Category: Gospels
The power of faith!
Scripture reading for January 29th: Exodus 21-23, Matthew 21
Key Scriptures: Matthew 21:20-22 “When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
Jesus had cursed the fig tree for having no fruit. The disciples noted how quickly it had withered, and asked how this could be. Jesus informed them that they also would have this kind of authority if they simply had faith. Even greater obstacles would be removed by believing prayer. The Old Testament Scriptures revealed this kind of authority given to God’s people as they obeyed.
Exodus 23:23-26 “When My angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces. You shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water , and I will take sickness away from among you. None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.”
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your promises of answered prayer. Help me today to walk in faith and appropriate all your promised blessing for Your glory. Amen.
Serving wins battles!
Scripture reading for January 26th: Exodus 17-20, Matthew 20
Key Scriptures: Exodus 17:10-13 “So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.”
Moses recorded this story of a battle with the Amalekites. He and Aaron and Hur observed the battle led by Joshua. As Moses would stretch out his hand, Joshua was winning. When he lowered his had because of exhaustion, Amalek prevailed. So Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ hands and seated him on a stone and Joshua prevailed in the battle. This is a picture of corporate intercession and the power of agreement.
Matthew 20:25-26: “But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, for even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and give His live as a ransom for many.”
Prayer: Father, help me to lift my hands in service of others. Thank you for the example of Your Son and Aaron and Hur to show me the way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
God’s rule: obedience!
Scripture reading for January 25th: Exodus 14-16, Matthew 19
Key Scriptures: Exodus 15:25-26 “There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there He tested them, saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in His eyes, and give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your Healer.””
God had delivered His people out of Egypt with a mighty hand, through signs and wonders and plagues and judgments. But His people were not thankful and grumbled against Moses and God. God laid out a rule for them: Obey Me and I will heal you of the plagues and diseases of Egypt. Obedience would bring them into God’s protection and healing grace and the smile of His face. But man in rebellion has trouble with obedience!
Matthew 19:16-17 “And behold, a man came up to Him (Jesus), saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why do you ask Me about what is good? There is only One who is Good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”
Prayer: Lord, heal me today of a grumbling nature. Thank you for the perfect obedience of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Empower me today with the Holy Spirit of Christ to hear and obey your commands. Amen.
God’s concern for children!
Scripture reading for January 24th: Exodus 10-13, Matthew 18
Key Scriptures: Exodus 12:21-22, 26-28 “Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and select lambs for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the Passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. . . .And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, for He passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when He struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.'”
God had prepared a plan of salvation for His people. It involved taking an innocent lamb for each household and slaughtering it and catching the blood in a bowl or basin. The head of the house then took some hyssop as a brush and sprinkled or spattered the blood on the lintel and doorposts of their home. This ritual was called the “Passover” because this sign caused the death angel who was taking the lives of the firstborn to ‘pass over’ the marked houses. This ritual would teach children about God’s protective covering through sacrifice. God did not want one of the children to perish.
Matthew 18:10, 14 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. . . . . So it is not the will of My Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”
Prayer: Father, thank You for Your love for little children. Help me to be sensitive to children and teach them about You and Your great love through the blood of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.
Delegated authority and prayer!
Scripture reading for January 23rd: Exodus 7-9, Matthew 17
Key Scriptures: Matthew 17:18-20 “And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said,”Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.””
The disciples had been asked to deliver a boy that was demon possessed and had seizures. They tried, but failed. Jesus rebuked them for their lack of faith and promptly cast the demon out and the boy was healed. The disciples asked Jesus why they had trouble. He frankly told them they lacked faith. Even small faith would produce what was needed with God’s backing. In Moses’ day, God gave him and Aaron authority to do miracles and speak words of power, unbelievers could not!
Exodus 8:16-18 “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.'” And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth and there were gnats on man and beast.”. . . The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not.”
Prayer: Father, thank you for delegated authority to do Your work. Help me to so know You and Your Word that I have mustard seed faith to move mountains. Amen.
The Power of God’s Name
Scripture reading for January 22nd: Exodus 3-6, Matthew 16
Key Scriptures: Exodus 3:13-14 “Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His Name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” and He said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.”
God and Moses were having a conversation after God had gotten Moses’ attention at the burning bush. God told Moses He heard the prayers of His people and His planned to deliver them from slavery. Moses was concerned that the people would not believe that he had talked with God and sent him to them. God revealed His Name–I AM–to Moses for the people. The Father similarly revealed His Son, Jesus the Christ, to Peter the disciple who was having a conversation with Jesus.
Matthew 16:13-16 “Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am? Sim Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
Prayer: Father, thank You for the revelation of Jesus the Christ, Son of God! Help me to always revere Your Name in attitude, word, and deeds. Amen.
The God of Compassion!
Scripture reading for January 19th: Genesis 50, Exodus 1-2, Matthew 15
Key Scriptures: Matthew 15: 32-34 “Then Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with Me now three days and have had nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” The disciples said to Him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?”
Jesus was filled with compassion for the crowd that had listened to Him for three days. He shared His compassion with His disciples and got their input. In the natural, they had very few resources in the wilderness where Jesus had led them. Jesus asked them what they did have. Miracles happen when we offer what we have to God and allow Him to bless it! God saw the suffering of the Israelites and was filled with compassion, sharing His concern with Moses, had a plan of action to answer their need and prayers.
Exodus 2:24 “And God heard their (the Israelites) groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel–and God knew.”
Prayer: Father, thank You for Your heart of compassion for hurting and lost people. Give me a sensitivity to Your compassion flowing in my heart by the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Jesus alone in prayer!
Scripture reading for January 18th: Genesis 46-49, Matthew 14
Key Scriptures: Matthew 14:22-24 “Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. And after He had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea.”
Matthew records an incident that speaks of Jesus’ prayer life. He had a busy public ministry with crowds attending and the disciples as His constant companions. But Jesus still needed time alone with His Father. He took that with an all-night prayer meeting. Empowered by His time of prayer, Jesus walked on the waves to meet the struggling disciples! Israel, on a journey, met with God in a time of private prayer and God encouraged him.
Genesis 46:1-4 “So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I Myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.”
Prayer: Father, Help me to spend quality time alone with You each day. Speak to me each time I meet with You and empower me to do Your will without fear. In Jesus’ Name.
God has plans!
Scripture reading for January 17th: Genesis 43-45, Matthew 13
Key Scriptures: Genesis 45:4-7 “So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God set me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to keep alive for you many survivors.”
Joseph called his brothers close and revealed his identity. He told them not to be distressed or angry with themselves, although they had sold him into slavery. God was indeed working out a plan of salvation. They must see the plan and cooperate in faith. Those who do will produce a harvest!
Matthew 13:23 “As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Prayer: Father, help me to see Your plan in my situation and circumstances. Allow me to be good soil that yields a great harvest to Your glory! In Jesus’ Name!
Relationship with Jesus!
Scripture reading for January 16th: Genesis 39-42, Matthew 12
Key Scriptures: Matthew 12:46-50 “While He was still speaking to the people, behold, His mother and His brothers stood outside, asking to speak with Him. But He replied to the man who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
Jesus used a visit by His own family to illustrate a point to His disciples. They were in Christ’s family because they had responded to His call and followed Jesus and learned from Him His will and ways. Joseph in Genesis followed God to do His will and his brothers came before him!
Genesis 42:6-7 “Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to know You and walk with you in intimate relationship. I want Your will to come first in my life! Thank You for the new birth and adoption into Your family! Amen!