Do this...

June 20, 2011

The Life of Jesus; Today Read - The Lord's Supper; Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20;  I Cor 11:23-29


ASV: Luke Chapter 22

 [19] And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave to them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. [20] And the cup in like manner after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you.

Everything that Jesus did, He did for us.  I think I loose the concept sometimes.  I think of the Jesus as being someone who had a master plan to take care of bringing us back.  I loose concept of what he actually had to sacrifice for me. It is not hard to do in a world where we have so much mechanical work where one thing flows into another to think of this as just another step in the plan of Jesus.

So Jesus met with the men and said those words, ‘do this in remembrance of me.’ Now, when I take communion, I am forced to look at it as not just another step in a plan to let me go to Heaven, but as the Son of God, come to earth and going through so much pain.

I must never let what He did for me become mechanical.

Read for next time: Jesus predicts his betrayal; Matthew 26:21-25; Mark 14:18-21; Luke 22:21-23; John 13:21-26

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Foot washing

June 13, 2011

The Life of Jesus; Today Read - Jesus washes the disciples' feet; John 13:1-20


Common: John 13:10. Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not every one of you."

My pastor recently preached on these verses and I learned something that I had not thought of before.  Peter was saying, Jesus, immerse me in you so that I will be clean. Jesus says in this verse, ‘no, you have followed me and committed your life to me, you have made mistakes, lets just wash the mistakes.

As I walk through the house after my shower if I do not have my slippers on, my feat will pick up the normal dust and dirt that comes with living in a house.  Because my feet are dirty, it does not mean that I have to take a shower to get them clean.  I could but it would be overkill.  All I really need to do is to wash my feet off with a wash cloth.

Likewise, when I sin, and I do, I do not need to seek salvation and dedicate myself to the Lord all over again.  All I need to do is ask God to forgive my sins.  I am already clean, I just got myself a little bit dirty.

That can help me get over the depression that sometimes comes over me when I fail one more time.  I know that I can ask forgiveness and be clean once more.


Read for next time: The Lord's Supper; Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20;  I Cor 11:23-29

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Want to know what is going on in my brain?  Check out http://dr_bob.blogspot.com/
Daily Devotional for you at http://dailydevotionbob.blogspot.com/

Eating with Jesus

June 11, 2011

The Life of Jesus; Today Read - Fellowship in the upper room; Matthew  26:20; Mark 14:17; Luke 22:14

Through the wonders of technology I am typing these words as I am eating my meal at one of my jobs. I will later move them around and put them on the various places that I post them to on the home computer.  

Like most of my meals, I will eat alone. It is just the way I am and the nature of the jobs I have. Nothing bad about it.

Part of my time prepping for these devotions is finding a scripture, not much to worry about today.  There are only three to choose from.


BBE: Luke 22:14. And when the time had come, he took his seat, and the Apostles with him.

But it was food for thought today. I never thought about Jesus wanting to eat with me I know He wants to be part of all my life but to eat with me? He has better things with His time!

But hours before He is to die He is eating with His disciples. So as I sit alone again I must realize that I am not. Jesus wants to eat with me like He wants to be part of every part of my life.

Read for next time: Jesus washes the disciples' feet; John 13:1-20

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Who carries your water?

June 10, 2011

The Life of Jesus; Today Read - Peter & John sent to prepare for Passover; Matthew 26:17-19; Mark  14:12-16; Luke 22:7-13

It was the law for all Jewish people to celebrate the Passover, and Jesus, though He came to deliver us from the law was no different from anyone else.  The disciples were under this law as well.  So they turned to the Master to tell them what to do to prepare.  

LITV: Luke 22:10. And He said to them, Behold, you going into the city, you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him into the house where he goes in.

Now this would be scary to me! I mean, is Jesus just playing game here.  How can he know a man would be carrying a pot of water, that was woman’s work.  This could never happen.  Yet they walked in faith that Jesus knew what He was doing.  They were starting to know when Jesus said something it would come to pass.  So they did it. And just like Jesus said, there everything was and things fell into place.

I need to be more like these men. Walking in faith, knowing that my water carrier will show up at the right time.  I am going through some medical problems at the moment, getting tested for cancer again, Somewhere out there is a man carrying a water pot for me. I will walk in faith for him to be there.

Read for next time:  Fellowship in the upper room; Matthew  26:20; Mark 14:17; Luke 22:14
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Privacy

June 9, 2011

The Life of Jesus; Today Read - Judas bargains to betray Jesus; Matthew 26:14-16; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:3-6


ESV: Luke 22:6. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.

I know some say that Judas sought to betray Jesus so that Jesus would be able to bring the Kingdom in to existence they way that they wanted.  I do not buy that.  I would think that if that was the case, it would not matter if there was a crowd their or not, Jesus would have been arrested, called down the angels to get Him out, and the Romans would be gone.

He chose to seek an opportunity to betray Jesus when there was no crowd there.  Am I any different.  If I am going to sin, am I going to do it out in the open where all can see me. No, I will try to hide away from the eyes of people. Judas and I are not that much different.  He sinned to betray Jesus, and when I sin, I betray the death that He gave for me.


Read for next time:  Peter & John sent to prepare for Passover; Matthew 26:17-19; Mark  14:12-16; Luke 22:7-13

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Hiding Problems

May 24, 2011

The Life of Jesus; Today Read - Plot to kill Jesus; Matthew 26:3-5; Mark 14:1-2; Luke 22:1-2

EMTV: Mark Chapter 14
[1] Now after two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might get hold of Him by guile, and how they might kill Him.
[2] But they said, Not during the feast, lest there be a disturbance of the people.


It is interesting that the verse that is before this talks about how there were people who were following Jesus but they did so in secret as they feared the leadership. Now the leadership is hiding as well. They are concerned about the people because if they deal with the ‘Jesus problem’ the people will turn against them.  

Here we have two groups that are hiding from each other because of fear.  In either case, Jesus dies because they both sit back in fear, one of the leadership and the other of the people.

Real life is like that to.  I have some secret in my life and it will consume me because I fear that if people know the secret, then they may not want me anymore.  So I hide it from them if fear.  Meanwhile they have a secret and are afraid to share it with me because I might use it against them.  So even though we may be able to help each other through these problems, we do not because we live in fear.

It is only when we can bring these problems out in the open that we can get help for them.  Unfortunately, bringing them out in the open is the last thing we want to do. It is only when we reach the end of our rope that we cry out to God for the help we need, and then He sends us friends who we can share, and as the Word says, ‘iron sharpens iron,’ and we can grow into what we need to be.    

I need to not live in fear and learn to trust those who can help me. Even when I feel that I can not trust them.

Read for next time:  Judas bargains to betray Jesus; Matthew 26:14-16; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:3-6

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Secret Service

May 11, 2011

The Life of Jesus Today; Read - Final public appeals to unbelievers; John 12:23-50


John 12:42 ESV

Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue;

Years ago I was part of a start up church that met in a strip mall.  We had a long set of windows that let in a lot of sunlight.  Rather than spend a lot of money on blinds the pastor put up solar film on the windows.  This had a rather unique effect.  During the day time the light would be reflected and people could not see inside the building as they walked by.  At nighttime though, the light inside would reflect back into building and people walking by could see in but we could not see out.  The pastor one time joked that if you did not want to be seen going to church, that coming Sunday morning to the ‘secret service’ would be the one that you should attend.

It was not much different in Jesus day. There were people who wanted to believe in Him but did not want the world to know.  They lived in fear of what was going to happen to them if they did get find out.

In my day to day life, do I live in the ‘secret service’? Do people know that I am a Christian? Or do I look out for my self, and how I think people will see me?


Read for next time:  Plot to kill Jesus; Matthew 26:3-5; Mark 14:1-2; Luke 22:1-2

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