Blog Archives
How Suffering Produces Hope
Daily Bible Reading – 1 Kings 9; 2 Chronicles 8; Psalm 136; Romans 5
Today’s Key Passage – Romans 5:1-11
I wish I were better at golf. I have played since I was a child, but despite my efforts, I have never been very good. For the most part, I can play without embarrassing myself too badly or slowing down play for everyone behind me, but I am certainly never going to win any tournaments. The problem with my golf game is really a matter of commitment. I do not spend nearly enough time practicing to ever be very good. I am sure that if I got some lessons and spent countless hours practicing the different elements of the game, I could probably improve dramatically. Who knows, with enough time and practice, I might even become quite good. The problem is that I simply do not want to expend that much time and energy on the sport, even though I know that the only way to ever get better is with extensive practice. In this regard, most things in life work a lot like golf. In most matters, if we want to improve we need to practice. If I want to be a better golfer, I need to golf more. If I want to be a better cook, I need to cook more. This concept is also true with character. If I want to become more patient, I need to endure times when my patience is tested. If I want to worry less, I need to endure times when I am tempted to worry. If I want to have more faith, I need to endure times when my faith is tested.
This concept is carried over in today’s key passage as Paul explains how suffering produces hope. He says, “we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Vs. 3-4) Most people do not like to suffer, but as Paul explains, we can actually rejoice in our suffering not because we like pain, but because we know that God is using our suffering to produce hope. Imagine if you will a flow chart that begins with suffering. The suffering that we face in terms of life’s difficulties or attacks from the enemy produces perseverance in much the same way that practicing golf makes you a better golfer. The more we suffer, the more perseverance we build. This perseverance strengthens our character by building our trust and our faith in God, because the more we suffer, the more we must lean on God’s strength to get through difficult times. As our faith and trust in God builds, our hope will also build as we gain greater and greater confidence in our future. In this way, though it might sound counterintuitive, suffering produces hope.
The next time you face suffering, think of it in these terms. Instead of wondering why God is allowing you to suffer, thank Him for giving you the opportunity to build your perseverance, character, and hope. Thank Him for helping you grow and mature. Thank Him for loving you enough to give you hope.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Related articles
- Why Persevere Through Pain and Trials? Because God Perseveres with Us (chronicillnesspaindevotionals.wordpress.com)
- Into this Grace in which we stand (leadmeintheeverlastingway.com)
Like this:
God’s Promises to Us
Daily Bible Reading – 2 Chronicles 6,7; Psalm 135; Romans 4
Today’s Key Passage – 2 Chronicles 7:11-22
When the temple was finally completed and the Ark of the Covenant was moved into place, Solomon dedicated the temple to God. He went to the Lord in prayer and asked Him repeatedly to hear the prayers of the Israelites. He asked God to hear their prayers now, as well as in the future. Through good times and bad, through times of obedience and times of sin, Solomon’s request was that God would always hear their prayers. In today’s key passage, God provides an answer to Solomon’s prayer of dedication. The Bible says, “When Solomon had finished the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the LORD and in his own palace, the LORD appeared to him at night”. (Vs. 11-12) While the Bible does not specify how much time had passed between Solomon’s prayer and God’s response, it reasonably could have been months or perhaps even years given that Solomon needed to finish the palace. While we are not sure of the exact timeframe here, it is important to note that regardless of how much time had elapsed, Solomon had to wait for God’s answer. Fortunately for Solomon, the wait was well worth it because God told him, “I have heard your prayer”. (Vs. 12)
There are two specific parts of Gods response to Solomon that I would like to focus on today. First, God said, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (Vs. 14) While originally God was speaking about the Israelites, it is clear that He is talking about His people, who are called by His name. As Christians, we are His people, who are called by His Son’s name. In Gods own words here, He is promising that if we humble ourselves and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways, He will always hear our prayer. We do not have to wonder if He hears us, because the answer is always yes! Secondly, God said, “Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.” (Vs. 14-15) Originally, God was talking about the physical temple that Solomon built. Today, however, because of the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ, each one of us can approach God through His Son and the “temple” of God is each one of us. In 1 Corinthians 3:16, we read, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” Moreover, in 1 Corinthians 6:19 we read, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own”. Because our bodies are God’s temples, we can rest knowing that His eyes and heart will always be with us.
In today’s key passage, God reveals to us two important truths that we must always hold in our hearts. God will always hear our prayers, and God’s eyes and heart will always be with us. With promises like that from the Creator of the universe Himself, what can possibly stand against us? What can we possibly have to worry about in this life? What can we possibly fear? Think about these truths today. Think about what they mean to your life. Think about how these truths put everything else into the proper perspective. Finally, praise God for these truths. Praise Him for His promises, and praise Him for his saving grace.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Like this:
The Emotional Keys to Evangelism
Daily Bible Reading – 1 Kings 6; 2 Chronicles 3; Psalm 97; Romans 1
Today’s Key Passage – Romans 1:8-17
For many people, sharing the Gospel can be difficult. There are many things that make it hard for us. Sometimes we might feel like it will be uncomfortable. Sometimes we might feel like we do not know enough. Sometimes we might feel like we do not know where to begin. Sometimes we just feel tired. It is in these moments when the enemy tempts us the most, and it is in these times when it can be easy for us to abandon our mission. I am sure that there were times in the apostle Paul’s life when he felt these challenges. There were likely times when he felt uncomfortable or tired, or simply did not know where to begin. In today’s key passage, though, Paul outlines three emotions that he felt that made him such a great evangelist. As I read this passage today, I realized that one of the keys to effectively preaching the Gospel lies in these three emotions. When we feel these three things, we will be able to overcome all of our fears and doubts about sharing the Good News about Christ.
Obligated - Paul says in verse 14 that he was obligated to share the Gospel. As followers of Christ, we share in this obligation. Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price for our salvation. He took all of our sins upon Himself knowing that we could not carry that burden alone. Because of His sacrifice for us even though we did not deserve it, we should feel obligated due to our complete love for Him to follow His commands. Moreover, Jesus clearly commanded that we should share the Good News with the world.
Eager - Though we are obligated by our love for Christ to serve him, it is not enough for us to simply share our faith based on that obligation. If the only emotion we feel is obligation, we will never be successful in preaching the Gospel. In verse 15, Paul mentions the second piece of the puzzle, which is eagerness. When we are eager to share the Gospel with others, we are more likely to do it with heart and with love. This eagerness will make our witness for Christ more powerful, and at the same time, it will keep us focused on our mission of reaching people.
Unashamed - The final emotion Paul mentions in verse 16 is feeling unashamed. Even if we feel obligated and eager to share the Gospel, if we feel ashamed on any level we will not be successful. Either we will fail to share our faith at all, or we will do it in such a timid way that we will not be able to help anyone find Jesus. As followers of Christ, the world will not always agree with our views. We might face persecution. We might face mockery. At the end of the day, though, these temporary problems are nothing compared to our eternal salvation through Jesus Christ.
Sharing the Gospel of Jesus is an important part of Christianity, but it is one that many people are afraid to do. By trusting in God to help us feel obligated, eager, and unashamed we can overcome our fears and doubts. If you are struggling with the idea of boldly sharing your faith with others, I pray that you will seek these three emotions. I pray that you will seek God’s strength to help you fulfill your mission of reaching people for Christ.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Related articles
- Fanning the Flame (5gsandacupofjoe.net)
- Obligated, Eager, and Unashamed (the1stfollower.com)
- Evangelism is not….apologetics, social justice, personal testimony… (rodiagnusdei.wordpress.com)
- The Epistle of Joy and A Theology of Suffering (thereformedwesleyan.com)
Like this:
Seeking God’s Protection
Daily Bible Reading – 1 Kings 1; 1 Chronicles 28; Psalm 91; 1 Thessalonians 5
Today’s Key Passage – 1 Kings 1:42-53
Near the end of King David’s life, it was clear that the time had come to anoint a new king. One of David’s sons, Adonijah, stepped forward and decided that he would be king, so he gathered support and made preparations. When the prophet Nathan heard about this, he immediately went to Bathsheba, David’s wife, and together they went to inform David. David was not happy about Adonijah’s rebellion, because God already declared that David’s son Solomon would be the next king of Israel. David quickly took steps to have Solomon anointed king before Adonijah could begin his reign. Meanwhile, Adonijah and all of his guests were having a party in celebration of his kingdom. When they heard the news that David had anointed Solomon king, the party quickly ended and the crowd dispersed. In verse 50, we read, “But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, went and took hold of the horns of the altar.” Adonijah knew that his evil scheme was over, and his first reaction was to run to the altar of God. He was in effect seeking God’s protection. Solomon initially allowed Adonijah to live despite his rebellion, but he was later executed when he attempted to claim the throne a second time.
Adonijah had the right idea in seeking God’s protection. The problem was his timing. When we do wrong and things go badly, most of us will turn to God for protection. This is not a bad thing because God is always there to catch us when we fall and forgive us, but it is certainly not the best way to go about things. If Adonijah had sought God’s guidance and protection before he started his rebellion, he could have saved himself a lot of heartache. In fact, he could have saved his own life. Repeatedly we read stories in the Bible about people doing wrong and then turning to God when things get bad. The simple fact is that when we act without first seeking God’s guidance, things will almost invariably go badly. We can wait for that to happen to turn to God for protection, but why would we want to put ourselves through that? I believe there are two main reasons why we do this. We act without seeking God either because our pride convinces us that we can accomplish what we want on our own without God’s help, or because, like Adonijah, deep down we know what we are trying to accomplish is wrong. Either way, the result will be the same. Without God’s guidance and protection, we will ultimately fail. Do not let pride convince you to move without talking it over with God. Do not let temptation convince you to go against what you know is right. Seek God’s protection and guidance first in all things, and have faith that God will point you in the right direction.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Related articles
- Solomon Made King (thebiblehistorybooks.wordpress.com)
- Looking Through the Jesus Lense (jdstudios.wordpress.com)
- Proverbs 4:3-4 (proverbialthought.com)
Like this:
Pilate Washes His Hands of Jesus
Daily Bible Reading – 2 Samuel 18; Psalm 56; Matthew 27
Today’s Key Passage – Matthew 27:11-26
In 1818, Ignaz Phillip Semmelweis was born into a world of dying women. The finest hospitals in the world lost one out of six young mothers to the scourge of “childbed fever.” A doctor’s daily routine began in the dissecting room where he performed autopsies. From there, he made his way to the hospital to examine expectant mothers without ever pausing to wash his hands. Dr. Semmelweis was the first man in history to associate such examinations with the resultant infection and death of the new mothers. His own practice was to wash with a chlorine solution, and after eleven years and the delivery of 8,537 babies, he lost only 184 mothers–about one in fifty. Though none of his colleagues believed him at the time, we know today about the importance of washing our hands. In today’s key passage however, we see a different kind of hand washing. The religious leaders were calling for Jesus execution, and Pilate was feeling the pressure. He knew what he should do. His own conscience told him that Jesus was not guilty of anything, and his wife confirmed his suspicions, but Pilate knew that if he released Jesus he would have a possible revolt on his hands that could cost him his job. Since he could not come up with a solution that would make everyone happy, he decided to make no decision at all. We read in verse 24, “When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood,’ he said. ‘“It is your responsibility!’” Pilate wanted to simply walk away from the decision and not take responsibility for the outcome, but in the end, he still allowed Jesus to be crucified. In the end, he was still guilty.
There are many times when we can all feel tempted to simply “wash our hands” of a situation. When we see people who do not know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, we may be tempted to not deal with the question of who He is. When we see temptations in our lives that may lead us to sin, it is often too difficult to cut those temptations out of our lives completely. When we see other believers sinning, it is often easier to stay quiet instead of correcting them in love. When we see someone in need, it is often easier to walk by him instead of stopping to help. I could fill this page and probably a couple more simply listing out examples of when we might be tempted to “wash our hands” of a situation instead of dealing with it, but the point is that in each of these examples there is one common truth – washing our hands does not make us innocent. Walking away and choosing not to deal with a problem does not solve it, and in the eyes of God, we will still be found guilty. When you are tempted to wash your hands of a situation, instead ask God for His guidance. Allow Him to lead you to the right answer. Allow Him to lead you down the right path.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Related articles
- Easter Reflections: The Darkest of Days (graceformymess.com)
- The Fifth Station: Jesus is Judged by Pilate by Mark D. Roberts (trinityspeaks.wordpress.com)
- Saturday, May 5, 2012 @ Mark 15-16 (phyllisbenigas.wordpress.com)
- Matthew 27 Questions for Reflection (thisdaywithgod.wordpress.com)
- Treasure in the Arms of Christ – Matthew 27:1-10 (thisdaywithgod.wordpress.com)
The Rich Young Ruler
Daily Bible Reading – 1 Chronicles 16; Psalm 106; Matthew 19
Today’s Key Passage – Matthew 19:16-30
It is interesting that in life we can do countless things right only to see one wrong move ruin everything. This is well illustrated in the world of sports. A baseball player can pitch a perfect game for 8.2 innings, throw one bad pitch, and lose the game with one swing of the bat. A quarterback can throw for 400 yards and four touchdowns before throwing a game losing interception in the fourth quarter. A pro golfer can lead for 71 holes of a tournament, hook his tee shot out of bounds on the last hole, and lose by one stroke. In today’s key passage, we see the story of a man who did many things right only to see one wrong move ruin everything.
The rich young ruler in today’s passage did many things right. To begin with, he sought out Jesus. This is always a good place to start. In addition, he asked Jesus the right questions. He began by asking Jesus what he should do to gain eternal life. When Jesus told him to obey the commandments, he replied that he had kept the commandments all of his life. By Jesus’ lack of an argument to this statement, we might be able to infer that the rich young man had indeed lived a good life of obedience to God. The man then asked Jesus another great question when he said, “What do I still lack?” (Vs. 20) Now Jesus knew exactly what was holding this man back. He knew exactly what he needed to do to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He knew that there was only one path to eternal life, and He knew that He was that path. Jesus told the rich young man, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Vs. 21) At this point, after living a good life, coming to the right person, and asking the right questions, the rich young man makes one single mistake that cost him everything. We read in verse 22 that, “when the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.” The one thing Jesus asked him to do was the one thing he was not willing to do. The rich young man made money his god, and he was not willing to give up that god to follow the one true God. In this one moment, all of the “right” things he had done in his life no longer mattered.
Many people misinterpret this passage of Scripture and believe that Jesus is telling all of His followers to sell all of their possessions and give everything to the poor. This is not the case, as Jesus’ words were only intended for this one young man who was worshiping his money. However, it does bring to mind a good question that each of us should ask ourselves today. Hypothetically, if Jesus asked you to sell all of your possessions and give to the poor, how would you respond? Would you be willing to give up everything for Him? Think about this question today. Search your heart for your true feelings and be honest with yourself. At the end of the day, nothing should be more important to us than Jesus. Nothing should come before Him.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Related articles
- Conflict Between Grace And Truth Part I (ptl2010.com)
- King’s Cross by Timothy Keller – Chapter 11 – The Trap (jamespaulgaard.wordpress.com)
- Jesus Blesses the Children; The Rich Young Ruler (brakeman1.com)
- Charity of Gospel? (olujordan.wordpress.com)
Like this:
Defining Jesus
Daily Bible Reading – 2 Samuel 4,5; Psalm 139; Matthew 16
Today’s Key Passage – Matthew 16:13-20
How are you doing? What do you do? How old are your kids? Will you marry me? Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? Are you listening to me? Do you know how fast you were going? We are asked many questions in this life. They start as early as the day of our births, and continue at a constant pace all the way through our last day. Some of the questions are mundane, while others are amazingly important. Some will change our lives forever, while others will be forgotten almost as quickly as they were asked. In today’s key passage, we see what is perhaps the most important question you will ever have to answer. How you choose to answer this question will define your entire life, and will dictate how you spend eternity.
Jesus was walking with His disciples when he asked them how other people were defining Him. The disciples told Jesus that some people were claiming that He was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. That is when Jesus popped the big question. He asked the disciples, “Who do you say I am?” (Vs. 15) It seems like an innocent enough question, amazing in its own simplicity, but the answer to this question is indescribably important. Peter immediately spoke up for the entire group and answered Jesus by saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Vs. 16) To this, Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Vss. 17-18) Peter correctly defined Jesus, and in return, Jesus defined Peter.
I think people spend a lot of time trying to figure out who they are. They attempt to understand what it is that they stand for in life. Who are they? Who are they going to be? What is the plan for their lives, and how do they get there? It is important to realize, though, that defining yourself is difficult if not impossible. Self-assessment is inherently difficult because we simply have too many biases to deal with as we attempt to look at ourselves impartially. If you truly want to figure out who you are, you must first answer the question of who you say Jesus is. You cannot simply rely on how other people define Jesus. I can tell you that Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life, and your pastor can tell you that Jesus Christ is the Lord of his or her life, but that does not really mean a lot when it comes to you personally. You have to answer the question. You have to define Him. Moreover, there is no middle ground answer – either He is the Lord of YOUR life or He is not. Either He is the most important thing to you or He is not. If you say He was a great man, a great teacher, or a great prophet, you are not necessarily wrong you are simply incomplete in your answer. Jesus was all of these things, but He is so much more than that. The only complete answer is the one that Peter gave. The only answer that truly honors the sacrifice He made for each of us is the one that Peter gave. The only answer that guarantees eternal salvation is the one the Peter gave. Interestingly, once you define Jesus as the Lord of your life, He will turn around and define exactly who you are just as He did for Peter. He will show you who you are today, and He will show you who you will become. More importantly, He will start to change you to make you the person you can be. If you really want to define yourself, first define Jesus. After that, let Jesus take over and make you who He wants you to be.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Related articles
- Matthew 16: Who Do You Say I Am? (kingdomnewtestament.wordpress.com)
- The Bread of Life and The Words of Eternal Life (tvaraj2inspirations.wordpress.com)
Like this:
Quick to Forget
Daily Bible Reading – 2 Samuel 3; 1 Chronicles 12; Matthew 15
Today’s Key Passage – Matthew 15:29-39
Awhile back, my daughter was running into the kitchen to get a snack when she accidentally tripped over her shoes that were lying on the kitchen floor and skinned her knee on the hard ceramic tile. While the wound itself was small, her reaction to it was not, and she spent several minutes on the ground crying. After making sure she was okay, my wife and I picked her up off the floor, and she somberly headed to her room to watch television with her snack in hand. Minutes later, she emerged from her room laughing and smiling and in the best of spirits. In the span of only a couple of minutes, she had completely forgotten her run-in with the hard kitchen floor. Sometimes being quick to forget can be a good thing. The ability to quickly forget a past hurt or a wrong committed by another person is definitely a good trait. Being quick to forget a past failure can serve us well and keep us from being mired in guilt or self-pity. At other times, though, being quick to forget can be a detriment. In today’s key passage, we see an example of how the disciples were sometimes quick to forget what Jesus had already accomplished.
Just yesterday, we read the story of Jesus feeding over five thousand people with only five loaves of bread and two fish. It was the type of miracle that would illustrate to others that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, and the story of his accomplishment would no doubt follow him through the land. Amazingly though, His disciples seemed to have forgotten all about it in today’s reading. Jesus was teaching over four thousand people on a mountainside, and decided that He did not want to send the crowd away without something to eat. When He told the disciples His intention to feed the masses, their response was staggering. They answered Him by saying, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?” (Vs. 33) The disciples were perplexed by this problem even though it was strikingly similar to another issue that Jesus had already solved. In this example, the disciples were quick to forget what Jesus had already done for them.
While it is easy for us to look back and wonder how the disciples could have possibly forgotten that Jesus had the power to rectify their current situation, it is equally easy for each of us to do the same thing. When faced with a difficult situation, how often is it that our first reaction is one of bewilderment? How often do we sit and wonder what we should do next? How often do we throw up our hands and think that the situation seems impossible? We are often quick to forget that nothing is impossible with God. We are quick to forget that He has helped us in the past and will help us again. When we have needed nourishment, He has fed us. When we have needed help, He has helped us. When we have needed saving, He has saved us. Do not be quick to forget the miracles our awesome God has done in your life and the lives of others. Remember His perfect goodness, and bask in the knowledge that you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Like this:
Jesus Feeds Five Thousand
Daily Bible Reading – 2 Samuel 2; 1 Chronicles 11; Psalm 142; Matthew 14
Today’s Key Passage – Matthew 14:13-21
In today’s Bible reading, we find one of the most well known of Jesus’ miracles. Most people have heard the story, and it is illustrated in all four Gospels. Because it is so well known, sometimes we can have a tendency to gloss over it as we are reading God’s Word, but the lesson we learn from this story is so important that we must do everything we can to avoid that pitfall. The story of Jesus feeding five thousand people is not just a great story that shows Jesus’ capacity to perform miracles. It is not just a story about Jesus’ unlimited compassion. While both of these things are true and are highlighted in the text, there is so much more that we can glean from this story. The lesson taught is one that can permeate into every area of our lives. The lesson is about faith.
When our story begins, Jesus has just been told about John the Baptist’s death. He was filled with sorrow, and decided that He and His men needed a break, so they left in a boat to go to a solitary place. When they landed, though, Jesus and the disciples were met with thousands of people who were waiting on them. Instead of sticking to their plan of taking a break, Jesus had compassion for the people and healed their sick. Near the end of the day, the disciples wanted Jesus to send the crowd away so they could get something to eat, but instead Jesus gave the disciples a seemingly impossible task. He said, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” (Vs. 16) The disciples, knowing they were in a remote place, surveyed to see what they had available to feed the crowd. From John’s Gospel, we learn that they found a young boy who had brought his lunch consisting of five loaves of bread and two fish, and while they knew this was not enough to feed five thousand men plus women and children, they took what they had and gave it to Jesus. Jesus took the food He had been given, looked up to heaven, gave thanks, and everyone in the crowd ate and were satisfied. Once everyone had finished eating, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of broken pieces that were left over.
In this life, we know that Jesus wants us to meet the needs of others. He wants us to meet their needs spiritually by reaching the lost and telling them about Him. He wants us to meet their needs physically by feeding the hungry and helping the poor. He wants us to meet their needs emotionally by taking compassion on others and serving them. Sometimes these tasks can seem difficult, and sometimes they might even seem impossible. There are many times when we simply feel we do not have a lot to offer. In those times, though, it is important that we do a bit of surveying to determine exactly what we have available. Whatever we find, no matter how small, if we give it all to Jesus He can do great things. He can multiply what we have to offer to create an abundance. There is a trap in this life, though, that we must avoid. When we feel like we do not have a lot of money or time, our flesh will say that we should just not give anything. When we feel like we do not have a lot of energy to serve others, our flesh will say that we should just not serve at all. When we feel like we do not know enough or are too afraid to reach people for Christ, our flesh will say that we should not even try. When we feel like we do not have a lot of faith, our flesh will say that we should just turn away from God. Imagine what would have happened if the disciples had fallen for this trap when they found the five loaves and two fish – Jesus never would have had a chance to perform one of the greatest miracles in history! In all areas of our lives, when we take everything we have and give it to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, He will multiply our efforts. The next time you feel like you do not have a lot to offer, give everything you have to Jesus and watch as He does miraculous things.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Related articles
- Prep Work (firstsouthernbaptistofcoalinga.wordpress.com)
- “They saw the signs which Jesus did” (worryisuseless.wordpress.com)
Like this:
Looking for a Sign
Daily Bible Reading – 1 Samuel 30,31; 1 Chronicles 10; Matthew 12
Today’s Key Passage – Matthew 12:38-45
In today’s key passage, some of the Pharisees ask Jesus for a miraculous sign. They want to see Jesus perform some kind of a miracle that can convince them that He is who He claims to be – the Messiah. Jesus, however, refuses their request. He tells them that no sign will be given to them except for the sign of the prophet Jonah, and then He explains by saying, “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”(Vs. 40) Jesus knew a lot about the hearts of the Pharisees. He knew that their hearts were so hardened that they would never believe that He was the Messiah no matter what kind of sign He gave them. At this point in His life, Jesus had already healed the sick, raised the dead, and driven out demons, but the Pharisees refused to believe. He would go on to die on the cross and be resurrected on the third day, but the Pharisees would still refuse to believe. The Pharisees were hoping to see a sign first and then they would believe, and I think many people today still think this way. They think, “If only God would show me a sign then I would believe in Him.” Perhaps you are even one of those people. As you read this today, you might be someone who is investigating God. Maybe you are trying to figure out if this whole Christianity thing is real. Maybe you are trying to figure out if God is real. Maybe you are just looking for a sign.
Before I was saved, I would often ask God for a sign. I would sometimes pray to Him and ask Him to show me a sign if He was real. I was not looking for anything flashy like the parting of the Red Sea or anything; I was just looking for some small sign from God to “prove” to me that He was there. I told myself that if He showed me that small sign, I would believe in Him and give my life to Him, and do you know what happened? Nothing. I looked and looked for a sign, and God never gave me one. Then one day, I heard the Gospel being preached and everything changed for me. For the first time, the Holy Spirit moved me and allowed me to open my heart and really listen to the Good News about Jesus Christ. That day, as I listened to those words, I gave my life to Christ. That day, I was saved. Fortunately, the story does not end there, because after that day something very interesting has happened for me. I have come to realize that those “signs” I spent so much time looking for and never finding before I was saved are now all around me. I see the signs of God’s presence every single day. I see them in His Word. I see them in the beauty of nature. I see them in the changes He has made in me to make me a better husband, father, and man. I feel God’s overwhelming presence as I watch the children of our church worshiping Him with all their hearts on stage. I feel His presence as I watch people being baptized. I feel His presence as I witness people give their lives to Christ in response to hearing the Gospel. If you have been waiting for a sign, listen to the words of Jesus from John 20:27 when He told Thomas, “Stop doubting and believe.” You may never find a “sign” in this life that makes you believe, but I guarantee that if you choose to believe, you will find more “signs” of His presence than you can possibly imagine.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Related articles
- lyrics: “1 2 free 4 me” (rejected by a Pharisee) (jrfibonacci.wordpress.com)
- Matthew 12: It’s What’s On The Inside That Counts (kingdomnewtestament.wordpress.com)
