Devotional Thoughts

Matthew 11:20    "Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:  Matthew 11:25-27    " At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.   Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.   All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him."   In verses twenty-one through twenty-four, Jesus called out the cities where He and his disciples had preached the gospel. He had done many might works among them. In Capernaum alone, He had worked many miracles, including curing the centurion's servant, healing Peter's mother-in-law from a fever, healing the man sick of a palsy, raising Jairus's daughter from the dead, cu...

  John 7:24   “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”  “How to Be a Christian” was the theme for this year’s Southern States Bible Conference held at Epworth by the Sea Conference Center located on St. Simons Island, Ga. This theme presupposes there is an objective definition or description given as to how the Christian is to live their life. It should be apparent that such a description or definition would come from Jesus, the Christ of God. After all, Christians are followers of Jesus. So, Jesus, along the Apostles Jesus called and sent out in his name to teach what he commanded, and the word of God, containing the whole counsel of God, is the only authoritative source that can objectively reveal what it means to be a Christian.  Yet in this growing secular humanistic culture we live in that seeks to rebel against God’s creative order and declare its own truth and define its own terms, this philosophy of subjective truth has found...

Genesis 41:51-52    "And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. (52) And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction." Neither of these sons are mentioned in the New Testament other than one mention of a city named Ephraim. But that does not diminish their importance. They certainly were important to Joseph and they received a blessing from Jacob, their grandfather. But I include them in our study of People in the Bible because of the meaning of their names. Biblical names we're not just "passing fancies" of their parents. Each name held a specific meaning when given to them. We see that meaning for Joseph in today's passages.  When you put both meanings together, it reads, "For God hath made me forget all my toil and ... hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction." Can we ...

Matthew 11:16-19     " But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,   And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.   For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.   The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children." The scribes and Pharisees of the time considered themselves to be wise and righteous above all other men. They considered even other Jews to be lesser men. Their self-righteousness led them into many errors. They were constantly contradicting their own words by their actions. Jesus likened them unto children playing at adult things. In celebrations, there were often those who played the flute while others danced. Mourners were often hired to expre...

Genesis 45:4-5     "And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.  (5)  Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life." I want us to see how God was developing the life of Joseph even through all the hardships and disappointments. For just a quick overview, we remember that Jacob loved Joseph. We read in Genesis 37:3, "Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours." Israel was God's name for Jacob. This show of love set up a jealousy among the brothers toward Joseph. The very next verse tells us, "... when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him." When the opportunity presented itself, they sold Joseph into slavery. Through the next years Jo...

Matthew 11:7-10     " And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?   But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.   But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.   For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee." John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness wearing rough garments of camel’s hair and a leather belt (girdle). John’s appearance was similar to the description we have of Elijah (Elias in the Greek language) found in 2 nd Kings 1:8. John was well-known among the Jews and considered by them to be a prophet. Because John was held in regard by the people, Herod was afraid to have him executed (Matthew 14:5), so he was holding John in prison. ...