Words Of Jesus Devotionals 2011

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Words Of Jesus Devotionals - 1

But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. (Matthew 3:15) (NKJV)

The first of the words of Jesus as is found in the Gospel of Matthew. Fulfilling all righteousness was the main agenda of the life of Jesus. Righteousness basically means doing the right thing and for Jesus, that meant doing the will of the Father in Heaven.

Matthew writes,

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" (Matthew 3:13, 14)

John knew that the One who asked to be baptized was greater than him, so he tried to stop him, but later he fufilled his duty when Jesus told him that it was fitting for them to fulfill all righteousness.

What about us? Are we eager to do the will of the Father? Ponder please for a moment.

The Bible says,

For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:20)

[jeremiah7]

Words Of Jesus Devotionals - 2

But He answered and said, "It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."' (Matthew 4:4) (NKJV)

If Jesus depended on the written Word, how much more must we, especially when we face temptations.

The tempter came to Him and said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." (Matthew 4:3)

Jesus had been fasting for 40 days and nights and the tempter knew what area to tempt him in. But Jesus relied on the written Word to counter this attack of satan and was victorious.

No doubt, he was the Son of God as satan said, but Jesus knew that his turning the stones to bread would not bring any real glory to the Father even if it did satisfy his temporal body needs.

The Word of God, also called "Sword of the Spirit" is an effective weapon to war against satanic temptations. Sadly, believers hardly use it as Jesus did.

The Bible says,

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

Use the written Word as Jesus did and overcome satanic temptations. Jesus has shown us the way and let us follow in his footsteps.

[jeremiah7]

Words Of Jesus Devotionals - 3

Jesus said to him, "It is written again, "You shall not tempt the LORD your God."' (Matthew 4:7) (NKJV)

After satan unsuccessfully tempted Jesus by telling him to turn stones into bread, here he was again with a new ploy.

Matthew writes,

Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: "He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, "In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone."' (Matthew 4:5,6)

How about just checking the Word, whether it was true after all? was the temptation brought here by the evil one, but Jesus didn't fall for it.

No doubt, what satan said was true; in fact, he was quoting Psalm 91. But his purpose was to make Jesus cross check the Word which Jesus did not oblige him with; instead Jesus refuted his trick using the Word once again and said, "You shall not tempt the LORD your God."

Different situations, different ploys; satan still tricks and many fall. The only way to overcome his temptations is by living close to God, obeying his Word and letting the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit guide us each day. May each one of us find success in that.

[jeremiah7]

Words Of Jesus Devotionals - 4

Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve."' (Matthew 4:10) (NKJV)

A sharp rebuke was what satan deserved for him repeatedly tempting the Lord and that is what he got. Again Jesus used the written Word to gain an emphatic victory over satanic temptation.

This time the temptation involved material things and the best of it. Matthew writes,

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." (Matthew 4:8, 9)

satan demanded worship and Jesus emphatically told him who really was to be worshipped.

Many believers want the best of worldly pleasures and at the same time they desire to serve the Lord so that they can be part of the heavenly kingdom.

But the Word exhorts us saying,

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17)

The exhorttation that the Apostle James gives to all believer's especially those facing satanic temptations is this:

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

Resist......like Jesus did.....Use the Word.

[jeremiah7]

Words Of Jesus Devotionals -5

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (NKJV) (Matthew 4:17)

Not a very popular theme to preach among the masses then and even now, but that's what must be the foremost among every preacher's preaching arsenal.

John the Baptist preached,

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

and here Jesus starts off with the same exhortation.

The gospel writer Mark puts it this way,

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:14,15)

Repentance is so vital for everyone. In the book of Revelation, we read the following exhortations to some of the churches in Asia Minor at that time.

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent. (Revelation 2:5)

Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. (Revelation 3:3)

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. (Revelation 3:19)

The churches (believers) that did take up the Lord's exhortations survived, the others perished.

May the Lord help you and me to stay true to him all our lives.

[jeremiah7]

Words Of Jesus Devotionals -6

Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.

Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:2-12)(NKJV)

The Beatitudes are a set of eight blessings contained in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus redefines "Blessedness" from Heaven's point of view.

The poor in spirit, they who mourn, the meek, they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, they that are persecuted for righteousness sake and they that are reviled and persecuted for Jesus are the ones who are the "really blessed". The rewards for such blessedness are unique in each case.

Blessedness from the human point of view is so drastically different. They that have wealth, fame and high positions in society are considered blessed. The eternal things are overlooked by the shortsighted worldly. But Jesus denounces all that in his sermon here, exhorting everyone then and even now, to look to eternal rewards rather than temporal ones and build one's spiritual life being firmly rooted in Christ and his Word.

It's a challenge that many fail to take up, for that would mean humbling oneself as Christ did.

An eternal kingdom with eternal joy, fulfillment & comfort awaits them who humble themselves and strive to live by the teachings of Jesus, not by their own might or power but by the power of the Holy Spirit of God.

[jeremiah7]

Words Of Jesus Devotionals - 7

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men." "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-16) (NKJV)

Salt and light! How very important for use in day to day life. And that's just what Jesus had in mind about those desirous to follow him. "YOU ARE..." Jesus said, and every believer in Jesus must fulfill that ardent desire of his.

But as we see around us, the salt that Jesus desired his disciples to be has lost it's saltiness and many a lights are under the basket, being of no use to anyone.

We should often check our lives to see whether we ourselves have lost the flavour and have become tasteless in our dealings and our witness for Christ.

Jesus wants our light to shine and how? He says,

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. it's not a tall order if we put our hearts to the task.

If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, you are the salt of the earth....you are the light of the world....

Do maintain the flavour that Jesus desires from you in this dying world and shine brightly for the Lord.

[jeremiah7]

Words Of Jesus Devotionals - 8

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-20) (NKJV)

Jesus' righteousness is revealed in his aim to fulfill what the Heavenly Father decreed. And Jesus desired that those who followed him be obedient to the written Word. Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the Law for us and now we are asked to obey the teachings in the New Testament.

There are many who twist and turn the Word to meet their own goals and even teach others the same, but these folks are judged by these words of Jesus......they shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But Jesus also pronounces a blessing on those who, without guile, obey and teach the Word.......they shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

The Apostle Paul writing to Timothy says,

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. (2 Timothy 2:15, 16)

Jesus wanted his disciples' righteousness to exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. The scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' day were hypocrites and Jesus did not want his disciples to be like them.

That's why he said, "Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

We have a high calling as disciples of Jesus Christ. The Word of God shows us the way to stand up to that high calling. May God grant us grace to obey and teach the Word as Jesus desired.

[jeremiah7]

Words Of Jesus Devotionals - 9

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, "Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, "You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny. (Matthew 5:21-26) (NKJV)

Some of the words that we use while dealing with others can be very hurting to them. But those same words may bring judgement upon us. Jesus, here emphazies that not only murder, but anger and careless words can prove equally detrimental.

The Apostle Paul exhorts all regarding careless words and anger in his epistle to the Colossians:

But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. (Colossians 3:8)

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. (Colossians 4:6)

To the believers in Ephesus, he writes,

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. (Ephesians 4:31)

Our worship can never be successful and a pleasing aroma to God if we are not reconciled to our brothers and sisters. The fault may or may not be on our side ......(your brother has something against you) (perhaps a misunderstanding), but Jesus says, "First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."

As Jesus says here, "It's best to patch up with others as soon as possible, because delay can often lead to dire consequences."

Every prudent man acts with knowledge...... (Proverbs 13:16)

.....The prudent considers well his steps. (Proverbs 14:15)

The wise in heart will be called prudent.....(Proverbs 16:21)

[jeremiah7]

Words Of Jesus Devotionals - 10

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. (Matthew 5:27-30) (NKJV)

Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart........The same can be said of women who look at men to lust for them. Rather dicey situation this......And many believers would say that Jesus need not have been so strict....But then, there you are...That's the narrow path that he talked about.

If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you....And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you.....What's he saying here? Literally pluck out the eye or cut off the hand???? No! What he says here is "Let your attitude towards sin be like this. Root it out."

The Apostle Paul writes in like manner to the believers at Colosse:

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. (Colossians 3:5)

To the Galatians, he writes,

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. (Galatians 5:17)

And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:24)

Brothers and Sisters, That's the only solution to gain victory over such sins......Crucify the flesh with its passions and desires.