Mark 2

"As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him...When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” vv.14,17

Read chapter 2.
Levi is also the same name Matthew and who also is the one that wrote the gospel of Matthew.  This name change could be because of his change after he met the Lord to take on a new meaning of who he was. Well Levi being a tax collector showed that he was an outcast in Israel.  This was considered a traitor's job since they were working for the Roman government collecting money from the Israelites.  One would have to take this job if they were excommunicated by the Pharisees most likely and was their only means at making money (for women it was becoming a prostitute).  Notice that it's with only two words that Jesus speaks and Levi gets up and follows.  How powerful His words are!  Jesus didn't have to convince him or make a big show out of calling Levi.  And just as Jesus says later in verse 17 that it's not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick so we need to remember that.  Jesus didn't come for the "righteous" but to the sinners.  We are all sinners and all need a Savior.  People always send or give me things that have to do with Jesus.  I appreciate it but I also think that they should share this gift of Jesus to someone who doesn't know Him yet more than for me.  What simple ways has Christ spoken to you that have made you move?  Share with someone who doesn't know about Christ, the Doctor, the Savior.

Mark 1

"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God...John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." vv.1,4

Read chapter 1.
The book of Mark jumps in fast to Jesus' earthly ministry when He's older and skips over anything about His birth or childhood as we see recorded in both Matthew and Luke's gospels.  We can notice from comparing the four different gospels that they each are written to display Christ in a different aspect.  The gospel of Mark is said to show Christ as Servant and so we wouldn't expect to see about Christ's birth since no one would pay attention to or care about a servants birth and also records weren't normally kept about a servants birth.  So this book and chapter start right off with John the Baptist.  We can learn a lot about John's ministry and purpose of his baptism compared to other baptisms we see in scripture as we compare the gospels and other references in the New Testament.  Here it simply states that he preached a baptism of repentance.  The Greek word repentance here is Metanoia and literally means aftermind. What does that even mean to be baptized of an after mind?  John was preparing the way of the Lord and leading people to identify with whoever or whatever God would do and reveal of Himself.  Kind of like marriage vows and one says "in sickness and in health..."  No matter what the husband and wife commit to staying together.  Same with this baptism of metanoia, that no matter what was going to happen they were going to continue to follow God, even if that meant the Messiah came as a lowly servant.  What after mind commitment have you made to others?  To Christ?  What has made you waver from those promises (as we see divorces today of the broken promises)?

Micah 7

"Do not trust in a friend;
Do not put your confidence in a companion;
Guard the doors of your mouth
From her who lies in your bosom.
6 For son dishonors father,
Daughter rises against her mother,
Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
A man’s enemies are the men of his own household.
7 Therefore I will look to the Lord;
I will wait for the God of my salvation;
My God will hear me." vv.5-7

Read chapter 7.
Who can one trust if not his friends or family?  Those who are supposed to insure justice in Israel are corrupt and take bribes (v.3).  They are such traitors that a man cannot even trust his own family.  Perhaps Micah experienced this?  This is all happening before the captivity showing how corrupt Israel had become.  Today this is common in many homes of the family being their own enemies yet in other homes their families are their best friends.  The ways of the world cause man to be selfish and it in turn causes mistrust, deceitfulness, sin in relationships.  How can you fight against that in your relationships with friends and family?  No matter what, when all fails God remains.
Who left to look to but YAHWEH!

Micah 6

"You shall eat, but not be satisfied;
Hunger shall be in your midst.
You may carry some away, but shall not save them;
And what you do rescue I will give over to the sword." v.14

Read chapter 6.

In this chapter Israel seems to realize their guilt and asks how they might come before the Lord and He answers "Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God" (v.9 paraphrased).  Yet the Lord again rebukes them and shows them how unjustly they are.  

They still feel emptiness no matter how much they have.  Upon extreme abundance follows extreme want.  What they hold closest is what they lose first.  How common this is today in people, especially the American culture today?  How true is this in your life?  The Lord isn't just being a bully hear by taking away good things from them out of "enjoyment" for Himself or just to be mean.  It's their own hardened hearts of wanting materialistic things more than God.  It's there lusting with their eyes and flesh over the provisions of the Lord for them.  It's their ill-gotten abundance and pride instead of just rewards and humbleness.

Micah 5

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.” v.2

Read chapter 5.
Here we find a prophesy of Jesus, that He has to be born in Bethlehem.  After talk in the previous chapters of the remnant saved this gives more hope and assurance of how the house of David would be brought and the Messiah they were waiting for.  This verse is quoted in Matthew 2:6 showing the fulfillment of it in Jesus being born by Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem.  Thus it was universally known by all the Jews that was where to expect the Messiah to come from, as we see the wise men and Herod ask the Jews about this (Matthew 2).   The two names Bethlehem and Ephrathah are one in the same as we see from Genesis 35:19: "So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem)." This verse not only says where the Christ was to be born but shows that He didn't just come into being at His birth into a man but "from everlasting," He has no beginning.  How do you grasp Jesus being from eternity past to eternity future?

Micah 4

"Many nations shall come and say,
“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion the law shall go forth,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." v.2

Read chapter 4.

This chapter starts off with the description of the kingdom, an amazing hope after chapter 3 of the prediction of Israel's destruction.  We know this first part of this chapter is referring to the kingdom from the words used in verse one of "latter days" but also realizing the description is not something that had or has happened yet and describes God's government ("mountain") ruling in all the earth.  In verse two here we see that in the Kingdom it's not just Israel as the only nation or that all believers "become" Israel but other nations that follow the Lord.  It says many nations want to go to Jerusalem to learn God's ways and live it.  Zion (also called Jerusalem) is the seat of God's government as He rules over the whole earth, kinda like Washington D.C is the seat of government in the USA where the law is sent forth from unto the whole country.  Oh I can't wait for the day for God's government, His kingdom, rules on the earth!  Would you travel across the world if it was the only way to learn of God and His ways?

Micah 3

"Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets Who make my people stray; Who chant “Peace” While they chew with their teeth, But who prepare war against him Who puts nothing into their mouths...Her heads judge for a bribe, Her priests teach for pay, And her prophets divine for money.  Yet they lean on the Lord, and say, “Is not the Lord among us? No harm can come upon us.”  vv.5, 11

Read chapter 3.

This ritual of chanting "peace" while they chew with their teeth is possibly "alluding to the idolatrous practices of the heathen round the altars of Baal, biting an olive in their mouths and crying "peace," of which the olive was the symbol (Gen. 8:11)" (E.W. Bullinger Companion Bible).  And this was done by the "prophets" (false) of the Lord making all Israel stray and those that didn't do it they would war against.  Makes me think of some rituals today done in Christianity that people will condemn another if they don't do it yet many rituals practiced today are based more on tradition than the word of God.  This chapter is continuing the threat against the rulers of Israel that were set to be judges, priests, prophets yet are doing things never commanded by the Lord (i.e. "prophets divine for money") and giving false comfort.  How have you seen leaders today lead astray?

Micah 2

"If a man should walk in a false spirit
And speak a lie, saying,
‘I will prophesy to you of wine and drink,’
Even he would be the prattler of this people." v. 11

Read chapter 2.

This chapter speaks of the Lord's indictment against the sidedness of the people of Israel.  They reject His true prophets that He sends to them, but will listen to a prophet who tells them to get drunk!  How often do I hear that their justification to drink alcohol is because Jesus' first miracle was making alcohol; talk about this verse being true today of wanting reasons to say it's ok to get drunk.  They only listen to what they want to hear and use that to justify wealthy suppressing the poor (v.1), coveting (v.2), mug (v.8), etc.  The word for prattler is literally "dropper of words."  The condemnation continues until the last two verse, where He predicts their return in the future kingdom. Have you ever been a "prattler"?  Have you ever followed a prattler?  

Micah 1

"Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked; I will make a wailing like the jackals and a mourning like the ostriches," v.8

Read chapter 8.
Stripped and naked is this prophet while he wails the Lord's words.  Micah was a prophet in the land of Judah, but he prophesied both about Judah and about the northern kingdom of Israel.  In this chapter, he prophesies the complete destruction of Samaria, the capital of Judah.  He also prophesies disaster upon the cities of Judah, and indicates that the disaster will come to the walls of Jerusalem.  One of the details I like in this verse eight is the Hebrew word Tennim, here translated "jackals" but another possible translation is "dragons."  We always think of dragons as some mystical made-up creature, but really the word has just been replaced by dinosaur.  The word dinosaur didn't come in to the English language until 1841 yet the first English translated Bible was in 1522.  A lot of ways dragons are described describe what we see in dinosaur fossils and knowledge.  So is this a possible way to show the dinosaurs are in the Bible?!?!!?!?!  What else do you learn about Micah's ministry as a prophet in this first chapter?

Jonah 4

"But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!” Then the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”  vv.1-4

Read chapter 4.

A prayer of praise but with bad attitude is Jonah's prayer here.  He recites God's character of being gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, yet Jonah's mad about that being displayed on the Nineveties.  "We may learn from this, that Jonah was naturally a man of a hasty, impatient temper; for he here shows himself to have been exceedingly vexed without any just cause. For it does not appear that the Ninevites would have despised him, or looked upon him as a false prophet" (Benson Commentary).  It's ok and good to go to God with your anger but not to think that God messed up or that you know better than the Lord. Jonah may have been mad and wanted his enemies to be punished, but we need remember that God is the God of them all and we should have grace on our enemies as He has shown grace to us.  Do you go to the Lord when you're angry?  What attitude is in your heart in comparison to your words?  How can you relate to Jonah?

Jonah 3

"And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!...then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it." vv.4,10

Read chapter 3.
Is this a contradiction of scripture?  Can God go back on His word?  It seems pretty clear of Jonah's words "40 days and Nineveh will be overthrown."  Spoken prophesies verses written ones can be understood differently by the hearer verses the reader.  There was no part of that message that told the Ninevites and their king to repent to be saved.  Yet this is how they responded.  They responded to it as a warning rather than as a "no way out"/ fate message.  We also see Jonah's response in understanding this as a prophesy of warning in 4:1.  We see other places in scripture where spoken prophesies get rerouted due to prayer and repentance.  This is not God contradicting Himself.  It's important to trust in God's words absolute if we can't do that than we have a untrustworthy God if He's always going to change His mind.  How do understand this apparent "contradiction" of God's words?  How can you continue to trust in His promises and not go back on them?  

(just a side note to this chapter: I love that the animals fast and wear sackcloth too (v.7-8);) 

Jonah 2

"Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. 2 And he said:

“I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction,
And He answered me.

“Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
And You heard my voice." vv.1-2

Read chapter 2.

Does anyone else think of the movie Pinocchio when Geppetto is swallowed by the giant whale and he's alive inside playing the piano? Maybe just me;)  Well there's a couple of difference of what happened to Jonah verses Geppetto.  For one it wasn't necessarily a whale but says "great fish" in 1:17.  Also Jonah wasn't alive kickin' it inside the fish playing the piano, but was dead.  A better person to compare Jonah to is Jesus Christ, because even Jesus compares himself to Jonah.  In Matthew 12:40 Jesus says "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."  So if we believe Jesus died and resurrected after 3 days and 3 nights, this must be true of Jonah.  Jonah died and was resurrected!  This isn't an uncommon thing as we see others resurrected throughout scripture too.  Also notice how Jonah's prayer is all in the past tense.  He's recalling his prayer when he was drowning in the sea and inside a large fish (easily could have happened in seconds) after he's been resurrected and not the present tense.  So what ya thinking now?  Has this changed your previous thoughts of what happened to Jonah? 

Jonah 1

"Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.”  But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord." vv.1-3

Read chapter 1.
If you had a direct, personal word from God would you obey?  No matter what?  It's easy to look at Jonah and think he's ridiculous disobeying the Lord, and while yes he is, what would you have done in his shoes?  We learn later in the book of Jonah why he chose to flee.  In 4:2 in that he saw the repentance of the city and knew the mercy of God that would be shown to them.  That sounds like a good thing, so why would Jonah not want that for a people?  Well for one Nineveh was the capitol of Assyria and Jonah knew that they were God's sword of judgment against Israel, so perhaps he thought that if Nineveh perished Israel might be saved.  Nineveh was also a great city with no doubt much sin and Jonah perhaps being afraid and jealous wanting for them punishment than grace.  It's hard for most people to have the courage to go and proclaim the gospel in such a difficult culture.  When we've been given a command by the Lord we also need His Spirit to bring every thought into obedience.  Jonah knew he couldn't hide from God, but rather him fleeing from the presence of the Lord was him fleeing before standing before Him as a servant and minister of God's duties, going the farthest west from being commissioned to the  northeast of his home.  Today you can't move from ministry as we should minister to everyone no matter where we are, overseas or in our home town.  How can you relate to Jonah's attitude of jealous or fear or holding back ministering?

Matthew 28

"And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angle of the Lord defended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat on it."  v.2

Read chapter 28.

There was both an earthquake when Christ died and again when He was resurrected.  The tomb was opened by this angel (we're not sure it if was Gabriel, Michael, or one we don't know the name of) to show how it wasn't just a man that could roll it away.  It's cool too to note that the Lord was already resurrected and that the stone wasn't rolled away for Him to come out but for others to come in and see.  Do you believe He was resurrected from this account of women at this time?  Have you peered into scripture to see who this man Jesus is?

Matthew 27

"When morning came, all the chief priest and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death."  v.1

Read chapter 27.

This was the third trial, the first two happening in the middle of the night.  A lot of people assume all the Jews crucified Jesus, but notice here it only mentions the leadership.  Also we have to remember the day and night before they were celebration the Passover.  All the Jews would have been participating in this yearly celebration according to the law of how they were to keep it (Exodus 12).  They'd kill the passover lamb at twilight and eat it all, then they'd spread the blood on the door frame so the angle of death would passover.  Of they weren't in their house they weren't keeping the command.  How sad it is when leaders' bad actions affect the whole, but how awesome it is when leaders' good actions impress upon it's followers.  How has good or bad leadership shaped your view of a certain group of people?

Matthew 25

"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom...the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps." vv1,4

Read chapter 25.

Here's a parable of what the kingdom will be like as those in the kingdom wait for the coming of the Lord.  We see a contrast of foolish and wise virgins, 50-50. Let's hope the odds are higher of wise when the time actually comes.  The foolish don't think and plan ahead of time even though they know what's to come, yet the wise show they're prepared no matter how long the wait.  

Like those virgins we should be prepared for what's to come.  We may not know when that'll be, but should remember it could be at any time.  Are you ready?  

Matthew 24

"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.  See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet...And there will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places." vv.6-7

Read chapter 24.
Today there are wars, rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes yet this is nothing new that's starting.  This has been as far back as our history recording goes.  So is it safe to say that in order for this passage to be true that there must be a time of great peace where none of this is happening?  The question that spared this description of times of the tribulation was the disciples asking when His coming would be (v.3).  Now with Jesus already there why would they need to ask when He's coming?  The Greek word Parousia is a lot stronger word then coming, but more of a personal presence.  A time when Christ would come for good and display all the characteristics of His person.  This time isn't new but is yet to come after a great time of peace - the kingdom- what Christ taught us to pray for.  Does tribulation stuff scare you?  Would you rather be ignorant of the future times or feel prepared by what God has told us as a "heads up"?  How might this passage not go along with what other passages in scriptures say and how might it make other parts make more sense?
Don't be afraid or skip over this chapter because it seems to hard to understand.  Ask God for knowledge and understanding and try something new!

Matthew 23

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!" 

Read chapter 23.

Christ really lays down the law with these scribes and Pharisees about multiple things that Jesus is angry about.  A culmination of all His teachings.  These are all out right oppositions of the truth.  The fake/religious front they put on but what's in their hearts, what they do behind closed doors, what they preach but not practice.  They're caught up in looks and works but no heart or truth.

How common is this in our day still!  Hypocrisy is so common in the Christian world that new/young believers just follow in the footsteps of it being normal and therefore okay.  It all seems to come from our lust of the eyes, self-seeking, appearance that draws us this way.  

So who are you going to listen to?  The preacher or Jesus?  Not which one sounds better but which one is the truth.

Matthew 22

"For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels of God in heaven."  v.30

Read chapter 22.

A lot of people use this verse to say there's no marriage in heaven but is that really what's being said here?  We don't know how the angle's marriages work so that doesn't help us much.  When men marry it's typically a guy choosing a girl to be his wife.  When given in marriage it's usually the parents arranging a marriage for their daughter.  So could we assume that God will take over the bringing together of a man and woman that would be a perfect fit unlike our tangles marriages today from man choosing?  After all Adam and Eve were married before the fall so wouldn't the time of the resurrection in the kingdom be similar to the time before sin in the world?

Matthew 21

"And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and said to it, "Let no fruit grown on you ever again." Immediately the fig tree withered away."  v.19

Read chapter 21.

When the Lord looks for fruit He doesn't find any.  Let it not be in our lives that when the Lord looks He doesn't see any fruit!

It seems kind of harsh that the Lord curses the tree for not having fruit when He's hungry, but this seems more to be a teaching of Jesus to his disciples.  In the previous verses it's talking about all the people showing Christ as the Messiah and King all before He dies and rose.  They we're praising Him before the kingdom when all will bow down.  So to with this fig tree of not having fruit before it's "harvest."  In our lives we shouldn't just wait till the kingdom to live for God or the opportune time to live for Him, but to do it freely before the kingdom is on earth, when times are hard, when things are awkward.  Bear fruit out of season!

Matthew 20

"And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers." v.24

Read chapter 20.
Some commentaries say that theses other brothers are more jealous or mad that these two brothers asked first.  How often do brothers and sisters in Christ seem to compete more with each other than cheer for theM
This whole chapter seems to talk of the prideful competition among people but Jesus continues to tell them to humble themselves in that the "last shall be first and the first last" and " he how is greatest among you must become slave."  How has competition between you and another deliver hurt you or someone else?  How has it taken the focus off Jesus and focus on ourselves?

Matthew 19

"He said to them, 'Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so."  v.8

Read chapter 19.

Oh I hade divorce!  I'm not sure what the statistic is today but I know it's more than 50% of marriages end in divorce.  I always wonder why people get married if they're not even Christians.  Commitment I guess.  Sad truth is Christian marriages still have same divorce rates as non.  So what does God think about divorce today?  This verse that talks of Moses giving permission of divorce is from Deuteronomy 24 and was only permitted for sexual immorality not just cuz....  Moses gave a "loophole" and most people would rather take the loophole or compromise than to carry out the command "Love never fails." I know there are other reasons people get divorced- abuse physically and emotionally being a huge one.  We don't have the law of Moses today so while we're not under or held to it there are many things that God hates both what happens in a marriage and out.  Being faithful to God in other commands will guide His will regarding divorce to your specific situation.  How does divorce affect you?

Matthew 18

"Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven."  v. 22

Read chapter 18.

Oh forgiveness.  Why is it so hard sometimes?  I realized I struggle with patience which shows that I'm not truly forgiving them even if I say it way my mouth.  It's hard when someones does one thing over and over again to continue to have patience in that area.  But then I think of all the patince God has had and has now with me in repeated sin and what grace, under severed favor, I receive.  Why shouldn't I do the same for others?!  It's so easy to look at the speck in someone else's eye than the plank in my own.  

This verse isn't saying forgive them up to 490 times and then you can stop, but a figure of speech of "always."  Forgiveness is going to look different in every situation whether it's directly to the person or not.  Where's your heart, mind, and attitude in it?  Sometimes it's necessary to verbalize it and other times not.  Keeping this command of forgivenss is a mustard seed of faith that can move mountains!

Matthew 17

"When they had lifted their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only."  v.8

Read chapter 17.

How cool that Peter, James, and John got to go alone with Jesus and see Him transfigured before them.  Plus getting to see Moses and Elijah.  I wonder how they knew it was them since they didn't have pictures then. Maybe they had name tags or admit conversation called each other their names?

Well the best part is that when it all fades away Jesus Only is there.  Peter, James and John seem to get caught up with all that was miraculously happening and putting Elijah and Moses on the same place as Jesus, yet when all fades away who still remains?  Do we let the business in our life distract us from the One and Only?  Do we put others on the same pedestal (or higher) than Jesus?  

Jesus ALONE  is to be praised!

Matthew 16

"Hypocrites!  You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the sings of the times...no sign shall be given to it except the sing of the prophet Jonah."  vv.3-4

Read chapter 16.

How many more people today know the little details and facts about celebrities or can quote a whole movie or multiple movies/ tv shows but have never memorized one verse of the Bible or know the men of faith of old?!  Last night I was at this beautiful music worship event down by the river but was struggling with some of the people there that seem like hypocrites of being one way in worship and another time don't seem to give God two cents.  

What do you think is the sing of the prophet Jonah?  Remember back in chapter 12 the reference to Jonah and Jesus both being dead and resurrected?  So to here the only sign these Pharisees and Saducces were going to be given was the resurrection in the past with Jonah and the very near future of Jesus the Messiah they were waiting for yet didn't see it right in front of them.  We should understand what the "signs of the times" are in our time right now and not be ignorant and hypocritical to the dispensation in which we live.

Matthew 15

"But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”  Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”  But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”  And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” vv.24-27

Read chapter 15.
I remember being so mad at Jesus the first time I read this.  It didn't make sense why He was so rude to this woman.  But then I realized/understood the truth in this passage.  One, we notice that Jesus' earthly ministry was not to everyone but to the house of Israel.  Yes He did work miracles around non-Israelites but they weren't His focus.  Second, we see Him give this woman a chance to have faith (for it's impossible to please God without faith).  She was given a word from God being called a god and she took it as truth and took the place of a dog.  How many people would rather be offended than agree or take that lowly place?!  Do you take God's word as truth no matter how it might rub you or someone "wrong"?  What words of God do you have a hard time showing faith with?

Matthew 14

"But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod." v.6

Read chapter 14.
Some say this was a nude dance or partially nude, but it was a sexual dance nonetheless.  And this is with the daughter of his wife (not necessarily Herod's daughter).  Sexual sinks and has always been an issue and people give in or give away things because of that temptation and the lust of the eyes.  After Herod is "pleased," he numbly offers her anything she desires and bam, she asks for John the Baptist's head.  How often does a little sin or temptation seem small or innocent that has major consequences or brings bigger guilt than we realize.  The king is "sorry" (v.9) about this but the destruction had already been done.  The mother definitely seems to e the mastermind behind this scheme of prostituting her own daughter, again not something uncommon still today- sad truth.  How as sexual sin affected you, whether yourself or from someone else?

Matthew 26

"Judas, the betrayer, said, 'Surely it is not I, is it, Master?' He said to him, 'You have stated [the fact]." v.25

Read chapter 26.

How more obvious could Jesus be by telling Judas straight up that he was going to be the one to betray him.  You'd think that being called out like that, one would immediately change his ways.  Sometimes I sit in a sin till I get called out by it.  Yea, I may try to justify in the moment but am definitely guilty in my conscious that I turn to do right (by stopping).  This isn't the Lord beating around the bust but a positive affirmation to Judas' question.  I believe this was Jesus giving Judas a chance to turn still.  He wasn't born to betray Jesus as we see in the verse prior (v.24) but he fulfilled the prophesy- if Judas Iscariot didn't do it someone else would've.

What blatant things has God said to you that has or hasn't made you turn from your sinful ways?

Matthew 13

"When anyone hears the word of the kingdom...the kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field...the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed...the kingdom of heaven is like leaven...the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field...like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls...like a dragnet..." vv. 19,24,31,33,44,45,47

Reach chapter 13.
What is the Kingdom?  Is it the same as heaven?  In this one chapter alone Jesus gives eight different parables on the Kingdom.  The Kingdom of God was the main theme of Jesus' ministry yet most people today don't even know what it is.  The very first parable of this chapter references the different "soils" based on people's reactions after they hear what the Kingdom of God is.  

• wheat & tares--> good and evil in kingdom, evil being plucked out at end
• laven-->
• mustard seed-->
• hidden treasure-->
• peral-->
• dragnet-->
• householder-->

As you read these parables what does it tell you of the kingdom? Pray to ask God to open your understanding (v. 14-15).

Matthew 12

"For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." v.40

Read chapter 12.
Jonah was a type of Christ!  Don't you just love the connections of Old Testament passages to the New?! This verse is huge in figuring out the debate of how long was Jesus really dead.  If you go with tradition of Jesus dying on Good Friday and rising on Sunday, that isn't 3 full days and not at all 3 nights.  There's the debate that it doesn't have to mean full days here but actually in Greek they would use the phrase day and night when they wanted to reference the full 24 hour day than just a partial day.  So here the author is clearly trying to get across a full 72 hours.  Now to figure out what day Christ actually died on is for a longer study of scripture and not this quick devo, but definitely search it out.  Don't be afraid to deny man's traditions verses the Word of God.  Whether it seems like a big deal to you, don't be like Jonah in that not facing things of God you can escape God's will but that He crew and desires for you to know His will in all things no matter how big or small it seems to you.

Matthew 11

"But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.  But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet." vv.8-9

Read chapter 11.
People didn't travel to the middle of the desert to see some great show or mega conference.  This wasn't some fun road trip with friends and mixed in a little bit of God.  No, these people walked miles into the wilderness to see a man who was an outcast to the other priests, but gave them the Word of God.  And John being "more" than a prophet (one who mediates between God and man) because he was like an Elijah of preparing the way for Christ's first coming as Elijah will come first before Christ's second coming.  Are you willing to travel to a far place that's not a big tourist attraction to hear God's word?  Do you need your comforts of certain worship music, fancy lights and presentation of the message, etc?

Matthew 10

"These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.  But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." vv.5-6

Read chapter 10.
While Jesus was here on earth his ministry was to the Jews in the land (surrounding Jerusalem).  After he was resurrected He tells His disciples to then share the gospel to all Jews - even Hellenistic (Jews living Greek life), Mark 16:15-18.  And then after the period of the book of Acts the gospel is to all people and nations (gentiles), Acts 28:28.  Now of course Jesus still was God to everyone and gave nonJews chances to have faith in Him and would heal and reveal Himself as God to them (see Matt. 15, John 4) or same with Peter and Paul and Philip, all shared Christ with nonJews when the opportunity arose (see Acts 10, Acts 16, Acts 8:26-40).  A lot of people always try to read themselves into every command, but we need to notice who He gives commands to and that they're specific sometimes.  Like here in verse five it's to the 12, so the following verses that commands what they're to do is not a command of what we're to do in our ministry.  Yeah there might be some good practices but not a direct fact or way we have to or way that  will even work today.  Are you sometimes jealous of other's ministries?  Jealous of how some seem so "natural" at sharing Christ?  Take a lesson from these 12 in their ministry: these were the closet men to Christ and He gave them direction.  The closer and more time you spend with Him, the more clear, direct you'll know of how He's using and equipping you for whatever ministry you're apart of.