Daily Walk Through the New Testament

April 20

Read Matthew 13:44-14:12

The crowds of Jesus’ day were amazed by His teaching, for He taught as one with authority. As they heard Him teach, they would whisper to each other, “Is that not Joseph’s boy? Isn’t He a carpenter? I think He built our table.” Their familiarity bred contempt, so much so that Matthew 13:57 says, “They were offended at Him.”
Jesus did amazing miracles in many places, but in the area where He grew up, He performed only small miracles. Why? Matthew 13:58 tells us it was because of the people’s unbelief. These people who had watched Jesus grow, who knew His stellar character firsthand, who should have been the first to believe His claims of deity, were one of Jesus’ toughest crowds. They were curious about Jesus, but as soon as He touched on a nerve, they quickly yanked back the welcome mat.
Is there an area of unbelief in your life that is unwelcoming to the mighty power of God? Confess it to Him today, and ask Him to help you with your lack of faith.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

April 19

Read Matthew 13:18-43

Jesus indicated in His explanation of the parable of the sower that the seed represents the Word of God, the soil represents those receiving it, and the bird is the devil. He made it clear that when the seed is being sown, there is an enemy who attempts to steal it away. How does the Enemy distract you from receiving God’s Word or other blessings He wants to give you? Ask God to give you understanding — eyes to see and ears to hear — of any and all attacks on your life. Submit yourself to God and throw off every hindrance in your walk with Him. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
April 18

Read Matthew 12:46-13:17

Jesus often made a distinction between eyes that see and eyes that do not see. He was not referring to physical blindness; He was concerned about people having spiritual eyes to recognize the Holy Spirit. “Eyes to see” and “ears to hear” are phrases that refer to listening to God and obeying Him.
Jesus said whoever does the will of the Father is related to Him (Matthew 12:50). When we listen to His teaching, He will give us more understanding and an abundance of knowledge (Matthew 13:12). In order to have eyes, we have to look, and in order to have ears, we have to listen. This teaching seems backward to our understanding. But remember, this is not an earthly principle. It is spiritual. We are not human beings with temporary human experiences. We are spiritual beings with temporary human experiences. The Bible is a spiritual Book. And Jesus taught that if we really want to understand more, we have to listen and obey what we understand, and then more understanding will be given. We shouldn’t expect God to give us new marching orders until we obey in the areas He’s already given us understanding.
What is the last thing God told you to do? Did you do it? Ask God to give you courage to obey Him today, and may the Father be able to say this to you: “Blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear” (Matthew 13:16).

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
April 17

Read Matthew 12:22-45

The bookends of today’s reading help us understand Satan and his demons. In Matthew 12:29, Jesus asked how one can enter a house inhabited by Satan without first binding him. This is the picture of salvation, deliverance, and freedom. Each believer is the dwelling place, or house, of God and should have undivided loyalty to Jesus. If we are double-minded, having divided loyalties, we’ll be unstable(James 1:8).
The reading concludes with the teaching on what happens when unclean spirits, or demons, go out and come back. They’re able to return with more unclean spirits if the person is clean but empty — not full of God’s Spirit to reject them. We need to ask Jesus not only to clean us but also to fill us with His Spirit.
Pray for protection from the attacks of our very real Enemy. Stay loyal to Jesus, fill up with the Word and the Spirit, and you will resist the Enemy and be strong in the Lord.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

April 16

Read Matthew 11:25-12:21

When we put our trust in Jesus, He blesses us with many things. We see one of them in Matthew 11:25 when Jesus thanked God the Father for revealing heavenly truth to those with childlike faith. Praise God that we don’t have to be wise and clever! He simply reveals truth to us.
In the parallel passage in Luke 10:19, a blessing available to those with childlike faith includes authority over the Enemy. He makes us able to “put on the whole armor of God” and “stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).
Jesus invites all who are heavy laden to come to Him for rest. What a great invitation! Don’t we all need rest today? If we have childlike faith, we’ll receive it. Part of our rest comes from knowing and understanding that Jesus is Lord of all. Jesus demonstrated His authority over the Sabbath and the temple in Matthew 12, which tells us He is greater than religion and all of its rules and regulations. As we put our faith in Him, we find freedom!
Ask God to give you childlike faith and the revelation, rest, authority, and freedom that come from having Jesus Christ as your Lord.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

April 15

Read Matthew 10:40-11:24

God sent John the Baptist to the Jews with an important message: “Get ready, for your long-awaited Messiah is here!” Today’s reading tells us that as John the Baptist illuminated the way to Jesus, he was really making a way to the Father. Jesus said, “He who receives Me receives Him who sent Me” (Matthew 10:40). What a promise!
Will you come in contact with those who need to receive Jesus today? Will you invite them to receive Him? When you introduce people to Jesus, you are preparing the way for them to know the Father, just like John the Baptist did. Ask God to help you fulfill your purpose in Him and to be the “way maker” in someone’s life today. And ask God to give those you will share Jesus with ears to hear!

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

April 14
From what you read in the New Testament this week:

1.)     How has the authority of Jesus changed the way you worship Him or how                 you live your life?

2.)     What relationships, goals or dreams do you have that will need to die in                 order for you to follow Jesus? What price have you paid already for                 being a Christian?

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

April 13

Read Matthew 10:11-39

Opposition and difficulty are words that contemporary believers hear little about. For many, ease and prosperity are the chief characteristics of modern Christianity. Jesus’ perspective, however, was just the opposite. Though we often soften the abrasive ness of these words, our general lack of persecution usually says more about the insufficiency of our commitment than the toleration of society. Our people-centered theology props up the values of acceptance, comfort, and popularity while diminishing the imperative of a crucified life. Rather than taking up our cross, we completely put it down to avoid the scorn that it invites. This is not salvation.
Confessing Christ before others is more than speaking words. It is paying any price, forsaking any person, and enduring any pain to follow Jesus. Our Savior did not break under the weight of rejection, and neither should we.  Though God does not require that we seek persecution, He does insist that we refuse to run from it.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

April 12

Read Matthew 9:18-10:10

In Matthew 8:1-9:34, we see 10 miracles that demonstrate the divine identity of Jesus. By raising the dead and healing the blind (no blind man had ever been healed before up to this point), the theme of messianic authority reaches a climax with the greatest miracles of all. The inclusion of a mute man speaking marks the fulfillment of Isaiah 35:5-6. Immediately following this crescendo, the emphasis turns toward sharing Jesus with others. Those who accept His identity will also embrace this important mission. Leading others to accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord is the greatest expression that we really understand who He is. Who will you share Jesus with today?

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

April 11

Read Matthew 8:28-9:17

Continuing to emphasize that Jesus is the Messiah, Matthew reveals that Christ has the authority to drive out demons and cure physical infirmities. A new theme emerges, however, when Jesus forgives the paralytic before healing him. Here, we discover that the purpose of these miracles is spiritual rather than physical. The signs and wonders of Jesus’ ministry were never meant to distract from His identity, but to confirm it. Miraculous activity compels us to worship Jesus so that we will cling to Him for the forgiveness of sins. Celebrating what God does without acknowledging who He is will ultimately not meet our greatest need. The call of Matthew illustrates that while physical miracles are not always available to everyone, the supernatural work of forgiveness is! The worst of sinners can be forgiven through repentance and faith. Put your faith in the One who forgives and saves!