87th Week, Matthew Chapters 13 & 14 (Click of Title for Video Introduction)

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Monday, Matthew Chapter 13A (Verses 1-23)
Matthew 13A
Heather Williams
Verses 9-10

Verses 9-10:  He who has ears, let him hear.  The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

THOUGHT
This whole chapter is parables told by Jesus.  These two verses cover why He speaks in parables.  I thought best to understand that before discussing the parables. Jesus was not hiding the truth from sincere people. If you honestly seek God’s will, you have spiritual hearing, and these parables will give you new perspectives.  Therefore, for those who were receptive to the spiritual truth, the understanding was clear to them because they were receptive to the spiritual truth and understood the illustrations.  To others, they were just stories without meaning.  This way Jesus could share the truth with true believers and prevent his enemies from trapping him sooner than they might have done.

PRAYER
Lord, open our eyes to Your truth.  We long to follow You and seek Your will.  Help us to see clearly the spiritual truth. AMEN


Tuesday, Matthew Chapter 13B (Verses 24-58)
Matthew 13B
Heather Williams

THOUGHT
I had a hard time picking out a specific verse from the rest of this chapter. The first parable is about how people respond differently to the Word due to their different states of readiness.  All of the parables in this chapter teach us about God and His Kingdom. They explain what the Kingdom is actually about instead of what we expect. The Kingdom of Heaven is where God rules, and we share in the eternal life. It starts now. We join this Kingdom when we accept Christ as our Savior.

PRAYER
Lord, Thank You for Your Kingdom. Thank You for bringing Your Kingdom here to us now. Help us to live as if we are in Your Kingdom.  AMEN


Wednesday, Matthew Chapter 14A (Verses 1-21)
Matthew 14A
Verse 13
Tanya Ruden

Verse 13:  When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this crowds followed him on foot from the towns.

THOUGHT
When I read this passage, I had a couple of thoughts.  The first thing was that here is another sign of Jesus as Man.  Jesus found out some devastating news and wanted to be alone.  I think that so many of us can relate to this feeling.  We want to grieve and cry alone.  

My second thought was ‘why won’t the people leave Jesus alone?’  He wanted time to grieve, and the crowd followed him to this place, making him come back to life quickly. I personally was annoyed thinking, ‘why can’t Jesus get some time to himself, to grieve?’ However, the footnotes led me to a different conclusion.  Jesus had had enough time to grieve, and it was time to begin living life again. 

Let’s keep this in mind as we grieve and as we see others grieve. We need the solitude, but we also need to get back into living.  I am sure the disciples could read this a little in Jesus’s personality.  They held the crowd off until they felt or knew it was time for Jesus to ‘get into the game’.

PRAYER
Dear Jesus, it is helpful to see You as human - to know that You grieved and endured sadness just like we often do.  We have so many instances when we do need to grieve.  Help us to take time for that solitude, but yet know when we need to get back into living.  Help us also know when we need to encourage people in our lives to come out of their solitude and get back into enjoying the life they have been given - just like You. AMEN


Thursday, Matthew 14B (Verses 22-36)
Matthew 14B
Verse 30
Tanya Ruden

Verse 30:  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord Save me!”

THOUGHT
I have to talk about Peter walking on water. I always thought before that Peter was lacking faith by even asking to walk on water, but the footnotes say this was a sign of his faith.  Also, part of me always thought, ‘how can you lose faith walking on the water with Jesus?’  He is right there.  Do you really think He would let you drown? Then it hit me - DUH?! Why do I lack faith at times and think that there is no chance of hope out of a situation?

This is a perfect example of each and every day of my life.  Even being so close to Jesus it is so easy to be distracted by the waves in life (the world).  It is in these times that we feel closest to Jesus.  What I love about the Peter story is that he knew which way to turn for help in the waves.  He knew to look to Jesus. He could have just as easily began swimming to the boat or yelled ‘Simon, throw me a rope’, but he didn’t.  He said, “Lord, save me!”  

Who do we turn to when the waves become big?  Who do we look to for undeserved grace?

PRAYER
Jesus, there are so many times in a day when we take our eyes from You. There are so many waves in our lives, that make us fall and try to take our eyes from You.  Help us always turn to You - never to the other ‘supports’ that we may see around us - but to YOU! You are the only thing that can save us and
rescue us from every type of wave in our lives.  May we never forget that. AMEN

Friday,  Your favorite Parable
Reflect on your favorite parable and be able to share it with someone who needs to hear the story.  








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