Pastor Stephen Dedman

Tag: daily devotional

Holy Tuesday

Encouragement

Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭12‬:‭42‬-‭44‬

Tuesday was a long day for Jesus. It began with the disciples noticing the Fig tree being dead. They understood the power He had over nature.

After cleansing the temple on Monday Jesus was able to sit and talk with those inside. Many chapters of the gospels account for Tuesday of Passion Week. Jesus spoke many parables, gave the 7 “woes” directed toward the Pharisees, and taught about the kingdom of heaven.

Part of Tuesday’s teaching, Jesus sat and watched how people were giving their money. He noticed the rich putting in according to their abundance but also noticed the widow give all she had. Jesus said she put in more.

Obviously Jesus wasn’t referring to the amount of money she gave but rather He noticed how she gave. The rich give wanting to be noticed but this poor widow gave with faith in God. She trusted God would provide for her.

Widows were not always taken care of by the religious leaders. They would take advantage of them. But this special widow was proof that she put her trust in God.

What does your giving, tithing, or offerings speak about you? Your generosity reflects your view of God. If you fully trust that God will provide then you will have no issues of giving unto the Lord with a cheerful heart.

Pray

Lord, help me to trust You in all circumstances. Teach me to be generous and to look out for the needs of others instead of storing treasures here in earth.

Holy Monday

Encouragement

Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭21‬:‭14‬

On Palm Sunday Jesus went into the temple, looked around, shook His head, and went back to Bethany where He stayed for the night.

On Monday Jesus renter Ed the temple but this time He did so with righteous anger. He overturned the money changers’ tables and cleansed the temple. He warned them His Father’s house was to be a house of prayer.

Once the temple was cleared out He began to do His great work. The Scripture says the blind and the lane came to Him to be healed. The mighty power of God worked through the temple.

The house of God should be a place of healing for those who are sick and hurting. It should be a hospital for those who are needing healing. The church should be a place where people go to be restored.

What would it take for the church house to become a place of rescue? If Jesus were to stand before us and speak He would instruct us to have faith in God. He would tell us to have faith and watch what happens.

Does your heart need to be restored or healed? Have you come to Jesus and asked Him to restore your joy and strength? Make today count by bowing before the Lord and asking God to give you what you need.

Pray

Lord, You have everything I need. You are my Healer and my Restorer of all things. In You I have faith. Help me Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

Encouragement

The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!”
‭‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭

Today begins Passion Week. On Palm Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a young donkey that had never been ridden. This was prophesied in Zechariah 9:9 which says, “Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt.” (NLT)

As Jesus entered Jerusalem, He was greeted by a multitude of people who rejoiced at His presence. His entry was unexpected as He entered as a humble king. The people were expecting their king to come and conquer Rome and give them freedom and peace.

Sadly, these same people who were singing praise to the king were shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” on Friday. They wanted a Messiah to bless them with power and glory instantly. They didn’t realize that indeed He was the Christ.

When Jesus comes back in the Second Coming at the end of the seven-year Tribulation, He will be riding on a white horse symbolizing His kingship. He came as a humble servant the first time but when He returns in the Millennium Reign, He is the righteous Judge and King. He comes to conquer.

Humility is a sign of being like Jesus. We must humble ourselves before the Lord and set the example of humility to others. We must serve others like Jesus did. We must treat others like Jesus did. We must be the picture of Jesus that others see.

What can you do today for others to see that you serve Jesus? Surprisingly, when we humble ourselves we lift up others who need to be encouraged. Be a blessing to someone today.

Pray

Lord, help me to put others before myself. I sing praises to You as You are my Lord and Savior. Let my life be a blessing to others.