Author: Scott Lane

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 14:22-33 (day five)  After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.

Jesus must have been exhausted. News of John’s death, quickly followed by crowds of people pressing around Him- nonstop healing and interaction. Then, the miracle of the fish and loaves. Jesus meets their needs yet again. Finally, time to process and work through grief. Finally time to unwind from the intensity of the day. Jesus has to be physically and emotionally spent.  So He retreats by Himself. Not to just relax and unwind, but to engage and interact with His Father (pray). If we pay attention to the rhythms of Jesus’ life, we can learn what He believed- His priorities- His “non- negotiables”.  He believed that God’s Word was true.  He believed that gathered worship was important. He believed that prayer was invaluable for direction, encouragement, peace, and wisdom.

What do the rhythms of our lives reveal about our faith, priorities, and “non- negotiables”?

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 14:14-21 (day five)

The disciples surveyed the crowd and then the resources. They came to the conclusion that there wasn’t enough to feed all the people. Then Jesus presses them, “You give them something to eat!”  Two great lessons are working in concert here. The first is that in spiritual and supernatural matters we can do nothing without the power and help of Jesus. Remember Jesus’ teaching in John 15, “apart from me you can do nothing.”  Just as true is the fact that God had given them something, and when placed in His hands was all that was necessary to accomplish His purpose. Be careful of a subtle difference.  Nothing really means nothing. Sometimes in our pride and arrogance we tend to think we can at least do something and that all we need is some specialized help from Jesus.

“What can you do for Jesus?  You know the answer to that as well as I do: nothing at all. But God has given you something that can be used effectively if you place it in Jesus’ hands.” JM Boice

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 12:9-13 (day five)

“But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.”

The Pharisees witnessed a miracle. They heard prophetic authoritative teaching. They sensed wisdom, holiness, and divinity. Their hearts and souls should have been lifted and encouraged.  They should have worshipped and praised God. They should have repented for their anger and their hypocrisy. But they didn’t. They were a personal witness to the work and ministry of Jesus Christ. Yet, somehow they missed it. Made me wonder about the effects of my own perceptions and priorities. My own sin and disbelief. What have I missed?  What have we witnessed, heard, and sensed that we ignored or discounted?  Forgive our busyness.  Forgive our selfishness.  Forgive our hardened hearts. Lord open our hearts, open our eyes, open our ears, open our souls that we might see and sense more of You at work in and around our lives, that we may praise and glorify You!!

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 9:20-22(day five) 

“for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will get well.” Matthew‬ ‭9:21‬  This woman’s needs were many. Physical. Personal. Social. Spiritual. She had been cutoff, removed, and isolated for so long. To give you perspective, twelve years ago from today, George W Bush was president. Can you imagine how long she had suffered? But there was still a glimmer of hope in her heart.

She had decided that touching Jesus was worth the risk of certain persecution.  She had determined that the very thing she was not “allowed” to do according to society (be in public, interact with a rabbi, touch someone) was what would bring healing and wholeness.  Imagine the reaction when Jesus didn’t rebuke her, but rather encouraged her and in fact healed her. What are you willing to risk (socially, religiously, and personally) in order to be near the presence and power of God?  Is there still hope in your heart?

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 9:18-19; 23-26 (day five)

 But Jesus turning and seeing her said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.” At once the woman was made well.

Jesus teaches an amazing lesson in this text.  Faith overcomes fear. Fear is still there, it just doesn’t have the priority and influence over her heart and desire to “get near and touch Jesus”.  It’s all through scripture.  God constantly reminds His faith-filled followers to be brave, be strong, have courage, do not fear.  When fear overtakes faith, to God it looks like we don’t trust Him.

“To turn from him out of fear… is to discount all that God promises to be for those who fear him. It is a great insult. And in such an insult God can take no pleasure. On the other hand, when we hear God’s promises and trust him with courage… then he is greatly honored. And in that he has much pleasure. – John Piper

When we look and think of the present and future through the lens of the gospel, we are reminded of God’s love, power, and faithfulness. Then faith rightly  overcomes fear and God is pleased.  Strengthen your faith today-  Look, listen, and think through the lens of the Gospel- God’s promises and power.

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 8:23-27 (day five) “The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?””  The disciples were constantly learning about the nature and character of Jesus. It must have been difficult for them in one moment to see the humanity (ordinariness of Jesus- asleep in the boat) and in the next to witness the true Divinity of Jesus. They, like us, were settled in a perception and perspective of who Jesus was. He shatters those in a powerful display with His words to the storm. I imagine the text of familiar words in Psalm 89 came quickly to mind. “O LORD God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty LORD? Your faithfulness also surrounds You. You rule the swelling of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them.”

They were learning (crash course) who Jesus was. Each day, moment by moment, we have that same opportunity to learn and discover more about the nature and character of our Lord and Savior- storms, victories, tragedies, and struggles.  Will you look in His Word and look around so that you may learn and discover more about Him than you knew and understood yesterday?

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 8:14-17 (day five)

“They brought to him many”. Don’t overlook this part of the narrative. Don’t miss the action and activity of Jesus’ followers. “They” were leveraging their friendships and relationships to bring others to Jesus. There was a certainty that if only their friends and family could be in His presence, Jesus could/would meet their needs.

What about now?  Where would we bring people to encounter the powerful presence of Jesus?  Let me suggest three for starters:  First, invite and bring them into sincere and authentic friendship.  Allowing them to be close to you (as you live out and proclaim the gospel) will bring them into Jesus’ presence. Second, bring them into your home. Each home should be an incubator for gospel power- a place where God’s Word is both “taught and caught”. The home is a place where God’s presence should be  clearly evident. Third, bring them to church. Having others join us as we study and discuss God’s Word as well as gather for authentic worship will place them in God’s promised presence. Will you leverage your friendships and relationships to “bring others to Him”?

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 8:1-4 (day five) “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”  As we look at Jesus’ encounters with the leper and the centurion, we see great faith being displayed by each of them. But don’t miss their testimony.  In both of their statements, there are known and unknown statements about Jesus. The unknown- Jesus’ willingness to heal.  The known- His power, His capability, His authority, His majesty and sovereignty. What is it that you know about Jesus?  What have you already experienced and encountered?  Will you preach to yourself those Gospel truths?  (The goodness and greatness of Jesus)
“Preaching the gospel to ourselves is a habit of grace that is both proactive and reactive. It’s reactive as we encounter temptation and frustration and seek to restock in the moment… But it’s also proactive. We go on the offensive when we feed our souls in some regular rhythm before the events and tasks and disappointments of daily life begin streaming our way.”

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 4:1-11 (day five). 

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”  Three times in this passage Jesus answers, “It is written”.  When do you suppose Jesus first heard or read these words from Deuteronomy?  How many times do you think He read and reviewed them?  In His culture and religious context, we know He started when He was a young child being taught the scriptures. And that He reviewed them regularly.

2 Lessons:
1) God knows the future. He will bring to your attention and heart the scriptures you will need for spiritual growth and  strength.

2) Scripture absolutely does what it says it can do- BATTLE SIN- “Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.”

PREPARE & EQUIP BELIEVERS– “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;”

2 Applications: 
1) Parents/Grandparents, whatever the age of your children start now helping them read, speak, and hear scripture regularly.

2) Adults/Teenagers/Older Children, make time in the scriptures (reading, speaking, and learning) a priority.  They will be more valuable to you than you could ever know.