster vial of costly perfume and poured it on His head as He reclined at a table in the home of Simon the leper. When His disciple indignantly expressed their feelings that such an act was seen by them as a "waste", Jesus responded by saying that "she has done a good deed to Me." It must have been difficult for them to understand His meaning when He went on to say that "she did it to prepare Me for burial". He was very much alive at the time. It had been some time since He had first told His disciples that the Son of man would be delivered into the hands of men. That time was now at hand.
Early on in the chapter we read that the chief priests and elders had gathered together to plot how they might "seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him." The "stealth" of men would have nothing to do with what was about to happen. The swords and clubs that were in the hands of those who had come to arrest Jesus in Gethsemane would have no bearing on the events that would soon follow. This had been the purpose for His coming. It would be the perfect will of God that would take Jesus to Calvary's cross. Praise God!
Greg
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Today's Bible reading is the 25th chapter of the Book of Matthew. You can read it here on Bible Gateway: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25&version=NASB
To be faithful in a few things, even what we might consider the "small things" is pleasing to the Lord. In 1st Corinthians 9 the Apostle Paul said that he did "all things for the sake of the gospel". In Colossians 3 we read that we are to "do all in the name of the Lord Jesus" and that whatever we do, we are to do heartily as for the Lord. Certainly these are meant to include the great and the small, the significant and the seemingly insignificant, the important and the seemingly unimportant things.
They are challenging questions to ask oneself. Is the importance of the gospel ever-present in my mind each day in all that I do and say? Am I conscience to remember that God would have me to do the things that I do as unto the Lord? Making reference to the same truths, in the latter portion of today's passage Jesus tells us that in this life we are living that we will have the opportunity to see Him hungry and give Him something to eat, to give Him something to drink when He is thirsty, to invite Him in though a stranger, to cloth Him, to visit Him when He is sick and to go to Him while He is in prison. Of course He is not really talking about Himself but is again teaching that we are to serve as if we were serving Him, minister as if we were ministering to Him, etc... Oh Lord, may you help us to live for You. As we love and serve You may you grant us the joy of loving and serving others.
Greg
To be faithful in a few things, even what we might consider the "small things" is pleasing to the Lord. In 1st Corinthians 9 the Apostle Paul said that he did "all things for the sake of the gospel". In Colossians 3 we read that we are to "do all in the name of the Lord Jesus" and that whatever we do, we are to do heartily as for the Lord. Certainly these are meant to include the great and the small, the significant and the seemingly insignificant, the important and the seemingly unimportant things.
They are challenging questions to ask oneself. Is the importance of the gospel ever-present in my mind each day in all that I do and say? Am I conscience to remember that God would have me to do the things that I do as unto the Lord? Making reference to the same truths, in the latter portion of today's passage Jesus tells us that in this life we are living that we will have the opportunity to see Him hungry and give Him something to eat, to give Him something to drink when He is thirsty, to invite Him in though a stranger, to cloth Him, to visit Him when He is sick and to go to Him while He is in prison. Of course He is not really talking about Himself but is again teaching that we are to serve as if we were serving Him, minister as if we were ministering to Him, etc... Oh Lord, may you help us to live for You. As we love and serve You may you grant us the joy of loving and serving others.
Greg
Monday, February 3, 2014
Today's Bible reading is the 24th chapter of the Book of Matthew. You can read it here on Bible Gateway: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+24&version=NASB
Today's chapter of scripture reminds me that there are certain things that God has chosen not to disclose to us. We do not know when the Lord will gather His church to meet Him in the air (Rapture of the church) and we do not know when He will make a literal return to earth at His second coming. Speaking of the latter in today's passage, Matthew quotes Jesus as having said, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."
Not knowing these things should not be a cause of worry or doubt for us. We are to be patiently anticipating the Lord's return while growing in "the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ", walking in the good works God has prepared for us, proclaiming the gospel message, running the race with endurance, etc... We need not pay attention to the scoffers and mockers. We are to be people of faith, simply believing God. No, we may not know the day or the time of His return for His church or His return to earth, but we know His promises. In Hebrews 10:37 we read these words of truth, "For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay."
Greg
Today's chapter of scripture reminds me that there are certain things that God has chosen not to disclose to us. We do not know when the Lord will gather His church to meet Him in the air (Rapture of the church) and we do not know when He will make a literal return to earth at His second coming. Speaking of the latter in today's passage, Matthew quotes Jesus as having said, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."
Not knowing these things should not be a cause of worry or doubt for us. We are to be patiently anticipating the Lord's return while growing in "the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ", walking in the good works God has prepared for us, proclaiming the gospel message, running the race with endurance, etc... We need not pay attention to the scoffers and mockers. We are to be people of faith, simply believing God. No, we may not know the day or the time of His return for His church or His return to earth, but we know His promises. In Hebrews 10:37 we read these words of truth, "For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay."
Greg
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)