Tuesday, January 31, 2023 6:43 PM GMT+1 |
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Andrew Wommack Daily Devotional for 2023
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Tuesday, February 28, 2023 More Than Just Words Matthew 5:33, 'But let your communication be, Yea, yea: Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.' MATTHEW 5:33-37 A person who has to swear or make a promise to validate his statements is a person whose word is no good. The thrust of Jesus' teaching here is that we should live in such a manner that no one would ever have to have additional proof that we are telling the truth. Our word should be our bond. We have all heard the story of the young shepherd boy who cried wolf when there was no wolf until finally no one believed him when the wolf really came. Our lack of...More Monday, February 27, 2023 Commandments Lead To Happiness Matthew 5:32, 'But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, save for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.' MATTHEW 5:31-32 God's commandments are not intended to make us miserable--they're meant for our own happiness. Satan's lie in the Garden of Eden caused Eve to question God's motives behind His command (Genesis 3:5). Malachi 2:15 says God hates divorce. God doesn't hate the people who divorce. He hates the act of divorce because of the damage it does to people. God loves...More Sunday, February 26, 2023 Spiritual Fitness Matthew 5:29, 'And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell.' MATTHEW 5:23-30 Is Jesus advocating dismembering of our bodies? Quite the contrary. He is drawing on the universal drive within every person of self preservation to make a point. If you value your body highly enough that you would never sacrifice one of its parts, then you should esteem your spiritual well being much higher. Ever since the fall of Adam and Eve, man's...More Saturday, February 25, 2023 The Best Sinner Matthew 5:20, 'For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.' MATTHEW 5:17-22 What did Jesus mean? Since the Pharisees fasted twice each week, does this mean we have to fast three times each week? Since they paid tithes on everything including spices, does this mean that anyone who fails to tithe is doomed to hell? No! Definitely not. The Pharisees' righteousness was based on their actions. Jesus is advocating a righteousness that is based on faith in what He did...More Friday, February 24, 2023 Salt Shakers Matthew 5:13, 'Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.' MATTHEW 5:13-16 What is it that will be cast out and trodden under foot of men? Is it the salt, or is it possible that Jesus is speaking about the world? If we as believers lose our preserving influence, then there is no other way for the Lord to save the world. It will be dominated by men. God flows through His people. It is not our own power that changes people. It's God's power...More Thursday, February 23, 2023 He Will Share His Reward Matthew 5:12, 'Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.' MATTHEW 5:10-12 Jesus is saying that persecution should actually cause us to rejoice. There are many positive things about persecution but one of the best reasons to rejoice is because of the reward awaiting us in heaven. Jesus takes the persecution of His saints very seriously as can be seen during the Damascus road experience of the apostle Paul. The Lord asked Paul (then Saul), 'Why are you persecuting me?' (Acts 9:4) He didn't say, 'Why...More Wednesday, February 22, 2023 Only The Hungry Are Fed Matthew 5:6, 'Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.' MATTHEW 5:1-9 In the natural world, people eat even when they aren't hungry. Many of us can prove that by turning sideways and looking at ourselves in the mirror. But in the spiritual realm, only those who are hungry can get fed. One of the worst things that can happen to us is spiritual complacency. Being hungry for the things of God is one of the best things that can happen to us. Most people don't feel that way. They would rather have the feeling of being full. But Jesus...More Tuesday, February 21, 2023 At Thy Word Luke 5:5, 'And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.' LUKE 5:1-11 Peter and his companions had been working hard all night. Their efforts had not produced even one fish. They had given up and were headed home. But Jesus told them to try it just one more time. It would have been easy for Peter to reject Jesus' command. After all, Peter had been a fisherman all his life. Jesus was just a preacher. What did He know about fishing? Yet something, or rather someone, caused Peter to try...More Monday, February 20, 2023 Drawn By His Power Mark 1:37, 'And when they had found him, they said unto him, All [men] seek for thee.' MK. 1:35-39; LK. 4:42-44 This is an amazing statement. Jesus' ministry was only a few months old and the masses of people were already seeking him out. This is even more astonishing when you realize that Jesus had not used any of the conventional methods of publicity. In fact, Jesus had already rejected publicity during His first ministry in Jerusalem (Jn. 2:24-25). There was no natural explanation for Jesus' success. God is the one who promoted Jesus. And He used supernatural means to do...More Sunday, February 19, 2023 Ministry In Action Mk. 1:31, 'And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.' MT. 8:14-17; MK. 1:29-34; LK. 4:38-41 How did Peter's mother-in-law minister unto Jesus and His disciples? Did she sit them down and preach to them? Certainly not. Yet sometimes people think the only way we can minister to another is to admonish them with the scriptures. Peter's mother-in-law apparently ministered to them by serving them. The word translated 'minister' is the same word that was translated 'deacon' twice in the New Testament, and 'serve,...More Saturday, February 18, 2023 Demons In Church Mark 1:23, 'And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out;....' MK. 1:21-28; LK. 4:33-37 Many people don't associate demon possessed people with places of worship. Yet most of the demons that Jesus cast out were encountered in the church. Why would demon possessed people be in church? In some cases, the people were there because they were seeking help. The church, like a hospital, offers people the cure and therefore, attracts those who are sick. In other cases, the devil sows these types of people in the church to spread spiritual disease....More Friday, February 17, 2023 The Chosen Ones Mark 1:16, 'Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.' MT. 4:13-22; MK. 1:16-20; LK. 5:27; JN. 5:38 Jesus never chose an apostle from among the religious system. Every one of his twelve disciples were men that He chose from the secular world. It wasn't because God didn't have faith in those who were religious. It's just that most of those who were part of the religious system didn't have any faith in God. One of the most common mistakes religious people make is to put faith in themselves. They think...More Thursday, February 16, 2023 Familiarity Breeds Contempt Luke 4:24, 'And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.' LUKE 4:16-30 A modern day equivalent of this verse is 'familiarity breeds contempt.' Those who know the most about us also know more of our faults than anyone else. As a general rule, our weaknesses will blind most people to our strengths. However, in the case of Jesus, there were no faults or failures to bias these people. In this instance, the problem stemmed from the people's lack of perception. They knew Jesus better than most in the flesh, but they had failed to see who He was in the...More Wednesday, February 15, 2023 Our Debts Have Been Cancelled Luke 4:19, 'To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.' LUKE 4:16-30 This scripture had been written prophetically by the prophet Isaiah about 650 years prior to this time. It was read in Jewish synagogues thousands of times. But the one this verse was speaking of had never spoken it before. With this pronouncement, Jesus began the year of Jubilee. The Year of Jubilee was described in Leviticus 25. It was a year when everyone left their fields unworked and kept a sabbath unto the Lord. The Lord gave the people a miraculous provision the year before this jubilee started that...More Tuesday, February 14, 2023 God's Word Has No Limits John 4:50, 'Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.' JOHN 4:46-54 Jesus didn't have to touch the child. He didn't have to send anything home with the father to affect the cure. All He did was speak and the son was instantly healed (v. 53). This man had traveled over fifteen miles from Capernaum to Cana to find Jesus. Therefore, the son was not within 'earshot' so that Jesus' words sparked some cord of hope in his heart, thereby releasing God's power. No, Jesus' spoken word had so much power...More Monday, February 13, 2023 Spiritual Food John 4:32, 'But he saith unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.' JOHN 4:27-46 Food is essential for life. Without it we couldn't grow. We get strength and vitality from food. Yet food can kill us. Improper diets kill more people than any disease. Our soul needs nourishment too. The things we think on and the desires that we have are food to our souls. Jesus said, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God' (Mat. 4:4). Jesus valued spiritual nourishment more than He valued physical nourishment. He was thrilled to...More Sunday, February 12, 2023 Worship Him In Spirit John 4:24, 'God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.' JOHN 4:4-26 Man dwells primarily in the physical and emotional realm, but God is a Spirit (1 Sam. 16:7). To have true fellowship with God, we have to relate to God on the spiritual level. In order to make this possible, God changed our spirit. At salvation, our spirit became totally new (2 Cor. 5:17). It is now righteous and truly holy (Eph. 4:24). It is now exactly the way Jesus is, because our born again spirit is the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Jn. 4:17; 1 Cor. 6:17; Rom....More Saturday, February 11, 2023 God Looks Inside John 4:19, 'The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.' JOHN 4:4-26 This didn't take any great discernment on the woman's part. Jesus had just 'read her mail'. He told her the most intimate details of her life. Anyone could have perceived Jesus was a prophet after something like that. This woman suddenly realized that she was dealing with more than just a man. God was speaking to her. What was her reaction? She changed the subject. She brought up a doctrinal issue concerning the proper place to worship--anything to get Jesus' attention off of her. We...More Friday, February 10, 2023 Thirsty? John 4:14, 'But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.' JOHN 4:4-26 Jesus painted a beautiful picture of salvation in this passage. The salvation Jesus brings is like an artesian spring which doesn't have to be pumped. It bubbles up constantly. Unfortunately, not every Christian's experience matches Jesus' description. Many people relate more to an old pump which has to be pumped and pumped. Just as a trickle of water comes, they have to rest. They...More Thursday, February 9, 2023 God Is The Greatest Giver John 4:10, 'Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.' JOHN 4:10 Jesus asked this woman for a drink of water, but it wasn't water He was interested in. He wanted to give this woman eternal life. God is the greatest giver there ever was. He lives to give. When He asks something of us we can be assured that it is only so He can multiply it and give it back to us. God is not interested in the water we can give Him. We don't...More Wednesday, February 8, 2023 He Left Judaea John 4:1,3, 'When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized disciples more than John...He left Judaea.' MT. 4:12; MK. 1:14; JN. 4:1-3 This is an interesting passage of scripture. On the surface, it might look like Jesus was running from a fight. Now that John the Baptist was out of the way (he had been imprisoned), it was inevitable that the Pharisees would attack Jesus. One thing we can be sure of is that there was no fear on our Lord's part. On other occasions He demonstrated that no one could do anything to Him if He didn't allow it (Lk....More Tuesday, February 7, 2023 God's Idea Of Greatness Luke 3:20, '....he shut up John in prison.' MT. 4:12; MK. 1:14, 17-18; LK. 3:19-20; JN. 4:1-3 John spent 30 years preparing for a six month ministry, followed by one and a half years in prison before he was beheaded. Many people would not consider his life very successful, yet Jesus said John was the greatest man who was ever born (Mt. 11:11). John's greatness didn't lie in his own success, but in the success of another. John stirred up the hearts of an entire nation in expectancy of their Messiah. The ministry of Jesus owed much of its success to the work of John. John had prepared a...More Monday, February 6, 2023 Humility Before Honor John 3:30, 'He must increase, but I [must] decrease.' JOHN 3:22-36 John the Baptist had spent 30 years in preparation for his ministry. He didn't enjoy the normal benefits of childhood or adolescence. He lived out in the deserts separated unto God instead (Lk. 1:80). For approximately six months, he enjoyed success in his ministry like no other man ever had. He started preaching in the wilderness--not the centers of commerce. Still the multitudes flocked to him. He became the most influential man in Israel and even shot the hearts of Roman rulers. Everything was going John's...More |
Saturday, February 4, 2023 The Born Again Experience John 3:10, 'Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?' JOHN 3:1-21 The Greek word translated 'master' here actually means, 'an instructor, doctor, teacher'. Nicodemus was a very educated man in religious matters, yet he didn't have the slightest idea what Jesus was talking about. Nicodemus' relationship with God had all been academic. He knew a lot about God, but he didn't know God personally. Jesus had a union with God that was unique and Nicodemus was intrigued. God was Jesus' father. This was foreign to Nicodemus. Jesus...More Friday, February 3, 2023 He Uses The Usable John 2:24, 'But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all [men].' JOHN 2:18-25 This was the first time Jesus had ministered in Jerusalem. Multitudes believed on Him when they saw the miracles He performed (v. 23). This looked like a perfect opportunity for Jesus to take these people and use them to spread the news far and wide that He was the Christ. Instead Jesus did just the opposite. He didn't want people proclaiming His gospel in their own ability. This reveals an attitude of Jesus which is lacking among many Christians today. Jesus is more concerned with...More Thursday, February 2, 2023 There Is A Righteous Anger. John 2:15, 'And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables.' JOHN 2:12-14 Jesus brought the message of 'love your enemies' to the world and demonstrated it in such a way that some people have forgotten instances like this when Jesus showed anger. Anger can also be a godly emotion. Ephesians 4:26, tells us to 'be angry and sin not'. This means there is a righteous type of anger which is not sin. This is why we are told to hate evil (Ps. 45:7; 119:104, 163; Pro. 8:13;...More Wednesday, February 1, 2023 God Is Not Cheap! John 2:6, 'And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.' JOHN 2:1-11 God has been represented as a God who is on a tight budget and who disapproves of us asking for anything more than just the necessities. However, this first miracle of Jesus disproves that. Scholars suggest that a firkin was equal to about nine U.S. gallons. This would mean that six of these water pots would hold 162 gallons of wine. That's a lot of wine! In a similar instance when Jesus was asked to provide food for...More Tuesday, January 31, 2023 God's Peace Luke 10:5 - 'And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.' LUKE 10:5 Peace is the result of casting our care upon the Lord through prayer and thanksgiving. However, many people are asking God to give them peace so that their cares will leave. It doesn't work that way. Through faith we cast our cares on the Lord, and then God's peace comes. Christians who are lacking God's peace have not taken their cares to the Lord and left them there. All Christians have peace. It is a fruit of the Spirit that is always present in our born-again spirits. Cares will blind us to God's...More Monday, January 30, 2023 Sharing God's Love Luke 10:2 - 'Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.' LUKE 10:2 It is commonly thought that an evangelist is someone who has a passion to lead people to the Lord. But every believer should have a passion for souls. When presenting the Gospel, we are not just presenting a theory about God but the factual account of God's dealings with man as revealed through His Word, with the ultimate witness being the bodily resurrection of Jesus. Our personal witness of...More Sunday, January 29, 2023 Do What He Says John 2:5, 'His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do [it].' JOHN 2:1-11 Mary knew Jesus as no one else did at this point. The Bible supplies no details of the childhood of Jesus except his trip to Jerusalem at twelve years of age, but it is certain that Mary knew Jesus was no ordinary man. Her request of Jesus to provide the guests with more wine reflects her belief that He could do things others could not. Her instructions to the servants were, 'Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.' This shows that she not only knew Jesus could work miracles, but she knew...More Saturday, January 28, 2023 Settling Our Doubts John 1:46, 'And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.' JOHN 1:43-51 Nathanael suffered from a skepticism that afflicts many people today. However, it is to his credit that he came to the Lord and gave Him a chance to prove who He was. We can only speculate what it was that Jesus saw Nathanael doing under that fig tree (v. 50), but it is very clear that it was something that proved beyond a doubt that Jesus was the Christ. Jesus didn't rebuke Nathanael for his doubts, instead he removed them....More Friday, January 27, 2023 Sharing Our Faith John 1:41, 'He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.' JOHN 1:37-42 Andrew was the first disciple of Jesus to share his faith and bring another to Christ. And look who it was that he brought. Peter became one of the greatest apostles of Jesus. He preached on the day of Pentecost and saw 3,000 born again. He healed a lame man at the gate of the temple and 5,000 were born again as a result. He raised Dorcas from the dead, introduced Christianity to the Gentiles, and wrote two books of the Bible which...More Thursday, January 26, 2023 Knowing God's Plan John 1:23, 'He said, I [am] the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.' JOHN 1:19-36 John knew who he was and what he was called to do. This was one of the keys to his success. Unlike most of us, John did not have an identity crisis growing up. He knew God's plan and purpose for his life from the beginning and he spent his entire life preparing for it. God has a plan for your life just as surely as he did for John the Baptist. To succeed in life, you must find God's plan for your life and then devote yourself to...More Wednesday, January 25, 2023 Satan's Power Is Limited Luke 4:13, 'And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.' MT. 4:1-11; MK. 1:12-13; LK. 4:1-13 The wording of this verse implies that Satan exhausted his arsenal of temptations on Jesus and then had to leave. We have mistakenly given Satan too much credit. He does not have a limitless number of temptations that he can pull on us. As 1 Jn. 2:16 says, there are three areas where the devil tempts us: (1) the lust of the flesh, (2) the lust of the eyes, and (3) the pride of life. Jesus' three temptations correspond to these. By ascribing to...More Tuesday, January 24, 2023 The Weapon Of The Word Luke 4:4, 'And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.' MT. 4:1-11; MK. 1:12-13; LK. 4:1-13 Jesus answered every temptation with, 'It is written.' The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17). It is the only offensive spiritual weapon that we have. Since Jesus was the Word of God (Jn. 1:1), anything he would have spoken would have been the Word. He could have said 'scat' and the devil would have had to go, yet He quoted the written Word of God three times. This gives us great assurance that the...More Monday, January 23, 2023 Knowing Who We Are Matthew 4:3, 'And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.' MT. 4:1-11; MK. 1:12-13; LK. 4:1-13 Two of Satan's three temptations began with the words, 'If you be the Son of God.' Jesus was God, but he did have a human body that had to grow in the knowledge and wisdom of God (Jn. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:16; Lk. 2:52). It took faith for the physical mind of Jesus to believe the witness of the Spirit within Him that he was the Messiah. Satan was attacking the most basic of His beliefs. This must have been a temptation to Jesus or...More Sunday, January 22, 2023 A Greater Humility Matthew 3:14, 'But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?' MT. 3:13-17; MK. 1:9-11; LK. 3:21-23 John the Baptist was overwhelmed that Jesus was asking to be baptized by him. John had already declared himself unworthy to unloose the latchet of the Christ's shoes, and now the Christ was asking him to administer His baptism (Lk. 3:16). Likewise, we are often overwhelmed by the idea that the Lord could use us. Who are we to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ? It is easy to disqualify ourselves and not fulfill God's instructions....More Saturday, January 21, 2023 The Ministry Of John The Baptist Matthew 3:1, 'In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea.' MT. 3:1-12; MK. 1:1-8; LK. 3:1-18 These scriptures record the ministry of John the Baptist. He spent thirty years in the deserts of Judaea preparing for this ministry. Then it only lasted about six months before He baptized Jesus and men started following the Messiah. Yet in those brief six months He turned an entire nation to God. He did not take the normal approach and go where the people were. He was out in the wilderness and the people came to him. He had no advertisements other than the...More Friday, January 20, 2023 He Became Like Us Luke 2:52, 'And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.' LUKE 2:52 How could it be that Jesus, who was God (Jn. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:16), and in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, increased in wisdom? (Col. 2:3) God is a Spirit (Jn. 4:24). Jesus, as God, had existed as a Spirit forever. When He came to the earth as Jesus, he was Lord at birth, but that was in His Spirit (Lk. 2:11). His Spirit didn't have to grow or increase in wisdom but His physical body did. The Lord could have done things differently, but He...More Thursday, January 19, 2023 Jesus Prepared Himself LUKE 2:46, 'And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.' LUKE 2:41-51 This is the only scriptural record of Jesus' childhood. Yet there is much that we can learn from this brief account. At twelve years of age, Jesus' wisdom astounded the men who had spent a lifetime studying the scriptures (v. 47). Remember that Jesus did not have full time access to a copy of the scriptures like we do today. He had to depend on His visits to the synagogue and the direct revelation...More Wednesday, January 18, 2023 Spiritual Warfare MATTHEW 2:16, 'Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.' MATTHEW 2:16-23 Satan was the real motivator of Herod's actions. Ever since the Lord first prophesied that a man would bruise his head, Satan has been seeking out this 'seed' of the woman (Gen. 3:15). It appears that Satan is able to perceive when the Lord is making a major move in the earth....More Tuesday, January 17, 2023 Herod's Folly Mt. 2:13, '...for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.' MATTHEW 2:13-15 Herod had ruled over Judaea for nearly forty three years at the time of these events. He had the title of King conferred on him by the Roman senate at the recommendation of Antony and Octavius. His accomplishments included the building of the temple in Jerusalem which was one of the most magnificent structures in the world. Most people would have thought that Herod had it 'made'. However, history reveals that Herod was extremely paranoid. He actually killed his wife and one of his sons because he feared...More Monday, January 16, 2023 Believe The Word Matthew 2:1, 'Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem.' MATTHEW 2:1-12 How could this be? The greatest event in the history of God's dealings with mankind was taking place and the leaders of God's people didn't even know about it. Foreigners who were unfamiliar with the covenants of God perceived what God was doing more than His own chosen people! (Eph. 2:12) The apparent answer to this is that these Persian wise men were more in tune to the prophecies of scripture than the Jews were. Daniel...More Sunday, January 15, 2023 God's Choice Luke 2:37, 'And she [was] a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served [God] with fastings and prayers night and day.' LUKE 2:36-40 Let's suppose that Anna was fourteen years old when she married. She would have been 105 years old. Yet she was still fasting and praying night and day! Satan tries to convince us that God won't use us. He may cite things like age or lack of abilities, or failures that we've had. But just like Anna, there are many scriptural examples of the Lord using those who would be considered unusable by worldly...More Saturday, January 14, 2023 Revelation Knowledge Luke 2:26, 'And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.' LUKE 2:25-35 Simeon didn't receive this knowledge through the normal method of learning. This knowledge was revealed to him directly from the Holy Spirit. This revelation knowledge which comes only from God is distinctly different than knowledge acquired through study. Man's knowledge is based on observation. It cannot give perfect instruction about the future. God's knowledge can. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit we can know things to come (Jn....More Friday, January 13, 2023 God Looks For Availability Luke 2:24, 'And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.' LUKE 2:21-24 The Old Testament passage being quoted is from Lev. 12:6-8. There the Lord commanded a lamb and a young pigeon or a turtledove as the prescribed sacrifice. If the woman was unable to offer a lamb, then two young pigeons or two turtledoves were acceptable. Mary would not have offered the lesser offering if it had been in her power to provide the lamb. This reveals that Joseph and Mary were not well off financially, yet the Lord chose...More |
Thursday, January 12, 2023 Peace With God Luke 2:14, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.' LUKE 2:8-20 In another instance, Jesus said He did not come to send peace on the earth, but a sword. Then He prophesied that those who received Him would experience persecution, even from their own family (Mt. 10:34-36). How do these verses fit together? The peace the angels were singing about was not a peace between men; they were rejoicing that there would be peace between God and man. When Jesus prophesied division and war in Matthew 10, he was speaking of relationships between...More Wednesday, January 11, 2023 He Was Born A Savior Luke 2:11, 'For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.' LUKE 2:8-20 Jesus did not grow into being Lord and Saviour. He was born that way. Jesus was God manifest in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:16). What a great mystery! How could Almighty God limit Himself to the form of a man? And even if He did that, how could he possibly start as a baby? These questions defy human ability to fully understand. At the dedication of the first temple, Solomon said, 'But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of...More Tuesday, January 10, 2023 God Desires Faith Luke 2:7, 'And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.' LUKE 2:1-7 What an amazing account! God Almighty was born of a virgin and placed in a feeding trough in a stable. Who would ever expect the Creator of the universe to make His entrance into the world in such a humble fashion? Men always seek to proclaim their glory as far and wide as possible. Yet here is the only one who really has any glory to proclaim, and He comes humbly. It wasn't because He didn't have the power to do...More Monday, January 9, 2023 Joseph Was A Man Of Faith Matthew 1:24, 'Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife.' MATTHEW 1:18-24 Much attention is given to Mary and her piety, but Joseph was quite a man of faith, too. Verse 18 says that Mary was 'found' with child, implying that the pregnancy was observed by Joseph, not explained to him by Mary. And this was after Mary had been away visiting Elisabeth for three months! (Lk. 1:56) Certainly Joseph was tempted with the same thoughts that you or I would have been. How could she expect him to believe that this was a virgin...More Sunday, January 8, 2023 Desert Training Luke 1:80, 'And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.' LUKE 1:57-80 John the Baptist had the most important job assignment ever given to any mortal in the history of the world. He was to prepare the way for the coming of the long awaited Messiah (v. 76). How did the Lord prepare John for such an important task? What university could teach him all he needed to know? Who offered a course in becoming the greatest prophet who ever lived? (Mt. 11:11) Of course, no one could prepare John for such an important position, so...More Saturday, January 7, 2023 Choosing Joy Luke 1:46-47, 'And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.' LUKE 1:39-56 Here, Mary makes a very clear distinction between her soul magnifying the Lord and her spirit rejoicing. Our soul is the part of us that is considered to be our personality. It is our intellect, emotions and will. Our spirit is the part that gets changed at salvation and it is always operating in 'love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance' (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 5:22-23). That's true whether our souls (feelings and emotions)...More Friday, January 6, 2023 Believers Receive Luke 1:45, 'And blessed [is] she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.' LUKE 1:39-56 There are many reasons why God's blessings don't always come to pass in a person's life, but the most frequent cause is simply unbelief on our part. There are no limitations on God's part. He is willing and able to do anything He has promised. The problem is with our believing. The Lord has given every believer faith (Rom. 12:3). It was given to us at salvation through hearing the Word of God (Eph. 2:8; Rom. 10:17). It is a fruit of the Holy...More Thursday, January 5, 2023 The Power To Serve Luke 1:41, 'And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.' LUKE 1:39-56 Upon hearing the greeting of Mary, John the Baptist leaped for joy inside his mother's womb (v. 44). A six month old fetus experienced unbridled emotion, voluntarily leaped for joy and was actually filled with the Holy Spirit. It is no coincidence that the man who was called the greatest of all Old Testament prophets by Jesus, was the only man in the Bible to be filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb...More Wednesday, January 4, 2023 Nothing Is Impossible Luke 1:37, 'For with God nothing shall be impossible.' LUKE 1:26-38 What a statement! If we just believed this, how different our lives would be! From birth we are trained to know our limitations. You can't have this. Don't touch that. Don't put things in your mouth. You can't touch the fire. On and on the list goes. As we grow up, it's actually a sign of maturity to recognize our limitations and learn to live within them. There are limits to everything. It's a fact of life. But God has no limits. When we enter into the realm of the supernatural, we have to take...More Tuesday, January 3, 2023 Knowing God's Will Is Not Enough Luke 1:34, 'Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?' LUKE 1:26-38 Contrast Mary's question and Gabriel's response with the question that Zacharias asked Gabriel and the response that he received (Luke 1:18-20). You will find the questions are similar but the responses are totally different. Both Mary and Zacharias asked how these miracles would occur but it is evident that Mary was asking 'how' in faith while Zacharias was asking 'how' in unbelief. It is a clear Bible teaching that unbelief doesn't please God (Heb. 11:6), but the Lord doesn't mind us...More Monday, January 2, 2023 Can You Believe It? Luke 1:18, 'And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.' LUKE 1:5-25 Zacharias and Elisabeth were righteous people (v. 6) who prayed for a child for many years. They felt the same disappointments and frustrations that any of us would feel and yet they kept believing God. The Lord finally answered their prayers and sent His angel to announce the good news. What was Zacharias' reaction? He couldn't believe it! The very thing that he had been praying for was granted and he doubted that it was true. In Zacharias'...More Sunday, January 1, 2023 About Genealogies Luke 3:23, 'And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.' MATTHEW 1:1-17; LUKE 3:23-38 Even the genealogies are inspired by God and profitable (2 Tim. 3:16). Matthew traces Jesus' genealogy through Joseph back to Solomon. However, there was a curse placed on one of Solomon's sons named Jechonias (Jer. 22:24-30), which Jesus avoided by being born of a virgin. Luke mentions Jesus as being the supposed son of Joseph who was the son of Heli. It was actually Mary who was the daughter of Heli. This was done in...More |
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