Devotionals

Praying

Witnesses for the resurrection

July 18th

And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Matthew 28:5-6 What is the evidence Matthew gives for the resurrection? Essentially, the evidence is …

A cry from the cross

July 17th

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Matthew 27:45-46 I think Matthew and the other gospel writers are …

Praying in Gethsemane

July 16th

And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. Matthew 26:39 Just as our Lord is about to face his greatest challenge, he knows that he will have to do it alone. And so …

A parable for preparedness

July 15th

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. Matthew 25:1 I think that personal preparedness is one of the important points of the Parable of the Ten Virgins. In this parable, our Lord tells a story about a wedding. In …

Matthew 24 and the Second Coming

July 14th

I have struggled for many years with Jesus' words in Matthew 24 about what appears to be his second coming.  The problem is that sentence just after he tells of his climatic coming: "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled" (ver.34).  The problem is …

Hypocrisy condemned

July 13th

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Matthew 23:14 Why would someone want to be a hypocrite? Why would someone want to pretend to be something that they are not? It seems like this would get tiresome after a while. Playacting and trying to hide your real self is not something you can do …

Christ, David's son and David's Lord

July 12th

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine …

God heals the broken in heart

July 11th

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Psalm 147:3-4 It should warm our hearts and steady our souls to know that the one who binds up the wounds of the brokenhearted is the same one who tells the number of …

A ransom for many

July 10th

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Matthew 20:28 How was the atonement meant to show God’s love to us? “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son” – yes, but why? Why did God’s love for mankind propel him to send …

A straight answer to a crooked question

July 9th

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? Matthew 19:16 Our Lord's answer to this question from a rich, young ruler is very perceptive and enlightening. In the following verses (17-21), we see four things the gospel demands of …

(Page 9 of 36)