ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (JANUARY 7, 2013)

Christian: Little Christs

John 13



"'Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.'"
(JOHN 15:4)

In the Essene section of what was old Jerusalem, I visited a large house that would have belonged to a wealthy first century family. Tradition says it was the home of John Mark's mother and possibly the site of the Last Supper. Whether it was or not, there is a lengthy account in John 13 of what happened that last night before Jesus died.

According to John, Jesus washed His disciples' feet and then told them to do as He had done for them. He made it clear that being a Christian means not only believing in Him but also following His example. It was later in Antioch that His followers were first called Christians or "little Christs."

But how can we be like Christ? How can we follow His example? That night in the upper room Jesus gave us the answer. He promised to send the Spirit to live with us and in us. It's as if we were branches connected to Him, the vine. As we abide in Him, enduring through everything that would seek to tear us away from Him, we will bear the fruit of Jesus' life in us.

INSIGHT
LORD, MAY THOSE OF US WHO BEAR THE NAME "CHRISTIAN" TRULY BE "LITTLE CHRISTS" AS WE HUMBLE OURSELVES AND SERVE EACH OTHER.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Deuteronomy 11-12
Psalm 85
Acts 8

THE LAMB OF GOD [PART 2]

with Darrell Johnson

Who is Jesus? The Bible calls him "The Lamb of God." On the cross the world's sin takes away the Lamb. And then in the brilliant reverse of Gospel, the Lamb takes away the sin of the world! 

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (JANUARY 6, 2013)

Location Uncertainty

John 19:38-42


"... you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay."
(PSALM 16:10)

A common complaint on a tour of Israel is about how often we don't know the exact spot things took place. We aren't even certain where Jesus was crucified or buried or resurrected.

The "traditional" Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Christian Quarter was built where Constantine's mother, Queen Helena, discovered three wooden crosses. But then, in 1883, General Charles Gordon of the British Army was convinced the traditional site did not match John's account that Jesus was crucified outside the city walls. On one of his frequent explorations, he found a burial tomb cut out of the rock, an ancient winepress and cistern signifying a garden from the first century, and a nearby outcrop known historically as the "Place of the Skull" (Golgotha in Aramaic).

Today, the place is known as the Garden Tomb, and while the British ministry overseeing the property in the Arab section of Jerusalem claims no certainty, it is a place to meditate and take communion and remember, "He is not here, he is risen indeed."

INSIGHT
TODAY THE RISEN CHRIST IS WITH YOU AND WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Deuteronomy 9-10
Psalm 84
Acts 7

John 19:38-42
New International Version (NIV)
The Burial of Jesus
38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.[a] 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
Footnotes:
a. John 19:39 Or about 34 kilograms

John 13
New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Jesus Predicts His Betrayal
18 “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned[a] against me.’[b]
19 “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. 20 Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”
21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”
22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”
25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him,[c] God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
36 Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”
Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”
37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
38 Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!
Footnotes:
a. John 13:18 Greek has lifted up his heel
b. John 13:18 Psalm 41:9
c. John 13:32 Many early manuscripts do not have If God is glorified in him.


THE LAMB OF GOD [PART 1]
with Darrell Johnson

John the Baptist said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." This says a lot about who Jesus really is, but do we fully understand what it means for us today?

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (JANUARY 5, 2013)

Riding on a Donkey

Mark 11:1-10


"The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, 'Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!'"
(MATTHEW 21:9)

We call it the Triumphal Entry. Some day in the future, Jesus will come again, riding on a warhorse of judgment. But on this particular Sunday, on His way to the cross in that final week, He chose to ride on the animal of the symbol of Israelite kings: a colt of peace.

Though the expectation was for a conquering Messiah, this time He came on a mission to save. By which gate did He enter the royal city as the palm fronds and cloaks were spread and shouts of Hosanna went up? Did He enter by way of the Royal or Golden Gate - walled up by an Arab leader in the year 810 AD? Or did Jesus make a slight detour, coming down from the Mount of Olives, down through the Kidron Valley and up to the city walls? Indeed, He entered by way of the Sheep Gate in the northeast corner. This was the way of the Passover lambs, on their way for sacrifice, symbolic of the coming Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world! He was the Passover Lamb given for us! On His mission to save, He conquered death and hell.

INSIGHT
MAY WE LOOK FORWARD TO JESUS' RETURN, COMING ON A WARHORSE OF JUDGMENT, BUT TO AN ETERNITY OF PEACE.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Deuteronomy 7-8
Psalm 83
Acts 5-6

Mark 11:1-10
New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
11 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”
4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it,5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna![a]”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[b]
10
“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Footnotes:
a. Mark 11:9 A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 10
b. Mark 11:9 Psalm 118:25,26


LEARNING TO LINGER
with Scotty Smith

It is easy to treat prayer as a way to get what we want. But there is a deeper meaning to prayer that is motivated by the Gospel. When we understand this, prayer turns into fellowship with the Father.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (JANUARY 4, 2013)

The Shepherd and the Sheep

John 10:1-18

"May the God of peace... that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ..." 

(HEBREWS 13:20-21) 

"The Lord is my shepherd" begins the most famous psalm in all Scripture. Shepherding was a common occupation in the Ancient Near East. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses all spent time tending sheep. The future King David was a shepherd but also a shadow of the coming Messiah, pointing to the Lord being our shepherd, too. 

As Scripture moves along into the New Testament books, Jesus identifies Himself as the divine "I am" who is also the "Good Shepherd" who lays down His life for the sheep (see John 10). Peter, in his first letter, reveals that Jesus is the "chief shepherd." Driving south from Jerusalem towards the Dead Sea, I couldn't help but notice how, just like in ancient times, Bedouins today still make their living as shepherds. Flocks are mingled where green grass grows, following the life-giving winter rains. When it comes time to return to the sheepfold, the sheep know their master's voice, and they answer his call. Likewise, the Shepherd knows His sheep - every one of us - by name. 

INSIGHT

PRAISE GOD FOR THE LAMB AT THE CENTER OF THE THRONE WHO IS ALSO OUR GOOD SHEPHERD. (SEE REVELATION 7:17) 

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR

Deuteronomy 5-6 

Psalm 82 

Acts 3-4

John 10:1-18

New International Version (NIV)

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Footnotes:

a. John 10:9 Or kept safe

LEARNING TO LINGER

with Scotty Smith 

It is easy to treat prayer as a way to get what we want. But there is a deeper meaning to prayer that is motivated by the Gospel. When we understand this, prayer turns into fellowship with the Father.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (JANUARY 3, 2013)

Storms Happen

Mark 4:35-41

"'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm." 

(MATTHEW 8:26)

Wind, water, and waves keep showing up in the Gospels. The Sea of Galilee, a place where all three are found, is the perfect place for a sudden storm. Westerly winds can change quickly to the east. This body of water and its unique characteristics offer analogies to life. Just as gentle breezes can kick up and clouds turn into a furious squall on the Sea of Galilee, storms rush in on our lives. It is all too easy to join the voices of the disciples, saying, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" 

Most of us have asked the question, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" found in Psalm 22, the "Psalm of the Cross." It may seem like God has withdrawn and left us alone. But the truth is, we are never alone; He never leaves His children. During one of those storms on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus was sleeping until the disciples awakened Him, crying out for help. The Creator of this earth ordered the winds to die down and then reminded His followers, as well as you and me, that they need never be afraid.

INSIGHT

THANK YOU, LORD, FOR FAITH THAT HELPS US OVERCOME FEAR AND REMINDS US THAT YOU, OUR SAVIOR, ARE ALWAYS NEAR.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR

Deuteronomy 3-4 

Psalm 81 

Acts 2

Mark 4:35-41

New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus Calms the Storm

35 As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36 So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

LEARNING TO LINGER [PART 5]

with Scotty Smith

Prayer is something every human does at one time or another - even when we don't have a clue who we're talking to or what to say. But it's not really prayer when you speak to an unknown god. 

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (JANUARY 2, 2013)

Names Matter

Mark 5:1-18


"...at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth..."
(PHILIPPIANS 2:10)

Driving on the east side of the Galilee in what was the country of the Gaderenes, we find the one outcrop where pigs could have run over the cliff and fallen into the lake. This is the historical site for the miracle.

"What is your name?" Jesus asks the man in Mark 5:9. The demons are forced to answer, "My name is Legion, for we are many." Names have significance in Scripture. The angel Gabriel told Joseph to call Him Jesus (Yeshua), because "he will save his people from their sins." This name above all names is the one the demons fear, the name that drives them into the pigs. As Isaiah predicted and Matthew 12 confirmed, it is the name in whom "the nations will put their hope."

The great "I am who I am" who appeared in a burning bush to Moses has been made flesh and revealed to all humanity so that those who call on His name are saved. In the end, every knee in heaven and on earth and under the earth will bow. For believers, it is the name that brings both our salvation and our greatest joy: Jesus.

INSIGHT
LORD, MAY BOTH THE GLORY AND THE SWEETNESS OF YOUR NAME FILL MY HEART TODAY.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Deuteronomy 1-2
Psalm 80
Acts 1


Mark 5:1-18
New Living Translation (NLT)
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Man
5 So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes.[a] 2 When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil[b] spirit came out from a cemetery to meet him. 3 This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. 4 Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.
6 When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. 7 With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.”
9 Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”
And he replied, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man.” 10 Then the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place.
11 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. 12 “Send us into those pigs,” the spirits begged. “Let us enter them.”
13 So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of about 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.
14 The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. 15 A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 16 Then those who had seen what happened told the others about the demon-possessed man and the pigs. 17 And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.
18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him.
Footnotes:
a. 5:1 Other manuscripts read Gadarenes; still others read Gergesenes. See Matt 8:28; Luke 8:26.
b. 5:2 Greek unclean; also in 5:8, 13.


LEARNING TO LINGER [PART 4]
with Scotty Smith

When we treat prayer as a task, we miss the amazing gift that God has given us through the gospel. But if we can learn to linger with the Lord, our time with Him goes from being a duty to a delight.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (JANUARY 1, 2013)

The Coming One

Matthew 24


"'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
(MATTHEW 23:39)

From the early days of His ministry to walking the steps to Golgotha, Jesus always pressed on with the main mission - the cross. But one theme kept resurfacing, and that was His impending return. His most lengthy teaching on what to expect is found in Matthew 24. Many will show up claiming, "I am the Messiah." We are warned not to be deceived by false prophets. Nations and kingdoms will rise up against each other, famines will break out and the earth will quake. It will be like the time of Noah with people eating and drinking, not regarding what is to come. Even some who appear faithful will fall away. Wickedness will increase and the love of most will grow cold.

But whoever "stands firm to the end will be saved" (v. 13). These are the birth pains leading up to the great hope of His return. Jesus wants us to live every day in light of that. He's telling us to make our decisions and set our priorities with the joyous expectation that our Master might be coming back soon, perhaps even today.

INSIGHT
JESUS KEEP ME READY, HOLD ME STEADY. MAY I WAIT WITH GREAT EXPECTATION OF MY FUTURE WITH YOU AND YOUR KINGDOM TO COME.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Numbers 35-36
Psalm 79
John 21

Matthew 24
New Living Translation (NLT)
Jesus Foretells the Future
24 As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. 2 But he responded, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”
3 Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?[a]”
4 Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 5 for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. 7 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. 8 But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.
9 “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.[b] 10 And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. 11 And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. 12 Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations[c] will hear it; and then the end will come.
15 “The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about—the sacrilegious object that causes desecration[d] standing in the Holy Place.” (Reader, pay attention!) 16 “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. 17 A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. 18 A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. 19 How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. 20 And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. 22 In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.
23 “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. 25 See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.
26 “So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it! 27 For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man[e] comes. 28 Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.[f]
29 “Immediately after the anguish of those days,
the sun will be darkened,
the moon will give no light,
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.[g]
30 And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.[h] 31 And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world[i]—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.
32 “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. 34 I tell you the truth, this generation[j] will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.
36 “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself.[k] Only the Father knows.
37 “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 38 In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. 39 People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.
40 “Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.
42 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43 Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. 44 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.
45 “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. 46 If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. 47 I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. 48 But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ 49 and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? 50 The master will return unannounced and unexpected, 51 and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Footnotes:
a. 24:3 Or the age?
b. 24:9 Greek on account of my name.
c. 24:14 Or all peoples.
d. 24:15 Greek the abomination of desolation. See Dan 9:27; 11:31; 12:11.
e. 24:27 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
f. 24:28 Greek Wherever the carcass is, the vultures gather.
g. 24:29 See Isa 13:10; 34:4; Joel 2:10.
h. 24:30 See Dan 7:13.
i. 24:31 Greek from the four winds.
j. 24:34 Or this age, or this nation.
k. 24:36 Some manuscripts do not include or the Son himself.


LEARNING TO LINGER [PART 3]
with Scotty Smith

When you are hungry, do you go out of your way to eat? What about when you're thirsty? In the same way we are sustained by food and drink, we are in dire need of a continuous relationship with Jesus.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (DECEMBER 31, 2012)

The Spirit of a Pharisee

Matthew 23


"'For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.'"
(MATTHEW 23:12)

Like me, are you a recovering Pharisee? I first traveled to Israel in the early 2000s, during the second Intifada, when tourism had dwindled for fear of suicide bombers. On the plane from London to Tel Aviv, my wife, Janet, and I seemed to be the only Gentiles. I'll never forget the ultra-orthodox man who stood up as we flew somewhere over Europe and pulled out the most colorful prayer shawl I had ever seen. Slowly, he wrapped two small leather boxes around his left arm and his forehead. Phylacteries in place and adorned with his embroidered shawl, he looked around to make sure others were watching before he faced Jerusalem and began to pray.

Right there in front of me was a living example of Jesus' words in Matthew 23 where He pronounced seven woes on the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. The rest of my flight, I spent reading that passage and asking the Lord to show me my own spiritual blindness, my own hypocrisy, my own people pleasing, and to lead me to repent every day of my sins.


INSIGHT
LORD, TEACH US ON-GOING REPENTANCE. MAY OUR PRIDE AND SELF-IMPORTANCE BE LOWERED AS YOU COME TO US AND GIVE US GRACE.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Numbers 33-34
Psalm 78
John 20

Matthew 23
New Living Translation (NLT)
Jesus Criticizes the Religious Leaders
23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses.[a] 3 So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. 4 They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.
5 “Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.[b] 6 And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. 7 They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’[c]
8 “Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters.[d] 9 And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father. 10 And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you must be a servant. 12 But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
13 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.[e]
15 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell[f] you yourselves are!
16 “Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear ‘by God’s Temple,’ but that it is binding to swear ‘by the gold in the Temple.’ 17 Blind fools! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 And you say that to swear ‘by the altar’ is not binding, but to swear ‘by the gifts on the altar’ is binding. 19 How blind! For which is more important—the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 When you swear ‘by the altar,’ you are swearing by it and by everything on it. 21 And when you swear ‘by the Temple,’ you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it. 22 And when you swear ‘by heaven,’ you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.
23 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens,[g] but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. 24 Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel![h]
25 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! 26 You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish,[i] and then the outside will become clean, too.
27 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. 28 Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed. 30 Then you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.’
31 “But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started. 33 Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?
34 “Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city. 35 As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation.
Jesus Grieves over Jerusalem
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. 38 And now, look, your house is abandoned and desolate.[j] 39 For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’[k]”
Footnotes:
a. 23:2 Greek and the Pharisees sit in the seat of Moses.
b. 23:5 Greek They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
c. 23:7 Rabbi, from Aramaic, means “master” or “teacher.”
d. 23:8 Greek brothers.
e. 23:13 Some manuscripts add verse 14, What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, you will be severely punished. Compare Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47.
f. 23:15 Greek of Gehenna; also in 23:33.
g. 23:23 Greek tithe the mint, the dill, and the cumin.
h. 23:24 See Lev 11:4, 23, where gnats and camels are both forbidden as food.
i. 23:26 Some manuscripts do not include and the dish.
j. 23:38 Some manuscripts do not include and desolate.
k. 23:39 Ps 118:26.



LEARNING TO LINGER [PART 2]
with Scotty Smith

When you pray, do you ever feel like you are trying to convince God to do something? When we become motivated by the gospel, our prayer life turns into a binding relationship with the Father.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (DECEMBER 30, 2012)

Getting Ahead of Ourselves

Mark 10:35-45


"...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant."
(MATTHEW 20:26)

I wonder who came up with the idea to ask Jesus for a personal favor. Was it James and John, or was it their mother? All three come to Jesus, but mom does the talking. She asks for her two sons to have the seats of greatest honor next to Jesus in His coming Kingdom. You can almost see this Jewish mother taking it upon herself to secure a good future for her boys.

Clearly, the disciples still didn't understand the nature of the Kingdom of Christ even though, just before this request, Jesus predicted His death for the third time and described to His disciples how He would be handed over to the religious leaders, then mocked and flogged and crucified.

The desire to be first dates all the way back to the garden and it crops up in my own heart on a regular basis. Jesus reminded both the mother and her sons, "You don't know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" Jesus didn't come to serve but to be served and, according to Him, the greatest in His Kingdom is the servant of all.

INSIGHT
JESUS TAKES OUR PRIDE AND OUR DESIRE TO BE FIRST AND PATIENTLY TURNS US AWAY FROM OURSELVES TO SERVE OTHERS FIRST.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Numbers 31-32
Psalm 77
John 19

Mark 10:35-45
New International Version (NIV)
The Request of James and John
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
39 “We can,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”


LEARNING TO LINGER [PART 1]
with Scotty Smith

It is easy to treat prayer as a way to get what we want. But there is a deeper meaning to prayer that is motivated by the Gospel. When we understand this, prayer turns into fellowship with the Father.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (DECEMBER 29, 2012)

The Transfiguration

Psalm 51


"There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light."
(MATTHEW 17:2)

A church commemorating the transfiguration rests on Mount Tabor, many miles west of the Kinneret, the Hebrew name for Lake Galilee. But more scholars today believe the site of the transfiguration was on the snow-capped Mount Hermon. It was probably here, after passing by Caesarea Philippi, that Jesus led the disciples to the place where He was enveloped in a bright cloud. "There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus" (Matthew 17:2-3).

The color of the cloth was significant, for in the first century clothing could be dyed many colors, but never white. The color signifies purity, holiness, righteousness. It's the color Jesus wears in His glory and that with which we will be robed in a time to come. "For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:10). Robes washed in the blood of the Lamb turn white.

INSIGHT
"A VOICE FROM [HEAVEN] SPOKE, 'THIS IS MY SON, WHOM I LOVE; WITH HIM I AM WELL PLEASED. LISTEN TO HIM!'"
(MATTHEW 17:5)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Numbers 29-30
Psalm 76
John 18


Psalm 51[a]
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.

18 May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 51:1 In Hebrew texts 51:1-19 is numbered 51:3-21.
b. Psalm 51:17 Or The sacrifices of God are


IT'S NEVER TOO LATE - LUKE 23:32-43

He sinned, repented, believed in Jesus, and received salvation. This is the story of the thief who met Jesus on the cross. But it's the same story we can all have when we have faith in Jesus Christ.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (DECEMBER 28, 2012)

The Gates of Hell

Matthew 16:5-20


"For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock."
(PSALM 27:5)

North of the Sea of Galilee, on the slopes of Mount Hermon, rests the ruins of Caesarea Philippi. This ancient temple to Pan, Echo, and Hermes is known as the "Gates of Hades," a cruel reminder of the dark adjacent cave where people sacrificed children and animals to pagan gods. It is possible that this is where Jesus was walking with His disciples when He posed the question that we read in Matthew 16: "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" It was here that Peter proclaimed for them all, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." It was here that Jesus announced, "[O]n this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."

Two words are used in Greek: Petros, meaning a detached stone, which translates into "Peter;" and petra, meaning a bedrock. Jesus said, "On this rock (petra) I will build my church." On what and whom is the church built? Is it Peter's confession? Is it his teachings? Is it Christ Himself? Yes, to all three. Are you built on Jesus Christ, too?

INSIGHT
ON CHRIST, THE SOLID ROCK, I STAND/ ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND.
(EDWARD MOTE, 1834)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Numbers 27-28
Psalm 75
John 17

Matthew 16:5-20
New International Version (NIV)
The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees
5 When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. 6 “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
7 They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”
8 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? 9 Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 11 How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[a] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[b] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[c] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[d] loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 16:18 The Greek word for Peter means rock.
b. Matthew 16:18 That is, the realm of the dead
c. Matthew 16:19 Or will have been


IT'S NEVER TOO LATE - LUKE 23:32-43

He sinned, repented, believed in Jesus, and received salvation. This is the story of the thief who met Jesus on the cross. But it's the same story we can all have when we have faith in Jesus Christ.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (DECEMBER 27, 2012)

Mary of Migdal

Psalm 42


"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God."
(PSALM 42:1)

As our tour bus makes its morning stop in the misty March air, we step out and ask a favor from the watchman. A few shekels are exchanged; we are granted access to the outside area of a carefully cordoned archeological dig, yet to become a tourist site. We are at Migdal, where, in 2009, workers came across for the first time a 1st century synagogue where Jesus would have preached. Inside the center of this wealthy house of worship, an engraved seven-branched menorah was found. This might be where Jesus met Mary Magdalene and delivered her from seven demons, inviting her to follow Him. That great transformation in her life may have happened here.

Mary Magdalene stayed with Jesus at the foot of the cross, alongside Mary the mother of Jesus. Her faith would be rewarded later as she was one of the first to find the empty tomb and see the risen Lord. For all of us, it is good to remember who we once were and where Jesus leads us now: to the cross, to the empty tomb, and to rejoicing in His presence today.

INSIGHT
JESUS INVITES US TO FOLLOW HIM, TO MAKE OUR WAY TO THE CROSS AND LIVE OUR LIVES IN LIGHT OF THE EMPTY TOMB.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Numbers 25-26
Psalm 74
John 16


Psalm 42[a][b]
For the director of music. A maskil[c] of the Sons of Korah.
1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One[d]
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.

5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

6 My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.

8 By day the Lord directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?”
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”

11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 42:1 In many Hebrew manuscripts Psalms 42 and 43 constitute one psalm.
b. Psalm 42:1 In Hebrew texts 42:1-11 is numbered 42:2-12.
c. Psalm 42:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
d. Psalm 42:4 See Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.


FOR GOD SO LOVED - JOHN 3:16 [PART 5]

Can you share the gospel in a sentence? It's not as hard as you might think. In fact, the disciple whom Jesus loved already wrote it for you. All you have to do is know it, believe it, and repeat it.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (DECEMBER 26, 2012)

Smoke from a Charcoal Fire

John 21:1-13


"[Jesus] gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."
(TITUS 2:14)

A small black stone falls out of my bag, a physical remembrance of a story that now sweeps over me. This was where seven springs enter the Sea of Galilee and the warm waters draw the fish in winter and spring - a fisherman's paradise. Here Jesus built a charcoal fire and laid out a resurrection breakfast of flatbread and broiled fish. The word for charcoal (anthrakian) appears only twice in the New Testament: in John 18:18, and again in John 21:9. In John 18, we see Peter deny his Lord three times in the cold night at the chief priest's house near the smoke of a charcoal fire. But here by the water, through the smoke of a breakfast fire, a warm reunion takes place. "It is the Lord!" Peter hears and jumps from the boat to meet Him. And Jesus calls Peter, once again in this place, to follow Him and "Feed my sheep."

Jesus died so the judgment coals which we deserve would not be heaped on our heads. Instead, we find forgiveness, redemption, and a call to earnestly serve our Savior and His people.
INSIGHT
EVEN IN SOMETHING AS UNASSUMING AS A CHARCOAL FIRE WITH ITS SMOKE, JESUS SPEAKS HIS TRUTH AND GRACE INTO OUR LIVES.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Numbers 23-24
Psalm 73
John 14-15

John 21:1-13

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish

21 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.^[a] It happened this way: ² Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus^[b]), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. ³ “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

⁴ Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
⁵ He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
“No,” they answered.
⁶ He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
⁷ Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. ⁸ The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.^{[c] 9} When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
¹⁰ Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” ¹¹ So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. ¹² Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.

Footnotes:

1. John 21:1 Greek Tiberias
2. John 21:2 Thomas (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean twin.
3. John 21:8 Or about 90 meters

THE BATTLE IS HIS
2 CHRONICLES 20:20 [PART 4]

Have you ever been overwhelmed with what lay ahead? Jehoshaphat was when he found out there was an army coming to take his kingdom. But instead of relying on his own power, he trusted in the Lord. 

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (DECEMBER 25, 2012)

Supporting Evidence

1 John 5:1-13

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
(HEBREWS 11:1)

"Caesariensibus Tiberium Pontius Pilatus Praefestus Iudaeae." These Latin words were found on a stone uncovered at the port city of Caesarea in 1961. The words "To the people of Caesarea Tiberium Pontius Pilate Prefect of Judea" are important because for centuries skeptics doubted there ever was a governor of Judea named Pilate. This stone confirmed otherwise. Scripture names Pontius Pilate as the judge who turned Jesus over to the cross, so this stone was a fatal blow to all doubters. It was found as part of a first century stairway in Herod's magnificent Roman theatre on the shore of the Mediterranean. Now it resides in the Israel Museum. It is extremely difficult to believe what you cannot see. But sight is not faith, and faith is the road we are called to travel, even when physical evidence is lacking. Archeological finds may confirm our faith, but they are not the source of it. In following Christ, we are called to believe in His name. The Spirit of Christ in us grants all the confirmation we need.

INSIGHT
FAITH IS NOT MERELY HUMAN HOPE. IT IS THE SUBSTANCE OF WHAT WE BELIEVE, AND THE EVIDENCE OF FAITH IS CHRIST IN US.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Numbers 21-22
Psalm 72
John 13

1 John 5:1-13

New International Version (NIV)

Faith in the Incarnate Son of God

5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. ² This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. ³ In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, ⁴ for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

⁶ This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. ⁷ For there are three that testify: ⁸ the^[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. ⁹ We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. ¹⁰ Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Concluding Affirmations

¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Footnotes:

1. 1 John 5:8 Late manuscripts of the Vulgate testify in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. ⁸ And there are three that testify on earth: the (not found in any Greek manuscript before the fourteenth century)

IDEAL CHRISTIAN LIVING
(PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7) [PART 3]

There are many opinions about what we need in order to live an ideal life. Most of them talk about material things, but the apostle Paul gives us six ways we can live the ideal life with Jesus Christ. 

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (DECEMBER 24, 2012)

A City on a Hill

Luke 11:33-36

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden." 

(MATTHEW 5:14)

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus referred to His people as a light that cannot be hidden. Galileans only had to look up in the night sky to see another light. It was the ancient city of Safed, a town to the north, perched on a mountaintop. Safed has regained its fame since Madonna made her foray into the Jewish mystical practice of Kabbalah. The Bohemian art colony is now the home of a 16th century Abuhav synagogue where an ancient scroll of the Torah is kept locked in one of three Arks on the south wall and is removed only three times a year (Yom Kippur, Shavuot, and Rosh Hashanah) for reading.

Kabbalah, which holds to deep superstitions that stray from the Hebrew Bible, is followed by even some Orthodox Jews today. Jesus made mention of what would become of this bastion of mysticism when He turned his back to those in that mountaintop city and spoke to those gathered around Him below it. "You who are mine," he said, "are the light of the world. Your light must not be hidden under a bowl." Jesus, the Light that is not hidden, eradicates darkness.

INSIGHT

JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD WHO HAS OVERCOME THE DARKNESS. LET THAT GOOD NEWS SHINE FORTH FROM YOU.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR

Numbers 19-20 

Psalm 71 

John 12

Luke 11:33-36

New International Version (NIV)

The Lamp of the Body

33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy,[a] your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy,[b] your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

Footnotes:

a. Luke 11:34 The Greek for healthy here implies generous.

b. Luke 11:34 The Greek for unhealthy here implies stingy.

THE OTHER LORD'S PRAYER (JN 17:20-23) [PART 2]

Many of us learn the Lord's prayer when we are young Christians. But what about the prayer Jesus gave on the eve of His crucifixion? Just before going to the cross, He was praying for all of us. 

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (DECEMBER 23, 2012)

The Bread of Life

John 6:25-51

'For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.'"
(JOHN 6:33)

Matthew 14. Mark 6. Luke 9. John 6. Only one story makes its way into all four Gospels: the feeding of 5,000. Again Jesus was on the north side of Galilee, near Capernaum, and the crowds were now coming from great distances to be near the famed teacher. Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with His disciples to teach. But this was not just preaching or healing. This was both because it would be a miracle to teach about life.

The people were hungry, and as a test, Jesus asked Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" Andrew saw the young boy with five little barley loaves and two small fish... such an insignificant answer to such a great need. Yet, after this meager amount was blessed, the Lord continued handing out food until all had their fill. He then taught the people that He was the true bread, the life they needed. They could eat and be satisfied. "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty" (v. 35).
INSIGHT
THE JEWS THOUGHT THE COMING MESSIAH WOULD RENEW THE MIRACLE OF MANNA IN THE WILDERNESS. THIS TRUE BREAD DOES MORE, BRINGING US LIFE TODAY.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Numbers 16
Psalm 69
John 10

John 6:25-51

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus the Bread of Life

²⁵ When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
²⁶ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. ²⁷ Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
²⁸ Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
²⁹ Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
³⁰ So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? ³¹ Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’^[a]”
³² Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
³⁴ “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”
³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. ³⁶ But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷ All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. ³⁹ And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁰ For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
⁴¹ At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ⁴² They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”
⁴³ “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. ⁴⁴ “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’^[b] Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. ⁴⁶ No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. ⁴⁸ I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. ⁵⁰ But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

Footnotes:

1. John 6:31 Exodus 16:4; Neh. 9:15; Psalm 78:24,25
2. John 6:45 Isaiah 54:13.

PREACHING THE GOSPEL TO YOURSELF
with Milton Vincent

After preaching for 10 years he realized he was striving to please God through his works. Milton had forgotten the good news that Jesus was pleasing to God on his behalf.