Daily Power-up: 1 John 4:7-8, Matthew 6:19-21
1 John 4:7-8:
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Matthew 6:19-21:
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Personal Reflection: God is Love
2020 has been a year beyond comprehension. It seems that it has been hard to take a breath. A world wide pandemic has destroyed so many lives, not only those who have died, but all the families which have been impacted. It has left us isolated from our family, friends and co-workers, not to mention our church family. That would be enough, but we need to add on record setting hurricanes, wild fires, floods, record setting temperatures with melting of polar ice caps, economic collapse, which has led to a tremendous increase in homelessness and hunger, with many areas of the world facing starvation. I don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer, but it has caused me to be awakened to the state of our world and how that relates to my relationship with Jesus. I’m not predicting that Jesus is returning tomorrow, next week or next year, but 2020 has definitely opened my eyes to see how quickly our societies can be changed in the blink of an eye. The recent wild fires brought home more pointedly where my focus is and where my treasure is laid up. We were told that we were at level 2 for evacuation, but within a few blocks of level 3 which is immediate evacuation. While the fire was several miles away we decided it prudent to pack up and leave. We now had to decide what is really valuable to us.
We probably took what most people would take on the spur of the moment, such as pictures and important documents. It is then as you are driving off, you kind of feel how Lot and his family must have felt. While we knew that it was very unlikely everything would be burned up, you envision how Lot’s wife was temped to look back on all she was leaving. You hopefully come to the realization that what you are leaving is just “STUFF”. What is important is not the “STUFF” in your life, but family, friends and most importantly your relationship and faith in Jesus that he will take care of you. It is such a blessing, to trust in your Heavenly Father to take care of your future.
We were blessed in that the fire hadn’t destroyed everything we had, but so many others were not as fortunate. It leaves you wondering why you were fortunate or blessed and others weren’t. We heard stories of individuals where the fire had burned up to their properties and just stopped. You can visualize God’s angels standing around the home protecting it. You may be left asking the question if your home was not spared, why me? It is here your faith in God is tested.
This brings us to the two texts I listed for today. The first, that God is love and all love comes from him and we need to trust that He loves us so much he will take care of all our needs. It may not be how or when we expect it, but have the faith that it will be at the right time when we need it most. The second text, where our treasure is there will our heart be also. As seen in the story of Lot’s wife we saw where her treasure was and it cost her her life. We each need to ask the question, how’s our relationship with a loving God, does His love shine through us and where is our treasure stored up. Dear Jesus, help us each day to experience your love, to share that love with others and to store our treasure up in heaven. Amen.
Carl Swarts
is a child of God with his wonderful wife Elizabeth. They are asking God to increase their faith and help them be a blessing to others.
Bible in a Year: Matthew 12:22-50
This Bible reading plan explores The Word based on the chronological order in which it was written, and is unrelated to the daily character devotions.
The Word of Promise audio Bible is used by permission. For more information and to purchase the complete audio Bible go to https://www.wordofpromiseapp.com/.
Matthew 12:22-50
A House Divided Cannot Stand
22 Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. 23 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”
24 Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”
25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. 30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.
The Unpardonable Sin
31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
A Tree Known by Its Fruit
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
The Scribes and Pharisees Ask for a Sign
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”
39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.
An Unclean Spirit Returns
43 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers Send for Him
46 While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. 47 Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.”
48 But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49 And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”