Matthew: Today we read about Peter’s confession of Christ in Matthew chapter 16. In verse 15 we hear Jesus ask: ““But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” And then in verse 16 Peter replies – “Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” I believe this is a question that is asked of each of us today as well. Who do you say that Jesus is? Is your answer the same answer as Peter’s? If not, will you pray to God about who Jesus truly is? Below is a fresco from 1481 by Pietro Perugino of “Christ Giving the Keys to Peter” from verse 19:
In verse 18 we read – “Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” Praise God for Jesus instituting the body of Christ, Jesus’ church! And all of the powers of hell will not conquer the body of Christ! Do you praise Jesus regularly for the church you attend? Do you pray for the ministry of your church regularly? Do you pray often for your pastors / ministers / priests? Do you pray for others that attend your church? Do you pray for those that will soon be coming to attend your church? I have to say – I absolutely love my church. I honestly cannot imagine what my life would be like without the church. I met first met Jesus thanks to the church about 6 and a half years ago. And Jesus changed my life forever. Thank God for the church! I realize that some of you may feel that some churches have some issues and so you don’t go to church at all at this time. However, I honestly do believe that we are called to be in community with others in a church – be it a big church, small church, house church, etc. – and that you really can find a great church if you search prayerfully. Trust me, they are out there! If you are not currently attending church – maybe because of bad experiences you had at another church in the past, will you pray about this with Jesus? Will you attend a different church again soon? I honestly believe it will bless you immensely to attend church again on a regular basis. Also, I am reminded of a classic line from Billy Graham – “If you ever find the perfect church, please do not join it. You’ll mess it up!” 🙂 Indeed, there are no perfect people out there, and hence no perfect churches. But let us be the church anyway! The church may be a majestic mess, but it is Majestic indeed! And I do honestly believe that the body of Christ is the “hope of the world”. Please be an active participant in this Hope.
Verses 24 – 26 are so powerful today: “”If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul?” Wow… there is so much going on in these verses… I pray they speak to you powerfully as well? Do you want to follow Jesus? Will you put aside your selfish ambition? Will you shoulder your cross? Do you know what your cross is? Are you trying to “keep your life” in any area of your life? Or, will you give up all of your life – every area – to Jesus so that you will find true life? Is there anything that this world has to offer that is worth more than your soul?
Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Matthew chapter 16 titled “Peter’s Confession and Christ’s Church” is at this link and commentary on chapter 17 titled “The Transfiguration” is at this link.
Worship God: Today’s readings in Matthew 16:24-25 about taking up our crosses and following Jesus reminded me of the beautiful song by Leeland called “Follow You:”
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture today:“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “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 will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25 NIV
Prayer Point: Pray that you are following Jesus, denying yourself and taking up your cross daily. Pray that you have lost your life for Jesus.
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Mark: Mark chapter 7 opens up with a gentile woman begging Jesus to release her daughter from the control of a demon. Verses 27 through 29 are a fascinating look at Jesus’ ministry – “Jesus told her, “First I should help my own family, the Jews. It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.” She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are given some crumbs from the children’s plates.” “Good answer!” he said. “And because you have answered so well, I have healed your daughter.” Here we see that Jesus’ ministry was initially to the Jews, but here he heals a gentile woman’s daughter because of her humility and faith. And of course as we get to the Great Commission at the end of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus’ ministry is clearly for “all nations”. In fact, Mark’s Gospel is a good indicator of how Jesus’ ministry quickly expanded beyond the Jews as Mark likely wrote this Gospel in Rome and to a primarily Roman gentile believer audience. Jeff Miller from Bible.org’s commentary on Mark chapter 7 is at this link.
Today in chapter 7 verses 32 through 34 we read – “A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him. Jesus led him to a private place away from the crowd. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then, spitting onto his own fingers, he touched the man’s tongue with the spittle. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and commanded, “Be opened!” Instantly the man could hear perfectly and speak plainly!” I love this image below based on these verses… please meditate on this image for a few moments… What do you think is going through this man’s mind at this moment? What is he experiencing?
Matthew: In Matthew chapter 16 verses 11 & 12 stood out to me today: “So again I say, `Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ ” Then at last they understood that he wasn’t speaking about yeast or bread but about the false teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” And I wonder today – are there false teachings that we should beware of today? I believe there are… and there have been times in my life where I have bought into false teaching’s. How can we know if a teacher is false? That is a great question. I would say that each of you are doing an amazing thing to help discern whether a teacher is false by reading the entire Bible. I believe the Bible to be the ultimate Truthful teaching that we can read – and thus, if you come across teachers that differ radically or go against the teachings of the Bible, you need to be wary. Don’t get me wrong – every pastor / minister / priest is going to have some different takes or views or interpretations of the Bible. By slight degrees… If there are major differences, then you should be worried. In addition to knowing the Bible relatively well, the key to discerning false teachers will be the Holy Spirit. If you are getting bad “gut feelings” (hopefully coming from the Holy Spirit) over and over again about a teacher, there might be an issue. Pray to God about this and ask for his guidance. I realize this can be a sensitive issue! I’d say don’t freak out about this and start wondering if your pastor is a false teacher…. 🙂 But, be aware. I do believe there are still false teachers out and about today unfortunately. If you ever feel like you are being confused by someone today, keep your eye on the way out of confusion through God’s Word!
Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Matthew chapter 15 titled “A Lesson in Hermeneutics” is at this link.
Worship Video: Today’s readings reminded me of Lincoln Brewster’s awesome song "Everlasting God:"
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
John: Wow… verses 28 & 29 in John chapter 6 are so beautiful and simple that I think it is easy to miss the strong meaning behind this conversation between the crowd & Jesus – “They replied, “What does God want us to do?” Jesus told them, “This is what God wants you to do: Believe in the one he has sent.”” Check out that very last sentence. This is what God wants you to do. Believe. That’s it. It’s that simple. Believe. Not give away all your money to the poor. Not do thousands of good deeds. Not become a perfect person over night. Just believe. Believe. Yeah, okay, maybe God will ask you to give away some money and do good and become better person after you believe… 🙂 But the key is first and foremost to Believe. Do you Believe in Jesus, the One whom God sent?
And verse 35 is so powerful as well – “Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again. Those who believe in me will never thirst.” Jesus saying he is the bread of life is similar to him saying he is the Door or the Vine. Bread is a beautiful metaphor that Jesus supplies divine nourishment to us spiritually. For me, this verse also reminds me of The Lord’s Supper in our churches today.
Okay, so John chapter 6 verses 53 through 58 are some verses that get interpreted several different ways – some saying these verses speak of the Lord’s Supper and some saying they speak only of faith in Jesus because the Lord’s Supper had not yet been instituted by Jesus at this time. I think the key for us to focus on is that Jesus is our nourishment – our literal spiritual food if we have faith in him. It is interesting to note that many disciples turned away from Jesus after this teaching. I love Peter’s reply to Jesus in verses 68 & 69 after Jesus asks if the Twelve will leave too – “Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You alone have the words that give eternal life. We believe them, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”” True words indeed Peter. True words indeed. If not Jesus, to whom would you go? Does anyone else have the words that give eternal life?
Bible.org’s commentary on our John chapter 6 readings today titled “The Bread of Life” is at this link.
Mark: How very interesting that today’s readings in Mark are about “Clean and Unclean” – based on all of our Leviticus readings recently about this subject. Today we read about Jesus confronting the Pharisees about their “own traditions”. I read in NIV Study Bible and OYB Companion commentaries that after the Babylonian exile (we’ll read about this late this year in the One Year Bible), Jewish rabbis began to make meticulous rules and regulations governing the daily life of people. And that these rules were added to God’s law and essentially elevated to the same sacred status by the Pharisees. In 200 A.D. these traditions of the elders were put into writing in the Mishnah. I think what Jesus gets at here in this chapter is that the Pharisees were allowing the “rules & regs” to overshadow the spirit of God’s law. They were not honoring their parents because of the practice of Corban – giving $ to the temple. Which is a good thing… but at the expense of a great thing of caring for your parents? I know we all could probably go round and round on what is the greatest good – how should we spend our time and our money and our lives. I like that Jesus basically takes us to the heart. What is the heart of the matter? No matter what the matter is – taking care of your parents, giving to your church, following God’s laws, receiving God’s grace – what is the heart of the matter? One thing that I have been so blessed to learn over the past few years is that the condition of our hearts matters. Immensely. The motives of why we do something – anything – matters. Immensely. We are called in Proverbs to “guard our hearts, for it is the wellspring of life.” If we do not care for the state of our hearts, we can become very regimented or insensitive in our thinking and doing. We might even get to the point in verse 8 of this chapter where Jesus quotes from Isaiah – “`These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away.” How is the state of your heart today? Is it close to God?
Jesus continues to speak about the importance of what is in our hearts in verses 20-23 today – “It is the thought-life that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you and make you unacceptable to God.” I think this takes us back again to the Sermon on the Mount – where Jesus teaches us in one example that yes, it is wrong to commit adultery. But, if you commit adultery in your heart, it is just as wrong. Because if you commit adultery in the heart, you have essentially defiled your own heart. And from the heart could come the actual act of committing adultery – which would then shatter several lives. But it all starts in the heart…. So – the good news? Jesus can heal our hearts! Jesus is in the business of heart-healing! Maybe in your life, you might need to refocus a little bit less on some external actions and start focusing on the state of your heart? Maybe by focusing on what’s going no inside your heart, the external actions will ultimately change? Maybe allow Jesus to heal your heart – and then your external life will be healed as well? I’m not sure you can go about this the other way – trying to work from the outside back in… I think you may need to start on the inside first and work your way out. But don’t do this alone – let Jesus walk this healing path with you.
Matthew: In Matthew chapter 15 today we read about Jesus confronting the Pharisees on their “age-old traditions.” I read in Zondervan’s & Tyndale’s commentaries that after the Babylonian exile (we’ll read about the exile late this year in the One Year Bible), Jewish rabbis began to make meticulous rules and regulations governing the daily life of people. And that these rules were added to God’s law and were essentially elevated to the same sacred status by the Pharisees. In 200 A.D. these traditions of the elders were put into writing in the Mishnah. I think what Jesus gets at here in this chapter is that the Pharisees were allowing the “rules & regulations” to overshadow the spirit of God’s law. They were not honoring their parents because of the practice of Corban – giving $ to the temple. Which, giving $ to the temple is a good thing… but at the expense of the great thing of caring for your parents? I know we all could probably go round and round on what is the greatest good – how should we spend our time and our money and our lives. I like that Jesus basically takes it to the heart. What is the heart of the matter? No matter what the matter is – taking care of your parents, giving to your church, obediently following God’s will, receiving God’s grace – what is the heart of the matter? One thing that I have been so blessed to learn over the past few years is that the condition of our hearts matters. Immensely. The motives of why we do something – anything – matters. Immensely. We are called in Proverbs to “guard our hearts, for it is the wellspring of life.” If we do not care for the state of our hearts, we can become very regimented or insensitive in our thinking and doing. We might even get to the point in verse 8 of this chapter where Jesus quotes from Isaiah: “`These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away.” How is the state of your heart today? Is it close to God? Does your heart yearn for Jesus?
Jesus continues to speak about the importance of what is in our hearts in verses 18-20 today: “But evil words come from an evil heart and defile the person who says them. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all other sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These are what defile you.” I think this takes us back again to the Sermon on the Mount – where Jesus teaches us in one example that yes, it is wrong to commit adultery. But, if you commit adultery in your heart, it is just as wrong. Because if you commit adultery in the heart, you have defiled your own heart. And from the heart could come the actual act of committing adultery – which would then shatter several lives. But it all starts in the heart…. So – the good news? Jesus can heal our hearts! Jesus is in the business of heart-healing! Maybe in your life, you might need to refocus from some external actions and start focusing on the state of your heart? Maybe by focusing on what’s going on inside your heart, the external actions will ultimately change? Maybe allow Jesus to heal your heart – and then your external life will be healed as well? I’m not sure you can go about this the other way – trying to work from the outside back in… I think you need to start on the inside first and work your way out. But don’t do this alone – let Jesus walk this healing path with you. Let Jesus tattoo your heart with his healing love! (very interesting name of the theater in the image below, based on our Genesis readings today… 🙂
Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Matthew chapter 15 titled “Jesus and the Traditions of the Elders” is at this link and “The Faith of a Canaanite Woman” is at this link.
Worship Video: Today’s readings reminds me of the fantastic Matthew West song “More!”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Matthew: Today we read about the beheading of John the Baptist. I found this painting below by the Italian artist Caravaggio from the year 1610 titled “Salome with the Head of St. John the Baptist.” I almost hesitated to post this painting up, but I think it’s worth us considering. This is what happened to the man who proclaimed Jesus’ ministry was coming. This is what happened to the man who baptized Jesus in the Jordan. And of course this brutality pales in comparison to what Jesus went through on the road to Golgotha. This painting below and thinking about Jesus’ passion, suffering, and death just made me think that sometimes following God does not lead strictly to “health and wealth.” But sometimes truly following God leads to suffering and poverty. But – and here’s the key but – it also leads to eternal life! So, no, perhaps many/most/all of us will not go through what John went through in today’s readings or in this painting below. But you know what, if we are truly following God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, I think we need to realize that this type of thing can happen. But if this type of thing happens while pursuing and loving Jesus with all that you are, then it’s of course worth it because Jesus will raise you up on the other side!
In Matthew chapter 14 today we read about two miracles – Jesus feeding the 5,000 (or really 10,000 to 15,000 counting men, women & children – Matthew just counted men, as his Gospel was written to a Jewish audience, which had men eat separately from women and children at that time/place) and Jesus walking on water. While these 2 miracles are amazing and again confirming that Jesus is God – a couple of other things stood out me. First was verse 23: “Afterward he went up into the hills by himself to pray.” If Jesus did this – do you think we should do the same? How often do we get away from the “crowds” or even the “disciples” or loved ones in our life to be by ourselves and pray? Do you do this at least for a few minutes each day? Do you do this for longer periods of time too?
Verses 29 & 30 also stood out to me today: “All right, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.” These verses made me wonder in our own lives – Are there times or areas our lives where Jesus has said, “Come”, and we’ve moved forward in faith. But then – the waves came… the challenges came… the doubts came… the insults came…. and we started to waver in our faith? Maybe we got scared – and started to sink? Well – I do admire that Peter did cry out to Jesus to save him in this situation – and we then get the reassuring verse 31: “Instantly Jesus reached out his hand and grabbed him.” If you feel like there are some areas in your life where you are sinking – will you cry out to Jesus to save you? Do you believe he will instantly reach out his hand and grab you?
Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Matthew chapter 14 titled “The Feeding of the Five Thousand” is at this link.
Mark: Today we read in Mark Chapter 6 verse 46: “Afterward he (Jesus) went up into the hills by himself to pray.” What a beautiful verse for each of us to meditate upon! Jesus went by himself to pray to God. It is interesting to note that this took place just after Jesus fed the 5,000. Jesus had been working hard – he is God and yet he still felt the call to pray to the Father. I think this verse is such a great reminder that you and I need to follow Jesus’ example in this verse. And we’re so not God! 🙂 So, think about how much more crucial it is for us to pray. Jesus knew that God was his source of strength. His comfort. His wisdom. And prayer was the one sure fire way for Jesus to really connect and spend time with God. How is your prayer life these days? Are you finding a good amount of time each day to be by yourself and pray? If not, can you schedule this time into your calendar each day?
Worship Video: Today’s readings in Mark 6 about Jesus praying and Psalm 40 about David praying reminded me of the Casting Crowns song “What If His People Prayed.” Here’s a great live version:
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Matthew: In Matthew chapter 9 we read about Jesus healing in response to people’s faith. It is amazing to remember that the Old Testament prophet Isaiah predicted these types of healings would take place in the Messianic age. Check out Isaiah chapter 35 verses 5 & 6: “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.” This image below of the woman reaching for Jesus’ tassels from today’s readings is one of my favorite images of faith. Have you ever reached out in faith to Jesus like this woman did?
Verses 37 & 38 are so powerful in today’s readings: “He said to his disciples, “The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send out more workers for his fields.” I think each of us can reflect on this teaching from Jesus. Do you agree with Jesus that the harvest is so great? And the workers are few? Will you pray to God for more workers for his kingdom work? Are you one of God’s workers in his kingdom work?
Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Matthew chapter 9 titled “The Authority to Give Sight” is at this link.
In Matthew chapter 10 Jesus sends out the twelve disciples! Verse 7 stands out: “Jesus sent the twelve disciples out with these instructions: “Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but only to the people of Israel–God’s lost sheep.” Gentiles are anyone who is not a Jew. Samaritans are a race that resulted in intermarriage between Jews and Gentiles after the Old Testament exiles and captivities – as we see in 2 Kings 17:24 – “The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns.” The Matthew 10 verse 7 above does indicate that Jesus’ disciple’s ministry was first to the Jews, but soon thereafter the ministry and the gospel message clearly was for all people. As we see in Acts 10:34-35 – “Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” And certainly as we see in the Great Commission at the end of Matthew, in chapter 28 verses 19 & 20: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Below is a Spanish wood panel painting by an unknown artist from the early 12th century of Jesus and the twelve disciples:
One interesting note on the listing of names of the 12 disciples in Matthew. Peter is listed first and Judas Iscariot last. We’ll read various listings of the 12 disciples throughout the New Testament. And numbers 2 through 11 always vary in order of how the disciples are listed. But in all of the listings, Peter is first. And Judas Iscariot is always listed last. Below is a painting titled ” The Sending of the Twelve” by Duccio di Buoninsegna from the early 14th century – (looks to me like Duccio only painted in 11 here… )
Matthew 10 verse 16 stands out: “”Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. Be as wary as snakes and harmless as doves.” This is good advice for us today as well. Jesus is still sending us out today as his followers. And I do think this teaching is wise – for us to be wary and harmless at the same time. It’s an interesting line to walk, but I believe a very wise one. I believe the only way to really walk this line well is through the blessing of the Holy Spirit. I don’t think we can do it on our own…
Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Matthew chapter 10 titled “Wise as Serpents” is at this link.
Matthew chapter 10 closes out today with what might be considered some “hard teachings” of Jesus. I think what stands out in my mind in reading these teachings is that while Jesus is certainly the Prince of Peace, he also has come into a world that is full of darkness – and the darkness fights against Jesus’ light. So, if we decide to align ourselves with Jesus, and his eternal goodness and light, the darkness will also then fight against us – just as it fights against Jesus. As students and servants of Jesus, we will face the same persecutions that Jesus did. And while this is certainly true, think about the alternative – not following Jesus… and not walking in the light of God’s love. I’d much rather spend 1 day in Jesus’ light than 1 thousand days elsewhere… How about you?
Verse 38 is the first mention of the word cross in the gospel of Matthew: “If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine.” What strikes me about this verse is that Jesus is teaching that we do have a cross to bear. And we have a choice to make of whether we will take up the cross and follow Jesus. So, now may be a good time to ask yourself – what is your cross in your life? Do you think you know what it is? If not, will you ask Jesus to reveal to you what your cross is? And then, will you bear it daily? And will you follow Jesus daily?
Worship Video: Today’s readings in Matthew chapter 10 today about Jesus remind me of the beautiful Jason Castro song, “You Are:”
Please join me in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture today: “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33 NIV
Prayer Point: Pray that you acknowledge Jesus before men in all ways in all of your days.
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Mark: I love the parable of the growing seed in Mark chapter 4 verses 26-29. This parable only occurs in the Gospel of Mark. I equate the seed to be the Gospel, which is filled with so much power and truth and life that “the seeds sprouted and grew without the farmer’s help, because the earth produces crops on its own.” The Gospel message is so powerful on its own that it will produce a bountiful crop. Or – maybe the Bible is another way to look at the seed. Reading and studying the Bible will ultimately produce a bountiful crop in our lives. It can’t help but not do so. What do you think the seed represents in this parable? I’ll share with you that I have been thinking more and more about farming these days – and the wisdom in how farming works. You plant, you water, you care for the soil, you wait, the plant grows. And this takes time. You reap what you sow. And I contrast this with our society today – or myself – and how everything moves so fast. We want instant gratification. Now! 🙂 We don’t like to wait on anything. We don’t like the concept of farming… and I’m afraid that this speed of life today can really be unhealthy – or maybe superficial is the word I’m looking for. In any case, I think the patience and process of farming is something that has so much value for us still today. If we are struggling with sins or sadness or whatever, I think we absolutely need to take these things to Jesus for healing – but, we would do well to realize that Jesus may want to do some farming in our hearts. He may want to plant some seeds, and give the seeds some time to grow. Sure, maybe sometimes we’ll get an instant gratification healing or answer. But I think more often than not we should be ready for some farming to occur in our hearts. And to thank God for the wisdom of this process!
I think my little tangent on farming and being patient during the process, above, might play in well to Jesus’ next parable of the mustard seed in verses 30 through 32: “Jesus asked, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? It is like a tiny mustard seed. Though this is one of the smallest of seeds, it grows to become one of the largest of plants, with long branches where birds can come and find shelter.”” I think if we can have faith in the seed that Jesus plants in our hearts – be it the Gospel, the Bible, healing, patience, faith – we will see an amazing plant grow that will ultimately bless others. From the tiniest beginnings, with patience and faith, can come the largest of plants. Will you let Jesus plant a needed mustard seed in your heart? And will you be patient and allow the seed time & space to grow?
Commentary from Bob Deffinbaugh at Bible.org on Mark chapter 4 titled “The Meaning of the Miracles” is at this link. Commentary from Bible.org on Jesus healing a demon possessed man in Mark chapter 5 titled the “Gerasene Demoniac” is at this link. Below is an image for the end of chapter 4 where we read about Jesus calming the storm:
The structure of today’s readings in Mark chapter 5 are amazing! The narrative starts with Jairus asking Jesus to heal his daughter who is about to die – but, then, in the middle of the narrative Jesus’ journey is stopped by a woman who simply wants to touch Jesus’ robe so that she will be healed from a 12-year suffering. And verse 34 in this portion is just so beautiful as Jesus says to the now healed woman: “”Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. You have been healed.””
Then, the narrative cuts back to Jairus, but it sounds like it’s too late for Jesus to come to the house. Messengers report that the little girl has died. Jesus simply tells Jairus in verse 36 – “Just trust me.” (which is something so powerful that I believe Jesus says to you and me today too – “Just trust me.” Don’t worry about anything else in this passing life. “Just trust me.”) And then in verses 40 & 41 we read: “Then he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. Holding her hand, he said to her, “Get up, little girl!”
Commentary from Bob Deffinbaugh at bible.org on today’s readings in Mark chapter 5 entitled “Where there is Death there is Hope” is at this link.
Worship Video: Today’s readings reminded me of the Rush of Fools’ song "Undo." This is one of my favorite songs! "Jesus, you are the only one who can undo what I’ve become…"
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Matthew: Matthew chapter 13 verses 11 & 12 are important for us to consider: “Then he (Jesus) explained to them, “You have been permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others have not. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them.” There is so much truth in these last 2 sentences. This is why personally I feel so blessed to be reading the One Year Bible each and every day – currently in my 8th year of doing so – and God-willing, for all of my years to come. I personally absolutely need the grace and wisdom that comes from being in God’s Word every day – and truly, more and more understanding and knowledge of God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit does come my way I believe each day – even if (and especially if!) I am reading the Bible again for the 8th time. The repetition is not repetitive, but really allows for insights to soak in and to be revealed. I can’t quite say that I feel like I have an abundance of knowledge… 🙂 But – I know that I am on that road by reading the Bible each day and I so look forward to gaining more and more knowledge of God’s story as I go. And – to grow deeper into relationship with God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit. So – the knowledge itself is great, but the relationship and peace and grace that comes from the Trinity – even better. I pray that you too see the value in reading the Bible each day and being open to Jesus’ teachings so that more understanding will come your way?
Verse 22 in this chapter is convicting for me, as I have experienced this in my life in the past…. “The thorny ground represents those who hear and accept the Good News, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life and the lure of wealth, so no crop is produced.” …. and I still struggle with the “cares of this life” crowding out the Good News in my life today! I think in some ways this might be a life long struggle. How are you doing on this verse? Where is God’s seed of the Good News being sown in your life? In the good soil of your heart?
In today’s Matthew readings we go through 5 parables that begin “The Kingdom of Heaven is like…” Great way to start these parables! They do indeed give us a glimpse of what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. Do these parables speak to you as you read through them? I know they do for me. Sometimes in encouraging ways. Sometimes in convicting ways. I love verses 31 & 32: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants and grows into a tree where birds can come and find shelter in its branches.” I think if we cultivate the seed that Jesus plants in our hearts – the Gospel – we will see an amazing plant grow that will ultimately bless others. From the tiniest beginnings, with patience and faith, can come the largest of plants. If you haven’t yet, will you let Jesus plant a mustard seed in your heart? And will you be patient and allow the seed time & space to grow? And will you water and care for the seed of the Gospel planted in your heart so that one day it will be a beautiful tree of life for yourself and others you come in contact with? Will you allow Jesus to grow a mustard seed tree with your life?
I love the last 2 parables in today’s readings! The treasure buried in a field and the pearl of great price. And the thought of being willing to give up absolutely everything to be a part of the Kingdom of Heaven. How about for you? Are you willing to give up absolutely everything to be a part of the Kingdom of Heaven? Is there a price too high that you would not be willing to pay? I will share with you this somewhat related tangent. I had this really interesting jog several years ago. And it was before I was a Christian, so I didn’t equate my thinking with the “Kingdom of Heaven” at this time. But, here were my thoughts that night on the jog. As I was jogging I thought to myself – I am a “billionaire”! Why? Because I am blessed with this opportunity to jog, and to check out the beautiful night air around me, and more than anything because of this wonderfully complex thing in my skull called the brain. 🙂 The brain that allows me to do all these things and to simply think and enjoy life. And I thought to myself – at what price would I give up the ability to use my brain? Would I sell my brain for 1 billion dollars? And the answer is obviously no – because there would then be no point to living in this life without the brain. So – I reasoned with myself, well – “Then I am a billionaire!” I have a billion dollar asset in my skull! 🙂 I hope this isn’t too random of a tangent. Maybe you’ll realize that you are a billionaire today too though? 🙂 To tie this back to the Kingdom of Heaven. Would I sell of my rights to the Kingdom of Heaven for 1 billion dollars. No. So – I guess then technically, I am a multi-billionaire now! 1 billion asset value for the brain + 1 billion asset value for the Kingdom of Heaven! The point being… or maybe the question to you. Which would you prefer – 1 billion in cash, or the Kingdom of Heaven? Is there any price you would place on giving up the Kingdom of Heaven? If not – will you pursue the Kingdom of Heaven with all of your worth? And will you then share this amazing “pearl of great price” with others around you?
Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Matthew chapter 13 titled “The Parables of Matthew 13” are at this link.
Worship Video: Today’s readings reminded me of the Jeremy Camp song “Jesus Saves.” Here is a great video KLOVE radio and its listeners put together, with signs sharing what Jesus saved them from. What has Jesus saved you from?
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Mark: Commentary from bible.org on Mark chapter 3 isat this link. In Mark 3:28-29 we read about the unpardonable sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. A great website link with tons of great info about the context of these verses and what it means to us today is at this link: https://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/unpardonablesin.html.
Mark chapter 3 verses 33-35 make an impact on me each time I read it: “Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he looked at those around him and said, “These are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” This last sentence is a powerful proclamation from Jesus. If we are obedient to God’s will in our life we are brothers and sisters and mothers of Jesus. Pretty amazing to think about! Jesus is not only our savior – but our brother. And later he calls us friends. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary puts it this way – “It is a great comfort to all true Christians, that they are dearer to Christ than mother, brother, or sister as such, merely as relations in the flesh would have been, even had they been holy. Blessed be God, this great and gracious privilege is ours even now; for though Christ’s bodily presence cannot be enjoyed by us, his spiritual presence is not denied us.”
Mark chapter 4’s parable of the Farmer scattering seed is a parable that I am sure can convict each of us in various ways. Verses 16 through 18 I am afraid can sometimes represent all too well the “soil” of our hearts… “The rocky soil represents those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But like young plants in such soil, their roots don’t go very deep. At first they get along fine, but they wilt as soon as they have problems or are persecuted because they believe the word. The thorny ground represents those who hear and accept the Good News, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for nice things, so no crop is produced.” The crowding out of the Good News by the cares of this life and the desire for nice things is where I am afraid we miss the mark too often. And when we succumb to theses cares & desires, indeed, no crop is produced. However – I do pray that there are moments in life where we can see the amazing power & truth in verse 20: “But the good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s message and produce a huge harvest–thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted.” I just pray for more consistency in our lives to live in verse 20 than in the previous verses… How is the soil of your heart? Which verses in this parable are you living in these days? Are you receiving God’s Word into your heart? Will you allowing God’s Word in your heart to produce a huge harvest?
Worship Video: Today’s readings reminded me of the John Mark McMillansong called “How He Loves.” Beautiful song!
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Luke: The passages on the faith of the centurion today are powerful – especially his words in Chapter 7 verse 7 – “Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.” Can we learn something from the faith of the centurion in our lives today?
Bible.org’s commentary on Luke chapter 7’s readings titled “Jesus the Healer” is at this link.
Wow…. Verse 35 in Luke chapter 7 is such a profound teaching of Jesus' for each of us to consider: "But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it." Take a few moments to really meditate on this verse and what it means. For me this verse is a reminder that sometimes in life we have to move forward in faith on something "wise" we've heard, but maybe not experienced – and then later see that the wisdom is true. I'm not sure if I'm going to explain myself well here… but my thought is that as followers of Jesus, I think we can get lazy in our faith at times. As just one example – maybe we don't think we really need to give financially to our church. We know the wisdom of Malachi 3:10, but maybe we haven't really experienced the wisdom of giving. So, maybe we need to follow the wisdom first – and then we will later know the full truth and beauty of the wisdom. Hope this makes sense? I'd just say that if there is a struggle in your life that God is calling you to leave behind or move forward on – go for it! If you know you should be doing or not doing something – go with that wisdom you know and then it will "shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it." Please follow Wisdom! Please follow Jesus!
A nice image of John the Baptist sending two of his disciples to meet Jesus is below, from verses 18 & 19 – "The disciples of John the Baptist told John about everything Jesus was doing. So John called for two of his disciples, and he sent them to the Lord to ask him, "Are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?"
Bible.org's commentary on Luke chapter 7's readings today, titled "John's Problem with Jesus" is at this link.
In Luke chapter 7 today we read about the “immoral” woman who kissed and put perfume on Jesus’ feet. Verse 39 is a powerful testament to Jesus’ character – “When the Pharisee who was the host saw what was happening and who the woman was, he said to himself, “This proves that Jesus is no prophet. If God had really sent him, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”” How ironic… this Pharisee thought that Jesus was not sent from God because he let a sinner touch him – when indeed it is this very act that proves that Jesus was sent from God! Jesus loved everyone – and still loves everyone today – and wants to be in relationship with all of us. No matter what this woman’s sins were. No matter what our sins were or are. Jesus loves us and wants to be in relationship with us. Like the woman in this story, will we humble ourselves and come before the feet of Jesus? And will we ignore those who might suggest we’re not “good enough” to be in relationship with God or Jesus? Remember, Jesus came to call the sinners, the sick – and not the righteous. Let’s not act righteous before Jesus, but come to his feet as we really are and worship Him for who he truly is!
Worship Video: Today’s readings reminded me of the fantastic worship song “Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble?” by Delirious. For some reason every time I hear the lyric “open up the doors and let the music play, let the streets resound with singing” I am reminded of a trip to the Dominican Republic I took several years ago to work on houses with Habitat for Humanity. Walking down the dusty streets of a tiny village in the DR I distinctly remember the doors being open, the music playing and the streets resounding with the singing of children playing. God’s presence was so real and tangible to me on that dusty little village in the DR. I pray you’ve had or will have a similar experience with God walking down “a street that has no name!”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Matthew: Our readings in Matthew chapter 6 today seem to be focusing quite a bit on the interior motives of why we do things – and to do things sometimes in secret, where only God will know what we are doing. And by giving, praying, and fasting with pure interior motives and in secret, God will reward us! I think there is so much truth in this… I think when we give anonymously or pray for others quietly or fast privately, we are really worshipping God. We are in essence saying, “God I am doing these things because of who You are, how great You are, and to let you know how much I love You. I don’t need to let anyone know about this act of worship between me and You. You knowing is more than enough.” Now, I do think there are times for communal giving, praying and fasting – but I love that Jesus challenges us to make sure we find private ways to worship God and God only – and not to bring glory to ourselves by desiring public praise for our “religiosity”…
What a blessing to read the Lord’s Prayer in today’s readings! I have to confess, I don’t say this prayer very often… and Jesus seems to indicate pretty clearly that this is a good way to pray. 🙂 I do pray often throughout the day – but usually it’s pretty immediate stuff – bless this meal, thank you for this day, bless my time at work, etc. etc. What a great thing it would be if I could remember to actually pray the Lord’s Prayer a bit more… I do think it is good to pray things beyond the Lord’s Prayer – in fact, just take a look at the Psalms for some ranges of prayer. You might infer from verse 7 that we should stick only to the Lord’s Prayer when praying: “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again.” However – I read a commentary that this verse was admonishing against the polytheistic religions where people prayed to every single god’s name they could think of, and would continue to repeat all of the gods names over and over, in hopes that this “babbling” would work to where one of the gods would respond to their pleading. So – I think God loves and enjoys hearing us pray to Him in whatever way we do so – but we should not neglect the fact that when Jesus gave us the Lord’s Prayer He said (in verse 9): “Pray like this.”
Verse 24 has always always been a verse that’s convicted me and still does today: “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” There is so much truth here in these 3 little sentences… Who are we serving in our lives today? I once read that one good indicator is to take a look at your monthly budget. Where does the money go each month? Interesting way to look at this. Maybe another way to look at this is how you spend your time each week. How much time is spent at work, volunteering, being with God, being with family/friends, taking a Sabbath, etc. Maybe looking at how we spend our time and money is a good way to see who or what we are worshipping? Do you believe that it is true that we cannot serve two masters? Who are you serving these days?
Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Matthew titled “Jesus on Prayer” is at this link, and “Where Is Your Treasure?” is at this link.
Today in Matthew we continue the Sermon on the Mount! Chapter 6 verse 27 is solid science from Jesus: “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not.” Wouldn’t you agree that scientific studies show that severe worrying (anxiety) can actually decrease the longevity of your life? Jesus knew his science! 🙂 Truly… I do think you’ll continue to be amazed by the scientific validity and Truth that is exhibited in the Bible over and over and over again as we read it this year!
Chapter 6 verse 34 (in image above) has always been one of my favorites to remember: “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” Great great truth here. I’m not sure if anyone has ever read a Dale Carnegie book about worrying? It’s called “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.” It’s been probably 10 years ago since I read this book. But, I remember Dale writing about how he lived his life in what he called “day-tight compartments”. He used a cargo ship analogy, which I won’t be able to explain here well. But, basically, Dale got to the point where he mentally segmented his time off into morning prep time, time with family over breakfast, morning work time, lunch time, afternoon work time, dinner time, family time, time to read, sleeping time. And while he was in the present time of each of these “compartments” of his day he would not worry at all about the other compartments even in that very same day! It’s pretty interesting to think about… when you are at work, you focus on work and you don’t daydream or worry about your personal life – but, once you are off work, you then don’t worry about work at all. I don’t know… maybe this Dale Carnegie “day-tight compartments” is only helpful to me… I recommend you listen to Jesus’ advice on worrying before you listen to Dale or mine! 🙂 But, if you do worry a lot, this Dale Carnegie book may very helpful for you as well.
Matthew chapter 7 verses 1 through 6 are interesting. Jesus clearly says to not judge others – but then in verse 6 he says: “Don’t give what is holy to unholy people.” So, my thought is that we are not to “condemn” people judgmentally – but that we are to be aware of and perceptive of other people’s character traits. I don’t think Jesus is calling for us to walk around blissfully thinking everyone is perfect… but he is saying don’t “condemn” others for their actions. God is the only true judge of anyone’s actions. I think it is still okay for us to take note of how people act or behave. Remember that 1 Thessalonians 5:21 tells us to: “Test everything.” So, I do think it is okay (and even wise) to evaluate a person’s character. Let me know your thoughts on this one in the Comments section below.
Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Matthew titled “Materialism” is at this link, and “Misdirected Effort” is at this link.
Today in Matthew chapter 7 we wrap up the Sermon on the Mount! Not a bad 3 chapters of teaching from Jesus, eh? 🙂 Verse 20 was insightful for me today: “Yes, the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit that is produced.” I think this verse goes back to my post yesterday about how we are still to identify or perceive the types of people we come in contact with – without judging them or condemning them. And one good to way to identify someone is by the type of fruit they produce – actions they demonstrate or lives they lead. And while it may sometimes be easier to identify other people’s fruit… maybe we ought to look at our own lives too. What type of fruit is your life producing? Is it life-giving fruit for those you come in contact with? And let us not forget Jesus’ warning in verse 15 today about how we are to identify false teachers. Do you believe there are false teachers in our world today? What are their fruits that you will know them by?
Verse 24 is strong: “Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.” Have you really listened to Jesus’ teaching these past few days as you read through the Sermon on the Mount? And – will you now obey Jesus’ teaching? Would this be wise? Would this be like building a house on solid rock? Will you stay out of the sands of sin?
Matthew 7:25 I think is an important verse for us to meditate upon in our own lives: “Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock.” I never paid too much attention to this verse – I always focused on verse 24 and building a strong foundation on solid rock. But, I had lunch with a friend recently and he shared with me that this verse 25 – and verse 27 too – should be a reminder to each of us that storms will come in our lives. And I think this is so true. Sometimes we go through wonderful seasons of blessing, and we may think that storms will never come our way – but guess what, they will. If we are followers of Jesus – Jesus who endured an unimaginable storm during his passion and crucifixion – storms will come our way too. So, then, the key becomes if we know storms will come, we really should pay attention to verse 24 and build up a strong foundation of faith during the times of calm. It’s kind of like the idea of saving for a rainy day – the day will come when it rains. So let us build up our faith and love in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit today! So that when the storms of life come our way, we will not collapse, but will remain faithful to the beautiful end. My friends, the storms will come. But with Jesus, we do not need to fear them or collapse under them when they come!
Bible.org’s commentary on our readings in Matthew chapter 7 today titled “Mistaken Identity” is at this link.
Worship Video: Today’s readings in Matthew reminded me of the Delirious song “Majesty!” Here’s a great live version of this song:
Please join me in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture today: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”Matthew 7:13-14 NIV
Prayer Point: Pray that God would show you what the narrow gate is in your life. Pray that you would enter through the narrow gate. Pray that Jesus alone is your narrow gate.
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Chronological Bible Blog 