Luke 16-18
Watch this short humorous video on prayer.
In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus uses a parable to encourage the disciple to pray and never give up. When you think about it, it's amazing that God allows us to access Him through prayer any time of the day and anywhere we go. It's never too late or early and we are never too far away to connect with God. Wow what a privilege we have through prayer.
This semester at the college we are experiencing an attitude of prayer by students, faculty and staff. Prayer is the least consistent spiritual discipline exercised by most Christian. Yet, it is the most powerful tool a Christian has availible to himself. There were about 60 students that prayed for 24 hours straight and the results are amazing. In James 5:16 it says that the persisent prayer of people that are right with God are effective. This should give us great hope. Not that we will be given everything that we so desire based on our lusts, but that God will give us everything that we need. How is your prayer life?
Day 21
Luke 13-15
Jesus confronted the issue of righteousness on several occasions. Here in Luke 13:1-5 Jesus takes on a false view of why certain people suffer from unexpected catastrophes. The popular view said that people suffered tragedy because of sin in their lives. Jesus made it clear in both of His examples that this was not true. Jesus simply asked if these people that died were worse sinners than the all other who did not die. Jesus then answers His own question by saying unless you all repent you will perish as well.
This is true today in the world we live in. Everyone has their own view on how they can or can't be right with God. Some say that all religions lead to the same God. The false righteousness that Jesus confronted here said that being right with God had to do with what one did or didn't do. He leveled the playing field by telling them that they were no better than the people that perished.
Here is the application to all of us. If you have a right relationship with God, you have it not because of what you have brought to the table but by what Christ has brought. Jesus brings the sacrifice of His perfect sinless life on the cross in exchange for our sinful totally unacceptable lives. We must never think we are better than what we are. We are nothing without Jesus in our lives. No matter what we do, we will never produce real fruit outside of living in Christ (John 15:5).
Congrats on completing your third week in the chase. I hope you are enjoying getting close to God in His word. Have a great day.
Jesus confronted the issue of righteousness on several occasions. Here in Luke 13:1-5 Jesus takes on a false view of why certain people suffer from unexpected catastrophes. The popular view said that people suffered tragedy because of sin in their lives. Jesus made it clear in both of His examples that this was not true. Jesus simply asked if these people that died were worse sinners than the all other who did not die. Jesus then answers His own question by saying unless you all repent you will perish as well.
This is true today in the world we live in. Everyone has their own view on how they can or can't be right with God. Some say that all religions lead to the same God. The false righteousness that Jesus confronted here said that being right with God had to do with what one did or didn't do. He leveled the playing field by telling them that they were no better than the people that perished.
Here is the application to all of us. If you have a right relationship with God, you have it not because of what you have brought to the table but by what Christ has brought. Jesus brings the sacrifice of His perfect sinless life on the cross in exchange for our sinful totally unacceptable lives. We must never think we are better than what we are. We are nothing without Jesus in our lives. No matter what we do, we will never produce real fruit outside of living in Christ (John 15:5).
Congrats on completing your third week in the chase. I hope you are enjoying getting close to God in His word. Have a great day.
Day 20
Luke 10-12
Today I want you to think about the last event in chapter 10. Both Mary and Martha had the right mind to please Jesus but in different ways. Remember this is an historical event recorded by Luke who was in the know. It's not just a story. It's an actual event that took place as sure as can be. Please think about Martha's actions to please Jesus. How were they different from Mary's actions? Where did Martha go wrong in her quest to worship?
I challenge you to think through this event and analyze motives. Then, I ask you to apply what you find to your life. Compare times when you had similar motives to serve/worship Christ. Did everyone involved seem like they were giving the same effort? We are easily distracted sometimes in our quest to please the Lord. It may come in the form of other people serving along side of us that seem as though they aren't giving as much as us.
Write down the things that you discover. If you want, leave a comment to share your findings with others.
Today I want you to think about the last event in chapter 10. Both Mary and Martha had the right mind to please Jesus but in different ways. Remember this is an historical event recorded by Luke who was in the know. It's not just a story. It's an actual event that took place as sure as can be. Please think about Martha's actions to please Jesus. How were they different from Mary's actions? Where did Martha go wrong in her quest to worship?
I challenge you to think through this event and analyze motives. Then, I ask you to apply what you find to your life. Compare times when you had similar motives to serve/worship Christ. Did everyone involved seem like they were giving the same effort? We are easily distracted sometimes in our quest to please the Lord. It may come in the form of other people serving along side of us that seem as though they aren't giving as much as us.
Write down the things that you discover. If you want, leave a comment to share your findings with others.
Day 19
Luke 7-9
Luke seven to nine is packed with examples of great faith. In chapter seven, you see the centurion's faith played out when his valued servant becomes ill and is about to die. The centurion sends word that he believes that with a simple word from Jesus that his servant can be healed.
In chapter eight, you meet the woman who believed that a simple touch of Jesus' robe will cure her of her twelve year illness. In that same chapter, you meet Jarius who is the father of a twelve year old daughter that is about to die. He begs Jesus to come and to heal her. On the way, the word comes that the girl had died. Jesus instructed Jarius to simply beleive and his daughter would be healed.
In each of these cases, great faith yields great rewards. The servant lives, the woman is healed, and the daughter is brought back to life. The same principles of faith apply today. If we have a need, we have to trust that God is going to provide for that need. Maybe it isn't as dramatic as these examples but God still wants us to display faith. He wants us to trust Him even in the daily things that life throws our way.
What do you need to trust God with today? Remember....GREAT faith yields GREAT rewards! Let's exercise our faith this week.
Luke seven to nine is packed with examples of great faith. In chapter seven, you see the centurion's faith played out when his valued servant becomes ill and is about to die. The centurion sends word that he believes that with a simple word from Jesus that his servant can be healed.
In chapter eight, you meet the woman who believed that a simple touch of Jesus' robe will cure her of her twelve year illness. In that same chapter, you meet Jarius who is the father of a twelve year old daughter that is about to die. He begs Jesus to come and to heal her. On the way, the word comes that the girl had died. Jesus instructed Jarius to simply beleive and his daughter would be healed.
In each of these cases, great faith yields great rewards. The servant lives, the woman is healed, and the daughter is brought back to life. The same principles of faith apply today. If we have a need, we have to trust that God is going to provide for that need. Maybe it isn't as dramatic as these examples but God still wants us to display faith. He wants us to trust Him even in the daily things that life throws our way.
What do you need to trust God with today? Remember....GREAT faith yields GREAT rewards! Let's exercise our faith this week.
Day 18
Luke 4-6
One of my favorite historical events of Jesus' life is recorded in Luke 5:17-26. The characters of this event are the paralyzed man, his friends, the Pharisees, the teachers of the law, and Jesus. Lets look at each one of these charaters.
The paralytic man is in a bad place but gets healed. The friends are willing to go to great lengths to help their friend. Failing to gain entrance to the meeting, the paralytics friends wouldn't quit. Their faith was great so they made their way to the roof. Creating a hole bis enough to lower the man through was no easy task. The Pharisees and teachers of the law included representatives from Jerusalem. These religious leaders were perhaps more influential than some because of where they came from. The Pharisees believed that people like the paralytic were in their predicament because of their sin. Jesus had been confronting the religious leaders about their false righteousness. The Pharisees righteousness was based on their works such as keeping the laws, feasts and etc. Jesus would establish that true righteousness can only come from a personal relationship with Him through faith.
The Pharisees got upset at Jesus because He said the paralytic's sins were forgiven and only God had the authority to forgive sin. This is a double edge sword that Jesus is using here. He know they believed that sicknesses and physical ailments were a result of sin. When Jesus heals the man, He is proving His authority over sin. To make it even more obvious, Jesus tells the man his sins are forgiven. If God can only forgive sin, then Jesus proves He is God by healing paraylisis, which is caused by sin in the Pharisee's minds.
In this historical event, Jesus further confronts the Pharisee's false righteousness and proves He is God. Do you have the correct view of righteousness. What makes you right with God? If it is any thing other than Jesus, you have an improper view of righteousness.
One of my favorite historical events of Jesus' life is recorded in Luke 5:17-26. The characters of this event are the paralyzed man, his friends, the Pharisees, the teachers of the law, and Jesus. Lets look at each one of these charaters.
The paralytic man is in a bad place but gets healed. The friends are willing to go to great lengths to help their friend. Failing to gain entrance to the meeting, the paralytics friends wouldn't quit. Their faith was great so they made their way to the roof. Creating a hole bis enough to lower the man through was no easy task. The Pharisees and teachers of the law included representatives from Jerusalem. These religious leaders were perhaps more influential than some because of where they came from. The Pharisees believed that people like the paralytic were in their predicament because of their sin. Jesus had been confronting the religious leaders about their false righteousness. The Pharisees righteousness was based on their works such as keeping the laws, feasts and etc. Jesus would establish that true righteousness can only come from a personal relationship with Him through faith.
The Pharisees got upset at Jesus because He said the paralytic's sins were forgiven and only God had the authority to forgive sin. This is a double edge sword that Jesus is using here. He know they believed that sicknesses and physical ailments were a result of sin. When Jesus heals the man, He is proving His authority over sin. To make it even more obvious, Jesus tells the man his sins are forgiven. If God can only forgive sin, then Jesus proves He is God by healing paraylisis, which is caused by sin in the Pharisee's minds.
In this historical event, Jesus further confronts the Pharisee's false righteousness and proves He is God. Do you have the correct view of righteousness. What makes you right with God? If it is any thing other than Jesus, you have an improper view of righteousness.
Day 17
Luke 1-3
Check this video out:
The day in which we live in is one of information overload. Within seconds a person can access reliable or unreliable information on any subject they so desire. This age we live in has come around rather quickly. Some of you know nothing else but this information age. However, my generation remembers the days when the internet could have meant some tool aiding in the process of catching fish. LOL Sorry, that was bad! The day when there wasn't a record of the historical account of Jesus must have been a scary and amazing time. Information traveled in a much different way compared to today.
Have you ever just kind of glossed over the first few sentences of a book of the Bible because they all seem to say the same thing? Well, you can't do that with Luke. If you do, you miss more than the normal greeting.
Even after Luke completed both Luke and Acts, progress in the copying and distribution of Scripture would have been extremely slow compared to today's spread of information. It is great to know that we do have the completed work of God in the Bible today. Not only that, but it can be spread to the corners of the earth in seconds. It can touch the lives of nearly every human being on the planet through various means. While today's generation is in a state of information overload, it can be a positive thing.
Thank God today that we have the completed, reliable, inspired, and infallible account of Jesus' life. Thank Him that in an age of information we can impact people all over the world with the gospel through many different means of communication. Ask God to make us more aware of the new ways to impact people around the world as the world of information changes.
Check this video out:
The day in which we live in is one of information overload. Within seconds a person can access reliable or unreliable information on any subject they so desire. This age we live in has come around rather quickly. Some of you know nothing else but this information age. However, my generation remembers the days when the internet could have meant some tool aiding in the process of catching fish. LOL Sorry, that was bad! The day when there wasn't a record of the historical account of Jesus must have been a scary and amazing time. Information traveled in a much different way compared to today.
Have you ever just kind of glossed over the first few sentences of a book of the Bible because they all seem to say the same thing? Well, you can't do that with Luke. If you do, you miss more than the normal greeting.
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.From this passage we can learn that "many" people in the first century were writing or speaking about the exciting times of Jesus. There were only four accounts accepted because they were the only ones deemed as Scripture. Only four were inspired by God. All the others contained error or bias. Luke understood how important the things that were taught and written about Jesus were. He recognized that information needed to come from people in "the know." Or, from the people that saw what Jesus did and said. And from the places that Jesus went and from the people that He impacted. Luke was certainly in "the know." He wasn't an eyewitness but he was close to people that were. He traveled and wrote for Paul on missionary journeys. If Luke wrote his account in about the year 60, his life would have intertwined extensively with many eyewitness of Jesus' life.
Even after Luke completed both Luke and Acts, progress in the copying and distribution of Scripture would have been extremely slow compared to today's spread of information. It is great to know that we do have the completed work of God in the Bible today. Not only that, but it can be spread to the corners of the earth in seconds. It can touch the lives of nearly every human being on the planet through various means. While today's generation is in a state of information overload, it can be a positive thing.
Thank God today that we have the completed, reliable, inspired, and infallible account of Jesus' life. Thank Him that in an age of information we can impact people all over the world with the gospel through many different means of communication. Ask God to make us more aware of the new ways to impact people around the world as the world of information changes.
Day 16
Mark 14-16
As we read these very familiar verses there is a great danger, that is that you've become so familiar with them that they no longer affect your emotions. If you read through these verse and you simply scanned through them assuming you knew what was next and what Mark was talking about it, I beg you, pray to God and ask him to enable you to be sensible to the greatest story ever told, and go back and read it again. These passages more than any other should mean a lot to us. They are the foundation of our faith, our hope, our joy. We read scripture, we pray, we gather to worship, because he did die for you and for me. Even more, he did resurrect.
Chapter 14 begins with an amazing story of worship. This women, completely understood that the essence of worship if dying to your self in order to exalt Jesus. She gave him not only her best but all that she had. She held nothing back. The most precious, the most expensive, the one thing that mattered most the her, she gave it to Jesus. Imagine the aroma in that room. Imagine the sweetness and softness of that oil being poured on Jesus. Imagine Jesus' words "she did this to prepare me for my burial" He knew the time was coming, and this was going to be his burial anointing. The other women didnt get to do it. I wonder if this was the way Jesus smelled when he resurrected.
Finally, notice verses 15:38-39. The huge curtain that separated God's presence from the rest of the people was now torn. God was telling everybody: communion, fellowship, love, relationship with me are now available through Jesus! Now, you yourself can come to his throne. You can enjoy fellowship with the Father because of Jesus' sacrifice.
How is your relationship with God? are you enjoying Him? is he real and evident in your everyday life? can others see that?
how is your worship? are you wiling to give it all to Him? Is Jesus precious to you?
As we read these very familiar verses there is a great danger, that is that you've become so familiar with them that they no longer affect your emotions. If you read through these verse and you simply scanned through them assuming you knew what was next and what Mark was talking about it, I beg you, pray to God and ask him to enable you to be sensible to the greatest story ever told, and go back and read it again. These passages more than any other should mean a lot to us. They are the foundation of our faith, our hope, our joy. We read scripture, we pray, we gather to worship, because he did die for you and for me. Even more, he did resurrect.
Chapter 14 begins with an amazing story of worship. This women, completely understood that the essence of worship if dying to your self in order to exalt Jesus. She gave him not only her best but all that she had. She held nothing back. The most precious, the most expensive, the one thing that mattered most the her, she gave it to Jesus. Imagine the aroma in that room. Imagine the sweetness and softness of that oil being poured on Jesus. Imagine Jesus' words "she did this to prepare me for my burial" He knew the time was coming, and this was going to be his burial anointing. The other women didnt get to do it. I wonder if this was the way Jesus smelled when he resurrected.
Finally, notice verses 15:38-39. The huge curtain that separated God's presence from the rest of the people was now torn. God was telling everybody: communion, fellowship, love, relationship with me are now available through Jesus! Now, you yourself can come to his throne. You can enjoy fellowship with the Father because of Jesus' sacrifice.
How is your relationship with God? are you enjoying Him? is he real and evident in your everyday life? can others see that?
how is your worship? are you wiling to give it all to Him? Is Jesus precious to you?
Day 15
Mark 12-13
We begin the third week of Chasing99 and by the end of this week, if we stay consistent, we very well could have begun a habit. Habits form quickly! We often think of them as a bad thing. In this case, it is very good. God smiles when His people honor Him by reading, thinking, writing and doing. So, I ask you this today. Are you alert and watching as it say we are to be at the end of Mark 13.
It say that no one can know exactly when the Lord will return. We have to be ready for the Lord at any moment. Jesus critics also see this as a contradiction in Scripture. That was nearly two-thousand years ago and He still hasn't done what He said was so imminent. We must understand what "this generation" means in verse 30.
"This generation" could mean one of three things. First, it could mean the people living during that time in the first century. In that case all those thing mentioned would refer to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus. I can't hold to this understanding of this passage. Another meaning could be that in is the entire race of Jewish people over all of time. If that is true, it means that the Jewish race would never be extinct. So, "this generation" either refers to a span of time or to a race of people. Or, it could mean that it is the generation that sees those things begin to take place. It is a generation in the future, when seeing the events beginning to play out described in this chapter, they will see all the event happen through the coming of Jesus into the millennium in that generation. I believe it could be either the second of third interpretation.
In either case, there is a rational explanation for the apparent contradiction. The Bible is infallible and will last forever. The Bible can be trusted to guide us through every aspect on life. The Bible is not just a bunch of stories about real people. It is the truest account of history that comes to us without bias and error. All accounts of history are written with a degree of bias by its authors. The Bible is free from any degree of bias because God is the author. Trust it!
We begin the third week of Chasing99 and by the end of this week, if we stay consistent, we very well could have begun a habit. Habits form quickly! We often think of them as a bad thing. In this case, it is very good. God smiles when His people honor Him by reading, thinking, writing and doing. So, I ask you this today. Are you alert and watching as it say we are to be at the end of Mark 13.
It say that no one can know exactly when the Lord will return. We have to be ready for the Lord at any moment. Jesus critics also see this as a contradiction in Scripture. That was nearly two-thousand years ago and He still hasn't done what He said was so imminent. We must understand what "this generation" means in verse 30.
"This generation" could mean one of three things. First, it could mean the people living during that time in the first century. In that case all those thing mentioned would refer to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus. I can't hold to this understanding of this passage. Another meaning could be that in is the entire race of Jewish people over all of time. If that is true, it means that the Jewish race would never be extinct. So, "this generation" either refers to a span of time or to a race of people. Or, it could mean that it is the generation that sees those things begin to take place. It is a generation in the future, when seeing the events beginning to play out described in this chapter, they will see all the event happen through the coming of Jesus into the millennium in that generation. I believe it could be either the second of third interpretation.
In either case, there is a rational explanation for the apparent contradiction. The Bible is infallible and will last forever. The Bible can be trusted to guide us through every aspect on life. The Bible is not just a bunch of stories about real people. It is the truest account of history that comes to us without bias and error. All accounts of history are written with a degree of bias by its authors. The Bible is free from any degree of bias because God is the author. Trust it!
Day 14
Mark 10-11
Have you ever wondered why Jesus cursed the fig tree that had no fruit on when it wasn't the season for figs? Jesus critics look at this incident as an apparent contradiction. However, there is a prefect explanation for Jesus' actions. You can find this story in Mark 11. Remember, Jesus is dealing with religious leaders who were mostly concerned with external performance or outward appearances.
Sure the time of year was spring and it was not the season for ripe figs. Jesus was hungry and He obviously understood when the right time of the year was to find food on a tree. After all, He did create the fig tree. Also, He knew people's thoughts and intentions without them saying a word. Surely He could determine a tree had no fruit on it from a distance. It's clear that Jesus was trying to make a statement with the tree.
The fig tree had every appearance of health with it's green leaves. However, upon closer inspection by Jesus there was absolutely no sign of potential fruit for this tree. There would have been small buds to eat but more importantly the buds would prove a new crop of figs in a few months. The absence of these buds showed Jesus there was no hope for fruit that year.
Now to my point. Sometimes we have a tendency to focus on our outward appearance rather than what fruit our lives are producing. Jesus was very unhappy with the hypocrite fig tree. How do you think He feels about our lives when our outward appearance indicates health and our lives are producing no fruit. The battle against hypocrisy must be a constant fight if we are intent on pleasing Christ.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus cursed the fig tree that had no fruit on when it wasn't the season for figs? Jesus critics look at this incident as an apparent contradiction. However, there is a prefect explanation for Jesus' actions. You can find this story in Mark 11. Remember, Jesus is dealing with religious leaders who were mostly concerned with external performance or outward appearances.
Sure the time of year was spring and it was not the season for ripe figs. Jesus was hungry and He obviously understood when the right time of the year was to find food on a tree. After all, He did create the fig tree. Also, He knew people's thoughts and intentions without them saying a word. Surely He could determine a tree had no fruit on it from a distance. It's clear that Jesus was trying to make a statement with the tree.
The fig tree had every appearance of health with it's green leaves. However, upon closer inspection by Jesus there was absolutely no sign of potential fruit for this tree. There would have been small buds to eat but more importantly the buds would prove a new crop of figs in a few months. The absence of these buds showed Jesus there was no hope for fruit that year.
Now to my point. Sometimes we have a tendency to focus on our outward appearance rather than what fruit our lives are producing. Jesus was very unhappy with the hypocrite fig tree. How do you think He feels about our lives when our outward appearance indicates health and our lives are producing no fruit. The battle against hypocrisy must be a constant fight if we are intent on pleasing Christ.
Day 13
Mark 7-9
During Jesus ministry, He had different types of followers. The crew that "turned the world upside down", His disciples, were the most serious. Others were attracted to Jesus because of what they could benefit from His presence. At the end of Mark 8, Jesus draws a definite distinction between His true followers and the not so serious followers. On this typical day, Jesus spoke to a crowd of people:
I am corresponding with a former student now in a Middle Eastern country where one could lose their life for the gospel. He wrote that he is beginning to understand this principle. He shared that once there were times when he listened to music that Jesus would have nothing to do with. That he watched movies He would never be pleased with. That his thoughts were on things that Jesus would never entertain. The list went on to several different things that he realized were unholy.
If we are going to be serious followers of Christ, we have to sacrifice some things here on earth that hinder our pursuit of holiness. There are things that we are involved with that Jesus would have nothing to do with. Whose life is it anyway? Do you know what it is to lose your life for the sake of the gospel? What type of a follower of Jesus are you? Comment or check a box
During Jesus ministry, He had different types of followers. The crew that "turned the world upside down", His disciples, were the most serious. Others were attracted to Jesus because of what they could benefit from His presence. At the end of Mark 8, Jesus draws a definite distinction between His true followers and the not so serious followers. On this typical day, Jesus spoke to a crowd of people:
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.To be a serious follower of Christ, it will cost us something. No, salvation is still a free gift. However, to continue as a follower we will have to deny ourselves of some things in this world. That is if we what to carry out God plan for our lives and be blessed by God.
I am corresponding with a former student now in a Middle Eastern country where one could lose their life for the gospel. He wrote that he is beginning to understand this principle. He shared that once there were times when he listened to music that Jesus would have nothing to do with. That he watched movies He would never be pleased with. That his thoughts were on things that Jesus would never entertain. The list went on to several different things that he realized were unholy.
If we are going to be serious followers of Christ, we have to sacrifice some things here on earth that hinder our pursuit of holiness. There are things that we are involved with that Jesus would have nothing to do with. Whose life is it anyway? Do you know what it is to lose your life for the sake of the gospel? What type of a follower of Jesus are you? Comment or check a box
Day 12
Mark 4-6
In Bible study this morning I spoke about revival and a few key ingredients for it. For revival to happen in your life, you must hear the Word and do something about what God convicts you to do. The Holy Spirit is a given here. No real change has ever happened apart from the work of the Holy Spirit. In today's reading we can see these same ingredients. Jesus said this in Mark 4:12:
We are chasing99 to change our lives and the lives of others. Do you want revival in your life? Do you want to see others changed? Then, we must hear, understand and do something. When God convicts you of something, turn the right way and allow Him to change you. It will make a world of difference or it could even make a difference in the world.
In Bible study this morning I spoke about revival and a few key ingredients for it. For revival to happen in your life, you must hear the Word and do something about what God convicts you to do. The Holy Spirit is a given here. No real change has ever happened apart from the work of the Holy Spirit. In today's reading we can see these same ingredients. Jesus said this in Mark 4:12:
they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!
We are chasing99 to change our lives and the lives of others. Do you want revival in your life? Do you want to see others changed? Then, we must hear, understand and do something. When God convicts you of something, turn the right way and allow Him to change you. It will make a world of difference or it could even make a difference in the world.
Day 11
Mark 1-3
The first chapter of the Gospel of Mark is quite eventful. It moves quickly through John’s preparation for the ministry of Jesus, Jesus’ baptism, His temptation, the healing miracles, and the calling of the Disciples.
A couple of things really stick out to me about these passages. The first is that when Jesus spoke, people listened and responded. Here are some questions that come to my mind:
- I wonder why the Disciples respond so immediately to the call to follow Him. Yes, they might have heard about Jesus but did they really know Him?
- Did they have any reason to trust that they were making the correct decision to give up their jobs and leave their families behind?
- Did they know what they would gain by their instant obedience?
- Would you and I have been so quick to follow the call of someone that wasn’t already a trusted and proven friend?
I think it is safe to assume the answer to all of those questions would be an emphatic NO! I do think that it must have been evident that He was different than other men. Why else would he illicit such responses?
The other thing that really hit me was at the end of the chapter when Jesus healed the leper. After Jesus had healed him, He instructed him not to tell anyone. The leper could not keep that to himself – he told anyone that would listen that Jesus had miraculously healed him! Jesus has done innumerable things for us but do we share that with anyone? Do we respond to His goodness in a way that we can not contain it inside or do we just take it all for granted? Do we remain silent when we have every reason to shout from the rooftops? Are we too prideful to admit that God is the reason behind any abilities we have or success that we experience? Are we so scared to acknowledge to those around us that Jesus is the Lord of our life?
This week, let’s choose to respond to Jesus in the way that the Disciples and the leper responded. Let’s begin by following Him immediately as He leads us. Maybe it is inviting someone to youth group or simply responding to a situation in a Christlike manner. And let’s take a good look at our lives and respond accordingly to what God has done in our lives and TELL someone about it!
Here is your chance to respond immediately….comment here with some things that God has done for you!
Day 10
Matthew 27-28
Wow! We made it through the first book of the New Testament in just ten days. Congrats! The reading today was a little tough. The crucifixion is difficult to take for me since it was my sin that put Jesus there in the first place. He took my place.
Certainly one of the worst things about the cross was the rejection Jesus experienced from His own Father as Lalo pointed out yesterday. Jesus was rejected by many other people too though. How about Pilate's rejection by refusing to deal with the matter. He feared man more than God. There was the hosanna crowd that rejected Him by choosing Barabbas. There are others as well. Look at Matthew 27:41-44.
The mockers while Jesus bleed drops of life saving blood are horrific. They looked defiantly at a defenseless man and hurled insult after insult at Him. I know Jesus could have fought back and that makes Him even more vulnerable. He couldn't fight back because He loves us so much that He had to just painfully take it. He stayed on the cross to save me... and you!
That fact makes me even more ashamed that at times I don't trust Him. Sure, I can point to this and that to show my "great" faith. However, there are time, which happen far too often, where I worry about things. Things that have no eternal significance. Things that turn out to be nothing, which I've built up in my mind as earth shaking.
Listen... We have to live out our lives by faith. It's faith that saved us. It's faith that makes our lives pleasing to God. Search the word "faith" in the book of Matthew and take note of what you find. You will see Jesus doing great things when people live by faith. It's amazing how quickly we forget to trust Him. Seriously, I'm just as bad as those people that mocked Jesus while He was on the cross.
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Wow! We made it through the first book of the New Testament in just ten days. Congrats! The reading today was a little tough. The crucifixion is difficult to take for me since it was my sin that put Jesus there in the first place. He took my place.
Certainly one of the worst things about the cross was the rejection Jesus experienced from His own Father as Lalo pointed out yesterday. Jesus was rejected by many other people too though. How about Pilate's rejection by refusing to deal with the matter. He feared man more than God. There was the hosanna crowd that rejected Him by choosing Barabbas. There are others as well. Look at Matthew 27:41-44.
In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
The mockers while Jesus bleed drops of life saving blood are horrific. They looked defiantly at a defenseless man and hurled insult after insult at Him. I know Jesus could have fought back and that makes Him even more vulnerable. He couldn't fight back because He loves us so much that He had to just painfully take it. He stayed on the cross to save me... and you!
That fact makes me even more ashamed that at times I don't trust Him. Sure, I can point to this and that to show my "great" faith. However, there are time, which happen far too often, where I worry about things. Things that have no eternal significance. Things that turn out to be nothing, which I've built up in my mind as earth shaking.
Listen... We have to live out our lives by faith. It's faith that saved us. It's faith that makes our lives pleasing to God. Search the word "faith" in the book of Matthew and take note of what you find. You will see Jesus doing great things when people live by faith. It's amazing how quickly we forget to trust Him. Seriously, I'm just as bad as those people that mocked Jesus while He was on the cross.
Leave a comment.
Day 9
Matthew 25-26
Imagine for just a second the scene at Gethsemane. Jesus is "overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death" He feels like he wants to die, literally. In order to aid his feeling he goes on to pray to his Father. He prayed that if possible his cup would be spared...He didnt hear an answer. He prays again...nothing. Another Gospel tells us that by this point he was sooo overwhelmed that he started sweating blood. One last time he prays...for a third time he heard nothing. What was his affliction? Why was he so stressed?
Jesus knew that he had come to this world to die. He knew he was innocent. He knew of the "joy set before him." So then, why was he praying? The "cup" Jesus was talking about was the wrath of God poured on Him. It was the entirety of your sin and my sin over his body. It was the Father crushing his Son for you and me. "For so much God loved you that he CRUSHED his only son, so that you can have eternal life if you believe in him"
That weary night at the garden, Jesus was contemplating separation from God beacuse of our sin. For the very first and only time he would be forsaken by His Father. He was forsaken so that you and me would come to Him. So that your sin and my sin would be judged in his body, and God's justice magnified. He died so that you and me would live. He died to make you free. He died beacuse He loved YOU!
Are you alive in Jesus?
How glorious and beautiful is the good news of Jesus.
Are you delighting yourself in His grace and love for you?
Are you satisfied in Him?
Imagine for just a second the scene at Gethsemane. Jesus is "overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death" He feels like he wants to die, literally. In order to aid his feeling he goes on to pray to his Father. He prayed that if possible his cup would be spared...He didnt hear an answer. He prays again...nothing. Another Gospel tells us that by this point he was sooo overwhelmed that he started sweating blood. One last time he prays...for a third time he heard nothing. What was his affliction? Why was he so stressed?
Jesus knew that he had come to this world to die. He knew he was innocent. He knew of the "joy set before him." So then, why was he praying? The "cup" Jesus was talking about was the wrath of God poured on Him. It was the entirety of your sin and my sin over his body. It was the Father crushing his Son for you and me. "For so much God loved you that he CRUSHED his only son, so that you can have eternal life if you believe in him"
That weary night at the garden, Jesus was contemplating separation from God beacuse of our sin. For the very first and only time he would be forsaken by His Father. He was forsaken so that you and me would come to Him. So that your sin and my sin would be judged in his body, and God's justice magnified. He died so that you and me would live. He died to make you free. He died beacuse He loved YOU!
Are you alive in Jesus?
How glorious and beautiful is the good news of Jesus.
Are you delighting yourself in His grace and love for you?
Are you satisfied in Him?
Day 8
Matthew 22-24
We start a new teaching series tonight titled "One Month to Live". This past week we read through Matthew's perspective on Jesus' life and the remainder of the book deals with His final days. Look, as you read the rest of Matthew, at how Jesus made the most of every moment in His final days here on earth. No time was wasted as He meticulously prepared the disciples for ministry without Him.
Everyday we have in life is purposeful in God's economy. We must do our best to live our lives as if the end is near. Is today my last day to live this life? I hope not but I plan on it. Well, I hope I really live with that in mind. Whether or not we know when the end of our life is, we must understand and live as if we are nearly out of time. We must do all that we need to do now and not put off on tomorrow what can be done today.
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We start a new teaching series tonight titled "One Month to Live". This past week we read through Matthew's perspective on Jesus' life and the remainder of the book deals with His final days. Look, as you read the rest of Matthew, at how Jesus made the most of every moment in His final days here on earth. No time was wasted as He meticulously prepared the disciples for ministry without Him.
Everyday we have in life is purposeful in God's economy. We must do our best to live our lives as if the end is near. Is today my last day to live this life? I hope not but I plan on it. Well, I hope I really live with that in mind. Whether or not we know when the end of our life is, we must understand and live as if we are nearly out of time. We must do all that we need to do now and not put off on tomorrow what can be done today.
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Day 7
Matthew 19-21
What is the product of your life? Seriously, what is it that other people would say of your life product? Chapter 21 in today's reading reveals the produce of some people that were around Jesus.
The chapter starts with people in Jerusalem praising Jesus as He entered the city. On the outside, what these people were producing seemed good. However, we know that eventually these same people would turn on Jesus and their cry would turn from Hosanna to Crucify Him. Their lives produce was a lie. It was bad.
When Jesus went in to the temple he found the produce of the people was greed and selfishness. They had made an instrument of praise into a money making scheme. As Jesus walked pass a fig tree that had no fruit, He cursed it and it died. The fig tree had nothing to show for it's life. The chief priests and elders had deception as their life produce. In the parable of the two sons, the sons had disobedience as their produce. The tenants in the next parable had evilness as their lives product. Are you getting the picture?
Matthew 21:43 says,
What is the product of your life? Seriously, what is it that other people would say of your life product? Chapter 21 in today's reading reveals the produce of some people that were around Jesus.
The chapter starts with people in Jerusalem praising Jesus as He entered the city. On the outside, what these people were producing seemed good. However, we know that eventually these same people would turn on Jesus and their cry would turn from Hosanna to Crucify Him. Their lives produce was a lie. It was bad.
When Jesus went in to the temple he found the produce of the people was greed and selfishness. They had made an instrument of praise into a money making scheme. As Jesus walked pass a fig tree that had no fruit, He cursed it and it died. The fig tree had nothing to show for it's life. The chief priests and elders had deception as their life produce. In the parable of the two sons, the sons had disobedience as their produce. The tenants in the next parable had evilness as their lives product. Are you getting the picture?
Matthew 21:43 says,
Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.This is referring to Israel but we need to take heed as well. What is your life producing. We only have so many days to make our lives count for the cause of Christ. Examine your life produce and determine if you want to stand before God with what it is. It's never to late to change as long as you have breathe. Go make a difference! Respond with a comment.
Day 6
Matthew 16-18
Did Jesus ever fail to do what He claimed He would? Many of Jesus' critics point to passages in the Bible and claim that He failed in keeping His word. In all those cases, people have drawn out of context an idea that can only be understood within its context. A passage in this reading is one of those that have been distorted to make it look as if Jesus didn't keep His word. I hope it caught your eye as you read this portion. Matthew 16:28 says,
Jesus was not referring to His millenial reign on earth but His transfiguration. Always remember that Jesus lived a perfect life and has kept or will keep in the future all His promises. We trust in a Savior that can be trusted despite the critics that say He failed. Pay attention to what you read and ask someone when things don't seem to make sense.
Did Jesus ever fail to do what He claimed He would? Many of Jesus' critics point to passages in the Bible and claim that He failed in keeping His word. In all those cases, people have drawn out of context an idea that can only be understood within its context. A passage in this reading is one of those that have been distorted to make it look as if Jesus didn't keep His word. I hope it caught your eye as you read this portion. Matthew 16:28 says,
I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.Chapter breaks are not inspired by God and this break is in an unfortunate place. The 28th verse is better understood as the 1st verse of chapter 17. Read it like that and see if it makes a difference. It should because Peter, James, and John were taken up on to witness Jesus' transfiguration in 17:1-8.
Jesus was not referring to His millenial reign on earth but His transfiguration. Always remember that Jesus lived a perfect life and has kept or will keep in the future all His promises. We trust in a Savior that can be trusted despite the critics that say He failed. Pay attention to what you read and ask someone when things don't seem to make sense.
Day 5
Matthew 13-15
In this reading there are several parables, John the Baptist is killed, Jesus feeds thousands twice and walks on water. Also, Jesus takes on a tradition of the Pharisees. The issue that the Pharisees had with Jesus and the disciples was they didn't wash their hands before they ate. With the warnings for swine flu, I agree that not washing your hand before eating is a bad practice. Actually, swine flu or not it is a bad habit.
Jesus made the point that the heart is what causes bad fruit rather than what one eats. Jesus used strong language when He called them hypocrite and then quoted Scripture from Isaiah 29:13.
I challenge you, as we continue in Chasing99, to be on the watch for traditions that are merely just the teachings of men. Ultimately, holding people to the traditions of men will produce bad fruit or no fruit!
In this reading there are several parables, John the Baptist is killed, Jesus feeds thousands twice and walks on water. Also, Jesus takes on a tradition of the Pharisees. The issue that the Pharisees had with Jesus and the disciples was they didn't wash their hands before they ate. With the warnings for swine flu, I agree that not washing your hand before eating is a bad practice. Actually, swine flu or not it is a bad habit.
Jesus made the point that the heart is what causes bad fruit rather than what one eats. Jesus used strong language when He called them hypocrite and then quoted Scripture from Isaiah 29:13.
These people honor me with their lips,Just as Jesus was on guard for traditions that were passed on to people as if it were Scripture, we too must watch for it as well. There is no substitution for every single Christian to apply Scripture to their own life rather than just listening to what others say the Bible says. Preaching and teaching the Word is vital to the church but it was never intended to replace personal application of Scripture on an ongoing consistent basis.
but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men.
I challenge you, as we continue in Chasing99, to be on the watch for traditions that are merely just the teachings of men. Ultimately, holding people to the traditions of men will produce bad fruit or no fruit!
Day 4
Matthew 10-12
In chapter 10 we are presented with a few very difficult sayings that should have stirred you to know more. Jesus gave some radical ideas as He spoke to people. Today and throughout the past two centuries critics have used Jesus' radical statements against Him. I recently showed a video clip from youtube of Edward Tate ripping into Christianity for some of the statements that Jesus made in this reading today. Please look closely at the ideas Jesus presents without ignoring the difficult things He said. There are amazing truths revealed in them.
Jesus said this,
Secondly, Jesus was sending His disciples out into the hostile audience of Jewish communities. They needed to be prepared for the worst. Their own families would reject them because of their message. Jesus was preparing them as this should prepare us as well today for the rejection we may face.
Lastly, Jesus was not asking His disciples to love their families any less than they already were loving them. He was commanding that their love for Him be paramount compared to all other relationships here on their journey through life. The disciples would be challenged as brothers or sisters turned violently against them for what they believed.
It's important to note that the end result of Jesus' preparation of His disciples was that they turned the world upside down. They were radically changed by Jesus' message and it radically changed immeasurable millions and still growing today! Jesus' way is always best. I challenge you today to look closer to what you read without overlooking these hard statements by Jesus. Truly there are important messages in them. Also, is your love for Christ comparatively paramount to all your other relationships?
In chapter 10 we are presented with a few very difficult sayings that should have stirred you to know more. Jesus gave some radical ideas as He spoke to people. Today and throughout the past two centuries critics have used Jesus' radical statements against Him. I recently showed a video clip from youtube of Edward Tate ripping into Christianity for some of the statements that Jesus made in this reading today. Please look closely at the ideas Jesus presents without ignoring the difficult things He said. There are amazing truths revealed in them.
Jesus said this,
Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.First of all, consider the context of this statement. Jesus was giving instruction to His disciples on how they were to go from place to place preaching the gospel. He gave them specific instruction. If you are a person who hates to be given specific instruction by your parents or an employer, you probably won't like these instructions either.
Secondly, Jesus was sending His disciples out into the hostile audience of Jewish communities. They needed to be prepared for the worst. Their own families would reject them because of their message. Jesus was preparing them as this should prepare us as well today for the rejection we may face.
Lastly, Jesus was not asking His disciples to love their families any less than they already were loving them. He was commanding that their love for Him be paramount compared to all other relationships here on their journey through life. The disciples would be challenged as brothers or sisters turned violently against them for what they believed.
It's important to note that the end result of Jesus' preparation of His disciples was that they turned the world upside down. They were radically changed by Jesus' message and it radically changed immeasurable millions and still growing today! Jesus' way is always best. I challenge you today to look closer to what you read without overlooking these hard statements by Jesus. Truly there are important messages in them. Also, is your love for Christ comparatively paramount to all your other relationships?
Day 3
Matthew 7-9
Chapters 7-9 are amazing, if you haven’t read them please stop, go read, then come back.
Chapters 7-9 are amazing, if you haven’t read them please stop, go read, then come back.
There is so much to say about the content that I’m not even going to try to summarize it because I’m afraid that I’ll get carry away and start preaching haha. So what I’m gonna do is to try to highlight some of the passages and truths that I know are things I need to work on. What I challenge you to do it to respond to the blog and share what other passages from this same section stood out to you and why.
Of course, there is no way to read verse 1 of chapter 7 and not feel like God is slapping you in the face. At least that’s the way I feel. Stop for a second and think of the reasons why we judge. Remember that Jesus here is referring more to a judgmental attitude than to the mere act of judging (don’t use this as an excuse when your mom is yelling at you cause your room is dirty). If you’re honest with yourself the reason why we judge others is because we think we are better than others. We think we know better; we think we could do it better. The funny thing is…those things that really bother us in other people its usually because we do them too. “It takes one to know one” that’s what Jesus was talking about. What specks are you finding in your life? Are you known as a person who constantly complaints? Are you know as someone who is constantly edifying or destroying others with your words and your attitudes?
Skip down to 7:21. This part of the reading is honestly quite scary. Think about it, this means that it is possible that the people that sit next to you at church may not be saved. This means that a lot of “Christians” you’ve know for a while might actually end up in hell. I know its harsh, but that’s exactly what Jesus said. So then… how do we know and most importantly how do I know that I am not going to hell? To begin with please entirely forget that at some point you prayed a “sinners prayer.” Praying does not save anybody. Only faith can save you. Do you have your faith exclusively in Jesus? Jesus said that “by their fruit you will recognize them.” If you do have faith in Jesus, is there evidence of this faith in your life. Do others know that you LOVE Jesus. What kind of fruit are you producing? Please do not misunderstand me, salvation is not by works. Its only by faith. However, when somebody comes to salvation, the Bible says that you are indwelled by the Spirit and the you are born again (regeneration), its simple…are you living the life of a born again person? Or is your life the life of someone enslaved to sin?
Other things to think about…
1. What do you think was the first thing the leper did after Jesus healed him?
2. Who told the guy in 9:18 that Jesus had power to resurrect somebody from the dead? Do you have that kind of faith?
3. The calling of Matthew--I love how God uses the weirdest people as his Apostles. Do you think you are weird, join the club; Jesus wants to use you.
4. Finally…did you notice that Jesus’ compassion for the crowds (9:35-38) is expressed as “we need more workers”. I wonder if at times the reason why we don’t have enough missionaries and pastors and counselors and teachers is because unlike Jesus, we do not have compassion for the crowds. We are to comfortable figuring out what we’re gonna buy next, that we loose our passion for Jesus and his mission. Would you pray with me that God would use us as his workers in the field? (disclaimer: God might hear your prayer and send you out as a missionary. Pray at your own risk)
Day 2
Matthew 4-6
Matthew 4 is an amazing chapter as I look at it from start to finish. Notice some important things about Jesus in it. The first thing is that He was tempted and didn't sin. Jesus was fully God and fully man at this time and He completely overcame His humanity. Jesus made the Devil look real bad. Despite the Tempters lures, Jesus stood strong and answered His enemy with the truth. First Jesus shows power over Satan!
Matthew 4 is an amazing chapter as I look at it from start to finish. Notice some important things about Jesus in it. The first thing is that He was tempted and didn't sin. Jesus was fully God and fully man at this time and He completely overcame His humanity. Jesus made the Devil look real bad. Despite the Tempters lures, Jesus stood strong and answered His enemy with the truth. First Jesus shows power over Satan!
Next, after Jesus changed geographical addresses to fulfill Scripture, His message was clear and concise. Repent the Kingdom God
Next, Jesus calls men to be His disciples. His call to follow is short and direct and the result is effective. Peter, Andrew, James, and John follow Christ without hesitation. There is no sign of consultation with anyone. They were pulled by a supernatural force and dropped their nets to follow Jesus. I admire that faith that makes little sense to other people. Why wouldn't they follow Jesus? After all He is God. Jesus shows power over man.
Lastly, Jesus heals all kinds of diseases and physical ailments. He proclaimed the gospel and healed people throughout Galilee
Day 1
Matthew 1-3
Chasing99 is a way that we can read through God's word on a set schedule with other people all over the world. For the next 99 days, we will be on course to read through the New Testament. My hope is for all that takes the challenge it will alter the way we live for Christ. So, here we go with this 99 day journey.
When looking at the beginning of Matthew, one may see the obedience of many people. Obedience is such an important aspect of a Christian’s life. Whether it’s obedience to authority, to the Holy Spirit, or to the Word of God, one has to be committed to submitting to the commands of others. Jesus is the ultimate example of obedience. In Romans 5:19 God says, “For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” So, obedience for the Christian is not an option or something to take lightly. Let’s look at the obedience of the characters in the first few chapters of Matthew.
Chasing99 is a way that we can read through God's word on a set schedule with other people all over the world. For the next 99 days, we will be on course to read through the New Testament. My hope is for all that takes the challenge it will alter the way we live for Christ. So, here we go with this 99 day journey.
When looking at the beginning of Matthew, one may see the obedience of many people. Obedience is such an important aspect of a Christian’s life. Whether it’s obedience to authority, to the Holy Spirit, or to the Word of God, one has to be committed to submitting to the commands of others. Jesus is the ultimate example of obedience. In Romans 5:19 God says, “For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” So, obedience for the Christian is not an option or something to take lightly. Let’s look at the obedience of the characters in the first few chapters of Matthew.
First, Joseph submitted to God in doing the right thing when he had perfect recourse to do the exact opposite. Matthew 1:20 says that an angel of the Lord told him that what appeared to be with Mary was not the case at all. Mary was carrying a unique child, the Messiah. Joseph’s response to the angel was immediate obedience. Even delayed obedience is not the same as immediate obedience. Joseph did as he was commanded as soon as he could possible do it. I do realize that there are many other examples of obedience before Joseph in the genealogy of Jesus, but for sake of time they must be omitted from this entry.
Next, the Magi are an interesting group of characters. There is not a great deal of information on the Magi. We know they were into astronomy because they noticed the strange appearance of a star and followed it. When confronted with the dilemma of obeying the king or God, they chose God. It’s always better to chose God over authority when they conflict. Make sure you understand what I'm saying here. Only when there is a conflict between man's law and God's word, do we choose God over man. All other times we are to respect all earthly authority.
Obedience is to a Christian as water is to an ocean. It's absolutely essential. Pray, Read, Think, Write, and Do. These are the basis of our relationship with Christ. The last is do or obedience. As God lays something on your heart from His word, be obedient and do what He asks. His way is always best! For the next 99 days be a doer of God's word and not just a hearer.
Have a great day.
Am I that guy?
WOW...I never thought I would be "that guy." That guy who has a blog. This is completely new territory here. My thought for it is to implement it for our student ministry Souled Out, which is from Metro West Baptist Church in Wellesley MA. My desire is to see middle and high school students as well as college students to have a meaningful, deep and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. A touch from the maker of the universe, Jesus Christ, will change your life! He has changed mine in a real and dramatic way and I want to see the same change in students all over the world. Ok, I can't do a thing, but Jesus can and will. John 15:5 say, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." So really, I can do nothing apart from Him. I believe Christ can take even "that guy" and do great things. I can't change the world, but He can. He will work on you and do amazing things when you lay it all down for Him. Here we go.
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