You have a close friend who departed years ago promising to come back and see you again. With no definite time frame set you still eagerly anticipate the day you will see your friend again. The years go by and although you communicate quite frequently even talking with each other daily, your thoughts about the return are in a distant future. Then one day, unexpectedly, your friend shows up at your door. You’re overjoyed to see your friend but embarrassed by not being ready because you put off the importance of such a meeting concentrating on your own needs and desires.
Just like an unexpected visit from a close friend, Jesus promised to return for those who believe in Him. He also did not set a time but told us to expect His return by being ready. Jesus teaching His disciples said, “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks.” (Lk.12:35-36 nlt) Believers in Christ should be in constant service waiting for His return. The Lord should find us faithfully doing His will on that day. A sure way to get ready is to speak with Him daily in prayer as you serve Him knowing that this could be the day.
Jesus says He will reward those who are ready. “But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.” (Lk.12:38 nlt) That doesn’t mean those who are not ready will be left behind, but with no reward they will be embarrassed as when you friend arrived at your door unexpectedly. It’s time to get ready for the unexpected.
“This is what the LORD says: Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the LORD, have spoken!” Jeremiah 9:23-24 NLT
Some successful, well maybe more than some successful, people do their fair share of boasting, or what I would call bragging. Their intelligence and wisdom are well known, but they feel a need to tell you about it. You can see for yourself they are well-off financially, but again they inform you how well-off. They tell you how they achieved their status in life. And then we have those powerful people either in business or politics or both that don’t need to tell you how powerful they are, they show it by controlling you and the things around you that you have no control over.
Boasting is not a modern-day problem. It is as old as sin itself. The Lord speaking to the people of Judah through Jeremiah warned them of the coming disaster that was upon them for their continua sin. He also told them not to boast, or brag, about such things mentioned above. But if they really felt the need to boast they should boast that they knew the Lord. Afterall they owed everything they had to Him in providing for them. The Lord wanted them to know His love for them, and it is He who brings justice and righteousness to the earth.
The Lord God can speak the same words to us today in 2025. Whatever our position in life, however successful we are, we owe in all to God. It’s inappropriate to brag, because it is God’s work done through us. Sure, we are the hands and feet, but the Lord supplies the wisdom, knowledge, and strength to achieve any success we come by in this life. So, let’s put off boasting and boast that we know the Lord.
Sunday’s Biblical Insights “The Gospel of Jesus Christ: the book of Mark” will pick up next week. Today’s devotional speaks of Jesus in the Old Testament!
“Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” Luke 24:25-26 NLT
The story of Jesus is not only a New Testament story, but an Old Testament one as well. Some people today dismiss the relevancy of the Old Testament scriptures in modern day Christianity. But it is in those very books of the Old Testament that speak of Him and actually predict His birth and His death to save sinners. Jesus Himself said concerning the Old Testament scriptures, “it is these that testify about me.” (Jn 5:39)
On the evening of Jesus’s resurrection, two men were on their way to Emmaus from Jerusalem. As they were discussing the events of that momentous weekend, Jesus came alongside and walked with them. He asked them what they were talking about. They found it hard to believe that anyone would not have known the events of the last three days. They told of the crucifixion of Jesus occurring on Friday, and noted that they anticipated that Jesus was the one who was going to redeem Israel. Then they told of the amazing discovery that morning of finding His tomb empty with angels declaring He was alive.
Jesus responding to His travelling companions points to the Old Testament scriptures and admonishes them that if they had clearly read the scriptures and believed them, they would have not been surprised at the events that took place. Isn’t that much like today? We do not read the scriptures as we should, both the Old and New Testaments. They both tell of Jesus, His Story of redeeming sinners and reconciling us to God. It’s time to familiarize ourselves once again or perhaps for the first time, with the Old Testament of the Bible, it’s about Jesus; an Old Testament Story.
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” John 10:28-30 NLT
Believe it or not, there are approximately 4,000 religions in the world. Common sense tells us they all can’t be right. Although there are many religions there are five that are the most prominent. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism share roughly 80% of the world’s total religions. Again, they all can’t be right. Adhering to anyone of these in total faith and commitment cancels out all the others. You cannot be accepting to all these for the same reason. It doesn’t work. You may think it is inclusion and right for this world, but what about the next one when this life is over. You may be familiar with the ‘coexist’ image. ‘Coexist’ is meant to bring people together through the major religions that we may live in peace in this world. We all know it is not working. ‘Coexist’ is not the way to peace and salvation in this world and certainly not in eternity.
The Hebrew God said in Isaiah, ‘“But you are my witnesses, O Israel!’ says the LORD. ‘You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God—there never has been, and there never will be.’” (Is.43:10 nlt) This same Hebrew God sent His Son Jesus Christ as the Messiah to be the savior of the world both to the Jews and to all who accept Christ in repentance for their sins. Jesus Himself said, “The Father and I are one.” (Jn.10:30 nlt) God the Father says, “I, yes I, am the LORD, and there is no other Savior.” (Is.43:11 nlt) Coexist does not exist, it’s One God, One Savior.
In Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus he begs them to lead a life worthy of their calling. Note, he is not encouraging them but begging them to lead their life in this manner. It must have been important to the apostle to state it this way. It also shows his love for the church and his desire to have their Christian walk be the best it could be. This should be the desire for us and for every local church in our modern world.
So, how should our walk be? Paul begins with being humble and gentile. Some might think Christians are always this way, but we know better. Our sin nature has its way with us more times than we like to admit. We also are to be patient with one another, especially when a wrong is done to us. Paul tells us to “Make every effort to keep (ourselves) united in the Spirit, binding (ourselves) together with peace.” (Eph.4:3 nlt) This is our responsibility to see this happens in our churches. For we all share the same hope, the glorious future hope with Christ.
If we are going to be true disciples of Christ leading others to be followers of Him it is vital we lead a life worthy of our calling. The Lord God has called every Christian unto Himself through the Holy Spirit. For, “There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.” (Eph.4:5-6 nlt) May we be authentic representatives of the only true God who sent His Son to be the savior of the world and be worthy of our calling.
“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:30-31 NIV
Have you ever wondered why the Bible has stood the test of time over thousands of years? It is still in print today and available in a multitude of languages. The full Bible has been translated in over 700 languages and the New Testament in over 1,500. Approximately 15.7 million Bibles were sold in the United States alone in the first ten months of 2024. It is available in book or digital form and if you have a smart phone you have one available to you free of charge. So, why is it such a bestseller?
I image there are countless reasons why so many people desire a Bible or access to one. Some people like the look of a Bible on a shelf or coffee table. Some record special occasions in it such as births, marriages, and the passing of a loved one. Others read it for its historical content or literature artistic value. Then there are those who study it for its religious content as they would other works from the major world religions There are many more reasons why one desires a Bible, but the number one reason to have a Bible should be to know the God of the Bible and His love and salvation plan for mankind.
This brings us to the purpose the Bible was written. Every major work of literature has a main purpose, and the Bible is no different. The gospel writer John summed up the purpose of his book, which could be used as a summary for the entire Bible by saying, “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (Jn.20:31 niv) The Old Testament spoke of the coming Messiah. The New Testament revealed His coming and the way of salvation. If you are going to read the Bible, I suggest you read it for its main purpose, to believe what is written and by believing you may have life in His name.
Where is your source of strength found? A good friend of mine has been trying to persuade me to go to the gym with him. Working together on various projects on the church property he has taken concern to my shortness of breath lately. My doctor was a little concerned too, so he ordered the proper tests to be completed. Praise the Lord my heart is fine. So, that means I’m out of shape! My friend finally convinced me, and I had my first visit at the gym.
The psalmist wrote, “What joy for those whose strength comes from the LORD.” (Ps.84:5 nlt) Is he referring to physical or spiritual strength? I believe the thought is towards spiritual strength for he writes further, “ When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs.” (Ps.84:6 nlt) The Lord will take our tears in the struggles and turn them into refreshing spiritual springs. But let us not forget the physical strength He gives us when we need it. “He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength.” (Is.40:29-31 nlt) Hear is a sense of both spiritual and physical strength.
Every Christian should strive to grow spiritually and increase spiritual strength in the Lord. We do that by reading and meditating on His Word and through prayer. We should also be striving to maintain our physical bodies the Lord has given us. “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1Cor.3:16 nasb) We do that by proper diet and exercise. The Lord will help us to grow in spiritual strength and will give us the strength we need to maintain our physical bodies if we are committed. Where is your source of strength? My source of strength is the Lord both spiritually and especially in the gym.
“Praise the LORD who has given rest to his people Israel, just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the wonderful promises he gave through his servant Moses.” 1 Kings 8:56 NLT
‘Promise Keepers’ is a Men’s Evangelical Christian organization created “to equip men, through the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, to live the Christian life boldy and unashamedly, producing better husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, and leaders within their respective communities.” (1) Founded by Bill McCartney, University of Colorado’s football coach in 1990, the organization is still headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is based on seven promises men make to each other and to God. “You see, when you make a promise to a brother, you declare your intentions and obligate yourself to follow through. You bind yourself to that person, too. You actually look into the future and determine, by your deliberate choice, that part of it relates to your promise.” Bill McCartney (1)
I applaud ‘Promise Keepers’ for their commitment to each other and to God. Yet, as much as we try to remain faithful to our friends and to God, even making promises, sadly we do fail at times. We are blessed we have a forgiving God who cleanses us from our stain of sin. We’re thankful for brothers and sisters in Christ who forgive us when we fail. Encouraging one another in Christ is key in helping us keep our promises whether as a part of ‘Promise Keepers’, your church family, or your closest Christian friends.
All Christians can rely on the one we know who will always keep His promises, the Lord God. At the dedication of God’s Temple in the Old Testament, King Solomon rose up from his prayer and said, “Not one word has failed of all the wonderful promises he gave through his servant Moses.” (1Kg.8:56 nlt) The Jewish people had witnessed all God’s promises through their lives and none failed to come to pass. If we take time to look back over our lives, we will see He has done the same for us. The Lord God is our Promise Keeper.
When you think about God, what comes to mind? How about His awesome power in creating the earth and the entire universe. Maybe you are drawn to His awareness of every occurrence in the world at the same time, or perhaps it is the comfort you receive knowing that God hears your prayers when millions of people are also in prayer with Him. Words cannot do justice in describing God. Our best attempts in characterizing God will fail. He is so awesome, powerful, holy, loving, all-knowing, the list goes on……….and on………and on. There are not enough words, so I guess we will leave at that.
Have you ever thought of God’s emotions? Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (nlt) We know that we are emotional beings, some more than others. If we are made in God’s image, it stands to reason that God is an emotional God. If we can display emotion, God certainly can.
Have you ever been hurt by someone? Had your heart broken? Have you caused the hurt of someone and broken their heart? If your answer is yes to either circumstance, you know both how it feels when you were hurt and the effects your actions had on the one you hurt. Now comes the hard part. Have you ever hurt God? Our emotional God can also be hurt by our actions.
The Lord speaking through Ezekiel, concerning Judah, said, “Then when they are exiled among the nations, they will remember me. They will recognize how hurt I am by their unfaithful hearts and lustful eyes that long for their idols. Then at last they will hate themselves for all their detestable sins.” (Ez.6:9 nlt) The Lord God was sending them into exile for 70 years for their sins against Him, sins that hurt Him deeply by turning to idols.
How many idols do we have in our own lives that are hurting God? We may have never thought about this quite this way before, but our sins against God do hurt Him. Our unfaithful hearts and lustful eyes towards our idols take us away from Him, and yes, He’s hurt. May we have faithful hearts, and our eyes gazed on Him.
“As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. They demanded, ‘By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right to do them?’” Mark 11:27-28 NLT
Jesus’ final week (Passion Week) started with a huge celebration of His arrival. The people in Jerusalem welcomed the one they assumed was going to overthrow the Roman government and free them of heavy oppression. Much to the displeasure of the religious rulers, who saw Jesus as a threat to their power, the people marveled at His teaching and were eager to hear more. The welcoming attitude would start to fade by the end of week with the people, but not so with rulers, they were against Him from the minute He rode into town. After Jesus cleared the Temple, as we read last week, the rulers were livid and would question His authority to do so.
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Last week in our study we saw Jesus curse a fig tree on their way into Jerusalem on Monday morning. Being full of leaves the tree appeared to have figs, but it gave a false impression, it did not have any. “The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up.” (Mk.11:20 nlt) Peter recalling Jesus cursing the tree pointed out the tree had died. It had withered from the roots up which meant total destruction. The tree would never be able to produce fruit again. Jesus replied, ‘have faith in God.’ He would use this illustration of the dying fig tree to teach about having faith in God.
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” (Mk.11:23-24 nlt) It sounds like Jesus is saying as long as we believe it, we can have anything we ask for in prayer. But is this what He is saying? Before we get too excited, I think not. That is not what He is teaching. Jesus liked to use visual illustrations, and since He was at the Mount of Olives with the Dead Sea at a distance in view this example fits. But what was Jesus saying? Jewish literature of that day used the phrase, ‘rooter up of mountains,’ which referred to great Rabbis and spiritual leaders who could solve difficult problems. It was a common metaphor. Jesus Himself never rooted up any physical mountains despite the continual request of the Jewish rulers for Him to perform some supernatural miracle. Jesus’ point is as we believe and have faith in God and in His power we will see His mighty powers at work in us. There is nothing God can’t do and won’t do for us if it is in His will and purpose for us.
Verse 25 of today’s text is often misunderstood. “But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” (Mk.11:25 nlt) The first thing to observe is Jesus is talking to His disciples and not those who do not believe in Him. If we fail to forgive, holding resentment in our hearts towards someone, our relationship with the Lord is also fractured. Christians are to have a forgiving attitude towards others, even those who have sinned against us. This forgiveness restores fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ and with our Lord. It’s impossible to pray effectively if we are holding something against someone. James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (niv)
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Jesus and His disciples arrive in Jerusalem on this Tuesday morning and make their way to the Temple. As soon as Jesus enters the Temple He is surrounded and questioned by the religious rulers. They were all there, the chief priests, scribes, and the elders. Most likely Caiaphas, Annas, and the captain of the Temple were there as well. They questioned Jesus as to His authority in throwing the businesspeople and the money changers out of the Temple the day before among other things He was doing. It was said in Jewish tradition the Temple could only be cleared out and cleansed by certain people, the Sanhedrin, a prophet, or the Messiah. But their main argument was that Jesus disrupted their business in the Temple.
Jesus asked them a question, “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer me!” (Mk.11:30 nlt) Jesus threw them what we would call today a curve ball. They were in a tough spot. Heaven was a common Jewish term for God. If they said heaven (God), they would admitting what John the Baptist had said about Jesus was true. This would prove Jesus’ authority and that He was the Messiah. If they said John’s authority was only his own, the people would be in an uproar for many believed John to be a prophet. They took the easy way out and didn’t answer. “So they finally replied, ‘We don’t know.’ And Jesus responded, ‘Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.’” (Mk.11:33 nlt)
The religious rulers will not give up as we will see. Jesus was totally messing up their system of operation and they wanted Him disposed of. They will eventually succeed by the end of the week enticing the crowd to join them. But the most astonishing thing about this is it was God’s plan from the beginning for a perfect sacrifice to be made on our behalf. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (Jn.3:16 kjv) Until next week………..
Word for the Soul 