Month: March 2024

Our Scripture reading for today is from the time when Jesus told his disciples to beware of leaven.

We will read, Matthew 16:5-6.
[5] When they crossed to the other side, the disciples forgot to take bread. [6] “Watch out!” Jesus told them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

You may think that you struggle with understanding God’s word, but even the apostles sometimes had this problem. When they heard these words, they completely missed the point. They thought he was warning them about forgetting to bring bread to eat. After some discussion, Jesus said,

[11] How do you not understand that I was not telling you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
[12] Then they understood that He was not telling them to beware of the leaven used in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 16:11-12).

In this teaching:
Jesus is warning us to be careful who our teachers are and what they teach us.
Jesus is warning us to be careful about the people we put around us.
Jesus is warning us that we will be influenced by those around us.

One great Bible command that directly illustrates the teaching is 1 Corinthians 15:33. It says, “Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good character.”

Why is this so? Because choosing the wrong people to let into your life does three things:

1. It changes who you let influence you. Your close friends’ habits, attitudes, and behaviors will rub off on you, shaping your own habits and mindset.
2. It changes who you go to for support and encouragement. If you are trying to give up smoking, don’t take a road trip with three friends who constantly smoke in the car with you around. You need folks around who will help you.
3. It changes your accountably friends. The point of AA meeting or group counseling is to be accountable to others. We may not realize it but we all do group counseling.

So, beware of the leaven of your closest friends. Bad company corrupts us. Maybe not today, but eventually.

Lonnie Davis

Matthew 16:1-4; Mark 8:11, 12

Our Scripture reading today is Matthew 16:1-4:

[1] Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and tested Jesus by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven.
[2] But He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘The weather will be fair, for the sky is red,’ [3] and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but not the signs of the times. [4] A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Then He left them and went away.

Let’s call today’s devotional:
Just One More Sign

“Show us a sign,” they were saying. Jesus had already shown himself to be God’s Son. He had healed the sick, caused the blind to see, and even raised the dead. But they weren’t really looking for a sign or a reason to believe. The verses say they “tested Jesus.” In other words, they were trying to trip him up, trying to catch him in something whereby they could accuse him.

There is an old movie in which the character, after the death of his wife, considers marrying an evil woman. He walks over to the picture of his wife hanging on a wall and asks the picture for a sign. The picture smokes and spins. Finally, the wall behind the picture cracks. He stares at the picture and says, “Just any sign. I’ll be watching,” and walks away. He wasn’t looking for a sign, and neither were these Jewish leaders.

It seems that humans always want one more sign. Even on the cross, those who were there wanted one more sign.
Matthew 27:39 tells us, “Those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!’”

God answers prayers. God has given us signs that he is there (See Romans 1:10–20). But, when we keep looking for a sign, we always wind up looking for “just one more sign.”

He has already given us the sign. He got up from the grave (Matthew 12:38–45). That is enough.

Lonnie Davis

Our Scripture reading today is a part of the story of Jesus feeding 4,000 men, women, and children. He did this with only 7 loaves and a few small fish. It is found in Matthew 15. We will read verses 32–34.

[32] Then Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “I have compassion for this crowd, because they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may faint along the way.”
[33] The disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?”
[34] “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.

I want to share one great thought from this reading: God has given us what we need if we have faith to see it:

In the story of the feeding of the 4,000, we witness a profound demonstration of faith and provision. With just seven loaves and few small fish, Jesus fed a multitude, the story speaks volumes about the God’s abundance.

This isn’t just about the physical multiplication of food; it’s a deeper lesson on recognizing and being thankful for what we have, no matter how little it may seem. It teaches us that when we offer up our small offerings with faith, God can turn them into an abundance beyond our imagination. This act of divine multiplication reminds us to appreciate our blessings, encouraging us to trust in God’s provision. In everyday life, this translates to seeing beyond our perceived scarcity, understanding that with faith, what we have is enough to fulfill not just our needs but also to overflow into the lives of others.

May this story inspire us to live with gratitude and faith, acknowledging that God’s provision is indeed abundant.

Lonnie Davis

Our Scripture reading today is Matthew 15:22, 25-28
[22] A Canaanite woman from that region came to Him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is miserably possessed by a demon.”
[25] The woman came and knelt before Him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
[26] But Jesus replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
[27] “Yes, Lord,” she said, “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
[28] “O woman,” Jesus answered, “your faith is great! Let it be done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

This story contains a truth about mothers: To help the child is to help the mother. The mother was referred to as “a dog,” but it didn’t matter. She was focused on helping her child, and she would not turn her attention to her own insult. She might have stormed off, but she did not.

The need of her child was her need too. She cried out “Have mercy on me! My daughter is miserably possessed by a demon.” The mother was not possessed, but her child’s need was also her need. In this verse we see a clear picture of a mother’s heart.
A child may think that her friends care more about her than her mother, but that is immature thinking. If a surgeon told a mother that the only way a sick child could live was a heart transplant and then told her that the only heart that was possible was the mother’s heart, the mother wouldn’t even have to think about it. “Take mine,” the mother would say. A child may not believe this, but a mother knows this is true.
There is a great lesson in the words, “My daughter is miserably possessed.” And then adds the words, “Lord, help me!”
To help the child is to help the parent.
One final thought: God feels that way about you. He let Jesus suffer and die for you. He watches over you.
Lonnie Davis.

Our Scripture reading for today is Matthew 15:1-2.
[1] Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, [2] “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”
[3] Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?

In the New Testament days, the Jewish people had become so mired in tradition that their traditions were considered necessary for righteousness. Some of the traditions were:

1. Fasting
   The Law required fasting annually on the Day of Atonement (Yum Kippur). This is outlined in Leviticus 16:29-31 and 23:27-32. By New Testament days, many Jews required fasting twice a week and made a show of it so that others would notice (See Matthew 6:16).
2. Washing of Hands
   Of course, it is always good to wash your hands before you eat, but in today’s reading, hand washing was a ceremony that specified exactly how the washing was to be done and far exceeded a need for cleanliness.
3. Working on the Sabbath.
   Of course, the Law taught the Jews not to work on the Sabbath, but they had become so ritualistic and picky about this that it reached the point of making a new law. For example, they taught that on the Sabbath, one could spit on certain surfaces but could not spit on the ground. They reasoned that if you spit on the ground, you might inadvertently step on it and twist your foot and that would be plowing on the Sabbath.
   
   There are many other examples of traditions becoming a “thus saith the Lord” to the Jews. The point is not to make light of their legalizing traditions but to warn that we do not do the same thing.
   
   Years ago, a friend of mine was sitting behind two older ladies in church. The church had just hired a new preacher, and as he moved in, word got around that he owned a pool table. The two ladies’ comment was, “I don’t care if he is a preacher or not, sin is still sin.”
   
   It is wrong to ignore God’s commands and to make traditions a new “Law of God” when they are not. When the Bible speaks on a subject, we should listen. We can have other traditions, but we must not confuse them with the Bible.
   Lonnie Davis

Our Scripture reading today is Mark 6:53-56.
[53] When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and moored the boat. [54] As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognized Jesus [55] and ran through that whole region, carrying the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was. [56] And wherever He went—villages and towns and countrysides—they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him just to let them touch the fringe of His cloak. And all who touched Him were healed.

In 1871, a forest fire in Wisconsin destroyed 1.2 million acres of timber. To give you an idea of how big this fire was, the entire state of Rhode Island is smaller. Imagine a whole state burning, even a small state. The fire killed around 2,000 people. When investigators traced the cause, they found that it was caused by a careless camper who failed to completely put out his campfire.

I thought of this because of something in today’s reading. Jesus and the disciples were doing exciting work, great work. They were healing people and preaching. Everywhere they went, people took their sick out to meet him so he could heal them. I’ve never done work that significant in my life. I’m sure you feel the same way. However, it was not the great work that reminded me of this terrible forest fire. It was the little thing that they did before they went on the healing tour.

Notice verse 52, “When they had crossed over, they landed and moored the boat.” Even though they had a great work to do, they first moored the boat, they tied off the boat to keep it from drifting away. They took care of the little details of daily living before they tackled the great job of the day.
This great forest fire that killed so many people was started because someone did not “moor their boat,” that is, take care of the small details.

This little detail touched me because I often forget the small details.

As the poet said,
Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean
And the pleasant land.

Greatness or failure seldom comes from the big moments in life but rather from the little things we do or don’t do: put out the fire, make your bed, say your prayers, read your Bible, and moor your boat.

Even Jesus and his companions moored their boat. Today, moor your boat, and tomorrow will be better.

You will be better.
Lonnie Davis

Our Scripture for today is John 6:22-71.
It is a long narrative filled with lessons about faith, belief, and the essence of spiritual sustenance. The great teaching of this text is that Jesus satisfies our real needs. I encourage you to read this text from your Bible.

The 5,000 in this story were the 5,000 who ate the loaves and fish. After eating, they sought Jesus not for spiritual reasons but for physical bread. Jesus pointed them to the bread of life, Himself, indicating that the deepest hunger is spiritual, not physical.

As he said in John 6:26–27,
“Truly, truly, I tell you, it is not because you saw these signs that you are looking for Me, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life.”

Any unbeliever can work for food for the body, but our true calling in Jesus is to work for food for the soul. He promises this in verse 35, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

Jesus is identifying Himself as the only source that can truly satisfy our deepest need. Physical bread sustains physical life…temporarily, but the “bread of life” Jesus offers to sustain spiritual life…eternally.

This insight is profound: while physical needs are real and pressing, they are not the deepest needs we have. Our greatest hunger goes beyond the material to the spiritual, pointing to a need for meaning, purpose, and connection with the divine. Jesus teaches that He Himself is the fulfillment of this need.

This lesson encourages us to reflect on what we are truly seeking in life and to recognize that only in Christ can our deepest hunger be fully and finally satisfied.

Before we end today’s devotional, it is important to note that many of the 5,000 struggled with Jesus’ teaching, and as the Bible tells us, “From that time on many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him.” (John 6:66)

May our response be like that of the Apostle Peter: “Lord, You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God” (68–69).
Lonnie Davis

Eight Lessons on Water Walking

Our Scripture reading today is about the time that Jesus walked on water and Peter walked out to meet him. We will read a little of the story from Matthew 14:29-31:

[29] “Come,” said Jesus.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. [30] But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
[31] Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”

Do you want to be a water walker? Let’s ask that another way, do you ever want to do amazing things? Doing something amazing is what little boys and girls dream about. After I read today’s story about Jesus walking on the water, I reflected on things I learned about walking on water. Here is a list of eight things.

1. You are never so far away from Jesus that he can’t find you. Even in a boat, in a windstorm, Jesus came to them.

2. Sometimes you have to walk on water at inconvenient times. This walk was during the fourth watch, which would have been after 3 AM.

3. You have to leave the boat before you can walk on water. The boat felt safe, but that is not where heroes are made.

4. Often, even good people won’t walk on water. Peter was in the boat with many good people, disciples of Jesus, but only he walked on water.

5. Take your eyes off Jesus and you will sink. Peter began to sink when he saw the wind instead of looking to Jesus.

6. Prayers don’t have to be long. Peter’s prayer was only three words long – “Lord, save me.”

7. God answers prayers. Peter didn’t debate the merits of prayer. He just prayed and left the answer to God. “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand” and caught him.

8. Faith and doubt exist in the same good people. Peter had the faith to walk on water, but the doubts to sink. Faith involves growth over time.

Remember these lessons. You never know when you need to walk on water.

Lonnie Davis

For our Scripture reading today, I turn your attention to but a few verses out of a larger story.

Matthew 14:15-18
[15] When evening came, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late. Dismiss the crowds so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
[16] “They do not need to go away,” Jesus replied. “You give them something to eat.”
[17] “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
[18] “Bring them here to Me,” Jesus said.

You likely remember that this is the story about feeding the 5,000 with only five loaves of bread and two fish. We might remember that it worked out just fine! Can you imagine having to put together a meal for 5,000 with only such a small amount of food?

From this reading, a beautiful lesson unfolds: “Little is much when God is in it.”

This event, recorded by all the gospel writers, invites us to see the potential in our small offerings. It teaches us that what seems insignificant, when surrendered to God, can become a source of abundant blessings.

In life’s vast canvas, small strokes can create a masterpiece when divinely guided.
A mustard seed of faith, insignificant in size, can move mountains.
The widow’s two mites, worth little, became much in the treasury of heaven.
David, with a sling and stone, defeated a giant named Goliath.

When infused with divine purpose, each act, no matter how small, holds immense potential. For in God’s economy, little is much; He multiplies our humble offerings, turning loaves and fishes into feasts and simple acts into eternal legacies.

I leave you today with this question: What ‘little’ do you have that God can use for ‘much’?

Lonnie Davis

Our Bible reading today is about the murder of John the Baptist.
Matthew 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-29; Luke 9:7-9

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell the story of John the Baptist’s death at the hands of King Herod.
A quick look at the story tells us that Herod, ruler of Galilee, is disturbed by rumors surrounding Jesus, some believing Jesus to be John risen from the dead. Herod, having imprisoned John for criticizing his marriage, wrestles with his conscience.
Herodias, Herod’s wife and John’s chief critic, manipulates her daughter to request John’s head on a platter as a birthday present. Herod, bound by oath to fulfill the request in front of his guests, reluctantly agrees. John is beheaded in prison, and his disciples retrieve his body for burial.

Looking closely at the words from the Gospel writers reminds me of three great truths.

1. Guilt will follow you. Matthew. – 14:1-2

[1] At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus [2] and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” Herod’s guild caused him to see danger when it wasn’t even there. Proverbs 28:1 explains this: “The wicked flee when no one pursues.”

2. Hate is powerful and causes irrational behavior. – Mark 6:23

[23] And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!”
To understand what Herod promised, you have to understand that the expression was a way of saying “I give you a lot.” It was an expression that was known and did not mean he would divide his kingdom in half.
The pull of hatred in seen in verse 24, promised anything, the girl asked her mother. She could have asked for wealth an fame, but she answered, “The head of John the Baptist.”

3. In life you have to do the best you can with the circumstances you have. – Mark 6:29, “When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and placed it in a tomb.” This was not what they wanted, but this is what they had and they did what they could,

Lonnie Davis