Cheese. If I had to pinpoint a single food that will assure tossing and turning, vivid dreams, and even a bit of snoring, all it takes is a serving size before bed and a restless night is almost guaranteed. Nevertheless, if cheese alone caused distress in my sleep, it simply would take some discipline in my diet to cure this issue. My resting is subjected to more interruptions. The rumblings of my mind often disturb the counting of sheep more than the rumblings in my gut. Thinking about the stresses of work, school, family or reliving the failings of my day can be the late night double feature playing inside my head. Without the perspective that comes from God, it is hard to find rest.
“Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Genesis 4:6-7
“Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the Lord.” Psalm 4: 4,5
Like Cain, the source of this restlessness often stems from some type of disconnection from God. We are hanging on to something that the eternal God has made clear is His area of reckoning. Our past. Our future. Our sin. Our fear. Our stress. Our anger. All of these are the cheese that is gumming up the works of the rest we can find in God even when we are weak and heavy laden. Continually turning towards the issues provides anything but relief, further stalling your slumber. Furthermore, sin is waiting outside our door when we choose to act without the “green light” of God’s will. Instead of searching your finite mind for an answer, humble yourself and seek the face of the infinite God.
This works well beyond the confines of your covers. It can be found behind a steering wheel when you are driving away from another argument, sitting at a desk reminded of the endless list of things that you won’t get done today, or kneeling behind a closed door drowning in depression of loss. The solution is the same in all situations: worship God Almighty. When we are reminded of who He is, we don’t have to hold the answer because He has readied one and is holding onto us. While it’s possible to receive revelation in these moments (James states that our God gives wisdom generously to all without finding fault), the answer we may receive is His presence into our mercy, fears, and shortcoming, which is the relief we so desperately need to quiet our minds and catch a few winks. The silence is not rejection or a stalling tactic. The silence is the peace that comes from trust in the Lord so you can rest in peace.
“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8
-Aaron Winner
Reflection Questions
Where could your life use a little more peace? Where have you looked for it?
What do we learn from the narrative of Cain and Abel regarding peace, and also the lack thereof? What do we learn from David’s example in Psalm 4?
In your Bible reading today, what do you discover about God and his character? Thank Him for it.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” Genesis 1:1-3
The origin of the universe is a topic of serious debate in both Christian and secular culture. There are many who spend their entire lives, tens of thousands of hours, dissecting chapter one of Genesis or looking for clues through a telescope of how we came to be. While I hope to shed some “light” and context to today’s reading, you will be disappointed if you are looking for a detailed outline of theory or a presentation of observable evidence; you have the wrong blogger. What has become apparent to me in my last couple of readings of Genesis is the simple significance of verse one of our sacred scripture. Whether you argue the lifetime of the universe or the age of earth is thousands or billions of years old, God wanted you to know the understatement of eternity: He created the heavens. He created the earth.
The newest estimates place the universe somewhere at 93 billion lightyears across. This space is filled with roughly two trillion galaxies, each containing millions of stars. It’s incomprehensible, without description, unfathomable to our miniscule minds. While there is “universal” truth when we look to the heavens (Psalm 8:1-4), it is no wonder God doesn’t bog us down with the details. The focus of this revealed narrative is on Earth; the light, the sky, the lands, the seas, the moon and sun, the animals, and finally, us. This makes perfect sense when we consider it was deliberately made for you and I to inhabit for eternity, not just for the handful of breaths that are in life as we know it.
“Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the tame animals, all the wild animals, and all the creatures that crawl on the earth. God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” – Genesis 1:26, 27
While all creation gives glory to God, much of it inspiring awe and wonder, we are the only creation that is directly made in the likeness of the Creator (Gen 1:26). The two-billion galaxy creating Heavenly Father has exalted you as the highest and most purposeful creation. Each one of your 100 trillion cells carry 3.2 billion pairs of unique DNA coding that makes you, you. Again, these are pretty profound and puzzling figures, speaking to the deliberate nature of God Almighty. Because we are made in his likeness, and through Christ are adopted as children of the Light, we have access to the God of the infinite expanse. And He is not only the God of initial creation, but the God of new creation. The same power that raised Christ from the dead, can be the power that lives in each one of us (Eph. 1:18-21). Jesus has let it be known that there is a place that is being prepared for us according to this new covenant, so we may not only have access to God, but to fully dwell with our Father, God and His son, Jesus Christ. Hallelujah – this is the plan from the beginning.
–Aaron Winner
Reflection Questions
Where do you see God’s amazing qualities in His creation?
What does it mean to you that you are made in His image?
How would you describe the new creation (through Jesus)?
Today is a really fun day to ask – What does God reveal about Himself to you in Genesis 1 & 2? What difference does that make in your relationship with God? Throughout the rest of our Bible reading this year, take note each time God’s creating is mentioned, it might be more than you think. You can create a marking, such as a C in a circle, to add in your Bible margins or journal pages whenever you find reference to God creating.
Praise and thank Him for being the God he is!
(Editor’s Note: If you find yourself unsure of God’s creating – or enjoying more “proof” to share with others – keep searching. There are many scientific and well-researched articles with evidence pointing to the Creator of Genesis 1. You might be interested in starting with a series of devotions written for SeekGrowLove in January 2021 by Greg Landry. Click here for the first one.)
Dr. Albert Mehrabian, a leading researcher in the field of body language, estimates that over half of our social communication is done through nonverbal cues. Where we place our hands and feet, how or where we choose to stand or sit, the angle at which we hold our head, or even in the position of our eyebrows communicate our desires, our emotions, and our confidence (or lack thereof). Additionally, about one-third of how we send our message is with the tone and inflection in our voice, not the words themselves. In fact, less than 10% of our social cueing has to do with our spoken word choices. The conclusion of the study is similar to the first verse of Psalm 1: where we choose to sit, where we choose to stand, and where we choose to step communicates our posture to our Heavenly Father and the world around us vastly more than words alone.
“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers. but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.” – Psalm 1:1-3
There is a good chance that today holds a contrast to where your feet landed yesterday. Most likely, this Monday represents a return to work, school, or some other social role you will have to step into, stand up in, or sit through. As you enter the threshold, who or what are you walking towards or away from? Where and what are you standing beside or standing in the way of? How and who do you find yourself sitting beside, dwelling with, and meditating upon? Take note not only of the words you say aloud, but the thoughts and signals you send with your body because God doesn’t want a tithe of lip service; He desires the whole of your soul as a living sacrifice.
There is a blessing for living close to the commandments of our Creator. Those who put their roots down with God are the direct recipients of the Living Water He provides. When we walk in His ways, when we stand on His promises, when we sit and meditate on His statutes, it completely changes our body language. We don’t wither, but we become confident in the hope we have. We are not empty vessels filled with cliche Christianism, but we bear the fruit of the Spirit for others to see. We can simply sit and delight in the joy of the Lord because we serve a God of promises and follow-through. Our posture, our actions, and our words stem from the refreshing source from which we draw life more abundantly. Wherever we step, stand, or sit, let the Living Water flow and the Kingdom of God flourish.
– Aaron Winner
Reflection Questions
Compare and contrast the person in Psalm 1:1-3 to the person in verses 4-5? How would you describe each and what makes them different?
Who or what are you walking, standing, sitting amongst? What do you find delight in? What are you meditating on? Are there any changes that ought to be made in order to be where you want to be at the end – of 2023, or of this life?
What do we learn about the LORD God in Psalm 1? Mark it in your margins, journal it, pray to the God of Psalm 1.
AND -in preparation for tomorrow, when we will begin a chapter by chapter New Testament reading – here’s a little…
Introduction to the Book of Matthew
Before we introduce the book of Matthew, let’s quickly contrast it with the book of Genesis and the whole Old Testament.
The book of Genesis begins the Old Testament (and the Bible). The theme of the Old Testament can be summed up in Genesis 5:1, which says, “This is the book of the generations of Adam…”. The rest of Genesis 5 has another recurring theme, “… and then he died”. The Old Testament was the story of Adam, his sin (and the consequences of that sin), and his descendants. It illustrates the truth that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). The Old Testament contains many of God’s promises – waiting for fulfillment.
The book of Matthew begins the New Testament. Matthew starts with, “This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham.” This begins the story of Jesus, and reveals “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23b) The New Testament describes the fulfillment of God’s promises made in the Old Testament.
Matthew was one of Jesus’ 12 apostles, whom Jesus called from being a tax collector (read hated outcast) to being in the inner circle of the Savior of the world. Many years after Jesus’ ascension, Matthew wrote the book of Matthew to convince a Jewish audience that Jesus was (and is) the Messiah – God’s chosen and anointed deliverer for His people – who fulfilled so many of the prophecies in the Old Testament.
Even though the Bible doesn’t contain anything that Matthew himself said, the book of Matthew which he wrote reveals Jesus as the Messiah promised and sent by God. May the book of Matthew speak to you and reveal God’s great gift, Jesus the Messiah, to you in a whole new way as we seek to grow in Christ together this year.
-Steve Mattison
Download and print the 2023 Reading Plan below. You can choose to follow along in 1,2 or 3 readings a day. If you read all three you will read through the whole Bible in 2023.
Welcome to the first post of our 2023 SeekGrowLove Bible reading plan! We are beginning the year with a little time in Psalm 119, and in the next couple days will add in the other Old Testament and New Testament readings. You can download and print the whole plan found at the end of today’s post. Every time we begin a new book of the Bible, we will include a little introduction written by Steve Mattison.
Introducing the Book – Psalm
The book of Psalms was Israel’s songbook. It contains a collection of psalms (or songs) that primarily focus on praising God for who he is and for what he has done. The Hebrew title is, “the book of praises.” Most of these psalms are prayers to God written by King David, although other authors, ranging from Moses, to Solomon, to the sons of Korah also contributed.
The book of Psalms teaches us to seek God with our whole heart, to tell Him the truth and to tell Him everything, and to worship Him because of who He is, not just because of what He has done. It contains a range of topics, from people crying out to God from the depths of their despair, to those praising God with jubilation from the depths of their hearts.
The book of Psalms has spoken to me in my lowest lows as well as in my highest highs. May the inspired words in this book resonate well with you as you read these psalms this year.
Psalm 119 Devotion
Who in their right mind is thinking about the end right now? Really? Terrible title. TERRIBLE. This is the time of fresh starts! New beginnings! Redos! Our mind focused on the brief novelty of this moment’s pants kicking; the annual motivation for improvements we have put off for weeks, months, or even years. While we might commit to a dream today, I would say there is little thought given to the realities of December 31st, 2023: 365 calendar days away. Whether it’s gym memberships, nicotine patches, cauliflower pizzas, saving accounts, or even bible reading plans, have we bought into the idea that we are preparing ourselves for a full year of commitment in our resolutions? Look at your Google Calendar or your bank statement: what have you planned and paid for in a full-year upfront knowing that it will change your life by the end? Or is your resolve more like the free 7-day trial, leaving one foot in 2022 in case you want to make a getaway?
“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:9-11
I will go ahead and say, it is not fiscally responsible, or even logically feasible, to pile up a year’s worth of cauliflower pizza into a deep freeze, but our commitment level to any life-changing resolution, should count the cost of sacrifice with the end in mind. This is an echo of what our Heavenly Father has done through Jesus Christ. Paul speaks to this in Colossians 1:16 when he states “For through [Jesus] were all things created, things that are in heaven, and things that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.” Our eternal God has dictated to us the rules, plans, and ordinations of his personal and universal will that will lead us to a relationship with Him, which has ended the penalty of sin with the blood of Jesus Christ and leads to the big finale, the Kingdom of God. Knowing the end, it is much easier to keep to and dictate the decrees of each day. Without the end in mind, we are just tragic creatures of toil, mindlessly moving from one task to the next.
“Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end.” – Psalm 119:33
Our God is not a God of chaos (1 Cor 14:33). He works in logic and rules that are shared with us because WE as heirs according to the promise are included in the end. We don’t have to feel out the way, make up the path, or bump down the lane. God has made his moral law clear. It is not just a list of “thou shalt nots” but enhancements and boundaries provided for our own physical safety, societal responsibility, psychological well-being, and the eternal enhancement of the connection and relationship between the Heavenly Father and his children. He is not a part-time parent, nor can we be part-time children. You can’t periodically pause your subscription or ghost your way out of the membership. Our life is better lived, today and eternally, when we are resolute to learning and practicing His ways that are forged in the ultimate love and truths. We become devoted.
That devotion begins with finding a way to be connected to the Word of God every single day. It could be found in this blog. It could be found in personal study, podcast, prayer time, or all the above. What I propose, if we truly are wanting to grow in the word of God this year, to engage and act upon His message that is delivered through His word, you and I must set alarms, write in on our mirrors, put it in our checklist and calendars, and make it priority. Being here to read every day provides an opportunity to do that alongside others who are also seeking out a devoted life to Christ. If our end of life is found in 2023, if Jesus returns, or the Lord tarries for another year and He still gives us life, how much more abundant will December 31st, 2023 be if we have committed ourselves fully to understanding the precepts, the statutes, the laws, the understanding, and the wisdom of your heavenly Father? Let’s be committed to the end, even if we are at a loss of where to begin our year.
“May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous. May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. I long for your salvation, Lord, and your law gives me delight. Let me live so that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me.” -Psalm 119:171-175
-Aaron Winner
Reflection Questions
In reading through Psalm 119 what do you see of God’s character – how does He show who He is through His inspired word? This is a question we will be asking regularly this year (sometimes phrased differently). We think you will find great benefit in journaling, or making notes in your Bible margin, on how you see and what you learn of God and His character from His written word every day this year.
What are your favorite verses of Psalm 119? What words are used in Psalm 119 to name God’s law or directions for life? What are the benefits given for knowing, following, loving these words of God? What do you find about the results of neglecting these words of God? How would you rate your knowledge of and then, love for, the words of God?
Where do you want to be at the end of 2023? What steps will help you get there? Spend some time in prayer to the God of Psalm 119.
What an exciting time of year! Who is ready for 2023 and a NEW SeekGrowLove Bible reading plan?
At the bottom of this post you will find the new schedule! Wouldn’t it be great if 2023 was the year you daily read the Bible more than ever before?
What does God want to reveal about himself to you – every day of 2023? Come along on the journey with Seek Grow Love to find out!
This year the Seek Grow Love reading plan includes 3 daily readings. Choose 1, 2 or 3 of the readings to complete each day – if you do all three everyday (or get caught up if needed) you will read through the whole Bible in 2023.
– The Old Testament reading is 2-3 chapters a day and takes you through the entire Old Testament, with the exception of Psalms and Proverbs.
– In the second column, one Psalm or Proverb is assigned to each day and through the year each will be repeated.
– The New Testament column is typically one chapter of the New Testament each day. The gospels are spread out throughout the year, Matthew is at the start and end of the year, and Acts will be read after Luke in the spring, the rest of the New Testament is mostly in order. A few weeks will be devoted to a theme related to a holiday season, FUEL theme, or a doctrinal topic.
You may find benefit in spreading out the readings through your day and praying through the Psalm. Perhaps one or more of the readings will work well to do together with your family. You may also find it helpful having an accountability partner, or even creating a small group to share what you have been reading and learning.
Visit SeekGrowLove.com to read daily devotions based on this reading plan, and on the website you can sign up to have the devotions emailed to you every morning. Each devotion will include reflection questions. This year, we specifically challenge you to search everyday for what God is revealing about himself throughout His Scriptures. It would be a great year to start a little journal (or note in your Bible margins or online Bible notes) and record daily what you have read and what you learn about God, His character, His power, His love, His Son, etc… in that passage.
You can also follow on our Facebook page (Seek Grow Love) and Instagram (seekgrowlove).
God bless you as you seek the LORD and read His words this year!
It was frustrating writing about the way Jesus was tortured and killed, but I get to end the year by writing about the number one very best day in human history. No other day could have been more exciting, felt so good, and impacted so many people, including you and me.
Sorry, but I need to start off by dissing a bit on those who loved and supported Jesus throughout his ministry. Were they not paying attention to what he said? He told them he was going to die and be raised in three days. Did nobody remember that fairly critical piece of information? I could understand them being a bit skeptical and not totally believing that he was going to come back to life until they saw it with their own eyes, but it seems like the ladies that were going to visit the tomb should have been going there to see if it really happened on the third day. Instead, they were convinced that he was still dead; moreover, they were perplexed when they didn’t find his body there. Suddenly, two dazzlingly dressed dudes appeared to them and reminded them about the three-day thing. They did remember at that point they had been told he was coming back to life, so they went back and reported what they had seen to the eleven apostles and others.
Certainly, the apostles, of all people, would remember what was going to happen. They had seen many amazing miracles with their own eyes, so of course, they would have enough faith to believe it could have happened, but no; they thought the story was nonsense and didn’t believe the women. Peter does get some credit, though, because he bounced up, ran to the tomb, and marveled at what had happened. He believed Jesus was alive before he actually saw him with his own eyes.
Strangely enough, their sad state of mind made the day that much sweeter for them when they finally saw it was true that he was alive. They had believed that Jesus was the Messiah, but when he was killed, their hope of him saving the day vanished. They incorrectly thought he was there to redeem Israel during that time. They assumed he would get rid of the Roman government and save the world then – not later. They were truly heartbroken and depressed when they saw Jesus die.
Think about someone you loved dearly that died. Perhaps, you saw them laying in the casket and then buried. A few days have passed, and you are still raw with emotions, experiencing the sting of death. Then picture the doorbell rings, you answer the door, and that person is standing there with a big smile on their face. Whoa!! How doubly incredibly happy you would be! I think that’s how people felt when they saw Jesus alive again. It had to be the best day ever!
You may think it was a bit cruel for me to have you dwell on one of your loved ones that has died. I am sure you are still missing them. It still hurts. However, the fact that Jesus was resurrected on that day a couple thousand years ago can be a promise about the future of your loved one. If they accepted salvation in their lifetime, they too will come back to life and greet you with a big smile if you also are saved. What an amazing day that will be – like the amazing day Jesus came back to life. Jesus was the first to come back to life forevermore, but you or any of your loved ones that die before his return can be next up.
-Rick McClain
Time to ponder:
Do you agree that the resurrection of Jesus was the best day ever? Can you think of a better day?
Most of Jesus’ closest followers soaked up every word he spoke and were convinced he was the Messiah, but their faith faded fast when something seemed to go very wrong. Is your faith strong enough to make it through the tough times?
Jesus’ resurrection can give people great hope about the future, but only if they believe. The story is absolutely meaningless to those who haven’t made the decision to follow God. Is there a loved one in your life that needs to hear about the good news?
I’m just going to put it out there. Luke 23 really frustrates me. There is so much wrong with what happened to Jesus, and it should have been obvious to anyone with an ounce of common sense, but “the mob” got their way because they were the loudest and most obnoxious. Has anything changed in 2,000 years or is the mob still getting their way? Why did God allow the mob to get what they wanted? Why didn’t He protect His son?
My first point of frustration is that the people wanting to kill Jesus were not the ones that didn’t believe in God; they were the ones who supposedly had devoted their lives to God. Apparently, “Thou shall not kill” was too difficult for them to understand. They also weren’t too bright about recognizing that Jesus was the Messiah that they had been told would be coming. It is true that Jesus rocked their world a bit by telling them they needed to reevaluate their laws and their hearts, but it is amazing that their response to that was that they believed Jesus should be killed. I am trying to picture an elders’ meeting today at our church where we had to talk about someone stirring up the congregation in a way we thought was inappropriate. I can’t imagine someone would suggest, “We need to kill them.” (Although, I guess I did just imagine that or I wouldn’t have written it.)
The most frustrating part of this chapter is reading about how an innocent man was sentenced to death. Pilate knew Jesus was not guilty and he tried to convince the mob of such. They weren’t having it, so Pilate sent Jesus to Herod because he didn’t want any part of condemning an innocent man. Herod also could not find anything that Jesus had done wrong, so he sent him back to Pilate. Pilate pleaded with the people again, but the people wouldn’t listen. Pilate tried one last time to get Jesus released with the rule about letting a prisoner go free. Instead, the mob said they wanted an insurrectionist/murderer released. Again, if the mob had one shred of common sense, they would have freed Jesus. This was so wrong!
Lastly, it was ridiculous enough that they put Jesus to death, but it is extremely frustrating to read about how they did it. Why did they have to choose the most torturous, horrific way of killing someone? The pain Jesus felt had to be excruciating and it lasted way too long. I get mad thinking about what they did, and they did it to the one person who literally never did anything wrong to anyone.
This was a terrible act by the people, but why did God not stop it? Strangely enough, it was always a part of God’s plan. Think about what would have happened if God had not allowed Jesus to die on the cross. I suppose he would have gone on teaching, healing, and revealing the kingdom, and at some point, Jesus would have died of old age. No crucifixion. No resurrection. Nobody paying the price for our sins. God allowed the most terrible act in history to happen because it was also the most wonderful act in history. There has never been an act in all of time that was greater than what Jesus did for you and me on that day.
I am sorry to say that the mob is still alive and well. I am continually frustrated by all the things I see today that happen because the mob gets what it wants. Christians are losing many battles today, just like Jesus lost to the mob back then. I feel like the women and acquaintances that were mentioned in verses 27 and 49. They too were watching the injustice from a distance, knowing they couldn’t stop the mob. However, I think about what Jesus said while he was dying on the cross. He asked his Father to forgive them because they didn’t know what they were doing. I believe the mob today truly believes that what they are doing is right; they just don’t understand what they are doing. And we should ask God to forgive them as well, the same way Jesus did while he was being tortured and killed back then.
-Rick McClain
Time to ponder:
Take some time to remember what Jesus went through on that horrible day so that our sins could be forgiven. Also, think about what it must have been like for God to watch His son die in that way when He had the power to stop it at any time. Do you love someone enough that you would make your son take their punishment of death or would you decide that they should take the punishment themselves since they are the one who committed the crime and deserve it? Thank Jesus and God for that incredible loving act.
Are you frustrated today when you see the loudmouths get their way, especially when it is against Christians? Are you willing to forgive them?
Can you imagine if you lived in Bible times and the son of God handpicked you to be a part of his very exclusive inner circle? How amazing that would have been to be chosen as one of the twelve disciples! Spending time in conversation with him daily, watching him perform many miracles, listening to him teach the people and reveal the coming kingdom, and just being around the most awesome dude ever would have been incredible. Surely, that group of twelve would be so devoted to him that they would never turn against him. Or, maybe they would.
Let’s start with Judas. I’m not making excuses for him, but Luke 22:3 does say that Satan entered into Judas right before he went to the chief priests and officers to devise a plan to betray Jesus so he could be put to death. Although, how in the world could one of the twelve disciples get to the point where Satan would be allowed to have so much influence over him. He didn’t have to go along with the temptation Satan presented to him, but he willingly did turn his back on Jesus. I don’t really understand how he could have justified in his mind such an evil plan, but clearly, he was weak in the faith department and not strong enough to not give in to the temptation.
I think we accept the fact that Judas betrayed Jesus – because he was Judas. Who has anything good to say about Judas? It’s not like he was John, James, or Peter, some of the most impressive disciples. They would never turn their back on Jesus, until Peter did.
Peter showed over and over that he loved Jesus and was totally onboard for the cause. His faith was pretty strong also – strong enough to walk on water for a little bit. So what went wrong? How could he have denied Jesus three times in one night. Furthermore, to make it worse, Jesus even told him right beforehand that he was going to deny him three times. It seems like after the second time he would have thought, “Okay, that was two times, but there’s no way I’m messing up a third time. I’m not falling for that one.” But one of the most devoted of Jesus’ inner circle was not strong enough to not give in to the temptation.
Let’s fast-forward to today. How strong is your faith? Are you onboard with the cause 100% or are you a fair-weather Christian? What can you do to make sure you don’t give into temptation when tough times hit? There is one suggestion from Jesus that he stated in verse 40 and again in verse 46. He told the disciples to pray that they wouldn’t enter into temptation. I find it interesting that he didn’t tell them to pray to not enter into sin; he told them to pray to not enter into temptation. Temptation is not wrong. Jesus was tempted in the same way we are tempted, but he did not give into the temptation and sin. That is deep, at least to me it is.
-Rick McClain
Time to ponder:
Many of us spend time figuring out how we are not going to enter into sin, but have you ever thought about what you could do (or not do) to not enter into temptation? That seems like a great place to be because you will probably not sin if you are not tempted to sin.
Is there anything else you can do to prepare yourself to be strong enough to not give in when strong temptations arise?
I’m not going to give you a third question because I think it would be wise to use your time to keep thinking about the first two questions. There really is a lot there to think and pray about.
Most people are a bit apprehensive about living in the end times. In Luke 21, Jesus described many things that are going to happen, and quite frankly, most of them don’t give us the warm fuzzies. There will be a lot of death and suffering, but Jesus gives us some good advice on how to approach those days.
I don’t want to freak you out but there will be wars, disturbances, earthquakes, plagues, famines, terrors, great signs from heaven, persecution of Christians, family and friend betrayals, some will be put to death, you will be hated by all, roaring of the sea, men fainting from fear, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. It is safe to say that these will be scary times for Christians, and for non-Christians as well. Therefore, you might think the word to describe the end times is “hopeless”, but quite the opposite is true according to Jesus.
In verse 9, he tells us not to be terrified. He tells us in verse 28 to straighten up and lift up our heads when these things begin to take place because our redemption is drawing near. He continues in verse 31 saying that when we see these things happening, we will know the kingdom of God is near. These are actually going to be pretty exciting times for Christians because we know the start of the kingdom is right around the corner.
Jesus also gives us some advice on how to handle the end times. In verse 34, he tells us to be on guard so our hearts will not be weighted down with the worries of life, and to be on guard so it does not surprise us like a trap. He instructs us to stay alert in verse 36, and to keep praying that you will have the strength to escape all these things.
However, the most surprising and interesting part of this chapter to me was verses 13 to 15. “It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.” I surely wasn’t expecting that guidance. We’re not supposed to be preparing beforehand to defend ourselves because we could potentially have a chance to give our testimony to those who we would be defending ourselves from. We could help someone be saved at this last hour by talking to them, with the words and wisdom given to us by Jesus, rather than fighting against them.
If you are alive during the end times, it will be difficult to watch what will be happening all around you. Nevertheless, you need to remember that we already know who wins in the end, and it is not the bad guys. Some that are weak will lose faith, but those who understand what is happening will be glad that the kingdom is near.
-Rick McClain
Time to ponder:
Do you worry about what is going on in the world today? If so, do you not believe that God is in control and those who put their trust in Him will live happily ever after? Ask God for a big dose of peace that only comes from Him during these difficult times.
How can you prepare today for the end times? How should we not prepare (verse 13)?
Why is it important to study what is going to happen in the future? What could happen to you during the end times if you are not aware of what is happening?
Yesterday we mentioned that there were people that flustered Jesus. In Luke chapter 20, we get a big dose of people hating on Jesus. How bad was it? How did he handle it?
Don’t you find it strange that a man who never sinned against anyone ticked so many people off? He never did anything wrong to anybody, but so many people disliked him, especially religious people who believed in the same God we worship today. Moreover, they didn’t just ignore him; rather, they spent a lot of energy trying to take him down. In Luke 20 alone, the religious folks confronted Jesus about his authority, tried to lay hands on him (and that wasn’t to pray over him), and sent spies who pretended to be righteous in order to catch him in a statement so they could hand him over to the authority of the governor. They really didn’t like Jesus at all and wanted him silenced.
Put yourself in Jesus’ sandals for a moment. How would you feel if people were constantly attacking you even though you had never done anything bad to them? I’m a fairly patient person, but I think at some point if someone continually attacked me when I had done them no wrong, I would lose my cool and flip out at them. If someone continually tried to turn others against me, tried to physically harm me, and tried to get me arrested, my anger would most likely boil over eventually.
How did Jesus react? He used the “3 C” approach – Calm, Cool, and Collected. He didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t call them names (like the Pharifesces). He didn’t ignore them or run the other direction. He didn’t get physical with them. On the other hand, he did treat them with respect. He did take the time to speak with them. He was completely civil with them, but he also didn’t hold back the truth. He explained to them that what they were doing was wrong and that they would pay for it.
I must admit that it is entertaining to me to see how Jesus masterfully with his words put them in their place time and time again. They knew he had gotten the best of them, and they backed off so they could regroup and try again. I’m sure many of the scribes and priests became even angrier in defeat, but we do get a small glimpse of Jesus’ approach changing some minds about him. Luke 20:39-40 says, “Some of the scribes answered and said, ‘Teacher, you have spoken well.’ For they did not have courage to question him any longer about anything.”
Today, anger rules the day. When people don’t agree, they tend to blow up at each other, call each other names, ignore each other, and just really dislike each other. They want so bad to change the minds of the people on the other side of the issue, but their strong words and actions actually entrench the other side further into their beliefs. If you want to have any chance at persuading someone, don’t attack them; try to stay calm, cool, and collected the same way Jesus dealt with his adversaries. You don’t need to like the things they say and do, but you do need to love them as your neighbor.
-Rick McClain
Time to ponder:
Is there a person or group of people that you don’t like because of the viewpoints they hold? If so, their viewpoints may be completely wrong or even evil, but it is time to forgive them and not hold those wrong beliefs against them personally. You may also need to apologize to them for your words or actions.
There is a time to be angry at people. The Bible even records Jesus getting very angry and acting out…once. He took a whip into the temple and flipped over tables…once. People constantly persecuted him, and he got angry…once. Anger is not the best way to act…except maybe once. How quickly do you get angry with others? Try to separate the issue from the person. You don’t have to agree with them, but you do need to control your temper and love them. Is there anyone you need to apologize to that has been on the wrong side of your wrath?
Seek Grow Love 