Day 119 "Sticking your head in the sand helps no one, yet it will hurt many–some for an eternity."

Day 119 Matthew 13:36-43 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him saying, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field." He answered and said to them: "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" As I was watching the national news (at this writing), I was once again reminded of just how far we, as a nation, have fallen away from God, in particular, over the last 40 to 50 years. The news then was all abuzz over the death of the comedian George Carlin, and there were three things in one particular newscast that caught my ear and my mind. The first clip, which every newscast I saw played, touted him as being famous for saying the seven things on television that you can never say on television. The second clip showed him blaspheming God and making fun of all religious people; making us out to be fools and non-thinkers. As the camera came back to the two hosts of the show, one of them was laughing almost uncontrollably and said what he liked best about George Carlin was that he made him laugh at things he knew he should never laugh about. I can honestly say that I didn't know George Carlin, and I don't know if he got saved, or if he is in heaven or hell, but I do know how he is being remembered. (I am not judging George Carlin in any way; this was simply a very timely example.) In this passage, Jesus said that those who practice lawlessness and those things that offend will be gathered up and thrown out of the kingdom, where they will be burned. The seriousness of eternity has become so downplayed and diluted that far too many people are simply avoiding even thinking about it; they would rather make fun of it or simply not go there. I believe that we have gotten too far away from this very pivotal truth that cannot be avoided or discounted. We will all stand before God and be judged. Yes, people are going to go to hell, so what are we really afraid of when we neglect to remind them of it? I'm not suggesting we use the fear of hell to scare people into heaven, but I am questioning why so many are afraid to even mention it. Jesus did; the apostles did; why don't we? Have we become so afraid of offending people that we no longer fear God? I am not suggesting that we return to the dark ages of Christianity; however, if those who practice lawlessness and those who are offensive will be sent to hell, should we laugh at them or speak truth to them? Daily Prayer: Father, I pray that I never unknowingly give the devil any form of glory, admiration, or support. Keep me watchful, I pray, and lead me in your ways. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. "Sticking your head in the sand helps no one, yet it will hurt many–some for an eternity." Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 118 "The enemy's plans are no longer secret; we must simply watch in order to see them."

Day 118 Matthew 13:34-35 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.” Wow! I just learned a magnificent truth that will, I believe, rock you just as it did me. The word parable is derived from a Greek word Para + Balien–to throw more at the devil! It is also defined as a short, fictitious story used to illustrate a moral point, or shall we say that a parable is a short story designed to throw moral truths at the devil! Jesus, by speaking in parables, was, in the human sense, rather gently exposing mankind to truths that had not been spoken; things that God had kept from man because of his inability to understand them prior to Christ. In addition, by now exposing these truths that would soon be even more understood, He was revealing the underbelly of satan, his weak spot. The power satan had held over mankind would with every parable be further weakened–another way in which Jesus established His heavenly and earthly rule! I must confess that I am utterly dumbfounded at why it has taken me so long to find this truth, and I am even more confused as to why I have never heard this before, but so be it. Maybe everyone but me has always gotten it–wouldn't be the first time. I think about some of the great men of the Old Testament and how they fought their spiritual wars with satan–it was truly more in a physical sense. For example Moses, his battle began with Pharaoh, a man led by satan, and God gave Moses the power to defeat and ultimately destroy his nemesis. Then there was David, who took on satan in the form of Goliath, and gave God the glory by defeating him with a rock; and Gideon, who took on the enemies of Israel, again a representation of satan, and defeated them with a much smaller army by the power of God. We could go on and on with similar examples in the Old Testament. However, when Jesus comes on the scene, we see the scheming and the plans of satan truly exposed in the spiritual sense without human manifestation. We see that he is sneaky, mischievous, cunning, and actively seeking to destroy every man and woman, regardless of whether they follow God or not. Evil simply hates everyone; even its own. No longer does satan have anywhere to hide. It reminds me of one of the times when my daughters and I were at the beach. There was a rather low tide and, suddenly, many things that we had not seen were revealed. There was simply nowhere for them to go. We were able to locate a plethora of sea creatures we had never seen because, suddenly, they were trapped with nowhere to hide. Now they were subject to our discretion, and all of their hidden weaknesses were revealed; for them their literal existence lay in our hands. Could it be that, by Christ exposing the plans and scheming of satan, now he, too, can be rendered somewhat powerless in our lives, and unless we give him the liberty to control us and allow ourselves to be deceived, he can no longer control our lives? You do understand what that means, don't you? If this is true, then we are the ones who determine just how much power and effect the enemy has in our lives. By our obedience, or lack thereof, we truly do (to a certain degree) control our destiny. I say to a certain degree, for we must never discount the fact that we serve a sovereign God who can and will allow satan to influence our lives for our own good. Remember James, chapter 1. However, there is no doubt that we affect our own lives by giving into the temptations that satan lays out before us. All too often we ignore the warning signs as we are lured in by the instant gratification of the flesh. Could it be that all along we have given satan far too much credit and God far too little glory? Daily Prayer: Father, I thank you that Jesus has exposed satan for who he is and that you have revealed the hidden secrets of the past. Teach me, Lord, how to use these secrets to grow in my understanding of both You and my enemy. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. "The enemy's plans are no longer secret; we must simply watch in order to see them." Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 117 "More of Him means less of me."

Day 117 Matthew 13:33 Another parable He spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened." Today, we call leaven yeast; it is used to permeate flour with a gas that causes the flour to expand, to be lighter or infused. Once the process has begun, it cannot be reversed. I remember more times than I can count walking into my mom's kitchen and smelling the fragrance of rising dough. The smell would permeate the house, and often my mouth would begin to water in anticipation for what I knew would soon be satisfying my longing palate. I couldn't wait for those golden brown rolls topped with melted butter that would literally melt in my mouth. It seemed that with every bite my entire body, not just my mouth, was able to enjoy the immense flavor of those rolls. But, mom's rolls aren't the point (even though right now I want some). The point for me is: Am I longing for Heaven with the same anticipation? Do I smell the fragrance? Do I seek the source? And, is my mouth watering? For a few weeks, I have been in a desert dying for a taste of the Holy Spirit. I'm crying out daily for the Lord to bring more of Him and less of me. I am longing to be permeated by the leaven of the Holy Spirit and, yes, my mouth is watering! But why is it that it takes a place of desperation to get us to be so thirsty for God that we can think of nothing else? Why can't it be that way every day? I can honestly say I don't understand; I imagine that it is physically impossible for our human minds and bodies to grasp or achieve; however, it would be fulfilling. The leaven of heaven is a good thing; it keeps expanding us, growing us, stretching us, and causes us to want more; without it we would be flat, tasteless, and odorless. Rather unattractive, you might say. Daily Prayer: Oh Father, how I desire to be a sweet-smelling fragrance, unable to fall into the trappings of my flesh; no longer capable of inflicting pain, hurt, or disappointment. Fill me with your Spirit Lord, and draw others to me that they might see You in me, not me in You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. "More of Him means less of me." Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 116 "Maintaining a productive life is hard work, yet the crop is eternal."

Day 116 Matthew 13:24-32 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” My grandfather on my father's side was a farmer, and while he never owned his own farm, he helped many a farmer improve his harvest. I can remember very vividly visiting my grandparents one summer while they were managing a very large citrus farm and, as it is on a farm, everyone works, even visiting grandchildren. One day our job was to pull suckers from the orange trees and burn them. Now for those of you who don't know what a sucker is (or at least that’s what we called it), let me explain: a sucker is a shoot that grows from the base of the tree at ground level. Suckers, while they perfectly imitate the tree, have a few very significant differences: one, they have thorns on them, and two, they bear no fruit. You see, a sucker left to its own will perfectly mimic the hosting tree, yet it will rob the tree of all of the nutrients it can. It appears the goal is to destroy the tree and take its place, something which I have actually seen happen. By robbing the host tree of valuable nutrients, the host tree will become weakened, thus causing it to become susceptible to disease and the elements; in time, if left unattended, it can die. When I read this passage, I cannot help but think of the time with grandpa and later in life in my horticulture classes. I have concluded that, yes, God was a gardener; after all, He did create this amazing garden called earth. Back to the passage, could it be that Jesus is saying that the importance is to build people up, to equip them, to make them stronger than the suckers in our lives and then, when the harvest comes, we are able to reap from the productive plants and burn the tares or the mimicking nonproducing ones? Sometimes, we tend to expend all of our efforts in attempting to make things perfect by tearing down rather than perfecting by building up. Doesn't the latter seem to be more like what Jesus did? Yes, He pointed out the imperfections but He left them in place, exposed them for what they were, and when He returns, yes, He will burn them, yet, all the while, they will have every opportunity to change. Daily Prayer: Father, I pray that you would expose the areas of my own life that cause me to expend great energy and resources yet produce nothing of value, especially for the Kingdom. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. "Maintaining a productive life is hard work, yet the crop is eternal." Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 115 "Decisions that last for an eternity should never be rushed."

Day 115 Matthew 13:18-23 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” Both the parable and its interpretation are, in my opinion, one of the most amazing passages describing human nature in the entire Bible. Jesus, in this relatively short passage, is able to identify virtually every type of person who has professed to receive Christ as their savior. Every minister of the Gospel should truly study and understand this passage and each type of person Jesus is describing, for we bear great responsibility for the people we minister to. Far too many of us evangelists have gotten caught up in the numbers of it all; many become so consumed with how many people they can add to their numbers and forget that the acceptance of Christ is only the first step of salvation. First of all, we bear the responsibility to plant seeds in soil that has been prepared to receive the seed, and if the seed or the people are not ready, we should take the time to prepare them, to help them understand completely what they are doing. In addition we need to, like with all good crops tend to the people with loving care. If we fail at assisting people with completely understanding the decision they are making, then we very well may find ourselves being judged by God for, after all, we do know better, or at least we should. God is not impressed with numbers, man is, and when we place our focus on numbers, we are seeking to please man, not God. I may ruffle some feathers with what I am about to say, but I challenge you to search the Word before getting upset, so here goes: not everyone who accepts Christ is saved, at least by man's interpretation. As you read this passage, it is ever so obvious that the enemy literally can snatch away the seed of the Gospel that has been sown into unprepared hearts; hence, not everyone who claims to have received Christ is saved. Are we truly doing people a favor when we introduce them to the Gospel only to leave them unable to fend off the enemy when trials come? Remember Matthew 12:43-45, which describes what happens when a demonic spirit leaves and comes back with seven worse than he because the house has been cleaned; “it will be seven times worse than it was before for them. I wouldn't wish that on anyone! Am I saying that we shouldn't seek to share the Gospel with people? Of course not; however, I am saying we should be responsible for every person we do share it with, and we should plan for discipleship. Many years ago, the Lord taught me this lesson in a very harsh way, one I will never forget. A man asked me to purchase him lunch at McDonald’s on the corner of Haight and Stanyan in San Francisco; he was Russian by descent and spoke very broken English. While we were in line waiting to order, he asked me if I could tell him about Jesus, so as we ate I did, and eventually he accepted Christ as his Lord and savior. About an hour or so later, he came back saying there were voices in his head telling him to do terrible things. We prayed for him and immediately he was delivered. Try as we might, we were unable to get him connected with a local Church, even though we knew the Lord had told us to always plug people into a local body. Two years later, I watched the news in horror as a man in Sacramento, California, was being hunted down for killing seven members of his family with a knife; yes, it was this same man! You see, we should never get caught up in numbers or take lightly the seriousness of introducing people to Christ; the consequences of our actions are eternal. Daily Prayer: Father, may we never take lightly the Gospel of Jesus Christ nor the responsibility that comes with sharing the greatest message of all time. Keep us wise and watchful Lord. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. "Decisions that last for an eternity should never be rushed." Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 114 "There is only one truth and the creator of it is a jealous God."

Day 114 Matthew 13:10-17 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. I can recall on more than one occasion my grandfather using the term "You can't see the forest for the trees." In this passage, Jesus is saying something very similar; the religious leaders couldn't see who He was because they were still looking for Him. He looked different than what they expected; this Jesus didn't measure up to their standards. This Jesus was not eloquent enough. He was, after all, illegitimate. He was not from royalty, and He wasn't a scholar. How could He be the Messiah? The truth, you see, didn't matter, because it wasn't their truth, it wasn't pretty enough and, to top it all off, this man didn't agree with them; they, after all, were the ones in charge–the keepers of the religious truths, or so they thought. Today, our world is infested and controlled by people who have decided that they are the ones with the truth; that they have found the loophole to get into heaven without Jesus. The new buzz seems to be something like this: "Surely Jesus is not the only way to heaven." Warning! Danger! This belief is exactly what the devil wants you to fall for, and he is the one fostering the lie. People like Tom Cruise, Oprah Winfrey and, yes, even some very well-known TV pastors are spending far too much time trying to woo people into the Kingdom by making them feel good; however, Jesus never said that the way to heaven would feel good. I don't know about anyone else, but once I was convicted of my sin, it felt good to have it paid for, but I surely never have felt good about falling short or missing the mark. When people place the focus on feelings and sweet words or the ‘I think’ and ‘what ifs,’ that is when the water gets murky and people get deceived. Truly, the Word is the only answer. Revelation 2:12-28 is a great passage of scripture that everyone with the ‘touchy-feelies’ needs to read, and when they do, if it doesn't scare them straight, I don't know what will. There is one way to God, and for those who decide to compromise the Word and make their own way and not confront lies with truth, they will be judged according to their works. By the way, I'm not judging the people I have mentioned; I'll leave that to the Lord, and I'll pray for them; however, I am speaking the truth and for that no one should ever apologize. When people by their actions lead others astray, we have the duty to expose the lies by speaking and revealing the truth. Daily Prayer: Father, help us to confront the truth in love while not compromising the truth of Your Word. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. "There is only one truth and the creator of it is a jealous God." Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 113 "The condition of the soil will shine bright in all we do."

Day 113 Matthew 13:1-9 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” This very popular and often taught on passage has so much to offer, yet at the time of the sharing, it caused great confusion; after all, the history was unfolding. It had not yet been written; these folks were living it. It is so intriguing to me to see how often Jesus spoke of things that truly would not be comprehended until His resurrection. He was laying a foundation that would run deep and be well designed. Just like a strong concrete foundation, it had a lot of reinforcing in it. You see, when you look at both the smallest and the largest of buildings, all have one thing in common–a foundation. Those with a strong, deep, reinforced, and well-planned foundation are, of course, those that remain true and straight. They are, in fact, a good testimony to those who designed them. However, those foundations without reinforcing, depth, and good planning are unable to support the weight of the building above them; they, too, have a testimony and are a sign as to the planning of those who constructed them. There is an even larger determining factor for the strength of all buildings and that is the soil they are built upon. You see, no matter how well you plan your foundation, if the soil is bad, unstable, or shifting, the building will be likewise. The condition of the soil is what actually determines the stability of the building! Also, the condition of the soil is what determines the quality of the crop produced by a garden. A seed planted in soil of a poor state produces a crop in the same state. Another notable fact is that the evidence of the soil condition is there for all to see. It cannot be hidden for long; sooner or later it becomes evident to all, no matter what you're producing, building, or attempting to complete, whether or not great care has gone into it. A few years ago, I was counseling with some folks involved in a ministry that had deep issues of unrest, and as we prayed and looked into things, we found deep foundational issues that had never been resolved. As I prayed for these folks, the Lord gave me a picture in my mind of a large brick wall. This wall was a representation of the ministry; it was cracked and leaning almost to the point of falling; however, it was built on good soil. It was then that He showed me the only way to restore the ministry. Each brick, which represented the people involved and affected by this ministry since its inception, was to be removed from the wall, cleaned, and placed back in the wall once the foundation had been rebuilt. Yes, this was a monumental task and, yes, the only way that ministry would survive was by doing so. And, no, I don't ever want to be in a similar position, and I would assume neither do you. Plan well, and take the time it needs to do it right, for if you don't, you'll be allowed to clean up the mess sooner or later. Daily Prayer: Father, help us to plan well when involved in ministry or the temporal things in life. Help us, Lord, to avoid cleaning up the messes of poor decision making by taking the time to make wise choices. In Jesus’ name we pray these things. Amen. "The condition of the soil will shine bright in all we do." Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 112 "I want to be adopted, don't you?"

Day 112 Matthew 12:46-50 While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You." But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?" And He stretched out His hand toward the disciples and said, "Here are my mother and brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother." Before going on, it would be good to note that it is generally accepted as fact that Jesus’ brothers did not believe that He was the messiah until after His resurrection. While it does shed some light on why Jesus responded as He did, it shouldn't really surprise us that they didn't believe Him; after all, they had seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of Jesus who, remember, was born of the flesh. Not to mention He was, of course, the older brother. For some reason, it is far beyond the comprehension of my little pea brain that the savior of all mankind insists that those of us who have chosen to follow God (I Am) are brothers and sisters with Him. How can that be and, even more crazy, why would that be? Why not call us servants or slaves? After all, we are not gods–we are human flesh and susceptible to human reactions, based upon fleshly perspectives and confinements. He, on the other hand, is a spiritual being; capable of creating, destroying, or anything else that He darn well pleases or wills. Yet He, knowing that and so much more, chooses by His own will to call us His brothers and sisters, if we do the will of His Father. Again, wow! Yes, there is a condition to being placed in the status of brothers and sisters, albeit simple to choose and at times difficult to accomplish; we all are capable of doing so. What does it mean to do "the will of the Father"? Personally, I like the description in Galatians 5:6 ". . .but faith working through love." The will of the Father is that we would believe in who Jesus is, follow Him and live a life that is, to the best of our fleshly ability, like the example He set–one of unconditional love. So, what does it mean to be brothers and sisters of Christ? What are our responsibilities? Well, first of all, unlike our fleshly brothers and sisters who we can either agree or disagree with, they are always our brothers and sisters. However, with Christ we are adopted into His family as a conditional matter. We are immediately adopted once we accept Him and agree to do the will of our Father. Therefore, there is a condition and a requirement to being a member of this family–to live by faith and walk in love. So, the question today is this, "How are you doing with being a part of the family?" If you are looking for a test, read 1 Corinthians 13, and ask yourself how you're doing and react accordingly. The good news is, once you’re adopted into this family, it's eternal! Daily Prayer: Father, I pray that I would be able to not just be a member of this family, but rather to be an active and successful member of this family. Teach me, Lord, how to do Your will. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. "I want to be adopted, don't you?" Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 111 "Being filled by the Spirit keeps man from being filled with spirits; the choice is ours."

Day 111 Matthew 12:43-45 "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 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. 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." If taken out of context, this passage could easily be used as an argument for those who believe once you are saved you can be possessed by evil spirits, which would be contrary to what I read in the Word. When you read this, you must consider whom Jesus is speaking with and what the purpose of His conversation is. Here, Jesus is speaking to the Jewish leaders about their customs, practices, and failure to recognize who He is. It is also important to remember that, at this point, there is no Holy Spirit inhabiting those who have become believers. Remember, in John 16, Jesus makes it clear that the Holy Spirit cannot come until He leaves, which is the key to one not being able to be inhabited by an evil spirit following conversion. It was not uncommon at all for the priests to exorcise demons from people who were possessed; after all, they were priests of God, and, therefore, they understood what He was speaking of very clearly. Once a man had been delivered, he would naturally try to do right and avoid making wrong choices. However, as we know, he would fail–man can by no natural means avoid sin. In addition, deliverance is not salvation–it is simply deliverance from inhabitation. What you have is a hole in the spirit, cleaned out, yes, yet no less empty. If you take something away, you must fill the void with something else; otherwise, this person will feel just that, certain emptiness–a void, one which he will desire to fill. If you look at people with addictive personalities, you will find quite often that, every time they stop using or taking whatever they are addicted to, the emptiness soon takes over so they return to that which satisfied them. The problem is that soon the satisfied feeling fades and the only way to restore it is to move to a harder or stronger source of their addiction. If the spirit returns, as Jesus said, what is there to stop him and seven others from coming? Well, nothing, of course, because, after all, the person was not saved and filled with the spirit, or given the Word and fellowship; they were simply cleaned and left unattended with no defense. Jesus is saying to the religious leaders that their religious practices will not be enough without the belief in and existence of the Messiah–without grace, mercy, and deliverance man cannot be whole. He was attempting to explain to them that they truly have no power over man, the choice he makes, and that holiness and righteousness cannot be attained by actions or beliefs alone. However, as we know, they chose not to believe Him. This passage, I believe, is also a good argument for seeing that people are disciplined after conversion, not just left alone to be moved by every wind of doctrine or spiritual influence. Let's face it, who would take newborn babies and turn them loose in the world and expect them to survive? None of us, of course; we know they need to be nurtured, taught, and cared for, do they not? Daily Prayer: Father, we pray for those who struggle with emptiness in their lives. I pray, Father, that we would all fill the voids of sin with a greater knowledge and understanding of you, and thank you, Lord, for your Holy Spirit that protects us from the filling of the enemy. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. "Being filled by the Spirit keeps man from being filled with spirits; the choice is ours." Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 110 "If I walk in the truth, it alone shall be my witness and my defense."

Day 110 Matthew 12:38-42 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." 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. 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. 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. 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." Jesus is placing great emphasis here on the pursuit of and our response to the truth. Nineveh was an evil, adulterous place. The people were not seeking redemption or truth, yet when God sent the truth, they listened and repented; hence, God's response to forgive and restore the people. The people of Nineveh, as a result of hearing and obeying God, will now sit in judgment of the generation of the Jews who turned their back on Jesus. I mean, how ironic is that? Remember, the people of Nineveh were of Assyrian descent; they had been long-standing enemies of the Jewish people; therefore, Jonah felt that the people of Nineveh deserved judgment, not mercy, and that was his primary reason for not wanting to share the truth with them. Therefore, when Jesus tells the scribes and Pharisees that they will be judged by these men, He is truly offending them, yet He is using the Word to do it! He then speaks to them of the Queen of Sheba who sought out the wisdom of Solomon and concluded that this wisdom was truth, and upon hearing it, she honored him with gifts of gold and great wealth. She sought the truth, recognized it as such, and openly received it and blessed it. In essence, she placed her seal of approval on it and, therefore, caused many others to believe in this truth, and they, too, blessed and honored it. While they were honoring a man greatly blessed and anointed by God, they were, by their actions, also acknowledging that God's hand was upon these people. We see two opposing approaches here to the truth: one a nation who it was sent to and another who pursued the truth; the common bond being that each of them recognized it for what it was and responded accordingly. The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ time were neither in pursuit of truth nor did they desire to hear it; they openly chose to deny Jesus as the true Messiah. Hence, those who came before them and even those they despise will sit in judgment of them one day. For me, this is a very timely passage. More than ever, I desire to stay completely engulfed in the Word of God, the truth, for there is nothing else I trust. All of the answers we seek in life, the challenges we face, the fears we need to overcome, and the hopes we hang on to, they are all found in this Word of life–all we need to do is seek them out. And I believe that Jesus is telling the Pharisees and scribes that very thing: those who seek it shall find it, and those who desire it will receive it, but all who see the truth must choose to recognize and acknowledge it for what it is and then react accordingly. Daily Prayer: Father, help us to recognize the truth when we see it. May we know the truth so well that the counterfeit becomes obvious as such. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. "If I walk in the truth, it alone shall be my witness and my defense." Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 109 "Are you bearing the fruit you desire or the fruit you deserve?"

Day 109

Matthew 12:33-37 "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. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 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. 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."

Jesus manages, once again, to ruffle the feathers of the religious leaders by calling them on the carpet so to speak. He is basically telling them to decide what and who they are going to be, either men of honesty and integrity or men driven by greed, pride, and power. This statement, as always, comes with great warning for those who are standing on the fence or attempting to walk down the middle. The truth is all men must make a choice: be a good and honest person (not perfect) or an evil person; however, speaking as one and acting like another is not an option for anyone. Idle words are those dangerous words that fall into the chasm of "in between;" they are meaningless and worthless, yet so dangerous and powerful, for they lead men astray.

How many times, while in the presence of friends, have you or someone else spoken of how you want to give someone a piece of your mind, yet when confronted with the person, back down. Oh, how dangerous gossip can be and is. Can you imagine the Lord judging you based upon the idle words or gossip you have spoken? There is some great news in this passage as well though; news of hope and healing. In verse 37, the word "justified" means to acquit. And what Jesus is saying is that those who purpose to follow Him, to bear good fruit by their words of "Good News;" encouragement, by the words that bear "good fruit," can be acquitted. The question would be, “On the scale of words, are you doing more to speak well or more to condemn?”

I am reminded of the passage in James 3 where the writer describes the tongue as deadly, dangerous, and powerful, capable of destroying men and building roaring fires of rage; hence, we should be extra watchful of our tongue. He also likens it to the rudder of a ship, capable of steering a mighty vessel. While yet so small, if the tongue speaks of what the heart feels, then we truly must be careful, wary, and mindful of what we store in our hearts and consequently release through our mouths, for with it, we can either tear down or build up–the choice is truly our own.

Daily Prayer: Father, help me, I pray, to control my tongue and to hold regular checkups on my heart. I truly desire to be in your will and speaking on your behalf. Show me when I fail that I might repent and be made whole by your righteousness. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

"Are you bearing the fruit you desire or the fruit you deserve?"

Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 108 "Our lack of action will create a reaction, so why not take action?"

Day 108

Matthew 12:30 "He who is not with Me is against Me, and He who does not gather with Me scatters abroad."

This morning, as I was praying and preparing to write, I had every intention of adding two more verses; however, thankfully, God had other plans and interrupted my own. When you read this obscure little verse tucked away between divided kingdoms and unpardonable sins, it is rather easy to overlook the power of it! "…He who does not gather with Me scatters abroad" is an extremely powerful and dramatic statement that bears looking into. Jesus is, of course, speaking at this time directly to the religious leaders of His day, the Pharisees; however, the message is for all men who dwell upon the earth. To gather is referring to bringing in the lost sheep, or the unbelievers, and the implication is that, if we do not join Jesus in doing so, we knowingly or unknowingly are participating in the scattering of those same people. That is a little heavy. We often view not participating in various things as simply that, not participating. However, our lack of participation actually works against the cause of those who are willing to make the sacrifice to serve. By sitting on the sidelines, we negatively affect the outcome of the game! How can that be, you ask? How can I, by not doing, cause actions or effects; after all, I'm not doing anything!

A few years ago, I recall watching President Bush giving a State of the Union address, and, of course, all of the congressional leaders and Senators were there, both Republicans and Democrats. I noticed that every time that the President made a point, the Republicans would stand up and applause while the Democrats would sit and even sneer at his remarks, and it didn't matter whether his remarks were accurate or beneficial for the people–the response by both parties remained the same. The message I took away from that night was very clear: neither party cares so much about the people they serve so much as they care about the power they maintain–one side showing it by their participation and the other by their lack of it.

This message has, in many ways, embedded itself in the hearts and minds of the people of America and complacency toward politics, and our leadership has become the rule. Now, I'm not getting political here, I am honestly disgusted by both parties, and my political beliefs will remain private; however, what a great example of influence without so called action. I hope you see the point. Jesus is sending a very direct message about gathering; we are all to be about the business of gathering. The question is, “Are you participating or are you on the sidelines?”

Daily Prayer: Father, help us, Lord, to remember that our lack of action truly does send a message whether we mean to or not. Show us, Lord, how to get involved, each in our own way and at our own pace. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

"Our lack of action will create a reaction, so why not take action?"

Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 107 "Love is the sign of a true believer."

Day 107

Matthew 12:25-29 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then can his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils; by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has come unto you. Or else, how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? And then he will spoil his house.

This passage honestly causes me to be somewhat concerned for our Nation, albeit not in a sense that it instills fear, but rather one of the reality that many will miss the mark. If we look at the Church in America, and by the Church, I mean those who call themselves believers, there are many that have strayed completely away from the Word and are basing their belief upon the charisma of a person. Yet, when the media portrays them, we hear words like, "the ______ Church," "God told us to do _____," or "Our religion allows us to do ____," and, unfortunately, we are all being portrayed often as a bunch of nut jobs. Before I go on, let me say that I very much believe in the need for Churches to be diverse, as long as they follow the Word of God in its entirety and don't twist things up for personal gain, and, of course, they must preach Jesus as the way, the truth, and the light. After all, are we not all different?

The use of spiritual gifts openly makes some uncomfortable: some like topical teaching, and others prefer just the Word. Should not the Christian Church in the world be as diverse as the people God created? However, many of you, I'm sure, have heard of the Baptist Church (I am only quoting; I am not against Baptists at all) who show up at funerals for fallen soldiers and protest against the soldiers, saying things like, "Rot in hell baby killer," or "God hates killers, your son is in hell." Statements like these do nothing but damage to the true believers and followers of Jesus. This is how satan divides the Church, and the media loves it! I was equally appalled as I watched Jeremiah Wright rail on about America and how our government planted drugs in the colored neighborhoods. And he even went on to say that God should damn America over our racism. Without going into great detail, I can honestly say he did more to damage the Church in America and more to divide blacks and whites than he did to draw us together. I'm sorry, but this man does not follow the same Jesus I do: my Jesus is one of love, grace, mercy, compassion, and understanding, and yes, judgment. But, He is not a hatemonger.

People such as the ones I have mentioned today, these are men who are not interested in building the Kingdom of God (at least their actions don't seem to say so); they are people with an agenda, and they are a small portion of those who are out there doing more to divide the believers than they are toward drawing us together. We need to pray for them, and if they continue, we should, at every turn, distance ourselves from them and try to heal the wounds they have caused.

Daily Prayer: Father, I pray God that you would rescue your children from those who would use Your name to lead them astray, and, Father, would you bring false leaders to judgment and protect Your Church? In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

"Love is the sign of a true believer."

Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 106 "Beware of sweet words that often hold bitter consequences."

Day 106

Matthew 12:22-24 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. And all the multitudes were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?" Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."

Sometimes I feel like a myna bird, just repeating the same thing over and over again, and then the Lord reminds me that I'm not even that talented. After all, He is the one who inspired the Word of God; therefore, every Word that is written (in the Bible) is there for a reason, and every Word is to be taken seriously. So, once again, we see the human pattern unfold; rather than look to the miraculous, we try to explain it away. Why, may I ask, do we do that? What purpose does it serve for man to look upon the actions, promises, and blessings of God and then minimize them by bringing them into our realm of understanding? I heard it said one time that "If I can understand all of the things of God, then God is more man than God, and I, for one, desire to serve no man." How true is that? If God and His actions can be completely understood by man, then His power is limited to that of the flesh. I have seen God do a plethora of miracles in my day. I have witnessed many times over prayers that were answered differently than those praying had desired, yet in zero cases were those answered prayers detrimental to those praying them, yes, even when they ended in death.

It really is all about our perspective. If we set our minds and our hearts upon the things of God and truly surrender our will to His, believing that He desires the very best for us, then that is what we believe. If we have a perspective that God is out to control or manipulate us, then that is what we will believe, and everything we say and do will be slanted toward furthering that belief. If we believe that God is up in heaven just waiting for us to miss the mark so He can punish us then, again, that is what we will believe–getting the point? What I truly do not understand is why people work so hard to make God into something that they can control, manipulate, or just something He is not! The problem, I believe, is far too many of us base our opinion upon what others say rather than upon the truth of the Word, and the reason for that, in far too many cases, is we don't read it for ourselves.

Let me share a brief example of what I mean. A while back, I sat in a room of long-term believers; people I would deem spiritually mature, and one person began to speak on the topic of demonic possession. This person actually said these words, "Jesus never cast a demon out of anyone who was not a Christian." Now, may I just say this as carefully as I can–hogwash! Yet I sat in amazement as he used big words and passionate emotions to make his point. However, he did not share one scripture to back it up (probably because, to my knowledge, there are none), and the other people in the room were amazed by his knowledge and understanding of God. They even asked him to teach them in a class of this great revelation.
But, back to the point, the Word of God is the answer. It truly holds all of the mysteries of the Kingdom, and those who have studied it for a lifetime remain amazed that, every day, they learn of more.

Daily Prayer: Father, help me to never get so wise in my own mind that I no longer seek Yours. Protect me from seeking half-truths and unfounded beliefs that would lead me down a path of destruction. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

"Beware of sweet words that often hold bitter consequences."

Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 105 "When the journey is the focus, the goal becomes reality."

Day 105

Matthew 12:14-21 Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him. But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. Yet He warned them not to make Him known, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him. And He will declare justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench, till He sends forth justice to victory; And in His name Gentiles will trust."

When we read the Word of God, we have many views which we may take, one being more scholarly, seeking to dissect every word and phrase, and attempting to break down and make known the true meaning of the Word. Another view would be a much more simplistic view; one where we ask the Holy Spirit (which we must first believe in for this approach) "How does this apply to me?" As you read these daily devotionals, I pray you understand that I am being led to take the more latter approach, while seeking never to change any meaning, but simply not seeking to dissect or go too deep into theological debate. Why do I say that today, you ask? Simply because the Spirit led me to do so; hence, the point.

When I read this passage, I am reminded of the words I have heard so often from many individuals. A while back, at Church I prayed with a young man who, again, used this phrase, "God has called me to ministry." As of today, I will recommend this passage and devotional to all who use that phrase in the future because, first of all, I truly believe that we are all called to minister in some way, and yet some are called to a particular ministry, often on a full-time basis, one not being more important than the other; however, one does require more sacrifice, obedience, and self-control (1Timothy).

So, back to the passage. Again, how does this apply to you and me? Jesus was sent here for a purpose. It was repeatedly prophesied what that purpose was, often in great detail. He was God, and He knew the process as well as the purpose of His time on earth. Many men and women have had similar callings; however, they only know the purpose, not the process. Why? – because they are flesh, and we can only handle one step at a time. Moses was sent for a purpose; he was told the purpose and yet led step by step. David had a purpose, and again, he was told the purpose but led step by step, and we could name many, many more. All too often, people who have a particular call wait for God to tell them what the next step is; however, they forget that they must take the first step, more often than not, by faith. When God called Moses to lead His people out of bondage, God first set him aside and taught him how to hear His voice. Why? – because Moses needed to learn that, for he had not practiced it; he was more Egyptian than Hebrew, and that thinking needed to be reversed. When God told David that he would be King, what did David have to learn? – how to serve and submit, for he already understood God's voice. Remember Goliath?

When we are called and our purpose is revealed, that is only the beginning, not the end. God gives us the greater vision in order that we may not lose sight of His goal for us; however, He takes us there step by step. And every day that we listen and learn from Him is one day that we come closer to reaching the goal of fulfilling His call on our lives. The keys being: listening, learning, obeying, and walking in humility, for every day we do not is one day we delay our arrival at our destination of fulfilling God's purpose for our lives, thus achieving true peace and joy on earth.

Daily Prayer: Father, please forgive me for those days I have failed to take the steps you have told me to take. I ask for your encouragement and direction on a daily basis God, even when it pains me. I need Your guidance, Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

"When the journey is the focus, the goal becomes reality."

Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 104 "Admitting you’re wrong is better than convincing others you’re right."

Day 104

Matthew 12:9-13 Now when he had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" – that they might accuse Him. Then He said to them, "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other.

Once again, we see the treachery of the enemy being exposed. How ridiculous is this argument that it would bear enough weight to convict the King of Kings. If you never realized just how desperate the devil is, you should now. These religious leaders, in their quest for power, are seeking anything at all to discredit Christ, so much so that they don't even recognize their own ignorance.

Have you ever known anyone like that before? You know the type, the guy who is more focused on being right than he is on living in the truth? His pride and arrogance are so strong that, in his mind, he believes the lies simply because they are his. Here is the good news, though. Jesus is more concerned with complete restoration than He is with political correctness. You see, this man with a withered hand would not have been allowed to fellowship or have meals with anyone as he was considered unclean; remember, they didn't have Charmin in those days. By healing this man, Jesus was restoring him not only in the physical sense but in the mental and social sense as well. Can you imagine his humiliation and loneliness? His sense of self-worth had to be extremely low. And along comes Jesus; no one else prayed for him. How could they? It was the Sabbath; the day set aside to reflect upon God. We can't bother God on the Sabbath, especially for an unclean heathen! Satan would have loved to keep that man in the pit he was in, but little did he know that Jesus loved this man more than He loved Himself. Satan could never understand such a thing. You see, people are of no value to the enemy, yet nothing is more valuable than people to God–except maybe whole, restored, and fulfilled people–those who walk in the righteousness of Christ.

Daily Prayer: Father, never let me get so caught up in being right that I forget to love, and may I be a beacon of truth for you. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

"Admitting you’re wrong is better than convincing others you’re right."

Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 102 "The sweet taste of mercy can be drowned by the bitterness of the law."

Day 103

Matthew 12:1-8 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!" But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even on the Sabbath."

A few years ago, my late wife and I were blessed with an opportunity to visit Israel for the first time, and if you are ever given the opportunity, I would highly recommend it; every believer will, I believe, benefit from the experience. One of the greatest challenges for me, however, was the staunch reverence and strict adherence to the law by the Jewish people, and secondly, their lack of tolerance for non-Jews. To see the things of Jesus viewed upon as utterly meaningless (other than for profit) literally can break your heart.

One evening shortly after our arrival was the beginning of the Sabbath, which means that from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday there can be no physical labor performed by the Jewish people. Therefore, many of them make it a practice to go to the local motels on Friday afternoons and stay there until the completion of Sabbath. This way, all of their meals are prepared and the temptation to do any chores is completely removed. In order to accommodate them, among many other things, the multistory motels set their elevators to stop on every floor, negating the need to push the buttons, which would be considered working. In the restaurants tables are not bussed, the food is laid out on the buffet ahead of time, and no one serves or waits on them. Being a visitor and not understanding the culture, many of us were scolded (some rather rudely) for being so foolish as to push the elevator buttons; after all, we were breaking the Sabbath.

Suddenly, I understood this passage. Without disrespecting God's chosen people, let me just say that the rudeness of the people did far more to drive me away from desiring to be like them than would have a kind word explaining the reason for their beliefs. I think one of the things Jesus is trying to say to the Jews in this passage is that people are more important than law, especially when the strict adherence to the law prevents you from recognizing the one who came to fulfill it! We can get so caught up in the legalism that we forget the law was made to protect the people, not destroy or maim them! Anytime adherence to law outweighs mercy for God's people, we are in trouble, and I dare say we have strayed far away from the heart of our Savior. After all, Jesus did not shed His blood to justify the law, but rather to fulfill it, and by His life and death He showed us the ultimate truth–God loves people, not rules! I'm not advocating sin, so don't get led astray, but rather a lifestyle filled with mercy, grace, and love. After all, if it was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me.

Daily Prayer: Father, please help me not to get caught up in legalism, but rather to abound in mercy, grace, and love that I might please You and win all the more for Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

"The sweet taste of mercy can be drowned by the bitterness of the law."

Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 102 "If it's too heavy, is Jesus in it?"

Day 102

Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Since we know God cannot lie, who is it then that is causing this life to feel so darn burdensome? Have you ever wondered about that or maybe asked a similar question yourself ? I know that I have, and yet when I do, the answer is as clear as the nose on my face: I'm the one who makes it hard, not Jesus. If God were as hard and demanding on us as we are of ourselves, we would surely buckle under the load, and there would be little appeal to following such a hard taskmaster. The good news is He is not as hard on us as we are on ourselves, at least not when it comes to expectations. Jesus says, "I am gentle and lowly in heart, you will find rest for your souls." So, why don't we? Again, he is not the one making it hard, we are. What does He say here? – "…rest for your souls." This is the rest that calms our fears, our failures, and relieves us of the weight of sin and transgression, and it is the rest of His righteousness.

Try as we might, we can never work our way into heaven anymore than we can make enough sacrifices upon this earth to make it to heaven–we get there one way–through Jesus! I, for one, need help in this area. While I know I can't do enough or give up enough, I feel compelled to do so on an ongoing basis. I know it has nothing to do with salvation and everything to do with obligation. You see, I feel obligated to do the things I do for God. For some reason, I feel He has forgiven so much that there is no way I can repay Him. Duh, He isn't asking for anything but my love. Does He require that I serve and make sacrifices in order to receive His love? The answer is, of course, no, at least not to the level that many of us do. The only things He requires of us are belief, submission, obedience, and repentance. Again, ‘His yoke is easy and His burden light.’ Are we wrong for doing so much or are we doing it because we love to? The answer is in the question. I believe that we must constantly evaluate the motivation for our actions of service and sacrifice. If we are feeling led to do something, then Jesus will give us peace and rest, and the burden will be light. If we are feeling weighed down, frustrated, and discontented, then we are truly no different than those who fast for all to see rather than those who fast and no one knows.

Daily Prayer: Father, I pray for wisdom and balance. Help me to stay wise in choosing when and where to serve, and may I never serve or make sacrifices with the wrong motivation or out of fear and obligation. In Jesus’ name I pray these things. Amen.

"If it's too heavy, is Jesus in it?"

Pastor Gene Burroughs

101 "Wisdom is greater than higher learning and she is born from our God."

Day 101

Matthew 11:25-27 At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and the prudent and have revealed them to the babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 27 All things have been delivered to Me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."

There seems to be a very common trap that men for all time have consistently fallen into: they tend to become too smart for themselves and lose touch with the truth while in search of it. One thing I have noticed over the years is that many pastors and teachers who attend schools of higher learning often place as much faith in books written by scholars as they do in the written Word of God. Before I go on, let me clarify that I am not against higher education or academics in any way; I believe that they are crucial for our society. I am, however, skeptical of those who quote authors more than they quote the Word. The challenge comes when we begin to place our hope and/or our spiritual health in the hands of people rather than in the hands of our God. Yes, even this devotional must in itself remain to be based upon a daily reading of the Word or I, too, will have fallen into the same trappings I mention.

Insight is an amazing tool, one that all mankind needs to remain challenged and growing in understanding; however, education should never rise to a place where it has more influence on people's lives than does the Holy Spirit. A well-balanced person is one who takes the Word of God and the Holy Spirit and uses it as a guide for daily living above all else and then weighs books read and counsel received against the Word, not vice versa. I can't tell you how many times I have heard pastors quote books and other people more than they quote the Word of God. I must confess red flags begin going up for me when this is the case, and then, when they begin to quote or market their own books during the message, well, that's the end for me. Everything we need to get through this life is written in the Bible. Every challenge we could ever face is answered there. Yes, it may be difficult to find, and often authors can help us to do so; however, once again, neither man nor his words can be a substitute for God and His Word.

We should retain a healthy perspective by spending more of our time seeking the direction of our Lord through prayer, time in His Word, and by taking time to sit and listen to the things the Spirit of God wants to reveal to us. It would do us well to not forget that Jesus, in verse 27, tells us that He reveals God to people; therefore, we can't go wrong by asking Him to do so for us and then listening to Him as He does so. After all, He can do it much better than the man He created can.

Daily Prayer: Father, please protect me from placing more emphasis upon man and his teachings than I do You and Your teachings, and Father, I pray that by Your Holy Spirit and by Your will you would reveal more of Yourself to me each and every day. In Jesus’ name I pray these things. Amen.

"Wisdom is greater than higher learning and she is born from our God."

Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 100 "The truth can defend itself much better than I."

Day 100

Matthew 11:20-24 Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."

Jesus doesn't seem to be pulling any punches at this point. He has sent out His disciples, the gospel is being preached to the Jews, and now He is warning them of the consequences of rejection. I am utterly convinced that there is no way I want to experience firsthand the consequences of rejecting the truth of God, nor will I. Yet, in some strange sort of way, I do find comfort in knowing that people who saw firsthand the miracles Jesus did often reject Him as Christ, and if they rejected Him, then surely they would reject us. So rejection, actually, is something we should get used to.

I heard Pastor Jack Hayford say this once: "If you're offended by what people say about you, you have an issue of pride." At first, I was offended by his statement; however, after much thought, I realized that I did have an issue of pride, and my offense was the proof of that pride. Let me do my best to explain, if I may. You see, when we are offended by others’ view of us or our opinion, we are placing ourselves above those whom we feel have offended us; something we have no right to do. If we are all created in the image of God, then we are all equal, and if we are all equal, then we are equally entitled to our opinions and thoughts, are we not? Therefore, if I do not accept your opinion or thought, or you likewise, then we somehow place ourselves above one another, correct? The challenge truly comes when one is speaking absolute truth and the other is not; for example, the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we speak the truth of the gospel in love, we must accept the fact that not everyone wants to hear or know the truth, and should they choose to deny that truth, they are not denying us, but rather the one who created all of us. Therefore, I have no right to be offended, for by doing so, I place myself in the place reserved for the Godhead. Confusing, yes, but go ahead and ponder it for a while. I'm sure you'll arrive at the same conclusion, prayerfully, much quicker than I did!

Daily Prayer: Father, please teach me to leave my pride behind and to walk in total humility before you and before man. Teach me to trust you Lord and walk in the peace of your truth and allow your truth to stand on its own. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

"The truth can defend itself much better than I."

Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 99 "An unattended field yields a crop no one wants, yet it still requires much attention."

Day 99

Matthew 11:16-19 "But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying: 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; We mourned to you, and you did not lament;' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children."

I sure do like the way verse 19 ends. Like my grandpa used to say, "Son, the proof is in the pudding." I wasn't ever really sure (nor am I now) what proof had to do with pudding; however, I liken it to wisdom being justified by her children.

One morning, as I drove my daughters to school, they were commenting on how well behaved and well mannered their then 20-month-old niece was. Do you know how refreshing it was to be in the car with a 10- and 13-year-old who were impressed by the manners of an almost two-year-old? As we discussed this further, my daughters were showing their wisdom. The conversation came around to our family’s culture, one of teaching right from wrong and allowing them to experience the consequences of wrong choices, yet being there to teach and support them along the way. It actually turned into a great time of teaching as I explained to them that in our home Mom was the one who truly ran our household, while Dad was the re-enforcement, the one who was always there to support, encourage, protect, exhort, and the one responsible for their spiritual growth and prayer over them. You see, in Biblical home, (proverbs 31) a wife always places her husband and children above her outside career, why you ask? In my humble opinion there is not a more honorable or difficult career on this planet than that of being a Mother and Wife. The primary reason that my granddaughters are such well behaved children is first of all mom and dad love the Lord and live like it, and secondly They understand the Biblical role of family structure. I am not at all trying to minimize the role of fathers in the home, my son-in-law is a great young dad; however, we each have our roles, and it is far better to recognize those roles and encourage one another than it is to compete for roles or recognition.

But now, back to the point at hand: Jesus said to those watching His life, "But wisdom is justified by her children." If we focus on living a life based upon the principles of Jesus’ teaching, we need not attempt to prove anything to anyone, the proof will follow. The seed we plant and the nurturing we provide that plant will produce a crop, just like our lives; the effort we put into a Godly lifestyle will not go unnoticed either way. By the way, I am not insinuating that all children who go astray are due to poor parenting. There are other factors, such as choices; however, if we do not purpose to guide them and set a good example for them, they most assuredly will stray.

Daily Prayer: Father, help me to keep focused on living a life that produces good fruit, and teach me how to teach others. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

"An unattended field yields a crop no one wants, yet it still requires much attention."

Pastor Gene Burroughs

Dy 98 "Know your God well enough to spot a fake."

Day 98

Matthew 11:12-15 "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

While this passage can be somewhat confusing, there are some great lessons to be learned that truly apply to us today. You see, the great story here is that Jesus came to fulfill exactly what had been spoken of by the prophets of old, the arrival of the Messiah, the end of the law and the beginning of the new covenant. However, the Jewish religious leaders had another agenda, another plan, one that would allow them to stay in power. They resisted the Messiah and violently rejected the plan of God, attempting to change the outcome, and they sought to take heaven by force. John prepared the way; he fulfilled the role that Elijah, Malachi, and others prophesied long before; however, they rejected his message. Why? Because they weren't ready. You see, they were the generation alive and in power, and they were not about to give up their earthly power; after all, in their minds they deserved it.

Last week, I watched literally in horror as people worshiped the pontiff of the Catholic Church upon his arrival in the United States. I heard words used to describe him such as Holy Father and God on earth. This is true blasphemy and idolatry. If I offend some, I confess there will be no apology, for there is only one God and one Jesus and He has not returned to this earth to claim His bride, though He will. For those who participate in such worship, we pray for their eyes to be opened and the scales to be removed, and for those who are leading this frenzy, we pray for confession and repentance. They and many other so-called religious leaders in our world are attempting to set up for themselves their own pathway to God. They are, as well, attempting to take heaven by force; however, heaven will not be conquered, and the plan of God will not be changed by any man!

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 is one of many scriptures that warn us of people who will preach another Jesus or offer another gospel. We are not to listen, support, or associate with these people; as a matter of fact, we are to expose them. Let's not get complacent in these latter days confusing our need to be gracious with our call to confront heretics and false prophets. Complacency will send a lot of people to hell, and I, for one, don't want their blood on my hands, do you?

Daily Prayer: Father, help us to be wise, gracious, loving, and merciful, and allow us, Lord, to know when to confront those who have another agenda besides the one You have prescribed. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

"Know your God well enough to spot a fake."

Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 97 "Someday soon the Son will rise; we'll see His coming in the sky."

Day 97

Matthew 11:7-11 As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft garments are in kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’ Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

The greatness of John the Baptist can only be attributed to one thing: his selfless sacrifice to one he had never seen but knew would come. Even before Jesus arrived on the scene, John the Baptist was touting Jesus’ coming. Without a messiah, he was leading people to a new relationship with God, even to the point of baptizing them in the name of one yet to come. Talk about conviction and faith!

We see evidence of Jesus everywhere. We read of His great deeds. We can even historically document His existence, yet we struggle all too often just to speak His name. John was a man preparing the way for the arrival of the Messiah, Jesus, the Son of God. Sound familiar? Jesus said He would return again to claim His bride. Is it possible that we, too, could have the same honor as John the Baptist?

I know I'm being sarcastic, but I for one had not really paid much attention to this before, have you? Oh sure, I have thought often and do tell others about the return of Christ, but the parallel to John's life I have never really thought of until now. We have the same honor, opportunity, and yes, responsibility today that John the Baptist had in his day, and yes, we even have the advantage of the Holy Spirit, history and evidence to help us along. So, how about it, care to join me? Let's get busy telling folks about our coming Savior, after all, I don't think we have long to wait.

Daily Prayer: Father, thank you for this revelation, and may I not take it lightly. Give me the passion and desire of John the Baptist, and show me Lord how to proclaim the return of Your Son. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

"Someday soon the Son will rise; we'll see His coming in the sky."

Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 96 "My belief can leads to His blessing."

Day 96

Matthew 11:4-6 Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is He who is not offended because of Me."

John the Baptist is in prison when he hears that Jesus is in the area and things are happening, and now he is wondering if this is the same man he baptized in the Jordan, because he knows that man was the Messiah. All of that aside, look at the response of Jesus–He doesn't say yes, He says look around you at the things that are happening–they are the proof they seek, for only God can do such things.

Let me ask you, are there miracles happening in your house of worship? Are the poor being treated with the same regard and respect as the rich? Are the sick cleansed, and is the gospel being preached? Is Jesus in the house or are you or maybe others offended at that very thought? By the way, I didn't say it; He did. I'm just repeating it back. The truth is this, when Jesus is around, there is evidence of His presence and no one has to wonder; they just need to realize the obvious–things are taking place which men cannot do!

Why is it that people are amazed when, at our outreaches, we see miracles; we see healings; we see redemption; we see evidence of God; and we hear the gospel preached? Why anyone should be amazed by this is beyond me, when in reality, we should expect it! I'm not talking about men performing miracles–God doesn't need that. I'm talking about God in His miraculous way causing miracles to happen and changes to take place that give no glory to any man or woman. He says, if we ask, He will be faithful to hear us. We don't need a priest, a pastor, or a healer–He is all of that and more. All we need is Jesus, a willing heart, and an open mind. We need to not be offended because of Him, but rather blessed by His presence!

Let me ask this, “Why is it so hard for many people to believe that God can and will do these things?” Does He love us less than the people of Jesus’ time on earth or is He tired, or maybe He just wants to see us suffer?” Sound ridiculous? Of course it does, because it is. Jesus Christ is "The same yesterday, today, and forever." So, why don't we see Him moving? – because we’re not looking. If people want to live their lives keeping God in a box, that’s their business, but as for me and my house, we choose to see and receive all He chooses to give, and all we have to do is believe!

Daily Prayer: Father, I choose to believe that You, Your Son, and Your Holy Spirit are alive and well, and that you desire to do the same miracles today that you have always done. Strengthen my faith, and please forgive me for my doubts. In Jesus’ name I pray these things. Amen.

"My belief can leads to His blessing."

Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 95 “There’s nothing I will face that He has not conquered.”

Day 95

Matthew 11:1-3 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

Jesus didn’t just tell His disciples what to do and how to do it; He got in there and did it with them. A great leader doesn’t just send others out; they get on the front lines with their people. They have a hands-on sense of what is going on, yet they do so without getting bogged down in the tyranny of the urgent. You see, Jesus practiced what He preached, yet He also kept a heavenly perspective. By getting in the streets, Jesus was hearing what His disciples were hearing, He was seeing what they were seeing, and He knew the challenges they were facing; hence, He could relate to them. The difference however between great leaders and those who follow, is great leaders don’t just see the immediate future, they look beyond the circumstances. Great leaders keep the goal and the plan in perspective, they understand the day to day and yet they lead for tomorrow. While we would never want to get so familiar with Jesus that we forget who He is and disrespect His Godhead, we must also remember that Jesus was a man, tempted in every way; a man who experienced even greater physical challenges in sharing the faith than any of us ever will. Therefore, when we are feeling tired, beat up, worn out, neglected, or abused, He can relate, for He knows how that feels, and He knows the outcome. Wow! What an awesome God we serve!

One particular morning, I woke up feeling very discouraged. My knee was in constant pain; I had a very difficult time falling asleep and staying there–and the night prior to this writing was no exception. My wife was ill, the children were sick, the bills needed paying, and I had been failing with keeping my diet healthy. Yet this morning as I read this passage, I am encouraged, my spirits are lifted, and I am reminded that I serve a God who has been where I’ve been (and much worse), a God who can relate to my fears and aspirations, one who has felt my pain, and best of all “He will never leave nor forsake me!”

Daily Prayer: Father, thank-you that You allowed Your Son to become a man in flesh, that He, too, would know and understand the challenges we face. Help me to never forget that when the trials and temptations of this life weigh me down. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

“There’s nothing I will face that He has not conquered.”

Pastor Gene Burroughs

day 94 "Not everything we hear tickles our ear, nor should it."

Day 94

Matthew 10:40-42 "He who receives you receives Me, and He who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."

Blessing by association, how cool is that? Jesus is so concerned for and aware of the challenges those who serve in ministry face, that He actually promises blessings for those who care for them. So, why is it that, even though blessings and great rewards are promised, the tendency really is to be more judgmental than receptive to God's messengers?

A few years ago, I was ministering with my team in a community that is seeped in deep roots of spiritual bondage; it was so strong that, upon driving through this community, my spirit would weep and the hurt became overwhelming at times. The Holy Spirit, during a time of corporate prayer and worship, revealed to me in great detail the cause of and cure for this great oppression, and thus I spoke it out. The same vision was given to another person in the room, and as we found out a few days later, another person had prophesied a very similar vision years earlier. The local pastors became very enraged with me; one even became so angry he asked me to stop ministering in the community and accused me of many untrue and hurtful things. Yet even though I knew the truth of this Word, I was equally aware that, if these leaders would not accept it and react to it, the blood of the people would be upon their hands, not mine. To this day, the community is embedded in spiritual warfare, depression, addiction and so much more. You see, it wasn't me they rejected; it was the Word of the Lord they rejected. Had they accepted this Word, they would be blessed yet, out of pride and fear, they have chosen not to; thus, I believe they were cursed. The good news is the Lord has not turned His back on these folks, if they turn to Him He will hear.

The Lord loves His people and He will save whom He chooses to save, and He will curse whom He chooses to curse. We would do well, however, to receive and bless all of those who come in the name of our one true God, even if what they say challenges us.

Daily Prayer: Father, I pray for the wisdom to recognize any spirit which is not of and from You. Please help me, Lord, to recognize false teachings and false prophets who come in Your name and to follow the one true God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

"Not everything we hear tickles our ear, nor should it."

Pastor Gene Burroughs

"Not everything we hear tickles our ear, nor should it."

Day 94

Matthew 10:40-42 "He who receives you receives Me, and He who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."

Blessing by association, how cool is that? Jesus is so concerned for and aware of the challenges those who serve in ministry face, that He actually promises blessings for those who care for them. So, why is it that, even though blessings and great rewards are promised, the tendency really is to be more judgmental than receptive to God's messengers?

A few years ago, I was ministering with my team in a community that is seeped in deep roots of spiritual bondage; it was so strong that, upon driving through this community, my spirit would weep and the hurt became overwhelming at times. The Holy Spirit, during a time of corporate prayer and worship, revealed to me in great detail the cause of and cure for this great oppression, and thus I spoke it out. The same vision was given to another person in the room, and as we found out a few days later, another person had prophesied a very similar vision years earlier. The local pastors became very enraged with me; one even became so angry he asked me to stop ministering in the community and accused me of many untrue and hurtful things. Yet even though I knew the truth of this Word, I was equally aware that, if these leaders would not accept it and react to it, the blood of the people would be upon their hands, not mine. To this day, the community is embedded in spiritual warfare, depression, addiction and so much more. You see, it wasn't me they rejected; it was the Word of the Lord they rejected. Had they accepted this Word, they would be blessed yet, out of pride and fear, they have chosen not to; thus, I believe they were cursed. The good news is the Lord has not turned His back on these folks, if they turn to Him He will hear.

The Lord loves His people and He will save whom He chooses to save, and He will curse whom He chooses to curse. We would do well, however, to receive and bless all of those who come in the name of our one true God, even if what they say challenges us.

Daily Prayer: Father, I pray for the wisdom to recognize any spirit which is not of and from You. Please help me, Lord, to recognize false teachings and false prophets who come in Your name and to follow the one true God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

"Not everything we hear tickles our ear, nor should it."

Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 93 "Fear of men or rejection of God, the choice should be clear."

Day 93

Matthew 10:37-39 "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it."

This particular passage can truly place fear and often anger in the hearts of those who read it and do not understand it. For some, they will feel as though they are not worthy of Jesus’ love because they love their families so much and have such a deep paternal bond. However, I personally think there is much more to this passage than that.

Some years ago, I was preaching at the music concourse in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, and as was the custom afterward, we were sharing with some of the attendees on a more personal basis. I was approached by a middle-aged professional-looking man who represented himself as being of Jewish descent; he was obviously well educated and understood the scriptures extremely well, as most Jewish people do. As we shared conversation, he began to truly open up and told me that deep down he knew what I had shared about Jesus being the Messiah was true and that, in his heart, he truly believed Jesus was the way of salvation. However, there was no way he could ever admit it or profess openly that Jesus was the Son of God! You see, if he were to admit this truth, he would be going against everything his father and mother had taught him; his family would disown him, and he would be left alone. Upon further discussion, I realized that both of his parents were deceased, and I asked him, "How would they even know what you had done?" But, due to his deep love and adoration for his parents, even then, he would not confess Jesus as the Son of God, and he left a very sad and contrite man. You see, he knew the truth. He knew that by admitting it, he would be ostracized, and yet even more, he knew that denying Christ would keep him in fear–he could not win, and he was caught in a place of no hope. Yet even though I tried to convince him that he might be the one to lead his family out of bondage, the fear of losing their love kept him in bondage, and with freedom a breath away, he denied it.

Jesus was speaking directly to these people then and to these types of people today. Fear of open confession is a tool of the enemy, and he uses it to deceive us and our loved ones. To love Jesus is to desire to serve Him and to desire to tell others of this great gift that awaits all mankind. Our cross is not one that leads to crucifixion, but rather one that leads to blessings eternal, and it is truly easy to bear.

Daily Prayer: Father, help me not to fall into the traps of tradition or to yield to the fear of failure. Give me courage and boldness Lord that I may speak as I should, when I should. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

"Fear of men or rejection of God, the choice should be clear."

Pastor Gene Burroughs

Day 92 "The truth causes a choice; speak the truth in love."

Day 92

Matthew 10:34-36 "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to 'set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.'

Far too many of us evangelists and pastors have promised a life of blissfulness and peace for those who become believers in Christ. While we should and will find peace with God, that very act of believing will cause great turbulence in the world around us. Let us not forget, as Paul says in Ephesians 6:12: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." The demonic realm does not want to let go of you or of the hold it has upon this earth and those in it who have yet to profess Christ. So, what is their only alternative? It is, of course, to fight! Yes, there is a battle going on and yes, Christ truly changed that battle by His death and resurrection.

When Jesus came, He set brother against brother and so on because He caused all mankind to make a choice–to believe or not to believe. I have always thought it a little ironic and confusing how people have reacted to the change in my own life in my early years. I was a teenage rebel, full of anger, fear and frustration, living a life that in no way glorified God and, surely, I was headed down a path of destruction. My so-called friends and some family would tell me things like "You need to get help" or "Dude, you’re crazy; you’re going to kill yourself the way you live." Yet when I found Christ and changed my life, most of those friends and family would no longer have anything to do with me. I had suddenly, by my actions, convicted them; I was now "religious." I'm sure many of you have experienced the same reaction from your friends and family who don't know Christ. Let me encourage you today; we are in good company! When Jesus said He did not come to make peace on earth, I think He meant it.

So, what does this mean for us? For one, we should never be surprised when people don't want to hear about our life with Christ. Secondly, you are not a weirdo or a nut because people can't handle the message. And thirdly, when people hear the Word–the truth–they are forced to decide; therefore, the most important thing we can do is to tell the truth in love! God, by His spirit, will cause division. He will bring to light the dark, and He will cause transformation. We need not be surprised or disappointed in our obedience but rather pray for those who we are struggling with. Let us not forget that those who we are struggling with are more often than not struggling with an enemy they cannot see; with no weapon to fight with. They are in turmoil and don't even know why. Remember to pray for them, love them, and be there when they cry out; then maybe they will understand your convictions and be ready to surrender.

Daily Prayer: Father, help me to have the courage to live my life openly and to remember ‘the truth causes division.’ Give me strength to share and the love to overcome their reactions. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

The truth causes a choice; speak the truth in love."

Pastor Gene Burroughs

"In order to grow we must learn to let go and allow others to lead."

Day 82

Matthew 10:1-4 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

One noticeable point to bring out right away in this passage is the change in reference to these twelve men. When Jesus called them to Him, they were referred to as disciples; however, once He sent them out, they were apostles. As I have mentioned before, disciples are ones who follow, and apostles are those who are sent out with a purpose. Why does this matter, you ask? Why the change in reference to these twelve? The implications of being empowered and sent out by God to do a work are far reaching and much more complicated than we can cover in a morning devotional.

There have been many books written on the subject, and I dare say there are many more to come, should the Lord tarry. However, for us today, it would be beneficial for all of us to note the change in authority, power, and responsibility. When Jesus called the twelve to Him, the first thing He did was give them the authority; the one tool they needed above all others to complete the task at hand. They had, up to now, never used these tools but rather had only seen them in action at the hand of Jesus. Even though they had never practiced the use of such great authority, Jesus entrusted them to go and do His bidding, to expand the kingdom, and to display, for the first time, the power of a common man over the demonic realm once He has been given power and authority.

It amazes me how often leaders hang onto authority as if it were a one-time perishable gift when, in reality, it is a non-exhaustive empowering gift capable of changing the world. We, as leaders, tend to be afraid to empower followers. We ask ourselves questions like: "What if they do it differently than I would?" "What if they make a mistake?" "Will I have to go clean up their mess?" Yet, with the time we spend searching the ‘what ifs’ and running scenarios, we could, in reality, be expanding the work we have been called to. Instead, we allow fear, pride, or control to inhibit the work, and we struggle with the load we carry rather than distributing the load to others. Jesus sets for us a great example: He taught by His example how to use the tools He was going to give the disciples and then turned them loose. He even empowered the one who would soon betray Him! We would all do well to learn how to lead by example, empower and equip those who serve with us, and then turn them loose to try it out for themselves. Will it be perfect? Of course not; however, if we continue to teach them and allow them to make mistakes, just like our children, they will learn, and our load will be lightened while the ministry will be expanded. The challenge is can you live without the credit?

Daily Prayer: Father, teach me to let go, give me the peace to trust those you have entrusted to me, and to allow them to learn just as I did. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

"In order to grow we must learn to let go and allow others to lead."

Pastor Gene Burroughs