Categories ArchivesDaily Devotions

Matthew 8:18–22 18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”   One thought: If there is no cost to your Christianity – you might want to question that Three questions: What principle is Jesus’ stating about ...

Matthew 8:14–17   14 When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him. 16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.” One thought: Nothing could be more counter-cultural in our age than someone who has everything giving it all up for the sake of others who didn’t deserve anything. Three questions: Why does Matthew ...

Matthew 8:11–13   11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.   One thought: Faithful Christians in Australia often feel like a minority that leads us to ask questions like – how many will be saved – the answer… many. Three questions: What will hell be ...

Matthew 8:8–10 8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.   One thought: We don’t trust people in authority anymore because they don’t do what they say.   Three questions: Why can we ...

Matthew 8:5–7 5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” 7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”   One thought: We are all suffering in some way, some just more obvious than others.   Three questions: Why do people come to Jesus? Do you know you need Jesus? Bring your problems and sufferings to Christ in prayer today.   Prayer: Praise God that He is a God of mercy and compassion. Give thanks for Christ who came to save sufferers and end suffering. Ask God to help you + someone else come to Jesus with your suffering and ...

Matthew 8:1–4 8 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” 3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. 4 Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”   One thought: We all have spiritual leprosy, but Jesus can cleanse us from even this   Three questions: How does the physical realm reflect the spiritual in this passage? ...

Matthew 7:27–29 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.   One thought: Humans have a tendency to talk about things they have no authority on and if they sound confident we believe them – Jesus speaks with and from true authority, how much more should we believe Him. Three questions: What gives Jesus the authority to speak this way? Do you see Jesus as the authority in your life? Can you ...

Matthew 7:24–26 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.   One thought: Life is like a house, but it isn’t about how good your house is, how good it looks on the outside or how many features it came with – it’s about what ...

Matthew 7:21–23 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’   One thought: The danger with this verse is that we think it is attacking us/everyone rather than just a particular (and probably small) group of people.   Three questions: Who do you think Jesus is speaking to? Why do ...

Matthew 7:18–20 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.   One thought: When things do the opposite of what they were created for, destruction is the natural response   Three questions: Why is it so bad that trees bear bad fruit? Do you care about how God’s sees your life? Reflect on your own fruit, how have you become more like Christ?   Prayer: Praise God that He made us to bear good fruit and not evil. Give thanks that in Christ, we have been ...